There was a long river in the Central Great Realm. When it was on the surface, it was sometimes known as the Raging River and sometimes as the Heavenly River or the Icy River.
Countless strong nations and sects sprung up along the two sides of the river. There were even eternal dynasties.
It brought endless lifeforce and Luck. Only the peak factions in the Central Great Realm could occupy places near the river.
This river had many names on the surface; different places gave it different names.
However, when this river flowed into the Abyssal Underworld, it had only one name throughout the nine layers. The various races all called it the Underworld River.
The Underworld River carried all the sin and resentment of the entire Great Thousand Realms and connected the nine layers of the Abyssal Underworld. The farther it went, the heavier the resentment and sin.
When the river reached the ninth layer of the Abyssal Underworld, even Sovereign Emperors could not easily travel on it.
Eventually, it flowed into a boundless blood sea.
This boundless blood sea had existed since the start of the Martial Epoch, taking up all the sin and resentment in the world. Darkness spread throughout this place, and evil spirits filled it.
After accumulating for one thousand years, ten thousand years, one hundred thousand years, one million years, and so on, the boundless resentment and sin created the infamous Asura Hell that terrified everyone in the Abyssal Underworld just by its name.
The Asura Hell!
No matter which layer of the Abyssal Underworld, people trembled in fear when someone mentioned the Asura Hell.
The most horrific punishment in the Abyssal Underworld was the crippling of one’s cultivation with subsequent banishment to the Asura Hell.
The cruelty of this inspired chills and terror. This was the best embodiment of a life worse than death.
However, true experts always faced their fears, conquering and destroying them, then becoming the fear itself.
While the Asura Hell was a forbidden land of the Abyssal Underworld, it was also an experiential training land for experts.
Rumor had it that the numerous brushes with death would make those who could walk out on the other side of the Asura Hell powerful experts.
For many years, this rumor encouraged the brave warriors of the Abyssal Underworld.
However, few managed to walk out on the other side. The number of people that had lived to speak of the scenery at the other end of the blood sea could be counted on one’s fingers.
Most of the cultivators that came to adventure in the Asura Hell died in the blood sea, turning into malicious spirits trapped by sin, becoming a part of the boundless blood sea. Few managed to see the sights at the boundless blood sea and the ends of the Asura Hell.
On this particular day, two heavily wounded youths lay on the ground at the ends of the Asura Hell, laughing maniacally.
“Hahahaha! Yan Cangming, we managed to walk out alive! We are out! We are really out!”
The youth that lay on the left side had a crew cut and still vaguely showed monastic scars. This was the Buddhist sect traitor Zhen Yuan.
The other person was naturally the Flood Dragon Humans’ young master, Yan Cangming.
The two initially did not know each other. However, they met in the boundless blood sea. At first, they kept their guard up against each other, feeling wary.
However, the Asura Hell was dark and sunless, with malicious spirits wandering the place.
They shared life and death, killing along the way. They established a friendship only after rescuing each other many times.
After the two communicated without holding anything back, Yan Cangming remained speechless for a long time. He had not expected that…Zhen Yuan had actually succeeded the Black Dragon King’s karma.
Just as Yan Cangming was about to die in the Asura Hell, Zhen Yuan suddenly appeared and rescued him.
Previously, when Yan Cangming tried to cross the boundless blood sea, he was always forced back halfway.
However, the two accompanied each other on this journey, experiencing many close brushes with death before finally walking out of the boundless blood sea, reaching the end of this Asura Hell.
This vaguely felt like fate. Heaven could not bear seeing the Flood Dragon Human getting tortured continuously, allowing Yan Cangming to meet Zhen Yuan in the Asura Hell.
“Yan Cangming, can I ask you a question? Over the past few years, you keep coming to the Asura Hell to experience life and death, nearly dying several times already. Why are you living in such a tiring manner?” Zhen Yuan asked softly as he looked at the sky after the maniacal laughter.
Compared to this, what made living even more tiring was living subserviently under the other Abyssal Underworld races.
Zhen Yuan knew that but did not mention it.
“Why?”
Yan Cangming looked at the dark sky, and some sorrow appeared on his stern face. He murmured, “I don’t know why. I only know that the Flood Dragon Humans cannot continue living like this.
“What about you? Why did you betray the Buddhist sect?”
Zhen Yuan remained silent upon hearing that. Then, a vague white figure appeared in his mind. This figure slowly grew distinct, showing Xiao Chen’s face.
An irrepressible murderous intent immediately appeared in his heart, so he dispelled this figure. Then, he stood up and changed the topic. “Unexpectedly, there are such beautiful flowers at the ends of the Asura Hell.
Yan Cangming looked up and saw a road that led somewhere under the dark sky in front.
Red flowers bloomed on both sides of the road, their faint red glow making them look vibrant and enticing as they waved in the wind.
Before coming here, Yan Cangming would never have imagined that the boundless blood sea, which had accumulated millions of years of sin and resentment, could have such poignant flowers.
“Come, let’s go. I want to see what the scene is like at the end of this shore.”
Some anticipation and excitement appeared in Zhen Yuan’s eyes; he was raring to go.
As the two strolled down the wide, dim road, the waving, poignant, blood-like Paramita Flower seemed to make time stop.
Who knew how much time had passed? It felt like one year, yet also an instant. Then, a bright light suddenly appeared in front, looking piercing and dazzling.
After the light scattered, the world before the two had changed.
Zhen Yuan lowered his hand, which shielded his eyes, squinting as he looked up. Then, his expression suddenly changed dramatically.
Zhen Yuan saw a Buddha statue in the distance, a Kāśyapa Buddha statue that he had never seen before.
That statue appeared solemn and dignified, expressionless and aloof.
It was like everything in the world was an ant to it. It did not show the kindness and benevolence that it usually did.
“This…this is Spirit Vulture Mountain!”
Zhen Yuan looked around and saw the surrounding sights. He quickly determined that they were in Spirit Vulture Mountain.
Zhen Yuan’s mind went blank. He had difficulty accepting this, feeling indescribably suffocated.
Now, he was certain that he was looking at the Kāśyapa Buddha.
This was different from the scriptures that Zhen Yuan normally chanted and the Buddhist Cultivation Techniques he cultivated, the reverse of them.
What was even more unexpected was that the Buddhist sect holy land, the Spirit Vulture Mountain that he yearned for even in his dreams, looked like this.
The other side of the Asura Hell’s boundless blood sea was actually Spirit Vulture Mountain.
Yan Cangming appeared calm. When he turned around and looked, he discovered that they were at the foot of a black mountain.
There was overwhelming Demonic Qi above the black mountain.
Countless Demonic Dao fruits grew in the underbrush along the road.
There were even several ten-thousand-year-old fruits, all of immeasurable value.
Yan Cangming immediately rejoiced. He said softly, “Zhen Yuan, we came to the right place! This must be the Demonic Dao’s holy mountain. This is a great opportunity!”
“This is Spirit Vulture Mountain. We should leave quickly. If we do not, we might not be able to do so.”
Zhen Yuan calmed down considerably, throwing a wet blanket on the joyful Yan Cangming.
“Spirit Vulture Mountain?”
Yan Cangming frowned slightly. Then, he immediately felt startled. That means this is within the Hidden Spirit Temple’s territory.
Oh no!
The two’s expressions changed at the same time. They felt a strong aura sweep over, inspiring fear.
They could not remain here any longer.
“Let’s go!”
The two exchanged looks, and their figures flashed at the same time, leaving hastily.
—
“Young Master! Young Master!”
Cries of “Young Master” rang out in the ninth layer of the Abyssal Underworld, pulling Yan Cangming back to reality from his reminiscing.
Yan Cangming stood on a piece of high ground with many Flood Dragon Humans below. The Flood Dragon Humans were currently moving in groups.
After burying Zhen Yuan in the Profound Light Temple, Yan Cangming had rushed back to the Abyssal Underworld and gathered the Flood Dragon Humans from all over the Abyssal Underworld.
The Black Dragon King’s death had deprived Yan Cangming of his greatest support in the Underworld God Hall.
Right now, the entire Abyssal Underworld was in chaos. Every faction wanted to take advantage of the Faux Gods falling to reestablish the Underworld God Hall and become the new master of the Abyssal Underworld.
Compared to the other Abyssal Underworld races with immense accumulations and deep roots in the Abyssal Underworld, the Flood Dragon Humans were like floating duckweed.
The Flood Dragon Humans could not fight back at all. Who knew if they could even retreat safely?
“Young Master.” The Flood Dragon Human cultivator beside Yan Cangming reported anxiously, “Our clansmen responsible for bringing up the rear sent news. King Luohou gathered the nine great races of the Abyssal Underworld and already gave chase. We lost contact with our scout in front…I’m afraid…that our entire Flood Dragon Human Race is surrounded.”
Yan Cangming maintained a calm expression as he replied softly, “I know. Don’t panic. You may withdraw first.”
King Luohou? That new King Luohou who obtained the ancient Demonic Sovereign’s inheritance and was saved by Xiao Chen?
Murderous intent immediately filled Yan Cangming’s stern face. He had already decided to withdraw and not fight to become the Abyssal Underworld’s master. However, this young King Luohou wanted to exterminate them, showing no mercy.
