Quinn Shepherd looked at the suppressed reincarnated body of Tu Bo, the Earth Sovereign. In the Dragon-Han era, Tu Bo must have been an unimaginably powerful demon god, but burdened by countless sins, he was forced to endure endless torment in karmic fire.
Tu Bo was utterly impartial—even if the wrongdoer was himself, he showed no mercy.
From this, one can glimpse just how many ancient gods and demigods fell by Tu Bo's hand in those days.
The karmic fire has burned for millions of years and still blazes fiercely. Tu Bo has used hundreds of Karmic-Flame Merit Monoliths to suppress himself, hoping to wash away his own sins.
"At that time, the reincarnated Tu Bo must have been consumed by boundless rage—rage so fierce it let him break free of his chains, letting his demonic nature take full control."
Quinn thought of his brother, Fenix Greenwood, and compared the two. When Tu Bo was ruled by his demonic nature, he was driven solely by the urge to kill. This was still different from Fenix.
Fenix was more like a savage but naïve child. Though many people had told Quinn that Fenix was controlled by demonic urges and knew only slaughter, Quinn felt otherwise—his brother hadn’t been ruled by demonic nature, but had instead mastered it.
Comparing Tu Bo's actions with Fenix's conduct now, Quinn was even more certain of this.
"Go a bit further, and you'll reach the place where Fenix Greenwood was punished."
Martin Mo, Soul-Suppressing Left Warden, hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll escort you up to here. I won’t go any farther."
Quinn smiled and said, "Let's go a bit further. Once we get there, I won’t force you to stay, brother."
Martin Mo had no choice but to steel himself and continue onward. Up ahead, the Karmic-Flame Merit Monoliths grew denser, forming a thick forest of stone. After traveling three or five miles, the scenery suddenly opened up: lush green hills, a stream flowing down the mountains, passing through rice fields and emptying into a lake.
Several Brood-Hen Dragons were sprinting through the fields, chasing three-legged frogs and clucking nonstop. The frogs plopped into the lake, while the Brood-Hen Dragons stood angrily on the shore, clucking furiously at the floating frogs.
Quinn was stunned. In this barren, desolate Netherworld, there was never any greenery—just volcanoes, lava, demons, and ghosts everywhere.
Yet here, in the famed Jade-Lock Fortress of Youdu, a prison for the most wicked criminals, there was a patch of green hills and clear water. It was truly bizarre!
He looked down the mountain and saw several homes. Women sat at their doors spinning thread and working looms, while a few farm girls picked mulberry leaves to feed silkworms.
There were also farmers in the fields picking vegetables.
This place didn’t feel like Youdu, nor like a prison for hardened criminals—it resembled a peaceful, happy village in the Great Ruins.
"They don’t have any more karmic fire on them. Even if they did, it’s long since burned away."
Martin Mo whispered, "Back then, when they entered Youdu, it was almost like walking into a trap. The four Marshal-Commanders of the Heavenly Court and other powers were lurking here. After sneaking around for a few days, you were born, and then the Heavenly Court’s pursuers found you. You should remember what happened next, right?"
Quinn shook his head and replied with a bitter voice, "My brother remembers. I think I hadn’t even been born yet."
"Anyone who hit Mother—I ate them!" Fenix Greenwood snarled fiercely.
Back then, you made such a mess that you destroyed the four Marshal-Commanders’ armies stationed in Youdu. The four commanders were gravely wounded and still haven’t recovered to this day.
Martin Mo said, "None of those four Marshal-Commanders were good men. They had wide connections in Youdu and called in other local big shots. Those big shots got beaten, killed, or eaten, which then drew out even older powers—who also got beaten, killed, or eaten. It was chaos in Youdu; all sorts of outsiders snuck in to watch the spectacle. Things got so out of hand that Tu Bo had to intervene and suppress you. Your mother took the punishment for you and volunteered to be sealed here. Fenix, go and see your mother."
He paused, then added, "Don’t even think about taking her away. Back then, Tu Bo put in a lot of effort to save you. Otherwise, you’d have died long ago—having your mother take your punishment was the least of it. The ones who snuck into Youdu weren’t just here for the show; there were hidden dangers everywhere."
Quinn fell silent.
More than twenty years ago, during that Netherworld chaos, plenty of powerful beings came just to watch. Even the Great Brahma King Buddha and Heaven Duke sent avatars.
Besides them, even Prince Umbral snuck into Youdu.
And that’s just the ones he knew about—there must have been many more!
"What’s more, Tu Bo didn’t make things hard for you and your mother. This time, don’t give him trouble."
Martin Mo said, "Don’t try to take her away. She’s safe here—out there, it would only be more dangerous. Also, be careful when you leave."
Quinn bowed deeply. "Thank you, brother!"
Fenix hesitated, then said, "I won’t eat you this time. Next time, if you run fast enough when you see me, I won’t catch you and I won’t eat you. Remember—run really fast!"
Martin Mo chuckled, then turned and left.
Quinn gazed at the little village at the foot of the mountain, his heart unable to calm for a long time. At last, he steadied himself and walked forward.
His body shrank smaller and smaller, quickly changing from a towering giant to ordinary size.
His steps grew quicker and quicker—until suddenly he stopped. Fenix refused to go any further.
Quinn was surprised and whispered, "Brother, didn’t you most want to see Mother?"
"She doesn’t want to see me."
Fenix lowered his head, voice tinged with bitterness: "She’s the one who put the jade pendant seal on me. I always remember the fear in her eyes when she saw me. I don’t want her to feel afraid. I’ll go back into the seal; you go see her yourself. Tell her I’m fine in the seal, I can’t come out, so she doesn’t have to be afraid…"
A strange feeling welled up in Quinn’s heart. Then, the power faded, and he sensed his other self within vanishing.
Fenix had already returned to the Keane-Sigil Continent.
Quinn stood there, lost in thought. Inside the Keane-Sigil Continent, the big-headed baby sat on the ground, equally dazed.
After a while, the baby suddenly scrambled off, looking for Heaven Duke’s avatar and the Crimson Emperor’s thought-shard to vent his feelings.
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Quinn steadied himself, let his three heads and six arms fade away, and walked toward the village.
He drew closer and closer to the village. The place was peaceful; farmers in the vegetable patch straightened up, staring blankly as he approached.
Quinn smiled and nodded in greeting.
The farmers were puzzled by his smile but couldn’t help smiling back and nodding in return.
“He really does look like him…”
One of the farmers muttered, "He looks so much like King Zhen. Who is he?"
Quinn reached the village entrance. The girls feeding silkworms glanced over, their eyes bright. These village girls were deities who had cultivated to the Heavenly Palace realm; even in Youdu, dressed in plain clothes, their beauty was unmistakable.
Quinn smiled and said, "Sisters, my name is Fenix Greenwood. I’m from Worryfree Village, but I was stranded in the Great Ruins. I’m twenty-two this year, twenty-three by lunar age, and I’ve come to find my mother."
The village girls were stunned—their baskets fell to the ground, scattering mulberry leaves everywhere.
The woman spinning thread at the loom suddenly trembled and turned her head.
Quinn saw her face—it was the same face he’d seen on his father King Han Zhen’s ship, the face of the mother he’d longed for day and night.
On that treasure ship, he had witnessed a flash of history: his parents piloting the ship from Worryfree Village to the Great Ruins, and all they experienced along the way.
It was the first time he’d seen his parents, and it made him realize he still had family in this world.
He could never forget that moment.
The woman at the loom stood up, flustered as she looked at him. Though she wore plain clothes, her bearing was graceful and dignified. Now, however, she was so rattled she didn’t know what to do with her hands.
She stumbled over, her gaze fixed on the young man at the village entrance. She bumped into the rack draped with gauze, then nearly tripped over a water jar.
"Fenix? Is it really Fenix?" she called out from afar.
"Mother."
Quinn knelt at the village entrance, bowing deeply. "Your son has returned."
A pair of warm, trembling hands helped him up. Her gentle, tearful eyes looked him over, her voice quivering: "Is it really Fenix? I’ve been thinking of you all this time…"
"Every time I dream, I see myself putting the jade pendant around your neck. I feel so guilty; nightmares always wake me, dreaming you died outside, died in the basket…"
"I’ve always been thinking of you, worrying about you, afraid you’d encounter danger out there…"
...
Quinn smiled warmly and held her hand tightly. "Mother, I’ve come home alive."
"You’re home." The woman choked with tears, clutching his hand as if afraid he’d vanish like a dream.
A few farmers came over to the village entrance, watching the mother and son. The village girls approached and whispered, "Princess Zhen, your little prince has returned—it’s a joyous occasion, don’t be sad anymore."
"It’s a truly happy day."
Another woman laughed, "I’ll catch some frogs and kill a chicken—we’ll have a feast tonight! Hey, Left Attendant, come help catch frogs! And get some fish from the lake!"
The Left Attendant hurriedly said, "We can pick vegetables from the patch at the village entrance too. Go get some ready!"
"There’s fruit on the mountain—I’ll pick some!"
Everyone bustled about. Quinn’s mother still gazed at him, unsure if she was dreaming, while Quinn chattered on about his adventures in Disabled Elder Village, being chased by Brood-Hen Dragons, and practicing by the Yong River.
He recalled funny and embarrassing stories from his childhood, embellishing them to make his mother laugh.
She listened quietly, then suddenly burst out laughing—even as tears streamed down her face.
"Where’s Ping’er?"
She asked, "Ping’er brought you back to the world of the living—why isn’t she with you?"
Quinn’s face grew somber, but he quickly forced a smile. "Mother, let me tell you about some funny things that happened to me in Yankang."
"Your Aunt Ping’er is gone, isn’t she?"
Quinn fell silent, then replied in a bitter voice, "Granny Si found me by the riverbank. Aunt Ping’er’s body was beneath the water, holding me up on the surface. Then the current carried her away. Later, I saw her on the river—I told her I was fine, and only then did she rest in peace… Mother, my brother wants to see you too."