Wet viviparity

Chapter 930 Sinner, Underworld Scenery
The gate to the underworld slowly closed behind them. Although the gate was short and small, it emitted a dull rumble.

Guided by the two gods, they walked forward and emerged from the cave. Bright light shone in from outside, and the scenery outside could be vaguely seen. Ji Ming stood still on the cliff platform at the far end of the cave and looked up. The scene before him made his heart tremble.

This is a boundless, dark world.

The sky hung low as lead, with no stars in sight, except for a dazzling light piercing the gloom in the distance.

The light came from a very distant place, where boiling steam and smoke rose into the sky, as if boiling from a large pot, tearing a hole in the dark sky.

At the very top center of the steam, there was a pitch-black circular hole, surrounded by an asymmetrical golden halo, like a gaping black maw trying to swallow this vast, scorching, and bright Yin Earth.

"That is the Taiyintian Cave."

Tu pointed into the distance and said, his voice exceptionally clear in the vast emptiness, “The Emperor’s residence will forever hang above the throat of the Wujian.”

"The throat groove without intermittent space?"

"Haha, that's a general term for the Avici Hell and the area deep within it that leads to the Land of Nothingness. That's what the underworld calls it. How could you, in the mortal realm, possibly know that?"

Ji Ming gazed ahead, hands behind his back, and said, "It is said that the land outside Wuhe is outside the world, but I think this place can also be considered outside the world for us living people."

"It's different, it's different."

Tu waved his hand in front and said, "The scenery and environment of the underworld are very different, but it has countless connections with the mortal world. However, once we reach the Land of Nothingness, everything we are familiar with and even trust will collapse. There, we will be as fragile and ignorant as a newborn baby crying on the ground."

Ji Ming was quite surprised that Tu could have such an understanding of the world beyond, but his gaze seemed to hurt Tu. He said, "We did not waste our time on the Immortal Mountain. We also observed the world, looked at the sky, and sought the Great Dao. However, the world is too deep and too vast. If we get caught up in it, we will lose ourselves, which makes us hesitate."

Upon hearing the word "self," Ji Ming knew that Tu Lei had also reached a profound level in the practice of sexual cultivation, but unfortunately, his habits were too strong and his ego too deep.

Ji Ming stared intently and saw three small caves floating about fifty miles below the celestial cave, arranged in a triangular pattern. The three small caves were close to the rising mist below, and although they were far apart, he could still feel the chilling aura emanating from them.

"These are the three great palaces of the Heavenly Official, the Earthly Official, and the Water Official," Lei explained in a low voice. "They are the key departments for the pursuit of life and death, and belong to the offices of the Three Primal Heavenly Venerables."

After Lei finished explaining, Tu continued, "Beyond the Wujian Throat Gully, to the south lies the Haoli Bitter Sea. The Bitter Sea is filled with ceaseless bitter rain. Near the Wujian Throat Gully, the seawater is stimulated by the cold air in the gully and freezes into glaciers, which is also known as the 'Frozen Hell'."

To the north of this throat groove lies the hot land of the underworld, which is where we are now. This place is always bright and scorching, with hot, dry winds blowing frequently.

When the fiery wind blows beyond the throat gully, its power is immense, turning the area into a place filled with exploding flames and poisonous fire. That place is called "Scorching Hell." When the fiery wind meets the icy wind from the Bitter Sea to the south, it becomes boiling fog over the gully.

You must never touch that fog; if you do, it means you are about to reach the Avici Hell.

Ji Ming and the two gods continued their journey, their feet treading on a scorching wasteland. The plants and trees grew strangely, their branches and leaves as sharp as swords, gleaming coldly in the dim light.

With a gentle sniff, the air was filled with the stench of sulfur and blood. A black wind, carrying sparks, rushed towards Ji Ming, stinging his face. He had come here purely with his physical body, but he hadn't expected the environment of the underworld to be so harsh that even someone with his cultivation felt uncomfortable.

Not long after they started walking, they saw the Great Master Dajian walking ahead of them.

This Zen master was not alone; he had someone in the underworld to meet him. That person was a man with a three-pronged steel fork, black beard, and naked body, with a bulging leather bag hanging from his waist.

"So it was you, you little devil!" Without another word, Lei raised his hand to grab the man, but seeing the man remove his leather pouch, he hesitated, clearly wary. "This is a magical treasure from the 'Western Golden Plague Palace'—the Black Plague Breathing Pouch!"

Ji Ming's eyes flickered. The Western Plague Palace was the Yin Heaven Palace of the Western Plague King in the Underworld within the Plague Department, and Zhao Tan was the Western Plague King of the Plague Department before becoming the Deputy Commander of Shenxiao.

When Ji Ming was digging into the background of the deputy commander's humble beginnings, he was quite impressed. Who would have thought that the deputy commander of Shenxiao had once been in a position where "eternal spirits could hardly attain sainthood"? This shows that there are many talented people among ghosts and gods. Seeing that the fortress had been cleared, the man also released his hand from the leather bag and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Ji Ming, saying, "I was merely startled and injured a ghost in the Plague Palace. I did not mean to offend you, little saint. I have important business to attend to today. I will definitely go to the mortal world to apologize another day."

As he spoke, a cold wind arose, carrying Zen Master Dajian into the dark clouds.

Seeing Ji Ming's unhurried demeanor, Tu asked, "Should we head to Shimu Hill ahead of time?"

"Not urgent!"

Ji Ming shook his head.

With the help of the Western Plague Palace in the underworld, Zen Master Caihu is sure to have many backup plans here. We must not fall into their trap.

Furthermore, if the Zen master wants to take the three karmic connections away from him, winning this test alone is not enough; there must be some unimaginable backup plan. Ji Ming had a bad feeling.

The more this is the case, the more calm he needs to remain.

The pupils in his eyes were already calculating the cause of this matter. Although the mystery was very difficult to understand, the pupils had now made progress in their cultivation on the "Taiyi Golden Lamp" in the "Taiyi Divine Calculation". Some information was being extracted from the mystery of the calculation.

Ahead, a chorus of wails could be heard.

Where the blood-red light soared into the sky, a train could be vaguely seen traveling through the gray river. The dull thud of iron rods striking flesh and the clanging of copper hammers hitting the ground intertwined, each sound stimulating the mind. Countless ferocious beasts roamed in the shadows, their eyes burning with eerie green flames, making this scene in the underworld even more beautiful.

Ji Ming and the two gods walked along a gravel path. The dark clouds in the sky gradually thinned, and palaces could be seen faintly in the shadowy light, which resembled a group of snakes winding through the darkness.

These are the palaces of the underworld, places that every ghost and spirit in the netherworld yearns for. Only by having one's own palace here can one be considered to have a place in the underworld.

Ru Tu and Lei's palaces are located south of the Bitter Sea, which is considered an upper-level palace in the underworld. Above them are the six great god and demon caves of the six departments of the main underworld, as well as the three small caves of heaven, earth, and water, the Heavenly Fox Courtyard of the Goddess of Mount Tai, and finally the Taiyin Heavenly Cave of the Northern Underworld Emperor.

As they walked, Tu and Lei gradually fell silent.

They noticed a glimmer of golden light flickering in Ling Xuzi's eyes, and a mysterious secret surged forth, making them all feel heavy-hearted.

The two gods exchanged glances, both seeing admiration in each other's eyes.

Ordinary people, when trying to deduce the mysteries of the past, would have to choose a secluded mountain valley, cut off from all external interference, in order to concentrate on this task in a single moment. But Ling Xuzi could deduce things while walking, sitting, or lying down. This skill is truly profound.

"Little Qinggu!"

A flash of golden light appeared in Ji Ming's eyes, and his pupils had already deduced the first sinner among the Ten Wood Hills.

Just then, a river of blood suddenly appeared by the roadside, with mutilated limbs floating in it. The water was boiling, constantly bubbling with a foul stench.

There is a stone bridge over the river, its surface covered with sharp spikes. Several ghosts are struggling to crawl across it, each inch they move only to be pierced by the spikes and become bloody and mangled. On the other side of the bridge is a pavilion with the words "Peeling Pavilion" written on it.

Inside the pavilion stood a woman in green. Beneath her thin clothes, fluttering in the cold wind, her emaciated frame was visible. On her head was a crown of shimmering, eerie light.

"Big Green Girl".

Ji Mingdao.

(End of this chapter)