As soon as the Three-eyed Divine Being finished speaking, a youth whose feet were surrounded by dual flames appeared, his hair tied up in two buns, with red lips and white teeth, face as beautiful as a girl's.
The youth, embodying both male and female characteristics, upon hearing the words of the black-robed young man, immediately threw the Picture of Rivers and Mountains and the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield towards the Ghost Gate.
The Picture of Rivers and Mountains is a supreme treasure capable of suppressing the fate of a realm, and although it might not hold against the Dharma Corpse for long, it is better than those Gods and Buddhas who refuse to take any action...
After reinforcing the portal to the Yin River and Netherworld, the youth, dressed in the Lotus Treasure Robe, recited the Nine Dragons Divine Fire, activating the sect's sacred fire shield and transforming it into a mountain range of flames stretching nine hundred miles, completely encircling the Ghost Gate.
The dragon's mouth of the nine dragon-shaped mountain ranges precisely pointed towards the location of the Ghost Gate.
Having completed this task, the youth turned and looked at the Three-eyed Divine Being with concern, asking, "Master, are you still able to hold on?"
The young man, whose third eye was tightly closed and whose body exuded black energy, replied with a pale face, "No worries, it's just that the Heavenly Axe was too violent and aggravated old injuries... Don't worry, let's discuss this further upon return."
The youth's gaze shifted towards the stele marking the boundary between Yin and Yang, suddenly changing his mind, "I shall stay a few more days, and after that, I will seek you out, Master."
"Do not act rashly, though I do not heed edicts, you cannot violate orders; if your father discovers you descended to the mortal realm without permission..."
The youth's smile vanished, and somewhat irritably he said, "Even if discovered, what have I to fear from him?"
"Rest assured, Master, seeing that you have found the destined person, I also wish to leave some legacy, should any other fated person cleanse worldly demonic influences for us, it would be a good thing."
The Three-eyed Divine Being followed the youth's gaze towards the Yin River stele, where a young man was refining a treasured cauldron.
He nodded and cautioned:
"The path to mend the heavens is unstable, do not tarry too long, I will wait for you at the Central Imperial Temple."
...
Netherworld, Palace of Yama.
A Buddha wrapped in a ragged robe, with the burning aura of nine layers of divine fire, arrived at the retreat of the Nine Netherworlds Dharma Master.
"Dharma Master..."
The Three Corpses Dharma Master, who had refined more than half of the Yin Mountain authority, interrupted:
"I am aware of the Ghost Gate situation; that Ghost Law is trained by the Celestial Emperor, a pawn to replace King Yama in controlling the Netherworld. Even if this pawn went out of control and became ours to use, no one would dare to destroy Ghost Law."
If any Immortal or God privately destroyed the Ghost Law, wouldn't it be blatant criticism of the Celestial Emperor for cultivating Ghost Law as a mistake?
The Celestial Emperor's majesty must not be offended; the Netherworld Dharma Master seemed to know the Emperor's nature better than anyone and laughed, "He who slays Ghost Law shall be shunned by both the Nine Netherworlds and the upper realms. Even if a few rebellious individuals arise, how many Immortals and Gods can they rally against us?"
"They are solitary dolphins and corrupt rats, possessing only individual bravery, akin to a flood dragon out of water, no different from earthworms."
The gaze of the Nine Netherworlds Corpse was enigmatic, "Immortals and Gods cut down our form, causing us to drift here; we are abandoned children, how can they kill their former selves, and how can they destroy corpses long dead?"
"The gods and Buddhas across heaven will not allow them; we need only wait for the right time, and when the Yin Mountain authority fully falls into my hands, even when facing the master of Shouyang Mountain, I have some chance of victory."
Speaking thus, the Nine Netherworlds Dharma Master asked again, "Have you found what I sent you to seek?"
The Buddha's Gory Corpse folded his hands in prayer and reported, "Reporting to the Dharma Master, King Yama unified himself with the Dao, and the Netherworld's Emperor's Sword is a spiritual object. If we wish to locate it, we must seek another; if we go ourselves, the Emperor's Sword, along with all the Netherworld's lost treasures, are likely to conceal their traces..."
The treasures hide themselves; for the past thousand years, the Nine Netherworlds Dharma Master has searched with all effort, having found most of the Netherworld's lost treasures, yet the elusive Emperor's Sword, and the unknown treasure crafted by King Yama, show no signs.
Aside from the Emperor's Sword required to expedite the subjugation of the Yin Mountain authority, there are also the Sin Mirrors situated on the Mirror of Sin, the large cauldron at Grandma Meng's Station, the Three Lives Stone beside the Platform of Longing, the Soul Whipping Rod at Evil Dog Ridge, the chicken-shaped mountain at Golden Chicken Mountain...
At times, the Nine Netherworlds Dharma Master felt quite helpless; these Netherworld ghosts and deities are truly vile, unable to confront him directly, yet upon fleeing, they carried almost all significant objects related to the six paths on the tail of the Yin Mountain.
The Nine Netherworlds Dharma Master still recalls his visit to Golden Chicken Mountain, where only a basin remained, the entire chicken-shaped mountain hidden away by Netherworld beasts.
He searched the Netherworld thoroughly and still has not found it.
"How can a perfectly good mountain fly away?"
The Nine Netherworlds Dharma Master felt quite frustrated; if not for the loss of these items, how would he have spent a millennium achieving only half control of the Yin Mountain authority?
"Continue searching; I have calculated that within the next few hundred years, the heavens and earth will encounter a great upheaval that will affect the trinity of realms. This upheaval is also our opportunity; exert your utmost efforts to find the lost authority of the Yin Mountain."
...
The second year of Fengjing, time of the Hidden Dragon in the month of Jiao.
Jinmen Prefecture, Linjiang City, Baishui Wharf.
Xu Qing, with a full head of silver hair, clad in a thick jacket, held a fishing rod, sitting leisurely on the pier extending into the river, like an old fisherman living off the water.
Behind Xu Qing, stood a middle-aged man with sunken eyes, pale face, dressed in a scholar's attire, looking somewhat frail and weary.
"It's fine you fish alone, why call me here?"
The Ascendant Fuluan, who was utilizing the spiritual energy of Jinmen Prefecture for secluded healing, was unwilling.
Xu Qing raised his chin towards the white river water in front, saying, "Two months ago, my Crow Hall Immortal family observed two gold carps climbing the rain curtain here, seemingly about to leap and transform into dragons."
"As far as I know, those gold carps have one human tribulation yet unsolved. You, dear friend, excel at seeking prophetic visions, why not divine where to cast a bait to catch these two gold carps?"