Netherworld Venerable

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Netherworld Venerable originated from the imperial corpse of Tribulation Transcendence Heavenly Venerable Cao Yusheng. His previous incarnation had been a brother of Desolate Heavenly Emperor Shi Hao, but Netherworld Venerable did not retain complete memories of that existence. Events of the Chaotic Ancient Era remained buried, with full recovery dependent on uniting his nine lives 44 170.

After awakening and attaining the Dao anew, he built the Netherworld Emperor Hall and founded the Underworld Lineage upon the ancient Netherland. The land itself predated both his organization and the Mythological Era. Under his influence, the lineage concentrated on attaining the Dao through corpses and seeking immortality through reincarnation rather than routinely intervening in outside affairs 44 46 66.

He personally invited Lunzhuan Supreme into the Underworld after a Dao discussion drew Lunzhuan toward the Reincarnation Great Dao. Netherworld Venerable later left the Netherland for tens of thousands of years, allowing Lunzhuan to govern in his stead while he pursued his own cultivation 47 63.

Appearance

• Build: Portly, with a fleshy face and a heavy body; retains a middle-aged appearance after his Dao-body purification 61 118.
• Complexion: Frequently described as ruddy-faced and glowing with health 119 150.
• Clothing: An ancient-looking black Daoist robe 61.
• Hair: Bound casually with a wooden hairpin 61.
• Disguises: Can assume another person’s appearance or present himself as an ordinary, comfortable-looking Daoist with no detectable Heavenly Venerable aura 61 119.

Personality

Netherworld Venerable is mischievous, shameless, and fond of deception. He impersonates Lunzhuan Supreme to invite He Mu into the Underworld, then becomes openly curious when his disguise is exposed. His enthusiasm for comfort is reflected in the lavish decoration of the Netherworld Emperor Hall, while his reluctance to part with valuables repeatedly brings him into conflict with He Mu 61 62 66 168 169.

His caution is practical rather than merely theatrical. Unpleasant encounters with Immortal Artifacts make him reluctant to fight Kunlun’s Immortal Bell, and he conceals his declining physical condition behind an assured manner. He prefers negotiation or a controlled contest when a direct battle would jeopardize his remaining lifespan 150 151.

Despite his evasiveness, he is deeply protective of his disciple. He confronts Kunlun on Taiyi’s behalf, rescues him from an ambush, and supports his dangerous rebirth after failing to dissuade him. Even as their ideals diverge, he arranges protection for Emperor Venerable before entering reincarnation 150 162 172 173.

He dislikes administration and usually leaves the Underworld’s mundane affairs to others, preferring travel and cultivation in the mortal world 47 169.

Abilities & Skills

Reincarnation Great Dao

His principal Dao encompasses reincarnation, karma, annihilation, and tribulation transcendence. During the Underworld Dao discussion, he manifests the Six Paths of Great Reincarnation 64 156.

• Reincarnation Seal: Manifests a flawless white seal for defense or merges it into his body to strengthen his combat state 64 156.
• Defensive power: The seal withstands Taiyi’s repeated assaults, placing Netherworld Venerable in a nearly unassailable position until Taiyi’s attacks grow strong enough to force him back half a step 156.
• Palm techniques: Compresses numerous Dao principles into a strike that appears to Taiyi as six revolving universes, breaking the void down into its fundamental elements 156.
• World-Destroying Millstone: Converges his arts into an immense grinding attack. Taiyi’s Nine Secrets Combined pierces and damages it without fully destroying it 156 157.

Nine-Life Reincarnation Method

He created an alternative Road to Immortality based on accumulating nine Reincarnation Seals across successive lives 44 65.

• Each reincarnation requires relinquishing memories, bodily cultivation, magical power, and realm while forming a new seal 164.
• From the lifetime following his burial on Cuiping Mountain, reaching the summit and attaining the Dao is no longer necessarily required; his method emphasizes experience within the mortal world 172.
• Uniting all nine lives is necessary to recover the entirety of his ancient memories 170.
• Suppressing cultivation and exploiting the Reincarnation Great Dao prolong his lifespan, but do not prevent eventual decline 151.

Corpse Awakening and Reincarnation Research

His own existence demonstrates the possibility of attaining the Dao through an awakened imperial corpse 63 68.

• Uses He Mu’s origin blood essence, his Reincarnation Great Dao, and scripture chanting to nurture a nascent Reincarnation Seal within an ancient Supreme’s corpse 68 69.
• The process allows He Mu to observe corpse-based Dao attainment and glimpse the deceased Supreme’s Dao Fruit 69.
• This particular procedure consumes most of Netherworld Venerable’s divine power, leaving him pale and requiring recuperation 69.

Tribulation Transcendence and Nine Secrets: Lin

He possesses the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art and Nine Secrets: Lin, both of which he transmits to He Mu as payment 69.

• Uses Lin’s bodily profundities to manifest a Tribulation Transcendence treasure body described as imperishable through myriad tribulations 157.
• His physique is one of his greatest sources of confidence in battle, enabling him to receive Taiyi’s strongest strike barehanded 157.
• That durability is not absolute: Nine Secrets Combined makes his hand tremble and draws a drop of divine blood 157.

Source Heaven Arts, Transformation, and Formations

He developed a rudimentary Source Heaven Great Dao and possesses the Heaven-Changing and Earth-Shifting Art 62 69.

• Impersonation: Uses heaven and earth source essence to transform into Lunzhuan Supreme 61 62.
• Limitations: He Mu’s Wuliang Divine Eyes penetrate the disguise; insufficiently concealed aura and Great Dao fluctuations also expose it 62.
• Concealment: Combines the Origin Heaven Secret Art with Formation Dao to hide the entire Chaos Dragon Nest 163.
• Formation traversal: Navigates Mount Tiandang’s formations while temporarily sealed at the level of an ordinary Immortal Platform cultivator 165.
• Large-scale formations: Assists Emperor Venerable in establishing the formation that uses 108 dragon veins to nourish the Immortal Cauldron embryo 172.

Retrospection and Divination

• World Retrospection: Examines changes in the Heavenly Dao to reconstruct events spanning tens of thousands of years, including eras he missed during seclusion 119.
• Joint divination: Works with He Mu and Heavenly Venerable Lingbao through the Wuliang Dao Wheel to trace a hidden attacker from a captured aura fragment, identifying Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi 133.
• Limits: Even he and He Mu cannot readily divine the final destination of Lunzhuan Supreme’s Chaos Stone coffin after it disappears under Guixu power and protective formations 66.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Netherworld Emperor Hall — His palace and the Underworld’s central seat. Cast from mysterious bronze, it is exceptionally sturdy and steeped in his Supreme Dao might. He Mu judges that it could become an Emperor Weapon if properly refined, but it remains primarily a residence 66.
• Reincarnation Lake — Identified as his possession. Longevity Heavenly Venerable later uses it to disorient Emperor Venerable during the Immortal Road ambush; the account does not establish Netherworld Venerable’s participation in that attack 192.
• Aura-concealing treasure — Used during his sealed expedition into Mount Tiandang. It conceals his presence so completely that even He Mu can see him without sensing him 165.
• Myriad Things Soil and Three-Life Medicine — Treasures sought in Mount Tiandang’s hidden realm. He later shares portions with He Mu to secure assistance against Kunlun 166 168.
• Three-Life Medicine — Particularly valuable to his corpse-born constitution, although poisonous to ordinary living beings. His inherited information does not specify its exact effects 166.
• Cuiping Mountain coffin — Prepared for his next reincarnation and used when he buries himself after settling his affairs 172.

Relationships

• Cao Yusheng / Tribulation Transcendence Heavenly Venerable — Previous incarnation whose imperial corpse awakened as Netherworld Venerable. His former life’s legacy underpins his tribulation-transcendence and reincarnation methods 44 70.
• Desolate Heavenly Emperor Shi Hao — Brother of his previous incarnation. Netherworld Venerable does not yet possess complete memories of their ancient era 44 170.
• Taiyi / Emperor Venerable — His only disciple, taught on Cuiping Mountain. He protects Taiyi, supports his rebirth, and later entrusts the Underworld to him. Their differing ideals strain their relationship without erasing his concern for the child he raised 150 162 169 172 173.
• He Mu / Immeasurable Heaven Venerable — Dao discussion partner, trading counterpart, and eventual ally. Their cooperation includes exchanges of techniques, the investigation of Yuanshi, and protection of Taiyi, but also coercion, concealed risks, and demands for compensation 69 121 133 168 169.
• Lunzhuan Supreme — Long-standing Dao companion whom he recruited into the Underworld. His teachings inspired Lunzhuan’s pursuit of reincarnation, and Lunzhuan governed during his absence 47 63 65.
• Heavenly Venerable Lingbao — Ally against Yuanshi. Lingbao remains displeased over the Underworld’s earlier Immortal Corpse incident, for which Netherworld Venerable denies personal responsibility 133 135 136.
• Carefree Heavenly Venerate — Fellow Dao practitioner who visits the Underworld several times for mutually beneficial discussions 100.
• Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi — Enemy identified through joint divination; Netherworld Venerable participates in the confrontation against him 133 136 163.
• Zhulong and Kunlun’s Four Venerables — Adversaries over their obstruction and ambush of Taiyi. Netherworld Venerable threatens retaliation while remaining wary of their Immortal Bell 150 151 162.

Story Role / Major Arcs

He Mu’s Visit to the Underworld

Netherworld Venerable impersonates Lunzhuan Supreme to bring He Mu into the Underworld. After He Mu exposes him, he asks how the transformation failed and accepts the explanation. The deception gives way to a three-way Dao discussion that helps Lunzhuan prepare for his burial and attempted rebirth 61 62 64 66.

He subsequently requests He Mu’s origin blood essence for an experiment involving an ancient Supreme’s corpse. In exchange for He Mu’s assistance, he supplies the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art, Nine Secrets: Lin, and his rudimentary Source Heaven Great Dao 66 68 69.

Purification and the Big Dipper Immortal Road

After purifying his Dao Body and burying two shed Extreme Dao bodies, he uses World Retrospection to learn what occurred during his seclusion. Suspecting that He Mu remains alive, he nevertheless travels to Big Dipper to exploit the latter’s Immortal Road arrangements 118 119.

The Five-Colored Immortal Formation transports him before the Wuliang Dao Wheel. Unable to escape its immortal light, he is taken to the Undying Mountain, where He Mu subsequently presses him into service as an ally 120 121 122 132 166.

Investigation of Yuanshi

While carrying out He Mu’s arrangements, Netherworld Venerable is ambushed by a hidden enemy. His captured aura evidence contributes to the divination that reveals Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi. During the resulting battle, he remains outside Lingbao’s sword formation and faces the explosion’s aftershocks rather than its central force 132 133 136.

Protecting and Testing Taiyi

He intervenes when Kunlun’s Four Venerables confront Taiyi, revealing their master–disciple relationship. Rather than risk a direct clash with the Immortal Bell, he negotiates a gambling match in which Taiyi faces Taowu and Huashe 150 151.

He later brings Taiyi to hear He Mu expound the Dao, then tests his disciple’s determination through battle. After Taiyi survives his subsequent fight against five Supremes, Netherworld Venerable repels Zhulong’s ambush and carries him to the Chaos Dragon Nest. Although concerned about the danger, he agrees to support Taiyi’s decision to destroy and rebuild his foundations 153 156 157 162.

Mount Tiandang and Taiyi’s Rebirth

Temporarily sealing his memories and cultivation, he infiltrates Mount Tiandang in search of its hidden treasures. He Mu follows him into the secret realm, where Netherworld Venerable explains the mountain’s prehistoric origins and the value of its resources 165 166.

He secures He Mu’s assistance against Kunlun without fully disclosing the danger. While He Mu confronts Kunlun’s forces, Netherworld Venerable carries the newly gestated Taiyi to safety. He Mu later extracts medicinal treasures and divine materials as compensation, while Taiyi asks both elders to let him cultivate his new life without interference 168 169.

Emperor Venerable’s Heavenly Court and His Own Burial

After Taiyi returns as Emperor Venerable, Netherworld Venerable questions his plan to establish the Heavenly Court and warns that its name carries immense karma. He nonetheless agrees to support his disciple and helps establish the formation nourishing the Immortal Cauldron embryo 170 172.

Nearing the end of his life, he entrusts the Underworld to Emperor Venerable and asks He Mu to watch over him. He then enters his prepared coffin on Cuiping Mountain. His departure is motivated not only by his reincarnation path and dwindling lifespan, but also by the widening disagreement between master and disciple 172 173.

Later Legacy

• He Mu’s knowledge of the original history identifies the nine-seal path as one that eventually achieves mortal-world immortalization, millions of years later 44.
• The same account describes his later life as Duan De, notorious for grave robbing, while emphasizing that he retains integrity in matters of major principle 61.
• His far-future achievements are described as reaching Dao Ancestor and ultimately End-of-the-Road Immortal Emperor. These are future-history references, not ranks attained during the documented Mythological Era events 61.

Notable Quotes

“What matters is the scenery along the way, not the mountaintop.” 172

“But he is still the child I raised. As his master, I must make plans for him, so that he will not be isolated and without aid.” 172

“If I said I knew nothing at all, would you believe me, Daoist Friend?” 120