Chapter 370: Chapter 374: Underworld_1
This palace was entirely black, extremely magnificent, standing thousands of feet high and spanning hundreds of miles long. It was built with a suspended design, many of its structures floating in the Void.
The palace gate was tightly closed, with a plaque above it bearing the word ’Netherworld’, filled with a particular Rule Power. Just as Qin Wudao was preparing to step forward and push the gate, he was blocked by a black barrier.
Countless cryptic formation patterns surfaced before Qin Wudao, numbering in the countless billions. Judging by the sheer scale of these formation patterns, they far surpassed all formations in the mortal world.
Even the strongest Array Master on the Primitive Continent would be unable to decipher this formation.
Above the Void, an old crone stood within a dark cloud, gazing down at Qin Wudao below. Her eyes were cold, radiating intense killing intent. A sinister cackle escaped her. "Once you fail to break the formation, you will surely leave. When that time comes..."
Qin Wudao carefully inspected the barrier. With his level of formation deciphering, he naturally couldn’t break this particular formation, but he noticed something peculiar.
This formation has a groove that fits perfectly with the size of the Book of Life and Death. Could there be a connection between them?
Qin Wudao stroked his chin, staring at the formation directly opposite the main gate, where there was a blank area devoid of formation patterns.
Having formed this hypothesis, Qin Wudao maneuvered the Book of Life and Death to slowly approach the barrier.
HMM...
Accompanied by a dull thud, the Book of Life and Death completely merged with the barrier, releasing countless rays of golden light. Exceptionally dazzling, they illuminated the gloomy Yellow Spring Secret Realm.
Under the golden light’s radiance, the massive barrier rapidly melted, like ice meeting a blazing sun.
Things at their extreme must reverse. Such pure extreme yang energy!
Qin Wudao was slightly surprised. These golden rays were entirely composed of extreme yang energy.
The very premise of a world’s existence requires the coexistence of multiple forces. A world constructed from a single type of force cannot endure for long.
Given the Yellow Spring Sovereign’s profound understanding of the world’s rules, he would never have made such a rudimentary error when creating the Yellow Spring Secret Realm. At first glance, the Yellow Spring Secret Realm appeared to be constructed from extreme yin power, but in reality, it also incorporated extreme yang power.
This was why, when the Book of Life and Death contacted the barrier, it could catalyze a conversion to extreme yang energy, dispelling the original barrier.
Could the Yellow Spring Sovereign be searching for a successor possessing extreme yang energy? Qin Wudao mumbled to himself, watching the disintegrating barrier.
"What?"
"That’s impossible!"
"I’ve studied it for hundreds of millions of years, yet I haven’t managed to unravel the barrier. Why could this low-cultivation human easily break through it? Yellow Spring Sovereign, I hate you..."
The old crone, watching in secret, her eyes wide with fury, felt her resentment for the Yellow Spring Sovereign reach a new zenith.
However, this kid breaking the barrier has played right into my hands!
After her initial anger, the old crone calmed down. Her eyes filled with excitement as she transformed into a black skeleton and flew towards the magnificent building.
Qin Wudao retrieved the Book of Life and Death and also entered the Netherworld.
Surprisingly, the environment within the Netherworld was not as gloomy as the outside. On the contrary, it was exceptionally beautiful, with glazed tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, small bridges over flowing water, and vibrant flowers adorning the scene.
Walking along the long corridor and taking in the magnificent scenery, even someone burdened with sorrow would feel their spirits lift.
Beyond the corridor lay a large hall, suspended a hundred feet in the air, strikingly similar to the government offices in the mortal world. On its black plaque were the three words: Yama Palace.
According to the legends from my past life, the Yama Palace is one of the ten halls of the Netherworld, responsible for judging departed souls! Qin Wudao mused, then employed his movement technique to ascend to the Yama Palace. The interior of the palace was sparsely furnished; apart from a high platform, there was only a throne and a large desk.
A flicker of black light, and an illusory figure materialized on the throne. Dressed in a black royal robe, he possessed a cold expression and deep, penetrating eyes that seemed to see through everything.
Immediately, wisps of black mist coalesced, and on either side of the hall, ten demonic bailiffs appeared, holding various instruments of torture and glaring ferociously at Qin Wudao.
"Who stands below? And for what crime?" the Yama King commanded, his voice stern. Behind his majestic and imposing figure lay a boundless depiction of Hell, where billions of souls suffered eternal punishment.
An endless divine pressure enveloped Qin Wudao, making his very soul tremble and a wave of powerlessness wash over him.
At that moment, he felt like a criminal being judged by a deity. His consciousness grew hazy, as if he had fallen into the sea and was suffocating, believing only by confessing his sins could he escape his torment.
Qin Wudao’s face paled, his legs bent slightly, on the verge of kneeling.
Just then, Qin Wudao bit his tongue hard. The sharp, metallic taste of blood jolted him to his senses. He instantly looked up at the Yama King, his gaze filled with an indomitable will.
He was a sovereign; he knelt to no one! He was innocent; why should he kneel before a deity?
Roars of dragons echoed as two golden dragons flew from Qin Wudao’s eyes, coiling above the Yama Palace, exuding an ultimate imperial aura.
The bailiffs on either side, unable to withstand this imperial might, shrieked and exploded into clouds of black mist, vanishing completely.
"Audacious mortal! How dare you defy divine decree? You deserve to be cast into the eighteenth layer of Hell!" the Yama King thundered, his voice like a clap of thunder, his eyes blazing with fury.
He slowly rose, drawing upon the will of Heaven and Earth. Boundless Power of Judgement Laws coiled around him as he prepared to cast Qin Wudao into the eighteenth layer of Hell for endless torment.
A divine decree tolerated no defiance.
A chill shot down Qin Wudao’s spine; his soul felt as if it were freezing, as though he stood on the precipice of death. An overwhelmingly terrifying pressure enveloped him, threatening to plunge him into the abyss of Hell at any moment.
Yet, as he faced the Yama King, not a trace of fear showed in his eyes. His back remained ramrod straight, like an unyielding mountain.
People all know to revere deities, but they often forget to revere life itself. In his heart, his own life was no less significant than that of any deity. He had committed no crime; no deity had the right to judge him, not even one who presided over the punishment of departed souls. And besides, he wasn’t even dead yet!
"My life—Heaven cannot judge it! Gods cannot punish it! Ghosts cannot claim it!" Qin Wudao roared, his face flushed. It was the cry of an oppressed servant challenging a haughty master, the roar of a new era’s power against the old.
His life—not even Heaven could pass sentence upon it!
His life—not even Gods were qualified to punish it!
His life—not even Ghosts could take it away!
My fate is my own to decide, not dictated by Heaven!
This conviction took firm root in Qin Wudao’s mind. From that moment on, all reverence he might have held vanished.
The Yama King shuddered. The Power of Judgement Laws around him began to crumble. The boundless depiction of Hell started to collapse, and everything vanished.
Tranquility returned to the Yama Palace. Qin Wudao stood in its center, drenched in sweat.
"Was that an illusion?" Qin Wudao mumbled to himself, looking at the empty throne.
Then he shook his head. That illusion must have been a test. If I had chosen to submit to the Yama King, I might truly have been cast into the eighteenth layer of Hell.