Yellow Springs and the Corpse Emperor

Along the way, countless powerhouses came to pay their respects. News of the three Heavenly Venerables' tour spread throughout the entire universe.

At last, they arrived at the location of the Underworld.

A vast, boundless expanse of Netherworld Soil emerged before them. From afar, its nether aura was mysterious and powerful, seeming utterly incompatible with the entire world. It was practically another universe.

Upon arriving at the Underworld, Netherworld Venerable shouted, "All Yin soldiers and Yin generals of the Underworld, come out at once and pay your respects!"

Netherworld Venerable's vast voice spread through the entire Underworld, rolling onward and shaking the whole place.

All the Yin soldiers and Yin generals seemed to have been startled awake. Trembling with fear, they dropped to their knees.

Rumble!

A jet-black beam shot into the sky, carrying dense deathly energy as it rushed over from afar.

When the black radiance dispersed, a handsome young man appeared.

He wore black Netherworld Iron armor and held a Dragon-Patterned Black Gold shield. The moment he saw Netherworld Venerable, Demon Venerable, and Daode Tianzun, his pupils contracted, and his entire body began trembling uncontrollably.

It was suppression originating from the depths of his soul.

Netherworld Venerable had returned.

Naturally, he knew just how powerful Netherworld Venerable was.

Li Ming was also somewhat surprised as he looked at the young man.

He was actually a Peak Ninth Heaven Quasi-Emperor, and so young at that. In a daze, Li Ming could even sense the bearing of one capable of achieving Enlightenment as Supreme.

He had never expected the Underworld to possess such a genius.

This man was not of the Human Race, but a naturally born Yin God.

He was a native lifeform born and raised in the Underworld.

No one knew what race his true form belonged to. His entire body was black as ink, radiating a dense nether aura.

Such an extraordinarily powerful Yin God had never been heard of before. It seemed the Underworld's foundations truly could not be underestimated.

Besides Netherworld Venerable, the Underworld seemed to possess both the Prison-Suppressing Emperor and the Yama Emperor. Could this man be the yet-to-achieve-Enlightenment Prison-Suppressing Emperor or Yama Emperor?

This naturally born Yin God could be considered an Innate lifeform born from this Netherworld Soil.

He had cultivated to the Peak Ninth Heaven Quasi-Emperor realm and even forged a Dao-Proving Weapon from Dragon-Patterned Black Gold. It seemed he had encountered no small amount of fortune.

Moreover, by cultivating with the Underworld Soil's special environment and drawing upon the formations here, he could even contend against ordinary Dark Supremes.

Though he was utterly insignificant before Li Ming, he was absolutely formidable for a Ninth Heaven Quasi-Emperor.

"Yama's Son welcomes Netherworld Venerable's return!"

Though Yama's Son still radiated the vigor of youth, he appeared rather submissive before Netherworld Venerable.

Clearly, Netherworld Venerable had left an indelible impression upon him.

"These two must be the legendary Demon Venerable and Daode Tianzun?"

"This junior, Yama's Son, greets the two seniors!"

After bowing to Netherworld Venerable, he respectfully bowed again to Li Ming and Daode Tianzun.

He displayed none of the overbearing conduct the future Underworld would become known for.

It seemed that wherever Netherworld Venerable held control, everyone above and below had been thoroughly subdued. No one dared disobey him.

Even all the Yin soldiers, Yin generals, and Yin Gods felt terrified and trembled whenever they saw him.

This Netherworld Venerable truly had some skill.

Netherworld Venerable nodded. "Where is the Prison-Suppressing Emperor? Why has he not come out to greet me?"

Yama's Son replied, "The Prison-Suppressing Emperor has sealed himself away again. He intends to emerge only when the Road to Immortality opens."

"I have guarded the Underworld throughout this period."

"Now that Netherworld Venerable has returned, it is truly cause for celebration, a blessing for all us Yin soldiers and Yin generals!"

Li Ming clicked his tongue in amazement. This Yama's Son truly was impressive.

If nothing unexpected happened, then just as in the original work, he would seal himself away and only achieve Emperor Enlightenment during the Primordial Era.

He would become the Yama Emperor, standing alongside the Prison-Suppressing Emperor and the Corpse Emperor.

Li Ming had not expected the Yama Emperor to be so low-key at this time.

He was so respectful before Netherworld Venerable. It seemed Netherworld Venerable had left an invincible mark in all their hearts.

Everything seemed to obey his every command.

No wonder the Corpse Emperor and Prison-Suppressing Emperor in the original work had felt anxious and terrified whenever Netherworld Venerable was mentioned.

They had dispatched Yin soldiers and Yin generals to attack in every direction precisely to dig Netherworld Venerable out and disrupt his transformation plan.

"Mm, very good. Go attend to your duties."

"I'll take Demon Venerable and Daode Tianzun around the Underworld."

Netherworld Emperor Duan De waved his hand and dismissed the Yin soldiers and Yin generals.

Yama's Son then silently led the numerous Yin soldiers and Yin generals away.

"This damned place is so gloomy. I really don't like this damned environment," Netherworld Venerable said to Daode Tianzun and Li Ming.

Li Ming and Daode Tianzun both looked astonished upon hearing this.

The Underworld was Netherworld Venerable's territory, supposedly founded by Netherworld Venerable himself.

Yet Netherworld Venerable was saying that he did not like it, did not like its gloomy environment?

Netherworld Venerable shook his head. "I control the Underworld only to study the Way of Reincarnation, not because I truly like this sort of place."

"You'll understand once you see its special environment."

"It is an excellent place for comprehending the Dao and cultivating, but if I had to live in such a gloomy place, I would find it uncomfortable instead. I am a true member of the Human Race, not a Yin God from here."

Netherworld Venerable led the two of them into the Underworld.

Upon entering the Underworld, they experienced a strange sensation, as though they had left the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands and entered another universe.

The Underworld appeared to be a black-as-ink continent radiating nether aura, but once they truly stepped inside, they discovered a completely different world.

Its starry sky held countless stars, every one of them suffused with incomparably dense deathly energy.

There was a vast and boundless Yellow Springs River, surging and roaring beyond sight. It ran through the entire Underworld, flowing toward an unknown destination.

Groups of Yin soldiers, Yin generals, skeletons, and Yin Gods could be seen everywhere.

From time to time, newborn skeletons or Yin Gods emerged from the Netherworld Soil, clawing their way out of the earth.

The order of this entire world appeared somewhat Weird, yet beneath strict hierarchical suppression, it maintained a relatively orderly structure.

Li Ming opened his Heavenly Eye and carefully observed the place, sensing its unique Grand Dao aura.

He could see that beneath the black-as-ink Netherworld Soil lay densely packed, endless corpses and bones.

It was difficult to imagine how many there were. Even after achieving Enlightenment as Supreme, Li Ming found the number impossible to count.

How many tens of thousands of years of dead lifeforms would it take to amass corpses and bones on such a scale?

No wonder the Underworld was known as the final destination of all living beings. Anyone who saw such a vast mass of corpses and bones would feel the same.

This Underworld was likely not formed through Acquired means, but had been accidentally excavated by Netherworld Venerable.

Of course, perhaps Netherworld Venerable had been buried in the earth since the Chaotic Ancient Era and crawled out from within this place.

Perhaps this was a patch of Burial Soil that had fallen from the Immortal Domain into this world.

On this mysterious land, new Yin soldiers, Yin generals, and skeletons were born from time to time. Everything appeared chaotic, yet somehow remained well ordered.

Under Netherworld Venerable's suppression, the Yin soldiers and Yin generals here could each fulfill their duties.

Netherworld Venerable soon led the two of them to an important location.

It was the Netherworld Emperor Hall where Netherworld Emperor Duan De resided.

The palace was incomparably majestic, radiating dense deathly energy. It was black as ink and forged from Netherworld Stone, a local specialty.

What surprised Li Ming was that Netherworld Venerable had stored mountains of Divine Source here, cultivated all kinds of medicinal herbs unique to the Underworld, and collected various precious materials found only in the Underworld.

Li Ming even saw something called Netherworld Gold. It was black as ink and emitted an incomparably dense aura of death, yet it was metal, and its quality seemed no weaker than the Nine Immortal Metals.

Its dense nether aura made it one of the finest artifact-refining materials in the Underworld.

Netherworld Emperor Duan De casually split it into two pieces and gave one each to Li Ming and Daode Tianzun.

"I never expected Netherworld Venerable to have established a treasure vault here as well."

"Why not keep it within your own body instead of placing it here?" Li Ming asked curiously.

"It is not as you think. These materials are indeed precious, but the truly valuable items are stored in my weapon space and body space," Netherworld Venerable said with a smile.

Li Ming nodded. This was the Netherworld Venerable who matched the original work and the image in Li Ming's memories.

After passing through the palace, the three continued toward the depths of the Underworld.

This black-as-ink Netherworld Soil seemed eternally cold and dark, but such darkness could not hinder the investigation of three Heavenly Venerables.

Even in absolute blackness, their Heavenly Eyes perceived a world of brilliant clarity. Everything was flawlessly within their senses.

Deeper within the Netherworld Soil were even more and stronger Yin soldiers and Yin generals.

In another direction, Li Ming sensed another palace.

Prison-Suppressing Hall!

A faint yet incomparably powerful aura slumbered there. Clearly, it was the Prison-Suppressing Emperor's place of sealing, or perhaps his sleeping place.

Netherworld Venerable glanced in that direction and nodded. Without stopping, he led the other two farther inward.

Splash! Splash!

The Yellow Springs River surged and roared across the vast, boundless Netherworld Soil, its waters emitting dense deathly energy.

Netherworld Venerable was taking the two of them to see the Yellow Springs River's true source.

According to Netherworld Venerable, the Yellow Springs River's true source was the foundation of the Underworld.

If they went there to comprehend the Dao, they would surely benefit greatly.

Netherworld Emperor Duan De's words piqued Li Ming's curiosity.

Soon, the three reached the deepest part of the Underworld and saw the source of the Yellow Springs River.

Rumble!

It was as though a Milky Way had appeared in the void, vast and dazzlingly beautiful.

It was difficult to imagine that such a beautiful waterfall existed within the Underworld.

The waterfall, like a Milky Way, was made of silver liquid, yet it emitted the aura of Divine Source Liquid. It was incomparably sacred and radiated dense life energy.

Yet surprisingly, the moment it came into contact with the Netherworld Soil, an astonishing transformation occurred.

It turned into the Yellow Springs River.

Surging and roaring, it emitted dense deathly energy and nurtured the Underworld Soil's many Yin Gods.

"This Yellow Springs actually emits the aura of a Fortune Origin Eye!" Li Ming said in astonishment.

Daode Tianzun also raised his head and stared intently at Yellow Springs, the mysterious source embedded in the void.

Li Ming opened his Heavenly Eye and examined it carefully.

The location of Yellow Springs was truly incredible.

It was indeed not a Fortune Origin Eye, but truly a mysterious place of Fortune.

No wonder Netherworld Venerable had said that Yellow Springs could nurture life.

This Yellow Springs was truly unimaginably mysterious.

However, this place had already deeply fused with the Netherworld Soil. If it were forcibly removed, it would only destroy Yellow Springs and this land.

According to Netherworld Venerable, Yellow Springs had existed for an unknown number of tens of thousands of years without ever drying up, enduring through the ages.

"This is the legendary Yellow Springs!"

"No wonder this place became the Underworld's land of Fortune!"

"That's right. It is precisely because Yellow Springs exists that the Underworld can flourish without decline, continually giving birth to more incomparably powerful Yin Gods, Yin soldiers, and Yin generals."

Li Ming stepped forward and took some of the waterfall water, intending to comprehend the mysterious essence within.

That unique aura, like the Chaos of creation itself, was truly extraordinary.

After comprehending it slightly, Li Ming immediately gained many unique insights.

He simply closed his eyes and carefully sensed the Grand Dao Divine Resonance and runes within it.

Daode Tianzun did the same.

Meanwhile, Netherworld Venerable seemed to sink into deep memories.

Li Ming quickly discovered what seemed to be a life aura within the Yellow Springs River.

It was continuously devouring the power of Fortune within Yellow Springs.

Li Ming looked toward the Yellow Springs River beneath the waterfall.

Soon, he discovered a corpse there.

The corpse wore ancient clothing, so ancient that it was impossible to identify its era.

"I never expected it to be a corpse."

"This corpse is lifelike. It appears not far from Corpse Spirit Awakening."

"This corpse is truly extraordinary. It really has the potential to achieve Enlightenment as Supreme."

"That's right, I thought so too. When I excavated this corpse from the depths of the Underworld, I could clearly sense that it was different."

"I placed it in the Yellow Springs River and set certain restrictions within his body, hoping that he could revive soon, or undergo Corpse Spirit Awakening, rather than become a Corpse Calamity."

Upon hearing Netherworld Emperor Duan De's words, Li Ming understood.

So this truly was the Corpse Emperor before his Corpse Spirit Awakening.

Daode Tianzun was extremely interested in the Corpse Emperor's body. His gaze burned as he studied it closely.

In a daze, he seemed to gain some understanding.

Li Ming, meanwhile, entered Yellow Springs directly to comprehend its mysteries.

Rumble!

The Yellow Springs water, like a Milky Way, radiated dense vitality, utterly different from this world filled with nether aura.

Yet the moment that mysterious Yellow Springs water fell into the Netherworld Soil, it immediately became the Yellow Springs River. Its dense deathly energy became a cradle that nurtured countless Yin soldiers and Yin generals.

Li Ming comprehended the Dao here for a long time. He could not help sighing that it was no wonder the Underworld had endured through the ages, surviving all the way to Ye Fan's era.

Meanwhile, the many Forbidden Zones had not lasted until that era.

The Underworld's Yellow Springs truly possessed the profound mystery of seizing the Fortune of heaven and earth. Only after personally experiencing it could one understand its wondrous nature.

Li Ming also formed all sorts of conjectures as to why Netherworld Venerable had successfully undergone Corpse Spirit Awakening here.

He likewise formed many bold conjectures about why the Corpse Emperor could achieve Enlightenment again after undergoing Corpse Spirit Awakening here.

Beyond their own talent and comprehension, the mysterious Fortune within the Yellow Springs water had undoubtedly provided them with crucial help.

This Yellow Springs perhaps truly did not belong to this world.

Like this Netherworld Soil, it had fallen into this world from the Immortal Domain.

Even though Li Ming possessed a Chaotic Body, he could sense that the Dao here felt somewhat incompatible with the Myriad Dao of Heaven and Earth outside.

Li Ming, who should have resonated with the Myriad Dao of Heaven and Earth, felt for the first time as though he were an outsider in this world.

If he could cultivate and comprehend the Dao here year-round, it would surely benefit Li Ming immensely.

After contemplating the Yellow Springs for a time, Li Ming looked again at the ancient corpse soaking in the Yellow Springs River.

He watched as the ancient corpse continuously devoured the essence of the Yellow Springs, as well as the mysterious essence of the Netherworld Soil.

No wonder Daode Tianzun had fixed his blazing gaze upon the corpse, focusing all his spirit, energy, and attention on it.

This Corpse Spirit Awakening, followed by proving the Dao anew in the future, surely had something extraordinary about it.

No new intelligence had yet been born within the corpse, but its body was already brimming with vitality, and the deathly aura within it was steadily diminishing.

Since it had yet to develop intelligence, this too was a fortuitous opportunity for Li Ming.

Although Netherworld Emperor Duan De and Daode Tianzun had separately shared some of their insights into Nine-Lifetime Reincarnation Unification with Li Ming, they would not reveal the true core of it.

After all, before they had fully forged a path along that great road, they would not expose all their trump cards before others.

By observing the Corpse Emperor's Corpse Spirit Awakening and watching the changes in his flesh and Immortal Platform, Li Ming would certainly gain astonishing insights into the special Longevity Method known as Nine-Lifetime Reincarnation Unification.

He might even comprehend the secrets of the Reincarnation Seal.

For a powerhouse of Li Ming's level, such a fortuitous opportunity was something that could only be encountered by chance.

Li Ming carefully observed the Corpse Emperor, his hands constantly tracing patterns as he even deduced the past and future, seeking to trace back through time and see what this corpse had experienced.

In a daze, Li Ming seemed to see several strange scenes.

It was a world suffused with the aura of death, corpses scattered everywhere in an apocalyptic landscape.

It was a scorched wasteland devoid of any living creature.

Black flames even surged from the ground, burning fiercely enough to melt all things between heaven and earth.

Sure enough, some terrifying and bizarre creatures appeared there, gathering some of the flames before immediately departing.

Rumble!

The black flames billowed, as if they would burn the void apart.

The earth at the center split open, and the Corpse Emperor's figure actually crawled out from the ground wreathed in black flames.

Boundless divine light bloomed from his entire body.

A terrifying figure vaguely appeared, mysterious azure radiance flowing around its body.

The two seemed to be saying something.

Very soon, time and space shifted. The mysterious scene vanished, and the Corpse Emperor's figure disappeared as well.

Not long afterward, more mysterious visions emerged.

Among them was a jet-black yet crystalline divine bow, rising and sinking amid Chaos as it radiated a powerful Ultimate Dao aura.

Not long afterward, the image shattered once more.

In the end, every vision vanished, and Li Ming could no longer deduce anything about the Corpse Emperor.

No wonder the Corpse Emperor forged the Corpse Emperor Bow in later generations. It seemed that the Dao-Proving Weapon of his previous life had been a bow.

If the Corpse Emperor could undergo Reincarnation Transformation obediently like Netherworld Emperor Duan De, then if he truly walked the Red Dust Immortal Path to its end, perhaps he could recover the memories of his previous life just like Netherworld Emperor Duan De.

What a pity... Li Ming thought. After proving the Dao anew, he actually became a Dark Supreme and slaughtered all living beings...