Chapter 526 - 533: Gifted the Red Lotus Karmic Fire

The deeper he delved into his thoughts, the more complex the Netherworld King’s expression grew.

This woman before him was a mystery, her actions impossible to fathom.

All three of them had been in the high tower, yet she was the only one who had vanished.

It was clear this person possessed a truly great destiny.

Meanwhile, Song Wanning grew increasingly puzzled as the Netherworld King simply stared at her, his expression complex, without saying a word.

"Senior, why do you keep staring at me?"

She touched her face. ’I’ve gotten a little prettier, sure, but my features haven’t changed. Is that really worth him staring for so long?’

The Netherworld King snapped back to reality, a hint of apology on his face.

"My apologies. That was presumptuous of me."

He invited Song Wanning to sit, then produced a transparent cylinder. Inside, a cluster of flame burned fiercely.

It was the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, something Song Wanning knew very well.

"Senior, what is the meaning of this?"

Song Wanning raised an eyebrow, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

The Netherworld King gazed at the Red Lotus Karmic Fire with a storm of emotions before pushing it toward Song Wanning.

"A cluster of Red Lotus Karmic Fire has always been nurtured in the Ghost Realm of the Netherworld. The founding ancestor decreed that it be gifted to a certain fated individual."

"Unfortunately, through all the generations, that fated person never appeared. And so, it was eventually passed down to me."

Every Netherworld King must refine the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. At the same time, they must also separate a seed of the flame to cultivate and pass on to their successor.

This particular cluster, however, was nurtured separately in the Ghost Realm. No one has ever dared to touch it, as it awaited the arrival of its fated owner.

As a result, this Red Lotus Karmic Fire is of a markedly higher grade and possesses far greater power.

Now, as required, he was presenting it to Song Wanning.

"I’m that fated person?"

Song Wanning instantly grasped the key point. The image of the first Netherworld King surfaced in her mind.

She was very surprised. Even though he had been so wary of her, he had secretly cultivated the Red Lotus Karmic Fire as a gift.

"Yes."

The Netherworld King nodded.

He was immensely curious. How could the founding ancestor, tens of thousands of years ago, have possibly known Song Wanning? How could he have specifically named her to receive this Abnormal Fire?

"Long ago, the Netherworld was ravaged by an Immortal. To save our realm, we had no choice but to sever all passages..."

"But afterward, we discovered the passages could no longer be opened. Aside from ascension, there was no other way to leave this realm."

That Immortal nearly destroyed the Netherworld. Had we not severed all the passages, our realm would have been left in ruins long ago.

"Your ability to enter this place proves your connection to the Netherworld. Please, accept this Red Lotus Karmic Fire."

"With this, I can consider the ancestor’s charge fulfilled. It is a weight off my mind."

The Netherworld King’s expression was filled with emotion. He still couldn’t make sense of that extra memory he had.

But all he had to do was carry out the order.

Faced with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire being pushed toward her, Song Wanning was pleasantly surprised, but also felt a surge of emotion.

’What happened in that fragment of spacetime actually caused real change. And Senior Feng...’

She couldn’t wait to examine the inheritance within her Sea of Consciousness.

"Thank you, Senior, and my thanks to your ancestors for this great kindness. I will accept it!"

’I must have helped the Netherworld immensely when I pointed out the passage’s location. Otherwise, the first Netherworld King wouldn’t have gone out of his way to cultivate the Red Lotus Karmic Fire for me.’

’He probably never imagined I wasn’t from his era, which is why it was passed down all the way to today.’

Having received such a boon, Song Wanning’s mind began to race with new ideas.

She delved into the inheritance in her Sea of Consciousness, examining it with care. Her heart began to beat faster when she saw that the contents were indeed far more profound and complex than before.

The end of the inheritance, in particular, gave her a huge shock: more than thirty pages densely packed with methods for breaking seals, all laid out before her.

’To have researched so many methods... I can’t imagine how much effort Senior Feng must have put into this!’

Song Wanning was deeply moved, a wave of gratitude washing over her.

Suppressing her excitement, she looked up at the Netherworld King.

"Senior, would you like to unseal the passage and restore the connection to the Spirit Realm?"

The Spirit Realm has Yin Qi as well. Once the passage is restored, Ghost Cultivators would be able to travel freely, seeking opportunities in a much wider world.

However, that would also bring with it far greater dangers.

It all depended on the Netherworld King’s decision.

Song Wanning had extended an olive branch. If the Netherworld King was interested, she could try to open the passage.

’After all, to restore the Great Thousand World, the Spirit Realm must first be restored. Then, it can be reunited with the Lower World. That would be a grand success.’

As her words fell, the Netherworld King’s breath caught in his throat, and his gaze sharpened.

’Open the passage?’

’Every Netherworld King has worked toward that goal, but it’s simply too difficult.’

"When that Immortal was unable to destroy the Netherworld, he went berserk and tried to force our entire realm into a spatial tunnel."

"To turn the tide, the founding ancestor sealed the Netherworld completely, severing the passages. When he later tried to reopen them, he discovered that in addition to his own seal, a strand of Immortal Qi was also firmly suppressing our realm."

"For all these years, every Netherworld King has tried, but none have found a solution. That’s why I was observing you in secret after your arrival—I wanted to see what kind of abilities you possessed that allowed you to sneak in..."

The Netherworld King finished speaking and shook his head, holding out little hope.

’Song Wanning is just a Cultivator from the Spirit Realm. How could she possibly break a seal of Immortal Qi?’

’It’s simply impossible.’

Song Wanning, however, looked completely self-assured. "Senior, if you trust me, just give me some time."

"I’ll find a way to try. If I manage to open the passage, it will be a welcome surprise."

’With over thirty methods for breaking seals, surely one of them has to match, right?’

’She refused to believe her luck was that bad.’

Seeing her so insistent, the Netherworld King didn’t have the heart to dampen her spirits and could only agree with a sigh of resignation.

And so, for the days that followed, Song Wanning settled into a side hall, dedicating herself to studying the methods for breaking the seal.

Knowing that Song Wanning’s understanding of Arrays was quite shallow, Feng Jiuxiao had been meticulous in detailing every step. As long as she studied diligently and followed his instructions to the letter, there shouldn’t be a problem.

Meanwhile, the Netherworld King searched everywhere for the Mahayana cultivator’s trail. The man was lurking in the shadows and could strike at any moment. He had to be found.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

Elsewhere, the Mahayana cultivator, having fled with his injuries, found a hidden place to recuperate.

Just as his injuries had healed, he heard that a female guest had arrived at the Mingwang Mansion—a woman of otherworldly beauty, impossible to forget once seen.

He immediately thought of the woman who had stolen his Rebirth Flower, and a murderous rage instantly boiled within him.

’After all the trouble I went through to find a second Rebirth Flower, she just snatched it away. How could I possibly accept this?’

’But the situation now is not good. Not only have I offended the Netherworld King and his people, but I’ve also revealed my presence.’

’Finding another Rebirth Flower is probably hopeless now.’

"Bitch..."

The Mahayana cultivator clenched his fists, his eyes filled with hatred as he took out the Rebirth Flower he had managed to pick.

By casting a spell, he finally saw a wisp of the soul of the person he longed to see.