Chapter 457: The Netherworld Pope's Request

Within the sea of blood-colored clouds, a huge face formed of bloody mist stared at Xiao Nanfeng.

"What curious cursed spiritual power emanates from you. No wonder I passed over you that day," the Netherworld Pope murmured.

"A month ago, when we first arrived at the Netherworld Palace, you must have taken advantage of that whirlwind to catch Blue Lantern and Ye Dafu's group. However, thinking that I was a cursed effigy, you tossed me aside?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"That's right, but perhaps this was better, after all. Otherwise, how would I have learned of your abilities? You managed to upend the entire Netherworld Palace in little more than a month. Impressive, impressive!" the Netherworld Pope praised.

"How do you know about what I've done, Senior?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"Look over there."

A Heaven's Hand entered the sea of blood-colored clouds. It unclenched, releasing an ox-headed humanoid.

The ox-headed humanoid glanced warily around himself. "Where am I?"

The Netherworld Pope's huge face suddenly manifested before the cursed effigy. His frightening aura caused the unfortunate cursed effigy to fall to the ground.

"Do you remember me, the pope?" the Netherworld Pope demanded.

The ox-headed humanoid blanched, then trembled violently as he knelt. "Spare me, Pope! I didn't know you were still alive. Please, spare me!"

"What's going on in the capital of Chou? Tell me everything!"

"Yes! My king—no, the Ox Yanluo—was killed by the Tiger Yanluo and Peach Buddha. They divided the Ox Yanluo in half, then began to fight each other. The fighting extended all the way into the capital of Chou. The Peach Buddha, realizing that it was no match for the Tiger Yanluo, unearthed the Ox Yanluo's Yanluo Court and caused a Heaven's Hand to attack the Tiger Yanluo. The Tiger Yanluo grabbed the Ox Yanluo's Yanluo Court before the Heaven's Hand caught them both, while the Peach Buddha took the opportunity to run. Then, the Tiger Yanluo freed himself, and the Heaven's Hand has been attacking us cursed effigies since. Everyone else is dead, and only I was brought here and saved."

The Netherworld Pope nodded in satisfaction.

Another Heaven's Hand caught the ox-headed humanoid in its clutches.

"Please, Pope, spare me! I was forced to succumb. I'm loyal to you, Pope!" the ox-headed humanoid screamed.

With a tremendous grinding sound, the ox-headed humanoid was smashed into powder. The Heaven's Hand retreated from the sea of blood-colored clouds and vanished from sight.

"So you can interrogate ordinary cursed effigies as to my actions, Senior. No wonder you're aware of what I've been doing," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"You headed to Chen and destroyed what lay within, then repeated the same thing in Wu and Mao. At the mouth of the abyss, you toyed with the remaining Yanluo Lords before causing the Ox Yanluo's death at Chou. Xiao Nanfeng, despite being weak in terms of cultivation, you were able to scheme against and kill almost all the Yanluo Lords. Isn't that impressive?" The Netherworld Pope smiled in satisfaction.

"You overpraise me, Senior. I had no choice but to do so to guarantee my survival. Might I ask why you've sought me out?" Xiao Nanfeng asked carefully.

The Netherworld Pope's praise didn't get to his head; rather, it only made him more wary.

"I invited you here because I wanted you to help me take down the Tiger Yanluo and Peach Buddha as well." The Netherworld Pope's voice was tinged with killing intent.

"Senior, I noticed that you were able to control the Heaven's Hands in the region. Shouldn't it be easy for you to take them down yourself?"

"I have my own restrictions, and these Heaven's Hands are nothing more than hands. I don't understand the situation in the Netherworld Palace on a fine-grained level, and can only learn and manipulate events in broad strokes."

"Why did you choose me, Senior?"

"You're skilled and bolstered with fortune. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to accomplish what you did with your lacking cultivation. I believe you can fulfill my goals."

"It was all a matter of luck, Senior."

"There's no need for you to be modest. If I claim that you're blessed by fortune, then you are. Are you willing to help me?"

Xiao Nanfeng smiled wryly. "I thank you for your faith in me, Senior, but might I understand the situation better first?"

"What do you want to know?"

"I heard the Peach Buddha mention that, after you conquered the world, you sacrificed all manner of treasure in order to retrieve the Records of Life and Death from the world away. While attuning to those records, you were betrayed and killed by the ten Yanluo Lords, who buried your corpse underneath the eighteen layers of hell. Is that true?"

"No. My corpse formed the eighteen layers of hell."

"What?" Xiao Nanfeng gasped.

"Despite my defeat, my corpse still contained immense power, along with the embodiment of natural law that I cultivated. The ten Yanluo Lords forged my corpse into the eighteen layers of hell and continued to watch over it. When the heavens destroyed those eighteen layers of hell, they each snatched fragments of it and kept them by their side—not because the fragments were particularly potent, but because I continued to terrify them. They were worried that I would be able to regenerate and were on guard against me at all times."

"In that case, Senior, what are you doing here?"

"When the heavens reclaim the trappings of an era, they lay the foundation, the groundwork, for doing so in another ten thousand years. Cursed effigies can interfere with that setup, so the heavens treat them particularly coldly.

"Since cursed effigies can regenerate in death, killing them directly isn't the best option. Better still to lock them up and ensure that they can't affect the next era. The ten Yanluo Lords had much of their strength drained by the heavens before they were detained here. The heavens imposed countless laws to suppress and weaken them. As for me, after attuning to the Records of Life and Death, I became a cursed effigy and regenerated in time. The heavens found me and had me serve as guard and warden, allowing me some control over the natural laws imposed here. I, holding a grudge against the ten Yanluo Lords, naturally agreed."

"No wonder you were able to control the Heaven's Hands, Senior. I heard that the ten Yanluo Courts can block the clouds of annihilation to some extent."

"Initially, I made use of my Heaven's Hands to chase down the ten Yanluo Lords, but they learned a little of my limitations. They developed formations to link their Yanluo Courts to the clouds of annihilation overhead. Those clouds would have to destroy the Yanluo Courts in order to leave. The Yanluo Lords thought that their Yanluo Courts were able to withstand the might of those clouds, but I was the one who deliberately chose not to make a move."

"But why?" Xiao Nanfeng pressed.

"If I did, I would destroy the Yanluo Courts. Although the Yanluo Courts can repair themselves, the formless power of natural law that I endowed them with would dissipate. I couldn't bear to destroy them."

"You were the one who imbued the Yanluo Courts with power and natural law?"

"Indeed. For instance, the Snake Yanluo's Yanluo Court contains natural law that governs transformation, and would have allowed her to change her appearance or that of those around her. The Goat Yanluo's Yanluo Court contains natural law that grants crystal shielding and sealing. Every Yanluo Court contains unique mastery over the natural world."

"So that's what happened."

"Xiao Nanfeng, are you willing to avenge me and kill the Tiger Yanluo and Peach Buddha?" the Netherworld Pope asked again.

"Senior, your enemies are my enemies, and I naturally intend to take them down. However, I am no match for them alone, and my plans have always involved turning them against each other. If I am to strike, Senior, I will need your assistance."

"That's only natural. The Heaven's Hands shall be yours to manipulate."

"Truly? Thank you, Senior!" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes lit up.

"As long as you avenge me, I will reward you handsomely."

"Since we're allies now, Senior, would you be willing to free my subordinates? I'll need them to carry out my plan."

Blue Lantern and Ye Dafu's group eyed the Netherworld Pope expectantly, but he fell silent. Xiao Nanfeng inwardly tensed. Could the Netherworld Pope be planning to cross him?

"Senior, with the mouth to the abyss closed, you don't have to worry that we'll run. We're allies, and if I am to take on the Tiger Yanluo and the Peach Buddha for you, surely you ought to free my subordinates? They're my forces to begin with."

The Netherworld Pope said, "I can return them to you, but you must return my Yanluo Courts to me as well."

"It's settled." Xiao Nanfeng agreed immediately.

He retrieved the Divine Seal of Dazheng. With a wave of his hand, four Yanluo Courts floated into the sea of blood-colored clouds.

The Netherworld Pope smiled in satisfaction. "You are generous to your subordinates. Do you know what these Yanluo Courts mean to me?"

"I don't need to; this arrangement benefits us both. Please free my subordinates and unshackle them from their status as cursed slaves."

The Netherworld Pope seemed a little unwilling, but he was the one who had brought up this offer to begin with. If he didn't comply, how would he be able to enlist Xiao Nanfeng's assistance?

He had considered forging Xiao Nanfeng into a cursed slave himself, but the auras of the cursed effigies emanating from him forced him to reconsider. Before his objectives were accomplished, he didn't want to threaten his relationship with Xiao Nanfeng.

"Very well!"

As a gust of wind blew by, Blue Lantern and Ye Dafu's group trembled. A burst of red fog emerged from their mindscapes, then dissipated into the air.

They immediately felt far more relaxed than before.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" the cultivators cried out gratefully.

Xiao Nanfeng was rather taken aback. This was the first time Blue Lantern had formally addressed him as majesty, a blessing indeed.