Chapter 1176: Arrival at Pluto

Amidst a flash of silver light, Chen Mobai found himself in the familiar corridor. On both sides were meditation cushions, and at the end stood a green lotus stone platform. He feigned using the Realm Gate, but in reality, he used the Turtle Treasure to teleport. Although the Realm Gate could also transport him to Pluto, his sudden appearance would quickly be detected due to the distinct aura, possibly even triggering a disturbance in the River of Death. Even with his confidence, Chen Mobai would not risk antagonizing the entire world.

He first bowed to the empty green lotus stone platform as a disciple, then took out a broom and dustpan to symbolically sweep the Purple Heaven Palace, before finally approaching the threshold. It seemed Chen Mobai had gained some authority within the Purple Heaven Palace. While the palace was originally isolated, preventing visibility between inside and outside, he now had no such impediment. He could stand inside the palace and clearly see the scene outside.

The Purple Heaven Palace appeared to have just landed, as its steps and platforms were still forming and expanding. Unlike the Immortal Gate, which landed in the Grand Void Mountain Range, this one had settled on a dark lake. The only similarity was that both attracted many beings. Chen Mobai saw figures of deathly aura-infused Nether Race beings standing on the land beside the lake, their gazes fixed intensely on the palace where he stood. The dark lake seemed to contain power that the Nether Race feared, as none dared to step into it, waiting instead for the Purple Heaven Palace's steps and platforms to fully extend.

Chen Mobai naturally wouldn't risk stepping out. He observed the Nether Race figures on the shore. Those who could reach this place were undoubtedly the most powerful beings on Pluto. He counted them; there were exactly twelve. Chen Mobai recalled Ying Guanghua's mention of the Twelve Nether Generals, realizing these must be them. Although he couldn't use his divine sense to probe, under the influence of the "Echoing Valley Sound," Chen Mobai could perceive the death energy emanating from them. Indeed, every one of them was at the Divine Transformation stage. However, some cultivated the Mystic Gate Primordial Spirit Dao, while others pursued the Undying Body of Gods and Demons.

Among them, the two leaders, a male and a female, had cultivation levels that, in Chen Mobai's estimation, were no less than the Nether King's. The male Nether Race member was burly, crowned with gold, and wielded a massive dark scythe. His entire body exuded vital energy that burned like flames, and merely standing on the shore distorted the surrounding void. This indicated that his physical body had reached an extreme level of power, almost capable of shattering space. Across from him, the female Nether Race member had a captivating figure and pale skin, with only a few black cloths covering crucial areas and a purple eye patch concealing half her face. Yet, the moment Chen Mobai's gaze fell upon her, his Heavenly Access Amulet began to issue warnings. This signified that the female Nether Race member possessed the ability to cause his death.

Truly, it was Pluto, with a far deeper foundation than the Immortal Gate. Chen Mobai sighed inwardly, reaffirming that pointing the Primordial Chaos Qi Cannon here was the correct decision. Just these two Nether Race members, plus the original Nether King, made for three top-tier Divine Transformation experts. If the "Star-Pulling White Light" were still active and Chen Mobai joined in, there might have been a chance of victory in a direct confrontation. As it stood, although Chen Mobai had slain the Nether King, it was only due to the attribute advantage of the Pure Yang Scroll and his use of the Dharma Realm to sever the connection to the River of Death. On Pluto, even if Chen Mobai were to absorb an opponent with his Dharma Realm, the proximity of the River of Death meant they could potentially break through forcefully.

Just as Chen Mobai was wondering if the Primordial Chaos Qi Cannon would harm the Purple Heaven Palace, a shocking aura of death suddenly seeped out from the dark lake water. Then, with gurgling sounds, the black surface churned, and a pallid male corpse emerged. The moment they saw the male corpse, the twelve Nether Generals on both banks solemnly bowed and exclaimed, "Greetings, Your Majesty!" Chen Mobai's eyes widened in disbelief. Because this male corpse, imbued only with the aura of death, was clearly the Nether King he had slain. He could revive? Was this a trick left by the God of Death? Or was it due to this lake? Chen Mobai looked at the lake surface, which was constantly emitting black smoke, and sensed the dense, pure death energy, dimly feeling he had guessed the truth.

"Stahnah, help me revive!" At that moment, the lifeless Nether King's corpse suddenly trembled in its abdomen and spoke. Chen Mobai saw the female Nether Race member with the purple eye patch on the shore nod gently, then lift a corner of her eye patch, revealing a left eye that was emerald green like a gem. The instant that eye gazed upon the Nether King's corpse, Chen Mobai felt as if a fundamental rule of heaven and earth had been reversed.

Immediately after, the Nether King's corpse suddenly gained an aura of life. With a long, drawn-out breath, the Nether King, whose eyes had been closed in the lake, rose from lying to standing, surrounded by dark currents of water. The moment he stood upright, Chen Mobai saw him open his eyes. His dark pupils, filled with death energy, caused the entire planet Pluto to tremble, and the River of Death orbiting the planet transformed into immense power, pouring into his body. After a moment, the Nether King was completely revived.

At this point, Chen Mobai saw that the previously young and beautiful female Nether Race member on the shore had become frail and ancient, her face covered in wrinkles. It seemed that reviving the Nether King had completely drained her essence, qi, and spirit.

"Stahnah, my dearest Nether Queen, I will let you bathe with me in the glory of the Ancestor." The revived Nether King looked at the female Nether Race member, who had turned into an old woman, and made a promise.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I hope you can grant me the Sword of Life Energy, so I may absorb life force to regain my youthful body and appearance." The female Nether Race member, named Stahnah, said this.

The Nether King, who had been full of affection for her, instantly changed his expression and said angrily, "To escape with my true spirit and return, I damaged the Sword of Life Energy on that planet. But rest assured, I will lead you to exterminate all billions of beings on that planet, and I promise all their life force will be yours."

Hearing the Nether King's words, Stahnah snorted coldly, looked at her aged appearance, and put her eye patch back on. "I hope Your Majesty keeps your word."

"Your Majesty, the Purple Heaven Palace has descended. According to the Ancestor's prophecy, we need to seal this place. Do you wish to enter?" At this moment, the male Nether Race member holding the scythe on the shore also spoke.

Upon hearing this, the Nether King turned his head to look at the Purple Heaven Palace, which had landed in the center of the lake. Recalling Chen Mobai's miraculously powerful Dharma Realm, his eyes narrowed. "This object landed on the Rebirth Lake, likely to suppress the power of life and death reincarnation left by the Ancestor. It's a rare opportunity for us, who have cultivated to this level, so let's not miss it. Let's enter together and see."

The Nether King's words startled the twelve Nether Generals on the shore. It was known that the descent of the Purple Heaven Palace, called a "Heavenly Change" on Pluto, had several times seen Nether Race members enter and emerge transformed and powerful enough to reach the Nether King's realm, only to cause bloodshed in their attempts to become the new king. Precisely for this reason, subsequent Nether Kings would only enter by themselves.

"Your Majesty?" Even the Nether Queen Stahnah was somewhat shocked.

"The planet we are now bordering has strength that should not be underestimated. Even the Ancestor's avatar was suppressed, and my true body perished. Although the strength of our race far surpasses theirs, to ensure the Ancestor can be unsealed, I am willing to trust you and let you enter together to increase your power." The Nether King's words excited the twelve Nether Generals on the shore. Many Nether Race members who entered the Purple Heaven Palace in previous generations saw significant advancements in their cultivation. For example, the Nether King himself had comprehended the cycle of life and death and even forged the Sword of Life Energy because of it.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Their loyalty, which had been somewhat shaken by the Nether King's death, was now solidified once more. The Nether King, who felt he had only recovered half his strength, sighed inwardly. If he weren't truly uncertain about defeating Chen Mobai, he would never have made this decision. He hoped this palace would allow him to advance further.

Inside the Purple Heaven Palace, Chen Mobai, having heard the conversation outside, finally understood why the Nether King was still alive. It turned out that after escaping the Dharma Realm, although he had promptly slain the Nether King with his Primal Yang Sword, the Nether King's true spirit had still escaped and returned here via the power of the River of Death. And this lake, named Rebirth Lake, was, according to Ying Guanghua, one of the three holy artifacts left by the God of Death. It was said that the very first Nether Race members were born from within it.

Time slowly passed. Finally, the last platform formed before the threshold of the Purple Heaven Palace. And the twelve Nether Generals on the shore, with the Nether King's nod, stepped onto the first stair, moving along the lake surface towards the Purple Heaven Palace in the center of the lake. Seeing this, Chen Mobai cast "One Leaf Blinds the Eye" on himself and stepped across the threshold. Since combat was forbidden within the Purple Heaven Palace, including on the steps and platforms, Chen Mobai wasn't afraid of being exposed. However, his "One Leaf Blinds the Eye," empowered by the Primordial Chaos Dao, was at the peak fifth-tier level, concealing his aura completely, preventing the Nether King and any other beings from detecting him.

Considering that one could not return once inside the Purple Heaven Palace, Chen Mobai sat down on the platform beyond the threshold to meditate and comprehend. What surprised him was that the Dao rhythm on this platform was not the Grand Void Dao, but rather life and death. Does the allocation of the Three Thousand Daos differ depending on the planet it descends upon? So, on Earth-Element Star previously, was it because of him that the beginning and end of the innate Yin-Yang and Grand Void Daos were allocated? Realizing that the Purple Heaven Palace adapted to its location, a slight joy sparked in Chen Mobai's heart. This way, he could use this opportunity to comprehend more innate Daos. Just as he was preparing to delve deeper into the comprehension of the Dao of Life and Death, he noticed the Nether King striding directly towards this very spot. Evidently, the Nether King also knew that the final platform contained the Dao of Life and Death.