Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 612

The netherworld, beside the Well of Reincarnation.

The newly appointed King Qin Guang stood with his head bowed beneath Yang Jian, his posture as humble as the most obedient servant. Only deep within his lowered eyes lay a resentment as cold as ice that had been frozen for millennia.

Within his wide robe sleeves, his fingertips were twirling a wisp of "Avici Hell" that had been smuggled out from the deepest rift of Avici Hell. This foul miasma twisted and writh like a living thing, emanating the wailing of decaying souls.

Taking advantage of the moment when Yang Jian turned around to inspect the massive array of Red Dust Mirrors, King Qin Guang flicked his fingertip almost imperceptibly, and the wisp of miasma, like a venomous gray snake, silently burrowed into the array's core on the back of the Red Dust Mirrors.

Om-!
The smooth, water-like surface of the Red Dust Mirror suddenly darkened, as if covered by a thick layer of dust.

The stream of emotions that was originally flowing clearly on it, reflecting the joys and sorrows of human life, suddenly became stagnant, turbid, and discontinuous.

The smiling faces of mortals in the mirror blurred, their tears dried up, and their burning love and profound sorrow seemed to be behind frosted glass, no longer able to flow smoothly into the earthly core deep within the Well of Reincarnation that sustains the flow of souls across the three realms.

"Reporting to the True Lord," King Qin Guang stepped forward at the opportune moment, his voice carrying just the right amount of worry, "The Mirror of Mortal World... seems to be obstructed. If this continues, I fear that the mortal cores will not be able to absorb enough human emotions, causing the imbalance of reincarnation to reappear."

His tone was heavy, as if he were deeply worried.

Almost the instant his words fell, a strange change occurred on the platform beside the Well of Reincarnation, which had been filled with countless years of arguments!
A scholar's spirit, dressed in a tattered scholar's robe and withered in appearance, suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and let out a heart-wrenching roar: "Why! Why have I been wronged for a hundred years and still cannot be reborn?! Where is justice! It must be the underworld protecting me! Protecting those high and mighty remnants of the immortal sects! They... they all deserve to die!"

This accusation was like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the long-suppressed barriers of resentment on the defense platform.

The invisible barrier of resentment was like a sponge soaked in ink, with thick, malevolent black energy spreading wildly and staining large areas of benevolent souls with an ominous dark hue. Countless suppressed sobs and angry questions converged into a chaotic torrent that assaulted the mind.

Yang Jian suddenly turned around, and the majestic vertical mark on his forehead—the Heavenly Eye formed from the Heart Balance Divine Essence—suddenly opened!
The dazzling, almost tangible golden light swept across the array of mortal mirrors like a sharp sword.

As the golden light reached, the truth hidden deep within the mirror's surface by the filthy array patterns was forcibly torn apart: at the core of the intricate array patterns on the back of the mirror, a grotesque phantom of King Qin Guang, twisted and condensed from filthy blood and miasma from the Netherworld, was facing Yang Jian, emitting a silent, mocking laugh!

"How brave!"

Yang Jian's cold shout was like the shattering of ice from the deepest hell, and the golden light in his divine eyes instantly solidified into a tangible form, piercing straight towards King Qin Guang with unstoppable force!
The "King Qin Guang" trembled violently, his feigned respect instantly turning into venomous hatred. His entire body exploded with a "bang," turning into a pool of foul-smelling blood that seeped into the cold cracks of the Senluo Palace's floor tiles. Only a twisted, chilling laugh, seemingly emanating from the deepest depths of hell, echoed within the hall: "Yang Jian! The authority of the Netherworld, the ironclad laws of reincarnation, how dare you trample upon them so wantonly, how dare you allow these sinful demons to lay a finger on them! Just you wait!"

Southern Jambu Continent, the seat of the Industrial and Construction Bureau in the Hengduan Mountains.

Mo Yan's fingertips were slowly brushing across the surface of the improved Mountain and River Plate.

The disk is no longer just a cold, miniature model of mountains and rivers; now it resembles a living star map, with countless pale golden filaments and deep purple, viscous dark currents intertwining and flowing within it, outlining the breath and lifeblood of the earth—this is the concrete manifestation of the Star Network Law in the earth's veins.

"Master Mo! Look! The earth vein nodes... something's wrong!"

A young craftsman suddenly pointed to a valley area on the plate and exclaimed in surprise.

Mo Yan's gaze sharpened.

The area representing the StarNet ley line node had become extremely weak, with wisps of murky gray energy clinging to the light threads like maggots, greedily devouring and polluting them!
Where the gray mist permeated, the light filaments were dimming and breaking at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This location... is the abandoned mining area where the "spiritual plague" broke out before!

"Inert energy at the nodes of the Devouring Star Web!"

Mo Yan's heart trembled violently, and a chill ran up his spine.

Without hesitation, he issued a stern order: "Squad A and Squad C of the Construction Bureau! Follow me to the node immediately for reinforcement! Bring the highest-level purification array plates!"

However, as the team urgently assembled, Mo Yan's sharp gaze swept across the faces, and he caught a glimpse of something unusual in the eyes of several craftsmen.

Their movements were slightly stiff, and their eyes were empty and dull, like puppets being pulled by invisible threads.

Even more terrifying, when one of them raised his arm to wipe away non-existent sweat from his forehead, Mo Yan could clearly see fine gray stone chips seeping out from the gaps in his palm lines!

"Oh no! Quarantine them! They've been deeply infected by the Spirit Plague!"

Mo Yan's warning was like a thunderclap.

Before the words were even finished, the last glimmer of humanity in the eyes of those craftsmen was completely extinguished, and they let out a wild, guttural sound.

With a teeth-grinding "crack" sound, their bodies were instantly covered with a layer of grayish-white rocky keratin, and the gray inert energy accumulated in their bodies surged out like a burst dam, heading straight for Mo Yan's hand—the core of the Mountain and River Disc that was emitting a faint star network light!

Mo Yan's pupils contracted sharply. At this critical moment, he suddenly focused all his attention into the depths of the Mountain and River Plate, communicating with the dormant spiritual will of the earth veins that had been awakened by the Star Network.

"Help me!"

He cried out in silence.

hum!
The mountain and river plate trembled violently, and the node on the plate surface that had been eroded by the gray mist suddenly lit up. A blurry humanoid outline composed of countless tiny rock fragments flashed into view, carrying the weight and anger of the earth, and barely blocked the surging tide of filthy gray!
The violent energy collision generated a silent shockwave that made the entire industrial complex buzz.

Mo Yan was so shocked that he staggered back several steps, his back slamming heavily against a stone pillar, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his clothes.

He stared at the illusory rock formations on the mountain and river plate, stubbornly resisting yet still being eroded by the gray mist, and felt a chill in his heart: "The corpse poison left behind after the old laws perished... has become the sharpest weapon in the hands of the enemy!"

Beiju Luzhou, Huali Academy.

The wind and snow howled through the deep valley, yet could not penetrate the warm and bright lecture hall of the academy.

Jin stood before the hall, a slowly rotating chaotic star vortex floating in his palm. Countless delicate star webs of light intertwined and flowed within the vortex, radiating waves of soothing and purifying energy.

Several cubs, bound in cocoons of light and with their demonic power out of control, are having their crimson malevolent energy gently and firmly drawn away and transformed by the light threads.

A faint, warm golden flame emerged from the transformed malevolent energy, gracefully merging into the void and merging into the invisible star network.

"This is the 'Fire of Sincerity'," Jin's voice was gentle and clear, echoing in the lecture hall. His gaze swept over the adult demons listening intently below the stage. "It is not brute force, nor plunder, but the control of power by one's own will, turning evil into good, and giving back to heaven and earth. This is what the Great Sage's Dao Seed showed us, and it is also the path to rebirth for our race under the Star Network Law."

The bear stood like a mountain beside Jin. The huge scar on his chest, once pierced by the Shu Mountain Sword Formation, looked particularly ferocious under the soft light of the academy. At this moment, it was like a silent testament, a symbol of power, making his words carry a heavy weight.

suddenly!

Woo——!
A desolate, ancient horn sound, seemingly echoing through the ages, tore apart the academy's solid barrier without warning!

The wind and snow swirled back, and the cold was biting!
On the frozen cliff outside the lecture hall, countless enormous, ferocious phantoms composed of pure soul power and primordial demonic power suddenly appeared!

A giant tiger with saber-toothed fangs, a ferocious bird with bone wings on its back, a giant ape with a pale green primordial flame burning all over its body... their auras are violent and chaotic, filled with hatred for order.

The colossal, mountain-like phantom of a saber-toothed tiger demon soul, its gaping maw snarling, roared with utter contempt and defiance: "StarNet? Shackles! How laughable! We demons are born free, to roam the heavens and earth! Why should we be tamed by your academies? Why should we be bound by that damned spiritual bondage! Follow us—to revitalize the glory of our ancient times! Tore apart this hypocritical cage!"

The roar was like a spell, instantly igniting the wild fire in the hearts of the large number of conservative demons who had gathered outside the valley. Their eyes turned blood red, and they let out low, echoing roars. Their demonic power began to boil uncontrollably, their spearheads aimed directly at the Hua Li Academy!
A cold glint flashed in Xiong Pi's eyes. He stepped out of the lecture hall and stood in the wind and snow, his imposing body facing the oppressive aura of the ancient demon soul.

He suddenly raised his hand and ripped apart the tattered old armor on his chest. The hideous scar that pierced through his chest and abdomen, almost splitting him open, was completely exposed to the biting cold wind and the gaze of all the demons. The old scar, with its flesh torn up, resembled a twisted centipede, silently telling the story of the past tragedy.

"Look at this scar!" Xiong Pi's voice rolled across the valley like muffled thunder, drowning out the howling wind and snow. "Look at the price this 'freedom' has brought! The old laws, the so-called 'freedom,' have only brought the butcher's knife of the immortal sects, only the fate of being enslaved and slaughtered!"

He surveyed his kin outside the valley, their emotions running high. His massive bear paw suddenly pointed towards the warm lights of the academy behind him and the cubs whose eyes held fear and confusion: "The StarNet is not a shackle! It is what we, through blood and fire, earned for ourselves and for our descendants—the power to protect ourselves! The foundation for self-reliance! A new path to stand tall and live!"

The demon horde instantly descended into a massive uproar and chaos.

The allure of the ancient demon spirit and the bloody questioning of the bear collided fiercely in their hearts like two torrents.

Seizing the brief stalemate, Jhin unhesitatingly poured the pure "Flame of Sincerity" that he had just transformed from the out-of-control cub into the earth beneath his feet—a crucial node of the StarNet at this point.

boom!
The valley's leyline nodes suddenly erupted with dazzling light, and a gentle yet powerful star network force spread out like a tide, temporarily repelling the demonic soul phantom composed of pure malevolent energy.

But atop the icy cliff, the fierce roar of the saber-toothed tiger demon's soul still clung to the eardrums of every demon like a leech: "Black Bear! Are you willing to be a lackey of the Heavenly Court?! You have betrayed the glory of your ancestral bloodline, you are all traitors!"

Beside the Ascension Platform, beneath the Myriad Laws Stele.

The pure moonlight, like flowing mercury, gently enveloped the slender body of the little rabbit demon Yunluo.

On the center of her forehead, a radiant mark, a symbol of successful ascension to immortality, formed from starlight and laws, shone brightly, illuminating the surroundings.

This miraculous sight is the most powerful silent declaration of "Sincerity can reach the heavens," drawing astonished glances from countless newly promoted cultivators and immortal officials.

Yunluo curiously twirled her long, fluffy ears, her clear, ruby-like eyes gazing at the starkly different scenes on either side of the Ascension Platform:
On the left, the Taoist ladder is filled with purple mist rising up. New disciples dressed in Taoist robes sit cross-legged, their hands forming the "Wuwei Shouxin Jue" mudra. Taoist charm flows around them, like a mountain breeze or a forest stream, ethereal and otherworldly. They emphasize sincerity in harmony with the Tao, following the natural way, and nourishing things silently.

On the right, the golden steps of the Buddhist temple resound with chanting, and golden light shines peacefully. The newly initiated novices close their eyes and recite the "Compassionate Salvation Dharma". The Buddha's light and appearance are solemn and dignified, emphasizing the transformation of attachments with sincerity, universal salvation, and the great vow.

Suddenly, a heated argument shattered this superficial harmony.

A young Taoist priest, who had just passed the Heart Scale test and had a slightly arrogant expression, was arguing heatedly with a young novice monk with a compassionate look about how to deliver a vengeful spirit that was lingering near the Ascension Platform.

"All things follow their own principles, and Yin and Yang have their own fixed order!" The young Taoist priest flicked his sleeve, purple energy flowing between his fingertips. "This vengeful spirit's obsession is deep-rooted, rooted in cause and effect. Forcibly elevating it would be going against the will of Heaven! We should let nature take its course and wait for its cause and effect to be resolved. Then the resentment will naturally dissipate like smoke, which is in accordance with the true meaning of my Tao: 'non-action and preserving sincerity'!"

“Amitabha! Excellent, excellent!” The young novice monk clasped his hands together, his golden light shining even brighter, his expression filled with unwavering determination. “All beings suffer, and attachment is the shore. This spirit is drowning in the sea of ​​suffering, and needs great compassion and the power of great vows to guide it toward goodness, dissolve its attachments, and lead it to rebirth in the Pure Land! This is the Buddha’s great vow of ‘compassion as sincerity’ to universally save all beings! How can we let it live and die on its own, suffering endless torment?”

With a flick of his finger, a gentle yet powerful beam of Buddhist light shot towards the trembling, resentful spirit.

"Absurd! Imposing one's will—how can that help someone find liberation?"

The young Taoist priest angrily rebuked, and a cool, purple aura of Taoist energy instinctively met the Buddha's light, attempting to dispel it.

Two completely different forces—the natural inaction of Tao and the compassionate salvation of Buddha—collide violently due to their fundamental differences in philosophy!
The Taoist purple aura and the Buddhist golden light fiercely repelled and rubbed against each other, emitting a piercing buzz. The incredibly hard bricks of the Ascension Platform, engraved with ancient runes, cracked open with a hideous fissure at the center of the clash between the two forces!

An invisible shockwave spread out, startling the surrounding cultivators who retreated in panic.

Just as tensions were about to rise, a timid voice, with a soft, nasal tone, rang out: "Um... please wait a moment..."

Yunluo had reached the edge of the crack without anyone noticing. She crouched down slightly, extended her slender, fair fingers, and gently touched the ever-spreading crack with a wisp of extremely soft moonlight power that seemed to be a fusion of starlight threads and her own pure beliefs.

"I think... isn't a sincere heart the same, whether it's following the natural way or the Buddha's compassionate vow? It's all about making the Three Realms better..."

Her words were innocent, yet they carried a power that went straight to the heart.

A miracle occurred. The crack that had arisen from the conflict of ideologies was abruptly halted by the gentle touch of this ray of light, which combined the harmonizing power of the StarNet with Yunluo's pure faith.

Even more astonishingly, the conflicting Taoist spirit and Buddhist light seemed to be enveloped and soothed by an invisible warmth, no longer fiercely clashing, but instead presenting a strange, elusive state of fusion, and the cracks slowly began to heal!
High above, hidden in the clouds, the Antarctic Immortal watched this scene. His face, as calm as still water, was expressionless. Only within the wide sleeves of his robe, a cold jade talisman imbued with the primordial aura of the Tushita Purple Fire emanated an increasingly intense heat through the fabric, like a cold spark that had been ignited.

(End of this chapter)