The Netherworld—that was the realm of the dead, a domain governed by the Underworld authorities and shrouded in the ominous aura of the Nine Nether Yin Qi. For living beings, remaining there too long would inevitably lead to their transformation into living corpses. It was absolutely unfit for beings of the Yang realm to dwell in. Before Yi Tianxing brought it up, no one had even considered the Netherworld. It had always seemed too distant, a place relevant only after death, when the soul proceeded toward reincarnation.
In the present age, when someone from the Yang realm dies, most souls directly enter reincarnation. Even when Yin Messengers appear, they usually remain hidden and do not intrude into the mortal world. Instead, they wait by the Gates of the Underworld (鬼门关) for wandering souls to arrive and then guide them into the Netherworld—a task considered an act of merit. Simple, efficient, and peaceful. Even powerful cultivators of the Yang realm rarely interfere with Yin Messengers, as slaying them would cost one's Yin Virtue (阴德).
"Though the Eternal World is divided into the realms of Yin and Yang, what the Netherworld truly is—whether it hosts an actual Underworld Court, or possesses reincarnation cycles—remains uncertain. May I ask, Your Majesty, why you bring up the Netherworld now?"Bao Zheng stepped forward and asked respectfully.
His crescent moon-shaped seal was no ordinary artifact; it could peer through Yin and Yang, discerning truth from illusion. He knew a few things about the Netherworld and was well aware that it was inhospitable to living beings. Moreover, the Yin and Yang realms were currently disconnected—even Gates of the Underworld were not something just anyone could enter. Only Yin souls or messengers could pass. The living would be denied entry.
Even discussing the Netherworld made one feel uneasy.
"Not long ago," Yi Tianxing said with a faint smile, "I visited the Ghost Market, where I established ties with some Netherworld factions. We discussed opening a passageway between Yin and Yang, allowing both realms to interact and establish mutual trade."
"What?! Open a passage to the Netherworld?"
"Trade with the Netherworld? Open an inter-realm market?"
The hall erupted in shock. This was no small affair. It was a pivotal moment that could determine the fate of the Great Yi Emperor Dynasty. Although little was known about the Netherworld, one thing was certain: its resources were utterly different from those of the Yang realm. What is rare becomes precious—Netherworld treasures in the Yang realm would be considered priceless, their value increasing a hundredfold, even a thousandfold.
Netherworld specialty goods could bring immeasurable benefits to the Great Yi Dynasty, elevating the empire on all fronts.
However, the biggest obstacle to trade was how to link the realms of Yin and Yang. Without such a connection, everything was just empty talk.
"I recall that among the many Feng Shui Arrays, one is called the Gates of the Underworld Grand Array (鬼门关大阵)," said Jiang Ni, stepping forward. "But deploying it is extremely difficult. It requires numerous rare resources from the Netherworld, including a top-tier Profound Yin Spirit Vein (玄阴灵脉). Without these, the array cannot function. Furthermore, once the array is activated, the surrounding region becomes a ghost domain, unfit for life. The heavy Yin Qi will corrode all."
In Jiang Ni's Feng Shui inheritance, this formation was considered forbidden. Once deployed, it would corrupt an area for millennia. Few would ever consider using it because its destructive power was simply too great.
Yi Tianxing's eyes gleamed. "Could the Gates of the Underworld Grand Array truly open a passage between the realms?"
"Uncertain," Jiang Ni replied. "It requires alignment of Heaven, Earth, and Destiny. The best place to deploy it is on a primeval battlefield, which guarantees its transformation into a ghost domain. But whether the realms can be connected—no one knows. It is a taboo-level endeavor, harder than opening a Domain Gate. The price might be the loss of an entire province to ghost corruption."
"That's an enormous cost. But what if we had a treasure capable of linking Yin and Yang? Could we use it to enhance the formation's effects?"
Yi Tianxing asked thoughtfully.
He possessed the Bridge of Yin and Yang (阴阳桥), a natural treasure capable of bridging the two realms. However, for it to fully function, it needed to be upgraded to an Earth-grade Treasure, equivalent to an Innate Spiritual Treasure (先天灵宝). For that, the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower (鸿蒙天帝塔) would need to advance again—something that could happen soon.
Right now, the tower had grown to over 110,000 li in size. With the limit being 129,600 li, it was not far off. Thanks to the Dream Butterfly World and the ever-growing population of the Great Yi Dynasty, the accumulation of dream energy and nightmare power had progressed significantly. The growth was slow but steady—always increasing. It wouldn't be long before the tower advanced again.
"If such a treasure exists, it would greatly increase the success rate," Jiang Ni said decisively. "Moreover, it could contain the spread of the ghost domain."
He had withheld one fact earlier—the core of the Gates of the Underworld Array was a Netherworld treasure. Without it, the array's power would be drastically weakened. With it, the gateway had a much higher chance of forming, and its area of effect could be tightly controlled.
"If contained, how large would the ghost domain be?" Yi Tianxing asked.
"One Immortal City (仙城) would suffice," Jiang Ni responded after a moment of thought.
That was a manageable size. While not small, it was still far from catastrophic.
"In that case," said Pei Ju, stepping forward, "why not establish an Immortal City as the foundation for the formation? The city can remain uninhabited. Even if it is shrouded by Nine Nether Yin Qi, it won't cause major harm. We can also add protective wards to prevent the spread of Yin Qi. Once the realms are connected, the city can become the designated Ghost Market of Great Yi."
If this succeeded, it would open up an entirely new frontier for Great Yi. The resources gained would be enormous.
Netherworld treasures, while unsuitable for mortals to live near, were highly beneficial to cultivators in the Yang realm. This opportunity could not be missed.
"Well said. Once the trade begins, such a city will be essential," someone agreed. "We'll also need to assign a powerful guardian to oversee it."
"By harnessing Netherworld resources, Great Yi will grow rapidly. The emergence of new powerhouses will become more frequent."
Though trading with the Netherworld came with risks, the potential benefits far outweighed them. This wasn't merely a trade between factions, but between entire realms.
"Minister Jiang," Yi Tianxing said, "what materials are required to deploy the Gates of the Underworld Array? And how long would it take?"
"The materials are rare," Jiang Ni replied. "The most basic is the Profound Yin Stone (玄阴石), common in the Netherworld but rare in the Yang realm—only birthed alongside Profound Yin Spirit Veins. Other essentials include Ghost-Face Nether Jade, Yellow Spring Water, Soul-Cleansing Sand, and more. Even if all materials are in hand, the array will take at least two years to complete—possibly three if setbacks occur."
This formation was one he had never deployed before. It required deep Feng Shui mastery, or the backlash could be severe.
"Very well. You are given three years. Begin with site selection. Once confirmed, begin the array. All required materials can be drawn from the Star-Plucking Pavilion. Our dynasty has no shortage of such materials," Yi Tianxing declared.
If this could create a stable portal using Heaven and Earth's own power, it would far outlast even an upgraded Yin-Yang Bridge. The decision was obvious.
"As you command, Emperor."
Jiang Ni's eyes flickered with astonishment—he hadn't expected that these rare treasures were so readily available in Great Yi. That suggested not just wealth, but a degree of preparation few could match. Still, he agreed immediately. To any Feng Shui master, deploying such a formation was the chance of a lifetime.
With that settled, the rest of the meeting was routine.
However, just as it was about to conclude, Xun Yu stepped forward and said,"Your Majesty, it has been over a decade since Great Yi rose from humble beginnings. According to our long-standing administrative rules, the City Lords of many Immortal Cities are due for reassignment. This matter requires Your Majesty's personal judgment."