Lu Feng's height suddenly increased, and the handsome boy turned into a young man with deep features. His blue eyes were bewitching but also harbored an unseen ferocity. On his exceptionally handsome face, there was a horrifying burn scar on his left cheek, deeply rooted, making his beautiful face look like a ghost.
He was more like a vengeful ghost of the underworld than the gloomy underworld king.
Huan Changming's voice was as cold as ice: "All things are subject to reincarnation. My wife was kind and virtuous in her lifetime, with a heart for the world, and never did anything evil. Why is he the only one who cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation and be reborn?"
He tore the Book of Life and Death to shreds, took the sword hairpin from his hair bun, and the hairpin instantly transformed into a long sword in his hand. He said fiercely, "If someone as pure-hearted as him cannot be reincarnated, then you wandering ghosts and evil spirits of the underworld should have even less of a chance!"
He gripped his sword and slashed away the surrounding ghosts, who instantly vanished, letting out horrific screams.
The Underworld Lord tried to stop him, but was caught in the gust of wind from his sword and was thrown to the ground. Seeing that the sins he was committing were getting deeper and deeper, he gritted his teeth and said, "Demon Lord, please hear me out!"
"Although Lu Pianpian cannot be reincarnated... there is one thing that can bring the dead back to life and heal the flesh and bones!"
"If the Demon Lord can obtain this item, he will surely be able to bring Lu Pianpian back to life!"
The sharp sword tip turned, pointing at the Underworld Lord's eyeball, "Since you have this method, why didn't you tell me about it from the beginning?"
The Underworld Lord's entire face was covered by a mask, with only his eyes showing. At this moment, the sword tip was pointing at him, and he kept turning his head in fear. "Because...because this method...is contrary to the laws of heaven and the principles of life and death...I beg the Demon Lord to reconsider."
Huan Changming remained unmoved and said sternly, "Take me to find this thing!"
After finishing his lessons at the Immortal Academy, Shao Yan took his leave. Seeing a group of immortals hurrying back and forth on the clouds, he asked, "What happened?"
The celestial general said anxiously, "Reporting to the Divine Son, the Underworld King has been captured!"
A note from the author:
We meet again on the same road, but we don't recognize each other. What a pity.
Chapter 54
Shao Yan learned from the immortal general that the Underworld Lord had been captured by unknown people. He and the Underworld Lord were not close friends, but they had met a few times.
Therefore, he knew that the Underworld Lord's cultivation was not low, and that the person who came was able to capture him without leaving a trace, so his cultivation was probably unfathomable.
Even if these immortal generals could find this person, their cultivation levels would likely be no match for him, so he readily accepted the task.
The celestial realm was searched by the celestial generals, but Shao Yan took a different route, heading straight for the underworld. There, he found wandering souls and a group of injured underworld generals.
He helped one of the underworld generals to his feet and asked, "What exactly happened?"
The Underworld General, covered in wounds, complained to him, "That demon has come again. He not only injured us, but also captured the Underworld King..."
Demon Lord?
What kind of evil spirits have emerged and caused trouble during the two hundred years he has been asleep?
Shao Yan helped the Underworld General to lie down on the flat ground to the side. "Do you know where that person took the Underworld King?"
"I overheard his conversation with the King of the Underworld, saying that he was going to the Nine Netherworlds to retrieve the Bodhi Pearl..."
"The Nine Netherworlds bewitching the world?" Shao Yan pondered. "A world between the human realm and the underworld? How do we get there?"
The Underworld General pointed to the River Styx and said, "Swim all the way to the bottom of the river, and you will reach the Nine Netherworlds... Do you want to go?"
He didn't know Shao Yan's identity and was afraid that he would blindly go and lose his life. "That demon is crazy and quite capable. Don't go and die for nothing."
"Thank you for reminding me, I understand."
As Shao Yan walked to the banks of the River Styx, the ghostly spirits that had surfaced from the water instantly scattered.
He is a divine son of the heavens, the embodiment of holiness and light, and evil and darkness naturally avoid him.
He cast a spell on himself and walked into the River Styx. His body sank with the current, but the water dared not touch him.
The river was dark, with a faint green light flickering on the riverbed. Ghosts fled, wailing, which made Shao Yan frown.
He quickened his pace, bent down and entered the place where the green light was flashing. In a flash, some images rushed through his mind.
He frowned even more, focused his mind, and was not distracted by external things. The images disappeared completely, and then a noisy sound came to his ears.
He opened his eyes and found himself standing beneath a pavilion.
The building was magnificent and brightly lit, with the sounds of dance and music drifting out from within.
It doesn't feel like a separate world; it's more like a music and dance hall in the human realm.
People were coming and going at the entrance, and in just a few breaths, Shao Yan saw three creatures of different races enter.
"For those destined to be here, the Nine Netherworlds welcome you."
A bat spirit flew up to Shao Yan and said in a friendly tone, "Are you here to participate in today's auction, guest?"
The Nine Netherworlds bring calamity to the world; auction off the Bodhi Pearl.
After a moment of reflection, Shao Yan said, "I've come to find the Bodhi Pearl."
The person who kidnapped the King of the Underworld is here to find the Bodhi Pearl. Once he finds the Bodhi Pearl, he will surely find the person who kidnapped the King of the Underworld.
The bat spirit said, "The Bodhi Bead is one of the items up for auction today."
"Please take me inside."
"That's not difficult, but do the guests have invitations? Everyone who participates in our Nine Netherworld Calamity Auction needs an invitation."
Although Shao Yan could force his way in, resorting to violence now would inevitably alert the enemy, so he asked again, "I don't have an invitation, how can I get in?"
The bat spirit, with a human head and a bat body, had initially appeared ingratiating, but upon hearing that Shao Yan had not received an invitation, its face immediately fell, and its expression became quite terrifying.
He flew into the air and looked Shao Yan up and down for a while, then a wicked thought came to him. "There are only two kinds of people who participate in our Nine Netherworld Calamity Auction: guests and... the items being auctioned."
Shao Yan understood his implication and flicked his sleeve, saying, "Very well, how much is your esteemed establishment willing to offer to buy me?"
The bat spirit's eyes lit up. "You're really willing to sell yourself to us?!"
"Um."
"Alright, alright! I'll take you to see my boss!"
The bat spirit led Shao Yan through a side door of the pavilion, shutting out the laughter and chatter from the front building, and took him to a room on the ground floor.
"Boss! I brought someone with me!"
The bat spirit pulled back the curtain, and a heavy scent of perfume wafted out.
Inside, in front of the bronze mirror, a fox spirit with a red tail was doing her makeup. Upon hearing this, she slowly turned her head. Her face, which had been showing some impatience, immediately broke into a smile after seeing Shao Yan.
The bat spirit introduced Shao Yan to the red fox spirit, "Boss, isn't this good?"
The red fox spirit quickly pulled the bat spirit aside, sizing up Shao Yan while whispering to the bat spirit, "Where did you find such a top-quality specimen?"
"They came to me willingly, saying they were looking for the Bodhi Pearl. They didn't have an invitation, but I tricked them into believing they could only get in by selling themselves..."
"You're pretty good, I'll definitely give you a raise this month!" Red Fox said, her mind calculating. "But this guy doesn't seem stupid either, be careful, there might be a trap. We can't omit any of the rules we're supposed to follow..."
Although Shao Yan was far away, he could hear their conversation clearly.
Soon, the red fox spirit came over with a receipt and asked Shao Yan with a smile, "How much does the young master intend to sell it for?"
"One hundred gold coins."
One hundred gold coins is no small sum, but the red fox spirit has been causing havoc in the Nine Netherworld for many years and has a sharp eye. She is certain that if this person is sold tonight, they will make a fortune.
"Okay, deal!"
The red fox spirit had the bat spirit bring over one hundred gold coins, and then used her spiritual power to sign the document, saying, "Please also use your spiritual power to sign this document, young master."
By signing with spiritual power, the binding force of this document is tied to the mind and consciousness of the bound person. Whoever obtains this document in the future can command the bound person, forming a master-servant relationship.
Without a word or hesitation, he used his spiritual power to sign the document. The bat spirit tossed the hundred gold coins into his arms as if they were burning hot, exclaiming, "It's done! It's done!"
The red fox spirit was quite satisfied. "Take him away, cuff him, change his clothes, and sell him tonight."
"Okay, boss!"
Shao Yan was taken away again to change his clothes, and a pair of silver bracelets were handcuffed to his wrists to restrict his movements.
"You're really obedient," the bat spirit remarked with some emotion, leading him into the waiting room. "Those sold here in the past were all wailing and howling like ghosts!"
He gave a faint "hmm" and glanced around at his surroundings.
He wasn't the only one imprisoned in this waiting room; there were other items about to be auctioned off—spirit beasts, fairies, and humans—all held in separate cells, each guarded by a dedicated person at the entrance.
Shao Yan was pushed into an empty cell by the bat spirit. Before leaving, the spirit put a white veil on his head. "The boss said that a beauty is more beautiful when she is half-concealed, like a pipa player playing a game of hide-and-seek..."
When will the Bodhi Beads be auctioned?
The bat said to herself, "Instead of worrying about the Bodhi Pearl, you should worry about whether you can be sold to a good family."
He thought this to himself, but to put his mind at ease, he lied without changing his expression, saying, "The Bodhi Pearl is a miraculous treasure that can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. Naturally, it will be the last to appear. Don't worry, we will sell you first."
Although the Bodhi Bead has the power of resurrection, those who can come here are not ordinary people; they live for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, so why would they need the Bodhi Bead to revive them?
The real highlight tonight is the living creature that has come to their door; among the guests outside are several powerful demons who are fond of men.
If it was bought by someone else in the first round, he could observe the bidding for the Bodhi Beads from outside and find the Underworld King and the person who kidnapped him.
Shao Yan handed the hundred gold coins in his arms back to the bat spirit, saying, "If no one buys me in the future, please use these hundred gold coins to buy me."
The bat spirit looked at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"
Such top-quality goods are bound to be in high demand; how could no one possibly buy them?
Shao Yan thought the bat spirit was upset that he hadn't paid him enough. "Don't worry, I'll give you extra payment after you buy me."
The bat spirit slammed the cell door shut and locked it, then walked away cursing, "Looks good, but he's brainless, he's really insane..."
He was left alone in his cell, somewhat bewildered.
Or was it because he promised too little?
But what if no one is willing to film him, and he gets dragged back and locked up again? How embarrassing would that be?
As a divine being, he should at least have some dignity.
The pavilion is surrounded on all four sides, and every floor is packed with people.
The Nine Netherworld Calamity Dance and Music had reached its climax when a floating platform drifted down from the pavilion and hung in mid-air, allowing all the guests on all sides to see it.
The bat spirit snapped his fingers, and the music and dance stopped instantly, silencing the entire pavilion. He chuckled and said, "Distinguished guests who have come from afar, the auction of the Nine Netherworld Calamity tonight will begin immediately."
"Next, we will be bidding on the first item—a butterfly spirit from the demon race."
A swarm of bats flew in from behind, each carrying an iron chain in its mouth. The chain held a cage at each of its four corners. They carried the cage to the side of the floating platform, whereupon the bat spirit opened the cage door, retrieved a silver chain, and pulled out the butterfly spirit inside.