Chapter 1874: The Azure Lotus Legion
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The return of Green Lotus Commander and Black Rope Commander to the Song Emperor City Lord's Mansion stirred some ripples. By now, many within the City Lord's Mansion knew they had been contending for a certain hell. Not long ago, a faint rumor had spread within the mansion: Wang Zhuo, the son of Commander Wang Xiao of the Song Emperor City Lord's Mansion, had died during the expedition to that hell. Wang Xiao, consumed by rage, had destroyed many buildings.
"Both Green Lotus Commander and Black Rope Commander returned with heavy losses. It seems the expedition did not go smoothly," whispered some within the mansion. Shortly after the two commanders returned, Wang Zhen also came back, his expression grim. Seeing Wang Zhen's face, the crowd guessed the outcome of the expedition—it had indeed ended in defeat.
On this expedition to the newly discovered hell, Green Lotus Commander and Black Rope Commander had been tasked with assisting Wang Zhen in capturing it, with Wang Zhen serving as commander. Yet now, Wang Zhen's sour expression clearly indicated failure on the battlefield for the hell.
Upon his return, Wang Zhen headed straight for the inner city of the City Lord's Mansion, a place accessible only to direct descendants of the Song Emperor bloodline and those holding high-ranking commander positions. Even others with special privileges were forbidden from entering.
With a dark face, Wang Zhen flickered to a stop before a palace. He waited outside, not daring to step inside.
After a moment, a gaunt, skeletal old man emerged. His aged face was covered in wrinkles, but his eyes were terrifying, sweeping coldly over Wang Zhen.
"Failed?" a sinister, ghostly voice sounded. Wang Zhen lowered his head and said, "Great Priest, Green Lotus Commander and Black Rope Commander were too arrogant. Not only did they cause Wang Zhuo's death, but when we finally had a chance to seize control of the hell, they voluntarily gave up the fight because they didn't want me to take command. These commanders no longer hold the bloodline of the Song Emperor in their eyes."
"A person capable of becoming a commander of a hell would not be so narrow-minded as to deliberately make things difficult for you. Especially Green Lotus Emperor—he has cultivated the Dao of the Green Lotus, which embraces all things. His character mirrors his Dao, possessing great tolerance. He would not easily cause trouble, let alone harm Wang Zhuo. If you slander even Green Lotus, it only proves you are unfit to be a commander. Do not come here again."
The Priest's voice was calm, yet it made Wang Zhen's body tremble slightly, his face instantly turning pale. This was the power center of the Song Emperor City Lord's Mansion. The scepter hovering above the palace symbolized the authority of Song Emperor, one of the Ten Kings of Hell. The Great Priest telling him not to come here again—he understood full well what that meant. From now on, he would be stripped of the right to approach the power center of the Song Emperor City Lord's Mansion.
"Great Priest," Wang Zhen said, his expression stiff as he called out.
"Go." The Priest waved his hand, then turned and walked back into the palace, plunging Wang Zhen's heart into an icy abyss. He had never imagined the Great Priest was even more terrifying than the rumors suggested, as if he could see through everything.
He was the only one who could directly meet the Song Emperor. Aside from the Great Priest, even a commander would find it as difficult as ascending to heaven to see the Song Emperor himself.
The Song Emperor—one of the Ten Kings of Hell, one of the ten great leaders of the Underworld. Even the direct descendants of the Song Emperor within the City Lord's Mansion did not know how powerful the Song Emperor had become.
Wang Zhen left dejectedly, but before he had gone far, he felt a chilling cold descend upon him. Looking up, he saw Wang Xiao.
"Brother Wang Xiao," Wang Zhen called out. By seniority, he should address Wang Xiao as elder brother.
"Don't call me that," Wang Xiao said coldly. "I ask you: who killed my son, Wang Zhuo?"
Wang Zhen's face darkened, his expression extremely unpleasant. He felt today was terribly unlucky. Now, facing Wang Xiao, he couldn't even give an explanation—he didn't even know how Wang Zhuo had died.
"Brother Wang Xiao, after Wang Zhuo entered that hell with me, I sent him to a battlefield under Green Lotus Commander's charge, entrusting Green Lotus Commander to protect him. But later, I learned that Wang Zhuo had been killed. I scolded Green Lotus Commander for this, leading to a direct fallout with him. After that, he and Black Rope Commander gave up on helping me seize the small world and returned directly to the City Lord's Mansion."
Wang Zhen spoke coldly, as if trying to shift all the blame away from himself.
"You mean to say you don't even know how my son Wang Zhuo died?" Wang Xiao's face turned ashen, a chilling aura descending upon Wang Zhen. That was his only son, killed out there.
"At the time, we divided the battlefield into three areas: the Lower-rank Nether Emperor, Mid-rank Nether Emperor, and Upper-rank Nether Emperor battlefields. Wang Zhuo followed Green Lotus Commander to the Mid-rank Nether Emperor battlefield. We also stipulated that only Mid-rank Nether Emperor cultivators could fight there. Under normal circumstances, Wang Zhuo should not have been in danger. Besides, I had instructed Green Lotus Commander. You can verify this, Brother Wang Xiao."
"Nonsense," Wang Xiao barked coldly. "My son Wang Zhuo carried a jade slip I left him. Even a moment's time would have been enough for him to crush it and save his life. Unless a Nether Emperor-level expert killed him instantly, he wouldn't have failed to react. Are you telling me a Mid-rank Nether Emperor battlefield is some kind of child's play?"
"I find it strange too," Wang Zhen nodded. He had already considered this. If Wang Zhuo faced a life-or-death crisis, even if it meant breaking the rules, he would have used an Imperial weapon or crushed the life-saving jade slip. So he shouldn't have been killed. Yet the facts were clear: Wang Zhuo was dead.
"There's another possibility," Wang Zhen suddenly said, his eyes widening as if struck by a thought.
"What possibility?" Wang Xiao asked.
"One of our own struck him down," Wang Zhen said coldly, then continued, "That's it. Green Lotus Commander said only Lin Feng and the Sword Blind were left—a blind man and someone who had just stepped into the Mid-rank Emperor realm. How could two such figures turn the tide and kill so many Mid-rank Nether Emperors? There must be treachery. Besides, Green Lotus Commander has always had a close relationship with Lin Feng, showing him special favor. By now, Lin Feng has probably already gone to Green Lotus Commander's residence."
Hearing this, Wang Xiao's expression tightened, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. He couldn't rule out this possibility. His son Wang Zhuo's death was too strange.
"Only Lin Feng and the Sword Blind survived the Mid-rank Nether Emperor battlefield. Brother Wang Xiao, you practice the Soul Search Art. If you seize the divine thoughts and memories of either one, you might uncover the truth," Wang Zhen suggested.
Wang Xiao's heart stirred slightly. Green Lotus Commander and Black Rope Commander were no pushovers—it would be hard to move against them. But Lin Feng and the Sword Blind? If he found an opportunity, dealing with them wouldn't be a problem. The only issue was that it would look bad if word got out, since Lin Feng and the Sword Blind were currently guests of the City Lord's Mansion.
Yet, to uncover the truth about his son Wang Zhuo's death, this seemed to be the only way.
At that moment, Lin Feng naturally knew nothing of what Wang Xiao and Wang Zhen were plotting. He had indeed returned to Green Lotus Commander's residence.
"Green Lotus Commander, by doing this, we've thoroughly offended Wang Zhen. Given his status as a direct descendant of the Song Emperor bloodline, will this cause you trouble?" Lin Feng asked Green Lotus Commander.
"The Underworld has ten main cities, ruled by the Ten Kings of Hell. If the Song Emperor City Lord's Mansion is so petty—caring only about personal ties rather than right and wrong—then this city is already doomed. Lin Feng, you must understand: those with strength will never lack a path forward."
Green Lotus Commander spoke without reservation. The Underworld was not limited to Song Emperor City alone. There were ten main cities, ten figures standing at the pinnacle. As long as you had strength, any faction would welcome you. Even during the struggle for that hell, Lin Feng himself had received invitations.
"Commander, are the positions of the Ten Kings of Hell hereditary?" Lin Feng asked.
Green Lotus Commander glanced at Lin Feng, then shook his head with a smile. "Of course not. The throne of the Ten Kings of Hell belongs to those capable. If one day someone wields peerless martial power to storm the Song Emperor City Lord's Mansion and defeat the Song Emperor, they can take his seat. However, the Song Emperor's position has remained unchanged for hundreds of thousands of years."
Lin Feng was slightly startled. For hundreds of thousands of years, the Song Emperor had held his seat among the Ten Kings of Hell, a testament to his overwhelming strength.
"Of course, while Wang Zhen cannot shake those above, he might still target you, since you've offended him. You should be careful of him," Green Lotus Commander suddenly warned.
Lin Feng nodded slightly. That was indeed true.
"Come, Lin Feng. Let me show you the Green Lotus Hell under my command," Green Lotus Commander said with a faint smile, leading Lin Feng deeper into his residence. After a moment, they stepped into a pool of water. At the bottom of the pool lay a frozen door. Green Lotus Commander led Lin Feng and the others through it, and suddenly the space shifted. They appeared in a palace courtyard. Beneath Lin Feng's feet was an engraved pattern—a spatial pattern.
"A teleportation array," Lin Feng observed, looking at the pattern. It was carved with spatial power, the lines forming teleportation sacred marks. Clearly, after becoming the commander of the Green Lotus Hell, Green Lotus Commander had built a teleportation gate connecting to the hell under his control.
"Let's go." The space shifted, and Green Lotus Commander carried Lin Feng into the sky, stepping through the void. In moments, they arrived at a magnificent glacial world. At the peak of the towering ice mountains, Lin Feng gazed into the distance. On the endless, boundless glaciers, figures clad in Green Lotus armor could be seen—some meditating in stillness, others sparring in combat, or exchanging insights on cultivation. Many of these individuals were formidable, their strength surpassing Lin Feng's.
"These are my Green Lotus Legion. One person's enlightenment may be insufficient, so I have them cultivate here together when they have nothing else to do. They can spar, discuss the Dao, or if there's a campaign, I send them out to experience real battle. Of course, if they wish to venture out on their own for training, I don't stop them. This legion helps me govern this hell. Anyone with exceptional talent can join the Green Lotus Legion."
Green Lotus Commander explained slowly to Lin Feng. Lin Feng nodded slightly. This legion was capable of sweeping through an entire hell!