Chapter 623
There is no way out!
"Amitabha."
He chanted Buddhist mantras in a low voice, and golden light emanated from his soul, attempting to dispel the evil aura. However, when the golden light touched the aura of the demonic fetus, it was like snow meeting fire, instantly melting away most of it. The demonic fetus, on the contrary, seemed to be startled and gently wriggled. An even more intense malevolent aura spread out, causing the surrounding netherworld mist to churn.
No, I can't just sink into despair like this.
A strong desire to be resurrected suddenly arose in Tang Sanzang's heart.
He could not allow this demonic fetus to sink into the underworld along with his soul, nor could he allow it to have the opportunity to be born and wreak havoc on the human world.
As long as he can be brought back to life, once this demonic fetus is born, Wukong will surely kill it with one blow, eliminating any future trouble.
Once this thought arose, it burned like wildfire in his heart, propelling his soul to drift in the opposite direction of the road to the underworld.
He had not yet reached the end of his lifespan, and he knew a little about the rules of the underworld. Those whose lifespan had not yet ended could return to life after their souls left their bodies. However, his physical body had already died on the journey to the West, and he did not know if he could return safely.
Just as they were pondering, two dark figures darted out from the ghostly mist, one black and one white, with ferocious expressions; they were none other than the Black and White Impermanence, the soul-reaping deities.
Black Impermanence has an ashen face, wears black clothes, holds a soul-snatching rope, and has a tongue that is about a foot long, hanging in front of his chest; White Impermanence has a deathly pale face, wears white clothes, holds a mourning staff, and has a strange smile on his lips.
The two men blocked his path, and the sinister voice of the Black Impermanence rang out: "Tang Sanzang, your lifespan has not ended, but your physical body has died. You are a person who died unjustly. Come with us to the City of the Unjustly Dead to receive your punishment and wait for reincarnation!"
"Two officers,"
Tang Sanzang clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, his voice calm yet firm, "This humble monk's lifespan has not yet ended, and I only wish to return to the world of the living. I humbly request that you two grant me this favor."
The White Impermanence cackled, his voice sharp and piercing: "Those who die unjustly have no right to return to the world of the living. The rules of the City of the Unjustly Dead state that you need money to bribe your way into reincarnation. If you don't have money, you can only suffer in the city and never be reincarnated! You monk, you must be penniless. You'd better come with us to avoid suffering!"
Tang Sanzang frowned slightly. He had lived a life of poverty and possessed nothing of value. Where would he get the money to bribe officials? Moreover, he was determined to return to the world of the living, not to be reincarnated.
"This humble monk is devoted to Buddhism and only seeks the great cause of obtaining the scriptures. I humbly request that you two officials make an exception for me."
He spoke again, his tone pleading.
"Make an exception?"
Black Impermanence sneered, "The rules of the underworld are above all else; how dare you, a monk, bargain!"
Having said that, the soul-hooking rope in his hand shot out like a venomous snake, coiling towards Tang Sanzang's soul.
The soul-snatching rope carried a chilling aura and was shrouded in a heavy aura of death. Once entangled, one's soul would be forcibly dragged away and rendered powerless.
A resolute glint flashed in Tang Sanzang's eyes. He activated the Buddhist teachings within his body, and his entire being radiated a dazzling golden light.
Although his soul had left his body and his Buddhist cultivation had been greatly diminished, his years of meditation and practice had kept his Buddhist golden light pure and powerful.
Golden light formed a barrier in front of him, and the Soul-Hooking Rope struck the golden light, producing a "sizzle" sound.
With a sound, black mist and golden light intertwined, and puffs of white smoke rose up.
Both the Black and White Impermanence were shocked, never expecting that the monk's soul would be protected by such powerful Buddhist teachings.
"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences!"
Black Impermanence roared and exchanged a glance with White Impermanence. The two of them simultaneously summoned a magical artifact, an ancient seal, dark yellow in color, covered with intricate runes, exuding a heavy and majestic aura. It was none other than the ancient divine artifact, the Kongtong Seal.
As soon as the Kongtong Seal was unleashed, the space of the underworld seemed to be suppressed, the surrounding netherworld mist instantly stagnated, and Tang Sanzang's golden Buddhist light dimmed considerably.
"With the Kongtong Seal here, even Buddhism must retreat!"
Bai Wuchang roared and hurled the Kongtong Seal in his hand toward Tang Sanzang's golden light.
As the seal fell, it was like Mount Tai pressing down. Tang Sanzang's golden light barrier was instantly covered with cracks, and his soul was shaken and forced to retreat repeatedly. He spat out a mouthful of golden soul blood, and his Buddhist aura became chaotic.
The demonic fetus seemed to be disturbed again, stirring up agitation deep within his soul, causing his blood and qi to surge even more violently.
Seeing this, Black and White Impermanence no longer hesitated. The Soul-Hooking Rope flew out again, binding Tang Sanzang's soul and forcibly dragging him towards the Gates of Hell.
Before the Gates of Hell, a chilling wind howled, and the cries of ghosts and wolves echoed endlessly. The souls of countless unjustly killed people struggled and wailed outside the gates, creating an extremely tragic scene.
Tang Sanzang was anxious, but the power of the Kongtong Seal suppressed him, making it difficult for him to practice Buddhism. He could only watch helplessly as he was dragged toward the gates of hell, getting further and further away from the path to resurrection.
"Master!"
A deafening shout came from the sky above the underworld, like a thunderclap, shaking the entire Yellow Springs Road.
Immediately afterwards, a golden light pierced through the dark mist, moving with lightning speed, and instantly arrived in front of them.
It was none other than Sun Wukong! He was clad in golden chainmail, wore a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, held the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel) which gleamed with golden light, and his eyes burned with fury.
He was originally guarding his master's physical body in the pilgrimage team, but he discovered that his master's soul had left his body. After calculating with his fingers, he realized that his master had been forcibly taken to the underworld by the Black and White Impermanence. He was immediately enraged and disregarded the taboos of the underworld, fighting his way in.
"You audacious underworld official, how dare you arrest my master without permission!"
Sun Wukong roared and swung his golden cudgel out with a destructive force.
Black and White Impermanence were shocked by the sight and hurriedly summoned the Kongtong Seal to defend themselves. But even the powerful Kongtong Seal was no match for Sun Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel). A clang rang out.
With a loud crash, the Kongtong Seal was sent flying by the Golden Cudgel, its runes now dull and lifeless.
The Black and White Impermanence screamed in agony as the aftershocks of the Golden Cudgel sent their souls flying, turning them into two wisps of black smoke that dissipated into the Netherworld Mist.
Sun Wukong killed the Black and White Impermanence with a single blow, then rushed to Tang Sanzang's side, severed the soul-snatching ropes, and supported his illusory body: "Master, are you alright? I, Old Sun, will take you back to the living world right away!"
Tang Sanzang felt a warmth in his heart and was about to speak when he saw the mist above the underworld suddenly churn violently, and an indescribable pressure descended, making the entire underworld seem to freeze.
Sun Wukong's expression changed. He gripped his golden cudgel tightly and looked warily into the depths of the mist: "What kind of demons and monsters dare to cause trouble here!"
The mist parted, and a figure slowly emerged.
The figure was blurry, seemingly existing between existence and non-existence, and his face was indistinct. A faint gray aura surrounded him, and his aura was unremarkable, yet it made Sun Wukong feel unprecedented pressure, as if he were facing not a person, but the entire world.
Sun Wukong used his Fiery Eyes of Truth at full power, but he still couldn't see through the true face of that figure. He could only sense the unfathomable power contained within the other party.
"Sun Wukong, how dare you act so presumptuously in the underworld?"
The figure spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "Tang Sanzang's lifespan has not ended, but his physical body has already died. He is a person who died unjustly. According to the rules of the underworld, he should enter the City of the Unjustly Dead to be punished. You killed the underworld messenger without authorization, which has violated the heavenly rules."
"rule?"
Sun Wukong laughed in anger, “My master is single-mindedly pursuing the scriptures to benefit the world. He only wants to bring back the living and eliminate demons. What’s wrong with that? You demon, how dare you stop me, Old Sun? Don’t blame me for killing you with my staff!”
Having said that, the golden cudgel grew longer in the wind, transforming into the size of a pillar supporting the sky, and smashed towards that figure.
But the figure merely raised a hand, and an invisible force enveloped him. Sun Wukong felt as if his golden cudgel had struck an impenetrable wall, unable to advance an inch further. Then, the force tightened abruptly, and Sun Wukong felt as if his bones were about to shatter; the golden cudgel clanged...
He fell to the ground with a thud, his entire body gripped by that force, unable to move.
"Goku!"
Tang Sanzang exclaimed in surprise, wanting to rush forward to help, but he was so intimidated by the oppressive aura that he couldn't even move his soul.
The figure ignored Sun Wukong's struggles, turned his gaze to Tang Sanzang, and softened his tone: "Tang Sanzang, your journey to the West to obtain the scriptures is of immeasurable merit, and this is something that Heaven recognizes."
But the underworld has its own rules. Those who die unjustly must enter the City of the Unjustly Dead to be punished. Only after thirty years can they be returned to the world of the living.
Thirty years?
Tang Sanzang felt a surge of anxiety. "If that demonic fetus is born during this time, wouldn't it bring calamity to the world?"
Every drink and every bite is preordained.
The figure said calmly, "This demonic fetus is destined to be with you, but it is also destined to be a calamity for this world. It cannot be easily severed by human power."
"This thirty-year punishment is also a test for you. You should stay in the City of the Wrongfully Dead in peace. After thirty years, you will be able to return to life and complete your journey to the West."
Having said that, he waved his hand and shot out a stream of gray energy that bound Tang Sanzang's soul, ignoring his struggles, and sent him toward the City of the Wrongfully Dead.
Sun Wukong was bound by that power and could only watch helplessly as his master was taken away, unable to do anything but roar in anger.
After dealing with everything, the figure transformed into a gray stream of energy and vanished into the ghostly mist, as if it had never existed.
The mastermind behind all of this is none other than Jiang Wang, who is currently deep within the City of the Unjustly Dead.
Jiang Wang sat on a secluded stone platform in the City of the Wrongfully Dead, with an ancient jade bottle in front of him containing a pale green medicinal liquid that emitted a faint spiritual aura.
This is the pregnancy-stabilizing and labor-delaying medicine he redeemed from the system. This medicine looks ordinary, but it contains a strange power that allows the demonic fetus to grow steadily in Tang Sanzang's soul, while delaying its birth. No matter what method Tang Sanzang uses, he cannot get rid of it.
He gazed at the swaying liquid in the jade bottle, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The demonic fetus of Tang Sanzang was an important part of his plan, so naturally he couldn't let it be easily eliminated.
Unlike other places in the underworld, the City of the Wrongfully Dead is filled with endless resentment and malevolence. The city walls are made of black boulders, covered with densely packed runes to suppress the souls of the wrongfully deceased within.
Wandering spirits can be seen everywhere in the city. Most of them have sorrowful faces and despair in their eyes. Occasionally, there are fights, but they are just powerless struggles.
Jiang Wang had been here for some time. He liked the quietness here. Although there was resentment and hostility, it allowed him to better calm his thoughts.
Just as he was pondering, a slender figure slowly walked over, stepping over the pebbles on the ground, and stopped in front of Jiang Wang.
The woman was dressed in a plain white dress with delicate osmanthus patterns embroidered on the hem. Her long hair reached her waist and was tied up with a simple jade hairpin. Her skin was as white as snow and her features were exquisite. She was none other than Chang'e.
She carried an aura of coolness, like the cassia tree in the moon palace, untouched by dust, completely out of place in the gloom of this city of the unjustly dead.
Chang'e's gaze fell on Jiang Wang, carrying a mixture of inquiry and weariness.
She has wandered the vast land for countless years, from the Southern Continent to the Northern Continent, from the shores of the East Sea to the Kunlun Mountains in the west, traversing every inch of the land, all in search of Hou Yi's whereabouts.
No matter how hard she searched, she found no clues. Hou Yi seemed to have vanished into thin air, disappearing without a trace.
She even used her own power of causality to explore the three otherworldly realms of Xuanhuang, Jiucai, and Xiangrui, but the result was still nothing. Hou Yi's aura left no trace in these three otherworldly realms.
"Are you Mr. Jiang Wang?"
Chang'e's voice was clear and melodious, like a mountain stream, yet it carried an undeniable weariness.
She had heard of a mysterious figure in the City of the Wrongfully Dead, whose cultivation was unfathomable, so she came to try her luck and hoped to get some clues.
Jiang Wang looked up at her, his gaze calm and unwavering: "Exactly."
"What brings you here, fairy?"
Chang'e nodded slightly, her tone pleading: "I have heard that you are a man of great power. Do you know the whereabouts of Hou Yi? I have searched the entire primordial world and explored the three realms of Xuanhuang, Jiucai, and Xiangrui, but I have found no trace of him."
Jiang Wang looked at the determination and exhaustion in her eyes, and his heart stirred slightly.
He had heard the story of Hou Yi and Chang'e before, but he never expected that Chang'e would spend so many years searching for Hou Yi.
He shook his head: "I also do not know the whereabouts of Hou Yi."
However, since you have already ruled out the Xuanhuang, Jiucai, and Xiangrui realms, perhaps he is not in this lower-level world.
"Low-level world?"
A hint of confusion flashed in Chang'e's eyes, then she seemed to understand, "Does the master mean that he went to a higher level world?"
"good."
Jiang Wang nodded, "Above the Primordial World, there is the Hongmeng Realm, which is a higher-level world, divided into many levels such as the Four Symbols, the Eight Trigrams, and the Nine Palaces."
The Primordial Chaos Realm is extremely dangerous, yet it also holds endless possibilities. Perhaps Hou Yi entered the Primordial Chaos Realm by chance.
A glimmer of hope instantly ignited in Chang'e's eyes, like a spark in the darkness: "The Primordial Realm... as long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will give it a try."
No matter how dangerous it may be, I will find him.
Her desire to find Hou Yi transcended life and death; how could mere dangers stop her?
Jiang Wang looked at her determined eyes and sighed inwardly.
The dangers of the Primordial Chaos Realm far exceeded her imagination. With her current cultivation level, going there rashly would likely be extremely dangerous.
“Fairy, the Hongmeng Realm is not like the Primordial Wilderness. The cultivators there are all highly skilled, and their laws are even more violent. If you are not careful, your soul will be scattered.”
Although you have cultivated for many years, it will be extremely difficult for you to establish yourself in the Hongmeng Realm, or even to find a single person.
Chang'e was well aware of the dangers involved, but she had no other choice.
"Thank you for the reminder, sir, but I have no way out."
She gazed into the distance, a resolute look in her eyes, "I will stop at nothing to find him."
Jiang Wang remained silent for a moment, then made his decision. (End of Chapter)