Tianwei Chapter 267: Entering the Underworld Again (1)
As the spell fell, a green light portal opened in front of me. The waves in the void soon stabilized. I looked at Grandpa Shi again, and finally raised my leg and stepped into the light portal.
After taking one step in, I immediately chanted another spell and disappeared into nothingness.
The reason I was so careful was because I had no idea where I would land in the underworld if I stepped out. If I was lucky, there might be no one there, not even a ghost. If I was unlucky... I might just step on Yama's head and come out.
After escaping into nothingness, I looked around. It was basically the same as the underworld I saw last time. Under my feet were black waves, soft and elastic. This was the Nai River, a river that was said to run through the underworld.
Looking around, I found no ghosts in the river, so I breathed a sigh of relief. After thinking for a while, I uttered a spell: Chengtian! Move!
As soon as the spell was uttered, my figure in the void immediately disappeared like smoke, and the next moment, I appeared in another place that was not unfamiliar.
In front of me is a huge arch bridge with human face patterns on it. A faint black mist is filling the bridge, and the cries of resentful spirits can be heard from time to time.
Naihe Bridge!
I don’t know how many miles I have covered with this step, I just know that my head is a little dizzy and my legs are a little weak.
This spell is the biggest gain in the past week.
Because I would not have much time to find the direction after entering the underworld, and no one would lead the way for me. So after careful consideration, Grandpa Shi decided to let me use my mind to drive the power of Taoism and "teleport" me to the destination.
The reason why I didn't send myself directly to the underworld is that all souls entering reincarnation must pass through the Naihe Bridge. If I'm lucky, I might be able to rob the Taoist priest directly by the bridge. Even if I'm unlucky and the Taoist priest has already passed here, at least I've been to the underworld last time, and as long as I see the bridge, I know how to enter the Yama Palace.
Of course, this is actually a very risky approach.
Because although the will is useful, it is a dead thing. It cannot fully understand human thoughts, but just faithfully completes its tasks like a machine. If I were far away from the Naihe Bridge at that time, I might have stopped halfway through the transmission because of exhaustion of Tao power, and completely exposed myself.
Some people may ask, why don’t you just set the location for opening the portal at Naihe Bridge.
I have tried this method before, but after opening the portal, my power just flowed out like a river with a sluice gate. If I really enter the underworld, I am afraid I will not even be able to hold up the Naihe Bridge before all my strength is exhausted.
Although random teleportation has its risks, it has a certain chance of allowing me to preserve my strength. Comparing the two, it goes without saying which method to choose.
This also reflects from the side that the Eight Ropeways Method does have many limitations. Will is like God, it is omnipotent, but not almighty. Because above will, there are also the constraints of heaven.
Only the Heavenly Gang is omnipotent.
When I stepped onto the Naihe Bridge again, I felt different because I was alone this time and my purpose was to bring back the old Taoist's soul.
The Naihe Bridge under my feet was still soft, giving me the illusion of stepping on flesh. This feeling was very strange, and even though I had become very brave now, I still felt numb all over.
There was a humming sound coming from all around, like the sound of the wind, or like the crying of the people on the bridge.
Occasionally, I would hear a crash from under the bridge. I once leaned over and saw an arm.
The arm was broken, the flesh drooping, and it danced as if it was greeting someone. The man's face was hidden under the black waves, and before he could surface, several black airs fiercely wrapped around him and dragged him completely to the bottom of the river.
Those black spirits looked like people, with heads, hands, and strange horns, and they looked very scary. I only took one look and then I dared not look under the bridge again. Because in the dark river water under the bridge, there seemed to be countless human faces hidden. When I looked down, my face was also reflected in the river water. From the angle above, it was like many dead faces appeared behind me.
It's so scary.
The last time I came, the sky of the underworld was still fiery red, as if the clouds were burning.
This time, the sky looked gray and it became darker as I looked to the end of the sky. It was like a dark cloud covering the sky, and even my breath had a heavy smell.
I didn't dare to think too much and walked forward quickly.
There is not much Taoist power left. If you can't find the old Taoist before it is exhausted, you will have to come back next time. But reincarnation waits for no one. If you delay for one day, your chances will be much less.
The Naihe Bridge was so long that I had to walk and run for a long time before I could cross half of it.
At this moment, the sound of chains colliding came from behind.
I looked back, but my eyes almost popped out of my head in shock.
A strange-looking ghost held a steel fork in one hand and a long chain in the other. Many "people" whose faces could not be seen were chained together through their hearts.
The ghost grabbed one end of the chain and led countless "people" behind him forward. It was three meters tall and took big steps. It caught up with me in a short while.
I was so scared that I broke out in a cold sweat. Although I was in a void, I still subconsciously hid by the bridge, for fear of blocking its way.
The ghost ignored me and walked past me, but I only realized that the "people" it brought with it were floating without touching the ground as they passed by.
The ghost is like flying a kite, but this kite is made of human souls.
That’s right, these should all be dead people who were dragged to the underworld by the ghosts.
Suddenly, several black air rushed out from under the bridge. Although the shapes of these Yaksha-like black air were still a little fuzzy, their power was surprisingly strong. Once those souls that seemed to have no consciousness were caught by them, they woke up in an instant, and were at a loss, shouting in panic.
However, the ghost in front turned a blind eye to it, and those souls in distress were captured and fell under the Naihe Bridge.
There was a clattering sound in the gap in the chain, and the floating speed of the soul behind seemed to increase a bit, immediately filling the gap. Only then did I understand the reason for the sound I heard before.
This is really... Do the souls that enter the underworld have no self-awareness? It seems that they only regain consciousness when they are caught by the ghosts under the bridge.
If that's the case, what about the Taoist priest?
I felt my hands and feet were cold. Although the old Taoist was not afraid of ghosts when he was alive, he must be the same as these ordinary souls after his death. When he passed the Naihe Bridge, would he be taken away by the things under the bridge?
If this really happens...how can I find him?
I felt a little panicked and depressed, and couldn't help but take out the jade pendant to use it.
Before entering the underworld, Grandpa Shi gave me some common sense teachings, among which he mentioned the magical use of the Jade Pendant in the underworld.
As a precious jade that connects heaven, earth and the underworld, the Tongming Jade Pendant is not only used to grant divine power, but also has many unimaginable strange abilities.
For example, when one's Dao power is sufficient, one can use the Tongming Jade Pendant to observe the three realms and the nine underworlds. One can even use the jade pendant to open a passage and directly capture souls, ghost messengers, and even immortals and gods.
The first one is still conceivable, but the second one is too unbelievable.
When I extended my vision with the Jade Pendant, it felt like a passage parallel to reality had opened up out of thin air. But in this passage, I could only watch and could not do anything.
Grandpa Shi said that it was because my Taoist power was not strong enough, and my understanding of the Eight Ropes Taoist Method was not deep enough. At least in my mind, I had not yet integrated the universe into my heart.
When he said this, he was quite emotional and said: Your grandfather is so powerful that no one can match him. His understanding of God's will has reached a very deep level. What is this like? It's like a geologist who has a pair of divine eyes that can see through the soil and rocks and see through the ground. When the combination of mind and strength reaches the point of integration, then the world above and below can be called invincible.
I asked him curiously: How about comparing with you? Will he be better than you?
Grandpa Shi smiled and said: Is the sky more powerful, or the earth? Or is it the mountains and rivers that are more powerful?
Uh... I hesitated, thought for a long time, and finally answered: There is no comparison, and there is no way to compare.
How can there be no comparison?
I don't know how powerful the sky is, and how powerful the earth is? How can we prove that it is powerful, and to what extent is it powerful?
Don’t you know how powerful the Heavenly Gang is? Grandpa Shi asked: Don’t you know about the earth and mountains, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and floods?
I groaned, not knowing how to answer, and could only say weakly: That counts too.
Grandpa Shi shook his head: "That's why I said you haven't integrated the universe into your heart. Everything in the world is in the universe, so why can't it be counted? You don't understand a flower, a grass, a tree, an insect, a bird, or an animal. Comparing me with your grandfather is like comparing heaven with earth, or asking who is better, a boxer or a chef. This is an unanswerable question because you are asking the wrong question."
Grandpa Shi's words seemed a little profound. I understood his superficial meaning, but the deeper meaning was very vague. It was just a concept that could not be described in words . Perhaps this is what is called "it can only be understood but not expressed in words".
Grandpa Shi also said: The Jade Pendant is a beacon in the underworld. You should treat it as your heart. It will help you do whatever your heart thinks. Don't treat it as a dead object, otherwise it will be a waste of heaven's gift.
This sentence sounds like he is describing the essence of the Eight Ropes Method. But I know that Grandpa Shi is not talking about the Tao, but teaching me how to use the Tongming Jade Pendant correctly. Just like he said, I have always regarded the Tongming Jade Pendant as a dead object. In my mind, it is just a piece of strange jade with no other use.
But when Grandpa Shi said this, I immediately had a different feeling in my heart. It was a very strange feeling, like I understood it, but also like I didn't understand it.
