Chapter 606: Meeting in the Underworld

That day, the entire Six Paths of Reincarnation world experienced an unprecedented shock. The Heavenly Human Path had undergone tremendous changes, and the Underworld's reincarnation system, along with the Emperor's hidden identity, was completely exposed and his true form calculated by an ancient forbidden existence.

And the Underworld, which previously only existed in ancient folk tales, had now completely surfaced, unable to hide any longer!

People discovered that the ancient historical myths and legends of reincarnation were real.

"The Lord of Reincarnation is the Emperor of this entire world!"

"Such an existence, a being who lives within reincarnation, is invincible, unparalleled. There is no need for mortals to retaliate or provoke such an ancient being!"

Less than half a month after that day, many cult followers and believers of reincarnation emerged in the Beast Path, Heavenly Human Path, and Mortal Path. Temples dedicated to Yama sprung up everywhere, and people began to offer incense.

Shangguan Man's reincarnated body could no longer be concealed. It had been exposed by that forbidden zone existence in a teahouse, becoming known throughout the Heavenly Human Path.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Man, still veiled and exquisitely beautiful, remained unaware of her past life, her heart filled with confusion.

The Emperor, the Lord of Reincarnation, came secretly to the Heavenly Human Path to see her?

Did she cause the ambush?

Did everything happen because of her?

But I am clearly so ugly, so unsightly.

But at this moment, she also knew she could no longer be the Heavenly Human Path's Saintess. No one would follow her, so she chose to commit suicide and enter the Underworld.

If she truly was an Yin God from the Underworld, she would understand everything upon entering reincarnation.

A thunderclap!

A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

In the pitch-black world, a narrow, long road suddenly appeared.

As one walked further, a light emerged, growing brighter and brighter, until it suddenly opened up into a long road, flanked by vibrant flowers, like an ocean of dreams.

This road was full of deceased travelers; upon closer inspection, they were all Heavenly Emperors, queuing densely. The number of powerful beings on the Yellow Springs Road was unprecedented.

Ox-Head and Horse-Face maintained order on the Yellow Springs Road from both sides. They were monstrous and ugly in appearance, exuding astonishing pressure, giving off an impression of cold indifference and cruelty.

"That's Emperor Yun..."

"Lord Yunzhong!"

"And Shangguan Man is here too!"

One by one, the Heavenly Emperors looked at the giants appearing behind them, unable to help but smile bitterly. They had truly been defeated, utterly crushed; everyone had fallen into the palm of that existence.

From the moment they entered the mind, it was a form of unknown suicide. Perhaps it was already self-orchestrated, yet they had been full of passion and struggle.

Now, looking back, their roaring selves seemed like comical monkeys.

"I never expected to meet like this. Meng Po, to think you entered our Heavenly Human Path. I once highly admired you, considering you a promising junior with ruling abilities as strong as my own..." Emperor Yun gazed at Shangguan Man, his face filled with silence. At this moment, any struggle was meaningless.

Shangguan Man also looked perplexed. "I didn't know either that I was an Yin God from the Underworld, reincarnated into the Heavenly Human Path... I was clearly so ugly."

"Indeed, quite ugly," Lord Yunzhong scoffed from the side.

Shangguan Man, confused, touched her face. Only then did she realize that after dying and entering the Yellow Springs Road, she had become wrinkled, old, and hunched.

"Ah! I've become beautiful!" Shangguan Man exclaimed, covering her face. Her ghastly, distorted ghostly face was full of joy.

Those nearby were utterly stunned.

Gradually, as the crowd on both sides moved in, Emperor Yun and the others finally arrived at a grand palace. Above its entrance read 'Fengdu Underworld Ministry,' and beside it was a mirror with the three large characters 'Mirror of Retribution'.

High above, a ferocious-faced Yin God, clad in a judge's robe, sat, holding a Book of Life and Death and a judge's brush. "Who stands below the hall?"

"Emperor Yun."

The middle-aged man spoke softly, looking at the judge above. "From the moment I made my move, I knew the consequences. Opposing the Underworld, striking out names from the Book of Life and Death, seizing power – these are grave sins, deserving of the Avīci Scorching Hell."

In the Hall of Reincarnation.

Xu Zhi sat in his chair, his eyes slightly closed, waiting quietly.

"Lord Youshan is too ruthless!"

Xu Zhi slowly opened his eyes, feeling a bit helpless. "As expected of the brain-gathering tree I created."

His original intention was for things to develop along traditional lines: Emperor Yun and Lord Yunzhong would simply fall into eternal slumber at the end of their lifespans, the three Saint Sons would race, and a new era would begin.

Talented individuals would emerge, a flourishing era of Buddhism and Taoism would arrive, and the gods of the Underworld would seize the opportunity to develop Buddhist and Taoist cultivation, establishing themselves as a power, as ghost gods of the netherworld, holding authority over the order of reincarnation.

He would first cultivate small leaders, and only after these small bosses were dealt with would it be his turn. Who knew they would immediately find a loophole and go straight for his true self...

"What brilliant foresight, these monstrous figures... Reality never follows the script."

Xu Zhi sighed with emotion; without a doubt, these individuals, with their wisdom and talent, were truly peerless geniuses. Would they follow a script?

They calculated everything, sought out myriad possibilities, and defied heaven to change fate. Each was a hero of the ages! An unparalleled ruthless character!

Perhaps in the future, when the true great era arrives, and heroes of each age rise, they might indeed possess the ability to defeat him. Could he not stop them from achieving immortality?

After all, just now, even the combined might of the old era almost overturned everything.

What's more, this wave of Lord Youshan's schemes truly hit him hard, and yet Youshan retreated completely unscathed.

"It seems I've created a formidable opponent for myself." Xu Zhi smiled faintly. He also had no intention of using external powers, such as the Zerg Nest's sub-brain, to pinpoint his location.

If he were to defeat his opponent in such a way, what would be the meaning of creating him in the first place?

Since he was the Lord of Reincarnation, it would be better to find him using his own forces. After all, time was abundant, and a battle of wits and courage was quite interesting.

Footsteps echoed!

Just then, Shangguan Man slowly walked in and knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I caused you to fall into crisis, for your true form to be discovered and known to the world. Please punish me."

As Meng Po, she had just recovered her memories and understood her mortal experiences. It was her reincarnation in this life that led His Majesty to investigate, which in turn attracted the schemes of the ancient forbidden existence!

This time, His Majesty's incognito visit, which led to a great crisis, was all her responsibility. She had overlooked too many things, drawing attention and thus being targeted.

If she had hidden some of her talents and not been so conspicuous, she would not have been noticed.

And to think she had even wanted to openly dominate the Heavenly Human Path.

This time, after being reincarnated for little more than a decade, her identity was discovered, she was targeted by an ambush, implicated His Majesty, and was forced to commit suicide to return. For her, it was an immense humiliation!

"Everyone needs experience."

Xu Zhi, seated high up, draped in the Yama King's robe, spoke calmly. "Each trial a person undergoes is a chance to grow from failure. I can bear the cost for you; just be more careful next time."

Shangguan Man was silent for a moment. "Please punish me, Your Majesty. I am no longer capable of serving as Meng Po."

Xu Zhi shook his head. "Your punishment will be noted for later... It's only natural for you to be outmaneuvered by such an existence. When you grow stronger, you can defeat them... And without you, the Underworld would suffer a great loss."

Shangguan Man said nothing more. After a moment, she asked again, "What about those defeated ones from the Mortal Path who are now on the Yellow Springs Road? How should they be handled?"

Xu Zhi smiled. "Emperor Yun and Lord Yunzhong shall be cast into the Avīci Hell of Incessant Suffering, to endure the torments of reincarnation."

Rebellious leaders of this era, naturally, must also be treated like Lord Peerless and others, imprisoned in the eighteen layers of Arcade Hell, to be played with and have their bodies controlled by others.

"I will find people to develop their moves," Shangguan Man said.

Xu Zhi remained quite calm. After all, real people also needed to be placed in Arcade Hell, to communicate and suffer together with Lord Peerless and the others.

Hell, sooner or later, had to become a true hell.

Opposing him was acceptable...

But failure also came with a price.

Furthermore, if they were allowed back into reincarnation, their talents were too conspicuous; they would eventually be led back. Not letting them continue to reincarnate, but keeping them in hell, was also a form of training and tempering.

"As for the other participating Heavenly Emperors, they shall be cast into the Beast Path for the next few lifetimes, their punishment determined by their karmic debt," Xu Zhi said slowly.

He was not worried about them being guided back to the Heavenly Human Path.

Because they would lose their memories of their previous lives, they would no longer be people of the Heavenly Human Path. At the same time, they would have a repulsive force, only able to live in the Beast Path, thus naturally becoming people of the Beast Path...

With a large number of powerful and talented Heavenly Emperors reincarnating into the Beast Path, the entire world's structure was about to change drastically...

"Understood."

Shangguan Man turned and left.

Xu Zhi was silent for a moment, then stretched. After organizing the arrangements for this disturbance in the Underworld, he slowly went out to check the internet. The netizens were quite lively now.