Li Changshou’s first impression of the Netherworld left him somewhat disappointed.

—It differed too greatly from the realm of reincarnation he had imagined.

At the edges of the Netherdark Realm, all they saw was a wilderness, without any semblance of order; various fierce and vengeful ghosts wandered about, and they could even spot traces of many yin-qi fierce beasts.

It wasn’t much different from the wilderness of the blood sea recorded in ancient classics.

Flying past [Eastern Netherworld], the further they flew, the less gray mist there was, and their vision became increasingly clear.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t see that River of Forgetfulness full of grieving souls, nor could they glimpse the Sanzu River that divided life and death;

They couldn’t find the Ghost Gate that appeared frequently in common sayings, much less the spectacular sight of countless souls heading toward reincarnation on the Yellow Spring Road…

Above their heads and around them, there were constant droplets of light floating in the same direction as them.

These were the true spirits of beings after death, drawn toward the center of the Netherdark Realm, where the Heaven-granted merit treasure, the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc transformed from Great Virtue Houtu, resided.

After Sect Master Ji Wuyou led them flying for a while, Li Changshou suddenly understood…

Where they were was the Yellow Spring Road, just that living beings and true spirits didn’t intersect.

The ‘sky’ of the Netherdark Realm was somewhat low, inevitably giving people a stifling feeling, and the winds blowing from all directions carried faint sounds of weeping and tragic howls.

This probably had something to do with the primordial world not yet developing the custom of ‘grave dancing’.

Li Changshou didn’t carefully experience the atmosphere here, nor did he use this place to optimize his ‘funeral service’ package.

His mood was somewhat heavy…

After all, having come to such a place, being too cheerful wouldn’t be appropriate.

Ahem, speaking of serious matters.

Throughout the journey, Li Changshou had been pondering how to explain to his master if Uncle Master Wanjiangyu had truly met with misfortune again, and what impact it would have on his master.

This matter was ultimately difficult to speak about, yet they couldn’t hide it from his master forever.

Although after becoming a turbid immortal, his master’s salt content was high and there wasn’t much need to struggle anymore;

But Li Changshou still wanted to make his master happier, and more spirited, to enjoy his remaining life, rather than constantly living in regret and guilt.

Therefore, he sincerely hoped Uncle Master Wanjiangyu hadn’t met with a mishap…

On the way to Fengdu City, Ji Wuyou actively spread his Golden Immortal realm pressure, making fierce ghosts prostrate and demons take detours.

Even when they occasionally passed through some fierce beasts’ territory, most would hide deeper.

Entering the Netherdark Realm from the eastern border, after flying hundreds of thousands of li, they finally saw their first Netherdark Realm city.

This city had no name, just one of the commonplace small cities in the Netherdark Realm, mainly inhabited by ghost cultivators, yin cultivators, and demon cultivators, none particularly strong.

Li Changshou finally saw what he was quite interested in—the Netherworld’s ghost officials.

These ghost officials wore earth-yellow robes, most were souls who had cultivated, with strength equivalent to Return to Void or Return to Dao realm cultivators, afraid of true fire and pure yang-type spirit techniques and methods.

Most ghost officials were listless, patrolling inside and outside the city, bullying the city’s yin cultivators to pass their boring time.

A small portion of ghost officials were in good spirits, constantly joking around, showing no sense of discipline.

Li Changshou sighed lightly…

Coming to investigate in person was truly countless times better than staying in the Transcendent Gate imagining.

This Netherworld…

There was Heaven-granted merit thrown everywhere on the roadsides!

Though reincarnation was established, the order wasn’t complete, there was still much merit to be picked up!

However, these were all merits he could only plan for after establishing himself in the Heavenly Court.

This visit was for his uncle’s master’s reincarnated form, so it wasn’t appropriate to spend effort investigating these aspects.

The closer they got to the center of the Netherdark Realm, the more cities they saw and the larger their scale;

Some cities were even as bustling as the great cities of the mortal world in the Southern Continent, filled with all sorts of strange-shaped ‘things’…

Most different from ordinary living beings.

Ji Wuyou was truly well-informed and experienced, explaining to the four of them along the way about the origins of common ghost cultivators in the Netherworld, as well as several most important cities in the Netherworld where high-level Netherworld experts were stationed.

In the blink of an eye, after traveling another hundred thousand li, suddenly two black mountains appeared ahead, blocking their path.

Ji Wuyou didn’t detour around the sides but rather led the four of them directly toward the narrow gap between the two mountains.

“This is the necessary passage to enter Fengdu City,” Ji Wuyou smiled, “This place is heavily guarded by Netherworld forces, don’t be careless later…”

Before Ji Wuyou’s words fell, shouts came from below:

“Those flying up there, come down!”

“This place has killing arrays, don’t trespass rashly, life and death won’t be our concern!”

Ji Wuyou showed a slight smile, naturally understanding the rules here, quickly bringing the four people down.

…

Li Changshou secretly observed for a while.

He discovered that between these two magnificent mountains, there indeed echoed some mysterious and obscure Dao rhythms. When the thought of forcing his way through arose in his heart, his spiritual sense gave a violent jump.

The arrangements here were far from ordinary!

Reaching the valley bottom, they saw several hundred imposing figures with thick auras, wearing dark yellow battle armor, holding steel forks and chains, standing imposingly before that ‘thread of sky’.

These ghost officials, taken individually, almost all had True Immortal realm strength.

Li Changshou was slightly puzzled in his heart;

These ghost officials were too different from the ghost officials he had seen along the way.

Before the five people from the Transcendent Gate, three people had just passed through this place, and they could still see the backs of these three people slowly flying forward between the two mountains.

Ahead there seemed to be some restrictions, making it impossible to fly too quickly.

Ji Wuyou stood with hands behind his back, hovering three feet above the ground on his cloud, bringing the four people to float before the passage guarded by the ghost officials.

Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal and You Qin Xuanya were both fully alert, while Jiang Lin’er, who had passed through here several times, was slightly absent-minded.

Li Changshou was quite interested in observing these ghost officials, roughly making some guesses in his heart.

These should be the ancient shamans who followed Lady Houtu back then.

Houtu’s transformation into the Six Paths of Reincarnation happened during the Second Great War of Shamans and Immortals;

Houtu was originally one of the Twelve Ancestor Shamans, having her direct tribal clan. When she transformed into the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc to permanently suppress the Netherdark Realm, a group of powerful experts from her direct tribal clan chose to follow Lady Houtu.

When these experts entered the Netherworld, they had already severed their connection to the tribal fortunes of the Shaman Tribe, and they were also granted divine duties by Heaven’s Way.

Presumably, these ghost officials were descendants of the Shaman Tribe.

Immediately, a ghost official commander wearing battle armor and holding twin hammers came forward. Judging from his aura, he had cultivation roughly equivalent to the mid-stage Heavenly Immortal realm.

This commander had a waxy yellow complexion and half-opened eyes, with a perfunctory attitude, his face full of laziness, asking weakly:

“You all, where are you from?”

Ji Wuyou calmly said: “This poor Daoist and companions come from an immortal sect in East Victory Divine Continent.”

“Want to, go where?”

“Naturally we have business wanting to go to Fengdu City,” Ji Wuyou gave a light laugh, speaking as if it were a matter of course.

That ghost official commander’s mouth twisted as he yawned.

“Go back, this road is closed.”

Ji Wuyou couldn’t help but frown while Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal behind Ji Wuyou couldn’t help but step forward at this moment.

Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal calmly said: “There are three figures ahead, why does friend say this road is closed?”

“Heh, hehehe.”

This ghost official commander’s body swayed slightly, rolling his eyes to the edge of the sky, “For those who understand the rules, this road is naturally open.

For those who don’t understand the rules, this road is truly closed.”

“Rules?”

Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal’s gaze became somewhat sharp, his white temples floating gently, his aura beginning to show.

“Could there be such rules!”

“Ah!”

Fortunately, Jiang Lin’er beside him reacted in time, stepping forward to press Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal’s arm.

Jiang Lin’er forced a smile, skillfully taking out a treasure pouch from her sleeve, using immortal power to pass it over, saying politely:

“We naturally understand the rules, my husband rarely goes out, please don’t blame him, General.”

Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal frowned slightly, seeming to want to say something but holding back.

Li Changshou, watching from behind, couldn’t help but show a slight smile…

However, that ghost official commander casually waved his bronze hammer, a whirlwind sweeping that treasure pouch back, falling back into Jiang Lin’er’s hand.

Jiang Lin’er frowned slightly, asking: “What does the General mean by this?”

“Hehehe, today’s rules suddenly changed,” this ghost official commander admired the patterns on his bronze hammer, saying calmly, “The Netherworld is restricted territory, cannot be trespassed rashly, aren’t you all afraid of heavenly punishment?”

Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal’s gaze flickered as he said calmly: “Friend, are you deliberately making things difficult for us?”

And suddenly from behind Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal came the sound of a sword being drawn.

You Qin Xuanya’s pretty face was ice-cold as she summoned her Fire Qilin Sword Box, already prepared to take action.

Li Changshou, who had been trying hard to lower his presence, could now only stand at the side caught between laughter and tears.

It was just a matter of some toll fee, how did it become so tense?

As a small grand disciple, it wasn’t appropriate for him to speak up on such an occasion, with his own Sect Master and Master Ancestor present, they surely wouldn’t let Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal actually fight with the Netherworld ghost officials.

It was just a matter of spending more treasures.

After all, he wasn’t the one paying.

Moreover, through such a small matter, Li Changshou could also feel out the Netherworld’s details…

At this moment, that ghost official commander grabbed his two bronze hammers, looking toward Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal with some challenge in his gaze.

Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal gave a cold snort, but under Jiang Lin’er’s private persuasion, didn’t say anything more.

“Oh ho?”

That ghost official commander’s waxy yellow face showed a cold smile, “Still dare to be dissatisfied?”

The several hundred strong ghost officials behind him all stepped forward half a step in unison!

Eyes bulging like bronze bells, emitting lightning-like alertness!

Waves of shocking blood qi fluctuations rippled out from these ghost officials, mixing and combining into a shocking imposing manner!

Just as Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal was about to respond, Ji Wuyou slightly raised his hand, signaling Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal to step back.

Then, Ji Wuyou stepped forward two paces with hands behind his back, his Golden Immortal realm pressure revealed.

Ji Wuyou smiled and said:

“Since we’ve come from so far away, we naturally don’t wish to return just like this.

Please be accommodating, General, this poor Daoist’s fellow sect member has a slightly hot temper, might you show some flexibility?”

“Flexibility?”

This ghost official commander said coldly: “Today I say you can’t pass, naturally you can’t pass, is being a Golden Immortal very impressive?

Golden Immortals passing through my post, there are at least three or four in a day.

This is the Netherworld Administration, even if you’re a dragon, you’re too coiled up!”

“Cough, cough cough.”

Ji Wuyou raised his hand and coughed twice, already holding a long sword in his hand, his own aura becoming much sharper.

“Since it’s like this, this poor Daoist can only reason with friends.”

Li Changshou: …

No doubt about it, the Transcendent Gate’s universal sect skill must be [Getting Worked Up]!

Elder Wan Linyun was like this, Forgetting Emotions Upper Immortal was also like this, these two were people who focused single-mindedly on cultivation and rarely went out, which could be explained away.

How did the Sect Master…

Seeing how the Sect Master had been talking eloquently all along, he knew there were ghost officials collecting tolls here.

Li Changshou groaned inwardly, feeling a headache coming on.

Before he had time to make any remedial strategy, that ghost official commander’s mouth twisted as he suddenly turned his head and shouted toward the mountainside:

“Marshal! A human Golden Immortal wants to force their way through!”

“Hmm?”

A light exclamation, an aura that made Li Changshou’s heart tremble, erupted from the mountaintop beside them!

Suddenly hearing the sound of air being broken, a figure jumped out from that ten-thousand-ren-high mountain, originally only sesame-seed sized, in the blink of an eye landing in front of the several hundred ghost officials.

This was a nine-foot-tall warrior with light blue short hair, rough features, and sleepy eyes, wearing light blue chain mail treasure armor, his whole body containing a shocking imposing manner!

A fierce killing aura swept toward them!

This warrior yawned and stretched.

“Who is it? Making trouble here, what’re you looking at?”

Ji Wuyou frowned slightly. Although he sensed this warrior’s shocking aura and that he was a troublesome character, as the Transcendent Gate’s Sect Master, how could he show weakness to outsiders in front of his sect members, especially the Grand Master’s private face?

However, a strand of voice transmission entered Ji Wuyou’s ear from Li Changshou:

“Sect Master, disciple suspects this might be a high-level Shaman Tribe expert left from the ancient great war, best not to conflict with him.”

Ji Wuyou’s momentum immediately weakened somewhat.

Just then, they suddenly heard those ghost officials, including that ghost official commander, all calling out softly:

“Marshal, you forgot your head cover!”

“Headcover, Marshal, head cover!”

“Forget once and you’ll get six hundred lashes, Marshal!”

“Hmm?” The person who had just jumped down touched his face with his hand, suddenly shivered, turned, and ran two steps toward the ten-thousand-ren-high mountain beside them, bent his legs, leaving a series of cracks in the solid rock ground, and directly…

Jumped back up.

After a while, this tall and mighty figure snorted coldly, smashing down from the mountain again, standing before the crowd of ghost officials.

This time, however… he wore a loose cow’s head.

His previous words were repeated once more:

“Who is it? Daring to make trouble here, what’re you looking at… moo.”