Immortal Paladin

I thanked Hei Mao for accompanying me on this trip. "I appreciate you coming with me."

Hei Mao leaned against the railing of the soaring vessel with an easy smile. "I could use the distraction. Besides, I'm your disciple. If you need me for anything, all you have to do is call."

The vessel sliced through the gloomy skies of the Underworld with remarkable speed. I had absolutely no idea which generation of soaring vessel this belonged to anymore. Six centuries of seclusion had a habit of making technological advancements blur together. The ship possessed a sleek, dark finish that reflected almost no light, while countless ghostly runes drifted beneath its hull like pale veins carrying spiritual essence instead of blood. Even the surrounding yin energy naturally gathered around the vessel before disappearing into its frame, as though the ship itself breathed in the countless wandering spirits inhabiting the Underworld.

"I built it myself," Hei Mao said after noticing my curiosity. He gently patted the railing beneath his hand. "It's made from the surplus ghosts I've subdued over the years. Most of them were terrible villains, murderers, warlords, and every sort of sinful soul you could imagine. I figured an eternity of servitude was a better use for them than letting them roam free." He turned toward me with an amused expression. "So, Master, what exactly are you looking for?"

"I need a place where I can train the champions I've chosen to represent me in the contest against the Supreme Heart."

Time had become my greatest enemy.

My six hundred years of seclusion had been necessary, but the price of remaining hidden for that long had become painfully obvious the moment I stepped back into the Hollowed World. My absence had left countless matters unattended. Although the Hollowed World had never truly been without its Holy Emperor, that illusion only existed because my Ezekiels and countless projections had worked tirelessly to maintain order while I remained isolated. Even now, those projections continued moving throughout every corner of civilization, addressing crises, reviewing reports, settling disputes, and responding to emergencies faster than any single individual possibly could.

Even then, the backlog remained overwhelming.

One report after another detailed increasing demonic infiltration throughout multiple territories. Cells that had once remained dormant had begun growing more aggressive, while hidden cults resurfaced in regions previously thought secure. Every victory uncovered three more problems waiting behind it. It was enough to give anyone a headache.

Hei Mao folded his arms. "It might be too dangerous."

"We'll be fine," I replied with a grin. "After all, they'll have me."

He shook his head.

"That isn't what I meant. I'm talking about the vengeful spirits scattered throughout this region of the Underworld." His expression became noticeably more serious. "You probably know many of them personally, Master, so you should understand exactly what I'm trying to say."

I nodded quietly.

I understood all too well.

The calamity brought about by the Great Beast hadn't merely devastated the living. It had also thrown the entire cycle of death into chaos.

When mortals died, their souls were ferried into the Underworld, where the Judges determined whether they deserved reincarnation. Those accepted entered the ranks of spiritual beings, serving their allotted sentences according to the weight of their actions during life. Completion granted another opportunity to reenter the cycle of reincarnation.

Failure carried far harsher consequences.

Their souls gradually deteriorated as time eroded both identity and reason.

That was only one possible ending.

Some spiritual beings fell victim to powerful ghostly horrors lurking throughout the Underworld, consumed before they ever completed their sentences. Others willingly abandoned the proper cycle altogether, walking the Ghost Path through devouring fellow spirits or embracing forbidden methods that transformed them into vengeful spirits and other terrifying existences. Every deviation pushed them further away from salvation until little remained of the people they once were.

"I chose the Underworld for a reason," I said. "If my champions are going to stand against the Supreme Heart's representatives, then I intend to push every one of them to their absolute potential. This place will force them to grow."

I rested my hands behind my back while looking toward the endless horizon of gray clouds.

"I also intend to open a stable passage leading into the Mortal Plane. I'll establish a safe location they can retreat to whenever necessary." I smiled faintly. "Safe doesn't mean comfortable, though. I have no intention of making their training easy."

There existed another destination for souls besides the familiar Six Paths.

Some eventually returned to the Source itself.

Its system of reincarnation followed principles entirely different from those governing the Underworld. There, the concept of identity became almost meaningless. A soul could awaken as a mountain, a stone lying beneath a river, someone's rib, a wheel attached to a passing cart, a grain of sand drifting across an endless desert, the blazing sun hanging high above the heavens, or nearly anything else imaginable. Countless existences possessed no sense of self whatsoever. Individuality simply ceased to matter.

Only those who fulfilled certain qualifications possessed the possibility of awakening once more as human beings upon Earth through the Source's cycle.

"I actually have something for you."

I reached into my pocket dimension before withdrawing a remarkably thick book bound in black leather reinforced with silver clasps. Despite its size, the tome radiated an ancient yet comforting aura, as though generations of accumulated knowledge rested quietly within its pages.

I handed it over.

Hei Mao accepted it with both hands.

"A gift?"

"A gift," I confirmed. "Something that should help you oversee the Underworld. During my seclusion, I consulted the Ophanim as thoroughly as I safely could regarding reincarnation, the inner workings of the Spiritual Plane, and the original creation of the Underworld itself. The Records of the Age of Divinity helped narrow down countless possibilities, and I even examined portions of the era preceding the Age of Divinity." I chuckled. "You'd be surprised how often the Underworld ended up destroyed before the Age of Divinity finally stabilized things."

Hei Mao blinked.

"...Was it really alright to look that far into the past?" he asked carefully. "Especially while relying on your Ophanim?"

"I was mostly fine." I laughed softly. "Your concern isn't misplaced, though. Those eyes aren't exactly forgiving whenever I push them too far. Fortunately, the walls you allowed me to remain within during my seclusion helped shield me from much of the burden. They gave me enough stability to dive far deeper than I normally would've dared."

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Hei Mao lowered his gaze toward the tome.

The moment he opened the cover, countless enchanted pages revealed themselves. The book contained far more pages than its physical thickness should have allowed, every sheet densely filled with meticulously organized diagrams, observations, theories, historical records, spiritual formulas, and countless annotations drawn from my own investigations. It represented thousand years of accumulated research condensed into a single volume.

He carefully closed the book again before storing it inside his pocket dimension.

"Thank you, Master," Hei Mao said sincerely. "I'll treasure it, and I'll make sure none of the knowledge inside goes to waste."

We continued sailing through the endless skies of the Underworld.

The scenery hardly changed at first glance. Endless gray clouds drifted beneath us while towering black mountains rose from a sea of ghostly mist. Rivers of pale spiritual water carved their way across the land, carrying countless wandering souls toward destinations only the laws of the Underworld understood. Yet the longer I observed everything through my Ophanim, the more familiar the landscape became.

It mirrored the Mortal Plane.

Not perfectly.

There were subtle differences everywhere, enough that no ordinary observer would ever mistake one for the other. Still, valleys occupied familiar positions, mountain ranges traced comparable outlines, and even the flow of certain rivers resembled their counterparts in the living world. It was as though someone had attempted to recreate the Mortal Plane from memory, only to leave behind countless imperfections.

The search continued for years, and then decades.

One day, I finally saw what I had been looking for hidden beneath countless overlapping formations.

"We're here."

Hei Mao brought the soaring vessel to a gradual halt.

It had taken us just short of a decade to locate the place.

The ruins before us had concealed themselves remarkably well. Ancient formations continued operating despite the countless years that had passed, distorting space, hiding spiritual fluctuations, and misleading anyone attempting to search for them. Had it not been for my Ophanim gradually unraveling layer after layer of concealment, we might have sailed past this place forever without realizing anything lay hidden below.

Beyond the fading barriers rested the remains of what had once been an extraordinarily powerful organization.

Broken halls stretched across the mountainside. Weathered stone pillars still stood proudly despite carrying countless scars from battles long forgotten. Crumbling staircases connected courtyards overtaken by spiritual moss, while enormous statues watched over the silent ruins with expressions worn smooth by time itself.

Hei Mao studied the ancient complex quietly.

"Do you have any idea what this place used to be?"

"I do," I answered. "A similar set of ruins should exist in the Mortal Plane."

His eyes lit up.

"I've actually wanted to discuss that with you for quite some time."

Our conversation continued for several hours while he guided the vessel in slow circles above the ancient ruins.

"It isn't merely coincidence," Hei Mao explained. "I've overseen the Underworld long enough to notice the pattern. The Mortal Plane constantly reflects itself here because the Underworld is incomplete. The Weight of Existence belonging to the Hollowed World is simply far heavier than this realm's. Reality naturally pulls the Underworld into resembling its stronger counterpart."

I nodded thoughtfully.

"That explanation isn't wrong. You might understand the phenomenon even better after reading the book I gave you."

"Oh?"

"There exists a place called the Spiritual Plane. Long before the Underworld existed as it does now, that's where it belonged. The Spiritual Plane reflected the Mortal Plane almost perfectly, except everything existed upside down. The Underworld inherited many of those characteristics after separating from it."

Hei Mao remained silent, clearly committing every word to memory.

Eventually, he guided the vessel into the heart of the ruined complex before bringing it to a gentle landing.

We stepped outside.

With a wave of his hand, the soaring vessel shrank into a streak of dark light before disappearing inside his pocket dimension.

Meanwhile, I expanded my Ophanim across every corner of the ruins.

"...I know this place."

Hei Mao raised an eyebrow.

"You do? Judging from the architecture, I'd guess it belonged to some ancient temple. I have no idea which religious order built it, but the design certainly narrows it down to monks."

I couldn't help laughing.

"This used to be the Heavenly Divine Cult."

He stared at me blankly.

"The... Heavenly Divine Cult?"

"They're known today as the Heavenly Demonic Cult."

His eyes widened in disbelief.

"What?"

"I've been here before." I chuckled as old memories resurfaced. "Well, technically, I experienced it through recorded history."

How could I ever forget this place?

Supreme Void had practically dogged Ru Qiu and me throughout the entire expedition back then.

Hah...

Even now, remembering that ridiculous fight made me want to laugh.

"The current Heavenly Demonic Cult doesn't even know where this place is anymore," I said with amusement. "Ru Qiu has been thoroughly uncooperative whenever they've tried asking him. Every opportunity he gets, he reminds them how disappointed he is that they lost the location of their own ancestral grounds."

Hei Mao smiled helplessly.

"Where do you want to establish the pathway to the Mortal Plane?"

"Leave it to me."

I searched the ruins until I found the structure preserved in the best condition.

Its foundation remained almost completely intact.

After descending into the basement, I stood before an ancient stone wall untouched by time.

Dark Veil spread from my fingertips.

The shadows folded inward before reshaping themselves into an elegant black door framed by countless intertwining patterns. Space itself bent around the doorway as both realms became linked through the authority of my power.

I grasped the handle.

The door opened.

Warm sunlight immediately poured into the dim basement.

Hei Mao followed closely behind as we crossed the threshold.

The change was immediate.

The oppressive yin energy vanished almost entirely, replaced by rich spiritual qi that naturally flowed through the air. A refreshing breeze brushed against my face while birds sang somewhere beyond the forest surrounding the ancient ruins.

We emerged from the corresponding building in the Mortal Plane.

Although the layout remained remarkably similar, nature had reclaimed much of the surrounding area. Trees towered over collapsed walls, bushes covered broken pathways, and flowering vines climbed across weathered buildings.

The Mortal Plane and the Underworld truly weren't perfect reflections of one another.

I could even faintly sense countless creatures watching us from the surrounding wilderness.

Some possessed ordinary life force.

Others radiated the unique aura belonging to spiritual beasts.

Hei Mao slowly inhaled before releasing a long sigh.

"I wonder if a day will come when the Underworld feels like this," he said quietly. "Less gloomy."

A trace of guilt tugged at my conscience.

I had practically thrown the responsibility of managing the entire Underworld onto his shoulders.

He had never once complained.

"It will," I said with confidence. "We'll get there one step at a time. You've already accomplished far more than anyone could have expected. Don't underestimate everything you've built."

His shoulders visibly relaxed.

With a thought, dozens of golden lights descended around the ruins.

Holy Skeletons emerged one after another before respectfully kneeling.

"Begin refurbishing this place," I ordered. "Restore every structure that can be salvaged. Reinforce the foundations and prepare the surrounding area for future training."

"As you command, Holy Emperor."

The Ezekiels immediately dispersed throughout the ruins, already dividing responsibilities among themselves with practiced efficiency.

I glanced toward Hei Mao.

He had somehow produced a foldable recliner from his pocket dimension.

Without the slightest hesitation, he unfolded it beneath a large tree before lying back under the warm afternoon sun with an expression that practically screamed contentment.

I smiled.

Maybe he really did need a vacation.

Meanwhile, I was busy feeling guilty for dragging him away from his mountain of work.

"...Now that I think about it," I asked, "where are your Yin Soul and Yang Soul?"

Hei Mao suddenly stiffened.

"...I may have... left work to them."

His guilty expression lasted barely a second before I burst into laughter.

"My condolences."

"I had a feeling you'd say that."

"I can't even blame you." I shook my head while laughing. "I've done exactly the same thing with my Ezekiels more times than I care to admit. Delegation is one of the greatest inventions in existence."

His laughter joined mine beneath the afternoon sky.

Feeling equally lazy, I reached into my pocket dimension and retrieved my own foldable recliner before setting it beside his. The moment I settled down, one of the Holy Skeletons approached carrying a tray filled with chilled drinks.

Somehow, while the others had been restoring buildings, several Ezekiels had decided the highest priority was constructing a small outdoor bar just outside the ancient hall.

I wasn't even surprised anymore.

"Thank you," Hei Mao said politely as he accepted a glass.

I took one as well.

The Ezekiel gave us a respectful bow before returning to his newly established bar.

I took a slow sip.

The drink was pleasantly cold, refreshing enough to wash away years of accumulated fatigue. I leaned back in the recliner, closed my eyes for a moment, and simply enjoyed the warmth of the sun.

Yeah.

This felt nice.

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