Light Fortress Chapter 1720 - 382: You Are My Eyes, and

"This deceased… does not wish for the Netherworld Poison to spread?"

Though Mu Wanqiu could not decipher the inscriptions on the coffin, she grasped the gist of it.

"The Netherworld King’s calamity carries the effect of eroding the human mind," Gu Shen stated slowly. "The calamity invaded his thoughts, and at the final moment before his consciousness disintegrated, he chose to block the Netherworld Poison."

Gu Shen snapped his fingers once more.

Snap!

A sharp sound echoed. The Netherfire Authority was activated, intertwining with a wisp of ink-black Chi Huo, and plunged into the soul sea of the individual within the coffin.

"Buzz buzz buzz——" Amidst the burning Chi Huo, the brow of the deceased emitted a fierce roar!

Due to the prolonged passage of time since death and Gu Shen not yet being a true "Netherworld King," even if the Pure Land accepted him for reincarnation, the deceased could not be resurrected in a complete state.

Nevertheless, he still opened his eyes.

Empty, desiccated eyes!

"I wish to see your final memory," Gu Shen declared, crouching down. "If anything remains."

The essence of this corpse had faded, as had its spirit. Yet, drawn by the Netherworld King Authority, the deceased seemed to comprehend Gu Shen's words. To him, it sounded like the command of a deity.

The deceased extended both palms, raising them gently, offering the empty air to Gu Shen. Thousands of strands of Chi Huo sprang forth from his withered skin, converging at his palms, as if he were holding a handful of embers.

Gu Shen dipped a finger into the flames.

Fleeting and fragmented images surged into his mind's sea. The mists of Frost Iron Mountain dissipated as this nameless individual, who had been "dead yet revived," used his last memories to illuminate the specific path leading into the depths of Frost Iron Mountain.

"Rest in peace. Henceforth, no one shall disturb your eternal slumber." Gu Shen stood, waving his hand to disperse the Chi Huo.

The corpse did not fall; instead, it was consumed by the fire, disintegrating into countless ashes. These ashes scattered across the real world, swiftly washed away by the falling rain.

However, within the Spiritual World, these ashes coalesced into souls, reconstructing the appearance of the "deceased" before his demise. Gu Shen then chose to utilize the Pure Land to grant him ultimate tranquility.

The spiritual image shared by the corpse was then projected by Gu Shen into Mu Wanqiu's mind's sea.

The two stood beneath a sky of iron-blue as the raindrops descended like sharp blades.

"I don’t know why, but I have a profound sense of foreboding," Gu Shen admitted. "I continuously feel as though I'm on the verge of witnessing something dreadful."

"Is it like the Duolu River incident?" Mu Wanqiu inquired, recalling their discovery of the Netherworld King's temple there.

"Perhaps something worse," Gu Shen replied, taking a deep breath. "My intuition of unease is stronger than ever before."

He had always placed his trust in his instincts. He surmised that the path indicated by the deceased likely led to a domain of calamity established by the former Netherworld King.

Gu Shen was acutely aware of the former Netherworld King's nature. The actions this individual had taken after losing his sanity were truly horrifying.

Yet, this time, he experienced only a "heaviness of heart," an inexplicable "unease," devoid of any soul-stirring omen of danger. This unease corresponded with a fully restored cross pendant that showed no disturbance.

The Goddess of Destiny's Sanctuary conveyed a message to Gu Shen through this means: the impending calamity realm posed no threat to life.

...

...

If there was no life-threatening danger, what else could be causing this sense of unease?

The iron-blue night sky was rent asunder by a fierce cascade of sword light. Gu Shen unleashed his Half-sleeve Iron Scales, connected by Chi Huo, illuminating an entire mountain path. The entrance to this calamity realm lay concealed halfway up the mountain.

Finding it was not difficult; even without the deceased's guidance, locating the entrance would not have taken long.

The scorching sword light pierced the prolonged night and traversed the calamity realm. Gu Shen and Mu Wanqiu stepped into this domain, confronting a vast expanse of darkness. Chi Huo pierced through the gloom, revealing familiar colossal pillars and a grand bronze dome.

A significant quantity of disaster aura permeated the area.

"To think the former Netherworld King actually constructed a calamity realm within Frost Iron Mountain… Is this a new Netherworld Palace?" Mu Wanqiu narrowed her eyes and reached out to touch the immense pillars.

She remembered the perilous encounters within the Duolu River Calamity Realm inside the Netherworld Palace. This place, however, did not instill a strong sense of danger in her.

Perhaps it was due to her recent promotion to the Crown Bearer?

"To be precise, it is an old Netherworld Palace," Gu Shen clarified.Gu Shen fixed his gaze upon the entryway of the bronze hall, remarking with composed demeanor, "This edifice predates the Duolu River Netherworld Palace by a considerable margin, and its concealment has endured for an even longer duration... it is unmistakably the work of the former Netherworld King before his descent into 'madness.' The former Netherworld King shared a bond of friendship with Gu Changzhi. Given Gu Changzhi's inherently righteous nature, he would never permit 'evil madness' to birth realms of calamity within the Eastern Continent. Consequently, the Frost Iron Mountain Disaster Zone must have been forged during the Netherworld King's period of 'sound mind.' Mu Wanqiu's brow furrowed, as she inquired, "Yet, how do we account for the 'calamity' seeping out from within?" If this bronze hall was indeed the creation of the former Netherworld King while he still possessed his faculties. Then why is it now exuding 'disaster'? "Netherfire represents the confluence of all worldly calamities." Gu Shen mused for a short while before stating, "Let us venture deeper... to unveil the true visage of this bronze hall." The passage into the Frost Iron Mountain disaster realm seamlessly merged with the corridors of the Netherworld King Temple. They proceeded forward, their steps echoing with each advance. A cursory examination of their surroundings revealed that the construction materials of this temple were of exceptional resilience and fortitude.