Primordial Era: Starting with the repair of Penglai Immortal Island

The underworld.

The moment Huanglong landed, he felt the familiar laws of the underworld envelop him.

He is the ruler of Fengdu, and in this underworld, his power is second only to that of the Goddess Houtu.

The surrounding nether energy sensed his arrival and spontaneously parted to the sides, making way for a clear path.

This was Duobao's first time entering the underworld.

The senior disciple of the Jie Sect frowned, not because he felt uncomfortable, but because the laws of the underworld were completely different from those of the primordial world.

There is no spiritual energy in the air here, only the aura of the underworld; there are no sun, moon, or stars overhead, only a dark sky; the earth beneath your feet is a somber gray, and all the plants are filled with the aura of the underworld.

Further away, a turbid, blood-red river stretches across the horizon, its waters flowing silently.

Countless blurry shadows struggled slowly on the river's surface. Only by climbing out of the River of Oblivion could one be qualified to enter the cycle of reincarnation; otherwise, one could only dissolve in this river!

Bridges span the River of Oblivion, through which countless souls pass to enter the underworld.

On the opposite bank of the river, the enormous phantom of the Six Paths of Reincarnation disc emitted six-colored light in the darkness, the only light in this underworld.

Huang Long walked at the very front.

With each step he took, a black and gold lotus phantom appeared beneath his feet, a manifestation of the authority of the Lord of Fengdu!

On this land of the underworld, he was not a disciple of the Chan Sect, nor the Ziwei Emperor, but the Fengdu Emperor.

Xuan Du walked beside him, the purple-gold gourd in his hands emitting a faint purple-gold light in the darkness of the underworld.

The light was warm and soft, a stark contrast to the eerie chill of the underworld.

The spirit within the gourd seemed to sense something and trembled slightly.

Duobao walked at the back, his gaze never leaving the purple-gold gourd in Xuandu's hand.

The Emperor's army had weighed on his mind for ten thousand years, and now that things were finally looking up, he could hardly believe it.

Zi Ling followed closely behind Huang Long, her purple eyes filled with curiosity.

Although she had heard Huanglong say that the entire underworld was built by her master, she naturally wanted to take a good look at it now that she had seen it.

As we crossed the River of Oblivion and passed the Bridge of Helplessness, the underworld officials responsible for guiding the souls of the dead also retreated and made way for us.

Finally, the group arrived inside the Hall of the Demon King.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation Wheel slowly rotates, each rotation causing the flow of the Netherworld's energy.

The faint light guides all living beings in the underworld.

In the very center of the roulette wheel, a towering platform stands majestically.

A figure stood on the high platform.

She stood there, her aura naturally merging with the cycle of rebirth, not by force, but like water returning to water, like earth returning to earth.

Houtu Niangniang (Goddess of the Earth).

One of the twelve ancestral witches in the past, now the lord of the underworld.

She is the sole master of this netherworld, and even the Heavenly Saints' authority in the underworld is inferior to hers.

Because she doesn't rule the underworld; she *is* the underworld.

When she transformed herself into the underworld, she completely merged her existence into it.

Huang Long dropped his casual demeanor.

He straightened his robes, raised his hands to his eyebrows, and bowed deeply.

"I have met the Goddess Houtu in Fengdu."

Zi Ling, Xuan Du, and Duo Bao also bowed at the same time.

This ancestral witch, the ruler of the underworld, is of the same generation as the Three Pure Ones and possesses authority in the underworld no less than that of a saint.

Houtu slowly turned around.

His eyes swept over each of them.

As she passed Huanglong, she nodded slightly. This was the authority personally granted to her by the Lord of Fengdu!

When his gaze swept over Xuandu, it lingered for a moment on the purple-gold gourd in his hand; when it swept over Duobao, a hint of a half-smile flashed in his eyes; finally, when it landed on Ziling, he revealed a kind smile.

"Yellow Dragon," Houtu spoke, her voice as calm as an ancient well, "what brings you here?"

Huang Long straightened up and said solemnly, "Empress Houtu, I have come here to send Senior Hongyun's true spirit into the cycle of reincarnation."

He didn't beat around the bush and stated the purpose of his trip directly.

Houtu heard this!

Her gaze fell once again on the purple-gold gourd in Xuandu's hand, and she remained silent for a moment.

Her face was calm and expressionless, revealing no emotion, but Huanglong could sense that Houtu's attention was completely focused on the gourd.

The Wheel of Reincarnation slowly turned, emitting a deep rumble. Six-colored light flowed around Houtu, casting her figure in alternating light and shadow.

"Red Cloud." Houtu spoke slowly, her voice carrying a faint trace of emotion, "I once heard the Dao at Zixiao Palace and possessed the sacred opportunity of the Primordial Purple Qi."

She paused, then shifted her gaze to Huanglong.

"What a pity."

Three words, yet they contain so much. It's a pity that Hongyun possessed such a treasure, yet ignored Zhen Yuanzi's advice, and sadly, Hongyun perished young.

But more than anything, it's a pity that the great opportunity that should have belonged to him was split into three.

Houtu withdrew her gaze and looked again at the purple-gold gourd in Xuandu's hand.

Her voice remained calm, but carried an added weight that left no room for doubt.

"They want me to help Hongyun reincarnate as a human..."

She paused.

"Can."

Xuandu and Duobao both breathed a sigh of relief.

But Houtu's next words made them anxious again.

"Huanglong." Houtu's gaze fell on Huanglong. "You have to promise me one thing."

Huanglong was taken aback. Shouldn't it be Xuandu or Duobao?

How did it become Huanglong?

Huang Long did not answer immediately.

He glanced at Xuandu, then at Duobao.

The two of them were looking at him, their eyes filled with expectation.

Huang Long reluctantly withdrew his gaze; having too many debts was never a bad thing.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"Your Majesty, please give your orders."

"No rush!"

Houtu did not immediately say what it was.

She simply nodded slightly and turned her gaze back to the purple-gold gourd in Xuandu's hand.

Huang Long understood her meaning: first release Hongyun's true spirit, and then discuss the rest later.

Huanglong looked at Xuandu.

Xuanhui understood and opened the purple-gold gourd.

The moment the lid was opened, a beam of light burst forth from the gourd's mouth.

The light was a clear, crimson red, warm but not scorching, blooming in the darkness of the underworld like a miniature sun suddenly descending.

Wherever the crimson light passed, the ghostly energy within a radius of several feet retreated on its own!

The light condensed in mid-air.

A figure slowly took shape.

He was a middle-aged Taoist priest with a thin face and a natural gentle air about him.

He was dressed in a crimson Taoist robe, the cloud patterns on which were simple yet elegant.

Hongyun Laozu.

This once-divine being, after experiencing the fall of his soul, the shattering of his spirit, and the nurturing of countless years, has finally reappeared in the world in its complete form.

He stood before the Wheel of Reincarnation, his brows slightly furrowed.

Having just recovered from his spiritual state, he was still somewhat dazed, experiencing the unique disorientation one feels upon waking from a long slumber.

He looked up and glanced around.

A dark sky, a gray earth, the surging River of Oblivion, and the slowly rotating Wheel of Reincarnation.

His brow furrowed even deeper.

"Where is this?"

His voice was a little hoarse!

Huanglong replied, "Senior Hongyun, this is the underworld."