As expected, the two moved much faster.
Ishtar had Maanna, and Mo Shuying could fly on his own, so they were bound to be quicker than an ox cart.
In two hours, they arrived near Kutha.
Why here, you ask?
Of course, to open the passage to the Underworld.
The Underworld in this world was truly underground, but it was usually covered by a Gate of the Underworld, so normal digging couldn't affect it.
But Ishtar could; it wasn't her first time doing something like this.
"Let me warn you first, once I enter the Underworld, I won't be able to help you much. It restrains me too much there."
Ishtar finally explained to Mo Shuying that she had once, in a moment of impulse, fought her way into the Underworld, hoping to defeat her sister. Who knew she would be punished seven times, stripped of seven kinds of Divine Authority, her power weakened to its lowest point, and then she was stripped naked and thrown back, which was extremely humiliating and her nightmare.
"Don't worry, our primary goal is to find the old man, and then, while we're at it, get the Underworld Goddess to join us. There shouldn't be much fighting involved. Just open the gate."
Mo Shuying looked calm. Ishtar said no more. With a wave of her hand, Maanna flew out.
"Maanna! Bow cannon loading Tide Cluster Shot! Output at one-third lapis lazuli, second-grade! Crush it! Lid of the Underworld!!"
Ishtar released her magic, and Sky Ark Maanna drew its bowstring, forming a giant magical arrow.
"Go!"
*Boom!*
The light arrow instantly hit the ground, exploding! The earth collapsed, revealing a bottomless pit!
"It's open!"
Ishtar shouted proudly. Mo Shuying nodded, then jumped in.
Mo Shuying fell rapidly, and the descent alone took several minutes. It was already very dark around him until a faint blue light appeared below. Mo Shuying fell out of the passage.
"Is this... the Underworld?"
Mo Shuying slowed down and landed gently. Ishtar also flew down from above.
"This feeling... it's very similar to the Abyss of Death."
The surrounding sensation gave Mo Shuying a sense of déjà vu. The place where he met King Hassan in the previous Singularity had felt similar.
Thinking of this, Mo Shuying seemed to understand how King Hassan had gotten there. Was this like sneaking in by climbing over a wall?
"This is the Underworld. Still as desolate as ever. Let's go. Follow this path, pass through seven gates, and you'll meet Ereshkigal."
Ishtar pointed. It was a path that led to who-knew-where, winding and twisting, leading into the depths.
On both sides were huge iron cages, with Ghost Fire burning inside. The light in the Underworld was provided by these Ghost Fire, but...
These Ghost Fire were actually all souls imprisoned there, trapped by Ereshkigal. Without Ereshkigal's permission, they could never leave.
The two walked onto the passage. All the way, Ishtar watched her surroundings with great vigilance.
Until the first large gate appeared.
"Is this the Gate of the Underworld?"
Mo Shuying looked at the gate with some surprise. It was just a gate erected on the path; couldn't they just fly around it?
Just as Mo Shuying was lost in thought.
"O living one who has fallen into the Underworld, answer the questions that will judge your soul."
The gate in front of them actually spoke! Listening to that voice... Ereshkigal must be having a lot of fun.
"Be careful. This gate will ask all sorts of strange questions. Answering incorrectly will result in punishment. There are seven in total. It was this gate that stripped me of my Divinity, which led to my great defeat!"
Ishtar had learned her lesson and was already on high alert, prepared for the worst, but then.
"Then... ask a question of the deeply sinful Mo Shuying."
A voice came from inside the gate. Ishtar was stunned. Since when could it specify a person?
"Question: While the standard of beauty varies widely, it remains absolute. Can black conquer white, and earth conquer heaven? Therefore, who is more beautiful: Ereshkigal or Ishtar?"
"Huh?! What kind of ridiculous question is that?! Are you trying to pick a fight?!"
Ishtar was practically fuming! She turned and grabbed Mo Shuying's shoulder, her smile stiff, her fingers gripping tightly.
"Now, what are you hesitating for? Isn't this question very simple? Isn't it, Master?"
She's trying to butter him up! This goddess is trying to butter him up!
Mo Shuying was a little speechless. He looked at Ishtar and said,
"If you were Ereshkigal, what kind of answer do you think you'd want to hear?"
This was clearly a trick question, wasn't it?! A death trap question! Did he even need to think of an answer?
"I don't care, I don't care, I don't care! Just say it!"
Ishtar gnashed her teeth. Mo Shuying shook his head helplessly, then said,
"Probably Ishtar."
"Wrong answer. Time for your punishment~"
*Boom!*
A bolt of lightning struck down, but its target wasn't Mo Shuying; it was Ishtar.
"Ah!!!"
Ishtar was hit, falling to the ground, her hair standing on end and her legs twitching.
"I told you not to pick yourself, didn't I?"
Mo Shuying shrugged.
Just then.
"An~swer~me~ Who is more beautiful, Ereshkigal or Ishtar~"
The door was still shouting. Good heavens, with only two answers, it still asked again after one wrong guess!
Mo Shuying frowned, stepped forward, and shouted,
"It's Ereshkigal!"
"Ding-ding-ding-ding~ Correct answer!"
*Rumble~*
With a sound of grinding stone, the large door opened.
Mo Shuying bent down, picked Ishtar up, and walked through the door, continuing onward.
Soon, they reached the second door.
Mo Shuying remembered that in the original story, all seven questions were the same. However, because Ishtar had already been punished by the Underworld, her Divinity would be drained, and she would shrink when passing through the doors. After seven punishments, Ishtar would become only a dozen centimeters tall. Hmm, a movable figurine like that would be quite nice.
But Mo Shuying was a kind person, and he decided he didn't want Ishtar to suffer so much. This time, he would definitely choose Ereshkigal directly.
"Second question."
"Question! A goddess should be peerless in beauty, and her figure should be admired by thousands of people. So, Ereshkigal and Ishtar! Whose figure is better?!"
"..."
Mo Shuying's eyelids twitched. He really wanted to shout, Your figures are exactly the same!
But he couldn't. That wasn't the answer Ereshkigal wanted to hear. So,
"I choose Ere—"
"Wait a minute!!"
Mo Shuying's words were interrupted by Ishtar. Ishtar looked up and got off the ground, gazing at Mo Shuying with incredibly firm eyes!
"When it comes to figure! I will absolutely not lose to her!"
"..."
Where do you get all that confidence?!
Mo Shuying really wanted to complain, but seeing Ishtar's look that screamed, If you don't pick me, I'll die right here for you to see!, Mo Shuying finally sighed, took a step back, and said,
"I choose Ishtar."
"Hahaha! Did you hear that, Ereshkigal! He chose—"
*Boom!!*
A bolt of lightning struck down, and Ishtar,
fell, spitting black smoke.
She was knocked out again.
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