Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 545 Preparations complete, entering the Underworld

Although he had made up his mind to set off for the Underworld immediately, Xiao Jie still had a few important things to take care of before he officially set off.

The first thing to do is to select a suitable immortal technique manual from the vast collection of books in the library and take it with me to cultivate, just in case.

Faced with a choice, he once again fell into a brief dilemma. While the *Classic of Strange Things* was indeed all-encompassing, recording the forms and supernatural powers of countless mythical beasts and celestial birds, inspiring longing, it leaned more towards theoretical knowledge and an illustrated encyclopedia, without directly recording specific methods of transformation. Moreover, without the opportunity to personally witness and experience those legendary beings, relying solely on the book's descriptions would ultimately be like a mirage, unable to truly grasp their essence. Conversely, if he were fortunate enough to encounter the "real thing," observing and experiencing it up close, the effect would undoubtedly far surpass that of burying himself in books. Thinking this way, although the book was excellent, it wasn't immediately necessary.

In contrast, while he had initially grasped the basic transformation techniques of the book "Thousand Illusions Transformation Technique," they were limited to ordinary birds and beasts. The more complex transformations within the book, such as "demonic beast incarnation," "illusionary form mimicry," "qi simulation," and even the more profound "dharma form transformation," required him to dedicate considerable time and effort to gradual study and mastery. The book, exceeding 100,000 words, was filled with profound wisdom and boundless mysteries, far beyond what could be fully comprehended in a short time. It was, however, the best choice for him at this stage to enhance his strength and cope with ever-changing circumstances.

"Fellow Daoist Sui Feng has decided to choose this book?" Su Moyan's eyes revealed a hint of understanding and approval as Xiao Jie finally picked up the "Thousand Illusions Transformation Technique." "It's a practical and interesting choice. Simply press your handprint on the 'Immortal Stele of Tracing' over there to leave your immortal consciousness imprint to complete the borrowing. Remember, the books on the upper three floors are all unique and precious. If they are accidentally lost or damaged, you will need to compensate with karma points. This book is hidden on the seventh floor, so you need to deposit 200 karma points. Remember, remember, don't forget."

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist," Xiao Jie solemnly replied. The ancient, azure stone tablet stood at the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion, its surface smooth as a mirror, faintly shimmering with light. Xiao Jie stepped forward, gently placing his palm on it, and channeling a wisp of immortal energy. Instantly, ripples spread across the surface of the tablet, and a line of clear yet fleeting cloud-script immortal characters appeared:

[On the day of Gengchen in the month of Guiyou in the year of Jiazi, the wandering immortal Yinyue Suifeng borrowed a copy of "The Thousand Illusions Transformation Technique," mortgaging 200 points of karma...]

The words flashed by, as if they had never appeared, but Xiao Jie clearly felt an invisible binding force entwining his divine sense, establishing a mysterious connection with the book in his hand. He dared not be negligent in the slightest; since this power of "cause and effect" was so feared even by the immortals, it was clearly not something that could be easily delayed. This book absolutely could not be lost.

"Fortunately, I'm a 'player' with a system inventory function." Xiao Jie felt slightly relieved. With a thought, the jade slip of the "Thousand Illusions Transformation Technique" in his hand transformed into a stream of light and entered his body, safely storing it in the "inventory" space that only he could perceive. In this way, as long as he didn't die, the book would be absolutely safe.

Then, Xiao Jie rushed to the "Dan Ding Hall" and the "Wan Bao Hall" without stopping.

He found the guardian immortals of the two halls and inquired in detail about the list of top-tier treasures that could be exchanged with karma points, as well as which items could be obtained for free in limited quantities.

In the Pill Cauldron Hall, the alchemist who exuded a faint medicinal fragrance told him that without exception, all true immortal pills required the consumption of karma points to exchange for.

For example, there is the "Nine-Turn Resurrection Pill," which can heal flesh and bone and revive the dead; the "Longevity Pill," which can greatly extend the lifespan of mortals and strengthen their foundation; the "Five Elements Spirit-Nourishing Pill," which can instantly restore a large amount of immortal energy and aid in cultivation; the "Nine Apertures Marrow Cleansing Pill," which can temper the immortal body and improve one's innate constitution; and the "Wisdom and Enlightenment Pill," which can greatly enhance comprehension and help people break through bottlenecks in a short period of time.

These various elixirs possess extraordinary uses; some can reverse the cycle of life and death, some can lay the foundation for immortality, some can aid in breakthroughs in cultivation, and some can avert fatal calamities. Naturally, their prices vary, with even the cheapest longevity elixir requiring 50 karma points.

Looking at the exchange list, Xiao Jie couldn't help but mutter to himself: When I won the Longevity Pill from Shenjizi in the bet, I thought it was some kind of amazing treasure, but it turns out it's the cheapest one here... Tsk tsk tsk, this big shot is really 'generous'.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Back then, I was just a first-order mortal, so I could easily fool him. Besides, it was a celestial pill that could only be exchanged with karma points, so I shouldn't complain.

These causal points are clearly the currency among immortals, and I'm currently penniless.

As for those pills classified as "ordinary," although they can be obtained for free, there is a limit to the quantity. However, if these so-called "ordinary" pills were placed in the mortal game world, each one would be considered a top-tier pill! If they were put in an auction house, they could easily sell for several taels, tens of taels, or even hundreds of taels of silver each, fetching an astronomical price.

Xiao Jie, without any hesitation and with the mentality of "a fool wouldn't pass up a bargain," claimed a full one hundred pills of various commonly used elixirs. The total included:
Life-Creating Pill: A holy medicine for healing injuries, capable of rapidly restoring qi and blood, and also increasing resistance to fatal attacks, thus reviving life and extending the soul.

Vitality Gathering Powder: Quickly replenishes depleted physical and mental energy, keeping you in peak condition at all times.

Bai Mai Hui Shen Wan: Specially used to restore internal energy, it has an excellent effect on martial artists.

Condensed Mana Dew: Quickly restores mana, suitable for magic-based classes.

Dragon Tiger Tempering Pill: Can temporarily and significantly increase the user's basic attributes such as strength, agility, and constitution, with the effect lasting for one hour.

These pills are of little use to him personally, but once he successfully revives his teammates, they will most likely be in a "blank" state, and these top-tier supplies are exactly the resources they need most during their "newbie" phase.

Besides elixirs, weapons and equipment are naturally indispensable.

This brings us to the Hall of Myriad Treasures. Guarding the hall was an immortal, his body gleaming with metallic light, resembling a golden-armored deity. He informed Xiao Jie that ordinary standard weapons and equipment such as swords, armor, and bows could be obtained for free, and even customized to a certain extent. However, those "magical treasures," "spiritual artifacts," "immortal artifacts," and even "divine artifacts" possessing special power and growth potential required a considerable amount of karma points to purchase.

Xiao Jie once again embraced his "freebie-hunting" spirit, scooping up all sorts of swords, weapons, armor, and accessories that could slightly increase strength, agility, and spirit attributes—anything he could get for free. He specifically chose beginner-friendly items without level or attribute requirements, stuffing his system inventory to the brim, finally feeling fully prepared.

After bidding farewell to the immortals of the Dan Ding Hall and Wan Bao Hall, as well as Lin Xuance, the Martial Dao Immortal, Miao Fa Yuan Jun, Su Mo Yan, and others who had been accompanying him, Xiao Jie finally embarked on his journey back to the Underworld.

It's time to revive our teammates!

Xiao Jie left the Mountain and Sea Painting Realm and once again felt the thin and chaotic spiritual energy of the outside world. Without the slightest hesitation, he leaped into the sky.

"Cloud-Soaring Technique!"

With a thought, a pure white auspicious cloud naturally rose from beneath his feet, steadily supporting his figure. Standing atop the cloud, Xiao Jie discerned his direction and flew swiftly towards the endless void beyond Lonely Cloud Prefecture.

As I flew through the air, looking down at the desolate and ravaged land of Guyun Prefecture, shrouded in demonic energy, my state of mind was completely different from when I arrived.

Previously, I was confused and surprised; now that I know the tragic story and heavy sacrifices that happened in this immortal realm, I can't help but have many thoughts and feelings.

The fact that Lonely Cloud Continent separated from the main body of the Nine Provinces and drifted here is probably no accident... When the extraterrestrial demons invaded back then, their vanguard force may have torn apart the boundary wall from here. In order to isolate the battlefield outside the Nine Provinces and protect the mortal beings, the immortals were willing to pay a huge price, using the entire Lonely Cloud Continent Immortal Realm as the last bulwark, and flew here to fight the final battle, right?

Xiao Jie speculated in his heart, "The mortals of the Nine Provinces World only know that immortals live far away from the mortal world and are carefree, but they do not know that if it weren't for the immortals of Guyun Prefecture fighting bloody battles back then, the entire Nine Provinces World would probably have become a demon land and been cut off from life."

Just by looking at the terrifying demonic marks that still haven't completely faded from the land of Guyun Prefecture, the shattered mountains and rivers, and the silent palace ruins, it's not hard to imagine the ferocity and tragedy of that defensive battle. Hundreds of immortals perished; what kind of terrifying being must that extraterrestrial demon have been?

As Xiao Jie's mind raced, the auspicious cloud beneath his feet reached its maximum speed, and in the blink of an eye, it rushed out of the broken border of Lonely Cloud Prefecture and once again entered that cold, desolate, and empty "Great Void".

This time, Xiao Jie no longer needed to transform into a demonic dragon to make his arduous journey. His immortal body was not of ordinary flesh and blood; it needed no breath, was impervious to heat and cold, and could directly draw meager energy from the void to sustain itself. Even in this absolute vacuum, he felt no discomfort; on the contrary, he found himself moving with even greater freedom.

He even observed his surroundings with considerable amusement: "This so-called 'Great Void' is clearly 'outer space' in the real universe! The same vastness, the same darkness and stillness, with only a few distant, twinkling stars providing faint light." Thinking of this, a thought popped into his head: "With my current immortal body, if I were in the real world, wouldn't I be able to directly enter space, even land on the moon or Mars? I just wonder if, with my current cultivation as a rogue immortal, although my flight speed is fast, I could reach the third cosmic velocity to escape the sun's gravity? I'm afraid it's still difficult..."

While the magic of immortals is undoubtedly infinitely profound, it still seems to follow certain basic laws of physics. Take flight, for example. Xiao Jie has tested it, and his current maximum speed while riding the auspicious cloud is about ten times the speed of sound. This speed is astonishing within the atmosphere, but to rely on this speed to fly out of the solar system is undoubtedly a pipe dream.

"Unless I can learn those high-level immortal techniques involving spatial jumps and teleportation... but those kinds of spells are probably extremely profound, beyond what I, a mere rogue immortal, can hope for." He shook his head, temporarily setting aside this unrealistic idea, and focused on traveling.

While pondering, Xiao Jie had already traversed the long Path of the Void and entered the "atmosphere" of the Nine Provinces World. In the past, Xiao Jie had subconsciously believed that the Nine Provinces World was a giant planet like Earth. It wasn't until he traveled to the edge of the earth in his pursuit of immortality that he vaguely sensed the difference in this world. Now, standing high in the sky, in the Void, he could see the overall shape of the Nine Provinces World more clearly—it was indeed not a sphere, but a vast and seemingly floating continent, surrounded by chaotic energy and endless void, exactly the "round heaven and square earth" pattern of classical mythology! Traveling in silence, about an hour later, Xiao Jie had already flown back to the vicinity of the Kongtong Mountain region in his memory.

To avoid attracting unnecessary attention and disturbance, Xiao Jie used his invisibility spell early on to completely conceal his presence before descending from the clouds quietly.

He landed beside the very clear stream where he had his final battle with the Mortal Taoist. There was a reason for choosing this place to enter the Underworld. According to the *Youming Xuanlu*, the Nine Provinces World and the Underworld are not completely separate worlds, but rather like two sides of a mirror, overlapping each other yet existing on different dimensional levels. The "River Styx" that runs through the Underworld and cleanses souls has countless connections to the rivers, lakes, and seas of the Nine Provinces World; their waterways are interconnected, and their energy flows are linked.

After a mortal dies, their soul sinks into this overlapping realm, falls into a tributary of the River Styx, and is swept away by the waters of the River Styx, washing away their memories until they drift to their final "resting place in the underworld," where they can enter the cycle of reincarnation.

Therefore, this place, with the entrance to the underworld opened beside the river that witnessed the fall of his teammates, is the most suitable and easiest place to locate the area where his teammates' souls might be.

Xiao Jie held his breath and concentrated, recalling the method for opening the passage to the underworld recorded in the "Records of the Netherworld and the Brightness." He formed hand seals, and the immortal energy within his body circulated along a specific trajectory.

"The Netherworld opens, the Yellow Springs guide the way; Yin and Yang reverse, the boundary wall leads to the netherworld!"

As he shouted the last incantation, Xiao Jie pointed his fingers like a sword and slashed fiercely at the void in front of him!
"open!"

In an instant, wherever his fingertips passed, space was silently torn apart like the finest brocade! It wasn't a simple black rift, but a swirling vortex tunnel, composed of deep darkness and specks of phosphorescent light, appeared out of thin air! Eerie, ghostly blue runes flickered along the tunnel's edges, and from within emanated chilling winds that seemed capable of freezing souls, and the faint wails of a thousand ghosts. A powerful suction force emanated from it, pulling at the surrounding light and even space itself.

Xiao Jie took a deep breath and, without the slightest hesitation, stepped into the swirling, dark vortex!
The instant he stepped in, it was as if he had passed through a layer of cold, viscous water, and the surrounding scenery instantly changed! The fragrance of grass and trees, the babbling of streams, vanished in an instant, replaced by absolute silence and a bone-chilling cold. The senses of time and space became blurred and distorted, as if he were gliding through a tunnel of light composed of countless fragments of memories of the deceased, with countless blurred faces and broken scenes rushing past and disappearing. In that brief moment, it felt like an eternity, and when he felt the touch of solid ground beneath his feet again, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar, gray world.

Is this the underworld? It feels completely different from what he saw through the game screen before!

When playing games, all sensations are diminished and transformed through the screen; the underworld is nothing more than a grayed-out color scheme and the addition of a "corrosion of yin energy" debuff status bar. Only by truly stepping into this realm can one personally experience the omnipresent, suffocating stillness and chill.

This was a chill not simply caused by low temperatures, but a sinister, ghostly aura that could penetrate the body and reach the depths of the soul, seemingly capable of freezing thought and extinguishing life. A faint, ashen mist permeated the air, carrying a musty, despairing smell when inhaled. The light was extremely dim, like an eternal twilight, yet no source could be found. The earth was a blackish-gray, cold, hard wasteland, occasionally dotted with twisted, bizarre trees and jagged rocks. In the distance came the faint, ancient whistling of the wind and the dragging of chains, adding to the desolation and terror.

If an ordinary human were to enter this world, they probably wouldn't survive more than a few minutes; their flesh and blood would be eroded and turned into a walking corpse in a short time.

Fortunately, he has now ascended to immortality and long since shed his physical body. The strange illusions of this netherworld only make him feel slightly uncomfortable and cannot harm him in the slightest.

Xiao Jie strained his eyes to look around, and saw a vast, silent river flowing in the distance, its waters murky and dark yellow, its current slow yet possessing a terrifying erosive power. That was the legendary main channel of the River Styx. And where he had appeared was beside a small tributary that flowed into the main channel.

Looking further into the distance, a low, gray sky hung obscured the sun, moon, and stars, leaving only a vast expanse of chaos. The desolate land stretched in all directions to the horizon, occasionally dotted with the ruins of ancient buildings or the pale skeletons of enormous, unidentified creatures half-buried in the ground. The entire world was awash in gray, black, and white, filled with an atmosphere of despair and impending doom.

Feeling the dark and oppressive environment around him and the pervasive, chilling ghostly aura, even as an immortal, Xiao Jie couldn't help but tense up and feel a sense of unease.

He used his cloud-riding technique again, carefully lifting himself a few feet off the ground, and flew forward along the tributary. Soon, the tributary merged into the vast, seemingly all-encompassing main river of the Styx. Flying above the Styx, looking down, he saw countless blurry, transparent souls drifting and floating in the turbid water. As far as the eye could see, they were densely packed, numbering in the millions! Finding a few specific souls among them was like searching for a needle in a haystack!
Moreover, their teammates have been dead for over half a month, and they've probably been swept downstream to who knows how far. There's definitely a long search ahead!
However, as immortals, they naturally have their own methods for finding people. To accurately find someone in a place like the underworld, it's best to seek help from the local "natives." But ordinary wandering ghosts certainly won't do; the waters of the River Styx have the terrifying effect of washing away memories and dissolving soul power. Once an ordinary ghost falls into it, it's like ice falling into boiling water—it will quickly lose all its intelligence and eventually become part of the River Styx.

What he was looking for were the underworld officials and ghost soldiers who could navigate the River Styx and were specifically responsible for retrieving and managing souls!

According to the book, the underworld is ruled by Yama, who commands 84,000 ghost soldiers and officials who are in charge of the cycle of life and death, including the operation of the River Styx. If you want to rescue someone from the underworld, it is best to ask him for help.

Speak of the devil, and he appears! Xiao Jie's sharp eyes quickly spotted a large wooden boat, strangely shaped and crafted entirely from some kind of dark wood, with a ferocious ghost head carved on its prow, slowly drifting upstream on the turbid waters of the River Styx not far downstream. On the boat stood a dozen ghost soldiers wielding dark iron spears and soul-slaying scimitars, dressed in tattered armor, while several withered old men steered the boat from the front and back.

And a ghost official who was dressed somewhat decently, wearing a square scarf on his head, and holding a book that emitted a ghostly light.

Xiao Jie looked up at their heads, and with a thought, game data immediately appeared above their heads.

Styx Ghost Soldier: Level 44. Health Points: 1400.

Styx Ferryman: Level 36. Health: 980.

Liu Tong (Ghost Clerk of the Judgment Department): Level 48 Elite. Health: 2800.

They must be ghost soldiers and officials under the rule of Yama, the King of Hell.

Xiao Jie observed quietly, and saw that the ghost soldiers would occasionally use long poles with hooks to drag some of the more "fresh" or "strong" souls from the River Styx onto the boat, roughly question them a few times, and then bind them with black ropes that shimmered with runes and throw them to the stern. Dozens of wandering souls were already bound at the stern, each with a vacant stare, bewildered, some weeping softly or begging for mercy.

Some were more aggressive, cursing and struggling fiercely.

Xiao Jie was puzzled: "What are they doing? Conscripting men? Or carrying out some underworld official business?"

It doesn't matter, we can just ask.

He descended from the clouds, concealing his celestial light, but the pure celestial aura, so different from the ghostly energy of the underworld, could not be completely concealed. He landed directly on the bow of the ghost-headed wooden boat, his figure solidifying from the ethereal.

This immediately terrified the ghost soldiers, causing their souls to tremble. One by one, they frantically raised their Nether Iron Spears and Soul-Slaying Blades, shouting with feigned bravado but underlying fear:
"What the hell? How dare you trespass on my Netherworld Dharma Ship! State your name!"

The ghost official who seemed to be the leader was actually quite knowledgeable. When he looked up, he saw that although Xiao Jie had deliberately concealed himself, there was still a faint, pure immortal light emanating from him. His body was solid like that of a living person, and his aura was upright and peaceful, which was completely out of place with the deathly ghostly aura of the entire Netherworld. In particular, his eyes were bright and clear when they opened and closed, clearly indicating that he was an immortal who had attained the Dao Fruit!

He was greatly alarmed. The path to immortality had been severed for thousands of years, and it was extremely rare for an immortal to run to the underworld. However, he had heard from the seniors of the Judgment Division about immortals before, and knew that such people were the most difficult to deal with. If he encountered someone reasonable, that would be fine, but if he encountered someone who bullied the weak, he could easily bring about his own death.

Unfortunately, these immortals can come and go freely within the Three Realms, without any constraints, making it difficult for them to even seek an explanation.

You'd better serve them well.

He hurriedly stepped forward and started punching and kicking those ignorant ghost soldiers. Although physical damage was useless against ghosts, it was a matter of attitude.

"You bastards! Are you blind?! Don't offend the immortal! Put away your weapons! Put them away now!" The ghost official scolded, while quickly putting on a respectful, even somewhat obsequious, expression and bowing to Xiao Jie.

"Your humble servants pay their respects to the venerable immortal! May I ask where your divine regalia comes from? Is there anything we may do to serve you on this humble patrol boat? Please give your orders, and we will do our utmost!"

(End of this chapter)