Yama Rising

If he had a heart, it would most certainly have skipped a beat. He could even sense all of his muscles tense up in this very moment. His mouth was wide agape, and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably. Then, a split second later, he dashed right out of formation.

Both factions were locked in an intense clash of power. Hell’s forces were clearly advancing despite the rain of arrows, while the other continuously launched volley after volley of arrows that slowly but surely penetrated the defences of the other. Every moment that passed saw Yin spirits turn to netherflames that quickly dissipated into the surroundings. Practically every single Qufu soldier was staring transfixed at Mu Guiying, whose crow wings were spread so far and wide that they practically blotted out the sky above. Naturally, not a single one of the Qufu soldiers noticed the ferocious attacks pouring out towards them from the Mechanical Beasts from afar.

Mu Guiying was momentarily taken aback.

A split second later--...

Pshk!!

He was instantly pinned straight into the ground by the massive spear, and his soulfire trembled violently. He tried desperately to remove the spear from his chest, but to no avail.

Mu Guiying turned to where the spear came from, only to discover to her horror that there were countless similar spears pelting down towards them like a torrential downpour!

“Raise your defenses!!” She yelled with all her might. Unfortunately, it was all too late.

It was Hell’s desire to take down Qufu at all cost, but little did they realize that Qufu also wished to defend its city at all costs. The rain of spears was going to leave few Yin spirits on the western city walls alive. It wasn’t that bad for stronger Yin spirits, because while the long spears might seriously wound them, they still wouldn’t perish immediately. But the rest of the Yin soldiers… would definitely be slaughtered!

A split second later.

“How could this be…” One of the Qufu Hellguards dressed in modern work overalls with only half a head remaining desperately fought off the rain of spears that continued to pour down from the skies. Between his attacks, he glanced at the Mechanical Beast with bloodshot eyes and gnashed his teeth with great fury, “Li Linfu… You are ruthless!!”

The other spears that were raining down on them plunged straight into the city walls, penetrating the ground by at least half a meter! A multitude of Yin soldiers were helplessly skewered on the field of spears. Within moments, it became impossible to distinguish which side each of these skewered soldiers were from. Many of them also quickly exploded into a cloud of Yin energy without even being given the chance to scream out in pain and anguish.

Hunter-class Yin spirits would end up seriously injured.

Shk! Shk! Shk! Mu Guiying continued to avoid the spears that were narrowly grazing her. That said, she didn’t bother even glancing at Zhao Seven. After all, she knew full well that this was hardly the time to be developing feelings for anyone.

If they managed to activate something as powerful as that, then the only thing that awaited them was permanent death itself!

Looks like Qufu’s forces are bent on turning the western walls into a great wall of flames… She gritted her teeth and made a decision that could only be described as heroic.

She appeared incredibly small compared to the hulking Mechanical Beast that stood as tall as the heavens. But even then, her actions were striking.

“My lord… We’ve already fired everything…” One of the Yin spirits reported back with a tremor in his voice, “The reloading time is another twenty minutes…”

He couldn’t quite understand it.

Having already died once, wouldn’t Yin spirits know all the more how important it is to cherish life?

Annals of the New Hell: Year 001 of the New Hell. During the definitive war against Qufu, Yang Jiye’s daughter-in-law, Mu Guiying, heroically broke into the heart of the Mechanical Beast, Ugly Bull.

Because even Qufu’s Yin soldiers could all see for themselves what she was about to do. Notwithstanding the remaining rain of spears that were still pelting down onto them, several lesser commanders exclaimed in shock and yelled with all their might, “Kill her! Protect the Mechanical Beast no matter the cost!! Hurry!!”

Mu Guiying hadn’t even gone several hundred meters when ten other Qufu Hellguards stepped out from the entrance of the Mechanical Beast with a cold sneer, “You’re courting death!!” “What gall!!” “What do you take us for, huh?”

She promptly made a series of hand seals, mustering every bit of Yin energy in her body that erupted all at once!

Closer and closer. The rush of the nethergale screamed in her ear, while the Hellguards approaching her surged towards her like a rushing river filled with the moans and groans of countless Yin spirits. Netherflames abounded like constellations in the sky, while Yin energy flourished like the base of a waterfall. And it was right at that time that Mu Guiying suddenly paused.

“Die!!!” Simultaneously, one of the Hellguards rushed right in front of her. He was wearing a short coat that had burst at the abdomen to reveal a massive mouth that ran right up to his chest. A scarlet tongue immediately lashed out towards Mu Guiying’s heart.

“Crystal Heart… Clear Mind.”

A terrifying nethergale swirled mightily around her, while innumerable spots of netherflames darted everywhere in the vicinity. She appeared no different from a Bodhisattva of Hell. A split second later, her hundred arms moved at the same time, revealing each their own preferred set of weapons. Her gaze of compassion soon turned completely frigid.

“How dare you confront us Emissaries of Hell without any high-grade Yin artifacts in your possession? You Yin spirits of recent times truly don’t know a thing at all…”

SSSSSS!!! They could only see a bright beam of light surge past themselves. Nobody saw how she moved, or when she struck. However, every single Qufu Hellguard instantly cried out miserably as they retreated from the terrifying light. Their bodies were instantly covered with wounds, and Yin energy poured out profusely!

“Crazy… You’re crazy!!!” One of the Qufu Hellguards clutched at his injuries, desperately gasping for air as he retreated as far as a hundred meters away. He stared scornfully but fearfully at the woman of Hell. In that instant earlier when she brushed past his body, he could sense such a thick murderous intent from her that he could practically see… Hell itself!

At this very moment, Mu Guiying was only three thousand meters away from the Mechanical Beast, Ugly Bull.

Apart from Li Linfu’s army, another army of at least 100,000 troops had at some point in time ascended the western city walls to obstruct Hell’s approach.

She didn’t even retreat in the slightest.

“In life, I took from my country. In death, I repay my duties…” Despite the endless sea of Yin soldiers, her eyes remained as deep and abstruse as ever. Then, she gently unfolded her hundred arms, “Either get lost, or die.”

Back in the underworld, Qin Ye, Arthis and Yang Yande were all watching this heroic scene pan out on a screen of Yin energy in front of them. Yang Yande shut his eyes and choked up softly, “Crystal Heart, Clear Mind…”

Arthis lowered her gaze and softly responded, “A forbidden art. One of the forbidden arts hidden in the deepest parts of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Great Benediction… Once used, the user will lose herself, and be unable to return to her senses ever again. But while the technique remains in effect, the user will be impervious to the feeling of pain, and… even have their abilities forcefully raised to the peak of the cultivation that they are at.”

Qin Ye’s jaws dropped slightly. Even though they weren’t participating in the battle just yet, they could see for themselves just how terrifying and cruel the bloodshed in Limbo was. Hell’s forces were forging ahead despite the casualties to their numbers, while Qufu’s forces were so bent on taking down Hell’s forces that they would even sacrifice their own troops with a carpet bomb of colossal spears. Even the generals were forced to resort to throwing their lives on the line for the definitive war of Hell.

Silence.

“No!” Yang Yande immediately barked sternly, “Once my sister-in-law has decided on a certain course of action, there’s simply no turning back at all. She’s… a very stubborn person.”

“We’ve only got one shot at this. As soon as the enemy troops pour out of the inner city in an attempt to reinforce their own forces, that would be the time for us to strike with our 20,000 troops. We’re the assassins in this entire operation. We cannot afford to jeopardize our chances just because of our personal emotions! The nation before the self! Lord Yanluo cannot act upon his emotions at this point in time!”

Qin Ye gritted his teeth and nodded softly.

Now, it felt as though he had reverted to those times. For Hell’s future, Yin spirits were throwing themselves in harm’s way without asking for anything in return.

How he wished that they would react with greater abandon and more wanton recklessness.

Send your remaining forces at once. Our generals have already thrown themselves into the fray. Doesn’t that deserve more attention from the rest of your forces?