Chapter 1022 : Secrets of the Incomplete Netherworld

Coupled with the boundless Starry River worlds beyond the Immortal Domain, they together constitute the Boundless Universe they inhabit.

And the various Path Ancestor Immortal Sage of the Immortal Realm were all born within the Three Thousand Immortal Domains or the Thirty-Sixfold Heaven.

Only the Eighteen Layers of Netherworld Hell has, to this day, not given birth to a single Immortal Sage.

Precisely because of this, Immortal [enlightened beings who have transcended mortality] mostly look down upon the Netherworld Hell with a sense of superiority.

Even Ghost Immortal [powerful spectral cultivators] comparable to Nine Heavens Celestial Immortal [immortals of the highest heavens], or even the master of an entire Netherworld Underworld Court, mostly prefer peace and are unwilling to provoke Immortal lightly.

Eldrin Chen himself had harbored a degree of such contempt. However, now that he had personally arrived in this Netherworld Hell, he faintly sensed something amiss.

"This Netherworld Hell is boundlessly vast. In principle, it should be sufficient to nurture world-shaking powerhouses."

"Yet within this Netherworld, the laws of heaven and earth seem somewhat... anomalous."

Sensing the Path Principles Power [the fundamental power of cosmic laws] permeating this realm, Eldrin Chen felt an indistinct intuition stirring within him.

Vaguely, he perceived that the endless Netherworld seemed to possess some inherent deficiency. It was far less complete than the heavens and earth of an Immortal Domain, and even seemed to lack something compared to a Great Thousand World like the Purple Seal Realm. Your portal to cultivation novels: audio_novel.com.

However, Eldrin Chen was ultimately only at the Ascendant Immortal Realm. His comprehension of the Path Principles of Heaven and Earth was still insufficient. He only knew that something was missing from this Netherworld [the underworld realm of the dead], but he found it difficult to grasp precisely what that missing element was.

"Although the Netherworld resides at one of the two polar extremes of existence, the Three Thousand Immortal Domains are vast and boundless. Above the Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome] lies the Thirty-Threefold Heaven [the highest celestial realms]."

"In comparison, the Netherworld consists of merely the Eighteen Layers of Hell. Is there a connection within this disparity?"

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, then shook his head after a long while.

Since he could not reason it out, he decided to set the matter aside for now. He had a vague intuition that once his cultivation reached a certain level, he would naturally come to understand the anomalies of this Netherworld.

Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he took out the map of the Netherworld gifted by Xander Qian. With a slight gesture of his fingers, he performed a brief calculation, then set off towards the Depths of the Netherworld.

The purpose of his journey into this hellish realm was to find the friend of Xander Qian and to assist several venerable seniors from the past in their Reincarnation [the cycle of rebirth].

After flying for an immeasurable duration, Eldrin Chen arrived before a city shrouded in profound darkness and quietly came to a halt.

It was a city of shadows, teeming with thousands upon thousands of Netherworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals [the spectral armies of the underworld], and an endless stream of souls marching through its gates.

Above the city's main gate, two characters were inscribed: Dark Night.

"Dark Night Ghost Mansion [a grand fortress-city within the Netherworld, ruled by a powerful ghostly sovereign]..."

Gazing upon the city before him, Eldrin Chen's focus sharpened slightly.

The friend Xander Qian had recommended to Eldrin Chen was none other than the 'Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord [a title for a powerful ruler in the Netherworld]' of the Netherworld [the realm of the dead and departed spirits], a Netherworld Ghost Immortal [an immortal being who has ascended within the Netherworld] who had established his own Underworld Court [a domain and administrative seat within the Netherworld].

And this Dark Night Ghost Mansion, was precisely the territory of the Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord.

"Which esteemed Immortal Lord honors us with a visit? This humble lord failed to welcome you from afar, a grave oversight indeed."

Just as Eldrin Chen was lost in thought, a figure emerged from within the Dark Night Ghost Mansion.

The newcomer wore the ceremonial crown of a Nether Lord [a ruler of a domain within the Netherworld] and robes of deepest black embroidered with dragon patterns. An overwhelming aura of yin energy [the dark, passive, and feminine principle in cosmic dualism] radiated from him, yet it carried an air of profound transcendence.

"A Ghost Immortal [the immortal realm equivalent for beings who cultivate within the Netherworld]," Eldrin Chen noted inwardly.

With his first glance at the arrival, Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with a trace of assessment.

The person before him had cultivation at the late-stage of the Ghost Immortal realm. Yet, the sense of threat he posed to Eldrin Chen was not great; in fact, he seemed even slightly weaker than the Void-Refining Immortal [an immortal title signifying mastery over void and emptiness].

A Ghost Immortal [an immortal who has ascended by cultivating only the soul, lacking a perfected physical form] possesses no Immortal Body [a perfected, indestructible physical vessel achieved through high-level cultivation]. They tread solely the path of spiritual refinement and are incapable of wielding treasures aligned with the Primordial Solar [the pure, masculine, and fiery aspect of cosmic energy] attribute. Consequently, their combat prowess is notably inferior to that of a true Immortal [a being who has achieved immortality through cultivation] of the same tier.

This inherent weakness is precisely why true Immortal [a being who has achieved immortality through cultivation] hold such a transcendent status and can traverse the Netherworld Hell [the underworld realm of punishment and suffering] with little fear.

After observing this figure, Eldrin Chen surmised that, aside from a Netherworld Patriarch [a patriarch-level power residing in the underworld] who had transcended the Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is deeply rooted in the essence of the earth] realm, the Ghost Immortal [an immortal who has ascended by cultivating only the soul, lacking a perfected physical form] dwelling within the Netherworld [the realm of the dead and spirits] likely posed little threat to him.

With this realization, a measure of calm settled within Eldrin Chen. He inquired with composed dignity, "Might I ask if you are the Nether Lord of Dark Night [the sovereign ruler of the Dark Night domain within the Netherworld]?"

"Indeed, it is I," the figure replied, his voice echoing with authority.

The Nether Lord of Dark Night [the sovereign ruler of the Dark Night domain within the Netherworld] gave a slight nod, readily acknowledging his identity. Find this and other novels at audio-novel-dot-com.

A faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips. He produced the token and letter of introduction gifted by Xander Qian and said, "My Daoist title is Returning Abyss. I come upon the recommendation of Fellow Daoist Xander Qian from Verdant Rock Island. I seek your esteemed assistance with a matter."

"So you are a friend of Brother Qian," the Nether Lord [a lord of the underworld] remarked, his tone shifting.

After examining the token and the letter, the Nether Lord [a lord of the underworld] broke into a genuine smile. He gestured respectfully towards the interior of his abode. "Since you are a friend of an old acquaintance, Fellow Daoist, please, come inside so we may converse properly."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod of acknowledgment and followed the Nether Lord of Dark Night [the sovereign ruler of the Dark Night domain within the Netherworld] inside.

The two arrived within a Great Hall. The Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord personally poured a cup of tea for Eldrin Chen and said, "Immortal Venerable, please try this tea."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly. He immediately picked up the teacup and looked inside, discovering a dark, ethereal flower blooming within. A faint, silvery light, reminiscent of Pure Lunar Energy [the refined, cool essence of moonlight], seemed to swirl within its depths.

He took a small sip. An icy, bone-chilling fragrance with a hint of darkness flowed down his throat.

Immediately after, a wave of refreshing coolness permeated his entire body, rising directly into the depths of his soul and spirit, causing his Immortal Embryo [the nascent form of an immortal's core being] to grow ever so slightly.

"Excellent tea."

A moment later, Eldrin Chen opened his eyes, a gleam of appreciation flashing within them.

The Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord smiled faintly, stroking his beard. "This Soul-Nourishing Tea is a specialty of the Netherworld [the realm of spirits and the dead]. It can nourish a cultivator's soul and spirit. Consuming it during a breakthrough can also reduce the risk of cultivation deviation [a dangerous state where one's energy runs amok]."

"However, this tea gathers Pure Lunar Energy to grow. It can only flourish in places like the Netherworld, and cannot be found in either the Mortal Realm or the Immortal Realm."

"If you desire some, Fellow Daoist, this lord can gift you a portion to take back with you."

Eldrin Chen felt a stirring of interest. This tea could not be found in the Immortal Domain [the celestial realm where immortals reside], and it held significant benefits even for an Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation], which piqued his curiosity.

However, as they were not well acquainted, accepting a gift outright felt inappropriate. Thus, with a smile, he said, "I would feel unworthy of such a gift. Perhaps I could offer some Immortal Essence [a refined, high-grade energy currency used by immortals] to purchase a portion instead."

In the end, Eldrin Chen expended ten Immortal Source [a pure, condensed form of immortal energy, more potent than Immortal Essence] to procure half a Jin-weight [one Jin-weight equals zero point five kilograms] of Soul-Nourishing Tea [a rare tea that gently fortifies and soothes the soul] from the Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord.

Having successfully sold a quantity of the Soul-Nourishing Tea, the Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord allowed a faint smile to grace his features. While this tea was extinct in the Mortal Realm [the plane of existence inhabited by ordinary mortals], it was not particularly difficult to find within the depths of the Netherworld Realm [the underworld realm of spirits and the dead].

To exchange it for a sum of Immortal Source was a favorable transaction for him, for even within the Netherworld Realm, Immortal Source was exceedingly rare and hard to come by.

Having concluded this business deal, the Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord, now in better spirits, inquired, "I presume your esteemed presence in this Netherworld Hell [a specific, often punitive region within the Netherworld] is for the purpose of aiding someone's Reincarnation [the cyclical process of death and rebirth of the soul]."

"That is precisely the case,"

Eldrin Chen nodded in affirmation. Then, from his sleeve, he produced the 'Path Ruins Sword' [a sword imbued with the concept of a ruined or forgotten path], the damaged 'Vast Righteousness Heaven Sword' [a sword representing the vast and righteous heavens], the broken half of the 'Long River Setting Sun Painting' [a mystical painting depicting a long river under a setting sun], and finally, the 'Verdant Leaf Sword' [a sword as swift and sharp as a verdant leaf].

The Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord examined each item in turn, his brow furrowing slightly. He first pointed at the Path Ruins Sword and spoke.

"This Immortal Sword [a sword forged for and wielded by immortals] contains the fragmented Primordial Spirit [the fundamental spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator] of an Immortal. Facilitating its reincarnation would be a simple matter."

"But the remaining two Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasures..."

Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord [a powerful ruler of the underworld] pondered for a moment, then took the Long River Setting Sun Painting [a mystical painting depicting a river at sunset] and said, "Although this painting contains a faint remnant of a soul, it seems to have been ravaged by demonic power [the destructive energy of a powerful demonic entity]. Reviving it would be exceedingly difficult."

"This damaged Immortal Sword [a divine blade wielded by immortals] is in a similar state. Facilitating its reincarnation would be a task of immense hardship."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's expression turned profoundly grave.

He could not help but take a deep breath before asking, "Does the Nether Lord [the ruler of the underworld] have any method to assist them in reincarnation?"

"Difficult, difficult, difficult."

The Nether Lord shook his head and sighed, "Their souls are reduced to the most minuscule wisp. To reincarnate, their spiritual essence must first be restored to a certain level of integrity."

"And to restore their souls, the aid of the Soul-Gathering Bell [a magical bell capable of gathering and stabilizing wandering souls] would be required." Continue your cultivation journey at audi0-n0vel.c0m.