Chapter 19: Let’s Pull Off Something Big

Listening to the story Yan Wuji slowly unfolded, Wan Yi’s expression turned peculiar. He thought to himself, "I already know everything you’re saying! My 'cheap' master told me the exact same thing just earlier today. What on earth is going on? Why does everyone strange I meet today insist on telling me this story?"

Just as he was mired in confusion, Yan Wuji finished his tale. Seeing that no look of astonishment crossed Wan Yi’s face, Yan Wuji’s eyes darkened slightly as he probed, "Brother, are you already familiar with this past?"

To discern the man’s true intentions, Wan Yi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I know a little something about it."

Yan Wuji’s face lit up with joy. "So you truly did receive that man’s legacy!"

With that, Yan Wuji raised his hand and waved it over the Mirror of Reincarnation. The next second, a staggering scene began to play out.

In the projection, a youthful Su Jin stood upon auspicious clouds, looking utterly domineering as he pursued hundreds of Emperor-realm powerhouses, slaughtering them in all directions. Despite the sword qi and palm winds unleashed by those Emperor-realm experts, Su Jin remained unmoved and fearless. In the blink of an eye, he spoke the law into existence, cutting down dozens of Emperor-realm experts as easily as if he were plucking grass.

In this battle, Su Jin was like a fierce tiger unleashed upon a flock of sheep, killing with a ferocity that shook the heavens and moved the spirits. Those usually arrogant Emperor-realm powerhouses were slaughtered until their souls scattered in terror, their bodies falling from the clouds like rain.

Seeing this, Wan Yi gasped and couldn't help but mutter, "You old geezer, you really didn't tell me the truth! Is this what you called 'only killing a few dozen Emperor-realm cultivators'? In just that single moment, the number of Emperors who died by your hand must have already exceeded a hundred!"

Just then, the scene shifted. Countless Tribulation-stage cultivators swarmed to surround Su Jin, blotting out the sky. At this point, the "Emperor-Slaying Art" had lost its effectiveness against these foes, yet Su Jin showed no fear.

One man, one sword, he surged forward into the crowd, slaughtering his way through! In an instant, shadows intertwined between heaven and earth; various magical treasures and sword qi flew wildly, while brilliant energy and palm winds overflowed. The battle raged in total darkness!

However, Su Jin was only at the late stage of the Tribulation Realm at the time. No matter how great his prowess, he could not withstand the endless waves of cultivators of the same realm. With no way to heaven and no door to earth, he finally fought until his strength was spent. Looking up, he roared with unwilling defiance, "Ah! My heart desires to slay the enemy, but I have no strength left to turn the tide! I hate this! I am filled with such resentment!"

As his voice faded, countless attacks rained down upon him. In a flash, he was left with nothing—not even a scrap of bone remained.

After Su Jin’s fall, countless Emperor-realm experts hidden in the shadows emerged, their faces twisted into hideous, triumphant grins.

The image cut off abruptly. Wan Yi was now bathed in tears, sighing, "Master!"

Su Jin had appeared suddenly in Wan Yi’s life and vanished just as quietly after passing on his legacy. The two had spent less than an hour together. While there was the debt of mentorship, there wasn't much deep emotional attachment due to the brevity of their time together.

Yet, after witnessing Su Jin’s moment of glory, Wan Yi was overwhelmed with emotion. He gained a new understanding of his "cheap" master; a sense of deep respect welled up within him, and Su Jin’s image in his heart grew instantly grander.

A man like this, who feared no enemy and held all living beings in his heart—willing to pit himself against the pinnacle of the world to save the creatures of this realm! Perhaps it was because they both cultivated the "Emperor-Slaying Art," or perhaps out of sheer admiration, or maybe due to the predestined bond of master and disciple—Wan Yi’s heart was in turmoil, a complex mixture of feelings impossible to describe.

At this moment, Yan Wuji stepped forward and patted his shoulder, comforting him. "Little brother, your master is a man worthy of admiration, and even more worthy of respect. He was truly extraordinary."

Yan Wuji had shown goodwill from the start. Although he clearly had an agenda, there wasn't a hint of hostility.

By now, with his biggest secret laid bare before the other, Wan Yi decided to admit it. "The man in the image was indeed my master, and I did receive his legacy. I presume that is why you 'invited' me here, Brother Yan?!"

Seeing Wan Yi lay his cards on the table, Yan Wuji didn't mince words. He nodded and said, "Exactly."

With a soft sigh, Yan Wuji continued, "Since you know that part of history, you must also know that thousands of years ago, our Underworld sent troops to surround and suppress those Emperor-realm cultivators, right?"

Hearing this, Wan Yi nodded. "I heard my master mention it before."

Yan Wuji gave a bitter smile. "Do you know the reason why?"

Su Jin had mentioned it to Wan Yi previously, but only in passing, and he lacked the specific details. He shook his head at Yan Wuji.

Yan Wuji sighed again. "The life and death of all living beings have a set destiny. But the emergence of Emperor-realm cultivators broke that law! They were supposed to be dead, yet they stole the secrets of heaven to escape reincarnation, disrupting the order of both the mortal world and the Underworld. The more of them there are, the more of the world’s fundamental essence they steal. Eventually, the Heavenly Dao will collapse because of them!"

"In this world, the mortal realm and the Underworld may be two separate domains, but they are actually one—complementary and inseparable. Once they disrupt the Heavenly Dao in the mortal world, causing the universe to collapse, the Underworld will cease to exist as well!"

"Therefore, the Underworld intended to wipe out these individuals whose natural lifespans had ended. But alas, their power has surpassed the limits of what cultivators in this world should possess! In other words, their power no longer belongs to this world."

"Yet, with the path to immortality severed, they cannot leave. They are trapped here, wreaking havoc and causing countless beings to die because of them. Those whose lifespans were not yet up die at their hands, and their souls return to the Underworld, causing chaos and clogging the path of reincarnation. I believe that before long, even if the mortal Heavenly Dao doesn't collapse, the order of the Underworld will fall apart!"

Yan Wuji’s explanation was a bit convoluted, leaving Wan Yi looking bewildered. Seeing his confusion, Yan Wuji helplessly shook his head and explained, "Let me put it simply: the order between the Underworld and the mortal world is all about balance."

"But Emperor-realm cultivators have broken free from the constraints of the Heavenly Dao; they do not enter reincarnation and do not incur karma. Aside from their theft of the world’s essence, as their numbers grow, the balance between the two realms gradually shifts! Furthermore, many beings who shouldn't have died have perished because of them, and this situation has spiraled out of the Underworld’s control."

"For every person reborn, one soul must return to the Underworld—it is a one-to-one proportion. But now, the ratio is imbalanced. The number of souls far exceeds the quota for reincarnation. Over time, the Underworld has become overcrowded!"

"While the Underworld’s motives for eradicating the Emperor-realm cultivators differ from the original intent of your lineage, the end goal is the same. Therefore, regardless of the reason, those Emperor-realm cultivators must be eliminated! That is the purpose of my inviting you here—I want to join forces with you. Let’s do something big!"