“If we let the Netherworld Divine Son out, we’re all dead.”
Marshal Noctis said coolly, “All of you are venerable elders, but without bodies, you’re innately suppressed by the Netherworld Divine Son. This time, when the Divine Son returns, he’s not the same as he was twenty-two years ago. He’s patched up all his old weaknesses, his powers are vast and formidable, and here in Youdu, it’s almost impossible to kill him. If you want to slay him, only the God-Lock Chaos Net and the Slaughter Cauldron will do.”
The crowd fell silent.
They had already witnessed the strength and terror of the Netherworld Divine Son—twice, in fact.
The first time was two months after his birth. Back then, the Netherworld Divine Son stirred up a great chaos, devouring countless gods and demons from all the major powers of Youdu, growing larger and more arrogant by the day.
Yet, even then, the Netherworld Divine Son, for all his power, was not invincible.
He didn’t understand any divine arts or Dao techniques—he survived purely by his innate might and by being the first postnatal soul born in Youdu. In that land, he could regenerate endlessly and devour other souls and Primordial Spirits to strengthen himself. That was the only way he managed to live.
But now, twenty-two years later, the Netherworld Divine Son has returned to Youdu, and the strength he’s shown is on a completely different level than before.
In the recent battle, more than a hundred Emperor’s-Throne and High Heaven Hall powerhouses suffered heavy casualties—over half of them fell by his hand.
After death, those Emperor’s-Throne and High Heaven Hall experts lost their bodies, leaving only Primordial Spirits behind. Their strength was greatly diminished, roughly equivalent to Jade Capital and High Heaven realm gods and demons, but their knowledge and experience remained far above most Jade Capital cultivators.
So many strong figures attacked him at once, yet the casualties were still appalling—it truly made their hearts pound with terror.
Lady Lurien had taken him by surprise, capturing the Netherworld Divine Son inside the cauldron. If the Slaughter Cauldron were opened now and he escaped, trying to trap him again would be nearly impossible—who knows how many ancient beings would die in the attempt!
“These three comrades sacrificed themselves to rid us of the Netherworld Divine Son—their righteousness pierces the heavens. We all admire them.”
Suddenly, Heavenly King Gao pressed his palm to the Slaughter Cauldron, his face full of sorrow, and wept, “Such noble comrades—I must mourn them loudly, send them off as heroes!”
The other ancient beings wore mournful expressions, their voices choked with tears, and in unison they cried, “Farewell to our three comrades!”
A chorus of weeping filled the hall.
Lady Lurien watched them with a gentle smile, then suddenly grinned and said, “All right, all right, there’s no need for such sadness. The Netherworld Divine Son may not die the instant he’s thrown into the cauldron. To spare our three comrades any further suffering, let’s activate the Slaughter Cauldron at once and send them and the Divine Son on their way together!”
The crowd’s faces darkened. Yan Qianzhong said coldly, “Lady Lurien, your heart is too full of calculation. Those three died because of you, and you can still smile?”
Lady Lurien burst into tears, rain streaming down her face. She wiped her eyes and said, “Others call me ruthless, but who knows if this smile isn’t just bravado?”
Marshal Noctis couldn’t bear to watch and said softly, “Let’s focus on the task at hand. Finish the business first, then talk.”
Heavenly King Gao arched an eyebrow and asked, “Once the Netherworld Divine Son is refined to death, who gets his body?”
Everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.
Heavenly King Gao chuckled, “The four field marshals—Marshal Noctis, Lord Deluge, Marshal Jade, and Marshal Thunder—created the God-Lock Chaos Net together to target the Netherworld Divine Son. Now so many comrades have died, and while we grieve, that body is no ordinary thing. We should decide right now who will claim it.”
Lady Lurien frowned and smiled, “What’s your opinion, Heavenly King Gao? Why not speak plainly?”
Heavenly King Gao laughed quietly, “We’re just ghosts—what opinions could we possibly have?”
Yan Qianzhong mused, “The four field marshals all have bodies, but we old-timers don’t. Once the Netherworld Divine Son is refined, his body should naturally belong to us. The four marshals ought to yield.”
Lord Deluge sneered, “There are so many ghosts and only one Netherworld Divine Son. How do you plan to split him up? If the body isn’t for us, then why not decide right now which of you gets it?”
The ancient beings shuddered inwardly.