Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 546 River Thieves
Seeing the ghost official so sensible and cooperative, Xiao Jie was somewhat surprised, and then couldn't help but smile. It seems that becoming an immortal really does bring prestige! Even a casual question can elicit such a respectful and considerate response, truly living up to the saying, "There is a difference between immortals and mortals, and majesty is naturally revealed."

My confidence in successfully "rescuing" him grew even stronger.

However, he did not directly state his purpose. The matter of retrieving specific souls involves the laws of reincarnation in the underworld, and this lowly river patrolling ghost official is most likely beyond his authority and power. In the end, he would probably have to find the Yama King himself, who is in charge of the Book of Life and Death.

He simply smiled and followed the other party's words, asking, "It's alright, let me ask you, what are you doing making such a fuss on the River Styx?"

Seeing that the immortal seemed to have no ill intentions, the ghost official felt somewhat relieved and quickly replied respectfully, "Reporting to the immortal, the battle at 'Ghost City' is currently critical, and there is an urgent need to replenish troops. Therefore, Lord Yama has specially dispatched us to retrieve relatively strong or intact wandering ghosts from the main stream and tributaries of the River Styx, and bring them back to the city for training and preparation to strengthen the city's garrison."

Ghost City? Xiao Jie was puzzled by this unfamiliar place name, but based on the background story he had learned in the game, he could roughly guess the reason.

Based on the game background information he had collected in the past, this Netherworld is roughly divided into two major camps.

However, in the beginning, there was only one major power.

In ancient times, the underworld was ruled by successive Yama Kings, who established order, controlled the six realms of reincarnation, and maintained the balance of Yin and Yang. The "establishment faction," led by Yama Kings, advocated for the orderly relationship between Yin and Yang, the cycle of life and death, and that the mortal world and the underworld should each live their own lives without interfering with each other.

However, starting thousands of years ago, the cycle of reincarnation seemed to have some flaw. An abnormal surge of malevolent energy arose in the underworld, giving rise to numerous powerful and unruly ghost kings. These ghost kings fought each other, carving out their own territories and plunging the underworld into chaos. Although Yama, the King of Hell, launched several campaigns to suppress them, he was never able to completely eradicate them. Often, as soon as one ghost king was defeated, a new and even more powerful one would emerge from the chaos.

This continued for over a thousand years, until finally, an unprecedentedly powerful being emerged among the Ghost Kings. This ghost called himself the "Emperor of the Underworld," possessing boundless magical power and boundless ambition, vowing to raze the Yama's Palace and unify the Yin and Yang realms!
Yama led his army in a protracted and bloody battle against them, but could not win. In the end, he could only retreat to the [Netherworld Ghost City] and barely protect himself by relying on the ancient restrictions and the power of the Samsara Palace.

The "Conquest Faction," led by the Underworld Emperor, firmly believed that the law of the jungle was the ultimate principle of the universe. They argued that the underworld should rule the mortal world and advocated completely transforming the vibrant mortal realm of the Nine Provinces into a desolate underworld. They even attempted to open the Yin-Yang passage several times to launch an invasion of the Nine Provinces, but were all repelled by the combined efforts of the immortals of the Nine Provinces who noticed the anomaly.

However, in the Underworld itself, the Underworld Emperor still maintains formidable military strength and widespread influence. The battle at "Ghost City" is undoubtedly one of the focal points of this long war between the two sides.

"Yan Jun has been ruling the underworld for ten thousand years, yet he still hasn't been able to defeat the Underworld Emperor?" Xiao Jie asked, feigning curiosity.

Upon hearing this, the ghost official's face turned bitter. He sighed, "Alas, Immortal, you do not know, it is not that easy! That false Emperor of the Underworld not only possesses immense magical power and commands a vast array of fierce generals, but he is also adept at diplomacy and maneuvering. He has not only subdued and absorbed most of the powerful ghost kings of the Underworld, but has also forged alliances with numerous powerful forces such as the Asura Clan, the Yaksha Clan, and the Skeleton Fish Demon Clan. His power is deeply entrenched and immense. Although Lord Yama holds a portion of the reincarnation authority and can mobilize the orthodox Yin soldiers and ghost generals of the Underworld, he has found it difficult to win. The battle has remained at a stalemate. Unless... unless powerful reinforcements from the mortal world come to our aid, if this continues, the future looks bleak..."

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Xiao Jie's expression and cautiously asked, "This immortal has an extraordinary bearing and pure immortal light. May I ask which immortal mountain or blessed land you have descended from? Do you wish to see my Lord Yama? To be honest, my Lord Yama has already issued an order that if one is fortunate enough to encounter an immortal from the upper realm, he must respectfully invite him to the [Netherworld Ghost City] for a chat, as there are important matters to discuss."

Xiao Jie thought to himself, "Just as I thought," but remained outwardly calm: "I do have some things I need to discuss with your Lord Yama."

Upon hearing this, the ghost official's face lit up with wild joy, as if he had seen a savior: "That's wonderful! If my Lord Yama were to learn of your arrival, he would surely welcome you with open arms! Please wait a moment, Immortal, we will turn the boat around and return to report! By the way, my name is Liu Tong, a seventh-rank river patrol officer of the Netherworld Ghost City. May I ask how you should address me, Immortal?"

"My Taoist name is faintly visible in the wind."

"So it's Immortal Sui Feng! My apologies! Please stand firm!" After saying this, Liu Tong turned around and gave an order to the ghost soldiers: "Quickly! Turn the bow around and return to Senluo City at full speed! We have some great news to report to Lord Yama!" The ghost-headed wooden boat made a muffled creaking sound, and the eyes of the ferocious ghost head carved on the bow shone with a ghostly green light. It turned around, broke through the turbid waters of the Styx River, and went upstream at a speed much faster than when it came.

Xiao Jie stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat, letting the cold wind whip his clothes around his neck. He felt a surge of anticipation; he hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly. However, the King of Hell's eagerness for the immortal's arrival suggested he had something to ask for—most likely, he wanted the immortal as a free henchman to help him deal with the Underworld Emperor. He'd better prepare an excuse beforehand when he met the King of Hell; otherwise, if he were forced to accept this troublesome task of conquering the Underworld Emperor, he would be deviating from his main objective.

"No wonder those immortals in Guyun Prefecture are hiding and unwilling to come out. With great power comes great responsibility... As the top combat force in the Nine Provinces World, once immortals show their faces, all kinds of forces will probably come to them, asking them to settle all kinds of troubles."

However, if the immortals are seeking righteous deeds such as subduing demons and saving the world, they cannot refuse. It is indeed more convenient for them to hide in the painting and avoid the world.

"This must be what they call the power of cause and effect," Xiao Jie thought to himself.

But on second thought, it's not all bad. Since Yama (the King of Hell) needs his help, he'll have no choice but to be even more diligent in handling "trivial matters" like retrieving a few souls.

Just as they were pondering this, they suddenly heard a panicked shout from the ghost soldier on lookout at the stern!
The ghost official Liu Tong rushed to the stern to check, his face turning deathly pale. He hurried back to Xiao Jie's side, his voice trembling slightly:
"Immortal Rong Bing! It's the 'Nether River Bandits'! Those skeletal fish demons who have sided with the false emperor have arrived! They must have discovered us! They are hostile, and there are probably dozens of them! I wonder if you would like to go into the cabin to avoid their advance? We...we might try to escape quickly!"

River bandits? Xiao Jie was surprised. There were actually river bandits in this deadly River Styx?

He looked up in the direction the ghost soldier had pointed. To his side and behind, the murky waters of the River Styx surged violently, and seven or eight enormous, catfish-like monsters, entirely black with exposed bony spurs, broke through the waves, rapidly pursuing him! These monsters rode on [Netherworld Catfish], swimming with incredible speed. On the back of each catfish rode two or three hunched-over, muscular monsters wielding rusty yet menacing steel forks.

These monsters were the "Skeleton Fish Demons" that Liu Tong had mentioned. They largely retained a human form, but possessed enormous, ferocious fish heads, with mouths splitting open to their ears, filled with sharp teeth, and lifeless, dead fish eyes. Their skin was a ghastly white and swollen, as if they had drowned, covered with sparse, sticky scales. Key parts of their bodies, such as their chests, shoulders, and joints, were inlaid or adorned with rough armor and ornaments made from the pale bones of various creatures. Some skulls even flickered with eerie green soul fire, making them look both fierce and bizarre.

Styx River Bandit (Skeleton Fish Demon): Level 44. Health: 1600.

Styx Raider (Skeleton Fish Demon): Level 46. 1800 Health.

The one leading the group was particularly conspicuous. It was over ten feet tall, far more robust than its kind, and rode an exceptionally large Netherworld Catfish, adorned with rusted metal horns. On its enormous catfish head was a crown-like helmet made of multiple twisted skulls, and it wielded a heavy bone hammer the size of a door panel, covered in spikes. It exuded a violent aura.

Styx Destroyer (Skeleton Fish Demon Leader): Level 52 Elite, 3300 HP.

Although Liu Tong tried to remain calm, the fear in his voice was hard to conceal. Clearly, the attacking bandits were far stronger than their small patrol boat. This was also evident from the comparison of the monster levels on both sides.

"Hehe, no need to avoid them for now." Xiao Jie laughed, a hint of eagerness in his eyes. "Having just arrived in the Underworld, I was worried about having nowhere to stretch my muscles, and I'm itching for a fight. These demons and monsters have come at just the right time."

This wasn't Xiao Jie being arrogant or being overly polite. Since being reborn as a member of the immortal race and gaining this extraordinary power, he hadn't yet truly "leveled up" by fighting monsters or experiencing the practical combat abilities of an immortal. This group of strangely shaped underworld ghosts before him, with their suitable levels and considerable numbers, were perfect practice targets!
Moreover, his experience bar is currently stuck at the peak of level 39, which is exactly what he needs to kill some monsters to gain experience and break through the crucial threshold of level 40. In the Yang World of Kyushu, monsters above level 40 are hard to find; they usually have their own territories. This group that has delivered itself to his doorstep is perfect!
Hearing Xiao Jie's calm and even expectant words, Liu Tong's face immediately showed a look of surprise and disbelief, and he quickly bowed: "Since...in that case, we will trouble you, Immortal! We will definitely cheer for you!"

(End of this chapter)