Chapter 1146.2: The Great Peak of the Five Hells (2/2)

If there came a day in which he failed and lost the world of immortals, he could withdraw with everyone in the world and fight for a chance of survival in the fourth realm.

Though he was strong here, he was completely without foundations. Most importantly, he knew nothing of this realm. It wasn’t until he saw all of these prisoners that he realized he’d been so grossly optimistic before.

If he failed, that could very well be him among the crowd.

“I’ve tasted defeat before too…” sighed Tianqi. “In all of our calculations and plans, we never thought that the human dao hell would be destroyed. It is indeed time to plan for the future.”

Lu Yun had always focused on how to succeed, how to win. He’d never considered the possibility that he might fail. Most of the prisoners here existed in a state between life and death. The Spectral Eye revealed the specifics of their information, painting a picture of how stunning their talents had been during development, how domineering they were at their peak, and how inconsolable they were in defeat.

Their life experiences were more wondrous than Lu Yun’s, their achievements more glorious, and their defeat more thorough.

Through observation of others could one reflect upon one’s own shortcomings. Each of the prisoners in front of them was a mirror for Lu Yun, showing him different kinds of failure and their consequences.

He’d never thought that he was the son of heaven or a favored child of destiny, that he’d never run the risk of falling short. He just hadn’t had that experience yet. Forming a backup plan was a necessity—he had to pave a way out for those who followed him!

……

Boom!

Mount Tai trembled as the words “Great Peak of the Five Hells” flared painfully and dyed all of the Hadal Hell with a crimson light. A sparkling Karmic Tree materialized behind Lu Yun. With his current level of strength, he suppressed all of the beings and existences inside the Hadal Hell. The Tome of Life and Death also glowed with black light in his consciousness.

He was once more the incomparably large giant, so titanic that She Nong was a tiny ant in front of him. The prisoners all cowed on the ground from the force of his terrifying aura.

“If you submit unto me, I shall return you your freedom.” Lu Yun’s voice rumbled through the Hadal Hell.

Kneeling on the ground, the prisoners lifted numb expressions to peer at Lu Yun. Some of them had once been stronger than even his current form, but they were all pathetic worms now. All of their confidence, pride, and past glories were nothing when stripped of freedom.

Death wasn’t frightening; what was frightening was endless drifting in eternal emptiness, unable to live or die, forever suffering torment.

“I am willing to submit.” Goodwill rose from one, two, three… more and more prisoners and gathered on the Karmic Tree behind Lu Yun.

This was a sign that they were willing to serve Lu Yun. After a hundred breaths, any prisoners that hadn’t produced goodwill were turned to dust with the Judgment of Life or Death.

“She Nong, I leave these people to you. I hope that the next time we meet, you’ll have carved out a territory for me.” Lu Yun pointed at She Nong and sent a karmic fruit into the man’s body. An extraordinary treasure such as this fruit condensed the power of goodwill; it would bring great benefits even for a life form of She Nong’s level.

“Understood!” Shaking with emotion, he dropped to one knee in front of Lu Yun, fully becoming his new patron’s man in this moment.

“Alright, you may all depart.” Lu Yun looked at the remaining prisoners. Their current strength was the same as Tianqi—barely reaching the threshold of the fourth realm.

However, they’d all been great personages in this realm some time in the past. Recovering their past strength was only a matter of time after they returned home.

“Free… Freedom at last.” The skeleton had reassembled itself and looked around blankly when it walked out of the Gates of the Abyss. It couldn’t believe that its prolonged nightmare was finally over.

Flesh and blood slowly grew over the bones, forming a handsome young man. He suddenly fell to his knees in the void and howled with tears.

“My life is yours forevermore!” He suddenly turned back and kowtowed to Lu Yun. He’d only submitted earlier because he saw the hope of freedom. But now, he truly gave his loyalty to the master of hell.

All of the prisoners still had nothing to their name, but they had their freedom.

“That’s enough of that.” Lu Yun looked solemnly at them. “I don’t care what you do, but you must establish a domain that is completely mine in the fourth realm.”

The prisoners had once observed all of the happenings in hell through the Hadal Hell and naturally understood what Lu Yun planned to do. They immediately gave loud assent.

……

Lu Yun wasn’t worried at all that they might turn traitor. The Karmic Tree had collected all of their goodwill, so he’d know at first light if anyone betrayed him.

The Hadal Hell was now empty. There was nothing either alive or dead in its mysterious depths anymore. At its center, its core, could be found a churning sea of hellfire. The Sal Tree of Life and Death had once been rooted here, and Lu Yun had borrowed the sea of hellfire to rampage through the great wilderness.

When both Lu Yun and Tianqi arrived at its shores, it became much more docile than normal.

“What is the secret to the Hadal Hell?” Tianqi asked with puzzlement.

Lu Yun smiled, then sighed softly at his disciple. “What kind of existence do you think you are?”

Tianqi blinked.