"What does the King of the Underworld mean by this?"
Yi Tianxing's expression turned serious as he asked directly. Deep down, he was also on guard. Someone like the King of the Underworld would never speak without reason—every word carried weight. If she said this, then there must be something he was unaware of—something beyond his current reach.
And that could only be summed up in one word: heritage.
Everything in the Great Yi had been built from scratch. All heritage, accumulation, and background had to be forged by Yi Tianxing himself. Whether it was ancient secrets or hidden knowledge, their understanding remained limited. Though the Sutra Pavilion's collection grew rapidly year by year, becoming richer in cultivation methods, divine abilities, mystic arts, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, they still lacked the depth that true great forces possessed.
This deficiency could only be bridged with time and power, slowly explored and accumulated step by step. Much of it was connected to status and cultivation—you simply could not grasp certain truths without the strength or identity to match. Even attempting to peek into such matters prematurely often meant danger or death.
That was in the past. Now that the Great Yi had ascended to an Emperor Dynasty, they were finally eligible to uncover certain truths of Heaven and Earth.
This, too, was why the King of the Underworld had appeared before him. Had he still been just a royal of a mere dynasty, she might have cared—but she certainly wouldn't have come in person. That was the change status brought.
An Emperor—no matter who—could not be ignored, not even by those at the level of Great Powers (大能).
It could be said that only now had Yi Tianxing truly stepped onto the grand stage of the Eternal World.
Though truthfully, it was just the first foot over the threshold.
At this moment, as the King of the Underworld spoke, countless thoughts raced through Yi Tianxing's mind like lightning.
"What does she mean that the Great Powers aren't truly sealed by the Heavenly Dao? The Heavenly Dao's seal is real. Great Powers can't act, nor can they escape it—that much has been confirmed by the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans. Otherwise, those three wouldn't have silently allowed Great Yi's ascension."
"But perhaps the seal isn't flawless—it must have loopholes. Nothing in this world is truly perfect. So what is the loophole?"
"The Heavenly Dao seal limits power to the True Spirit Realm. That means, if they seal their power at the True Spirit level, perhaps they can walk free—evading the suppression of the Heavenly Dao. But… that would mean binding themselves. If they seal themselves so deeply that even Heaven accepts it, then surely they cannot lift the seal easily. And if the seal can't be lifted, they risk death even as True Spirits in the Eternal World. That kind of gamble isn't something just anyone would take."
"Besides that… what other method could allow these Great Powers to escape the Heavenly Dao's restrictions?"
"—Avatars!"
Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed across his mind.
Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up with sharp clarity as he turned to the King of the Underworld. "Could it be… those god-like beings are walking among the world through external avatars?"
"Haha… impressive," the King of the Underworld said with interest. "I merely hinted, and you've already deduced this much. You're quite something. Truly worthy of being the ruler of the Great Yi Emperor Dynasty. But—what you guessed is only part of the truth. Their means… far exceed your imagination."
"Would you care to elaborate?" Yi Tianxing asked, taking a deep breath.
"Hehe, of course I can… if you give me 70% of the profits from the Yin-Yang Market," she said with a playful wink and a sly grin.
Yi Tianxing had no time to respond before another voice rang out from outside the room.
"Impossible! If you take 70%, what does that leave the Meng family with?"
Meng Qi (Meng Seven) entered the room, giving a courteous nod toward the King of the Underworld—basic courtesy, even though her tone was anything but polite.
That much of the market share? That was a direct attack on her interests. No way she'd allow it.
The Meng family was no ordinary lineage. Meng Po herself was no weaker than the King of the Underworld—perhaps even stronger. If not for her disinterest in meddling and the lack of personnel in the Meng clan, she might not even have agreed to let the Underworld Envoys participate at all.
Now they had invited you in, and here you were trying to take over? Absolutely not.
"You're asking too much," Meng Qi said coldly. "You really think some information is worth that much? And don't act like we don't know it. Isn't it just about how Great Powers use Divine Splits to enter reincarnation—reborn into the world like Saints walking among mortals?"
Her words directly exposed the secret the King of the Underworld had yet to reveal.
Yi Tianxing was her man. No matter what, she wouldn't let a piece of intelligence be exchanged for a share of market dominance. Even if she didn't fully understand it herself—she couldn't sit by and let it happen.
"Heh, your Meng family lacks the manpower. Without the Underworld Envoys to guard the Yin-Yang Market, the Huangquan Inn alone won't be able to deter all the greedy eyes out there. Since I've come, let's get this straight: connecting the yin and yang realms is a fine idea. The profits are enormous. So how about this—let's work out a proper split," the King of the Underworld said with a smile.
Clearly, she hadn't expected to actually get 70%.
"The Yin-Yang Bridge was built by me. Without that bridge, there would be no market at all. The foundation is mine. Great Yi takes 40%," Yi Tianxing said flatly.
"You may be high and mighty, King of the Underworld, but don't twist logic. The market was originally initiated by us and the Great Yi. You're a latecomer at best. Huangquan Inn gets 40%. The Underworld Envoys—20%," Meng Qi added with a bright smile.
She wasn't foolish enough to offer just 10%—that would be an insult, and she knew better than to provoke the King of the Underworld like that.
"Unacceptable."
The King of the Underworld's demeanor shifted instantly, becoming like a hardened career woman—sharp, unrelenting, the air around her turning into a battlefield.
Indeed, as Meng Qi had said, she was anything but reserved. For the sake of profit, she could argue red-faced, not caring about identity or status. No restraint, no decorum.
After much intense back-and-forth negotiation, they finally reached a consensus:
Great Yi: 40%
Huangquan Inn: 30%
Underworld Envoys: 30%
This was no ordinary profit split.
Once cities were built in both realms, entering the market would be free—but staying would incur daily fees. Even a single Eternal Coin per person, per day, would amount to millions in profit daily.
Crossing realms via the Yin-Yang Bridge would also incur tolls—yet another staggering stream of income.
These weren't just profits—they were a golden goose laying daily golden eggs. No one would refuse such a thing.
Yet for Yi Tianxing, the true value was not in money—but in the exotic treasures that would flow through the Yin-Yang Market.
The same went for the King of the Underworld and Meng Qi.
Afterward, planning for the market's construction proceeded smoothly.
The Yin realm would be managed by Huangquan Inn and the Underworld Envoys.
The Yang realm would be controlled by the Great Yi.
Before parting, the King of the Underworld added one more reminder:
"Emperor Yi, you'd best be careful. It's been over a decade. Those reincarnated Great Powers… are about to re-emerge. Don't mistake them for mere avatars. This is their second life. When the Myriad Worlds fused, they made their choice—sealing their true bodies and sending divine fragments into reincarnation. And with the Heavenly Dao's permission, they were allowed to carry over memories and even Dao artifacts into their next life. They're no different from innate gods now. Once reborn, they'll be peerless at their level."
"That's basically cheating…" Yi Tianxing said with a bitter smile.
It was practically a hacked character build. With full memories, cultivation experience, and Dao artifacts, even a pig would rise to power quickly. In the same realm, these reincarnated beings were unstoppable.
Others cultivated step by step, seeking their Dao and forming their fruit through hardship. These people already had everything. They only needed resources and time to rocket forward.
"Heaven is unfair."
"When the Myriad Worlds fused, the Heavenly Dao had just been born—it hadn't yet sealed all the loopholes. Now? Not possible. Reincarnation is strict. No one can bypass it anymore. But if you kill those reborn Great Powers… the rewards are enormous," the King of the Underworld said with a meaningful smile.
"What kind of rewards?"
Yi Tianxing asked curiously.
"Heehee, take a guess."
The King of the Underworld chuckled, winking playfully.
Yi Tianxing's mouth twitched.
Even Zhao Li, nearby, raised a hand to his forehead. His head was starting to hurt.
"By the way… the Divine-Demon Battlefield is about to open again. Your Great Yi better be ready."
With that, the King of the Underworld shifted the topic.