Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 979 Dungeon Settlement
From the Qin unification to the Chu-Han Contention, the legitimate descendants of the royal families of the six kingdoms were either killed, demoted to commoners, or scattered among the people in hiding. Even those once-illustrious nobles did not necessarily fare well.

The old Chu nobles who followed Xiang Yu basically disappeared after Gaixia; and those who chose to follow Liu Bang were also killed after the hunt, and few of them were able to die a good death.

After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu, Empress Lü, and even Emperors Wen and Jing continued to implement the policy of strengthening the central government and weakening local powers, relocating powerful families, and cracking down on vassal kings, which repeatedly weakened the influence of the nobles of the six former states.

Over the centuries, it has long since completely faded from the center of the historical stage.

The mainstream aristocratic families of today mostly originated from important officials, local magnates, and later gentry during the Han Dynasty. They are quite different from the old-established noble families under the enfeoffment system of the pre-Qin period.

The trail seems to have ended there. How can we trace back an identity that has long since vanished into the annals of history?

But Xu Xuan thought again that it was precisely because of its rarity, even its near extinction, that once confirmed, it might become a highly indicative clue!

Members of the White Lotus Sect are masters of concealment and disguise, changing their appearance and making them difficult to track using ordinary methods.

However, if it can be confirmed that its core members have such unique and rare backgrounds, and further supplemented by methods such as causal inference and divination, perhaps...

It's quite possible that this guy will reveal his true colors on his own, or even deliberately run into us!
"I'll take this clue."

Xu Xuan nodded to Chen Sheng, acknowledging his value, and then continued to press for more information.

Chen Sheng continued his recollection, providing even more crucial information:

"It seems that Dazhi is not a newcomer to the underworld, but rather has made many arrangements and is quite familiar with the environment here."

"After my soul descended to the Blood Pool Hell and met with me, it did not stay long. Instead, it used some secret method to sneak away to other levels of hell, its whereabouts mysterious."

He paused, then added a more recent clue:
"Moreover, just a few months ago, a major incident occurred in the Sixth Prison: the Black Mountain Demon was besieged by numerous forces."

"During that turmoil, I vaguely sensed a trace of Dazhi's presence. He seemed to have also appeared in the Sixth Prison, but I don't know if he was participating in the siege or had other plans."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan's expression became somewhat strange.

Goodness, this Great Wisdom Dharma King has quite a wide range of business, wandering all over the underworld?
They even went to the Sixth Prison to join the fun? Did they also go to besiege Old Black?

The White Lotus Sect really stretches its reach far.

Chen Sheng, unaware of Xu Xuan's unusual behavior, then dropped a bombshell:
"By the way, Dazhi has also been trying to find the Yin-Yang Dharma King, seemingly seeking cooperation. It's probably because places like Dazexiang, where the natural Yin-Yang barrier is weak, are hard to find. He wants a more stable underworld passage that he can enter and exit at any time."

Xu Xuan: "..."

The expression on his face was no longer strange, but extremely interesting, a subtle mix of wanting to laugh but forcibly holding it back.

Looking to collaborate with the Yin-Yang Master? Need a stable access route?

The remains of Yin Yang Lao Ge... no, it's his essence. Now it's like a "brick" for our Baoan Hall, ready to be moved wherever needed.

If you want to find him...

Could you... come find me?

Sigh... You know what, you really shouldn't say that!
A brilliant and interesting idea flashed through Xu Xuan's mind like lightning!
That's right! According to official rumors in the underworld, the whereabouts of the Yin-Yang Dharma King are unknown.

Even the bigwigs of the Five Directions Ghost Emperor's Dojo concluded that he had simply hidden himself away and had not truly perished.

So, can this "Yin-Yang Dharma King" disguise be used again?
Imagine the scene: The Great Wisdom Dharma King went to great lengths and, through various channels, finally contacted the "Hidden Yin-Yang Dharma King," and the two agreed to meet at a secluded place where Yin and Yang meet to discuss cooperation.

When I stepped into the meeting place full of anticipation, I found it packed with "enthusiastic employees" from Baoantang, with myself probably leading the group with a smile...

For the enemy, wouldn't this place be even more terrifying than the eighteenth level of hell—the nineteenth level of hell?!

Xu Shanren Xuan's smile gradually widened, looking rather distorted and "perverted."

The sight of Yu Ji, who was so close, caused her to instinctively drift back half a foot. Even the bound Chen Sheng couldn't help but tremble, trying to create some distance.

Xiao Qing, however, didn't quite understand what her good brother had come up with... no, what a brilliant idea he had come up with.

But based on the tacit understanding and trust they had cultivated over a long period of time, she immediately concluded that it must be a good idea.

So he followed the formation without hesitation, revealing his signature, villainous "hehehehe" laugh.

A holy monk and a water deity, both smiling with increasing "kindness".

This is the true value of the original Justice Team!
"Ahem," Xu Xuan seemed to realize that he had lost control of his expression. He coughed twice, restrained his overly "bright" smile, put on a compassionate expression again, and began to do the final cleaning work.

"Prince Chen, is there anything else you wish to explain? For example... your possessions?"

Chen Sheng was now utterly despondent, only seeking "decency." Upon hearing this, he readily agreed, waving his ghostly claw and spitting out all the possessions he had collected and refined over hundreds of years in the Blood Pool Hell.

A rusty longsword, a tattered "Zhang Chu" battle flag imbued with the resentment of countless soldiers, and some insidious-looking magical artifacts were scattered on the ground.

It must be said that Chen Sheng did not have any orthodox lineage, and he fought alone in the underworld, never joining any major forces with a complete weapon-refining system.

Although these possessions accumulated over hundreds of years exude a menacing aura and are stained with blood, clearly the equipment of a standard villain, their actual quality and crafting methods are quite crude, belonging to the category of "unorthodox" products.

Xu Xuan glanced at it, showing no sign of disgust.

After all, it's something you got for free, so you can't be picky.

He even picked out a few pieces of "Nine Nether Cold Iron" and "Blood Pool Refined Gold" of good quality, nodded, and said that these materials, which were unique to the underworld, would still be useful after being brought back to the mortal world and refined a little.

Once it was confirmed that Chen Sheng had been completely exploited, the ritual for his salvation was officially put on the agenda.

Xu Xuan, disguised as Zen Master Fahai, calmly took out a complete set of professional tools from his jade pot.

A small table inscribed with the mantra for rebirth in the Pure Land, a bronze incense burner, three sticks of specially made incense for rebirth, a pair of white candles, several elegant offerings, and a white banner for summoning the soul.

Finally, with great solemnity, a genuine Buddhist statue brought out from the City of the Wrongfully Dead, imbued with a trace of the compassionate vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, was placed in the center of the altar.

In this thirteen-level Blood Pool Hell, filled with resentment and surging blood waves, a small-scale ritual with a completely different style quietly began.

The low chanting of Buddhist hymns and the wafting fragrance of sandalwood created a striking contrast with the surrounding environment.

Xu Xuan formed a mudra with his hands and recited the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra. His voice was solemn and dignified, a stark contrast to his "perverted" smile just moments before.

A soft, golden light emanated from the Buddha statue and scriptures, like warm sunlight, beginning to purify.

Although Chen Sheng lingered in the underworld for hundreds of years, he had been ordered by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, to have a tomb guarded for him during his lifetime, and he continued to enjoy the incense offerings of the "King of the First Uprising" in the human world. Therefore, his true spirit did not completely fall into evil ways.

The centuries of suffering in the blood pool were largely due to obsession, and the accumulated resentment and karma have mostly dissipated over the long years and with the washing away of incense offerings.

Therefore, the deliverance ceremony presided over by the "Pure Land Sect's Top Scholar" proceeded unexpectedly smoothly.

Under the solemn chanting of Buddhist scriptures and the gentle light of Buddha, the hideous armor formed from resentment on Chen Sheng's soul began to peel away and dissipate piece by piece.

The fatal arrow wound on his left chest, which throbbed like molten lava, gradually healed and disappeared, like a smoothed-out wrinkle.

The dark blue ghost face returned to calm, and the rugged outline of the heroes of the past could still be vaguely seen. The entire soul became transparent and light, exuding a peaceful and serene aura.

Ultimately, regardless of whether this rebel king, who once cried out "Are kings and nobles born with special privileges?" and harbored lofty ambitions, still felt resentment deep down, or whether he still longed for his unfinished ambitions, he was forcibly delivered from the cycle of reincarnation under the irresistible pull of Buddhist vows and the rules of reincarnation.

A soul shimmering with starlight drifted away from the Blood Pool Hell and headed towards the deepest part of the Underworld, the ultimate place that maintains the balance of heaven and earth and the rebirth of all living beings—the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

Xu Xuan watched the disappearing starlight, clapped his hands, brushed away non-existent dust, and spoke with a hint of relief at having finished his work, even a touch of Versailles-like感慨:

"Sigh, it looks like this year's performance... is going to exceed the target again."

This is no exaggeration. In the past three years, the top seller in the Pure Land sect has basically been secured by this "Zen Master Fahai" at the beginning of the year.

After all, normal Buddhist monks try to help the lingering wronged souls and evil spirits in the mortal world. How could someone like him go straight to the underworld and hell, blocking the door of his "clients" to provide "door-to-door service" and forcibly help them pass on their souls?

With this kind of efficiency, how could it not be high?

However, the moment Chen Sheng was released from his suffering and his aura as a demon king completely dissipated, the various demons and ghosts that had been hiding in the shadows in the Blood Pool Hell could no longer hold back!

Without Chen Sheng's suppression, their yearning for life in the mortal world and their desire to possess the Yin-Yang passage that was so close at hand burned wildly in their hearts like wildfire!
It is unclear who let out the first roar, but in an instant, countless demons and ghosts of various shapes, exuding a strong aura of evil and greed, surged out from every corner of the blood pool like a flood bursting its banks, rushing towards the still-standing black gate without regard for anything else!

They tore at each other and trampled each other, just to get one step closer to the passage.

However, the passage was surrounded by an army of 60,000 demons and ghosts, as well as the Shu Mountain swordsmen who were ready for battle.

Not to mention the passage itself, which began to become unstable after losing the continuous energy supply from Chen Sheng and the Reversal Dragon-Slaying Formation.

Thus, before these hundreds and thousands of evil spirits even touched the passage, they fell one after another at the edge of the Blood Pool Hell, their souls scattered.

"Justice Squad, prepare to retreat!" Xu Xuan ignored everything else and gave the order directly.

They had successfully completed their mission and had no intention of staying in this chaotic, blood-soaked hell to start another endless "war".

The recent battle against Chen Sheng's army of 100,000 has provided a wealth of resources, whether for honing personal skills, practicing teamwork, or even for the spoils of war.

(End of this chapter)