Yefutidaolu

Chapter 401 Power
According to the Yaksha demon, the Demon King does not patrol the vast execution grounds outside, but resides in the very center of this enormous iron city. Although this Demon King has not made a public appearance for many years.

According to the rules of Hell, being appointed as a "Ghost King" and in charge of a region of Hell, even the smallest near-border Hell, is by no means solely based on one's own cultivation level.

They must obtain the recognition and investiture of a higher being. Yaksha mentioned that all demon kings are theoretically investitured by the legendary Ten Kings of Hell and endowed with a special power from the "Third Rank".

What is "Rank Three"? Neither Gao Jian nor the Yaksha demon could understand it; they only knew the term. For the Yaksha demon, even Rank Seven was an unimaginable existence, just like mortals discussing the Big Bang—purely abstract talk.

That was a concept far beyond their current level of understanding.

But according to legend, only by gaining the approval of the Ten Kings of Hell can one truly control a region of hell and become a veritable "king".

In a sense, the Ghost King is already a "regional governor" in the underworld system, independently managing the operation of a region of hell.

Of course, depending on the size and importance of hell, the power and authority bestowed upon the Ghost King vary greatly.

The core Eight Hot Hells and Eight Cold Hells are home to powerful ghost kings, some said to reach the fourth rank, even on par with the most famous ghost messengers in the underworld—"Ox-Head and Horse-Face" and "Judge of Life and Death"! Above them are the Ten Kings of Hell, who govern the cycle of reincarnation in hell and are infinitely majestic.

The near-border hell where Gao Jian is currently located is considered "the smallest of the small" and "the most remote of the remote" in the hell system, so the demon king here is "only" a sixth-rank demon king.

But, there are "only" six ranks?

Gao Jian recalled the eleventh realm demon who called himself an "eighth-rank minor demon," and compared it with this "sixth-rank demon king"... His true strength was probably a terrifying existence that he could not fathom at all! What's more, the other party also possessed that mysterious title derived from the "third rank."

Right now, the simplest and most direct way to figure out the situation—why he had fallen into the hell below the Yellow Springs, the purpose of the Cangzhou Shui family patriarch and his group in taking the divine dynasty's treasures deep into this place, and most importantly... to find the way back—is undoubtedly to directly ask the highest ruler of this place.

Of course, it could also be the most dangerous.

"How should I deal with this demon king?" Takami pondered as he followed the vague directions of the Yaksha demon toward the center of the Iron Castle.

Passing through countless brutal execution grounds, with endless wails in my ears and a strange smell of burning and blood mingling in my nostrils.

Gao Jian tried his best to conceal his breathing and keep his eyes straight ahead. He noticed that, apart from the tormented souls and the executioners, there were indeed no other buildings in this iron city. All punishments were carried out "in the open," as if this public suffering itself was part of the punishment.

This makes the iron house in the city center stand out as particularly conspicuous and...unusual.

The iron hut was unremarkable and small in size, constructed entirely of the same dark iron-black material as the city walls. It was low, without any windows, only a tightly closed iron door. It stood quietly in a relatively open area in the city center, completely out of place with the bustling execution scene around it.

Its very existence is a silent declaration.

The closer he got, the more Gao Jian could feel the vastness of this iron city and the terrifying power it contained.

As far as the eye could see, the executioners were densely packed, their sheer number chilling! Moreover, the aura of these demons... even the weakest of them was probably at the seventh realm! Among them, there were quite a few with the aura of the eleventh realm comparable to the Yaksha demon from before!

Gao Jian roughly estimated that the number of demons above the seventh realm that could be sensed at this moment was probably in the hundreds of thousands! This was a terrifying force capable of instantly crushing a divine dynasty and possibly even sweeping across the known world!
"Over a hundred thousand ninth-level cultivators..." Gao Jian felt his throat go dry. If this power were unleashed upon the mortal realm, it could probably devour the entire living world overnight!
However, these little devils with terrifying power were all extremely law-abiding.

They carried out the punishments with utmost care. When Gao Jian, this "living person," passed by, they might cast curious or indifferent glances, but they made no attempt to obstruct or provoke him. They seemed to genuinely consider themselves "weak" and maintain absolute awe for the existing order.

Upon closer reflection, Gao Jian's opinion became clear. Under this "rank" system, those in the ninth and eleventh realms are merely "eighth-rank minor ghosts." They will be facing and serving ghost messengers and ghost kings who are often "fifth-rank" or "fourth-rank," and even the legendary Ten Kings of Hell... In comparison, they are indeed "weak."

No wonder they follow the rules so well...

But in any case, those beings of higher rank seem to have long since distanced themselves from this forgotten, near-hellish place.

The Yaksha demon said that this place has not been in contact with the outside world for more than 20,000 years.

Now, the strongest being in this hell, both in name and in reality, is the master of this iron house before us—that sixth-rank ghost king.

Gao Jian stopped in front of that inconspicuous iron gate. The door was tightly closed, there were no guards, and he could not sense any energy fluctuations; it was as if it were just an abandoned empty house.

But he knew that was not the case.

Inside is an ancient being who is at least a "sixth-rank" being, who controls the rules of a certain hell, and who may have lived for countless millennia.

Taking a deep breath, suppressing all distracting thoughts, vigilance, and that inevitable sense of awe, Gao Jian reached out and pushed towards the cold iron door.

Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we have to face it eventually.

"Squeak-"

A heavy, dry scraping sound rang out, and the iron gate opened easily, unlocked.

Without the slightest hesitation, Gao Jian stepped inside.

Stepping into the iron house, Gao Jian instantly tensed up, his blood surging, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

However, the anticipated terrifying pressure, bizarre sights, or fierce attacks did not materialize.

The interior was extremely simple, even rudimentary.

The walls and roof were a cold, iron-black color, devoid of any decoration or light source, yet the room was filled with a uniform, dim light, enough to see everything clearly.

The space is small, only enough for a dozen or so people to stand.

In the very center of the iron house, a figure was sitting cross-legged.

It was indeed a monster. Its appearance was ferocious and terrifying, but... although it was called a monster, it was not a ghost, but a natural monster similar to an Asura or a Rakshasa.

Its face was eerily green, its fangs protruded and gleamed with a cold light, and its full head of green hair was like lush seaweed, covering almost half of its face. It had four eyes on its face, all of which were tightly closed at the moment. It also had a pair of fleshy wings covered with dark green scales on its back, which were tucked behind it.

However, in stark contrast to his terrifying appearance, he was in a very different state at that moment.

He sat there quietly, relaxed, his hands forming a mysterious lotus mudra on his knees. There was no trace of his aura emanating from him, no fluctuation of his breath, no energy fluctuations, and his very presence was so faint as to be almost nonexistent.

He was like a strangely shaped statue carved from green jade, immersed in a state of tranquility and deathly stillness.

Gao Jian was stunned, his brows furrowing tightly.

This... is that sixth-rank Ghost King?
It was completely different from what he had expected. He had thought he would need to report to the authorities, pay his respects, and perhaps even face some difficulties or tests first. But to his utter surprise, the other party was so unguarded that he could walk right in and stand right in front of them without eliciting any reaction.

Something's strange... Is this really the Ghost King? Or... is this just some kind of illusion?
Gao Jian was filled with doubts. He decided to verify it.

He slowly took a few steps forward, stopping about three zhang away from the ghost king. Instead of rashly making contact with it using his body or energy, he subtly activated his martial arts divine intent with a thought!

hum! !

A refined and pure martial arts intent emanated from Gao Jian's body, spreading cautiously towards the seated Ghost King like invisible ripples.

This is not an attack, but more like a tentative "knocking on the door," which aims to subtly interact with the energy field or soul that the other party may have through one's own divine will, thereby perceiving the other party's true state, the strength of their aura, and even emotional fluctuations.

Unfortunately, the rusty knife had completely turned into ordinary iron and could no longer help him directly "see" the essence of the divine. He could only rely on this indirect method to speculate.

however--

Just as Gao Jian's martial arts divine intent, like tentacles, was about to touch the three-foot radius around the Ghost King!
boom! ! ! ! ! !

Without any warning! In Gao Jian's mind, it was as if a star had suddenly exploded! Or as if a giant hammer, moving at a speed beyond comprehension, had slammed heavily and solidly into his soul!
"Well……"

Unable to offer even the slightest resistance, and without even a moment to feel fear or pain, Takami's body suddenly stiffened, then with a thud, he fell straight forward to the ground, completely losing consciousness.

Brilliant idea, but utterly worthless.

He fainted.

No, more accurately, it was near death.

The difference in strength was too great. His attempt was like an ant trying to measure the weight of Mount Tai; the result could only be annihilation.

Throughout the entire process, the ghost king who was sitting still did not make any move.

He remained seated cross-legged in the same lotus-pinching posture, without breathing or moving, and without any outward fluctuations of his aura.

Inside the iron house, a deathly silence fell once more. Only Gao Jian's body, lying prostrate on the ground, and the blood flowing from his seven orifices, gradually pooling into a small puddle, proved that what had just happened was not an illusion.

I don’t know how long has passed...

Gao Jian's consciousness, like a glimmer of light drowning in the boundless darkness of the ocean, began to slowly and laboriously recombine.

The first thing he felt was suffocation.

I couldn't breathe; it felt like my mouth and nose were blocked by something warm and sticky.

Driven by his survival instinct, he used the last bit of strength he had regained to struggle and... turn over.

"Pfft-"

The feeling of blockage disappeared, and he took a deep breath of the cold, deathly air in the iron house. Accompanied by a violent cough, more blood and foam gushed from his mouth and nose.

He struggled to sit up, only to realize that he had just collapsed face down in the pool of blood he had gushed out, nearly becoming the first seventh-realm martial artist to suffocate from his own blood.

At this moment, he was in an extremely disheveled state. His face was covered with dark red blood that had already partially congealed, his seven orifices were still throbbing with pain, his head felt as if a thousand steel needles were piercing him at the same time, buzzing loudly, and his vision was still somewhat blurred.

He subconsciously looked inward at himself, and his heart sank.

He has already opened his seminal gate, and his body should be full of vital energy, vast and boundless. Theoretically, as long as there is even a drop of blood left, he can recover and be reborn, making him extremely difficult to truly kill.

But at this moment... his vital energy was almost completely depleted!

Like a river that has been completely drained, leaving only a dry riverbed and scattered puddles. The meridians have atrophied, the qi and blood have declined, and the internal organs are filled with a strong sense of weakness and stinging pain.

It was just an unconscious impact from the opponent's naturally emanating aura... that almost caused this seventh-realm martial artist to be completely annihilated, exhausting almost all of his essence!

Takama raised his head and looked again at the green-haired demon king who was still sitting quietly, as if everything was none of his business. His eyes were filled with unprecedented shock and... a deep sense of powerlessness.

Sixth rank...

Is this what "sixth rank" means?
This level...

Gao Jian slumped on the cold ground, his back against the equally cold iron wall, feeling the almost depleted energy in his body and the omnipresent, tearing pain.

He raised his head, his gaze passing through his blood-stained eyelashes to the low, equally lifeless roof of the iron house. Although he couldn't see the real sky, this gesture seemed as if he were looking up at something higher and more distant.

Suddenly, he laughed.

At first, it was just a low, guttural gurgling sound, like a leaky bellows. But soon, the laughter grew louder and louder, eventually transforming into a thoroughly enjoyable laugh—

"Hahahahaha!!!"

Laughter echoed in the empty iron house, causing his own wounds to reopen and ooze new drops of blood, but he didn't care at all.

The near-death experience and the overwhelming, seemingly insurmountable gap in strength did not bring frustration, fear, or retreat, but rather... an indescribable, almost pure joy!

That's right, it's joy!
He had high aspirations and could not stand the state of the Divine Dynasty. He wanted to change the world and reshape the social order.

But his thoughts and considerations were basically about how to develop his power, how to strategize, how to form alliances, and how to use the rules to subvert the rules. He was like a meticulous chess player, calculating the role of each piece on a limited chessboard, making each move cautiously, as if walking on thin ice, because he knew the insignificance of individual power and the vastness of the Divine Dynasty and even the deeper forces behind it.

Even if he cultivates to the level of an Earth Immortal, he still cannot defeat the Divine Dynasty.

He has been searching for a "clever way" to overcome the strong with the weak and achieve great results with minimal effort.

But what did he see now?
He saw a true, absolute power that could crush all rules and calculations!
Right before his eyes! This meditating, sixth-rank ghost king, without even uttering a thought, almost annihilated this seventh-realm martial artist, who was already considered a top expert in the Divine Dynasty, with just a wisp of naturally dissipated energy!
How powerful is this?

If we had such power, what need would we have for conspiracies and schemes? What need would we have for power struggles? What need would we have for painstakingly balancing all sides and proceeding step by step?
(End of this chapter)