Yama Rising

Susa Boy continued to search frantically as he fled for his life.

Who the hell is that kid?! It’s only just been ten minutes, and yet he’s already been able to call for more reinforcements?! Could he be a bastard child of the King Yanluo of Hell?!

No… it’s not the time to think about these things right now. What’s more important is to locate Lee Jung-sook and get the hell out of Cathay! Capturing that man is already out of the question! Evading capture is the next best thing I can hope for!

Susa Boy’s eyes grew bloodshot from the intense anxiety stirring in the depths of his heart. His hair stood on end. At once, he made a series of hand seals to mobilize his Voyage of a Hundred Ghosts, but… to no avail.

“Are they bowing in response to the arrival of a Yama-King?! Damn it!!” Fear loomed over his mind, threatening to consume every last measure of hope in his heart. He roared with great exasperation and clawed desperately at the Yin spirits in front of his eyes. Unfortunately, Lee Jung-sook was still nowhere to be found.

Where the hell is she?!!

T-t-t-t…. His teeth began to chatter wildly. His future was looking bleak. A god of death had just appeared in Cathay, exuding such domineering Yin energy that caused him to feel no different from a juicy, fat lamb in front of a ferocious tiger. Dread and terror slowly tightened their grasp around his heart.

For the first time ever, Susa Boy had begun to regret ever stepping foot onto Cathayan soil.

Meanwhile, the Sword of the Yellow Emperor’s master simply gazed in the direction of Lush Garden Acres with a series of complex emotions swelling up from the depths of his heart.

Hell’s finally moving again… For the first time in a hundred years, Hell is finally taking action! That said… I wonder who Hell has sent this time?

Being one of the three most powerful experts living in Cathay right now, he naturally knew far more than most other people. After all, the Divine Protectors had passed down their legacy from generation to generation, and everything was documented in great detail. At once, he turned to address his mind to the records of the ancient past.

Is this the arrival of countless Yin soldiers? Or are we talking about one Yama-class entity?

It’s probably Yin soldiers. Having a Yama-class entity deal with an Abyssal Prefect would be too much of an overkill. That said… just how many soldiers did Hell mobilize in order to cause such a massive eruption of Yin energy?

There was another loud bang. Susa Boy had swept his gleaming claws ahead of him once more, causing the Yin spirits located within dozens of meters ahead of him to vaporize at once. He trembled fiercely as he shrieked desperately, “Get out… Get out here right now!!!”

BOOM!! Violent waves of Yin energy rippled out from Susa Boy as he unleashed a terrifying wail that reverberated through the air for ten seconds before finally dissipating altogether.

It wasn’t a roar of intense anger.

Rather, he was venting his fear and dread for what was to come. It was the state of frenzy accompanying his final hurrah.

He feared the unknown. He could sense that the primordial treasure of Hell wasn’t far away from him, and every fiber of his existence was filled with fear of this mighty artifact of Hell!

Just then, the entire world went silent.

It was a stifling, oppressive silence, one that generally occurred when a transcendent being descended from the skies. In fact, it was so silent that the sparse white hairs on his back stood on end at once. Even the shadows in the vicinity appeared to ebb back from where they had come from.

He turned back stiffly with great trepidation. Meanwhile, the Sword of the Yellow Emperor’s master turned to stare at Susa Boy’s back, watching intently with bated breath.

Here it comes… Here it comes!

The elites of Hell have finally arrived!

Both man and ghost were filled with the same mind-numbing sensation and goosebumps at the same time. However, these reactions were borne out of different emotions in their heart.

Just then, a fiery red rift appeared soundlessly from behind Susa Boy like a bloodstain in the void. At once, a domineering blast of Yin energy poured right through the crack!

Thud! Thud! At once, both Susa Boy and the Sword of the Yellow Emperor’s master felt their knees buckle as they half-knelt to the ground.

The Yin energy pouring out of the rift wasn’t so much copious as it was incomparably dense and pure. In fact, it was precisely because it was made of the purest wisps of Yin energy that the Sword of the Yellow Emperor’s master stared agape at it. All that remained in his mind was a single notion of thought.

Yama-king… It’s actually a Yama-King!!! That meagre Infernal Judge was actually important enough to trigger the response of a Yama-King?! W-who the hell is he?!

Has a Yama-King actually arrived here in the mortal realm?!

Which one is it? Yama-King of the Ten Palaces? Or perhaps the Sixfold Ghost Kings? Or perhaps… others that have never been witnessed on earth before!

But whoever it is, all Yama-Kings have been known to be noble in life and heroes in death! To be able to bask in their glory and splendor is my honour in life!

His heart was about to leap right out of his chest. The diffusion of Yin energy would naturally lead to a sharp drop in the temperature of the surroundings. Yet it did nothing to quell the intense fire blazing in his heart right now.

T-t-t-t-t… Meanwhile, Susa Boy couldn’t help but shudder violently as his entire body trembled.

How terrifying… How insanely terrifying…

It felt like the chilling touch of a hand in the middle of a dark room. At once, the Yin energy in his body curdled with fear.

Whoosh… A split second later, countless balls of black light shot right out of the rift, landing all around Susa Boy in a neat and orderly fashion.

These black balls of light glowed brightly as it writhed intently, before soon coalescing into the hazy figures of Yin soldiers, each of whom were armed with ferocious spears and dressed in valiant armor. At once, they surrounded Susa Boy at the heart of their formation. A large banner bearing the word “Qin” fluttered wildly with the wind as the Yin soldiers bellowed in unison, “By Hell’s Dictum, all rabble shall disperse!!!”

Thud! Susa Boy’s knees finally went weak, and he knelt straight to the ground.

Just then, two massive hands reached out from the rift in the void, almost as though it were forcibly widening the gap!

At once, the surroundings were filled with the sound of rustling and crackling from a burgeoning sea of netherflames. Paper money began to rain down from the skies above, while clumps of netherflame began to dart about all around them.

A thin man dressed like an official of the Song Dynasty slowly emerged from the heart of the rift, all the while staring at Susa Boy with an abstruse gaze in his eyes.

Abyssal Prefect!!

The master of the Sword of the Yellow Emperor gasped in astonishment - What extravagance! To think that the esteemed Yama-King would be clearing the path with an Abyssal Prefect - and one that is not far from the ranks of a Yama-King to boot! The old man could clearly sense his own true energy fluctuating violently as soon as the Prefect-class Yin spirit stepped out of the rift in the void.

It was a reaction borne out of self-defense.

“Is this… the true depth of Hell’s might?”

“Such powerful Emissaries of Hell…” Susa Boy’s entire body trembled violently - I’m no match for him. This Emissary of Hell is unbelievably powerful! I’m no match for him at all!

“Are you the Abyssal Prefect in charge of the coastal district?”

But the Abyssal Prefect of Hell simply ignored him. Instead, he turned back and lay prostrate on the ground, “Daolord of the asura humbly welcomes the arrival of the King Yanluo of Hell!”

“May the King Yanluo of Hell reign for all eternity!!” The Yin soldiers echoed in unison. The sea of flames around them roared at once, and the flames licked the skies.

A claw stepped out of the void in an instant, followed closely by the emergence of a ten-meter tall beast with the head of a tiger, a single horn, dog’s ears, a dragon’s body covered with golden scales.

The sea of netherflames receded at once, almost as though it were ebbing in submission to the domineering presence of the Harken.

“This is… the Harken!!!”

Both Susa Boy and the master of the Sword of the Yellow Emperor were completely astonished by these developments. Their mind instantly went numb, and they found themselves completely unable to process the sheer incredulity of what was taking place right now. Even then, they both lowered their heads at once.

All shall bow before the arrival of King Yanluo himself. This wasn’t so much an incontrovertible truth as it was a warning that all who even so much as steal a glance at King Yanluo would perish at once!

This was the dazzling majesty and authority of the King Yanluo of Hell!

The Sword of the Yellow Emperor’s master couldn’t help but stir with great excitement at the prospects of what this all meant.

The might of Hell is far beyond what us mortals had ever imagined! This is the arrival of the King Yanluo of Hell we’re talking about! Isn’t this tantamount to a declaration to the nation that Hell is well-placed to take charge of matters in the netherworld once more?

With such terrifying might at their disposal, it’s not going to take them more than a couple of years to stabilize the situation back here in the mortal realm!

The thought of such prospects caused goosebumps to creep up all over his body. The old man clenched his fists tightly.

This might just be the first light of dawn…

Just then, Qin Ye gritted his teeth and spoke solemnly, “Daolord of the asura.”

Both Susa Boy and the Sword of the Yellow Emperor’s master instinctively motioned to look up, but promptly suppressed the urge in their heart.

They wanted nothing more than to gaze upon the true appearances of the King Yanluo of Hell. Unfortunately, neither one dared to raise their head in the slightest. They feared the wrath of Hell.

Having heard the call of his master, the daolord of the asura immediately kowtowed softly, “Here.”

Qin Ye turned to Susa Boy and spoke with a cold voice, “Trespassing constitutes a challenge to Hell’s authority. Committing genocide on the Yin spirits of Hell constitutes a declaration of war.”

Susa Boy felt a lump swell up in his throat. Terror and astonishment spread like a malignant tumour that pervaded every inch of his being, militating against any efforts to speak.

He was waiting for the final verdict.

Qin Ye took a deep breath and gnashed his teeth, “What is the punishment according to Hell’s laws?”

Kkkkrrrr… Susa Boy sank his claws deep into the ground.

The daolord of the asura respectfully replied, “An instance of infraction, a lifetime of requital. An instance of ignominy, an eternity of penance!”

“Very well.” Qin Ye raised his hand, and then brought it down forcefully, “Kill him!!”

Tonight, I’ll make a name for the Cathayan Hell!

“Charge!!!” At once, the Yin soldiers poured towards Susa Boy from every direction. The Yin ones leading the charge were naturally the Black Armored Troops. They trudged forward valiantly, dragging their long swords along the ground, ready to strike at the moment’s notice!

The spearmen stood behind them in a tight formation, and their spear tips gleamed brightly under the faint illumination of the moonlight. The lands trembled with their valiant cries, while Susa Boy trembled at the sight of their approach. There was only a single thought in his mind right now.

No… I cannot afford to get caught by them! At once, the fear that once paralyzed him went through the roof, becoming the very source of motivation that stirred his heart once more. With a shrill shriek, his claws extended out dozens of meters and he swiped madly at the Black Armored Troops closest to him.

CLANG!! At once, the Black Armored Troops ceased their approach and held up their swords. Susa Boy’s ferocious swipe clashed forcefully against their blades, sending a shower of sparks scattering through the air. The troops bearing the brunt of the attack were sent flying back dozens of meters, knocking into the spearmen standing directly behind them. Even then, it was still a huge victory for the Yin soldiers of Hell to have directly blocked a mighty attack from an Abyssal Prefect.

SSS!! The fear in Susa Boy’s heart only escalated as time passed. With another powerful swipe of his claw, Susa Boy shrieked as he attempted to fly up and away from the encirclement that had him surrounded. But as soon as he did, countless bolts flew through the air, leaving dazzling streaks of light in their wake as they hurtled towards Susa Boy’s body.

They were Karmic Fire Divine Crossbows!

Sensing the sheer destructiveness of the Karmic Fire bolts, Susa Boy took a deep breath and spread his wings out without hesitation, releasing a barrage of white feathers that shot out to intercept every single arrow in the air. Then, without pausing, he made straight for the coast.

Run… I’ve got to get out of this place!

There’s no way I’d be spared if I hang around any longer!

Qin Ye didn’t say a word even as Susa Boy escaped into the distance. Instead, he simply glanced placidly at the daolord of the asura.

The daolord’s body trembled instantly, and he bellowed with great fury, “What gall!!”

“Do you think Hell is a place that you can come and go as you please?!”

A split second later, his chest burst open, revealing a blackened infant dripped wet with corpse fluid. It stared straight ahead with its scarlet eyes, and then slowly opened its mouth wide.

BOOM!!!

The world instantly went silent.

The netherflame in the surrounding immediately converged towards the infant’s mouth. Moments later, every Yin spirit and artifact within a thousand-meter radius of the infant suddenly lifted off the ground… and then rushed straight into the infant’s mouth as well!