Undying Life

Chapter 997: Chapter 997: The Battle in Front of Yama Hall

As the auras of the four Ancient Immortals were unleashed, they immediately overpowered Luo Xingchen's aura.

Although Luo Xingchen was an exceptional Ancient Immortal, so were Burning Lamp, Maitreya Buddha, and the Crown Prince. Naturally, they quickly overwhelmed Luo Xingchen.

However, none of the four moved forward to attack right away.

"Burning Lamp Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, help me kill them!" King Yama shouted in fury.

Yet, despite the command, none of the four acted, choosing instead to continue exerting their pressure on Luo Xingchen.

"Saint King Zhong, today is King Yama's wedding, witnessed by the world. I ask that you please let this go," Burning Lamp said solemnly.

Saint King Zhong? The ghost cultivators who had retreated to a distance were taken aback—this Zhong Shan was a Saint King?

Nian Youyou wanted to speak, but Zhong Shan pulled her behind him. Nangong Sheng and Mr. Corpse instinctively positioned themselves to protect Nian Youyou.

"Let go? When Zhong Shan sets his mind on something, I never let go. Burning Lamp Buddha, haven't you suffered enough already?" Zhong Shan's eyes grew cold, and an aura of dominance radiated from him.

More and more ghost guards gathered around, and the distant ghost cultivators watching were filled with shock at Zhong Shan's defiance. Burning Lamp Buddha was a figure of legendary power, and yet Zhong Shan suggested that he had already made Burning Lamp suffer? What could that mean?

Burning Lamp's brow furrowed as he considered his options. "This concerns the reputation of Yama Hall. If the Buddha learns of this, he will not stand idly by. I apologize, but I must act."

Maitreya Buddha remained silent, using his aura to pressure Zhong Shan.

"Zhong Shan, so you've come here as well? It's time we settle our old scores!" Nian Ben suddenly shouted coldly at Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan gave Nian Ben a cold glance, then ignored him, turning his attention to the Crown Prince instead.

"Great Crown Prince of the Wuxiang Holy Court, Nian Can?" Zhong Shan asked, eyeing the Crown Prince.

"I've long heard that Saint King Zhong has the power to turn the impossible into reality, and it seems your reputation is well deserved," Nian Can responded with a serious smile.

"Nian Ben, Nian Can, kill Zhong Shan for me!" King Yama shouted, desperate for action.

However, neither Nian Ben nor Nian Can moved immediately. They knew that dealing with Zhong Shan and Luo Xingchen wouldn't be easy—they would need to cooperate with Burning Lamp and Maitreya Buddha.

Seeing that no one was following his orders, King Yama became furious.

Suddenly, a powerful wave of energy swept over the area, causing nearly everyone to look skyward.

From all directions, sixteen powerful figures clad in red flew toward the scene.

"The Heart-Piercing Envoys from the Sixteen Heart-Piercing Hells? They've arrived?" someone from the distance shouted.

"The Heart-Piercing Envoys? Even King Yama can't usually command them. Why are they all here now?"

"Zhong Shan is in big trouble!"

...

The sixteen men in red had cold, stern expressions.

"Ancient Immortals? The Heart-Piercing Envoys?" Burning Lamp remarked in surprise.

"It seems Yama Hall is not as superficial as it appears," Maitreya Buddha nodded.

"King Yama, since Yama Hall has such powerful figures, we'll leave this to you," Burning Lamp said with a slight bow.

He had been prepared to act out of necessity, but with the arrival of the Heart-Piercing Envoys, there was no need for him to intervene.

Maitreya Buddha also stepped back slightly.

Nian Ben and Nian Can exchanged glances and quickly withdrew as well.

Sixteen Ancient Immortals? How could Yama Hall have such power, and yet King Yama himself be so weak?

As soon as the Heart-Piercing Envoys arrived, they coldly observed Zhong Shan and his group, positioning themselves in the air to form a circle, surrounding Zhong Shan and his companions.

"Heart-Piercing Envoys? Why... why have all of you come?" King Yama's face twitched as he spoke.

"Didn't you summon us?" one of the Heart-Piercing Envoys replied coldly.

"I did, but in the past, when I summoned you, only one or two would come at most. This time, all of you have shown up. This... this..." King Yama stammered, a trace of reluctance in his voice.

"The Ten Halls of Yama Hall uphold the ancient will, yet you have repeatedly brought shame to Yama Hall. For tens of thousands of years, you've indulged in frivolities, failing to advance your cultivation to the level of a Great Immortal. After this incident, we will reassess your qualifications as King Yama!" the Heart-Piercing Envoy said sternly.

Reassess your qualifications as King Yama?

Hearing this, King Yama's face turned ashen. Although he had managed to maintain a high profile, the sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys held authority over him. If they unanimously agreed, they could replace him as King Yama.

"Yama Hall's envoys?" Zhong Shan said solemnly, turning his attention to the Heart-Piercing Envoy who had spoken.

Sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys? These were the true masters of Yama Hall, akin to how the Clay Bodhisattva was the master of the Wheel-Turning Hall. Just as the Clay Bodhisattva was an enigmatic figure, these sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys were likely extremely powerful, though they didn't flaunt their strength.

The sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys simultaneously focused their gaze on Zhong Shan and his companions.

"Disrupting the honor of Yama Hall—this is punishable by death!" one of the envoys declared.

"Punishable by death!" the group of Heart-Piercing Envoys echoed in unison, their voices filled with an overwhelming killing intent that bore down on Zhong Shan and his followers.

As the killing intent of the sixteen Ancient Immortals surged forth, Luo Xingchen swiftly drew the Xuanyuan Bow. However, with sixteen Ancient Immortals surrounding them, Luo Xingchen hesitated, unsure where to strike. He could shoot an arrow and even escape, as the sixteen couldn't stop him, but what would happen to the others if he fled?

"Yama Hall Seal!" the leading Heart-Piercing Envoy suddenly commanded.

Yama Hall Seal? Upon hearing this, Zhong Shan immediately understood. The Clay Bodhisattva had once used a similar Wheel-Turning Hall Seal, which had annihilated an Ancient Immortal with overwhelming power.

The sixteen Ancient Immortals immediately raised their hands, fingers pointing skyward as they performed a synchronized seal.

"Hummm!"

A massive black seal materialized in the sky, and its appearance brought a terrifying pressure that enveloped all of Yama City.

The enormous seal seemed to lock onto Zhong Shan and his group, intent on crushing them completely.

Luo Xingchen released an arrow skyward.

"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"

A tremendous explosion rang out as the seal only wavered slightly before shattering the arrow, continuing its descent toward Zhong Shan and his companions.

In the distance, countless eyes were fixed on the scene, watching in awe as the powerful black seal descended.

The legendary treasure of Yama Hall—the Yama Hall Seal?

The immense pressure from the seal caused the ground to sink slightly, and the surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble by the sheer force. Even Mr. Corpse and Nangong Sheng were rendered immobile by the oppressive aura.

But Zhong Shan remained calm in the face of danger, his gaze cold as he stared up at the seal.

In one swift motion, Zhong Shan produced a square seal in his hand.

Fangtian Imperial Seal!

Fangtian Imperial Seal shot skyward, rushing to meet the descending Yama Hall Seal.

As it soared, the Fangtian Imperial Seal appeared to waver, as if it couldn't withstand the overwhelming aura of the Yama Hall Seal.

But in an instant, the red gem atop the Fangtian Imperial Seal began to glow, emitting a vast, radiant red light like a rising sun.

The red light was incredibly bright, yet it carried an aura of righteousness, inspiring both fear and reverence in those who beheld it.

The red light enveloped the Fangtian Imperial Seal as it clashed with the descending Yama Hall Seal.

"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"

A massive explosion echoed as the two seals collided, locking together in a fierce struggle. The black aura of the Wailing Hell surged into the Yama Hall Seal, continuously feeding it with powerful energy.

Meanwhile, the Fangtian Imperial Seal was sustained by the red light emanating from the red gem on top.

As the two seals clashed, they appeared to be evenly matched, neither one gaining the upper hand.

Burning Lamp and the others looked on with grave expressions.

"The Yama Hall Seal? It's said that only the Haotian Seal of the Jade Emperor could counter it, and that even the imperial seals of most holy courts wouldn't stand a chance. But Zhong Shan's seal..." Burning Lamp murmured in disbelief.

"Rise!" Zhong Shan shouted, pointing toward the sky.

With that command, the Fangtian Imperial Seal flared with an intense red light, unleashing a powerful aura that rippled through the air. The very space around it seemed to shudder, sending waves of spatial distortion radiating outward.

Wherever the waves passed, everything was crushed—the entire Yama City experienced an unprecedented upheaval. The ground churned, countless buildings collapsed, and the city walls crumbled, throwing Yama City into chaos.

Yet, Yama Hall itself remained intact, standing proudly amidst the destruction.

"Luo Xingchen, shoot!" Zhong Shan commanded loudly.

"Yes!"

Luo Xingchen swiftly released five arrows in quick succession, each arrow a streak of golden light targeting five of the Heart-Piercing Envoys.

The five envoys, who had been controlling the Yama Hall Seal, immediately recognized the arrows' power and quickly summoned their treasures to block the attack.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" ...

Luo Xingchen's arrows, whose power had been demonstrated back at Sacred Corpse Mountain, were immensely formidable.

One of the Ancient Immortals was struck and injured, while the others narrowly evaded the arrows, causing the Yama Hall Seal to lose much of its power.

"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"

With a renewed surge of power, the Fangtian Imperial Seal smashed into the Yama Hall Seal, sending it flying.

The eleven remaining Heart-Piercing Envoys felt the backlash of the failed seal.

"Fire!"

Luo Xingchen unleashed a second volley of arrows, aimed directly at the remaining Heart-Piercing Envoys. With no one to sustain it, the Yama Hall Seal dissipated into nothingness.

"Zhong Shan's seal... is it an Ancestor Immortal artifact?" Burning Lamp finally confirmed.

In the sky, the sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys, realizing that the Yama Hall Seal was no longer effective, abandoned it. They each drew their own unique weapons, blocking Luo Xingchen's arrows as they charged toward Zhong Shan.

The battle had truly begun. Zhong Shan and his companions were now engaged in a fierce fight against the sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys.

The thunderous sounds of battle reverberated outside Yama Hall. The power of the Ancient Immortals was devastating—aside from Yama Hall, nearly all other palaces in the vicinity had been reduced to rubble.

At the entrance of Yama Hall, a man in a robe, wearing a lotus-adorned monk's hat, stepped out.

The man had a small mustache, a pale complexion, and an extremely calm demeanor. He held a staff in his hand as he watched the distant battle with a serene expression.

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!" one of the Yama Hall guards greeted him with deep reverence.

As Ksitigarbha emerged, Burning Lamp, King Yama, and the others immediately noticed him.

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, invaders have come to the underworld! Even the sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys can't deal with them. Please, help us destroy these outsiders!" King Yama pleaded urgently.

"I am fully aware of the right and wrong in this situation," Ksitigarbha replied, shaking his head.

Although he hadn't appeared until now, Ksitigarbha had been keenly aware of the events outside.

Ksitigarbha looked toward the heart of the battle, where the sixteen Heart-Piercing Envoys had yet to make any significant progress against their opponents. There were five of them, but only two were actively fighting.

"Zhong Shan? A Daluo Heavenly Immortal at the fourth level, yet he can stand against several Ancient Immortals?" Ksitigarbha murmured, slightly impressed.

Only an Ancestor Immortal could discern Zhong Shan's cultivation level at a glance.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8