Immortal Paladin

542 God of the Underworld

When I gained the Ophanim, I felt like I had seized the universe itself within my palms. Knowledge flowed through me in endless spirals. Every law. Every movement. Every possible consequence branching into a thousand more consequences. Near omniscience. Near perfection. I remembered how terrified I had been when I first touched that power. I had feared what it meant for someone like me to wield something so absolute. At the same time, another part of me had felt untouchable. Invincible. Above consequence.

That illusion had died long ago.

Everything that led to this moment had shattered it piece by piece. The wars between layers. The betrayals. The collapse of civilizations. The endless dead piling beneath my feet. And now the Great Beast threatened to devour not only the Underworld, but the rest of existence beyond it. Entire layers were disappearing into its maw while I struggled just to slow it down.

The Weight of Existence had interfered countless times. I could have blamed that. It was easy to blame cosmic laws for my failures. The truth was uglier.

The universe was simply unfair.

No amount of power changed that.

We arrived upon one of the Hanging Islands suspended above the World Tree. Massive roots thicker than continents coiled through the endless void beneath us, glowing with dim silver veins that pulsed like the heartbeat of existence itself. The island trembled occasionally as distant impacts echoed across reality. Somewhere far away, another layer was probably dying.

The former Judges of the Underworld stood waiting for me.

Eight figures. Eight remnants of a broken system trying desperately to survive the end.

I recognized several of them immediately. Judge of Fate Wang Zhou stood silently with her hands folded behind her back. Judge of Legacy Zhan Chen looked exhausted beyond words. Judge of Order Shi Chang remained rigid as a statue, his expression severe enough to freeze storms. Wang Yang, the Judge of Karma, looked hollow. The weight beneath his eyes made him seem older than the Underworld itself.

The remaining judges were strangers to me. Intent. Truth. Bonds. Suffering.

I looked at all of them and realized how absurd this gathering truly was. Gods standing upon a hanging island discussing how to save a collapsing universe.

“I suppose introductions are unnecessary for some of you,” I said. My voice carried across the island more quietly than I intended. “Others, unfortunately, I’m only meeting for the first time.”

The judges remained silent.

I continued, “It’s unfortunate there’s no time for us to actually know one another. As all of you are already aware, the Underworld is about to end.”

Zhan Chen immediately stepped forward.

“This is not what you promised me, Da Wei,” he said coldly. “You promised to protect my world—”

“That’s easy for you to say,” interrupted the Judge of Bonds bitterly. His voice cracked with restrained fury. “My layer’s gone!”

The atmosphere instantly became heavier.

Wang Yang gave a faint laugh devoid of humor. “It’s over regardless,” he muttered. “The end’s finally here for all of us. Maybe the only thing left now is to hold our loved ones close while we still can.”

“You dare speak?” snapped the Judge of Intent.

The Judge of Truth glared at Wang Yang with outright disgust. “Traitor. You forfeited your right to speak for the Underworld long ago. Carousing with Conquest, acting as his pet? Have you no shame?”

Wang Yang’s hollow eyes lowered, though he did not defend himself.

“ORDER!”

Shi Chang’s roar exploded across the Hanging Island like heavenly thunder. The roots of the World Tree vibrated violently beneath our feet.

“Or do all of you want me to put you in time out!?”

Silence immediately followed.

Among the remaining judges, Shi Chang was unquestionably the strongest. Even now, with the Underworld collapsing around us, nobody wished to challenge him directly.

“What are we doing here, Master?” Hei Mao asked beside me.

Before I could answer, my shadow rippled unnaturally.

Jue Bu emerged from the darkness behind me as though the void itself had vomited him out. He stretched casually before flashing an infuriating grin at everyone present.

“Oh, of course,” he said cheerfully, “it’s to discuss how we’re going to save the Underworld.”

The reactions around us were that of shock and confusion.

Several judges instinctively released their spiritual pressure. The Judge of Suffering nearly summoned his weapon before stopping himself. Even Shi Chang’s eyes widened slightly.

Only Wang Zhou remained unsurprised.

“My fellow judges,” she said calmly, “he might look different, but no, you are not mistaken. This is indeed the Judge of Fools, Jue Bu. The former judge of the long-destroyed layer of the Underworld. The King of Fools.”

Jue Bu immediately struck a ridiculous pose with both hands raised dramatically.

“Tada~! I got a new job as Da Wei’s double!”

Hei Mao slowly covered his face with one hand.

“Do not make it sound as if you are doing a good job,” he muttered. “Half the World Council knows you are not master. And to get things straight, you snatched master’s body, defiled it, somehow survived the consequences, and then managed to place yourself within master’s good graces.”

“So what?” Jue Bu asked smugly.

Hei Mao stared at him for a long moment before sighing heavily.

“I’m just saying,” he said tiredly, “I remember.”

“So, what’s the plan, Da Wei?” Shi Chang asked.

I exhaled slowly.

“On our way here from the World Council chamber,” I began, “I used the Ophanim to consult every knowledgeable and wise soul across the Hollowed World.”

Several judges frowned immediately.

I continued before they could interrupt me.

“I don’t mean merely scholars or strategists. I mean every cultivator at the Tenth Realm or Eleventh Realm possessing enough renown, experience, or wisdom to contribute something meaningful. Sect founders. Ancient cultivators in seclusion. Imperial advisors. Former heroes. Martial artists. Saints. Powerful practitioners. Anyone whose thoughts carried enough weight to matter.”

The Hollow Star pulsed painfully.

Even now, remembering it made my skull ache.

“Through alternate perceived timelines,” I said, “I allowed them to debate with one another. Argue. Criticize. Refine possibilities. Entire discussions stretched across thousands of years within my perception despite only moments passing in reality.”

The judges stared at me with growing disbelief.

Truthfully, I still found it difficult to believe myself.

I hadn’t even known Ophanim could accomplish something like that. Apparently, the imminent destruction of existence was excellent motivation for personal growth.

I would have preferred not discovering that.

“The strain nearly tore my soul apart,” I admitted. “Channeling that much quintessence through the Hollow Star felt like forcing molten iron through my veins. So believe me when I say I would rather never attempt something like that again.”

Wang Zhou narrowed her eyes slightly.

“So,” she asked, “what solution did your countless enlightened minds arrive at?”

I looked at every judge in silence before answering.

“We let the Underworld fall.”

The reaction was immediate chaos.

“You’ve lost your mind!”

“Absolutely unacceptable!”

“If the Great Beast devours the Underworld unchecked, it will only grow stronger!”

“You’re asking us to surrender existence itself!”

The Judge of Bonds nearly erupted with killing intent while the Judge of Suffering openly looked at me as though considering whether murdering me immediately would improve our chances.

Unexpectedly, the calmest person present was Zhan Chen.

“Enough,” he said sharply.

His voice cut through the arguing surprisingly well.

“At least hear him out first.”

The judges reluctantly quieted.

Jue Bu burst into laughter beside me.

“I told you they wouldn’t like it,” he said gleefully. “And I bet they’ll hate the next part even more. How about you leave the explaining to me, my friend? I’m already accustomed to being hated.”

“There’s no need,” I replied.

I stepped forward toward the edge of the Hanging Island. Below us, the endless layers of the Hollowed World shimmered beneath the branches of the World Tree like fractured mirrors suspended within darkness. Of course, only I could see them through Ophanim.

“My plan is to evacuate every sapient lifeform within the Hollowed World onto one side of the world.”

The judges froze.

“Using my authority over the Hollowed World,” I continued, “I’ve already begun gathering civilization toward designated regions with the Dark Veil. Thankfully, there are no surviving civilizations more advanced than the territories under the Holy Ascension Empire. That simplifies logistics considerably.”

I raised one hand, summoning a massive mirage through Divine Phantasm of Dreams.

The illusion spread across the sky above the Hanging Island.

The Great Beast appeared first.

An abomination of blackened flesh and endless hunger tearing through reality itself.

Then came Nidhogg.

The Void Beast coiled around collapsing layers while its colossal jaws clashed against the Great Beast amidst storms of devoured stars and shattered laws.

The sight alone made several judges pale.

“The Void Beast is buying us time,” I said. “Not much, but enough. So I’ll make this explanation brief.”

The illusion shifted.

Two glowing points appeared within the Hollowed World.

“War and Famine,” I said. “The Great Beast wants both. War remains trapped within the Dark Veil. Famine remains trapped in a reincarnation cycle within the False Earth.”

Understanding slowly dawned across several faces.

“The plan is to lure the Great Beast toward the designated side of the Hollowed World where the Warden and I will fight it.”

Utter silence followed.

Even Shi Chang looked momentarily speechless.

Jue Bu snickered beside me.

“I know, right? Ridiculous. Absolutely bonkers. A true Da Wei fashion suicidal charge.”

“I have no intention of allowing the Great Beast to devour the rest of the Hollowed World,” I clarified calmly.

The mirage shifted again.

This time, layers of the Underworld descended toward the Hollowed World like burning continents falling from the heavens.

“I intend to use my authority as owner of the Hollowed World and the authority of the sole Yama King to force sections of the Underworld into the Hollowed World before they can be fully consumed.”

I pointed toward the descending realms.

“The ninth through seventh layers.”

Zhan Chen’s expression immediately darkened.

“No,” he said firmly. “I refuse. I will not allow my world to perish.”

I looked directly at him.

“Your world doesn’t need to perish.”

He frowned.

“The descent of realms into the Hollowed World is a phenomenon studied for ages,” I explained. “Integration damage depends heavily upon stabilization, environmental compatibility, and controlled convergence. I have no intention of allowing your layer and the world you spent countless years protecting to simply crumble beneath fate.”

The island winds howled around us.

Then I said the only thing that truly mattered.

“Let me do my job.”

The judges remained unconvinced.

I could see it in their faces. Doubt. Fear. Suspicion. Some of them wanted to believe me because the alternative was despair, while others looked at me as though I had finally succumbed to the pressure crushing the universe.

Honestly, perhaps I had.

Without another word, I activated the Ophanim.

Golden rings unfolded behind my back, vast and endless, each one layered with incomprehensible symbols that rotated slower than dying stars. The Hanging Island darkened as countless visions spread across the air around us.

Possible futures.

Broken timelines.

Outcomes born from disaster.

I could no longer gaze upon destiny with certainty. The Great Beast’s Weight of Existence distorted causality itself. Futures shattered simply by approaching it. Entire timelines collapsed into static whenever its presence became too dominant.

Even so, I could still show possibilities.

The judges watched silently as the visions unfolded.

One future showed the Great Beast devouring the Underworld entirely before turning toward the Hollowed World unhindered. Entire civilizations vanished beneath oceans of black flesh while the World Tree screamed like a living thing being skinned alive.

Another future showed us defending every layer stubbornly until exhaustion destroyed us. The Great Beast consumed us one by one afterward.

Another showed the Hollowed World attempting evacuation too late. Trillions died trampling each other before the Beast even arrived.

And then the worst future.

A future where I hesitated.

In that future, nothing survived.

The visions faded.

The Hanging Island became deathly silent.

Several judges looked visibly shaken. The Judge of Bonds had gone pale while the Judge of Suffering stared downward with trembling hands. Even Shi Chang’s rigid composure cracked slightly.

Finally, Wang Zhou spoke.

“…I hate this plan.”

“So do I,” muttered the Judge of Truth.

Zhan Chen closed his eyes for several moments before exhaling heavily. “But compared to the alternatives, this gives us the highest probability of survival.”

“The Underworld really is ending…” whispered the Judge of Intent quietly.

Nobody contradicted him.

Hei Mao suddenly spoke beside me.

“Master,” he asked carefully, “what are we even doing here?”

I glanced toward him.

“You can accomplish all of this from afar. You can cast your eyes upon the world itself. You can convince them through visions, decrees, or sheer authority.” His dark eyes narrowed slightly. “There was no need to gather everyone personally. Why am I here, master?”

Then his gaze shifted toward Jue Bu.

“And why is he here?”

The island became quiet again.

I looked at Hei Mao for a long moment before answering.

“I want you to become a Yama King.”

Shock instantly spread across the judges.

Hei Mao himself froze.

“I want you,” I continued, “to inherit the proofs of the Underworld. When this is over, I want you to establish the Underworld here within the Hollowed World.”

“What?” the Judge of Bonds blurted.

Shi Chang’s eyes widened slightly. “Da Wei…”

Hei Mao stared at me as though I had spoken nonsense.

Before he could respond, Jue Bu casually stepped forward.

“The Layer of Fool was already integrated into this world,” he said. “I’m still technically a Yama King even if I don’t look the part anymore. Accept it.”

He held out his symbol.

A beautiful purple marble appeared within his palm. Darkness swirled faintly around its edges while impossible colors shimmered deep inside its core like imprisoned dreams.

Without hesitation, he pressed it into Hei Mao’s chest.

The marble dissolved into violet light.

Hei Mao staggered slightly as the authority settled into his soul.

I stepped forward afterward and placed my hand upon his shoulder.

Then I transferred the remaining symbols.

One by one, the proofs I had gathered from the fallen Judges of the Underworld flowed into Hei Mao. Ancient authorities. Forgotten laws. Endless rivers of death and reincarnation.

The surrounding air trembled violently.

Hei Mao’s eyes widened as divine pressure erupted around him uncontrollably.

“You are the God of the Underworld now, Hei Mao,” I said quietly. “Jue Bu will help you. He can provide as much quintessence as needed through the Hollow Star.”

Then I removed my crown.

The Hollow Star pulsed within my grasp like a living heart forged from galaxies.

I placed it upon Jue Bu’s head.

The instant it settled there, countless golden rings reflected within his eyes.

“I’m going to need that back eventually,” I told him. “But you know what to do.”

Jue Bu grinned.

“Leave it to me, my friend. If things go horribly wrong, I’ll make sure they become even worse in the funniest possible way.”

“…Comforting,” muttered Wang Yang.

Ignoring them, I turned toward the judges again.

“I have intel regarding Meng Po,” I said. “I need her. Bring me to her.”

The reactions immediately became strange.

Several judges exchanged glances.

The Judge of Truth frowned. “Meng Po?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” said the Judge of Intent far too quickly.

Shi Chang remained silent.

I narrowed my eyes.

“I received information that Meng Po was with the Supreme Death.”

Several expressions changed instantly.

“But the Supreme Death is already dead,” I continued. “Killed with ‘life.’”

The island winds suddenly felt colder.

“I searched the First Layer,” I said. “I searched for her before the Unsupreme Death transformed into the Great Beast. She wasn’t there.”

Understanding slowly settled inside me.

“She’s somewhere else.”

Silence.

Then I looked directly at Shi Chang.

“And now,” I said coldly, “I’m certain all of you know exactly where.”

Shi Chang’s jaw tightened.

I stepped toward him.

“Bring me to the grave of the Supreme Death.”