Chapter Three: The Path
These individuals... are not able to escape on their own. In the depths of hell, there are no more than three who can break the magic locks. One is the demon Chiyou, who, despite being defeated and killed, had his body severed and sealed by the Yellow Emperor. Although his magical power is only half of what it once was, he can still unlock the magic chains. The second is the King of Ksitigarbha, who could have attained Buddhahood but made a great vow: 'I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty.' However, they are also unable to save themselves from the magic lock.
The distinction between the two types of killing intent is evident. Absolute killing intent instills only fear, characterized by its pure color; whereas the latter, while also inducing fear, is inherently chaotic, and its color must inevitably be a chaotic black, with no other hues. The killing intent of the demons and monsters of heaven and earth is mostly chaotic. Individuals possessing absolute killing intent are exceedingly rare; those like the one before them, Kong Xuan and Daji have never encountered, and cannot even speculate on how many lives must have been taken to condense such killing intent.
Originally, the repeat offenders on the magic-sealing rack had no food. As time passed, their physical bodies would exhaust their magical power and become utterly fatigued. When they could no longer recover their magic, their muscles would gradually decay, their blood would drain away, and ultimately only their skeletons would remain. However, their three souls and seven spirits would be imprisoned within the skull by the magic of the sealing chains, unable to escape. Thus, they would be eternally locked in that state, tasting the endless pain of despair.
Following the rhythm is akin to turning a deaf ear, merely restoring some internal strength, which is then infused into the sword. The maximum power that the Northern Falling Purple Cloud Sword can bear is akin to what he himself can endure. This method is not miraculous; it is like delivering a strike with all one's strength. Whether it is insufficient to sever the long chain, as Kong Xuan stated, is of no concern to Yi Yun. This is a path forward; if there is a way, then take it. If one strike cannot break through, then what of a thousand times? What of ten thousand times? This method is not miraculous; it is like delivering a strike with all one's strength. Whether it is insufficient to sever the long chain, as Kong Xuan stated, is of no concern to Yi Yun. This is a path forward; if there is a way, then take it. If one strike cannot break through, then what of a thousand times? What of ten thousand times? And what of countless times?
Kong Xuan only mentioned the names of two individuals, leaving one unspoken. However, Yi Yun did not press for further details. After pondering for a moment, he came up with an idea. He continued to restore his internal energy, and each time he regained a bit, he infused it into the Beiluo Zixiao Sword at his waist. Streams of deep purple internal force shot out from Yi Yun's forehead, merging into the sword.
Yi Yun still does not pay attention, remaining silent. He looks down upon the grandiose words of the world, and even more so, he despises the need for justification. He is called Yi Yun; as for any other titles imposed by others, he has no interest in opposing them, nor does he care to acknowledge them.
There are two types of killing intent. Whenever a murder occurs, the victim inevitably experiences a multitude of negative emotions such as shock, anger, and hatred. The killer and the weapon of murder will absorb these emotions, thus forming a killing intent, which is known as absolute killing intent. The other type arises from leading a group in battle, where the enemy is killed en masse. In this case, the hatred of the deceased is dispersed, and the killers often act under orders, making it difficult to avoid feelings of compassion. Consequently, the killing intent becomes chaotic, mixed with pity; a small portion is absorbed by the individual wielding the knife, while the majority concentrates on the leader. This is referred to as chaotic killing intent.
"You, who have entered the hell of no return, have never been more deserving of your fate..." Such words escaped from Daji's lips. The murderous aura of the sword left her in disbelief, and it equally shocked Kong Xuan. In their experience, they had never encountered such a killing intent.
Ba Tian saw that Kong Xuan and Da Ji were both clearly monsters. Suddenly arriving in hell, they were unaware of the situation and, fearing that the two might possess formidable abilities, chose to remain silent for the moment. However, they did not forget to defend themselves while striving to change their impression. "You two may not know, this person has killed countless beings in the mortal realm, yet he shamelessly disguises himself under the false name of justice!"
The sword, carrying the murderous intent condensed on its blade and the inner strength of two individuals, transformed into a beam of purple light, spiraling down to strike the blood-red chain on Yi Yun's body! In an instant, sparks flew in all directions, the sound of metal clashing resonated, akin to the explosion of blooming fireworks, dazzling to the eyes and ears
Kong Xuan and Daji's gazes were involuntarily fixed on the spot where the North Falling Purple Cloud Sword had struck. Just moments ago, Batian had been mocking to the fullest, but now he too was nervously watching. ... However, his anticipation was different from that of others ...
Two and a half time periods later, the Northfall Zixiao Sword pulsated with a blend of purple and red Zixiao flames. The sword had already absorbed the inner strength of Yiyun and Xier. At this moment, Yiyun's inner strength was weak, and when he attempted to draw the sword from his waist once more, due to his own lack of inner strength, the Demon Locking Chain indeed did not unleash the Nine Heavens Mysterious Thunder.
The recovery of inner strength through the rhyme is remarkably swift; in just one hour, it has already recovered by twenty percent. The unique technique he created, the Northern Falling Purple Clouds Supreme Formula, inherently possesses exceptional capabilities in the aspect of inner strength recovery
"Deserved punishment? Hmph... Such a person, who has killed countless and is cold-blooded, is ironically referred to in the world as a—legend of justice!" This abrupt voice, laden with deep resentment, belonged to none other than the last person thrown by the owl monster, who had just been electrocuted into unconsciousness. Once infamous in the martial world, he was the demon lord—Batian—who had created the notorious 'Demonic Desire Sutra' that incited human desires.
Not to mention Kong Xuan, even Daji, who had been bowing her head in front of him, had already lifted her gaze, her left eye peering out from beneath her disheveled hair, fixed on the deep purple sword suspended in midair.
At the beginning, when Ba Tian was trapped under the Book Hero Island in the Three Legends, he believed himself to be a formidable figure in the martial world, unmatched by any adversary. With lofty ambitions to unify the martial realm, he was struck by the returning Yi Yun, who shattered his crown with a single palm. Subsequently, the Demon Desire Sect was besieged and annihilated by various factions of the martial world. It was only then that Ba Tian realized that the Dan Fairy, who had bestowed upon him the Yin-Yang Convergence technique, was merely using him, and the martial arts he received were incomplete. Afterward, Ba Tian became a madman, losing his sanity for many years, running amok in the martial world, incessantly shouting: "I want women, I want women..." He became a source of ridicule in the martial realm, with everyone saying he brought this upon himself. It was only then that Ba Tian realized that the Dan Fairy, who had bestowed upon him the Yin-Yang Convergence technique, was merely using him, and the martial arts he received were incomplete. Afterward, Ba Tian became a madman, losing his sanity for many years, running amok in the martial world, incessantly shouting: "I want women, I want women..." He became a source of ridicule in the martial realm, with everyone saying he brought this upon himself.
In the vast magic-sealing arena, there are a total of one hundred thousand neatly arranged magic-sealing racks, positioned in the ninety-ninth row. However, in the several rows of magic-sealing racks visible in front of them, most are empty and scattered, with only a few racks binding living creatures.
The kindness of the Kṣitigarbha King evokes a quiet admiration in Yi Yun. It inevitably brings to mind the bloodless legends of the human world, particularly the twilight of the Jianghu, which tells of a remarkable individual wielding the sword of the True Martial Benevolent One, who adheres to the belief of never resorting to violence. Like the Kṣitigarbha King, this person spreads good deeds through their own strength
Two individuals simultaneously summoned their divine weapons through their thoughts. The North Falling Purple Cloud Sword in mid-air suddenly began to spin rapidly, transforming in the blink of an eye into a blurred purplish-red phantom, making it impossible for anyone to discern its true form
Although your sword is not an extraordinary item, it cannot sever the magical chains forged by the Cloud Child. The food produced by the King of the Earth is limited; it would be wise to conserve some strength to protect your physical form... Kong Xuan, witnessing their actions, could not help but offer a kind reminder
Daji originally harbored suspicions towards Yiyun due to his murderous aura, believing him to be an unprecedented great demon who took pleasure in killing. However, at this moment, upon hearing Batian's incessant and malicious remarks, her disdain for Batian grew even stronger. Just then, Kong Xuan calmly spoke, "To disturb them like this, what is your intention? It is rather petty and contemptible."
In the beginning, the Demon Desire Sect wreaked havoc in the martial world. When the Three Realms were opened, the former leader of the Demon Desire Sect, Demon Lord Batian, was also sentenced to the Eighteen Layers of Hell. Although he had long lost his sanity, after being struck unconscious by the lightning of the Demon Binding Chain, he unexpectedly regained his rationality. It turns out that this Demon Binding Chain is designed to force the condemned to reflect and endure the consequences of their sins while remaining conscious, inherently possessing the effect of restoring clarity of mind. Otherwise, Batian would still be a madman who only knew how to maintain his emotional outbursts and shout wildly.
His actions immediately made Xi'er on the opposite side understand his intentions. A deep red beam of internal energy shot continuously into the Beiluo Zixiao Sword from Xi'er's forehead. Although Xi'er did not wield a weapon and had a blade on her person, it was no match for the brilliance of the Beiluo Zixiao Sword.
Beside him, Kong Xuan, with peacock eyes on his forehead, glanced at him and kindly reminded, "Once your magical power recovers to one-tenth and you attempt to activate it, the magic-sealing chain will unleash the Nine Heavens Profound Thunder. In this world, no one can break this magic-sealing chain with just one-tenth of their magical power, so it would be wise not to seek unnecessary suffering."
Ignoring their words, Yi Yun remained fully focused, guiding the sword suspended in mid-air to continue gathering power. Ba Tian recalled various experiences from the growth academy and the martial world, feeling a mix of sighs, anger, and immense satisfaction. "Hmph... Yi Yun, no matter how impressive you were in the martial world, you are now just as locked up here as I am. What does it matter that you are one of the five legendary masters of the martial world? What does the legend of justice mean? In the Three Realms, what is your ability compared to the books? Don't waste your energy; do you think this is the human realm? You can still be omnipotent, and that a sword can cut through anything?"
As the numbness in her body faded, Yi Yun gazed into the distance at the many empty demon-locking frames, feeling somewhat puzzled as she asked Kong Xuan: "How did they manage to escape?"
The sword, in accordance with the rhyme, still hung at his waist. As he urged his internal energy, just as he was about to draw the sword from its sheath, the blood-red long chain bound to his body suddenly erupted with the crackling sound of thunder! ... The two-tenths of internal energy he had originally accumulated unexpectedly dissipated entirely into the air under the electric shock.
It is because of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva that all of this has been spared. Upon arriving in hell, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, witnessing the conditions of the demon-locking field, felt deep compassion. Thus, over the years, he continuously used his own Buddhist teachings to stimulate the Buddha's light, nurturing the land to grow grains. Every day, the disciples of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva would deliver prepared vegetarian meals to the demon-locking field, feeding every living being that was trapped.
The North Falling Purple Sky Sword, unsheathed, soared into the air, spinning rapidly. The killing intent emanating from the sword grew increasingly intense, and in no time, it spread to a radius of one hundred feet. The space was filled with the purplish-red, chilling killing aura released by the sword
When the thunder on the long chain fades away, Yi Yun gasps for breath, and after a while, the numbness throughout her body gradually recedes
Thus, someone like Daji could not help but utter such words. A person who kills in this manner truly deserves to enter the deepest hell as a fitting punishment
The individuals on the demon-binding rack, many of whom, over the long years, were moved by the compassion of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, suddenly awakened and turned to the practice of Buddhism, becoming disciples of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva; others, possessing considerable strength, were rescued by Chiyou, the recognized leader of many demons in hell, and became his subordinates