Yama Rising

Why?

Why wouldn’t I hide behind Ksitigarbha if he allows me such an indulgence? Do you think I have the qualifications to disobey someone that is on a completely different plane of existence?

He cowered behind the strongest defensive tower in the game and waited as time slowly ticked by. Then, as soon as the clock struck twelve, the sound of a door opening resounded across all of Valley County.

Sss… aahhhhh… It was quickly followed by a cacophony of long, ghastly moans.

Clomp… clomp… The sounds were neat and uniform, and they were formed from objects both near and far. Qin Ye drew a deep breath, and peered beyond the niche for the very first time.

It was completely dilapidated, and yet it still stood tall like a colossal giant that spanned an area of approximately one hundred meters. However, what was most astonishing was the fact that the weeds growing out of the cracks within the great ancestral hall were now swaying frantically, almost as though they were being stepped on by an invisible force. Furthermore, the damaged, tattered lanterns that hung feebly on the walls of the ostensibly abandoned hall abruptly all lit up in unison.

“These are…” Qin Ye’s scalp instantly went numb, “The sounds of footsteps!”

Prr, prr, prrrrr!! A terrifying trumpet blared in the distance, as though declaring the march of a valiant battalion. Meanwhile, the uniform sound of marching footsteps only grew louder and louder! In fact… Qin Ye could even hear the faint clanging of swords and spears against their sheaths!

Clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp… The sound was slowly but surely getting louder and louder. Qin Ye’s thoughts spun rapidly. From the sound of it, he could tell that there was quite the number of Yin soldiers marching over. By his estimates, the number was well in the region of ten thousand soldiers! Notwithstanding the fact that he was an Anitya Hellguard, he wasn’t prepared to risk it all and make a move against the Yin soldiers without knowing everything he could possibly know about them, including what they were armed and equipped with.

Qin Ye immediately shrunk back and leaned heavily on the stone statue.

Friend… have you considered the fact that such an action of yours might be seen as rather inappropriate?

Clomp… clomp… The sounds were drawing closer and closer. Qin Ye clinched the seal in his hand tightly, while cold sweat beaded up on his forehead. He could tell that the Yin soldiers were now no more than five meters away from him, and they would soon be stepping right past his side.

Then, a split second later, he heard the even march of the footsteps engulf him completely, reverberating softly from all around him. His surroundings immediately became chilling and cold, while the trees and flowers, and grass and weed on the ground immediately turned black and withered as though the entire locality had transformed into the land of the dead! However… there weren't any sounds of weapons being unsheathed at all!

What was invisible and unknown was the most terrifying thing. The uniform clomps of the Yin soldiers’ march resounded with a terrifying tempo. It was incessant, invisible, and inescapable. For the next twenty arduous minutes, Qin Ye kept his head held low, until the footsteps finally drew out into the distance. As their footsteps subsided, the air was once again filled with the sounds of fluttering talismans and spirit-warding bells. These sounds felt like a breath of fresh air to him.

He immediately pulled out his cellphone and began searching for the train ticket to embark on the next leg of his journey…

“Master Qin.” Just then, a voice suddenly called out from behind him once more. Without hesitating, Qin Ye immediately materialized his spirit streamer out of thin air and lashed straight towards the source of the voice.

The spirit streamer stopped just one meter away from him, unable to go any further. Zeng Shuai had his palms held together, and he appeared unimaginably peculiar right now.

If one could describe his earlier aura as that of a budding practitioner who was filled with hope that Qin Ye would resolve all supernatural outbreaks that Valley County was plagued by, then the present aura that emanated from his body would could only be described as the feeling of the towering mountains, the boundless oceans and the vast skies altogether.

“Who are you?” Qin Ye tightened his grip around the spirit streamer and stared intently at Zeng Shuai.

It was like a bolt out of the blue. Qin Ye’s jaws dropped slightly, “You’re… Ksitigarbha?”

Whoosh! The Yin spirits within Valley County immediately cried out at the top of their voices as soon as he lifted his head… No, it wasn’t just Valley County. In fact, the strange phenomenon with the Yin spirits was seen across Breakwaters Province and Eastmount Province… Even the spiritually aware Yin spirits located in the Pearl River region paled in horror as they turned to look in the direction of Valley County!

The woman remained silent, and turned to gaze into the distance. Her eyes flickered softly, and gleamed with an abnormal shade of red.

“This is… Ksitigarbha? Lord Ksitigarbha?!”

Whoosh… Wisps of nethergale immediately rushed into the restaurant, before materializing into entities that were half-knelt to the ground. Majority were Soul Hunters, a third were Hellguards, and three of them were even advanced Judge-class Yin spirits! The woman clutched at her heaving chest as she ordered with trembling in her voice, “Investigate… Immediately investigate this occurrence! Tell me… what the hell is going on right now!!”

The entire restaurant, including all of its staff and diners alike, had been strangled to death and then diced up into countless pieces of flesh by the hair on the lady’s head.

Back in Valley County. Qin Ye glanced about his surroundings with great incredulity. The cries of the Yin spirit from afar told him that there was no need to doubt Zeng Shuai’s identity any longer. After all, such an incredible display of power… meant that he was undoubtedly the esteemed Lord Ksitigarbha!

Qin Ye smiled.

With that, Qin Ye began to walk away. It wasn’t until Qin Ye had covered several meters in distance that Zeng Shuai finally sighed, “Master of the underworld, King Yanluo of Hell… Qin Yanluo, please understand that I’ve also had my difficulties. I know that your heart is plagued with grievances, but… please hear me out.”

Nevertheless, he still stopped in his steps and waited for Zeng Shuai’s response.

“That said… he did possess the power to stop it all.” Zeng Shuai lowered his gaze and stared intently at Qin Ye’s back, “The second King Yanluo of Hell possessed strength beyond any of our imaginations. It wouldn’t even be a stretch to suggest that he even held the power to transform and reinvent the world as we know it. Even the Heavenly Dao had to cease its effects if he so desired. His word was literally the laws of the lands. But… even then, he chose not to do anything about it. Do you know why?”

Qin Ye finally turned around.

What kind of hidden agenda did he have?

“Master Qin, have you ever considered that the Hell before yours was purely run on the notion of feudalism? Hell’s system of governance was modeled after the mortal realm. Having been in existence for thousands of years on end, how many powerful clans do you think have emerged in Hell? How many such warlords are there?”

Zeng Shuai spoke hurriedly, almost as though he were afraid that Qin Ye would run away as soon as he stopped, “By the time the second King Yanluo of Hell took charge of affairs, Hell was in truth already at the point of no return. It looked glorious on the outside, but its internal affairs… were no different from the end of the Great Ming Dynasty. There were a thousand holes in the system, each of which were slowly expanded and pulled open with the effluxion of time. Innumerable members of the gentry and royalty slowly emerged from the shadows to become powerful forces to be beheld in their own rights. Even the Yama-Kings of the Ten Palaces ended up having to negotiate with them on the policies to be implemented. Only the second King Yanluo of Hell possessed the power to keep them in check.”

He gazed deeply into Qin Ye’s eyes, “Can it be changed?”

Qin Ye pursed his lips and grew taciturn.

And what about Hell?

Fengdu Necropolis has been in existence for over three thousand years. And this doesn’t even take into consideration the clans and powers that have been in existence since before Fengdu was established. The internal trauma of Hell… must have been completely torn apart by the rise of the gentries and royalties.

Qin Ye had never expected such an opening from his encounter with the esteemed Lord Ksitigarbha himself. But… he finally had a better idea as to what happened to Hell now.