Yama Rising

No one said anything.

The situation had become a little awkward. While it was true that their city's level of development left much to be desired, they were still rulers of this city, and they were naturally rather displeased to be threatened so aggressively like this.

However, they didn't dare to raise any objections!

Prior to the arrival of these Hellguards, they had already heard that the giant tortoise monster that they saw as an insurmountable predator had been slain in an instant by this army, not to mention that swarm of countless human-faced bats. They couldn't even begin to imagine how this had been accomplished.

With each beast tide, countless Yin spirits would be taken away, and they prayed day and night that this nightmare would pass, but there never seemed to be any light at the end of the tunnel. They were far too familiar with just how fearsome these monsters were, and similarly, they understood just how formidable this army had to be to have killed all of those monsters in such a short time.

"Alright," Li Lanzhi finally agreed through gritted teeth after a few seconds of silence. The netherworldly fire of the Yin spirits around her jolted slightly upon hearing this, but none of them said anything.

They were being offered amnesty and enlistment.

If this army really did come from the official Hell administration, and they could provide sufficiently alluring benefits that would allow them to develop quickly while no longer having to worry about their safety, then why wouldn't they accept the offer?

If this really were Hell that they were dealing with, then there was no way that they would be able to oppose the Yama-Kings of the 10 Palaces and the Sixfold Ghost Kings. Even if they wanted to resist, the netherworldly citizens of the city would refuse to support them.

However, if Hell purely wanted to enslave them, then they would show the army of Hell that the citizens of Deadsend City were not to be demeaned and would fight till their very last breaths.

"Thank you for your understanding, you won't regret your decision." Lü Fang smiled as a hexagonal crystal flew out of his grasp before quietly shattering. Countless screens constructed from Yin energy instantly appeared in every single cave of Deadsend City, and this negotiation, upon which hinged the fate of Deadsend City, was clearly broadcast on those screens.

"Everyone." He looked calmly into the light screen, and said, "I am Lü Fang, a military officer of Hell's West Vanquishing Army."

It was a very simple gesture that he had performed, but it was astonishing to all of the Yin spirits of Deadsend City.

Countless netherworldly citizens had their mouths gaped wide open in shock as they stood in their caves, staring at the screens before them with incredulity in their eyes.

"My god..." Inside one of the caves, a Yin spirit in his forties was staring blankly at the Yin energy screen that had appeared in his cave without any warning. "How did they do this? This so-called army of Hell, are they able to communicate through televisions like in the mortal realm?"

In another cave, several young Yin spirits were staring at the Yin energy screen above them in a slack-jawed manner, and they wanted to say something, but none of them could find their voice.

The disparity was simply far too enormous, to the extent that it was incomprehensible to them. This was complete domination on a technological front.

"How did they do this?"

"Could it be that Hell has already evolved into a modern society like the ones in the mortal realm? Are they completely different from primitive cities like ours?"

"Are we... Are we just an undeveloped settlement in the middle of nowhere?"

The reason that everyone had gathered together here was to ensure their survival, but now, that concept was beginning to collapse.

Lü Fang paid no heed to what everyone was thinking, and said in a slow voice, "100 years ago, Hell collapsed due to various reasons. The Yama-Kings of the 10 Palaces and the Sixfold Ghost Kings ascended to Heaven, while all officials and tens of billions of netherworldly citizens were entirely wiped out. Thankfully, the heritage of Hell remained, and through the diligent efforts of the third Yanluo, the Underworld finally rose up once again. Now, the divine beast Harken has returned, as has one of the Sixfold Ghost Kings, Zhao Zilong. An army of hundreds of thousands has been deployed on crusades all over the nation, and the unification of Hell is inevitable."

The entirety of Deadsend City had become incredibly silent.

This was like a divine miracle in their eyes, and they were astonished to the point of numbness. They could only reflexively continue to listen and hear about this brand new world that they knew nothing about.

However, what they were shown next instantly jerked them out of their numb state.

As soon as Lü Fang's voice trailed off, the image of a massive city appeared on all of the screens at the same time.

"What?!"

"Th... That's Hell?!"

"Hell has already developed to this extent? Didn't he just say that it only collapsed 100 years ago?"

"My god... Have I returned to the prosperous Tang Dynasty?"

Ashmound City!

This was currently the most impressive and imposing city under the Hell administration. Its walls were dozens of meters tall, and they stood like monsters upon the earth. Due to the various arts that had been cast upon the walls, they were glowing with a faint light. The city walls stretched as far as the eyes could see, as if there were no end to them, and anyone who stood at the foot of these walls would only be able to revere and marvel.

Furthermore, the countless Yin Soldiers standing atop the city walls, those flags that were waving in the wind, and those tall towers; all of this was a display of the power of Hell and its level of technological development! It was a completely incomparable civilization to Deadsend City!

How lucky would one be to be able to live in such a safe and mighty city? 

That very same thought instantly surfaced in the hearts of all of Deadsend City's Yin spirits at the same time.

Before they had a chance to fully process their shock, the entire perspective of the scene on the screens rose up, flying over the city walls to reveal a glorious paradise complete with thriving markets, resplendent and ornate buildings, lush and lively greenery, beautiful landmarks, and countless people roaming the streets.

If they had been shocked before, then they were well and truly beyond shocked now. All of the netherworldly citizens, including Li Lanzhi, were staring intently at the screens with their mouths gaped wide open.

Had they transmigrated to Chang'an? Had they somehow traveled to Jinling? Had their souls returned to Kaifeng? Were they witnessing the Yanjing of the past?

It was way too lavish... This was something that they had only ever seen on television during their living days. In fact, no, they couldn't even see this on television! Even the most intricately crafted of movie sets couldn't compare with this monolithic city that they were witnessing!

Expressions of yearning appeared on the faces of all of the netherworldly citizens, yearning toward a better tomorrow, that thriving city, and the wonderful scenes that they could see but could barely comprehend...

There was no comparison... Li Lanzhi gently bit down on her lower lip. Deadsend City couldn't even begin to compare with that city. In fact, it would be an insult to that city to compare it with Deadsend City.

Such a wonderful life was the ultimate goal for herself and all of the netherworldly citizens of Deadsend City, and it was something that they were constantly dreaming of.

"Where is this?" she finally asked in a trembling voice.

"This is Ashmound, the first coastal port city of the new Hell," Lü Fang replied in a calm manner, "And it only took Lord Qin two years to rebuild Ashmound to what it is now."

Two years... These words seeped into the minds of all of the netherworldly citizens, and their first thought was: if we surrender, will we also be able to live in Ashmound? Alternatively, is it possible for our Deadsend City to become as glorious and wonderful as that city in two years?

He looked deep into Li Lanzhi's eyes, and continued, "On top of that, Lord Qin has already signed a contract with the government of the mortal realm. With each province purged, a huge batch of resources would immediately be sent to all provinces. Deadsend City is the only settlement in the West Shan Province, everywhere else has already fallen under the control of Hell."

Li Lanzhi didn't say anything.

She was most definitely tempted. In fact, all of the Yin spirits present were tempted.

They had already lived laborious lives, and never did they think that their afterlife would be even more arduous. They were already prepared to slowly develop this settlement into a modern society, but how long was that going to take? 500 years? 1,000 years?

Now, a complete administration, a lavish city, an official power was opening its doors to them. 

All they had to do was surrender and they would become a part of this glorious civilization; how could they not be tempted?

As long as one wasn't mentally handicapped, it would be clearly apparent that such a lifestyle would be far better than the lives that they were currently living, where they were constantly in fear for their safety.

However, the surprises were being presented to them like a tsunami, crashing down upon them wave after wave, and every time they thought that they had seen the best that Hell had to offer, they would be shown something even more astonishing...

Right at this moment, the image suddenly transitioned to another city.

In contrast with Ashmound, this city incorporated both modern and antiquated construction elements. At the very center of this city was a gate, above which was the Book of Life and Death, which was giving off a faint luster. Below it was a mirror that hung high up in the sky like a radiant sun, illuminating the entire earth with its unmatched luster. This wasn't a grand dream; it was a display of peerless authoritative might! The sight of Hell's divine artifacts made all of the Yin spirits draw a sharp breath, and they could feel their own souls trembling.

"What was that feeling just now?"

"I don't know, but in that instant, I felt like I was being appraised by a divine being..."

"What exactly is that thing?"

Frenzied conversation had erupted in countless caves, even drowning out the sound of the massive waterfall. Li Lanzhi took several deep breaths before biting down on her lower lip as she asked, "Is that the Book of Life and Death?"

"Indeed, it is. That is the Book of Life and Death, as well as the Mirror of Eminence, the treasure that belonged to one of the former Yama-Kings of the 10 Palaces, Bao Tianzi," Lü Fang replied with a smile, "This is the second city currently under Hell's control, Everburn City."

A sense of scorching pride was ignited in Lü Fang's heart.

The power being displayed by Hell made it impossible for these Yin spirits to muster up any desire to resist. In contrast with them, he was a true Hellguard of the Underworld, and the feeling of flaunting this advanced technology in the faces of this indigenous settlement filled him with immense satisfaction.

So what if I tell you that Hell only has two cities? It would only take us a few days to wipe out  Deadsend City. 

"Everyone," Lü Fang continued, "Hell was once a unified land; there's no reason why it should be fragmented when the mortal realm is united as one. The Underworld has made its move, and it's determined to succeed. By my estimates, there will only be a maximum of 20, perhaps even fewer settlements like yours, which comprise of people that came down through Yin Yang Mezzanines. If you join us, you'll receive special attention from Hell. On top of that, Hell is constantly looking to expand, and there's no better foundation than a settlement like yours. During your time in the mortal realm, I'm sure you've all heard of historic masters of architecture, such as Li Chun and Lu Ban, all of them will help you redesign and reconstruct your city. In addition, you'll receive further support in the form of large batches of resources. Of course..."

He paused momentarily here before continuing in a more forbidding voice, "Yanluo Qin isn't one to take up arms against his own people, but if anyone dares to stand in the way of Hell's army, then the only possible outcome that awaits them is certain destruction. Not only will this city be completely razed to the ground, the existence of the Book of Life and Death will even bring disaster to your descendants. Even though the six paths of reincarnation and 18 abysses of punishment still aren't complete yet, I'm sure you wouldn't want to see those things in action. One final thing..."

He stood up before extending a slight bow, then continued, "The hierarchy of Yin spirits from low to high is Netherworld Operative, Soul Hunter, Anitya Hellguard, Infernal Judge, Abyssal Prefect, and Yama-King. Lord Qin has already taken a look and found that there's not a single person in Deadsend City that has reached even the Netherworld Operative level. Meanwhile, there's a Yama-King and an Abyssal Prefect in the West Vanquishing Army that you're facing, so make your choice."

The netherworldly fire in his eyes was flickering erratically as he appraised everyone intently, and through his gaze, it was as if he were saying to them and all of the netherworldly citizens of Deadsend City: "to join Hell or to resist, to live or to die; it's your choice!"