I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 319 Yama's Severed Finger, Land-Based Nuo Immortal

Xu Qing was in the Yin River, unaware of the changes in the human world.

At this moment, in the Eight Banners Marshal's camp, what appears to be a mass grave to the living, is the General's Tomb.

He is refining his own magical artifact, the Mountain and River Cauldron.

The cauldron was enormous, comparable to an emperor's coffin, and its shape was not the traditional three-legged, two-eared type, but rather four-legged and two-eared, symbolizing the four directions of heaven and earth.

The body of the tripod is engraved with the eight scenic spots of Yinshan. If an ordinary person looks at it, he will be instantly captivated, as if he were inside the eight scenic spots and could not escape.

Xu Qing examined it carefully and found that the cauldron in front of him was indeed a magic weapon of considerable quality, but it was not a Heaven-rank magic weapon in its full glory.

"The Eight Scenic Spots of Yinshan are the origin of this precious cauldron, but can the cauldron of the State and the State, which has never held the real power over the Eight Scenic Spots, still be called the Cauldron of the State and the State?"

Xu Qing reached out and stroked the precious cauldron in front of him.

When he came to Yinhe, the mountain spirit Qishan weighed a thousand catties, and this cauldron weighed about five times that of Qishan.

Five thousand catties sounds like a lot of weight, but it's still a bit insufficient for a celestial-grade magic weapon named after mountains, rivers, and the nation.

"If we want to truly unleash the power of this cauldron, perhaps we can only do so by truly controlling the Eight Scenic Areas."

This was somewhat of a dilemma for Xu Qing. The Eight Scenic Spots of Yinshan covered almost all eight of the most important locations in the underworld. Unless one possessed the true status of an underworld emperor, it would be extremely difficult to sit and guard the 'empire' that the Mountain and River Cauldron was meant to govern.

Looking at the Mountain and River Treasure Cauldron, Xu Qing felt more and more that it was just a pie in the sky that his old neighbor, the Ghost King Duo'e, had painted for him.

No, since Yinshan is the first of the Eight Scenic Spots of Yinshan, wouldn't that mean...
When Xu Qing thought about the weight of the precious tripod, he inevitably thought of the Qishan clan as a ready-made unit of measurement.

The Qishan clan happens to possess the method to refine famous mountains and great peaks. Among the Nine Netherworlds, the Yinshan Mountain Range is the largest, and the Eight Scenic Spots of the Underworld are all within the Yinshan range.

As far as Xu Qing knew, no one had ever been known to have refined and mastered the power of Yinshan.

If he refined the Yinshan authority
When he takes out the Mountain and River State Cauldron, wouldn't the entire Yinshan region become the domain of his Yin Kingdom?

At that time, everything in the mountains and rivers, and the territory covered by the land, will be at his command!
In an instant, Xu Qing felt the Emperor's Profound Qi within his body surging, and his entire cold zombie body felt his heart pounding.

He forcibly suppressed that desire and silently contemplated the image of Empress Sai Yuxian, who had left him with her voice and smile, before he could finally calm down completely.

He is now nothing more than a zombie whose twelve bones have not been fully refined. Not to mention the vast Yinshan Mountains of the Underworld, he cannot even carry the weight of famous mountains in the mortal world.

"Its weight is immense, roughly the same as the Qishan clan's weight at its peak."

Perhaps he can only consider such matters when he is able to carry the Qishan clan in their complete form.

"The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will persevere in my quest."

Xu Qing proceeded steadily and spent over a month finally refining the precious cauldron before him.

"receive!"

The eerie Eight Scenes of the Treasure Cauldron appeared and then disappeared, while the ancient and heavy Altar Cauldron floated up like feathers and dust.

As soon as Xu Qing finished speaking, the treasure cauldron quickly shrank to the size of a palm and slipped into his sleeve.

Xu Qing had never been so wealthy before, with three Heavenly Rank rewards. But besides these rewards, he had another major gain: the corpse of a Ghost King with a thousand years of cultivation.

And a slideshow of corpses.

After digesting all the rewards, Xu Qing also emerged from the joy of more than a month of harvest. He looked at the Ghost King's skeleton, which almost filled the tomb and was as white and smooth as jade, as if he were admiring a work of art.

"It's a pity that although these remains are fine, they are not so easy to enjoy."

In the revolving lantern of the Ghost King Duo'e, Xu Qing not only saw the history of his old neighbor's rise to power, but also the fundamental reason why the other party could exist in the Yin River for thousands of years.

In this age of great calamity, how could someone who dares to reign as king or emperor in the Yin River be a simple person, and how could they not have some background?

Xu Qingming knew that the Ghost King's Mausoleum was the location of the head of the Bixi (a mythical creature), and that cultivating there would be twice as effective. However, he still chose the camp of the Eight Banners Marshal.

While his caution was partly to his advantage, the greater reason stemmed from the millennia-old secrets hidden within the Demon King Duo'e's revolving lantern.

The founding emperor of the Great Yong Dynasty was so full of vigor and ambition that he even went so far as to send the Eight Banners marshals to the ancient Yin River Road, paving the way for his ascension to the throne in the underworld.
But Emperor Tianzhi did not succeed.

How did the Demon King Nado'e manage to occupy the entrance of the Yin River for over a thousand years and remain firmly on his throne?

Xu Qing looked back at his old neighbor's portrait. More than a thousand years ago, when the other party was still the emperor of the Chu Kingdom, he was not called Duo'e, but Huan Wenyu.

Throughout history, emperors have sought immortality through various means, from alchemy to seeking immortality. However, Emperor Huan Wenyu of Chu became obsessed with exploring the ways of the supernatural, hoping to achieve 'eternal life' after death and continue ruling.

In order to prolong the dynasty's life, Huan Wenyu built a shrine on the banks of the Baisha River and would personally go to Tianjin every year to worship the gatekeeper ghost law who governs all ghosts in the underworld.

Xu Qing found the old neighbor's practice of worshipping and praying to ghosts back then even more absurd than when he saw Jing Xinghuang offering sacrifices wherever things went wrong.

But that wasn't the most absurd thing. When the world was in turmoil and the country was on the verge of collapse, Huan Wenyu didn't address the internal and external troubles. Instead, he wasted the people's money and resources, exhausting the national treasury and the people's wealth, and summoned all the talented people and skilled craftsmen he could to build a mausoleum at the entrance of the Yinhe Ancient Road ahead of time.

That mausoleum was built in a style far more magnificent than that of any human emperor. Even the mausoleum of the First Emperor's grandmother, which covered more than 200 acres and had rammed earth walls and gates, could not compare to his royal mausoleum!
It would be truly unbelievable if such a muddle-headed ruler could hold onto his throne!

As expected, less than half a year after the completion of the Yinhe King's Mausoleum, remnants of the previous dynasty in the secular world, under the banner of restoring order, marched on the gates of the Chu Kingdom.

Faced with the looming threat, Huan Wenyu remained calm. Instead, with the assistance of the eunuch Li Shunying, he donned a brand-new ochre-yellow dragon robe and donned the imperial crown. Outside the palace, a thousand-strong procession carrying imperial regalia respectfully welcomed Huan Wenyu to court.

At that time, Huan Wenyu was not like a dying emperor whose family and country were about to be destroyed, but rather like a founding emperor who had just ascended the throne!
As the old saying goes, every emperor has his own officials, and every emperor kills people. How could Huan Wenyu not kill people when he wanted to establish the Yinhe New Dynasty?
Just as the officials in the palace, unaware of what was happening, were heading to the hall to hold court, the palace gates suddenly closed. Huan Wenyu was sitting high on the dragon throne, and beside him was a strange man dressed in a flowery robe, with his face covered by a Nuo mask and carrying a sword box on his back.

"My lords," I said, "I observed the Purple Palace (the constellation of Ziwei) darkening last night, and I foresee that the dynasty is on the verge of collapse."

Upon hearing Huan Wenyu's words, not only the assembled officials but even Xu Qing, who had performed the ritual to deliver the evil spirit king from suffering, couldn't help but curl his lip in disapproval.

With the army already at the city gates, even a fool would know that the dynasty is doomed. Why bother observing the celestial phenomena at night?
Huan Wenyu didn't care what everyone thought. He continued, "Although the human world can hardly save the world from collapse, the Yin River Ghost Path is a fertile land without a country! Today, I wish to break the Nine Tripods Agreement, open up new territory in the underworld, and take charge of the laws of the netherworld."

"This journey to the Yellow Springs is not a death, but a phoenix's rebirth, allowing my lord and I to renew our past bond and become lord and minister again!"

"You, my limbs and bones, lived to rule the world alongside me, and in death you shall share in my blessings!"

Xu Qing had no idea how Huan Wenyu could have the audacity to say those words, but he was certain that the court officials below were cursing him out.

Some civil and military officials who were unwilling to follow Huan Wenyu were about to break down the palace gates when they were suddenly beheaded.

The restless ministers immediately calmed down. Everyone looked up and saw the masked figure beside the king withdraw a wisp of crimson energy, which circled around his fingertip and landed on the mask. It was just a single red line on the mask, yet it instantly killed two grandmasters and several generals with considerable martial arts skills.

The ministers' expressions changed drastically.

This is an attempt to overthrow the Heavenly Gang! The emperor is trying to force his ministers to abdicate!
Some officials who were acting as collaborators with the rebels couldn't hold back any longer. Who taught you to be an emperor like this?
King Huan of Chu ascended the throne for twenty-three years. At the age of only forty-three, he personally ordered the palace to be burned down, causing the entire palace city to be engulfed in flames.

Moreover, this fire was not an ordinary fire burning in a pile of firewood, but a ghostly fire that was neither green nor red, but a dark blue and eerie color.

While all the subjects of the palace were suffering the agony of being burned alive, their flesh gradually wasting away and turning into skeletal ghosts, King Huan of Chu's figure continued to grow taller.

The resentment and malevolent energy generated by the immense suffering of his subjects became his nourishment. When all the resentment and malevolent energy were completely consumed, King Huan of Chu was already above all ghosts.

Upon seeing this, the strange man wearing the Nuo mask smiled and congratulated King Huan of Chu, saying that the underworld would prosper and the great Chu dynasty would have hope of continuing.

King Huan of Chu felt an unprecedented sense of clarity throughout his body. He asked the man, "Who exactly are you, and why are you helping me? What can I do for you?"

The strange man laughed and said, "I am the only remaining Nuo master in this world. They call me Nuo Immortal, and some call me a true immortal on land, but I don't like these titles. In my eyes, as long as the road to heaven is not opened, those who remain in this mortal world cannot be called 'immortals'."

"In that case, how should I address my guru?"

The masked man's eyes gleamed with an eerie light as he spoke, "You may call me Master Fuluan."

"As for why I'm helping you, the answer lies in the word 'immortal'."

Master Fuluan chuckled and then said, "You don't need to be on guard. I won't make you pay anything in the short term. On the contrary, I will give you a great opportunity."

As he spoke, Master Fuluan took out a stone box, inside which was a severed finger, as thick as a child's arm and about two feet long.

"This is the severed finger left behind by Yama, the King of Hell, after he returned to the Void. If you obtain it, you will have the opportunity to command the ghosts of the Underworld and become a true emperor of the Underworld."

King Huan of Chu's eyes blazed with a ghostly fire; he could hardly suppress his desire for royal power. But at the last moment, he still asked, "What exactly does Your Excellency want from me? If Your Excellency speaks, I will certainly devote the entire nation's strength to assist Your Excellency!"

After pondering for a moment, Master Fuluan finally stated his conditions.

"I want you to continue to make good offerings to the gatekeepers of the Underworld, gain their approval, and, if necessary, trip them up for me."

who? I?
King Huan of Chu widened his eyes. He was just a skeleton ghost. Not to mention the many gatekeepers of the Yin River who guarded the gates of the Nine Netherworlds, even the Ghost Law, the head of all ghosts, was someone he could not possibly mess with.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have made offerings to the Ghost Law before his death, praying that he could receive protection from the Underworld when he went there.

"What, you don't want to?"

Master Fuluan still had a smile on his lips.

"I am willing! I am willing to serve you, Your Majesty!"

Although King Huan of Chu's frame had grown larger, his spirit remained unchanged.

On the same day that King Huan of Chu received the severed finger from Yama, the Chu state was completely reduced to ashes along with its palaces.

Rumors circulated that King Huan of Chu died by self-immolation.

Afterwards, Emperor Sui of Jin, a remnant of the previous dynasty, ascended the throne, thus continuing the Jin dynasty's reign.

In the same year, Huan Wenyu, having escaped his predicament, arrived at the Yinhe Ancient Road he had longed for, hoping to rebuild the underworld from scratch using the severed finger that had been reattached to his palm.

However, at that time, the forces along the Yinhe Ancient Road were complex and intertwined. Not only were there demons and monsters running rampant, but there were also cultivators from the human world fighting each other endlessly.

Huan Wenyu, whose cultivation was low, could barely protect himself. Only now did he realize that even an ordinary ghost king who occupied a region was not as easy as he had imagined.

Huan Wenyu may have been muddle-headed in life, but after death, he became a ghost with many more mischievous ideas.

The gatekeeper of Tianjin is the Ghost Law, the head of all ghosts. The underworld is different from the mortal world. People in the mortal world like good fortune such as happiness, prosperity, longevity and joy, while ghosts are often accompanied by disasters and calamities.

Huan Wenyu thought to himself, "Since the Ghost Law governs all ghosts, it must be even more ominous!"

In order to gain the favor of Gui Lu, Huan Wenyu simply changed his name and called himself 'Duo'er'.

Meanwhile, the Nuo Immortal who had entrusted Duo'er with this important task had already become the one shirking responsibility and disappeared without a trace.

In order to protect himself in the demon-infested Yinhe Ancient Road and fulfill the long-cherished wish of the underworld emperor, Doe began to raise his banner everywhere.

Upon encountering fierce and malevolent ghosts, he would claim to be a messenger of the Ghost Law, responsible for providing a large portion of the annual offerings to the Ghost Law. When he met a highly accomplished cultivator, he would say he was once a human emperor, not a ghost of this place, but that after his death and the destruction of his kingdom, his soul drifted here, a tragic tale of a wretched existence.
Upon hearing that a human emperor was showing such respect and humility towards them, the cultivators felt a surge of nostalgia for their homeland.

Alright! Not only will they spare Duo'e, but they will also give him some Yin treasures and magical artifacts so that this fallen emperor won't be bullied by those lonely ghosts in the Yin River.

Duo'e gradually grew up, and after about a hundred years, Duo'e officially declared himself king in the Ghost King's Tomb.

same year.

When the Ghost King Duo'e offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and received the precious offerings, his enormous and shadowy figure, Gui Lu, rode the dark clouds and evil mist, lingering for a moment above the Ghost King's tomb.

Despite being a ghost king, Duo'e immediately led his ministers in a grand ceremony to worship the ghost law.

Gui Lu remained silent, lingered for a moment, and then left the Ghost King's Tomb.

But the Demon King knew that this was a response to his years of offerings.

Ghost Law acknowledged his existence.

From then on, the Ghost King Duo'e soared to great heights and completely established himself in the Yinhe Ancient Road. However, he knew that this would not last long. As long as the Nuo Immortal who had helped him appeared, his Ghost King kingdom might be shattered in an instant.

However, a thousand years have passed, and that terrestrial Nuo Immortal has never appeared.

Having seen the world and achieved great spiritual cultivation, the Ghost King Duo'e gradually overlooked this matter. He privately believed that in this era of great calamity, in a world where Yin and Yang were out of balance, that Nuo Immortal might not be able to survive.

At the Eight Banners Marshal's camp, Xu Qing stood in the tomb-covered tent, gazing at the white bones before him, lost in thought and speechless.

Whether it's the severed finger of Yama, the King of Hell, or the subsequent tasks of the Ghost King of Many Calamities, it all indicates that the terrestrial Nuo Immortal who calls himself the Spirit-Supporting Immortal is playing a grand game.

But by a twist of fate, he erased the chess piece that his opponent had laid out over a thousand years.

If the other party finds out that he was the one who did it.
Xu Qing didn't think he would get away with it.

(End of this chapter)