Chapter 960

The spirits of the Underworld actually rely on supreme yang energy to sustain their lifespan and life processes?

This was something He Pingsheng had never imagined.

But regardless, it aligns with the fundamental principles of the Dao’s operation.

Just as Zhao Xiangdu had just said: solitary yin does not grow, solitary yang does not give birth.

“Then I’m taking Zhou Qingmei away right now!” He Pingsheng lifted Zhao Xiangdu’s soul, staring at him: “What’s the way?”

“No way!” Zhao Xiangdu’s face twisted in anguish: “He Pingsheng, this benefits no one—neither you, nor me, nor Qingmei. I beg you, don’t do this!”

“Isn’t it better for her to enter reincarnation?”

Chi ……

A wisp of flame shot out.

The Nine Heaven Mystic Fire instantly expanded to a dozen feet, fully engulfing Zhao Xiangdu’s entire soul.

“Ahh… aaaaaah…”

“It hurts so much…”

“He Pingsheng, stop!”

He Pingsheng did not stop!

He controlled the intensity of the flame, burning him for half a stick of incense until Zhao Xiangdu was half-dead, then he retracted the fire.

“Huff… huff… it hurts so much…”

Zhao Xiangdu, weak and pale, pleaded: “Brother He, please, stop burning me—I’ll talk, I’ll tell you everything!”

He Pingsheng said nothing, just stared at him.

Zhao Xiangdu knew he had no time for nonsense: “There are two ways!”

“First, sacrifice a portion of your own lifespan, bribe a few Underworld clerks and messengers—usually that’s enough!”

“But Zhou Qingmei’s case is unusual, so they might still refuse.”

“Second… second… second…”

“Brother He, the second way depends on your own strength!”

“You can capture them all, just like you captured me, then enter the Underworld Court and retrieve Zhou Qingmei’s soul directly!”

“But… your current cultivation is only Mahayana Emperor Realm—you likely cannot carry away Zhou Qingmei’s soul!”

He Pingsheng understood: his cultivation was too low to carry another’s soul.

In short, Zhou Qingmei had become a ghost, and during the process of removing her, she would still be drawn by the force of the Six Realms’ cycle of rebirth; if one’s spiritual perception was too weak to resist that force, she could not be taken.

Fortunately, He Pingsheng had a pseudo Earth Immortal beside him!

“Lead the way!” He Pingsheng said. “Tell me where to go.”

“But Zhao Xiangdu, I’ll say this plainly—if I fail this time, I’ll grind your soul to dust!”

“My Nine Heaven Mystic Fire has already burned you once—shouldn’t be a problem to do it again!”

“I swear!” Zhao Xiangdu nearly wept: “I’ll get Zhou Qingmei out for you!”

“Brother He, please conceal your own aura first, then gather some yin-evil energy around you!”

“Yes, yes, just like that!”

“One more thing I must tell you: the Underworld Court is vast, and Zhou Qingmei is held in a separate chamber—three clerks guard it, all with cultivation similar to mine!”

“That’s not the point!”

“The point is, under normal circumstances, at least one messenger is always present!”

“And a messenger’s cultivation equals the lowest rank of Immortal or Scatter Immortal from the Immortal Realm!”

“Can you handle them?”

He Pingsheng nodded.

He might not defeat them, might even be evenly matched, but he certainly couldn’t subdue them quickly.

But he didn’t need to worry—he still had Jin Ku with him!

That’s exactly why this old bastard mattered.

“Just lead the way!”

Then Zhao Xiangdu steered the small boat upstream again!

From the small stream they entered the Dahe, then from the Dahe into an even greater river.

Countless springs flowing through countless small worlds finally converged.

The Huangquan surged, becoming a flood.

Not long after, the two arrived at a place resembling a human town.

But here there was no sun or moon—only countless starlights fell, casting their glow over the pitch-black Underworld.

Around the Underworld Court, countless wails echoed from within.

Deep male roars, shrill female screams, and countless infant wails filled the air.

“Follow me—don’t speak to anyone!”

“And don’t look around!”

Zhao Xiangdu transmitted information via spiritual sense, guiding He Pingsheng into the Underworld Court.

The Underworld Court resembled a vast black palace.

Within the palace were countless grand halls.

Zhao Xiangdu arrived before one such hall and entered through its gate.

Inside the gate stood seventy or eighty black stone steles, each glowing with golden light, inscribed with engraved talismanic patterns and characters.

No. 13, No. 19, No. 86…

The numbers varied wildly, with no discernible pattern.

Zhao Xiangdu opened one stele, revealing a swirling vortex.

He led He Pingsheng into the vortex.

Inside, He Pingsheng saw countless cages, each holding a single ghost.

These ghosts could not speak, but screamed and howled freely.

Some even stretched their hands through the bars, trying to grab He Pingsheng and Zhao Xiangdu.

“Brother Zhao, what are you doing here?”

Two clerks approached: “This isn’t your jurisdiction—you’ve taken a wrong path, leave at once!”

“Huh… who’s that behind you?”

Zhao Xiangdu smiled cheerfully: “Brothers, he wants to take someone out—we’ve already arranged it, and we’ve got yang energy to offer!”

Hearing this, the two clerks’ faces lit up: “How much?”

Zhao Xiangdu asked: “Where’s Brother Long? Why are only you two here?”

“Where’s the messenger?”

One of them said: “Alright, alright, wait a moment—I’ll go call the messenger and Brother Long!”

In truth, the messenger and the other clerk were already here.

If He Pingsheng had launched an immediate attack, he would have alerted the nearby messenger.

Better to lure them all here, then take them all at once.

Soon, two more messengers and one clerk arrived.

The clerk’s appearance was ordinary, but the two messengers were terrifying.

One had a massive ox head, the other a grotesque horse face.

The legendary Niu Tou and Ma Mian!

“Attack!” He Pingsheng gave no hesitation, commanding Jin Ku.

Instantly, three hooks flew from his body.

The three clerks were hooked in the blink of an eye, offering no resistance whatsoever.

The Niu Tou and Ma Mian were pinned down by Jin Ku’s overwhelming Emperor aura and spiritual sense.

“Damn it…” Ma Mian snarled: “There’s an Earth Immortal here?”

“Don’t resist!” He Pingsheng said calmly. “If you alarm the Magistrate or any other messengers, I’ll die—but I’ll take all of you with me.”

“Just don’t resist—I’m only here to retrieve one soul.”

“Of course, of course!” Niu Tou said. “Brother, calm down—it’s just one soul, right?”

“What’s the big deal?”

“To bring an Earth Immortal here, you’re no ordinary man!”

“Tell us—who do you want?”