Chapter 66 Netherworld Sect IV

　　—The loss of faith means the end of the soul.

　　Within those flames Teng Hao saw countless wronged souls stretching out their hands, baring fangs and claws, terrifying and ferocious, shouting and weeping; the scene was like hell.

　　Upon one side beneath the earth stood a platform; upon the platform rose a huge stone pillar; upon the stone pillar a giant “person” was bound with iron chains.

　　Beside the stone pillar stood a gigantic monster covered entirely in green scales; the monster possessed a pair of large fieryred eyes; fire spouted from its mouth and nostrils—extremely gloomy and terrifying.

　　While angrily rebuking the giant the monster held a scorching long whip of flame and lashed the giant bound to the stone pillar. The clothing upon the giant’s body was already tattered; blood flowed freely; the body was covered with wounds.

　　Teng Hao looked carefully downward from the air: the giant bound to the stone pillar possessed a vertical eye upon the forehead; this eye flashed with yellow radiance.

　　At a single glance Teng Hao immediately recognized it; he was far too familiar with this giant.

　　Every morning pious hunters prayed toward the statue of this giant; He was the omnipotent celestial god in the hearts of the hunters.

　　Teng Hao had never imagined that the great Yellow Clan Celestial God in his heart would be tortured thus in the depths of hell; he could not help crying out in astonishment.

　　The redeyed monster heard the cry, raised its head and saw Teng Hao, and was about to strike at Teng Hao with the long whip.

　　Teng Hao was panicstricken; fortunately he remembered the small bell in his hand and hurriedly shook it for help. In the blink of an eye his entire person again rose rapidly upward.

　　When Teng Hao next opened his eyes everything of a moment before had vanished; he was once more inside that stone building.

　　That crystal skull still floated in the air and asked: “You saw the scene of hell, did you not?”

　　Teng Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead: “What exactly is that monster?”

　　“That is one of the manifestations of the Holy God of Death. In hell even your Yellow Clan Celestial Gods must submit to the rule of the Holy God of Death. Are you willing to convert to our sect?”

　　“This disciple is willing.” Seeing the scene just now Teng Hao’s faith had already collapsed; his soul was shattered. If it was to be repaired the only way for him, mired in the swamp, was to seize a new lifesaving straw in order to obtain redemption.

　　The new believers in the great hall successively walked before the Necromancer and received his baptism.

　　The Necromancer dipped his hand in water and then placed his hand upon the crown of each believer’s head; every believer who received the Necromancer’s baptism became as though reborn and full of spiritual energy.

　　When it came to Teng Hao’s turn he piously lowered his head. At the very instant the Necromancer’s hand touched the crown of his head he felt as though struck by lightning; a current of electricity passed through his entire body; at the same time he heard a voice within his mind.

　　“I can see through your past and also know your future. If you wish to know your future remain after this ends and receive my teaching.”

　　In the pitchblack night a person was walking upon the corridorbridges among the treehouses of Wangqiu City. Upon a tree a bird was resting.

　　The person glanced at that bird; his eyes flashed with fieryred radiance like a leaping flame. The bird cried out and fled in panic.

　　This person was none other than Teng Hao.

　　Early the next morning Teng Hao came to the sacred site of his master, High Priest Fang Mu.

　　“Master—I have already ascertained the location of the sacred site of the Netherworld Sect.”

　　“Oh—what do you think we should do about it?”

　　“They actually dare proclaim an evil sect upon our territory. Master, I feel we should strike hard and uproot them completely.”

　　“At present the Great Chieftain is on an embassy to the capital—how can we engage in killing at such a time?”

　　“Master—precisely because the Great Chieftain is absent this is a onceinathousandyears opportunity.”

　　“What do you mean?”

　　“Better today than another day. Tonight we act: we secretly make our way to their assembly place and lie in ambush. After their assembly disperses we rush in, resolve the battle quickly, kill all the leaders of this evil sect, and leave not a single one.”

　　“Mm—what you say is reasonable. Then this matter is entrusted to you. At once select fifty skilled believers; we act tonight. Moreover, in order not to attract attention, tonight we all wear masks.”

　　“As ordered.”

　　That night the sky was terrifyingly black.

　　High Priest Fang Mu and Teng Hao led more than fifty believers and quietly lay in ambush inside a treehouse opposite the sacred site of the Netherworld Sect.

　　Upon the third floor of the treehouse a window was open; there was no light inside. Through the window one could overlook everything that occurred inside the sacred site of the Netherworld Sect opposite.

　　“Master—look: the believers’ prayer has already ended. When they have all left that courtyard we shall rush in.”

　　Seeing that the believers of the Netherworld Sect had all left, Fang Mu and Teng Hao led their subordinates stealthily to the gate of the courtyard. One subordinate climbed the wall, opened the gate, and Teng Hao led his subordinates rushing in.

　　The two blackrobed men standing guard at the entrance of the stone building were about to ask who they were when they were cut down by Teng Hao and his men.

　　Fang Mu, leading more than a dozen confidants, tightly followed Teng Hao and the others into the stone building. Inside they turned this way and that as though in a labyrinth. Although NightBright Flowers were inserted in the stone walls it was still very dim; a thin layer of mist floated in the air.

　　Fang Mu saw that along the way upon the ground lay several people clad in black robes; these people had all been killed by Teng Hao and the others ahead.

　　At the end of the corridor was a stone chamber; upon the earthen platform at the innermost part sat a person.

　　This person wore a black robe; the face was covered by a cloak. When this person saw Teng Hao walking at the very front he said in great astonishment: “Although you wear a mask I know who you are. What do you intend by bringing so many people?”

　　Teng Hao stepped forward without a word, raised his great sword, and cut off that person’s head.

　　The place of the person’s neck was like a fountain, continually spurting blood. At the same time the numerous already dried heads hanging upon the walls, one after another like water faucets, began to spray brightred blood outward.

　　These dried heads, one after another, seemed to come alive and uttered successive terrible screams and moans; the entire stone chamber was filled with the foul smell of blood; the atmosphere was uncanny to the extreme.

　　“Bad—withdraw at once!” Teng Hao shouted.

　　Everyone hurriedly fled back the way they had come; the several people running at the rear were instantly submerged by this flood composed of blood.

　　When Fang Mu, Teng Hao and the others ran out through the gate of the stone building and looked back, the flood composed of blood was blocked at the open gate by some invisible thing.

　　The blood continually gathered at the gateway and finally formed a door of blood; this door of blood did not seep a single drop of blood outward, making one’s scalp tingle with terror.

　　“This place is too abnormal!” Fang Mu muttered to himself.

　　At that moment a believer raised a sword and stabbed at that door of blood. At the place where the door of blood was pierced a skeletal hand stretched out, instantly seized the believer’s neck, and dragged him into the door of blood.

　　After a single scream calm returned.

　　This scene made the hair of everyone present stand on end; everyone fled toward the gate of the courtyard.

　　Upon the road returning to the sacred site Fang Mu quietly instructed Teng Hao: “Tell all the participants in tonight’s affair that hereafter they are not to speak of this matter to anyone. Regard it as something that never occurred and forget it—do you understand?”

　　“As ordered. Master—what exactly was that scene just now?”

　　“This Netherworld Sect is extremely sinister. What exactly it portends I do not yet know; yet without doubt the appearance of evil ways and heterodox paths means the world is about to become unsettled. Teng Hao—this time in eliminating the evil Netherworld Sect your merit is not small. This master records a great merit for you.”

　　“Thank you for Master’s cultivation.”