Chapter 1743: Chapter 1774: The Newcomer on the Eighteenth Level
Li Xiaobai examined himself, feeling in high spirits. The Fire God had mentioned upon his arrival that the Hellfire had a temper. Each time it was thrown into the small world, it took some effort to reignite the furnace.
In other words, his act of stealing the Hellfire would not be discovered for a short time.
The Four Parts Observation Realm would be considered a decent cultivation level in an ordinary sect, but in a world truly filled with powerhouses and experts, it still felt inadequate. With the Hellfire, at least he now had the strength to fight and no longer needed to keep getting beaten up like a pushover.
The burning sensation in the air gradually dispersed, and a chill crept over, causing Li Xiaobai to shiver.
"The second layer is ice, huh? Ice and fire, a real plaything of the Netherworld."
Li Xiaobai mused. The extreme cold and heat could cause cultivators with lesser physical resilience to have their meridians burst.
"The second layer is not ice, it is water, heavy water punishment."
Baihe Boy commented softly.
Walking swiftly down the stairs, the light gradually brightened, and the stone walls on both sides transformed into virtual transparent curtains, revealing the scenes outside.
It was a vast black sea that stretched endlessly. The waves surged, continuously dragging souls into the depths, shattering them, and then reforming them, over and over again. There was no wailing from the souls; each face was marked with numbness and apathy, moving mechanically like zombies into the underwater world.
This layer is called heavy water, different from the sea water outside. Even a drop of water here weighs as much as a mountain, and the pressure your body endures beneath the ocean’s surface is terrifying. This is why once the souls are plunged into the water by the waves, they instantly shatter.
"Aren’t we going to the second layer?"
Li Xiaobai observed that Baihe Boy had no intention of leaving the staircase and couldn’t help but ask.
"The furnace passage on the first layer leads directly to each layer, with no need to pass through the other floors. Just descend to the bottom."
Explained Baihe Boy.
This path leads straight to the eighteenth layer below, making it convenient.
As they descended layer by layer, each layer opened Li Xiaobai’s eyes to new sights: mountains of knives and seas of fire, dismemberment and cooking, death by roasting, water drip punishment, heart piercing punishment, each layer more terrifying than the last.
Every piece of flesh and blood flying through the battlefield, the slaughterhouse-like shredded meat, the splattering of blood, the terrified eyes, the trembling bodies all stimulated Li Xiaobai’s senses.
He also understood that the true horror of these punishments was not their magnitude but those floors with an eerie and abnormal stillness, which were the real nightmares for the souls.
"What kind of people are thrown into these layers of Hell?"
"What crimes have they committed?"
Li Xiaobai asked.
"Among the strongest of the strong, each layer’s criteria has two: one, a qualification of cultivation level, two, grave sins, missing neither.
"For example, you, by disrupting the King of Underworld’s plan, causing chaos at the Ghost Gate, and releasing the Ghost Fetus, have committed grave sins. But due to your weak cultivation level, if you were thrown into Hell, you should end up on the third layer, experiencing first the sea of fire, then the heavy water, and finally the mountain of knives."
Baihe Boy replied.
"The Great God is jesting. I always act in accordance with the Great God’s orders and harbor no misgivings against the Netherworld; Heaven and Earth bear witness."
"But as you mentioned earlier, the prisoners of the third layer are not sent directly there, but must go through the preceding layers one by one?"
Li Xiaobai, startled by Baihe’s words, quickly realized something and hastily inquired.
Baihe responded: "Correct, regardless of how high or low the layer they are imprisoned in, they must go through all the preceding floors without any shortcuts."
"If imprisoned in the eighteenth layer, wouldn’t one have to endure seventeen layers before reaching there? Could any soul survive to make it there alive?"
Li Xiaobai asked the most pressing question in his mind.
Second Senior Sister, if thrown in here, would endure unimaginable tortures, an unbearable thought.
"Naturally, one capable of reaching the eighteenth layer would not perish under torture. The purpose of setting these layers of Hell is to prevent souls from ever reincarnating."
"I overheard, on the first layer, the Great God and the Fire God mentioning a prisoner at the eighteenth layer?"
Li Xiaobai asked nonchalantly, eager to know if the person they were referring to was Second Senior Sister.
"A few months ago, yes, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva stands guard, and four King of Underworld acted to capture him over several years."
Baihe mentioned casually; it wasn’t a secret, all the Netherworld Messengers in Hell knew about it.
Li Xiaobai: "Such formidable strength, is it a man or a woman? What crime did this person commit?"
Baihe: "A man, guilty merely of possessing a treasure."
Li Xiaobai’s heart trembled; a man, not Second Senior Sister, guilty of having a treasure, meaning he had done nothing wrong but drew the Netherworld’s attention because of an unusual treasure he possessed.
Reflecting upon it, with wave after wave of souls in Hell, normally there shouldn’t be so many deeply sinful individuals. Surely a significant number are powerful cultivators with their souls drawn out by the Netherworld and detained here.
Thinking for a moment, Li Xiaobai asked, "How does this person’s cultivation compare to the Great God’s?"
Baihe Boy candidly replied: "Stronger than me."
It seemed even someone of Baihe’s caliber wasn’t qualified to enter the eighteenth layer; those imprisoned there must be ancient, monstrous beings.
Silence ensued as neither spoke further; the passage fell into a stillness.
Yang Chen’s voice echoed in Li Xiaobai’s mind: "Last time I came, the eighteenth layer had three individuals, don’t know if they’re still there now. Judging from Baihe’s words, quite a number of new entrants might’ve been thrown in over the years."
Li Xiaobai asked, "Senior Brother, what is the punishment in the eighteenth layer?"
"An Illusionary Realm, but since you aren’t a prisoner, before entering, there will be a Netherworld Messenger to set up a protection charm so you and Baihe won’t be disturbed. As long as you step into the eighteenth layer, I can sense Second Senior Sister’s presence."
Yang Chen advised a few points, being well-acquainted with Hell’s protocols, feeling little worry despite the terror of the eighteen layers. Accompanying Baihe meant being partly government-affiliated, hence safe enough.
After quite some time, they finally reached the end of the corridor.
A faint light guided the way as they turned the corner, entering through the iron-barred gate, just in time to confront a frantic-looking Netherworld Messenger exiting hurriedly with a package.
Baihe frowned, blocking the path, "What’s going on? Why are you running?"
"The new arrival is terrifying. I was just fetching some essentials for him, and he insisted on turning me into a book for posterity to read!"
Seeing Baihe, the Netherworld Messenger looked like he was about to cry.
"Hmm?"
"You mean he can see you and converse with you normally?"
Baihe paused, slightly surprised.
"Yes, and that’s strange. Inside is the Illusionary Realm; he shouldn’t be able to perceive reality. His response was too ordinary, unlike everyone else."
The Netherworld Messenger was equally puzzled but too afraid to stop fleeing with his package.
"You..."
Baihe wanted to call after him, but the messenger vanished in an instant. Those guarding the eighteenth layer aren’t simple folk; their cultivation and competence are top-notch, and yet, petrified this way—it’s imperative to check on the newcomer.
However, with the guardian messengers fleeing, there remained nobody to set up protection charms for them.
"Great God, should we still enter? I can’t withstand severe torture."
Li Xiaobai admitted honestly.
"Take this candle flame; as long as the flame remains lit, you’ll be alright."