Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

Inside the main hall of Fengdu Mountain, Zhang Kui sat cross-legged, his mind already intimately connected with the majestic incarnation of the Fengdu Emperor. With the aid of the incarnation's divine sense at the Great Luo Golden Immortal level and its authority over the Netherworld, his perception spread like mercury, covering the vast and chaotic land of the Underworld.

He saw countless dazed and confused spirits wandering in the wilderness, saw the struggle between ghosts where the strong prey on the weak, and saw the loose order in the cycle of reincarnation, which was far removed from the well-organized and hierarchical underworld described in his previous life's myths and legends.

"Order... this place needs order." Zhang Kui suddenly realized.

He inherited the throne of the Fengdu Emperor not only to gain power, but also to shoulder the responsibility of regulating Yin and Yang and stabilizing the netherworld.

The legends and structures about the underworld from his past life now leaped clearly into his mind like a blueprint already etched deep in his soul, and resonated mysteriously with the laws of reincarnation and the authority of the netherworld that he had comprehended.

Without any deliberate effort, Zhang Kui's Fengdu Emperor incarnate slowly opened his divine eyes atop Mount Luofeng, his mouth uttering the Heavenly Mandate, his words flowing with the law.

The grand Daoist voice, like a great bell, resounded throughout every corner of the Netherworld: "Thus have I heard. The Netherworld is the final destination of all beings, the place of reincarnation and rebirth. The Heavenly Way is incomplete, and the Netherworld is in disorder. Now, by the decree of the Goddess Pingxin, I succeed to the throne of the Great Emperor of Fengdu in the Northern Yin, to restore Yin and Yang and reshape order."

"From this day forward, the netherworld shall have a netherworld. All the souls of the dead who are neither registered in the celestial register nor fall into the demonic path shall enter my netherworld, and their reincarnation shall be determined according to their merits and demerits in their previous life."

With each word he uttered, the entire underworld began to undergo earth-shattering changes.

The vast Netherworld Origin and the Laws of Reincarnation were activated, and according to the order and Daoist principles contained in his words, they began to reshape the mountains and rivers and clarify the order.

At the chaotic edge where the underworld and the mortal world meet, a magnificent, eerie, and towering stone pass, thousands of feet high, suddenly rose from the ground.

Above the pass, three large characters exuding an aura of awe and inviolability are inscribed in the divine script of the underworld—Gate of Hell. This pass serves as the dividing line between the realms of Yin and Yang, and is also the first heavily guarded checkpoint for souls entering the underworld. Ghost soldiers and generals are stationed here to check travel permits and suppress all those who attempt to disrupt the order of Yin and Yang.

From the Gates of Hell inwards, a long, dark, seemingly endless road rapidly extends and solidifies under the power of the laws—the Road to the Underworld.

A perpetual, misty fog shrouded the road, isolating everything in front and behind. On both sides of the road, as if sown by an invisible hand, countless eerie and beautiful flowers bloomed instantly. The petals were as red as blood, slender and curled, with only flowers visible and no leaves in sight—the very flowers of the other shore, symbolizing the separation of life and death, and the eternal separation from loved ones.

Countless souls who embark on this path are affected by the laws, becoming confused and unable to turn back, only able to move forward.

In the middle of the road to the underworld, a tall earthen platform is built out of thin air, named "Looking-Homeward Platform". Upon reaching this place, the confused souls of the dead will gain a brief moment of clarity and can climb the platform to gaze one last time at their hometown and relatives in the mortal world.

This is the most humane place in the underworld, yet also the cruelest. To see it is to bid farewell forever. Countless souls weep and wail on this platform, shedding their final tears to end their earthly ties.

At the heart of the underworld, at the foot of Mount Luofeng, an ancient city, more magnificent and orderly than before, exuding an eerie yet supremely majestic aura, rose from the ground.

The city walls stand tall, constructed of ghost iron and black stone, with runes flowing across them; this city is "Fengdu City." It will become the administrative and power hub of the entire underworld, the location of the highest institution of the underworld.

Zhang Kui's incarnation as the Great Emperor of Fengdu will reside here permanently, ruling over the underworld. At the same time, within the city, the foundations of ten magnificent palaces have been reserved, subtly corresponding to the duties of the Ten Kings of Hell who may be established in the future, each in charge of different judgments and punishments.

This earth-shattering feat stirred the vast Netherworld Origin, greatly improved the cycle of reincarnation in the primordial world, and made up for some of the shortcomings of the underground passages.

In an instant, the Xuanhuang Qi surged in the heavens, and endless merits poured down like a golden waterfall. Most of them fell into the incarnation of the Fengdu Emperor who was in charge of this matter, while a small part crossed the void and poured directly into Zhang Kui's main body in the Fengdu Mountain Hall.

Standing to one side, Lady Pingxin sensed the sudden order and vibrant energy of the underworld as its structure was established. Her eyes sparkled with wonder, and a genuine smile of satisfaction appeared on her beautiful face.

What delighted her even more was that, as the creator of the Netherworld and the embodiment of reincarnation, this perfected order of the underworld greatly enhanced the fortune and power of the underworld, even subtly increasing her own aura. (Likes Xianxia novels? Come and read more!)

Zhang Kui's actions are of immeasurable merit to Heaven, Earth, and all living beings.

Merit brings immediate results.

The already vast divine power within the body of the Fengdu Emperor, propelled by immense merit, soared like a rocket. His aura rose steadily, advancing rapidly from the initial stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, traversing the middle and late stages, directly reaching the pinnacle of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

Furthermore, nourished by that merit and the authority of the netherworld, the incarnation's control over the laws of reincarnation reached a whole new level, faintly touching upon a trace of the profound realm of primordial unity and the return of all laws to their origin—quasi-saint.

Zhang Kui's physical body, bathed in the golden light of merit, also benefited immensely. His cultivation, already at the peak of True Immortal level, was further enhanced by this pure, unowned energy, encountering virtually no bottlenecks. His golden core became increasingly brilliant and perfect, his magical power surged like a sea, and his soul and physical body strengthened simultaneously, naturally propelling him into the perfect realm of True Immortal. He was now only one step away from the Great Dao of Profound Immortals.

Feeling the surging power within his body and the thin veil separating him from the Xuanxian realm, Zhang Kui felt a surge of pride and wanted to use the remaining merit and enlightenment to trigger the Xuanxian Heavenly Tribulation in one go and break through to the next level.

However, at this very moment—

"boom!"

An extremely dense, filthy, and bloody aura, containing endless slaughter and resentment, surged forth like a crimson tide from the direction of the Blood Sea in the deepest depths of the Netherworld, instantly dispersing some of the auspicious clouds of merit and shattering the peace and tranquility of the newly established Underworld.

"Which shameless villain dares to steal the authority of the Netherworld and encroach on my territory?" A violent and ferocious voice boomed like thunder, filled with chilling killing intent.

As the blood waves surged, the Styx Ancestor, dressed in a blood-red Taoist robe and with a sinister face, led the four demon kings Mara, Rakshasa, Brahma, and Shiva, along with countless ferocious Asura warriors, charging in with overwhelming force, seemingly about to attack the newly reborn Fengdu City.

The Styx Ancestor was already furious when he sensed the resurrection of the Fengdu Emperor. Now, seeing someone daring to seek merit and establish a well-ordered underworld right under his nose, how could he tolerate it?

Zhang Kui's true form's eyes narrowed, and his mind immediately began to communicate closely with the avatar of the Fengdu Emperor. "Ancestor Styx, this is one of the most powerful quasi-saints in the primordial world, and the four Demon Kings are all Great Luo Golden Immortals. Even if we wanted to fight them head-on, I'm afraid it would be difficult to sustain the battle."

Just as Bo Xun and the other demon kings locked their blood-red eyes on Fengdu City, and a great battle was about to break out...

With a single step, Lady Pingxin appeared silently in the sky above Fengdu City, blocking the path between Ancestor Styx and Zhang Kui.

She maintained her elegant and calm demeanor, her gaze indifferently fixed on the menacing Styx Ancestor and his entourage.

Upon recognizing the newcomer, the Styx Ancestor's arrogant demeanor faltered, and his crimson pupils contracted sharply. "Empress Pingxin, what is she doing here?"

Without any further movement, Lady Pingxin simply parted her lips and silently uttered a single word to the Styx Ancestor. Her voice was not loud, yet it clearly penetrated the depths of the souls of every living being.

"roll!"

A single, simple word, yet it contains the will of the entire underworld.

Before Bo Xun and the other demon kings could react, the Styx Ancestor's expression changed drastically. Without hesitation, he waved his hand, and a powerful magical force instantly sealed off the words that all his subordinates were about to utter.

His face, which had always been unchanging in its sinister and arrogant expression, now forced together an extremely ugly smile, one that was tinged with apprehension and even...fear.

"Your Majesty...please forgive us!" The Styx Ancestor bowed slightly and said respectfully, "We did not know Your Majesty was here. We...will take our leave now."

Having said that, the Styx Ancestor dared not linger for a moment. With a surge of bloody light, he swept away the four still bewildered Demon Kings and countless Asuras, retreating swiftly like a tide.

A potential conflict was averted because of a single word from Consort Pingxin.

Zhang Kui witnessed all of this, gaining a deeper understanding of the absolute authority of Lady Pingxin in the Netherworld, and developing an even stronger desire for power.

He calmed himself down, stopped paying attention to the outside world, and focused his attention back on himself.

The insights gained from the initial establishment of the underworld, the baptism of merit, and the deeper connection with his incarnation... all sorts of profound mysteries surged into his mind, and his aura gradually calmed down.

He was quickly digesting and absorbing what had just happened...