While the tribulation clouds had dispersed, the Karmic Tree still stood tall in the chaos. Tiny root hairs extended from its taproot and embedded themselves into the void, devouring the blackness and tendrils of black electricity.
The darkened chaos receded at a speed visible to the naked eye. Rays of golden light oscillated throughout the entire realm—the power of virtue and merit.
The Karmic Tree was currently as large as a world. Thus, the pale gold light of virtue swiftly spread through the chaos until all of the second realm was awash in soft aureate radiance. Vengeful spirits still adrift in the chaos moaned and shrieked until their resentment was purified by the boundless illumination. Gentle smiles of tranquility appeared on their faces when peace was restored to them.
A sea of faintly blood-red flowers slowly materialized in the chaos, connected to the realm by a large shadow of a bridge. The purified souls set foot onto the bridge and traveled to an unknown plane.
Within the kingdom of hell.
Vast goodwill surged into it and sank into the Karmic Tree behind Lu Yun. It once more ballooned to new heights and was now on par with a sacred palace. The power of virtue and merit was the core of its strength, and it could also absorb goodwill from the outside world to hasten its growth.
It was now fully mature. Every single one of its leaves and branches glimmered with soft hues of golden radiance. One million and eighty thousand karmic fruits swayed tantalizingly from its boughs.
Cleansing the chaos of vengeful spirits was a deed of tremendous merit. Prior to today, Lu Yun hadn’t thought that the tree could purify vengeful spirits, and even the bitterness of those who’d died unnecessary deaths within the chaos tribulation!
The Gates of the Abyss opened and the Bridge of Forgetfulness laid out a path for those fragmented beings, vengeful spirits, and souls that couldn’t find their way out of purgatory. All of them were guided to hell to await rebirth in the sea of Hell Flowers.
Though the power of reincarnation was present in the current hell, there wasn’t a physical wheel of reincarnation like there’d been in the hell of human dao. Dead souls could only be reborn in the sea of Hell Flowers and then become a denizen of the netherworld.
The light of virtue and merit brightened the chaos, throwing off even more radiance than the chaos sun over the chaos sea.
“There’s a treasure of the Hongmeng here alright! Ants such as the chaos creatures have no right to own this kind of treasure. Hand it over!” A clear whistle suddenly cut across the chaos before a hand as white as jade probed out of the void, grabbing for the Karmic Tree.
Zhuo Bufan.
His replica hadn’t left the realm—that’d only been an act. After all, the purpose of his replica visiting the chaos was to investigate which third realm powerhouse had descended into a lower world without authorization. How would he possibly go back before getting to the bottom of the matter?
Lu Yun had indeed insulted the Purple King, but that was Lu Yun’s business. The Purple King was also busy defending himself from three Hongmeng heavyweights, so he couldn’t be bothered with a trifling matter like this.
But when Zhuo Bufan glimpsed the Karmic Tree, he couldn’t sit still. Even if he didn’t find out who destroyed the Dubiety Realm, it would be a massive accomplishment if he brought this treasure back.
His large hand was as large as a world as it clutched the top of the tree, wanting to rip it up from the roots.
“You court death,” sniffed Lu Yun from the crown of the tree. He shook slightly and called out the abyss that was hidden in the void. A large beast’s claw stretched out of it and slapped Zhuo Bufan’s hand to pieces, drawing a large shout of pain.
The rest of the enforcer’s body swiftly loomed out of the dark, looking down at the mammoth claw next to Lu Yun with suspicion and trepidation.
“A powerhouse from the Hongmeng really has descended to the chaos! You’ll be taken into custody today, no matter who you are!” Standing in midair, he brought out a command token that was carved with a majestic character. It sparkled with hints of bloody light and emanated a presence that made the heart tremble.
Execution!
Not a single being in the chaos recognized the character, but the intent it exuded clearly meant that of “execution”.
“Oh no, oh no!” shuddered the lizard-dragon in the abyss. “Why has Zhuo Bufan brought this treasure with him?? Once the Execution Token is displayed, any Hongmeng powerhouse in a lower world will be executed!
“Young lord, I’m afraid you’ll need to take to the field this time… He’ll kill me if I leave the abyss! But don’t worry, this token only affects those in the lower worlds who aren’t kings. It won’t affect you, you’ll be fine!” The lizard-dragon head and claw had already shrunk back—it didn’t dare show its face anymore.
The bloody light gleaming off of the token was lethal to it. Thankfully, as strong as the light was, it couldn’t reach into the abyss.
Lu Yun nodded gently and waved his hand. The Violetgrave sword answered him with rays of sword radiance.
“Ant,” snorted Zhuo Bufan to see Lu Yun draw his sword. “The Hongmeng creature cowering behind you is already so scared that it doesn’t dare come out of its hole. Are you in such a hurry to die?”
The Bridge of Forgetfulness was currently connecting hell to the chaos. It couldn’t budge from its task of ferrying the countless souls in the chaos to the kingdom of hell. The lizard-dragon was too frightened by the command token to do anything, so it was up to Lu Yun.
According to the lizard-dragon, though Zhuo Bufan was trash, he was still an expert beyond the chaos. His father was also a king.
However, Lu Yun grinned broadly. He flourished Violetgrave in a pretty gesture and put it away.
“Giving up?” Zhuo Bufan chuckled and reached out again, wanting to claim the Karmic Tree. To him, this treasure was far more important than a Hongmeng cultivator making a mess of things in a lower world.
“Nope.” Lu Yun shook his head. “My son is here.”
“Your son is here?” Zhuo Bufan blinked. “You’re not wanting to say that the Purple King is your son, are you? Trying to scare me with the same tactic twice? Let me tell you something, I’m taking this treasure today even if the Purple King really does come here!”
“Is that so?” A vaguely curious voice rose behind him as soon as he finished his declaration and a large hand wrapped around Zhuo Bufan’s throat.
To his great shock, something seemed to pick up his primary body in the far off Hongmeng and kicked him into the chaos, making him overlap with his replica.
Zhuo Bufan almost lost his mind with fright.
A king!
It was absolutely a premier king who’d made a move on him. Only a king could affect a primary body through a replica!
“The Purple… Purple King!” he shrieked, almost fainting dead away.
