Legend had it.
After death, everyone's soul would enter the Nine Nether Underworld and wash away the memories of their past life in the yellow spring waters.
Then they could reincarnate.
Here, the sky was a gloomy gray.
The surrounding air was visibly turbid.
Lu Changsheng looked around. A yellow river lay before him.
Above the river stood a bridge.
At this moment, countless white ghosts were crossing the bridge...
Beyond the bridge stood an enormous gateway, with two huge characters emblazoned above it.
Underworld!
"Who dares trespass upon our Nine Nether Underworld!"
Suddenly, a roar rang out from the sky, its voice spreading throughout the entire space!
Lu Changsheng looked at the figures in midair. Each of them gave off a deathly still presence.
"Who are you?"
One of the figures asked, "Why have you come to our Underworld?"
Ordinarily, no living beings ever came to the Underworld. Those who came were all people who had died in the mortal world.
However, any living being capable of entering the Nine Nether Underworld was invariably a powerhouse.
Lu Changsheng said clearly, "It's nothing major. I just wanted to borrow some water from your esteemed domain's Yellow Springs River."
The figure's expression instantly changed, and he barked, "The Yellow Springs River's water is one of our Nine Nether Underworld's supreme treasures! How could we possibly lend it to you?"
Lu Changsheng felt somewhat helpless.
It seemed he still had to fight.
Only by displaying his strength could he have a say.
Lu Changsheng swept the wooden sword in his hand, his expression solemn as Sword Intent arose from within him.
At the sight, the figures' expressions all turned grave. Their bodies tensed, ready at any moment to meet Lu Changsheng's thunderous strike!
Then Lu Changsheng said solemnly, "All right, come at me one at a time."
The figures had just been about to charge at him together.
They intended to seize the advantage by striking first.
But upon hearing those words, they forcibly stopped in their tracks and stared at Lu Changsheng, dumbfounded.
"You weren't planning to come at me together, were you?"
Lu Changsheng said indignantly, "You're the people in charge of the Nine Nether Underworld, after all. How could you do something like gang up on someone?
"You really have no martial virtue!"
The figures exchanged glances. Their already black faces grew even darker.
You fucking came here to rob us of our supreme treasure.
And you still expect us to show you martial virtue??
Do you take us for idiots?
"Enough wasting words on him! Attack together, capture him alive, and lock him in the Nine Nether Purgatory to suffer the torment of earthfire!"
With that.
The figures charged straight at Lu Changsheng!
They all brought forth treasure artifacts, which radiated traces of annihilation!
At the sight, Lu Changsheng's expression grew serious. He raised his wooden sword and slashed forward!
Instantly!
The void shattered, and the space of the Nine Nether Underworld broke apart inch by inch like glass!
Thunderous crashes immediately rang throughout the entire Nine Nether Underworld!
Even the previously placid yellow spring waters began churning like boiling water at that moment!
The figures' expressions changed drastically!
"Dao Law!"
"The Sword Dao Law! How could anyone in this world have comprehended a Dao Law!"
"Quick, sacrifice blood to the artifact!"
With that, the figures hammered their own chests, spraying mouthfuls of essence blood!
That essence blood landed on an ancient, heavy gate.
On the front of the gate was the head of a vicious ghost, its gaping mouth filled with sharp fangs!
"Rashomon!"
The instant their voices fell, the gate swelled dramatically, transforming into a colossal gate that propped up the heavens!
It crashed down!
Blocking the path of that terrifying Sword Qi!
Boom!
The void-shattering sword strike slashed straight into Rashomon!
The aftershocks of their collision seemed to sweep across the entire Nine Nether Yellow Springs!
The bridge over the yellow spring waters began to crack apart!
Even the ancient gateway standing there was struck by the aftershocks and collapsed!
However.
In just an instant, Rashomon began to creak under the unbearable strain!
Crack, crack!
Fissures like rifts in the earth began spreading wildly in every direction!
The figures also violently spat out mouthfuls of blood.
Rashomon was connected to them.
Now that Rashomon had been severely damaged, they were directly rendered unable to fight any longer!
The Sword Qi dispersed. Rashomon swiftly shrank, and one of the figures put it away, its surface covered in countless cracks.
"Just who might Your Excellency be?"
The figures revealed their forms.
All six were old men, draped in gray cloaks and holding scepters.
Atop each scepter was something resembling an orb, flickering with a ghostly green light.
"What, so I can tell you and let you come take revenge on me later?
"More importantly, are you lending it to me or not?"
Lu Changsheng frowned slightly, clearly having lost his patience.
Seeing this, the six old men could not help smiling bitterly. "Your Excellency, it isn't that we refuse to lend it to you. We simply don't have the authority.
"We six old men are this Underworld's Yellow Springs Envoys. The Yellow Springs River's water has a spirit. Only those who gain its recognition can take it away."
Lu Changsheng raised his eyebrows. "Then take me there."
The six exchanged glances. In the end, they could only sigh and nod in agreement.
"Please follow us, Your Excellency."
If he unleashed a few more sword strikes, whether they could withstand them would be the least of their concerns.
The Nine Nether Underworld would certainly collapse.
When that happened, this world's cycle of reincarnation would descend into chaos!
They arrived at a side hall.
Within the side hall stood a figure whose body appeared somewhat illusory.
The Yellow Springs Envoys bowed to the figure, then turned and left.
The figure turned around. He was an extremely young man with delicate, feminine features.
The man said, "I know why you've come. No one in this Nine Nether Underworld is your match, either.
"I can lend you the Yellow Springs River's water, but I have one condition."
Lu Changsheng said, "Let's hear it."
Only then did the man say, "In the future, find a Nether King for this Nine Nether Underworld to guard this place."
"The Nether King practiced a Cultivation Method and was reborn through reincarnation. His whereabouts are now unknown.
"If the Nine Nether Underworld goes too long without a Nether King to keep it in check, it will inevitably fall into chaos!"
Lu Changsheng thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
At worst, he could toss that brat Qiubai here when the time came to be this so-called Nether King.
Seeing Lu Changsheng nod in agreement, the man waved his hand. Instantly, streams of water from the Yellow Springs River rose into the air and gathered together!
They formed a yellow pearl, which landed before Lu Changsheng.
Having obtained it, Lu Changsheng nodded to the man, then turned and left.
Watching Lu Changsheng's retreating figure, the man could not help wondering, "This world's Heavenly Dao has collapsed, and the path of ascension is sealed. How could anyone have comprehended a Dao Law?
"Could he have come in from outside?"
But after thinking it over, he shook his head. Why would anyone from outside take an interest in this place...
After leaving the side hall, Lu Changsheng cleaved open space with a single sword strike and flew toward the outside world.
Yet at the very moment Lu Changsheng departed, an illusory spirit on the opposite bank of the Yellow Springs River followed him with the speed of a thunderbolt that left no time to cover one's ears...