Netherworld

Biodata

Background / History

For centuries, the Netherworld was treated as the neglected “Earth” component of mortal God Temples. A temple could connect to it simply by placing an Underworld plaque and a few memorial tablets in a side room, unlike the costly rituals, shrines, and golden bodies expected by heavenly gods. This accessibility failed to win it broad reverence: ordinary cultivators feared its yin aura and associated its worship with evil cultivators and cultivation deviation. 20

Its declining mortal presence left the Netherworld with weak Incense Fire faith. Lu Chen recognized that its Yin Gods were still properly invested Orthodox Gods and argued that the realm's problem was not lack of legitimacy, but its desperate, low-status approach to attracting worshippers. 20

Lu Chen subsequently became a major mortal intermediary for the realm. Through King Yama, he secured recognition of his Netherworld currency as the sole valid currency for passage from the living world to the underworld, received the office of Underworld Martial and Virtuous General, and began promoting ancestor worship and spirit-money circulation. 28 29 121 The resulting influx of currency and offerings stirred Incense Fire that had been dormant for a millennium and drew the attention of Great Emperor Fengdu and the Ghost Emperors. 149

Structure and Locations

Administration and Personnel

Laws and Functions

Judgment and Reincarnation

• Departed souls are examined by Netherworld judges before being permitted to enter the realm. 101
• King Yama's Book of Life and Death determines mortal lifespans and can authorize a soul's return to life. 18
• The Netherworld records deceased souls; the complete disappearance of a soul from its records indicates an abnormality rather than ordinary reincarnation. 128
• Wicked corpse-liberation methods that annihilate souls violate Netherworld laws and disrupt the reincarnation order. 129

Gates and Entry

• Entry normally depends on Netherworld authority, a relevant divine office, or the status of a departed soul. 320
• A temporary City God rank allowed Lu Chen to open the gates directly and enter the realm with Xie Qingyi and Fan Rusong. 332
• Lu Chen's Grievance-Resolving Ritual forcibly opened the gates after pacifying the victims of the Severing Yin Grand Formation, allowing surviving souls to enter reincarnation. 306
• The gates remained closed to Matchmaker God after Shentu and Yulei struck his name from the Netherworld entry register. 320

Incense Fire and Netherworld Currency

• Netherworld currency exists alongside mortal banknotes and Heavenly Court's Heavenly Gold. 10
• Lu Chen arranged for his issued Netherworld currency to become the sole valid currency for passage from the living realm to the underworld. 29
• Spirit money can connect yin and yang and become usable wealth in the underworld; its forging is one manifestation of Lu Chen's Mighty Martial Virtue General office. 121
• The circulation of Lu Chen's currency revived long-dormant Netherworld Incense Fire and supplied major resources to the realm, including funds Great Emperor Fengdu intended to use toward constructing a nineteenth level of hell. 149
• Fengdu later promised Lu Chen a Netherworld divine office if he could deliver one trillion Netherworld currency. 155
• Expanding currency circulation is treated as a means to deepen mortal contact with the Netherworld and increase its Incense Fire offerings. 386

Relationships

• Lu Chen — Mortal official and economic catalyst whose currency, ancestor-worship services, and divine offices substantially increased the Netherworld's Incense Fire and influence 29 102 149.
• King Yama — Lu Chen's adoptive father and primary Netherworld ally; he appoints Lu Chen to office, provides soldiers, and repeatedly advises him on Netherworld law and politics 29 88 334.
• Great Emperor Fengdu — The Supreme One recognizes Lu Chen's contributions, makes a military pledge with him, and later permits the Matchmaker God's descent under strict conditions 155 338 386.
• Heavenly Court — Exchanges personnel and resources with the Netherworld; numerous heavenly officials have transferred into Netherworld service, including marshals and departmental liaisons 340.
• Northern Pole Exorcism Office — Its attempt to arrest Matchmaker God in the Netherworld escalates into a confrontation with the Earth Division Evil-Quelling Court and the Netherworld's rulers 356 359.
• Earth Division Evil-Quelling Court — Defends the Netherworld during the Northern Pole Exorcism Office's intervention, led in the conflict by Yin Marshal 358 359.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Neglected Underworld — Lu Chen visits the humble Netherworld Office and identifies the realm's poor reputation, minimal temple requirements, and lack of mortal Incense Fire. 20
• Netherworld Currency Initiative — Lu Chen secures King Yama's support for ancestor worship and currency circulation, becoming Underworld Martial and Virtuous General. 28 29
• City God Street Incident — Lu Chen invokes the Netherworld's expanding “grand enterprise” to persuade Xie Bi'an and Fan Wujie to help recover Madam Zheng's soul and challenge an unjust City God ruling. 102 103 106
• Fengdu's Attention — The spread of Netherworld currency and revived Incense Fire brings Great Emperor Fengdu and the Ghost Emperors to investigate Lu Chen personally. 149 155
• Severing Yin Grand Formation — Spirit Cypress Immortal's formation traps and destroys vast numbers of souls. Lu Chen's ritual breaks the aftermath by opening the Netherworld's gates and sending the remaining souls onward. 293 306
• Matchmaker God and Meng Po — Lu Chen enters the Netherworld under a false City God identity to petition Fengdu for the gates to be opened, enabling Matchmaker God to reunite with and marry Meng Po. 332 338 353 357
• Heaven-Connecting Other Shore Conflict — When the Northern Pole Exorcism Office descends to enforce Heavenly Court law, Fengdu opens the Heaven-Connecting Other Shore as a battlefield. More than a hundred Heavenly Court powers observe the resulting clash. 356 360 361 364

Trivia

• A God Temple requires the three elements of Heaven, Earth, and Man; the Netherworld is conventionally used to fulfill the “Earth” component. 20
• Ordinary worshippers historically treated Netherworld courts in temples as decorative formalities, while Lu Chen intended to establish a functioning Hall of Yama with seats for the Ten Kings. 124
• Great Emperor Fengdu regards the Netherworld as an embodiment of the Heavenly Dao and rejects the idea that outsiders may enter and leave it freely. 353