Chapter 901: Sudden Upheaval

The cold wind of Youming Jie whistled past as Yan Buji trod the viscous blood‑soaked earth, sprinting toward the Underworld.

The scenery was nothing but shattered Starry Sky Cult banners and twisted Asura corpses, the air thick with scorching sulfur and the rotting scent of death.

War—seems to have ended long ago!

Suddenly, an eerie green ghost fire drifted in from afar, taking the form of an Underworld cultivator in a judge's robe, bowing respectfully to Yan Buji: "Senior Yan, Lord Yan summons you."

Yan Buji raised an eyebrow: "King Yan? He's certainly well‑informed."

The judge chuckled low: "Lord Yan says, if you wish to use that Dragon Heart, you'd better hear his advice first."

Yan Buji squinted, a cold sneer in his heart. It seemed the Underworld had long had his eye, perhaps even observing him from the shadows.

Nevertheless, he was unafraid, and followed the judge through layers of ghostly mist until they reached the towering, forest‑like Yanluo Hall.

Inside the hall, dim candles flickered, casting the silhouette of one seated upon the throne—King Yan.

The King Yan of now was no longer the ragged, fleeing monarch Yan Buji had once seen. He wore a jet‑black dragon robe, a crown of twelve tassels, and was enveloped by dense Youming laws; merely sitting there caused the hall's space to warp slightly, as if even Death itself were compelled to submit.

"Yan Buji, long time no see," King Yan's voice was deep and resonant, with a hint of amusement, "I never expected you would truly dare to come to Youming Jie."

Yan Buji stood with his hands behind his back, saying lightly, "Lord Yan, you do look far more imposing; it seems the Starry Sky Cult indeed suffered a crushing defeat."

The King heard this and burst into laughter, his mirth shaking the ghost fires within the hall.

"Crushing?" No, they didn't just lose badly," King Yan rose slowly, his dark robe moving without wind, "they lost… in despair."

He raised his hand, gathering the hall's gloom into a series of visions— the final battle between the Underworld and the Starry Sky Cult!

In the visions, the Starry Sky Cult's million‑strong army pressed upon the Underworld; Asura warships blocked the sky, Rakshasa blood‑thirsty cultivators slaughtered the Underworld's shadow troops. King Yan and the Nether God Emperor were forced to the edge of the Reincarnation Well, with no way out behind them.

"Back then, everyone thought the Underworld was finished," King Yan sneered, "even the High Priest of the Starry Sky Cult stood on the altar, shouting the name 'Primeval Divine,' intending to crush us completely."

"And then?" Yan Buji asked.

The King's mouth curled into a grimace, "Then… I personally tore his beautiful dream apart."

The visions abruptly shifted!

King Yan stood beside the Reincarnation Well, suddenly raising his hand; the Yellow Springs water of Youming Jie surged upward, forming a towering wave that smashed the Starry Sky Cult's formation.

"You thought the Yellow Springs were just an ordinary nether river?" King Yan scoffed, "Wrong. The Yellow Springs are the lifeline of Youming Jie, and I… have long mastered its true use!"

Yan Buji's gaze hardened.

He only then realized that King Yan's method of wielding the Yellow Springs was a divine ability Yan Buji had never seen—neither Earth Fiend Divine Ability nor any water‑type art, utterly peculiar!

The 'Primeval Divine' avatar on the Starry Sky Cult's altar finally descended—a towering, terrifying colossus wrapped in stellar‑sphere power, as if it could easily crush the entire Youming Jie.

However, King Yan merely coldly.

"Crack!"

As the black jade talisman shattered, a mournful dragon's wail echoed from the depths of the Reincarnation Well; immediately, a rotting giant dragon burst forth, clamping its jaws around the Primeval Divine's neck.

"That is…" Yan Buji's pupils contracted sharply.

"The Primordial Dragon's lingering resentment," King Yan said calmly. "The so‑called 'Divine' the Starry Sky Cult worships is merely a polluted fragment of the Primordial Dragon's soul, and I… simply let them kill each other."

The dragon and the deity raged in a savage duel, ultimately perishing together, turning into a rain of black droplets that fell from the sky. The Starry Sky Cult's belief collapsed completely at that moment.

Yan Buji's expression hardened; he said nothing.

The King's tale concluded, and the hall fell into a brief Silence.

After a while, Yan Buji suddenly laughed, "Brilliant, truly brilliant."

King Yan squinted, "You don't believe?"

"Believe, of course I believe," Yan Buji said leisurely, "Only… Lord Yan seems to have missed some details?"

"For example," he raised his hand toward the rotting dragon in the vision, "is this dragon truly the 'Primordial Dragon's lingering resentment'?"

King Yan's expression flickered slightly.

"As far as I know, the Primeval Divine is a great power beyond the heavens, possibly even stronger than saints and sages. Back then, the Martial Ancestor was severely wounded by three Primeval Divines; even if it were truly the first Primordial Dragon's lingering resentment, it could not—"

Yan Buji rose, looked at the other, and said lightly, "So, how should I address you? King Yan… or the God of the Starry Sky?"

The Youming Jie judges, ghost messengers, and City Lords around them wore indifferent expressions, as if they could not hear any of Yan Buji's exchange with King Yan.

But precisely because of that, Yan Buji suddenly understood: "You were the one who sent the Heavenly Demon here, luring me into Youming Jie?"

King Yan gave a faint smile, nodded, "Very well, you are indeed the High Priest I once valued."

Upon hearing that, Yan Buji knew his guess was correct.

However, judging by his demeanor, he seemed not intending to strike him.

If his reasoning held, he was already sufficiently unique, bearing certain tasks of this world, so even a Primeval Divine would dare not act against him.

This is akin to why Yan Buji could unleash slaughter throughout Nan Ting Mountain Region—does he truly think there are no Harmony Dao Stage or Great Vehicle Stage cultivators there?

Moreover, Nan Ting Mountain Region still has saints and sages; Yan Buji's previous frenzy, besides strengthening himself, was also confirming this point!

He verified that he might indeed have inherited a mission, so those stronger than him merely watched from the sidelines—unless Yan Buji sought death himself, how many times had he been pursued by higher‑realm beings along the way?

And now, Yan Buji suspected that this King Yan was not the one he previously knew, also deduced from this.

But… he still did not understand.

"Since you possess such power and means, why continue to act through King Yan's body?"

"Don't you know? Those beyond the heavens cannot absorb any power in this world to replenish themselves. Even if we are stronger than those so‑called saints and sages, we could not act recklessly."

"If that's the case, why didn't you do it from the start? Why let it devolve into this chaos in Youming Jie…"

King Yan frowned, "That's not something you need to know."

Yan Buji clasped his hands, indicating he had overstepped.

Then he said, "I don't know why you summoned me, or what orders you have."

"Hmph, simple: devour the Dragon Heart in your hand quickly, ascend to the saintly stage, and escape the sea of suffering!"

Yan Buji's complexion changed, his expression serious, "That's impossible!"