Yama Rising

Chapter 719: The Black Pearl

These were Cathayan seas. Ships of the netherworld would never be so bold as to enter this place without Hell’s permission. After all, they know full well that Hell would never allow ships to call in the Cathayan ports without first seeking an entry permit.

Su Daji was just about to transform into a gust of nethergale to fly over when Qin Hui suddenly pulled her back, “Hang on.”

“This is credit that has just fallen from the skies and right into our laps.”

The golden curtain before their eyes was hardly opaque. Those on the inside could see everything outside clearly, while those on the outside could only see the mortal realm within. Everything of the netherworld remained completely obscured by the golden light. As soon as they arrived, Qin Hui immediately turned to Su Daji with a gesture of silence, and then pointed to the sea.

No. To be more precise, it wasn’t so much a log than a piece of carved wood. Upon closer inspection, it almost looked to be a carved whale.

The figure stood with a hunched back, and was wearing tattered clothes so torn that it could barely cover his entire body. He stood barefooted on the log. Clearly, this was no Cathayan Yin spirit, nor any Emissary of Hell.

“Beacon.” Su Daji’s eyes narrowed, “The lamp in his hand is a beacon lamp. But what exactly is he directing? A fleet of ships?”

Whoosh! Seawater flowed off the surface of the galleon like massive waterfalls. From where they were, Qin Hui and Su Daji could see a multitude of skeletal sailors emerging from the whirlpool behind the galleon. The galleon’s sails were covered in seaweed and shells, but they were promptly raised at once, revealing the emblems of skulls and bones.

And the bow was etched with the carvings of a white whale.

Su Daji recoiled with disbelief, “This is the legend of the age of discovery and exploration. Legend had it was swallowed up by a great beast, and that the hundreds of sailors on board had all become slaves to the great beast. Their whereabouts have become completely lost to time. How could they have ended up here?”

Then, just as the Black Pearl finally settled down on the surface of the seas, the loud blare of a horn sounded, reverberating endlessly into the waters around. Following that, a massive tail emerged from the darkness in the distance and then slammed its huge tail down onto the surface of the waters!

A completely transparent fish.

“Alkebulan Undead Fish.” Su Daji’s lips parted, and she frowned in confusion, “In the Alkebulan lore, their gods were the ones who first made creatures in the seas. Who would’ve thought that these things would still be around? It must have been more than 10,000 years since the time of its creation until now! Do they seriously exist?”

“Playing games.” Qin Hui snickered softly, and his body vanished from the spot. When he next appeared, he was already located on the other side of the golden curtain where the Alkebulan fleet was. His movements were so quick that not even Su Daji could react in time. Instead, she simply clenched her fists tightly and pursed her lips.

We still bear the status of evil ghosts, not Emissary of Hells!

“Identify yourself and your purpose here. Are you aware that it is a crime to enter our territorial waters uninvited?” Qin Hui’s voice was stern and somber. 13 Alkebulan ships lit up at once in response. Clearly, none of them had expected someone to have already been waiting for them here. After a minute of tense silence, a voice finally responded, “Emissary of Hell?”

Abyssal Prefect!

The man dressed in animal skin stepped out with a golden scroll tied up using a scarlet string. As soon as the scarlet string was undone, the scroll immediately flashed with dazzling golden light, and then went straight through the Array of the Nine Gods and into Qin Hui’s hands.

Trade route…

And the first shipment already contains over 20 ships? Are there more hidden in the shadows? No… when did he manage to do this? How did he manage to do this?!

As an Abyssal Prefect that had been trapped beneath the six paths of reincarnation, he knew all too well what sea trade meant to the development of an underworld. In fact, one might describe this as the turbocharger that would give Hell the boost it needed on the highway of development!

The two exchanged an awkward glance for the third time. And this time, not only was there shock and horror in their hearts, there was even a trace of relief.

“You’re right. Once Hell is back on track, there’s simply no stopping them.”

The new Hell’s rate of development is simply unbelievable. Granted, they might have been springboarded by the presence of ready-made cities, but the fact that they’re able to re-establish sea trade means that the reversion to Hell’s heyday is practically on the horizon. It’s truly a good thing we submitted when we did… Dong Zhuo, you old fool…

With that, they promptly took their leave and made a beeline straight back to the coast.

After an inordinate amount of time, Su Daji suddenly quipped, “I just recalled that you still have an army of 100,000 Yin spirits, don’t you? That’s just as well, because I’ve got the same number under my charge as well.”

Su Daji took a deep breath, “Given Hell’s rate of growth, it’s not going to take the new Hell more than five years to muster an army of that size! Qin Hui, don’t you think that… our token of peace-offering to Hell… is somewhat lacking?”

“Would that suffice?”

“Opportunities must be seized by the horns.”

Defect now, and the new Hell might still have some use for them. But if they dallied for even a few more years, then perhaps the only use Hell might have of them is to banish them straight to the depths of the six paths of reincarnation once more!

“Is this Ashmound City?” Zhao Yun surveyed the sprawling city before him with great interest, “But it’s not real enough. As expected, this truly is the Mythic Palace of Reflections. What a pity. There used to be Eight Great Clans of Hell, each of which even had three core artifacts on which their entire clan was built. Too bad it’s all no more than a fragment of history now.”

Not even the least of the Eight Great Clans should be made light of. For instance, the city located at the edge of the Province of Bod used to be under the charge of the Zhao Clan.

Back then, when the coalition of seven underworlds joined forces and besieged Hell, the Zhao Clan was the ones who first held back the hordes of armies pouring out of the Aegyptian Underworld. Everything was clearly recorded in the annals of Hell’s history.

Nobody said a word as they flew through the city. Zhao Yun was taking in the extent of Ashmound City’s development, while Qin Ye was observing the changes that had taken place since he’d last been there.

But as they drew closer to the city tower in the middle of the city, Qin Ye slowly began to furrow his brows.

Qin Ye shook his head.

He could see that the stores by the roads were open, and yet there weren’t many people entering or leaving the stores. Upon closer inspection, Qin Ye could even see that most of the shelves were nearly empty. Meanwhile, there were a couple of merchants who would use loudspeakers to advertise the newest products that were soon about to hit the shelves, and countless Yin spirits would be gathered there at once.

After all, Ashmound City couldn’t truly be said to be self-sufficient, especially when it came to the production of many goods. After all, many of the new industries that had just been founded were still in their nascent stages, and it would take them at least a decade before things finally took off… at least, in the absence of a large injection of supplies.

Or through their negotiations with the mortal realm.

“You dare come back now?!” Arthis slammed down hard on her table and shot to her feet at once, “You--...”

Her gaze drifted past Qin Ye’s inconsequential figure and landed directly on Zhao Yun’s body.

Zhao Yun: ??????