Chen Nan felt that his trip to the underworld had many memorable aspects.
It wasn't just about "playing with demons."
Surpassing Xu Xian.
He had also fished in the River of Forgetfulness.
And become sworn brothers with Di Ting.
Of course.
The most enjoyable part was beating up Yama, the King of Hell, right?
After all, he was a figure that inspired dread and terror.
Seeing the ferocious ghosts lunging at him with bared teeth and clawing hands.
Chen Nan's lips curved upwards slightly.
A hint of wild, evil charm flashed across his face.
"Hmm?"
Yama, watching from afar, saw his eerie smile.
A sense of foreboding inexplicably rose in his heart.
The next moment.
Chen Nan's body trembled.
A mysterious energy spread from within him.
He opened his mouth.
Whoosh!
A fierce wind arose!
Countless vengeful spirits let out terrified screams before being swallowed into his belly.
In an instant.
All the vengeful spirits released by Yama vanished into nothingness.
"Damn it!"
"What's going on?"
"You actually ate all those vengeful spirits?"
Yama's scalp tingled.
A monstrous wave of shock surged through him.
Even seeing it with his own eyes.
He couldn't believe what was happening before him.
He couldn't believe Chen Nan could devour those vengeful spirits.
"Eating ghosts?"
"Don't be absurd!"
"I have no interest in this kind of trash."
Chen Nan chuckled.
The Path of Beasts (Xusheng Dao) spread out from his body: "I was merely sending them on their way to be reborn!"
Plop!
Yama collapsed onto the ground, his face ashen. "Xusheng Dao... the Path of Beasts?"
"Impossible!"
"How can the Path of Beasts be in your hands?"
He found it unbelievable that Chen Nan controlled the Path of Beasts, one of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
"Didn't you want to teach me a lesson?"
"Come!"
"Let me see what you've got!"
A cold glint flashed in Chen Nan's eyes.
He instantly appeared before Yama.
And launched a fierce assault.
"Ah!"
"Don't hit me!"
"I was wrong, I was wrong!"
"Hit me slower, I won't fight back..."
"Ancestor, can you please not hit my face?"
Across the vast heavens and earth.
Yama let out heart-wrenching screams and pleas.
His sanity had completely shattered!
Because in his memory.
The Six Paths of Reincarnation had always resided in the deepest depths of the underworld.
Guarded by Empress Houtu.
But.
Who could have imagined.
That Chen Nan controlled the Path of Beasts?
This was a terrifying thought.
Yes.
He didn't know why the Path of Beasts was in Chen Nan's possession.
But he did know.
There was another Path of Beasts in the depths of the underworld.
And there was only one Path of Beasts in existence.
If the Path of Beasts in Chen Nan's hands was real.
Then the one in the depths of the underworld must be fake?
A long while later.
Chen Nan stopped, panting heavily.
wisps of heat rose from his body.
"Now, do you believe that Brother Dog told you not to trouble me for your own protection?" Chen Nan casually sat down in the snow.
Yama, bruised and battered beside him, his mouth twitching in pain.
"Sir, who exactly are you?"
Yama's mind was blown.
No!
More accurately, his mind had gone numb.
Chen Nan looked up at the sky and murmured, "Me?"
"I am merely a transient passerby in this world!"
Yama was speechless.
You're awesome!
You're powerful!
If you're so capable, don't be coy!
Although he disliked Chen Nan's way of speaking.
Yama clearly understood.
That his understanding of good and evil might be flawed.
Of course.
He didn't believe he was wrong.
Because for so many years, his understanding of good and evil had never wavered.
It was just that.
Chen Nan's criteria for judging good and evil made him feel like he might be mistaken.
After all.
Even though he didn't want to admit it.
There was one thing he couldn't deny.
A true powerhouse, even if he farted, ordinary people would consider inhaling it to extend their lifespan.
Therefore.
He had to ponder what constituted good and what constituted evil.
He cleared his throat and said, "Sir, I know who killed Han Zongyuan..."
"You don't need to tell me that." Chen Nan took out two jars of strong liquor from his storage artifact and casually tossed one to Yama, then said, "I will personally investigate the culprit behind this."
"Oh, right!"
"There is something I'd like to ask your advice on."
"You shouldn't say that." Yama said awkwardly. "Please just give me your orders, asking for advice is absolutely out of the question."
Chen Nan gave him a disdainful look. "I want to know about the Imperial Tutor!"
Yama relaxed.
He knew about Chen Nan's feud with the Lu family.
He also knew that the Lu family's backing was the Imperial Tutor.
"I respect you." Yama raised his jar of wine and lightly clinked it with Chen Nan's. After taking a sip, he said, "I don't know much about the Imperial Tutor."
"However, this person is deeply loved by the people."
"Not only because he proposed many new policies that benefited the country and its people."
"The main reason is his close relationship with the monks of Great Zhao Temple."
"If I remember correctly, Great Zhao Temple was proposed by the Imperial Tutor."
"Of course."
"That was ten thousand years ago."
"At that time, the Anti-Heaven Cult had not yet rebelled."
"Speaking of which, it's thanks to the Imperial Tutor that Buddhism could establish a foothold in the underworld."
"He has been promoting Buddhist culture."
"Spreading wisdom and compassion throughout the underworld."
"As a result, many people in the underworld have come to believe in Buddhism."
"And gradually gained many Buddhist followers."
"Before that, there was only Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the underworld."
Chen Nan nodded slightly, not expecting the Imperial Tutor to have such a connection with Buddhism. He then asked, "What does Buddhism look like in your eyes?"
Yama pondered for a moment and said, "In my eyes, there is no Buddhism, only one Buddha."
"That is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!"
"Although he is also an outsider monk."
"His vow is 'Until the hells are empty, I will not attain Buddhahood.'"
Chen Nan gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Until the hells are empty, I will not attain Buddhahood?"
"Can the hells ever be empty?"
Yama smiled obsequiously. "You are right, the hells will never be empty."
"But..."
"The reason Ksitigarbha said that was to avoid becoming corrupted by those in the Buddhist world!"
Chen Nan's spirit jolted.
The vow 'Until the hells are empty, I will not attain Buddhahood' could be interpreted this way?
Yama spoke with increasing anger. "Yes!"
"I admit that the West has countless Buddhas."
"But in my opinion."
"There is only one Buddha in the world who possesses great wisdom and great compassion."
"Even though he has not attained Buddhahood."
"He surpasses all the Buddhas in the West."
"As for your question about my view on Buddhism..."
Yama took two gulps of strong liquor, his eyes growing dark. "They are nothing more than a group of hypocritical bald donkeys who prattle on about benevolence and morality!"
"They constantly say that the sea of suffering is boundless, and turning back leads to salvation."
"They say that if you drop the butcher's knife, you will become a Buddha on the spot."
"I cannot agree with this."
"If you make a mistake, do evil, you must be punished, you must go to hell."
"You must be cast into the Path of Beasts."
"Why should a single phrase 'drop the butcher's knife and become a Buddha' erase the evil a person has done in the world?"
"If this is what they call compassion."
"Then, who will bring justice to the victims?"
"If Buddha can truly absolve all the evil in the world."
"Then why are there still demons in the human realm?"
"Why are the eighteen levels of hell still overcrowded?"