Chapter Nineteen: The Mysterious Sect

Su Fan’s gaze softened slightly, for the King of the Underworld’s heroic acceptance of death filled him with deep respect.

With a fist to his chest, Su Fan bowed and said, “To witness your might today is something I shall never forget for the rest of my life.”

The King of the Underworld lifted his translucent head, joy lighting his face as he laughed heartily. “Good! Su Fan, do you dare assist me with one final task?”

Su Fan replied with a hearty laugh, “Why would I not?”

The King of the Underworld gazed at Su Fan kindly for a long moment. Then, reaching into the void, he took out a scroll, lifted his hand, and wrote something upon it. Afterward, he spat a mouthful of vital blood, letting it cover the scroll. With a flick of his finger, he sent the scroll flying into Su Fan’s body.

His expression grew solemn as he looked at Su Fan. “I have placed the seal scroll within your body. Unless someone’s cultivation surpasses mine by an entire realm, it cannot be detected. You must guard it well—let no one else obtain it.”

Su Fan was silent for a moment before speaking. “May I ask, who was the master of that gigantic hand, and where does the ‘Gate of the Ghost Domain’ you spoke of lead?”

The King of the Underworld’s expression dimmed, and he forced a smile, sighing. “Since you have come to this place, I will tell you what I know.”

They both sat on the ground. The King of the Underworld smiled and began, “The world in which we were born and raised is called Tianyuan Prefecture. Upon this land, countless people live, and there are innumerable sects devoted to the pursuit of immortality. These sects are lawless, frequently clashing over cultivation resources. Sometimes, even wars break out. The strong prey on the weak, and many lesser sects, through carelessness, are wiped out by greater powers. Thus, the major sects establish branch sects within their territories, investing large amounts of pills and treasures to foster their growth, hoping to raise powerful cultivators to safeguard their own stability.”

“These parent sects keep a close watch on their subordinate branches, and if anyone of exceptional talent is discovered, they are immediately taken in as a disciple and given special training.”

“A thousand years ago, in the far south of Tianyuan Prefecture, there was a minor sect called Meili Sect. Though its lands were vast, they were perpetually shrouded in dark clouds, denying sunlight to the earth below. The land was filled with miasma and swamps, and spiritual veins were extremely scarce. As a result, the cultivators there were generally weak. Normally, such a barren sect would not attract the attention of any major powers.”

“Yet from this desolate place, a prodigy of astounding talent emerged. Rumor had it that on the day of his birth, he killed the sect master of Meili Sect. Thereafter, he led the cultivators of his land and declared war on the four neighboring sects. In battles among hundreds of thousands, he claimed the heads of enemy generals as easily as reaching into a sack. Within months, he had conquered them all.”

“Later, he joined forces with several other powerful cultivators to disperse the clouds above Meili Sect. Within a hundred years, he led the sect to campaign east and west until Meili Sect rose to become a formidable power. Stories of his deeds spread far and wide. Some said he received guidance from ancient immortals and inherited their legacy, which explained his fearsome strength. Others claimed he discovered the largest spiritual vein in all of Tianyuan Prefecture, and coupled with his unparalleled talent, this allowed him to reach such heights. Yet, his exact cultivation remained a mystery even to this day.”

“As Meili Sect grew in strength, the larger neighboring sects became uneasy, fearing that they too might one day be destroyed. Thus, eight powerful sects formed an alliance to attack Meili Sect. The war lasted for years, yet neither side could claim victory.”

“Year after year of war bred discontent among the disciples of all involved sects, and at last, they were forced to negotiate peace. The eight sect masters invited the prodigy to parley at the border of Meili Sect. He arrived as agreed, intending to make peace and end the wars. But the eight masters ambushed him at first sight. Despite being beset on all sides, the prodigy killed three of them and managed to escape, though gravely wounded. The surviving five returned and rallied their sects to attack Meili Sect. When a million cultivators reached Meili Sect’s borders, they met no resistance. Believing the prodigy’s wounds had left the sect defenseless, they pressed forward, meeting not a single cultivator, not even any common folk. When the million-strong force finally entered Meili Sect, the once clear sky turned pitch black, and a terrible silence fell. By dawn the next day, every single cultivator had vanished without a trace.”

“From then on, Meili Sect ceased all expansion, the prodigy disappeared, and deathly silence reigned around the sect. Its cultivators were never seen again in any other sects. Rumors spread that ancient immortals dwelled within Meili Sect, able to kill ordinary cultivators with a flick of their fingers—no one could reach the place unscathed, not even those of the greatest power.”

“Despite this, the legendary treasures and pills accumulated by Meili Sect during its years of conquest proved too tempting. Many desperate fortune-seekers ventured in pursuit of riches, but none ever returned. Still, more came, and over time, the borders of Meili Sect became a refuge for outlaws—those who had committed grave crimes or offended powerful figures elsewhere all fled here. In time, the area around Meili Sect became remarkably prosperous.”

“A thousand years ago, five powerful cultivators arrived and, in a single night, slaughtered all other cultivators living near Meili Sect. Then the five entered the sect’s inner lands. A hundred years passed with no word from them. When everyone thought them dead, one day, they emerged. But gone was their arrogance; instead, they seemed witless, raving about ghosts to anyone they met. The outside world was bewildered—ordinary ghosts should pose no threat to cultivators of their level, so how could they be reduced to this?”

“Soon after, Meili Sect was again shrouded in clouds and mist, and strange phenomena occurred. Every ten years, the clouds would dissipate, and the sect would transform into a sea for a year. Then the waters would turn back into mist, and the land would reappear. Over the next century, numerous high-level cultivators from surrounding sects mysteriously vanished. Joint investigations yielded no clues. In their despair, a stranger arrived, claiming to be an Immortal Lord from the heavens, sent by the Celestial Emperor to investigate.”

“Cultivators already believed in the immortals above, so most accepted his claim. The Immortal Lord entered Meili Sect alone, and from then on, no more disappearances occurred near Meili Sect—though the Lord himself never reappeared. However, while the disappearances ceased around Meili Sect, other parts of Tianyuan Prefecture saw a fresh wave of vanishing cultivators.”

“Later, a man claiming to be the Celestial Emperor descended, bringing with him nine Celestial Kings to investigate. They discovered that the missing cultivators had been abducted by spectral beings, but these were no ordinary ghosts—they possessed immense power, capable of destroying heaven and earth with a gesture. It is said that the Celestial Emperor and the nine Celestial Kings combined their might to seal nine of the Ghost Kings behind the Gates of the Ghost Domain, assigning each Celestial King to guard a gate. The Celestial Emperor himself was gravely wounded and remains in seclusion to this day. Although the Ghost Kings were suppressed, many lesser spirits remained at large, lurking in the shadows—a much more insidious threat.”

The King of the Underworld’s voice grew ever weaker, his nascent soul dimming as if a mere breeze might scatter it. Su Fan still had many questions, but he could not bear to ask further.

The King of the Underworld smiled and said, “My death is inevitable. If you have questions, ask them now, and I will do my best to answer before I go.”

Su Fan nodded and asked, “Senior, may I ask what connection Meili Sect has with the Ghost Domain?”

The King of the Underworld sighed softly. “Such matters are beyond my knowledge. The Celestial Emperor’s cultivation is unfathomable. I simply obey the ancestral command to guard this place.”

Su Fan remained silent, watching as the King of the Underworld’s nascent soul slowly dissipated. With the echo of his hearty laughter, the soul vanished completely.

Three objects fell from the void: a scroll, a compass, and Chen Yi’s storage pouch. Before his final dissolution, the King of the Underworld left Su Fan a trace of spiritual will, explaining the use of these items. The scroll described the tomb of the King of the Underworld; the compass was a teleportation tool, allowing one to leave the King’s palace from any location within.