By Knife Mountain, Beside the Sea of Fire, Speaking of Heaven and Earth

"Being an emperor means having good fortune. Even after falling into this place, he still has protection."

Elsewhere, in the Blood-Colored Realm, at the border between Knife Mountain and the Sea of Fire, several men undergoing the punishment of blazing flames let out complaints between their screams.

Yet the moment those resentful words left their mouths, an endless stream of blood flowed from them again. The blood dripped onto the ground, seeping into it and adding another stroke to the earth's color.

Behind them, tongues of fire surged. The flames seemed to possess sentience, crashing over again and again and spreading across their bodies. Before them, several sharp blades flashing with cold light stabbed swiftly out from the mountain wall, piercing through their bodies! Edges sharp enough to split a hair sliced and churned through bone, flesh, and skin, grievously wounding them!

Pain twisted their expressions, and their eyes brimmed with agony, desolation, and regret. Blood drenched their bodies, while large patches of skin had blackened and shattered, giving off a scorched stench.

Blades stabbing from the front and fire roasting from behind—such scenes often appeared in Mortal Realm tales describing the Yincao Underworld, where they were used to punish evildoers, making them pay for what they had done in life, warning the world and urging people toward goodness.

But here, everything had been turned on its head.

Before long, the miserable cries of those suffering the cruel torture eased somewhat. Their eyes shifted, and their gazes all fell on a person not far away, filled with jealousy, envy, and venomous resentment. This man wore magnificent clothes and had a clean face, standing in stark contrast to the blood-smeared faces of the others. A faint barrier surrounded him, blocking the flames—and even the blades stabbing out from the mountain wall