Nine Netherworld!

These four words are extremely terrifying, once leaving a peerless infamous name in the entire Martial Arts World. There is no Cultivation Family or Cultivation Sect that hasn't suffered from this dreadful inheritance. This fearsome and mysterious inheritance can imprison the bodies and souls of any living being, refining their souls and controlling their bodies. It is said that in the hands of the Nine Netherworld's terrifying inheritance are the bodies of characters of Emperor Realm—how powerful is that! A character in Emperor Realm could destroy a Star Domain with a mere gesture and crush any being below the Emperor Realm with just a fingertip—what kind of domineering power is this? Even when a peerless character of Emperor Realm decomposes, with no Divine Thought remaining in the body, who could contend with the preserved body?

With powerful secret techniques that can imprison the bodies and souls of any living being, this is the most terrifying aspect of the Nine Netherworld. It is called the Underworld because this frightful inheritance can imprison souls for countless lifetimes, never allowing them to transcend, causing suffering and pain, while also using their bodies to wage war. It is rumored that within the Nine Netherworld inheritance, there are nine major layers and eighteen minor layers of prisons. Within these prisons are confined bodies and souls that are always ready for the Nine Netherworld people to control their actions. Throughout history, countless bodies and souls have been imprisoned by these secret techniques of the Nine Netherworld. Among these bodies and souls, there is no shortage of strong individuals, possessing numerous Cultivation Treasures and Supreme Treasures. There's no need to say more; everyone from the Nine Netherworld inheritance is exceptionally powerful. Ye Tianchen knows this well and considers the Nine Netherworld a critical enemy. However, he never expected this enemy to appear now, giving him a great sense of crisis.

"The inheritance of the Nine Netherworld is terrifying and profound. Even when peerless characters of Emperor Realm emerge, they do not dare to act recklessly against the Nine Netherworld. You, a mere martial artist, dare to oppose the Nine Netherworld—utterly reckless!" That insidious voice appeared once more, filled with contempt and disdain.

Ye Tianchen frowned, the Nine Netherworld's inheritance is indeed formidable. It's unknown what kind of secret technique the opponent used, but they managed to pull his soul from his body. If they succeed, he would be doomed. However, he has a major question: are the legends of Hell and Underworld in Earth's Mortal World related to the Nine Netherworld? If they are, it would shock everyone greatly because it might mean that many people in the Mortal World were quietly imprisoned by the Nine Netherworld using some secret technique before they reached the end of their lifespan, dying inexplicably. Just the thought of it sends chills through one's heart—the Nine Netherworld is truly cruel and terrifying, killing countless lives invisibly. They can imprison the bodies and souls of Martial Arts Experts, let alone ordinary mortals.

"I am very curious whether the Nine Netherworld is related to the Hell and Underworld mentioned in the Mortal World?" Ye Tianchen couldn't help but ponder and ask.

On Earth, within Huaxia's cultural heritage, there are numerous legends about the Underworld.

Underworld: In Huaxia, ancient mythology and Taoist texts often record accounts of the hell. Huaxia people divide the world and its beings into two poles, which is Huaxia's Yin-Yang Theory, an important part of ancient philosophy. Our traditional culture includes the concept of creatures transforming into spirits such as "vine spirits and tree monsters," derived from Taoism's Yang God that can "gather to form, scatter to zero." Even stones can become spirits, any object with Spiritual Energy can change its form, not limited to the Six Paths. However, it always contains Yin-Yang Theory.

Huaxia people divide the living space into heaven (Yang), earth (Yin); people into male (Yang), female (Yin); time into day (Yang), night (Yin); sky into sun (Yang), moon (Yin); the saying of the three realms, heaven, human world, hell, asserts that humans have souls, each person has three souls and seven spirits. As early as the Zhou Dynasty, people believed humans have soul and spirit, combining Yang as soul and Yin as spirit to form a person. When a person dies, the Divine Soul and Spiritual Energy ascend to heaven, while the spirit and corporeality return to earth, explaining the evolution of one's past life, present life, and future life using soul energy and spirit. And dividing the Elf World into three realms: human world, heavenly realm of divine spirits, and Underworld of spirits. The concept of Netherworld might be the earliest appearance of the underworld in Huaxia religious beliefs. Later in the Han Dynasty, Taoism described the Underworld, developed under Buddhist influence into a systematic hell, known as the Eighteen Layers of Hell. The concept of Underworld is broader than hell, and the idea of Netherworld is even broader than Underworld. Netherworld refers to the space where souls reside, hence it isn't limited to the Underworld, it might coincide spatially with the Human World unnoticed; hell specifically refers to the prison and execution ground for punishing souls with heavy sins, essentially the prison and jail within the Underworld. After death, normal people might enjoy afterlife happiness in the Underworld, in a manner similar to living in the Human World. The most virtuous people might become immortals or gods to ascend to heaven. Emperor Fengdu (Emperor Bei Yin Fengdu) and the four other Ghost Emperors are the rulers of the Netherworld, as well as the King of Hell (King Yanluo) or split Ten Halls Yama. The Earth God (Emperor Houtu), Heavenly Emperor Taishan (East Emperor), Ksitigarbha, City God are also gods that govern life and death. Hence the saying: "Do not claim there is no retribution; gods and ghosts have arrangements." Here, the "three realms" refer to the Taoist three realms, notwithstanding Buddhism expanded the three realms into Six Paths but still not entirely comprehensive. Our traditional culture includes the concept of creatures transforming into spirits such as "vine spirits and tree monsters," derived from Taoism's Yang God that can "gather to form, scatter to zero." Even stones can become spirits, any object with Spiritual Energy can change its form, not limited to the Six Paths. However, it always contains Yin-Yang Theory.

The Underworld is the place regulating the life of all living beings. Upon death, all souls of heaven and earth are taken to the Underworld by Black and White Impermanence, resolving all the good and evil they committed in the Yang world. It is said that the living reside in the Yang world, the dead in the Yin world, separating the Yang world in its own domain, Yin world as another. People say the Yin world is eerie and terrifying, full of wandering spirits and ghosts. However, who has truly seen it firsthand? Calling it a complete world, it contains beauty and ugliness, just like the Yang world, so does the Yin world.

Legend describes the distribution of Underworld deities as follows:

First is the highest rank, Emperor Tianqi Ren Sheng, overseeing all earthly living beings.

Followed by Emperor Bei Yin Fengdu

Then come the Five Ghost Emperors:

Eastern Ghost Emperor Cai Yulei, Shen Tu, ruling at 'Taozhi Mountain' Ghost Gate

Western Ghost Emperor Zhao Wenhe, True Master Wang, ruling at 'Bozhong Mountain'

Northern Ghost Emperor Zhang Heng, Yang Yun, ruling at Luofeng Mountain;

Southern Ghost Emperor Du Ziren, ruling at Luofu Mountain;

Central Ghost Emperor Zhou Qi, Ji Kang, ruling at 'Baodu Mountain'

Below are Luo Feng Six Heavens (the names of the palaces, Six Heavens are guardians).

Zhou Jueyin Palace, Tai Sha Liang Shi Sect Palace, Mingchen Nai Fan Wucheng Heavenly Palace,

Tian Zhao Zuiqi Heavenly Palace, Zong Ling Qi Fei Heavenly Palace, Gan Si Lian Wan Lv Heavenly Palace.

The underworld is said to be governed by the Ten Halls Yama, which are: King Qinguang, King Chujiang, King Songdi, Wuguan King, King Yanluo, King Pingdeng, King Taishan, King Dushi, King Biancheng, King Zhuanlun.

King Qinguang—specifically manages the records of human longevity and sudden death, birth and death; overseeing punishment in the underworld and fortune or misfortune in the next life. The Ghost Judge Hall is located in the sea, beyond the Heijiao Stone, on the western road of the Netherworld.

King Chujiang—dominates the great hell of life beneath the sea, southward below the Heijiao Stone.

King Songdi—dominates the great hell of the black rope beneath the sea, southeastward under the Heijiao Stone.

Wuguan King—manages hell beneath the sea, eastward below the Heijiao Stone in the conjoined great hell.

King Yanluo—oversees hell beneath the sea, northeastward below the Heijiao Stone in the shouting great hell.

King Biancheng—manages hell beneath the sea, northward below the Heijiao Stone in the yelling great hell.

King Taishan, oversees hell beneath the sea, northward at Ding below the Heijiao Stone in the scorching great hell.

King Dushi, governs hell beneath the sea, westward below the Heijiao Stone in the greatly scorching great hell.

King Pingdeng, manages hell beneath the sea, southwest below the Heijiao Stone in the Avici great hell.

King Zhuanlun's hall resides in the underworld beyond the Heijiao Stone, eastward, directly facing the world of five impurities.

Among the Ten Hall Yama are: Head Judge Cui Fujun, Zhong Kui, Black and White Impermanence, Oxhead, Horseface, and Meng Po. Thus, the underworld is structured this way.

Within these uniquely Chinese netherworld god systems, Buddhism created Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to better preach on Huaxia land. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva intends to ferry all the underworld souls, allowing people to cease wrongdoing, no longer falling into the underworld hell's suffering. Therefore, granting all souls forgiveness for past misdeeds if sincerely repentant and reforming; their sins could be leniently absolved, free from suffering punishments.

These are some similar legends about the underworld on the land of China. Ye Tianchen once saw in a book that within the civilized beliefs on Huaxia land, such places are called "hell".

Ye Tianchen wants to understand clearly because he senses that Earth, once a land of grand cultivation, is very unusual, able to trace back many inheritances and forces, making him puzzled. Why on Earth, not to mention the Martial Arts World, even the Mortal World, after billions of years, are still circulating some legends? Although some parts of these legends are incorrect or deviated, there are always some correct aspects, making it extremely eerie and mysterious. Earth is truly a place worth exploring many things. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)

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