Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1048 First Entry into the Underworld
From then on, he transcended the ordinary and entered sainthood, shedding his mortal form and attaining the first realization of the Dharma body.

To reach this state, two major tasks must be accomplished: first, accumulate merit and wisdom; second, eradicate the habitual tendencies of beginningless karma.

Back then, he suppressed the Yunmeng Marsh and saved countless people from suffering. This merit has long since allowed him to accumulate abundant blessings and wisdom.

Since heading north, they have faced numerous hardships at every turn.

The number and severity of the calamities were such that no other monk in the world could match them.

“Back then, Tang Sanzang went through eighty-one tribulations and obtained not only the true scriptures, but also the Buddhahood.” Xu Xuan realized in his heart, “Although I have only suffered a few tribulations, each one is enough to destroy the body and soul of an ordinary cultivator.”

Using such a tribulation to break through to the third realm is indeed a bit "excessive," but it is precisely because of this that the foundation has been honed to an extremely solid level, even far exceeding the scope of a monk.

Now everything is ready, all we need is the east wind.

By using the waters of the Nine Springs to wash away the most stubborn karmic habits deep within one's soul, one can naturally attain the Dharmakaya.

This is precisely the deeper meaning behind Ruoxu's statement that his trip was a "chance encounter".

The Nine Springs connect Yin and Yang, containing the power of reincarnation, and their effect on refining karma is truly unparalleled in the world.

However, Xu Xuan felt little joy.

He clearly sensed that his path to enlightenment and realization of the Dharma body would not be easy.

The path of cultivating both Buddha and demon is unprecedented, and the concept of "indulging in desires and maintaining one's true nature" goes against common sense.

On this path that one has forged oneself, the attainment of the Dharma body will inevitably trigger extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth, and may even bring unprecedented calamities.

While pondering the way forward, he continued to descend along the dark currents of the underworld.

The vengeful spirits and ghosts around them grew denser, like a school of fish drawn by an invisible whirlpool, all surging in the same direction.

This must be the path leading to the initial breach.

When the enormous crack appeared before his eyes, even the well-informed Xu Xuan couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

This is no longer a "breach" but a huge trench stretching between the realms of Yin and Yang, so deep and bottomless that it could swallow an entire mountain.

The edges of the crack continued to collapse, and the yellowish-brown spring water intertwined with the soil of the living world, forming a boundary between life and death.

This reminds me of the story of Duke Zhuang of Zheng digging the ground to find his mother.
"We will not meet again until we reach the Yellow Springs."

"If that king were to see such a scene, he would probably regret it again."

The laws of life and death collide fiercely here, forming an invisible barrier.

Almost every living being that steps into it is destined never to return.

Then, Xu Xuan leaped down without hesitation.

The underworld, here I come again!
This time it was still an illegal crossing; there were no gates of hell open for him, and no messengers came to welcome him.

Only an endless sense of death permeated the water, and the yellowish-brown current became unusually heavy, carrying the aura of death from all parts of the Three Realms.

Broken magical artifacts, decaying corpses, and dissipated souls all float and sink in this waterfall leading to the underworld.

The Holy Father went against the current, his radiant aura standing out starkly against the still waters of the spring.

Along the way, they occasionally encountered some "old things" trying to escape hell by going upstream along the Yellow Springs.

These ghosts are all highly skilled and possess treasures that can resist the pull of the Yellow Springs.

Their obsession with the human world has not diminished over millions of years; this is an instinct that almost all ghosts are born with.

Xu Xuan observed these fugitives with great interest.

They're working very hard.

Some of the ghosts were deathly pale, clearly having reached their limit; some clenched their teeth tightly, their souls trembling incessantly; and some, under the scouring of the Yellow Springs, had their protective magic treasures suddenly crumble, their entire souls instantly dissipating into the spring water.

"It seems that even with magical treasures protecting me and magical power to enhance my abilities, it is still too difficult to break through the boundary between life and death."

Xu Xuan sighed inwardly, the fact that not a single ghost had managed to escape from Xingyang County so far was enough to demonstrate how difficult this path was.

However, it was indeed seen that several exceptionally powerful evil spirits were able to withstand the scouring force of the Yellow Springs and make a difficult approach to the location of the Yin-Yang breach.

These old ghosts each possessed a thousand years of cultivation, and their protective magic treasures shone brightly, creating a safe zone in the murky river water.

“There are quite a few capable people in the Ghost Realm,” Xu Xuan nodded to himself.

But... these evil spirits are really unlucky.

Theoretically speaking, the Underworld is not anyone's private property, and it seems reasonable for these ghosts to want to escape against the current.

But Xu Xuan already had a plan in mind: this Yellow Springs Hell would soon become his "second hometown".

Since we will take over this place sooner or later, how can we allow these evil spirits to wantonly disrupt the order of Yin and Yang?
"Instead of seeking redemption in hell for your immense karma, you want to escape to the human world and cause chaos?" A cold glint flashed in Xu Zhengyi Luren's eyes.

"It's really courting death!"

He immediately adjusted his posture, and a burst of Buddhist light suddenly emanated from his body.

Before the evil spirits struggling to climb could react, they were struck hard by the golden light—in an instant, shrill screams echoed in the underworld, and one by one, the thousand-year-old ghosts turned into green smoke in the Buddha's light, their souls completely purified.

"To restore peace to the underworld."

Xu Xuan said calmly and continued to sink.

After an incense stick's time, having traversed an unknown distance, a sudden light appeared before my eyes, and I finally saw the river.

With a "plop," it burst out of the Yellow Springs and landed steadily on the water's surface.

At first glance, the sight before him startled him. Under a dark red sky, the winding River of the Underworld flowed across the land, its banks covered with eerie spider lilies.

In the distance, rolling hills reveal the faint outlines of ancient city walls.

Although the place was eerie, the overall layout was surprisingly well-organized. Compared to the chaos and bloodshed of other hells, this place was remarkably orderly.

"What a magnificent hellish prison for chasing ghosts from the underworld!" Xu Xuan exclaimed. "Judging by its appearance alone, this is the most beautiful hellish scenery I have ever seen. It's quite interesting."

He immediately took out a photo-capture bead from his pocket and started taking pictures of the surrounding scenery.

After finding the perfect angle, he lowered his voice and cleared his throat:

"Cough cough."

A deep, magnetic voice slowly echoed on the silent shores of the underworld:

"Look, everyone, this is the end of memories, and also the execution ground for obsessions. Compared to the mortal world, the characteristics of the underworld are more extreme and purer."

The camera pans to the amber-colored river, its color seemingly warm as honey, yet chilling to the bone to the touch.

A soul accidentally fell into the river, and its edges immediately glowed with an eerie light, silently decomposing and dissipating as if it had been thrown into concentrated acid.

"The process of extinction is not painful, but only a sense of emptiness where all things return to stillness. It is as if a lifetime of clamor and struggle is only worthy of such a silent funeral."

The river flows eternally forward, irreversibly.

The memories of countless lost souls unfold like a shadow play on the river.

There are toddlers learning to walk, scholars studying diligently in their studies, and generals reviewing their troops on the battlefield.

However, these vivid images faded and disintegrated into billions of golden dust particles under the erosion of the flowing water, eventually merging into the amber-colored waves.

"The most severe punishment is to make someone consciously watch their 'self' be erased inch by inch."

Meanwhile, those stubborn and vengeful ghosts continue to frantically chase after the illusions conjured by their own karma in the river. Perhaps it's unresolved grudges, or perhaps unfinished love affairs. In their endless pursuit, they hasten their own annihilation.

"Here, corrosion is purification, and stripping is liberation."

Xu Xuan's voice carried a hint of detachment:

"The Yellow Springs, with its absolute and irresistible flow, enforces the coldest yet most compassionate law in the world: all streams return to silence, and all thoughts turn to dust."

After reading the carefully prepared narration, gently lift the recording bead. The bead floats in mid-air and begins to slowly rotate, revealing the entire panorama of the Underworld Ghost-Chasing Prison.

From the winding river to the sea of ​​red spider lilies, from the flowing river of memories to the vengeful ghost chasing after bubbles, a magnificent 360-degree panoramic view is completed.

After completing this unique "life can be recorded even in hell" segment, Xu Xuan officially began the main purpose of his trip.

A faint blue light emanated from his body, and the power of 'Fengdu Cheqian' was particularly conspicuous in the netherworld.

With a little effort, he easily broke free from the shackles of the Yellow Springs, stepping on the amber-colored river water, and walked step by step toward the other side.

Along the riverbank, a boundless sea of ​​vibrant red spider lilies stretches out.

These scarlet flowers are the crystallization of the unresolved obsessions of countless departed souls.

In Buddhism, the red spider lily is regarded as a "flower of the heavens," symbolizing the cycle of birth and death and transcendence, and is endowed with many meanings.

What's rather absurd is that most of the meaning is attributed to love.

It's a story about two beings—whether human, demon, or god—who, after being punished, never see each other again.

It perfectly aligns with the aesthetics of ancient betrothal.

The only one who could possibly rival it was the Yu Meiren, who had just been resurrected from Xiaoxian County; she was quite tragically beautiful.

Of course, just as Yu Meiren is now incredibly powerful and a master strategist, Manjusaka isn't exactly kind either.

As Xu Xuan, this vibrant being, stepped onto the shore, the nearest sea of ​​flowers seemed to come alive and spread towards him, their delicate stamens trembling slightly, as if trying to draw life force and memories from the living person.

"Out of control."

Before he stopped walking, dark red karmic flames suddenly rose around him.

The hellish environment has a special amplification effect on karmic fire; wherever the flames pass, the spider lilies instantly turn to ashes, leaving behind a scorched wasteland.

The greedy flower stamen emitted a faint shriek in the flames and quickly retreated underground.

Xu Xuancai doesn't care about any of that nonsense about love and romance; all he wants to do right now is focus on his career!
"Let me see, where is my big rock?"

He swiped his hand across his brow, striking a classic "eagle-eyed" pose.

This stance was learned from a monkey. Although the effects are vastly different, the momentum cannot be lost.

Golden light shone in his eyes, piercing through layers of dark mist and scanning the surrounding area for dozens of miles.

Suddenly, his expression hardened:
"Huh?! There's a monster bullying my family's monster!"

"court death!"

Xu Xuan was furious, and his body was filled with both Buddhist light and karmic fire.

He leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of gold and red light, and shot straight into the distance.

Do you understand the true value of a great demon in the mortal realm? Once you reach the underworld, no one can subdue you!

"Don't panic, Stone King! I'm coming!!!"

(End of this chapter)