Matsui Shigen chopped at the monk's phantom that enveloped Huichuan's body. This was not Matsui Shigen, who had lost his mind and was attacking an ability with an ordinary sword.
On the contrary, Matsui Shigen's sword was a very powerful vengeful sword. Because Matsui Shigen himself came from a samurai family, this sword had been used by his great-grandfather. The lives taken by this sword were no less than eight hundred, and what's more, this sword had also participated in this hellish slaughter.
The moment the sword touched the phantom, golden Buddhist light and bloody killing intent clashed like fire and ice. Both sides underwent significant dissipation. As the samurai sword snapped with a crack, the monk's phantom began to blur, and Huichuan spat out another mouthful of blood.
But Huichuan still clasped his hands and uttered his final grand vow:
"Hell is not empty, I vow not to become a Buddha; all sentient beings are saved, and then I will attain Bodhi."
Before his voice even fell, the white karmic fire erupted like dry kindling, instantly reducing Matsui Shigen, who had not yet finished gloating, along with all the struggling Neon soldiers, to bare bones.
...
When Mo Chuan woke up, he found himself seemingly lying on stone bricks.
The cold and hard touch made Mo Chuan instinctively retract his hands, only to find his hands looking so unfamiliar.
Mo Chuan began to subconsciously survey his surroundings, thinking about who he was, where he was, and what he was supposed to do.
Just now, Mo Chuan had experienced five lifetimes as a human: a high monk who saved sentient beings in hell, a pure official who rebuked treacherous ministers in court, an official who pleaded for the common people, a chivalrous warrior who defended a pass for the nation and its people, and a Daoist who sought salvation for all living beings.
Each one had sacrificed themselves for righteousness, trading their lives for thousands.
The sound of a mechanism being pried open suddenly came from a distance. Mo Chuan immediately turned his head and discovered that the surroundings seemed to be a secret chamber. As the mechanism opened, black water flowed like a river around the chamber.
This black river...
Wait a minute?
"Mo... Chuan..." Mo Chuan spoke with difficulty, as if trying to recall the clues to these two words.
"Oh? You remember now?"
A slightly surprised male voice instantly interrupted Mo Chuan's thoughts. Mo Chuan instinctively adopted a defensive posture and concealed his aura.
The secret chamber was suddenly illuminated.
Mo Chuan peeked through his fingers and saw a tall stone dragon throne in the center of the secret chamber. Sitting on the throne was a thin old man with white hair and beard.
However, this old man wore a Mianliu headdress and a dragon robe of black, red, and gold. Moreover, he actually had dragon horns growing on his head.
Although the old man in front of him had a withered face and seemed to have no strength to even bind a chicken, and there were manacles on his wrists and ankles, the aura emanating from him made Mo Chuan slowly retreat.
Just as Mo Chuan was keeping his guard up and looking for an exit, the old man sighed and waved his hand, saying, "Sit down. This is my territory, and you cannot leave. It's been a long time since anyone could reach this place. Let's sit down and chat."
A chair appeared not far in front of the old man.
Seeing that the old man seemed to have no ill intentions, and unable to find a way out for the time being, Mo Chuan could only sit down.
"First, what is your name?" the old man asked.
"I... I don't know..."
"Didn't you just say it? You are Mo Chuan."
"Mo Chuan..."
The name was like an explosive, and the memories hidden by the five reincarnations surged into Mo Chuan's mind like a tide.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Mo Chuan's eyes regained their clarity, and he saluted the old man, saying, "Thank you, senior."
The old man waved his hand and continued, "Do you know why you are here?"
"Uh... I don't know..."
"Because you have successfully received the approval of the five 'Questioners,' they sent you here," the old man said slowly. "I am the sixteenth Emperor of the Great Xia, and also the last Emperor – Emperor Qianlie Fu Chi."
Mo Chuan's pupils constricted, and he looked at the old man with disbelief.
The Qian Dynasty was the predecessor of the Dragon Country.
After the Qian Dynasty, like a sick dragon, disintegrated due to internal and external troubles, it was the Dragon Country that unified it again.
But... the Qian Dynasty had been destroyed for more than 300 years. Why was Fu Chi still alive?
As if sensing Mo Chuan's thoughts, Fu Chi simply shook his head and said, "It's better for you not to know some things. Now that you are the first ghost cultivator to come here, you will receive this Crown of the Yin Emperor."
As he spoke, a black gauze and gilded crown appeared in Mo Chuan's hand.
"Secondly, as one who has achieved the highest rank in all five reincarnations, you can obtain the essence gained within those cycles."
Saying this, five streams of light flew into Mo Chuan's embrace. As scenes of reincarnation appeared before Mo Chuan like a revolving lantern, the old man's voice said leisurely, "With the three Yin Emperors all appearing, my mission is more than half complete..."
...
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for leveling up!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for leveling up!"
"Ding! ..."
The system's voice by his ear was somewhat noisy. Mo Chuan furrowed his brows and slowly opened his eyes.
Where is this...
Mo Chuan rubbed his temples and first looked around.
This... seems to be some kind of palace?
Could it be that I'm still in the Forbidden City?
Shaking his head, Mo Chuan first opened the reward record from earlier to check his status.
Good heavens!
The reincarnation memories directly leveled him up twice. Now he had also learned [Harvest] and [Storm of Crows].
And he had also independently comprehended the Iron Man's ultimate skill [Desperate Judgement?].
Wuhu! Taking off!
Mo Chuan excitedly opened the panel, but was somewhat dumbfounded:
"Host: Mo Chuan
Attack: 70
Armor: 3353.6 (91 + 3262.5)
Magic Power: 3279.5 (17 + 3262.5)
Magic Resistance: 131 (26 + 105)
Power Rating: Eighth Tier (A+)
Hell Curse: 1305 Layers
Level: 12 (2%)
Gold: 0
Equipment: Tear of the Goddess (360), Corrupting Potion, Crown of the Yin Emperor, Force of Nature.
Items: [Crimson Moon] [Soul Blossom] [Dragon Guardian] [Rabadon's Deathcap *2]
Skills: Hellwalker (+3), Mental Pollution (+2), Judgment Pendulum, Soul Guidance Lamp, Nightfall, Harvest, Infinite Hell (+4), Death Grip, Demon's Embrace, Naturalborn Phantasm"
What? Where's my Grassland Man? Where are my Raven Swarm? Where's my Abyssal Mask? Where's my Desperate Judgement? Where are my Storm of Crows?
"It has been automatically merged for the host. Please check the skills [Hellwalker] and [Infinite Hell] and the equipment [Crown of the Yin Emperor] for details."
Mo Chuan then clicked on the skill description. Good heavens, I'm absolutely speechless:
[Hellwalker] is the combination of [Hell Curse] and [Raven Swarm]. Killing enemies stacks passive healing and increases maximum HP. Basically, no changes, except it adds a fear effect to surrounding targets when he transforms.
But [Infinite Hell] is different.
It directly combines the previous [Nether Hell] with [Storm of Crows] and [Desperate Judgement]. It brings any target within an area centered on himself into hell, eliminating any worry of dragging the wrong person.
The problem is, Mo Chuan can also actively expand the skill's range by increasing mana consumption.
I, Mo Chuan, unilaterally declare myself invincible.
Thinking this, Mo Chuan cast his gaze towards the [Crown of the Yin Emperor].