Chapter 10: Yuqing’s Personally Transmitted True Talisman!

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord stood alone before the Ghost Gate Pass. As he released his hands, the two green-faced, fanged ghosts crashed heavily onto the ground before slowly dissipating into pure baleful aura, merging into the waters of the Yellow Springs.

He glanced at Qi Wuhuo, let out a sigh of relief, and asked gently, “Little friend, are you unharmed?”

The Northern Ghost Emperor looked at the gentle-looking man. Seemingly unable to recognize him, he hesitated for a long while before saying, “[All Things Cease]?”

“Ahem… W-What do you mean, All Things Cease?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Settled Rest, Settled Rest. My title is Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord.”

The gentle-looking True Lord of the Underworld coughed several times before casually stretching his body, signaling for the young Daoist not to worry. Then he looked toward the towering Northern Ghost Emperor and asked, “Why did you bring this little friend into your Fengdu City?”

“Yang Yun.”

“Release him. If you wish to fight and kill, I’ll accompany you.”

“Hahaha! You? You’ll accompany me?”

“Back then, you were nothing more than a deputy general of the Underworld, yet you dare utter such arrogant words?!”

The Northern Ghost Emperor threw back his head in loud laughter. One hand still supported Qi Wuhuo, while another arm suddenly expanded, growing even larger as it viciously smashed toward Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord.

Earlier, the Northern Ghost Emperor had merely been testing Qi Wuhuo. This strike, however, was filled with naked killing intent, relying solely upon overwhelming strength to crush his opponent.

The colossal fist came crashing down.

They were standing at the deepest reaches of the Yellow Springs, and in that instant, it seemed as though the rushing waters of the Yellow Springs roared like thunder.

The waters of the Yellow Springs flowed through all eighteen layers of the Underworld. Merely stirring them was enough to throw the entire Underworld into turmoil. Such was the might of the aftershock alone; there was no need to question the force of the attack itself.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord was slammed straight down!

The waters of the Yellow Springs transformed into roaring whirlpools surging along both sides, their rumbling like peals of thunder.

Savagery, madness, and cruelty were vividly written across the Northern Ghost Emperor’s face.

Yet at that moment, he suddenly froze.

The mountain-like gigantic hand slowly began to rise once more—but not through his own strength. Another force had forcibly shaken it aside.

Accompanied by a long, furious roar, an immense and majestic power burst forth, forcefully knocking away the Northern Ghost Emperor’s enormous hand, a hand mighty enough to push open the Ghost Gate Pass itself.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord finally opened his eyes completely. His gaze seemed to burn with perpetual fury, as Primordial Qi coiled around him.

Behind him, his Primordial Spirit stirred.

It was as though, after being restrained for so long, it had finally been allowed to stretch its limbs!

With nothing more than a leisurely stretch, his Primordial Spirit Dharma Image expanded to over three thousand meters in height.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord’s sleeves hung naturally. Upon his black imperial robes were depicted the eighteen layers of the Underworld’s hells, countless sufferings, the myriad forms of death, and the karmic ties of the Yellow Springs. Lowering his eyes slightly, he slowly extended the five fingers of his right hand. His hand was not particularly fair, but it radiated tremendous strength.

The methods of the direct Yuanshi lineage differed from those of Taishang, and also from those of Lingbao.

The methods of Taishang were both cultivation and the supreme principles of alchemy. The methods of Lingbao were both cultivation and the supreme path of artifact refinement.

The methods of Yuqing were mental cultivation, the art of condensing Primordial Qi, and the Yuqing True Talismans. They were also among the most supreme methods of artifact refinement.

Yet at this moment, they were being driven by the authority and power of a Lord of the Underworld.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord merely raised a hand.

Within the palm of the ink-violet Primordial Spirit behind him rested a True Talisman.

Inscribed upon it in ancient script—the foremost of all talismanic scripts—was its name: [Yuqing Edict: Overturning Heaven, Demon-Suppressing True Talisman].

The young Daoist felt an immense heaviness descend between Heaven and Earth. He felt the oppressive weight filling the void itself, as though all things and all Daoist arts had returned to a single strand of Primordial Qi.

This…

…was Heaven.

The Northern Ghost Emperor also sensed the terrifying might of the technique and instinctively raised an arm to block it.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord casually turned his wrist and said calmly,

“Overturning Heaven.”

The Primordial Spirit Dharma Image towering over three thousand meters behind him let out a furious roar.

It directly shattered the Yuqing True Talisman branded into his Primordial Spirit by the Great Heavenly Venerable.

Recreating one of the Great Heavenly Venerable’s attacks from ages past.

Before the Northern Ghost Emperor could even react, that terrifying divine might had already descended heavily upon his head.

Boom!

With an earth-shaking explosion, the Ghost Emperor’s head—with its green face, protruding fangs, and crimson, flame-like disheveled hair—was blasted apart.

The impact was so overwhelming that even the waters of the Yellow Springs were driven back for a brief instant, revealing Fengdu Ghost City once more.

The sheer horror of that scene caused the young Daoist’s thoughts to grind to a halt.

He had, in a sense, personally experienced just how fierce and overbearing the methods of the direct Yuqing lineage truly were.

Only after more than a dozen breaths did the Yellow Springs, which flowed through all eighteen layers of the Underworld, begin moving once again.

Qi Wuhuo almost believed that Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord had slain the Northern Ghost Emperor with that single strike.

“…So it really is you, [All Things Cease]. Whenever battle begins, your very first move is always a killing blow. All your life you’ve been cruel and bloodthirsty, mad as a demon. You delight most in smashing people’s skulls with heavy weapons and severing their heads. When you slaughter, your face is as ferocious as an evil ghost. You became famous after, in a fit of extreme rage, driving a Heavenly Official’s head into His own chest with a single palm strike, forcing Him to watch His own heart.”

“Throughout the Underworld, they all say that if you run into him, it’s because you lacked Yin Virtue in your previous life. In this life, it truly means [All Things Cease].”

“I’m… Yin Virtue Settled Rest. Yin Virtue True Lord. Yin Virtue!”

“The True Lord with the greatest Yin Virtue in the entire Underworld!”

“The greatest Yin Virtue!”

“You damned idiot, are you deaf?!”

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord ground his teeth, clearly unwilling to speak of his past.

Then, as though suddenly remembering that the young Daoist was still present, he turned slightly to one side. His warm smile instantly returned as he nodded repeatedly. “Ah… well… Little friend, there’s no need to worry, no need to worry… He’s just talking nonsense.”

The Northern Ghost Emperor let out a scornful laugh. “So this is the divine art personally bestowed by the Yuqing Yuanshi Great Heavenly Venerable?”

“Heh. It seems to be nothing special.”

His Primordial Spirit suddenly churned, restoring him to his previous appearance—a green face with protruding fangs and six arms extending from his back—as though he had not suffered the slightest injury.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord replied, “Were it not for the presence of an outsider, causing me to hold back my strength…”

“…how could you still be alive?”

“Release him!”

With that, he raised his right hand once more, seemingly intending to unleash Overturning Heaven again without pause.

The Northern Ghost Emperor burst into laughter. His enormous frame towered aloft as two of the arms behind him reached into the void before suddenly clenching shut.

The Yellow Springs were dragged forth!

The obsessions of all living beings—the accumulated grudges and fixations of countless ages—which could drag even Immortals down to mortality, condensed into a halberd.

With a savage sweep, the halberd slashed across the void.

Its blade caused space itself to tremble faintly.

This was the halberd that had accompanied him throughout the Third Ancient Kalpa Era, slaughtering countless Immortals, Buddhas, and Yin spirits. It exuded wave after wave of icy, blood-soaked killing intent.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord let out a savage grin and tore off his imperial robes with a single motion, revealing a suit of cold, steel armor beneath.

It radiated an austere, chilling killing intent.

He slightly raised his right hand. The Dharma Image behind him lifted its head and roared, whereupon an ink-black Underworld Prison Suppression Dragon returned with a resounding dragon’s cry.

This signified that the True Lord had once personally slain a supreme expert of the Dragon Clan with nothing but his own fists, then subdued and devoured its soul into himself. Such a feat could only be accomplished by one of incomparably fierce temperament.

Now the dragon coiled around his arm like an Immortal’s flowing ribbon, while the True Lord’s Dharma Image flung its eyes wide open, golden radiance pouring from them.

His hands formed seals, directly wielding the Yuqing True Talisman.

His Dharma Image manifested in full.  

The hallmark divine ability of a peak True Lord preparing to fight with his full strength.

Even the Yellow Springs began to surge violently.

The True Lord who seemed to have the gentlest temperament—one whom even Black and White Impermanence could “bully”—appeared to belong to the faction that specialized in battle.

A clash between beings above the level of a True Lord seemed ready to erupt within the Yellow Springs.

Qi Wuhuo pressed his right hand against the Northern Ghost Emperor’s palm. His fingers moved, tracing out characters.

The Northern Ghost Emperor paused slightly.

Cruel and ferocious though he was by nature, he nevertheless reined in his fighting spirit. The halberd disappeared as he sneered, “Forget it. My elder brother has given me orders today. I have no desire to fight you here. Besides, Fengdu City stretches for over eight hundred miles, and all seventy-two bureaus are entwined with the Yellow Springs.”

“Even if I defeated you today… even if I killed you…what would be the point?”

“Hmph!”

Still holding the young Daoist, he gave him a toss with an exquisitely controlled burst of gentle force.

Although cultivators possessed divine abilities, many still fought wielding magical treasures. Their martial skills were extraordinarily refined, allowing them to bring their formidable strength to its fullest. Others, however, merely elevated the level of their existence. Though their cultivation and magical power were profound, they were not adept at combat.

Meng Po, for example.

To her, advancing in cultivation simply meant possessing more methods with which to refine the medicinal properties of pills.

The Northern Ghost Emperor’s throw looked incomparably vicious, as though he intended to throw Qi Wuhuo to his death.

In truth, however, not the slightest harm came to the young Daoist.

The divine weapon on Qi Wuhuo’s back rang with a clear metallic cry. The surrounding waters of the Yellow Springs were actually forced apart, dispersing most of the momentum. Then Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord reached out and caught him, removing the remaining force.

All of this had been within the Northern Ghost Emperor’s expectations.

It was experience earned through countless battles during the ancient eras.

The Northern Ghost Emperor lowered his eyes slightly without another word. Turning around, he placed both hands upon the gates of Fengdu City and, relying solely on brute strength, slowly pushed them open.

Then, step by step, he walked into the city.

Even sealed within its scabbard, the sword continued to ring and howl, as though burning with boundless fury toward the Ghost Emperor.

But this sword was the Blood River Sword, one that devoured all things, while the Yellow Springs—embodying the obsessions of all living beings—were its natural bane.

It could not break free of its scabbard.

The young Daoist pressed his right hand against the sword. Around his wrist hung the Medicine Buddha’s string of prayer beads, which he lightly tapped against the blade.

Only by combining the power of the Yellow Springs with the Buddha-nature was he able to suppress the sword’s ferocity.

It had yet to recover to its peak state, and already it was so fearsome. Qi Wuhuo could scarcely imagine what it would become after truly absorbing that half of the Blood River.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord helped Qi Wuhuo to his feet and asked, “Little friend, are you alright?”

“I was careless and actually let Yang Yun carry you away. Fortunately, you were unharmed. Otherwise, I would have committed a grave offense.” Earlier, while in the Northern Ghost Emperor’s grasp, Qi Wuhuo had traced words into his palm, telling him to send him over and not to address him as [Honored Envoy], lest the Yama Kings grow suspicious.

The Northern Ghost Emperor had indeed done exactly as he requested.

Qi Wuhuo had acted that way simply because he did not wish to further sharpen the conflict or become entangled in it.

Between the Five Ghost Emperors and the Ten Yama Kings, Qi Wuhuo had no way of knowing who was right and who was wrong.

According to the Five Ghost Emperors, they were suppressing the countless evil ghosts imprisoned beneath Fengdu City within the Seventy-Two Bureaus.

According to Yin Virtue True Lord, however, the Five Ghost Emperors themselves had been among those who first plunged the Underworld into chaos.

Who was truly right and who was truly wrong?

Qi Wuhuo did not know.

Only because the Ten Yama Kings had received the approval of the Yuqing Great Heavenly Venerable did the young Daoist instinctively trust them more.

Yet the Five Ghost Emperors—or at least the Northern Ghost Emperor he had just met—had likewise placed their trust in both Qi Wuhuo and the Northern Emperor.

If the Five Ghost Emperors truly harbored ill intentions, then when they had first encountered the Yama Kings, they should have immediately addressed Qi Wuhuo as Honored Envoy. Doing so would have muddied the waters, sown discord, and allowed them to profit from the ensuing conflict.

Regardless, Qi Wuhuo had no intention of involving himself in this matter.

This was, at the very least, a struggle involving peak True Lords, perhaps even Ghost Emperors.

Qi Wuhuo considered himself nothing more than someone at the Innate One Qi realm. To involve himself in such a contest would simply be courting death.

Even so, the matter concerned life and death and could not be taken lightly.

It had to be reported directly to the [Northern Pole Exorcism Institute] and left for Tianpeng Great True Lord to judge.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord patted the young Daoist on the shoulder as the Dharma Image behind him gradually faded away. Noticing the curiosity in Qi Wuhuo’s gaze, the True Lord picked up his torn imperial robe and awkwardly put it back on. “Ah, little friend, are you curious about the talisman on my Dharma Image? Haha, that was the Yuqing True Talisman bestowed by the Yuqing Great Heavenly Venerable.”

“Every Yuqing True Talisman is both a unique supreme cultivation method and an extraordinary divine ability.”

“Their profundity is beyond imagination.”

“They can transmit their teachings directly into the soul. Even after countless cycles of reincarnation, they will never be lost.”

“We only obtained one through a fortunate coincidence. Under normal circumstances, only the direct lineage of Yuqing—the Twelve Saints True Persons—would possess them.”

The young Daoist asked, “Tianpeng Great True Lord?”

“Oh, Tianpeng Great True Lord? He’s powerful simply because he himself is powerful. It has nothing to do with the Yuqing True Talisman.”

“Because, as far as I know, he has never once used his own Yuqing True Talisman.”

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord explained. Afterwards, he escorted the young Daoist back above the Yellow Springs.

The Yama Kings questioned him about what had happened within Fengdu City.

Qi Wuhuo merely replied that his cultivation was too shallow and that he had not understood what had transpired.

There was little the Yama Kings could say in response.

Especially since the young Daoist had previously accumulated immense Yin Virtue, they treated him courteously before preparing to send him back to the world of the living.

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord looked at the young Daoist. “Little friend.”

“No matter what the Five Ghost Emperors may have told you, remember to be cautious.”

“They were originally beings that threw the boundary between life and death into chaos. Only after being suppressed by the Northern Emperor did they become the Five Ghost Emperors.”

The young Daoist asked, “Why are they called Ghost Emperors?”

Yin Virtue Settled Rest True Lord replied, “Because they were the very first [Ghosts].”

“Or rather, they are the original concept of what a [Ghost] is.”

“Only later, after people died and their souls came to resemble them, were they likewise called ghosts.”

“They were originally born from the purest innate Yin Qi.”

“The path of Pure Yang is the road that acquired living beings must walk. It was opened by the Dao Ancestor.”

“But they do not walk that path.”

“They are innately cunning, cruel, and cold-hearted. The Northern Ghost Emperor is already considered one of the better ones.”

“As for the other Ghost Emperors… their schemes run far deeper.”

“Be careful.”

Having said that, Yin Virtue True Lord departed without another word.

Qi Wuhuo approached his own body.

Following the connection between his Primordial Spirit and his physical body, it was as though he were being pulled by an invisible cord, instantly returning to his flesh.

After all, he had only reached the Innate One Qi realm. If his Primordial Spirit remained separated from his body for too long, his body would die as well.

At that point, he would be left with nothing but a wandering Primordial Spirit like a lonely ghost, forever unable to attain the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

That would be far too great a pity.

He also needed to contact the Northern Pole Exorcism Institute and report everything concerning the [Five Ghost Emperors].

The young Daoist returned to his body. As he gradually adjusted to it, a cacophony of voices entered his ears.

“Miss… this…”

“This little Daoist has already stopped breathing. Let’s dig a grave here and lay him to rest.”

“Hmph. Laying him to rest is one thing.”

“But Miss Zhou, this Medicine Spirit and Spirit Bird now belong to our Li family!”

“Do you have any objections?”