New Times, New Hell

Chapter 133 - Luofeng Mountain

In the past, the mortal realm’s faith in gods, ghosts, and religious sects had been much stronger than it was now. However, during that time, mountains had been higher and rivers had been longer. The vast continent had been separated by hills and gullies and nobody spoke the same language. No god could make so many of their worshippers pray at the same time.

Modern technology had changed everything about this. The emergence of the Internet allowed for the actualization of instant conveyance of thoughts and messages.

In the eyes of the prehistoric gods and ghosts, humans were as miniscule as ants. However, they were also stubborn. Human faith was enough to traverse the highest mountains, sail over the largest oceans, and reach as high as the Heavens or as low as abysses. The mortal realm was a scar that not even the Chaos Realm could completely heal.

Due to the combined efforts of modern technology and human faith, the Heinous Ghost and Great Netherworld Sea were kept at bay in the sky above Fu City.

The sea of blood boiled. The Heinous Ghost’s roars caused both the mortal realm and Underworld to tremble.

But the mortal realm was still intact.

This time, the Great Emperor of Fengdu didn’t seem surprised at all anymore. He even faintly smiled. “The faith of humans is truly very powerful.”

“Un,” Shang Que replied. The hu tablet magical formation above his head shattered. The long, black sword fell from midair, piercing towards the spot between the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s eyebrows.

Then, it halted right before making contact.

“It’s not necessary anymore.” Shang Que flipped his wrist; the long sword returned to his hand.

The Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain stood at the top of Impasse Mountain, standing tall and proud like an ancient war god. He turned around to face the direction of the human city. His black armor glinted in the light. His red cape furiously whipped around in the wind. His irises were the color of blood. For the first time, those eyes that never reflected anything were filled with sorrow.

The blood-colored ocean released terrifying roars. Waves reached up into the sky, like they were planning to drown the mortal realm at a moment’s notice. Swarms of ghostly hands reached out of the bloody water, struggling to escape.

The enormous Heinous Ghost furiously stomped his feet above the mortal realm. His feet were even bigger than the biggest, tallest building in the city.

The sky, ocean, and earth trembled because of this.

Luofeng employee group chat:

Kang Jin: 【Aaaaaah, what to do? The system is on the highest alert setting, it’s Armeggedon for Fu City!!!!!】

Kang Jin: 【I don’t want to fall into the Great Netherworld Sea, I don’t know how to swim!!!】

Employee A: 【Is it too late to buy a swim ring right now?】

Qu Guangzhao: 【You’re so funny. Still in the mood to crack jokes at a time like this!】

Employee A: 【You too. You still have the time to chat!】

Ultimately, the barrier created from faith reached its limits. It was set to dissipate soon.

The Heinous Ghost released an arrogant laugh. It raised both hands high into the air, lifting the heavy iron chains as well. Sparks flew everywhere, rolling toward the mortal realm.

At the top of Impasse Mountain, the Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain raised a hand. His black sword flew into the air, breaking through the dark clouds that were covering the mortal realm. With a strength that could knock over mountains and upturn oceans, it pierced towards the Great Netherworld Sea that was floating in midair above Fu City.

The long sword formed the illusion of a gigantic shadow. The power of Luofeng Mountain rippled out. The ocean parted, revealing the Heinous Ghost’s entire body.

The Heinous Ghost widened his large eyes in horror. He didn’t even get the chance to lower his hands before already turning around and trying to escape. However, the Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain’s sword was not something a trivial evil ghost could block.

The long sword pierced through his heart. The Heinous Ghost’s howls were deafening. His enormous shadow fell backwards, causing huge waves that covered the sky. After, these waves submerged the Heinous Ghost.

The strange red rain of Fu City slowly came to a halt. The people poked their heads out from under eaves, roofs, and windows, looking up at the sky in confusion. Someone asked the friend next to them, “Did you hear something?”

Their friend, bewildered: “No.”

“I thought I heard some horrifying shrieks……”

“Probably auditory hallucinations?”

Luofeng employee group chat:

Kang Jin: &#k3010;Aaaaah, the alert has been cancelled!!!&#k3011;

Qu Guangzhao: &#k3010;Long live Boss!!&#k3011;

Employee A: &#k3010;Ah, but I already placed an order for a swim ring&#k2026;&#k2026;&#k3011;

Qu Guangzhao: &#k3010;You weren’t joking just now??&#k3011;

“You’ve saved both the mortal realm&#k2026;&#k2026;and the Ghost City of Fengdu,” the Ghost Emperor’s voice sounded out.

Shang Que turned his head and saw that the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s true form was sitting criss-crossed where Luo Wanxiang had been sitting at the very beginning. With him as the center, there were strange symbols drawn on the stone slabs of the courtyard. And now, these symbols had faintly started filling up with a nameless energy.

Shang Que furrowed his brows. “You’re going to sacrifice yourself?”

“This is the last option.” The Great Emperor of Fengdu laughed softly. “And also my last resort.”

“No matter what, I’m determined to save the Ghost City of Fengdu.”

Shang Que made eye contact with him.

The Great Emperor of Fengdu’s eyes were filled with sorrow. “It would be nice even if they could only have the smallest piece of land to live on in the mortal realm…… Shang Que, I trust that you’ll definitely be able to manage the new era’s Ghost City of Fengdu well.”

He looked at the mortal realm, the hungry ghosts, and the……tall, large signal towers in the Hungry Ghost Path. He could sense himself disappearing.

At the peak of Impasse Mountain, the sky turned even darker. The whirlpool of clouds opened up like the mouth of a beast, completely enveloping the top of the peak.

In the distance, the city’s residents started yelling one after the other: “Impasse Mountain is so dark!”

“Shit, the entire mountain can’t be seen anymore!”

“So scary. It’s like a black hole!”

“This isn’t good.” Shang Que lifted his head and stared at that horrifying whirlpool. “The sky’s about to collapse.”

“What?” Yu Zhengdu shrieked.

“I’ve done my best.” The Great Emperor of Fengdu’s face was ghastly pale. His expression was filled with surprise, panic, sorrow……and endless regret. “The Chaos Realm has been opened up, but I’m very sorry. I can’t hold on anymore.”

The power of the Chaos Realm had birthed the three realms, which meant that it was much stronger than the three realms. And, the Great Emperor of Fengdu wasn’t the same as he had been a thousand years ago, after all. Even upon sacrificing himself, he was unable to force the Chaos Realm’s power to do what he wanted it to do.

He closed his eyes with grief. “It seems like I am ultimately unable to resurrect the Ghost City of Fengdu.”

“Try once more.” Shang Que held out a palm and picked up Yu Zhengdu, who had been sitting on his shoulder. Then, he slowly placed Yu Zhengdu on the ground.

Yu Zhengdu felt a slight sense of unease. He asked, “What are you doing?”

“Those are my citizens.” Shang Que lowered his head and gazed at the tiny Yu Zhengdu who was standing next to his feet. “I’m sorry. I probably won’t be able to continue being with you.”

Yu Zhengdu realized something. He looked up at Shang Que, eyes uncontrollably feeling sour and wet. “Didn’t you say you were going to share your years of life with me?”

At Si Mountain Ridge, Shang Que had told Yu Zhengdu to not feel scared about being in a relationship with him. He would share his own lifespan and power with the other.

“Humans and ghosts have different paths. Perhaps this is the Heavenly punishment for me forcibly being together with you,” Shang Que softly chuckled.

Humans and ghosts had different paths, not only because ghosts and humans were beings from two different realms or because the Underworld energy of ghosts would corrupt a living human’s lifespan and luck, but also because this went against the will of the Heavens and was destined to be punished.

Originally, the Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain had been preparing to share his lifespan and power with Yu Zhengdu. However, he hadn’t expected that the one who ultimately wouldn’t be able to continue staying alive would actually be him.

“My citizens are also your citizens. Please……treat them kindly.” He used his index finger, which was the size of Yu Zhengdu’s entire body, to pat the top of Yu Zhengdu’s fluffy head.

He couldn’t make the decision to sacrifice human lives for ghostly lives, or to sacrifice a human city for a ghostly city. But, he could……sacrifice himself.

If they didn’t need to destroy the mortal realm or cause all living beings to suffer……perhaps there really was a place that could handle the Ghost City of Fengdu, which was plagued by extremely negative energy.

The long sword flipped around. Shang Que’s palms were upturned. He turned his wrist and the sword flew in the direction of the dark cloud whirlpool at the top of the mountain.

A blinding white light bloomed from the center of the whirlpool. The sky, which had been covering everything, suddenly cracked in innumerous different locations. In a flash, bent lightning illuminated the mortal realm.

Yu Zhengdu noticed that flash of light. The shape that flash of lightning had made was the shape of the Ghost King’s seal.

Immediately after, a “boom——” sounded out. Deafening thunder shook the Heavens and earth, causing everyone’s hearts to skip a beat.

“I am willing to use my soul as a sacrificial offering to receive the power of the Chaos Realm and bring back the hundred thousand spirits of the Ghost City of Fengdu.”

The long sword fell out of the whirlpool, directly stabbing into the peak of Impasse Mountain – like a memorial. The Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain’s face was ghastly pale. He knelt down on one knee. One hand was clasped around the sword handle; his cape drooped behind him.

“We’re still missing a little bit,” Shang Que weakly said. He had originally already expended a lot of power while escaping the Chaos Realm. After his battle with the Great Emperor of Fengdu, he was further at the end of his limits.

Luofeng employee group chat:

Kang Jin: 【Fuck!!! What the fuck?????】

Kang Jin: 【The warning alert for Fu City was just lifted, but now it’s Armageddon for the entire continent?】

Zhao Ruola: 【The system has broken down】

Zheng Yan: 【Boss Zhao, at such a time, you can still type those five words so calmly】

Zhao Ruola: 【Otherwise?】

Zheng Yan: 【You’re badass! Thumbs up.jpg】

Zhao Ruola: 【@Yu Zhengdu @Shang Que, failed to save the world?】

Nobody replied to her.

The crack in the Chaos Realm rushed down towards the mortal realm.

At this time, the familiar power of Luofeng Mountain rippled out. Shang Que and the Great Emperor of Fengdu made eye contact with each other in confusion.

“Exactly like a thousand years ago……” the Great Emperor of Fengdu muttered. This was the exact same power that had caused all three realms to quake a thousand years ago, when Luofeng Mountain had used up all of its energy to save Shang Que from the greats of the three realms.

History was repeating itself.

But the difference was, Luofeng Mountain was clearly over a thousand miles away right now. Where were these strong power currents coming from?

The Great Emperor of Fengdu had originally assumed that Shang Que had summoned the power of Luofeng Mountain, but Shang Que had already used up too much of his magic. The other wasn’t any better off than him……

The two of them turned their heads together and stared in the direction the power was coming from.

Yu Zhengdu sat on the ground, legs criss-crossed. His hands were tightly clenched into fists. His facial features were scrunched together; his eyes were squeezed shut too. It seemed like he was in the midst of vigorously meditating.

Shang Que said, “He’s activating my magical seal.”

“But……” The Ghost Emperor of Fengdu revealed a confused expression. “Isn’t he borrowing your power?”

Shang Que’s power had already been completely sacrificed to borrow the power of the Chaos Realm. How could he lend more to Yu Zhengdu?

“No.” Shang Que shook his head. “Starting from a few days ago, the power he borrowed was no longer mine……”

Yu Zhengdu was using the magical seal of the Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain. Theoretically speaking, he was using Shang Que’s power. In actuality, though, he was still using the power of Luofeng Mountain.

If he could directly use the power of Luofeng Mountain without going through Shang Que as a medium, there was only one explanation.

The Great Emperor of Fengdu revealed a shocked expression. “He’s been acknowledged by Luofeng Mountain.”

And, this wasn’t just a simple and perfunct acknowledgement.

This was the real reason why he could see the future and summon the entire population of the Hungry Ghost Path.

Someone who had been chosen by the Underworld and given a future in the Underworld.

In the void, a majestic and large black mountain ridge slowly rose out of the ground and appeared in front of everyone. That mountain ridge first overlapped with Impasse Mountain, then gradually got taller and taller, until it had broken through the clouds and was connecting the sky and ground.

“Luofeng Mountain!! It’s Luofeng Mountain!!”

“Luofeng Mountain has appeared!!”

Almost all the eyes in the Underworld saw this black mountain range. It rose and fell and its end couldn’t be seen. On top of the mountain ridge, spirit lanterns blinked in and out of sight like stars in the night sky. They dotted the path, leading to a strange city.

A large, tall city: interconnected villages, moving horse carriages, and countless strangely shaped beings.

Ghost Mother of Xi Mountain raised her enormous head and said in a trembling voice, “The Ghost City of Fengdu has reappeared in the mortal realm.”

Luofeng Mountain rose up from the ground, growing taller and taller. In the past, Luofeng Mountain’s upper limit had been the Heavenly Court. Its lower limit had been Hell. It had connected the three realms; the same held true now.

Luofeng Mountain’s majestic main peak directly broke past the horizon line.

With a thud, it pierced into the hole in the Chaos Realm. The ground quaked.

An unknown amount of time later, the rumbling noises finally slowly stopped.

“The crack in the Chaos Realm has been filled by Luofeng Mountain,” the Great Emperor of Fengdu said, dazed. Luofeng Mountain had split into two. Half of the enormous mountain ridge was sunken into the hole in the Chaos Realm. The gigantic body of the mountain and the Ghost City of Fengdu remained in the mortal realm, though. This just so happened to fill in the crack in the Chaos Realm.

Finally, the threat to the mortal realm had been completely eradicated.

Everyone turned their gazes onto Yu Zhengdu.

“All done?” Yu Zhengdu opened his eyes and looked at the enormous mountain that reached into the clouds. He revealed a surprised expression, then made a thumbs up gesture at Shang Que. “Xiao Shang, your magical seal is truly quite powerful.”

Shang Que stared at him with a conflicted expression. He had actually been rendered temporarily speechless.

In actuality, the power Yu Zhengdu had commandeered hadn’t been stronger than his. Shang Que and the Great Emperor of Fengdu had already provided the vast majority of power necessary. They were only missing a bit…… However, this bit had been coincidentally filled in by Yu Zhengdu.

The problem was, Luofeng Mountain had actually skipped over its biological son and directly lent power to Yu Zhengdu from a thousand miles away. And, it had lent so much power!

Just exactly how much did it like its son’s significant other?!!!!

Yu·the son-in-law who had been acknowledged by Luofeng Mountain·Zhengdu stared at the Ghost City of Fengdu that was far off in the distance and expressed his great concern: “How are we going to set up Internet there?”