Chapter 105: The Third Life

"Master, I do not understand..." Hong Ling murmured, her brow slightly furrowed as she watched Gong Qing's retreating figure, her voice carrying a cold, aloof quality.

Hearing this, Lin Hao glanced up at the bright, white moon hanging high in the sky and spoke slowly, "Entangled in the martial world, driven by grievances, love and hatred are as vast as the sea and cannot be severed. No matter the deeds of the Tang family or this man, this woman is innocent..."

Having said that, as if remembering something, a look of deep emotion appeared in his eyes. He sighed softly and spoke in a measured tone:

"Cultivators are aloof and proud, looking down upon the mortal world as if all living beings were mere ants. They pursue the Dao without faltering, loathing the mortal realm and ignoring its affairs... I, Lin Hao, refuse to be like them. I am willing to pursue the Dao with a mortal heart... and forge a path of clear and righteous skies."

"Let us go."

Pausing briefly, Lin Hao shook his head slowly. A profound light flashed deep within his eyes as he stepped forward, heading toward the mountain forest.

Carrying Tang Yun in her arms, Hong Ling followed closely behind Lin Hao without uttering a single word, resembling a block of ice that had remained frozen for a thousand years.

Before long, the two of them traversed the forest and found a dilapidated temple. After a moment of hesitation, they stepped inside to settle down.

Shortly after, Hong Ling gathered some firewood from the surroundings and hunted three or four wild rabbits. Once they settled in a room that was not too heavily damaged, a campfire was lit, gradually bringing a trace of warmth to the cold space.

Lin Hao began to contemplate his future plans.

Reflecting on it, his resurrection was likely unknown to anyone in the entire land of Chu Ling. However, this matter could not be publicized and had to be kept secret for now.

What Lin Hao failed to notice was that as he was deep in thought, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of purple light flashed in the depths of his eyes!

This purple light seemed to carry the most noble will in the world, yet one look at it revealed nothing but an endless domain of death!

"Let it end here."

Suddenly, a clear voice echoed out of nowhere. As the calm voice sounded, a figure clad in a black-and-gold embroidered robe stepped out from the void right in front of Lin Hao and Hong Ling.

The man's expression was calm, his exceptionally handsome face pristine and free of dust. Though his expression was indifferent, he exuded an indescribably gentle aura.

Upon closer inspection, one could easily detect an air of supreme nobility!

It was as if this man was the master of this very world, compelling anyone who looked at him to feel an urge to prostrate themselves in worship!

"You..."

Staring at the young man who had suddenly materialized, Lin Hao's pupils contracted sharply, and waves of shock crashed through his heart!

As boundless horror washed over him and an unprecedented cold light flared in his eyes, he braced himself in extreme vigilance. Yet, at that very moment, a sensation suddenly arose in his heart—this man shared the exact same bloodline as him!

"The Demon Source, constructed from demonic intent, is no longer what I need."

"Let this lifetime end here."

The young man gave a calm instruction, a profound light swirling in the depths of his eyes. He shook his head slowly, refusing to delay any longer. With a solemn look in his eyes, he uttered a quiet command and stepped forward into the distant void.

Behind him, as the young man departed, the figures of Lin Hao and Hong Ling began to disintegrate rapidly, vanishing before one's eyes!

Even the entire world blurred instantly the moment the young man left. The whole realm shuddered violently, letting out a shrill, mournful hum as it collapsed and dissolved outward!

"It is time to return."

After a brief contemplation, a thoughtful look appeared in the young man's eyes. With a profound light swirling in his gaze, he stepped toward the distant void.

Before long, a majestic, boundless river materialized in front of him. As he stepped into it, the entire starry sky shuddered, and along with the river, it faded into illusion within moments...

Soon, the entire world fell into a state of absolute, deathly silence.

Meanwhile, in a bustling starry sky billions of light-years away, the Son of Heaven of the Underworld, clad in his black-and-gold embroidered robe, stepped out. As he walked through the starry sky, an earth-shattering demonic qi suddenly erupted around him!

This demonic qi seemed capable of affecting time and space. As the Son of Heaven of the Underworld walked, he was completely unaffected by the flow of time and space, presenting an incredibly bizarre sight!

In the blink of an eye, the Son of Heaven of the Underworld appeared in a vast, boundless starry battlefield. While endless eerie power permeated the air, a terrifyingly holy aura also filled the space!

Looking closely, it was a colossal battlefield. On one side of the battlefield lay a terrifyingly sacred light.

On the other side stood ten unprecedentedly terrifying purgatories of Yama!

"Son of Heaven!"

Suddenly, a cry of surprise echoed from one of the ten terrifying purgatories. Immediately after, several terrifying auras surged to the heavens from the ten purgatories!

Following that, ten figures of terrifying power stepped out of the void and knelt before the Son of Heaven of the Underworld, bowing respectfully with cupped hands on one knee!

Then, the scene around the eleven of them began to shift. An altar, the peerless figure of the Son of Heaven, and the sounds of investiture were revealed one after another. An unprecedented agitation filled the eyes of the ten kings; their bodies trembled, and some even shed tears!

"The First Hall: King Qinguang, Jiang, born on the first day of the second lunar month. He presides over the lifespan, life, and death of mortals, governing the fortunes and misfortunes of the Underworld. When good people reach the end of their lives, he guides them to ascend. Those whose merits and sins are equal are sent to the Tenth Hall to be reborn into the mortal world, men turning into women, and women into men. Those with more evil deeds than good are escorted to the high platform on the right of the hall, known as the Mirror of Sin. Forced to look into it, their good and evil hearts during their mortal lives are revealed, and they are immediately transferred to the Second Hall to suffer in purgatory.

The Second Hall: King Chujiang, Li, born on the first day of the third lunar month. He rules the Great Hell of Active Life, also known as the Ice Hell of the Clothes-Stripping Pavilion, with sixteen minor hells under his jurisdiction. Anyone who injured others' limbs, stole, or killed in the mortal realm is cast into this hell, and then sent to the sixteen minor hells to suffer. Once their terms are served, they are transferred to the Third Hall for further punishment.

The Third Hall: King Songdi, Yu, born on the eighth day of the second lunar month. He rules the Great Hell of Black Ropes, with sixteen minor hells. Anyone who disobeyed elders or instigated lawsuits in the mortal world is cast into this hell to undergo the punishments of being hung upside down, having their eyes gouged out, and their bones scraped. Once their sentences are complete, they are transferred to the Fourth Hall.

The Fourth Hall: King Wuguan, Lu, born on the eighteenth day of the second lunar month. He rules the Great Hell of Lake of Blood, also known as the Hell of Flaying and Blood Pond, with sixteen minor hells. Anyone who evaded taxes, refused to pay rent, or committed fraud in trade is cast into this hell, and then sentenced to suffer in the minor hells. Upon completion of their terms, they are sent to the Fifth Hall for review.

The Fifth Hall: King Yama, Bao, born on the eighth day of the first lunar month. Originally presiding over the First Hall, he was demoted to this hall for repeatedly releasing those who died of injustice back to the mortal realm to clear their names. He rules the Great Hell of Screaming and the sixteen minor Hells of Heart-Gouging. All who are brought to this hall are escorted to the Pavilion of Looking-Back, where they are made to see and hear the misfortunes of their families in the mortal world caused by their own sins. They are then cast into this hell, where their past evils are thoroughly investigated before they are sent to the sixteen minor Hells of Heart-Gouging. There, their hearts are hooked out and thrown to snakes, and their bodies and heads are severed by guillotines. Once their suffering is complete, they are transferred to other halls.

The Sixth Hall: King Biancheng, Bi, born on the eighth day of the third lunar month. He rules the Great Hell of Loud Screaming and the City of the Wrongfully Dead, with sixteen minor hells. Those who were disobedient and unfilial are sawn in half by two minor demons. Anyone who cursed heaven and earth, or urinated or wept while facing north, is sent to this hell. Upon investigation, they are punished by having their tongues burned with iron brands. They are then sent to the minor hells to suffer, and upon completion, are transferred to the Seventh Hall to check for other sins.

The Seventh Hall: King Taishan, Dong, born on the twenty-seventh day of the third lunar month. He rules the Hell of Intense Heat, also known as the Hell of Mortar and Pestle Meat Paste, with sixteen minor hells. Anyone who used drugs to separate close relatives in the mortal world is sent to this hell, and then to the minor hells. Upon completion of their suffering, they are transferred to the Eighth Hall for investigation. Furthermore, thieves, false accusers, extortionists, and murderers will all suffer the punishment of being boiled in oil.

The Eighth Hall: King Dushi, Huang, born on the first day of the fourth lunar month. He rules the Great Hell of Intense Heat and Burning, also known as the Hell of the Cauldron of Anguish, with sixteen minor hells. Anyone who was unfilial in life, causing distress and worry to their parents or parents-in-law, is cast into this hell. They are then subjected to additional punishments in the minor hells, and after enduring all suffering, they are transferred to the Ninth Hall to be transformed into beasts for eternity.

The Ninth Hall: King Pingdeng, born on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. He rules the Avici Hell of the Iron Net in Fengdu City, with sixteen minor hells. Anyone who committed murder or arson in the mortal world and was executed is brought to this hall. They are chained to hollow copper pillars, their limbs bound around them, as fires are stoked to burn them, scorching their hearts and livers to ashes. They are then sent to Avici Hell to undergo punishment. Only when all their victims have been reborn are they allowed to be released and sent to the Tenth Hall for reincarnation into the Six Paths of Heaven, Humanity, Asuras, Animals, Hungry Ghosts, and Hell.

The Tenth Hall: King Zhuanlun, Xue, born on the seventeenth day of the fourth lunar month. He is solely in charge of the ghosts sent from the other halls, distinguishing good from evil, determining their grades, and sending them to be reborn in the Four Great Continents. The lifespan, gender, wealth, and poverty of each soul are recorded in detail, and a monthly report is sent to the First Hall for registration. As for the ghosts who committed extreme evils, they are condemned to be reborn through the four forms of birth—oviparous, viviparous, moisture-born, or metamorphic—living in the morning and dying by dusk. Only after their sins are fully expiated can they return to human form, born in desolate lands. Before any soul is sent for rebirth, they are escorted to Granny Meng at the Platform of Forgetfulness, where they are forced to drink the Soup of Oblivion to forget their past lives."

"The Ten Yama Kings pay respects to the Son of Heaven!!!"

The voices of the ten kings fell in unison like rolling thunder, spreading out in all directions!

"Hear my decree: destroy the Divine Clan!"

Without the slightest hesitation, the Son of Heaven of the Underworld issued his command, a profound light flashing in his eyes. As if spurred by his words, the kings erupted with killing intent, turning to charge toward the region enveloped by that holy, sacred light!

Immediately after, a spectral light flashed around the Son of Heaven of the Underworld. The moment his overlapping shadow appeared, he stepped into the endless void far away, while his true body remained here to oversee the battlefield, his gaze fixed tightly on the holy light!

The third lifetime begins!

***

The weather in June was neither cold nor unbearably hot. The warm noon sun shone upon the green hills and clear waters, while the scent of flowers and the singing of birds lingered in the forest, creating a scene full of vitality.

Looking closely, among the mountains stood a towering, precipitous peak that pierced the heavens. Although the surrounding area of thousands of miles appeared peaceful and serene, a heavy, ominous aura permeated the air.

This peak was known as Blood Nightmare.

Legend had it that a supreme venerable had once severed his own arm here, solely to perform a blood sacrifice to resurrect someone. After countless ages, the arm transformed into this peak.

There were also rumors that the venerable eventually perished here, but left his heritage behind, waiting for someone destined to claim it.

Although rumors were not to be easily believed, many cultivators still came drawn by its fame, hoping to acquire the venerable's techniques. In the end, they either vanished without a trace or met a tragic death here.

Those with better luck managed to escape alive, but not long after, they dissolved into pools of blood right before the eyes of the world.

Consequently, this place became a forbidden zone for the cultivators of the Land of Heavenly Mist. Over countless years, no one dared to step within a thousand miles of it.

Anyone who ignored the rumors or wandered in by accident, even if they managed to retreat unscathed, would soon find their meridians turning black, dissolving into a pool of blood with not even their bones remaining.

Yet, at this very moment, a ragged youth lay unconscious on the riverbank at the edge of the thousand-mile boundary of Blood Nightmare Peak.

A faint, ominous aura enveloped the youth as if he had been corrupted by it, and his breathing was weak. Upon closer inspection, the meridians at his wrists had already begun to turn black.

"Where... am I?"

With a heavy gasp, a weak murmur escaped the youth's lips. His blurry eyes slowly opened, staring blankly at the distant sky in confusion.

The youth was named Lu Daolin, and he had lived in the nearby Lu Family Village since childhood.

Having lost his parents at a young age, Lu Daolin grew up to be somewhat solitary. Few children his age were willing to play with him.

He had only left the village to gather firewood and had not intended to go far. However, on his return journey, he was unfortunately enveloped by a strange, thick fog, causing him to lose his way.

He had planned to find a tree to lean against and wait for the fog to clear before returning to the village. But while groping around, he took a misstep and tumbled down a slope. By the time he woke up, his head was heavy and dizzy.

"Roar..."

Suddenly, the low growl of a beast echoed. Lu Daolin shuddered violently. A flash of panic crossed his eyes as he looked ahead.

Not far in front of him, a massive tiger-like beast, nearly ten feet long and covered in black stripes, was staring intently at him! It let out threatening growls from time to time.

With fierce glints flashing in its eyes, the giant tiger advanced toward Lu Daolin step by step.

Lu Daolin was just a boy. How could he fight such a massive beast? Naturally, terror gripped his heart.

With fear and panic filling his gaze, he ignored his dizzy head and scrambled backward with great difficulty.

"Roar!!"

Sensing that Lu Daolin posed no threat, the beast let out a low roar. Suddenly, its massive body pounced forward like an arrow released from a bow, closing the distance in an instant!

"Ah!!!" "Roar!!!"

Suddenly, two shrill, agonizing screams rang out, and the area fell into a bizarre silence.

Looking closely, the giant tiger, which had been so menacing just a moment ago, had dissolved into a pool of blood in the blink of an eye!

Staring at the pool of blood beside him, Lu Daolin's eyes widened in sheer disbelief, his heart filled with unimaginable shock!

He had already fallen into despair, never expecting to witness such a terrifying and bizarre scene!