Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

As the voice faded, the previously intense clash between the Dao of Annihilation and the Law of Reincarnation receded instantly like a tide.

The annihilated true form of the Taoist Ran Deng froze in mid-air, and the Netherworld Origin stirred up by the Emperor of Fengdu also returned to calm—two forces powerful enough to shake the Netherworld were as docile as children in the face of this voice.

Then a jade hand reaching for the sky appeared out of thin air.

The hand had long, slender fingers, as smooth as jade. It moved with seemingly slow speed, yet with incredible speed, separating the Burning Lamp and the Emperor of Fengdu with a single, gentle stroke. Wherever the hand passed, the shattered space automatically repaired itself, the dried-up River of Oblivion flowed again, and even the cracks on the Bridge of Helplessness disappeared.

An overwhelming pressure suddenly descended, enveloping the entire underworld. But this pressure only lasted for a moment before vanishing without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The Daoist Ran Deng was still shaken, cold sweat beading on his forehead. In that instant, he felt like an ant before heaven and earth, his life and death entirely in the hands of others. He had only ever felt this way when facing the Primordial Heavenly Venerable at the Jade Void Palace.

"Such an existence exists in the underworld..." Randeng's heart was filled with shock and he looked into the void, trying to find the trace of the person who made the move.

Putting away the Reincarnation Pen and the Book of Life and Death, the Emperor of Fengdu looked at Randeng, who was on high alert, with a leisurely air and said jokingly, "Randeng, let me remind you, this is the Underworld."

"The Underworld..." Randeng murmured repeatedly, then his expression suddenly changed drastically. "Oh no, could it be that one..."

The Six Paths of Reincarnation, the nexus of the Underworld, was created by the ancestral witch Houtu in her incarnation as reincarnation. The Goddess Pingxin, as an incarnation of Houtu, has always resided deep within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, guarding the order of the Underworld. Although she remains hidden from the world, her strength is unfathomable; even saints show her respect.

His own fierce battle in the underworld had alarmed this being.

After figuring it out, Randeng immediately bowed respectfully, lowering his posture: "This humble Daoist Randeng of the Chan Sect pays respects to Lady Pingxin! My arrival in the Underworld is truly due to..."

"roll!"

Before Ran Deng could finish speaking, that jade hand appeared again. This time, it was no longer a gentle separation, but a merciless strike.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, Daoist Ran Deng was sent flying like a pebble, his entire body transforming into a streak of light as he was sent flying backward. A dignified Quasi-Saint, he didn't even have a chance to resist; his protective immortal light shattered, his Daoist robes disheveled, and he was utterly wretched.

Just as Randeng was about to fall out of the underworld, suddenly, a powerful and righteous force appeared out of thin air and lifted him up.

That power was as gentle as jade, yet it contained the supreme majesty of the Heavenly Dao, making it incompatible with the underworld's ghostly aura.

"Junior sister, how did things come to this!"

As the sound appeared, a jade ruyi (a type of scepter) materialized.

The Ruyi scepter was pure white, with the head shaped like a lingzhi mushroom. In the middle were three treasures—the sun, the moon, and the stars—that shone with light. At the tail hung a necklace, each strand of which contained the great power to suppress fortune.

The Ruyi scepter floated in the air, emitting a soft light, protecting the lamp within.

Once he had recovered, Randeng saw the jade ruyi and immediately bowed in gratitude: "Thank you, Master Celestial Venerable, I am deeply grateful."

"Brother Yuanshi, since you've arrived, please show yourself!" The voice of Lady Pingxin echoed in the underworld, and then her figure slowly appeared.

Dressed in an elegant palace gown, with a gentle face and eyes as deep as an abyss, Consort Pingxin stood barefoot in the void, with golden lotuses blooming beneath her feet, each containing immeasurable merit.

"Since my junior sister has invited me, how could I dare refuse?"

The void rippled once more, and a Taoist priest slowly emerged. He was dressed in a celestial robe embroidered with eight trigrams and clouds, wore a jade lotus crown, held a jade ruyi scepter with three treasures in his hand, and had a dignified yet compassionate expression. He was none other than the leader of the Chan Sect—Yuanshi Tianzun.

When the sage appears, extraordinary phenomena arise in the heavens and earth.

In an instant, sweet rain fell from the sky, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth. The sweet rain was jade dew condensed from innate spiritual energy, and each drop contained the vitality to nourish all things; the golden lotuses were not illusions, but physical entities formed from merit and Daoist essence, and the Daoist runes could be faintly seen flowing between the opening and closing of the lotuses.

The once desolate Luofeng Mountain experienced a surge in spiritual energy, increasing a hundredfold. Nourished by this energy, the spirits became more solid, and their previously muddled minds cleared somewhat. The evil ghosts at the bottom of the River of Oblivion ceased their wailing and cowered at the bottom of the river, not daring to cause any trouble. Even the ghost messengers and judges in Fengdu City felt their cultivation subtly loosening, as if they were about to break through.

The two sages stood facing each other. Although they did not make a move, their intangible Daoist principles had already begun to clash.

Behind Empress Pingxin, the light wheel of the Six Paths of Reincarnation slowly rotated. The six paths—Heavenly Path, Human Path, Asura Path, Animal Path, Hungry Ghost Path, and Hell Path—cycle endlessly, representing the fundamental laws of the Earthly Path. Each light wheel reflects the fate of countless beings, encompassing birth, aging, sickness, death, love, hate, and grudges.

Where she stood, the laws of the underworld were active to their fullest extent. The River of Oblivion surged backward, transforming into a water curtain in the air, reflecting the cycle of reincarnation of countless beings; the flowers of the other shore swayed in the wind, their fragrance blending with the aura of the underworld, transforming into an invisible domain that enveloped an area of ​​thousands of miles.

This is the manifestation of true authority—in the underworld, she is the ruler.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable remained unmoved, and a vast auspicious cloud appeared above his head. Within the cloud, three flowers rose and fell, five elements converged, and ten thousand golden lamps, adorned with dangling pearls, shone in an endless stream. Each golden lamp reflected the fortune of the Chan Sect, and with each sway of the dangling pearls, celestial runes fell, colliding and neutralizing with the laws of the underworld.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable remained unmoved, and a vast auspicious cloud appeared above his head. Within the cloud, three flowers rose and fell, five elements converged, and ten thousand golden lamps, adorned with dangling pearls, shone in an endless stream. Each golden lamp reflected the fortune of the Chan Sect, and with each sway of the dangling pearls, celestial runes fell, colliding and neutralizing with the laws of the underworld.

The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his hand glowed faintly, with the light of the sun, moon, and stars alternating and flowing. The intense sunlight transformed into a magnificent phantom of the sun, dispelling the chill of the underworld; the cool moonlight condensed into a bright moon, suppressing the restless ghostly energy; and the dazzling starlight formed a grand array of stars in the heavens, faintly confronting the underworld's ley lines.

This is a manifestation of the authority of Heaven—even though it is the underworld, the sage is impervious to all tribulations and all laws, and can still mobilize a portion of the power of Heaven.

Two great paths clashed silently.

The "Earthly Way" represented by Lady Pingxin and the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and the "Heavenly Way" represented by Yuanshi Tianzun and the fortune of the Chan Sect, are locked in a battle of wits in the void.

Sometimes the Dao of Reincarnation prevails, and all things in the underworld come to life, even the rocks seem to have come to life; at other times, the Heavenly Dao suppresses everything with its majesty, golden lotuses cover the ground, and sweet rain falls, temporarily dispelling the aura of the underworld.

The Emperor of Fengdu stood behind Consort Pingxin, using all his strength to activate the Law of Reincarnation to barely maintain his balance. However, amidst the aftershocks of the clash between the sages, he still felt like a lone boat on a raging sea, on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

"This is the power of a sage..."

The Emperor of Fengdu was deeply shocked, and at the same time, his determination to pursue the Great Dao became even stronger.

Burning Lamp Daoist stood bowing behind Yuanshi Tianzun, his face pale. If it weren't for Yuanshi Tianzun protecting him with auspicious clouds, the residual Daoist energy alone would have been enough to seriously injure him.

The confrontation lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Finally, the void of the underworld trembled slightly, and the two Great Daos converged simultaneously.

Evenly matched.

In the underworld, where they were on their home turf, Lady Pingxin held the reins of power over the underworld and had the advantage of terrain; although Yuanshi Tianzun was a divinely ordained saint, blessed by the Heavenly Dao, he was ultimately fighting on foreign soil. The two were wary of each other, and neither could do anything to the other.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable spoke first, his voice gentle and refined: "Junior Sister, let's end it here. The karma between Randeng and Fengdu can be settled by the two of them in the future. Today, I'm taking Randeng away."

After pondering for a moment, Empress Pingxin slowly nodded: "What Senior Brother said makes sense, so be it."

She knew that if they were to decide a winner today, it would inevitably trigger a full-scale conflict among the saints, and it wasn't worth it for a coffin lamp.

Seeing that his coffin lamp was beyond recovery, Daoist Ran Deng was about to argue when he suddenly felt his six senses sealed—he could not see, hear, or speak, and his spirit was also imprisoned within his body.

At the same time, the voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable directly entered his sea of ​​consciousness: "This matter ends here. Randeng, focus on the matter of conferring titles upon the gods. Although the coffin lamp is lost, I will definitely compensate you for what you have lost today after the conferring of titles. Do not lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of the small."

The Daoist Ran Deng felt a chill run down his spine and immediately responded with his divine sense: "Disciple will obey the decree."

He lowered his head, a barely perceptible hint of resentment flashing in his eyes—the coffin lamp was the key to his plans spanning several eons, and now that it was lost, his path to immortality was almost severed. Although the Primordial Celestial Venerable had promised compensation, it was still unknown when it would be fulfilled.

But this hint of resentment flashed by only briefly before he suppressed it deeply. In the presence of a sage, any emotional fluctuation could be detected.

Yuanshi Tianzun glanced at Randeng but said nothing. He flicked his finger, and a crack appeared in the void, through which the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun Mountain could be vaguely seen.

"Let's go."

Yuanshi Tianzun stepped into the crevice first, and Randeng quickly followed. Before leaving, Randeng glanced back at the Emperor of Fengdu, his eyes filled with a chilling intent—he would remember the humiliation of today.

The gap closed, and the sage departed.

Only then did the underworld return to peace. The sweet rain dissipated, the golden lotus disappeared, and only the golden lotus of merit beneath Lady Pingxin's feet continued to bloom.

The Emperor of Fengdu finally released his suppressed laughter and couldn't help but burst out laughing. The disheveled state of Randeng—his Taoist robes in disarray, his immortal light shattered, and him being sent flying by a single palm strike—was incredibly satisfying.

This vice leader of the Chan Sect, who is usually high and mighty, suffered such a great loss in the underworld today, even losing his natal magic weapon.

But the next second he couldn't laugh anymore.

"Snapped!"

He received a solid slap on the back of the head.

The force wasn't great, but it made him stagger, causing his twelve-tassel crown to tilt slightly and the hem of his imperial robe to lift up.

"Stop gloating." Empress Pingxin's voice carried a hint of reproach. "Don't cause me any more trouble. Randeng is, after all, the Vice Leader of the Chan Sect. It's one thing for you to steal his magic weapon, but to start a fight in the Underworld—do you really think you can act with impunity just because I'm here?"

The Emperor of Fengdu quickly straightened his crown and robes, bowed deeply, and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This junior knows his mistake."

"It's good that you know you've made a mistake." Empress Pingxin's voice softened. "Just manage your position in Fengdu properly and don't cause any more trouble. As for Randeng... he won't dare to come again for a while. Since Senior Brother Yuanshi took him away, he tacitly agreed to let the coffin lamp go to you, but this karma will eventually have to be settled."

"This junior understands," the Emperor of Fengdu replied solemnly.

However, after this incident, Randeng should stay quiet for a while. After all, he suffered such a great loss in the Underworld, and given his cautious nature, he will definitely not set foot in this place again anytime soon.

"Very well, now I can focus on comprehending the Spirit Coffin Lamp." The Emperor of Fengdu turned and walked back to the main hall.

He sat cross-legged on the imperial throne and took out the coffin lamp. The lamp body was covered with flowing divine patterns of the netherworld, and the netherworld ghost fire at the wick burned quietly, emitting a pure Daoist aura of reincarnation.

"To try to strip away your Netherworld attributes and merge you into the Path of Annihilation is a terrible waste of your potential," the Emperor of Fengdu said, gently stroking the lamp. "You are a treasure of the Netherworld; reincarnation is your destiny."

He closed his eyes and concentrated, his consciousness sinking into the spirit lamp, beginning to comprehend the twenty-four innate divine restrictions. With the blessing of the Fengdu Emperor's throne, the foundation of the laws of reincarnation, and the nourishment of the Netherworld's origin, his refining speed of the spirit lamp far exceeded that of ordinary people.

The first divine restriction had been completely refined, and the second had been imprinted. Now, he began to attempt to break through the third divine restriction…

Meanwhile, in the human world, three hundred miles outside Xiqi City.

Zhang Kui was traveling on a cloud when he suddenly felt his magical power stagnate, as if he were being imprisoned by an invisible force. Immediately afterward, a sharp pain shot through the back of his head, the pain so real that it felt as if someone had slapped him hard on the back of the head.

"what!"

He screamed and fell from the clouds, crashing to the ground like a meteorite.

"Boom—!"

The ground was smashed into a crater several meters in diameter, and dust flew everywhere. Zhang Kui lay at the bottom of the crater, dizzy and seeing stars.

It took him a while to recover. He struggled to get up and touched the back of his head. Although it wasn't swollen or painful, the pain he had felt just moments before was still fresh in his memory.

"Is this... the sensation of an incarnation?" Zhang Kui frowned in thought.

He was connected to the incarnation of the Emperor of Fengdu in spirit and body, and could sense everything the incarnation experienced. Just now, it was clearly Lady Pingxin who slapped the back of the incarnation's head, and the pain was transmitted to the real Emperor.

"This lady..." Zhang Kui said, both amused and exasperated, "is really... capricious."

He dusted himself off, took off again on the clouds, and flew forward.