Chapter 1626 - 296:

The shadow steps forward, and Li Zhiyuan steps forward as well. At this moment, the shadow has fully mastered control over Li Zhiyuan's body.

This isn't like previous consciousness entry or possession; it's purely external force assistance.

Li Zhiyuan now hopes the other party would follow the traditional route, as he could avoid this excruciating pain; it's not him moving, but the pain falls entirely on his perception.

Each step leaves a blood mark, with pus flowing behind, like peeling jelly and rolling it on a gravel ground.

Li Zhiyuan steps towards the Ghost Gate, and enters before it closes.

"Master, why do we need to come in?"

"Because we have to come in."

Earlier outside, when observing the Ghost Gate, Li Zhiyuan felt it resembled more of a crack; the truth turned out exactly like that. Upon entering, he sensed the rampaging storm winds here filled with positive Yang energy.

One must know, this kind of energy is the bane of ghost creatures; most spirits disintegrate upon contact.

If he hadn't entered himself, who would have thought the layout behind the Ghost Gate would be like this.

Upon further thought, it's not unexpected.

The builder of the underworld was Emperor Fengdu.

With the Emperor himself in charge, there's no worry about external invasion, but rather concerns about little ghosts stealing away.

The storm winds here are not for external defense, but for internal suppression.

Originally, there should have been a special passage here for Yin Cha to access normally, but now it's unseen, likely erased by the overflowing power of the Emperor and Bodhisattva's entanglement.

After traversing the long stretch of storm winds, Li Zhiyuan finally formally enters the underworld.

Which is the mythical... Imperial Underworld.

Li Zhiyuan once saw a magnificent underground construction beneath Yulong Snow Mountain, where a self-repressing zombie below the tower wanted to mimic Emperor Fengdu by building its own divine kingdom.

However, without comparison, you wouldn't feel the hurt.

The complex beneath Yulong Snow Mountain could only be deemed a majestic and lavish underground palace, whereas what lay before him now, was a truly new world.

It is supposed to have a boundary; nothing in this world is truly endless. But the perception, sight, hearing, and self-exploration failed to touch its edges.

Ahead is a giant pit; this space seems like a loaf of bread that was forcibly hollowed from the middle.

Its former state was likely a highly unique environment, a Secret Realm, finally turned into a Daoist Field by Yin Changsheng residing here.

Because if the scene before him was crafted initially by the Emperor, his power would be unimaginable, without needing such a layout to deal with the Bodhisattva.

The position where Li Zhiyuan stands is the middle of the opposite side, directly ahead is a massive platform, like a plaza difficult to measure with precise data.

The platform should have housed many buildings, but now, it's a stretch of ruins, dead silent.

A strong sense of absurdity prevails; you're clearly in the "underworld", yet you can't see a single ghost here.

Yet, this place is universally recognized as having the most ghosts.

Furthermore, there's no eerie ghost energy feeling, instead, the air feels refreshing.

Though Li Zhiyuan's lungs have long fibrosed, he can still sense some coolness here.

The ghosts on the platform were completely wiped out earlier, and even the ghost energy here has been purified.

No need to think much; it's surely the influence of the Bodhisattva, though definitely not voluntary.

Seeing the entirety of the platform's destroyed structures and those terrifying trenches, the young man can imagine how the Bodhisattva was smashed here, then forcibly dragged around.

Even the "immortal conflicts", stripped of their bizarre appearances, are actually quite primitive.

If Li Zhiyuan had not seen firsthand, he wouldn't have easily believed the initial method the Emperor used to suppress the Bodhisattva into the Ghost Gate involved them pulling against each other at the gate.

Truly, this scenario would probably be disbelieved even if recounted.

Just as immortality is not as beautiful as imagined; myths have painted too much veneer on these existences.

Simply put, the only realism is their power; beyond that, much is contrived or purely fictional.

Li Zhiyuan now stands on one side of the giant pit, while the platform is built on the other side.

It's not built against a mountain, for Li Zhiyuan hasn't seen any real mountain so towering and steep.

The boy's body is moved by the shadow, walking forward.

Stepping out from the platform, moving through air without falling, but steadily continuing forward.

Extremely distant, yet the speed of travel is eerily fast.

It feels less like walking over, and more like where you want to go is actively closing the distance with you.

Originally, the shadow was silently advancing, adhering to the boy.

Yet as he walked, without halting steps, the shadow's face separated from the back of the boy's head, coming to his side.

The boy's gaze was intently looking down.

The shadow glanced at the boy's eyes, then at below.

He knew what the boy was doing, he was memorizing and learning his steps.

Even if the body had melted into slime, as long as a breath remains, it can't change the boy's instinct to learn.

Suspending oneself by a head beam and driving spikes through the glutes, before the boy, could be regarded as enjoying leisure.