“What do you mean I can’t leave?” Mu Zhanting asked, perplexed.
“The Emperor is about to ascend the throne,” replied a disciple of the Hall of Righteous Law. “Before that, he must familiarize himself with the internal affairs of the hall and gain the approval of the Heavenly Dao Stele. It’s been the tradition for generations.”
Mu Zhanting crossed his arms, observing the disciples standing guard outside the hall. Since joining the Dragon Lord’s faction, he had spent years on the battlefield. As a military leader, he was particularly sensitive to changes in the atmosphere of conflict.
“But won’t I be in charge of this Hall of Righteous Law soon?” he argued. “I just want to pick up my sister. Even though the hall is far, it would only take an hour or two to reach Daosheng Heaven by teleportation array. I’ll be back quickly. What’s the problem?”
The smiling disciple remained unyielding. “From now on, Your Majesty must bear the great responsibility of governing the world. It’s not advisable to leave the hall regularly. If there’s urgent business, we can handle it for you. Besides, if you’re concerned, the Dragon Lord is also in Daosheng Heaven.”
Noticing the fake smiles on the disciples’ faces, Mu Zhanting matched their expression and said, “Very well. Bring me some writing materials. I’ll write a letter to Chenzhou to thank the people for their support.”
The disciples eagerly complied. Once they left, Mu Zhanting sealed the hall doors and rolled up his heavy, ornate robes, intending to escape through a window. To his surprise, the imperial hall was heavily guarded, with barriers inside and out. Any disturbance would undoubtedly attract attention.
“Tch,” Mu Zhanting clicked his tongue in displeasure as he sat back down. His animal-like instincts told him something was wrong in Daosheng Heaven. He grabbed a spirit fruit from a jade plate and took a frustrated bite. Glancing down, he was startled into dropping the fruit, which rolled into a corner.
“This little ghost pays respects to the Prison Lord,” said a tiny, translucent head hidden among the fruits. Its face was half-decayed, bloody, and shocking to behold.
Mu Zhanting retreated to the wall, eyes wide. “What manner of ghost are you, friend?”
The ghostly head rolled out of the fruit pile and slowly rose into the air. “This little ghost is a fragment of the Golden Ghost Marquis. During the great battle with the demon race on Ten Karma Mountain, we didn’t expect the Prison Lord’s crown to change hands so suddenly. We couldn’t withdraw our ghost hands in time and only managed to send a few high-ranking ghost generals to possess some cultivators who left the realm between mountains and seas. After much difficulty, we finally found you here. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Dao Stele of the Righteous Law severely suppresses our ghost race. This little ghost had to crash through, suffering greatly, just to meet with the Prison Lord.”
How many sorrows can one have, as if great ghosts and little ghosts have fallen onto a jade plate?
As the bloody ghost head floated back and forth, Mu Zhanting cursed his third brother’s inhumanity a thousand times in his heart. He asked, “If I return the imperial crown to you now, can I immediately abdicate?”
The Golden Ghost Marquis exclaimed, “Oh! We’ve been suppressed by Daosheng Heaven for years, often having to offer new ghosts to nourish the Dao Venerable statues they send. They don’t allow us to reincarnate. Now that we’re finally liberated, even if the Prison Lord commands the netherworld to rebuild Fengdu in the human realm, we’re willing to serve you!”
Mu Zhanting replied, “But I’d rather command the literary world. Please go find my third brother, the Yellowspring Prison Lord.”
The Golden Ghost Marquis suddenly showed fear. “The-the Yellowspring Prison Lord, he…”
“What about him?”
Trembling, the ghost explained, “Forgive this little ghost for speaking plainly, but among the nine prisons, Yellowspring is the longest and closest to the mortal realm. It’s most affected by worldly troubles, making it easy for one to lose their mind. That’s why Yellowspring rarely has a lord. The previous one self-destructed and entered reincarnation thousands of years ago.”
Mu Zhanting pressed, “Who’s lost their mind? Can’t you just tell me what happened?”
The Golden Ghost Marquis replied, “The Yellowspring Prison Lord… he knocked one of Daosheng Heaven’s floating mountains to the ground.”
“Wow…” Mu Zhanting exclaimed.
“Although this little ghost hasn’t heard much about the human realm lately, I’ve devoured a few cultivators’ souls and learned that Daosheng Heaven’s three floating mountains are the formation eyes suppressing the Mingquan River. His actions may incur Daosheng Heaven’s furious retaliation.”
“Oh…” Mu Zhanting responded.
The ghost continued, “However, before coming here, this little ghost heard the local wandering spirits reveal the truth. It seems Daosheng captured a female Buddhist cultivator. Those old Nascent Soul cultivators wanted to use her life to order the Yellowspring Prison Lord to surrender the imperial crown controlling Yellowspring. In response, the Prison Lord sealed off the entire mountain. There are over a hundred thousand Daosheng Heaven cultivators on that mountain!”
“Ugh…” Mu Zhanting groaned.
“What is the Prison Lord sighing about?” the ghost inquired.
Mu Zhanting replied, “I want to write a poem for my third brother called ‘Full of Darkness’ – ‘Anger makes my hair stand on end, for what reason? Sighing silently, choked with emotions…’ Wait, did you say Daosheng Heaven captured a female Buddhist cultivator?”
The Golden Ghost Marquis nodded vigorously and tried to move closer. “It happened like this…”
“Don’t come near me! Stay in the corner!” Mu Zhanting commanded.
Dejected, the ghost crouched in the corner and briefly explained how Nan Yan was pursued by Daosheng Heaven for chasing the Heart Demon Woman and was drawn into a painting realm.
Mu Zhanting had anticipated something like this but didn’t expect Daosheng Heaven to reveal their true colors so quickly. After a moment of rare contemplation, he recalled seeing Nan Nuan place a strange talisman on Ji Yang when bidding farewell to Nan Yan’s mother years ago. He had also seen a similar talisman while studying the Vermilion Emperor’s Campaign Map.
It was a shared fate lock. Knowing Ji Yang, he wouldn’t willingly remove it. As long as the lock remained, Nan Yan’s life would be protected wherever she went.
“The Dragon Lord must still be in Daosheng Heaven, distracted. For such a major event to occur without his intervention, given his personality, only Nan Fangzhu could hold him back,” Mu Zhanting mused. “Go inform Nan Yan’s uncle. I heard he’s trying to open a seal in the Vermilion Emperor’s Tomb to retrieve an item that can preserve Nan Fangzhu’s remains. Head to the realm between mountains and seas. The Dragon Lord said her uncle was close to breaking the seal. Here’s a map. If he hasn’t succeeded yet, find a nearby outpost and inform the people of Chenzhou about the situation here.”
Entrusted with this important task, the Golden Ghost Marquis’s empty eye sockets welled up with blood tears of emotion. “Although the Yellowspring Prison Lord is tyrannical, we five ghost marquises of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth remain loyal to you, Prison Lord. I apologize for my abruptness today. Next time—”
Mu Zhanting interrupted, “There won’t be a next time. Stay away from me in the future! Keep your heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and whatever three wives, four concubines, three husbands, or four attendants you have with my third brother!”
Meanwhile, in Daosheng Heaven’s Floating Mountain…
“I warned about impure influences entering our sect, and now we face this great calamity!” an elder shouted.
“Kill him! I’ll make sure he’s reduced to ashes!” another vowed.
“Enough useless talk! Quickly, sever the connection between Yellowspring and Mingquan River!” a third commanded.
“But how? The River of Oblivion’s waters will strip away our primordial spirits if we touch them. What can we do?” someone asked anxiously.
The third floating mountain of Daosheng Heaven was completely enveloped by a misty water screen, seemingly filled with countless lost souls. As it engulfed the mountain, the right third of the Minghe Heavenly Waterfall was drawn in, connecting with Yellowspring and continuously pouring ghostly power into it.
Countless magical lights clashed thunderously, attempting to tear open Yellowspring, but to no avail.
“It’s impossible,” someone concluded. “Yellowspring originates from the mortal realm. As long as there’s birth, aging, sickness, and death in the mortal world, he can endlessly summon Yellowspring. The struggle for the underworld can only be decided by those of the underworld.”
The Six Venerable Masters’ faces were grim as they used their staves to prevent the floating mountain from falling. Suddenly, an excited cultivator covered in sword wounds rushed towards them.
“Traitor! I’ve just conquered the Lower Spring River! Let me test my skills on you!” he shouted.
The Six Venerable Masters’ eyes lit up. “Nephew Yuan He! Have you become the Prison Lord of Lower Spring?”
“Indeed,” Yuan He replied, his smile unwavering. “That Meng boy was formidable, forcing me to shatter my natal treasure. Fortunately, Xuanzai intervened in time, sealing him beneath Tianqiao Peak. Only then did I successfully claim Lower Spring River. Now, I’ll use the imperial crown’s power to suppress Yellow Spring!”
The sky above Yuan He swirled with dense clouds, and a purple-gray river spiraled down. It merged with the Mingquan River controlled by Daosheng Heaven’s other two floating mountains. Yellow Spring River struggled against the combined force of two rivers, and its water screen parted slightly.
“It’s open! Charge in and kill him!” someone shouted.
Black and white escape lights swarmed in like locusts, but a strange tidal sound emerged. The cultivators’ spiritual power rapidly waned. Those who rushed to the front were enveloped by Yellow Spring’s mist, their souls forcibly separated from their bodies and dragged into the river by surrounding chains.
“Don’t act rashly,” warned the Six Venerable Masters, their eyes fixed on a small boat floating along Yellow Spring River. Its sole occupant gazed impassively at the three underworld rivers filled with wailing ghosts.
Yuan He sneered, “How does it feel? Back then, I knelt at the gates for ninety days and couldn’t even get a position to sweep by Xuanzai’s side. Now I’ve achieved the Great Dao, while you, once Daosheng Heaven’s hope, have fallen to a half-human, Half-Face-Ghost state.”
Ji Yang ignored him, seemingly listening for news of someone he cared about. After a while, he slightly relaxed his tightly clenched fingers and said calmly, “Six Venerable Uncle, you were the Dao Venerable’s confidant and held a position equivalent to vice-leader. Which river did you claim? Bring it forth as well.”
The Six Venerable Masters glared at him malevolently. “Over forty years ago, I seized control of Yapquan River. It’s not that I won’t act, but if four rivers converge, Zizhou is in danger of sinking. These two rivers are enough to suppress you.”
Ji Yang laughed silently, his pupils deepening like ominous blood moons. “In all of Daosheng Heaven, I only ever heeded one person’s teachings. Since Lower Spring River has been taken, the reason my master isn’t here to discipline this rebellious disciple himself is… is he gravely injured?”
As he spoke, a second spring river descended from the sky.
The entire sky darkened, and howling winds raged as if doomsday had arrived.
Yuan He froze, as did everyone in Daosheng Heaven.
“It’s the幽泉川 (You Quan Chuan – Dim Spring River)!”
As the second river pressed down, the floating mountain began to fall unstoppably. The mastermind behind this disaster had only begun to bare his fangs.
“Master, won’t you come and talk? This unworthy disciple only wields the power of one river. How dare I return for a visit?” Ji Yang taunted.
Just as the ghostly waves were about to crash into the other two floating mountains, a slightly weary voice echoed throughout the world:
“Life Control.”
At the word “life,” the dark clouds parted, the ghost tide halted, and an invisible force seized the floating mountain mere inches from the ground. Before Ji Yang, space rippled as Ying Zewei slowly appeared.
“What a grand gift,” Ying Zewei said, his unfocused eyes turning to Ji Yang. He dragged a bloodied person behind him. As Ji Yang’s pupils dilated, Ying Zewei softly added, “So disobedient. You see… Xing Zheng’s bones are as stubborn as yours.”
“Master, have I ever complained about your methods?” Ji Yang asked.
“I’m listening,” Ying Zewei replied.
“You could easily overwhelm others with your strength, yet you never give them a quick end.”
“Making people feel pain and learn to fear is also a way of teaching,” Ying Zewei said, lifting the barely conscious Mo Xing Zheng. “It’s getting late. I won’t keep you for long. One sentence… Disperse one river’s ghost power to exchange for Xing Zheng and another for the child you care about.”
Dispersing the Netherworld River would result in severe backlash from the ghost tide, but Ji Yang didn’t hesitate. The Dim Spring River above immediately vanished. After receiving Mo Xing Zheng, he said, “Master hasn’t finished speaking. If you want me to disperse Yellow Spring River, shouldn’t you at least let me see the person I want to meet?”
“You mean this?” Ying Zewei opened his palm, revealing a broken golden Bodhi leaf flickering with light. “This child… rather than resembling Nuan Niang, she’s more like… an old acquaintance who went astray.”
Ying Zewei’s words were half-truths, without a single lie yet full of deception. If Ji Yang didn’t know better, he might have thought Nan Yan had already perished.
“Good… good, good,” Ji Yang laughed, a deep-seated hatred spreading in his eyes. “Master says that making people feel pain teaches them to fear. Everyone has their breaking point. I dare to test yours.”
Ying Zewei remained silent, but in the next moment, he struck without warning. A force capable of destroying countless stars pierced through the sealed floating mountain, instantly creating an ever-expanding void.
“Death Control.”
Life Control and Death Control were the divine punishments of the Heavenly Dao.
The Six Venerable Masters probed with their divine sense, hearing only Ji Yang’s soft laughter. Upon seeing the innocent disciples caught in the floating mountain’s destruction, they hesitated for a moment before saying, “Although this boy’s thoughts are treacherous, he’s not undefeatable. Why did Xuanzai suddenly harbor killing intent?”
“Look at what he’s done,” Ying Zewei replied.
The Six Venerable Masters looked up to see a broken river of countless ghost soldiers forming above the Yellow Spring River. More shockingly, in the center of the river, the Dao Venerable’s ferocious face appeared.
The Six Venerable Masters’ staff instantly shattered. Despite the surge of ghost power, they were still furious and shocked. “Fengmo Heaven… Feng Spring River? Where did he get Feng Spring River’s ghost power? What did he do to the Dao Venerable in the realm between mountains and seas?!”