allendalepharm Chapter 217 Post-War Settlement and Rewards in the Yin and Yang Realms
Chapter 217 Post-War Settlement and Rewards in the Yin and Yang Realms
Within the vast pool of faith, the golden liquid churned like boiling magma. This was not only the ultimate awe that the four billion survivors worldwide felt for the "Netherworld," but also the fervent faith that humanity developed after surviving the crisis of annihilation.
"System, settle the battle report and initiate the Yin-Yang Realm Bounty Program."
Gu Qing's voice echoed in the empty mechanical cabin, devoid of any human emotion, yet exuding the majestic authority of the law.
[Command confirmed, initiating access to the laws of heaven and earth...]
[Bounty Target 1: The Netherworld.]
With a flick of his sleeve, Gu Qing drew an extremely complex golden rune in the void with his fingertips, which was then directly injected into the endless void beneath his feet.
……
The underworld, Fengdu Ghost City.
The 100,000 Yin soldiers, who had just returned to their camp, stood solemnly below the reviewing stand. Just then, the underworld sky, which had always been shrouded in purplish-black miasma, was suddenly torn apart from the middle by a pair of invisible hands, like a scroll being painted.
A dazzling golden light, over a hundred feet in diameter, carrying pure and boundless heavenly might, crashed down from the crack and enveloped the entire command platform!
"Zhao Feng, receive your appointment."
Gu Qing's grand, ethereal, and unquestionable Daoist voice boomed throughout the depths of the Nine Netherworlds, causing the River of Oblivion to surge backward and all the ghosts in the eighteen levels of hell to fall silent and tremble.
Zhao Feng, standing on the high platform, trembled. This old general, who had been unyielding in life and never bowed even in the face of death, did not hesitate at all. He clasped his hands together and knelt heavily on one knee on the platform of white bones.
"Zhao Feng, heed the Daoist Master's decree!"
"When calamity struck, you commanded your troops skillfully and defended the mortal realm to the death; after entering the underworld, you were impartial and incorruptible, pacifying the demons and monsters of the human world. In both your life and death, you performed great deeds for all living beings."
As the Daoist chant echoed, a crystal radiating ten-colored light slowly descended from the towering golden light. It was the [Netherworld Qi Origin] that Gu Qing had forcibly condensed through the system by expending a massive amount of faith power.
"Today, I formally strip you of your 'acting' position. I bestow upon you the essence of the Netherworld's energy, and forge your indestructible golden body of a ghost immortal! From this day forward, you are the true first Ten Kings of Hell in this Netherworld, wielding the Book of Life and Death, severing the path between Yin and Yang!"
The ten-colored crystal instantly disappeared into Zhao Feng's brow.
"boom--!!!"
An extremely yin pressure, more than ten times greater than before, suddenly erupted from Zhao Feng's body! The purple-black official robe he was wearing, which was originally just the robe of a fifth-rank city god, under the baptism of golden light, underwent a crazy transformation, turning into a Yama's robe embroidered with nine netherworld dragons and wearing a twelve-tassel crown!
His originally illusory body of law now possessed a fleshy texture that seemed almost tangible; it was the "indestructible golden body" unique to ghosts and gods.
Feeling the terrifying power within him that seemed capable of easily tearing through space, Zhao Feng kowtowed deeply: "Your subject, Zhao Feng, accepts the decree and thanks you! I will serve the Dao Lord, and for this world, guard the Nine Netherworlds, even unto death!"
Gu Qing's gaze did not linger, but instead turned to the 100,000 silent, black-armored Yin soldiers below.
"You were born heroes, and you died as valiant ghosts. You fought and died to protect China; your souls are worthy of respect, and your will is commendable."
"I hereby bestow upon you the title of Immortals in the Underworld, freeing you from the torment of wandering souls. You shall enjoy the incense offerings of the mortal realm for generations to come, and your lifespan shall be equal to that of the Netherworld. You are hereby granted the title—【Netherworld Celestial Army】!"
Golden raindrops of merit fell upon the black armor of the 100,000 Yin soldiers. The souls that had been broken by the deaths in battle were now completely restored, transforming into indestructible Yin warrior bodies.
"I kowtow in gratitude to the Daoist Master for his divine grace!!!"
One hundred thousand soldiers knelt down in unison, their deafening roar creating a terrifying storm in the underworld. They knew that from this day forward, they were no longer wandering ghosts, but deities with an orthodox system of authority, recognized by the Heavenly Dao!
……
After dealing with the rewards bestowed upon him in the underworld, Gu Qing turned his gaze back to the mortal realm.
[Second target for the reward: Cultivation Realm and mortal beings in the mortal world.]
Huaxia, the main peak of Kunlun Mountain.
"Thump—thump—thump—"
The ancient bronze bell, silent for so long, suddenly rang nine times in succession amidst the sea of clouds. The distant and solemn sound transformed into visible golden sound waves, instantly spreading to every corner of the globe.
Whether it was soldiers clearing the battlefield from the ruins, civilians shivering in underground air-raid shelters, or cultivators who had just experienced a bloody battle, they all raised their heads at the same time.
On the white jade square of Kunlun's main peak, thousands of surviving disciples stood densely packed together.
They were veterans who had been withdrawn from defense lines around the world. Among them, some had lost arms, some were blind, and their blue Taoist robes were now stained dark red with blood. The naive fearlessness they had shown when they first came down the mountain had long since vanished, replaced by a chilling aura of menace, like a sword drawn from its sheath.
As the bells tolled, the sea of clouds in the sky rolled and retreated to both sides.
Gu Qing's colossal Dharma form, towering tens of thousands of feet high and seemingly as tall as heaven and earth, slowly emerged from the clouds. The slowly rotating Tai Chi Bagua diagram shone behind his head, radiating a vast heavenly might that compelled all beings to bow down in worship.
"Greetings, Lord Dao!"
At that moment, thousands of disciples on Kunlun Mountain, and billions of people around the world watching this scene on screens, spontaneously knelt down.
"The first tribulation has passed."
Gu Qing's voice, neither sad nor happy, resounded through the Earth's atmosphere, transforming into a warm spring breeze that swept across this scarred planet: "All those who fight for the survival of humankind have rendered great service to Heaven and Earth."
"The rain falls, a sweet dew."
Gu Qing's words became law; she extended her crystal-clear finger and gently touched the Earth below.
In an instant, a dreamlike golden rain of light fell from the sky. It was the purest [Life Essence] transformed from the system's power!
A miracle occurred when golden raindrops fell on the Kunlun disciples.
Everyone felt an extremely gentle yet domineering surge of life force enter their bodies. The corroded, charred, and necrotic flesh rapidly sloughed off, and new bones and muscles grew at a visible speed, restoring them to their original state in the blink of an eye! Not only that, but their dantian, which had been depleted due to overexertion, now surged with spiritual energy as if it had been parched for a long time and received timely rain!
"Buzz—"
Throughout the entire White Jade Square, disciples who had regained their sight after losing an arm or their eyesight was restored burst forth with breakthroughs one after another. The resilient Dao hearts they had honed on the brink of life and death bore their most abundant fruit under the nourishment of this heavenly rain.
"All disciples of Kunlun, receive your titles."
Gu Qing looked down and solemnly declared, "Those who slay demons and protect the common people in this battle will be exceptionally promoted to Kunlun [True Disciple]! They will be granted entry into the inner chamber of the Scripture Pavilion, given access to superior immortal techniques, and will enjoy the spiritual energy of blessed lands!"
"Thank you, Dao Lord, for bestowing this law! We are willing to go through fire and water for you for generations!" Thousands of cultivators who had undergone a complete transformation were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes, and they kowtowed to the ground.
The golden rain fell not only on Kunlun, but also on ordinary ruins all over the world.
On the devastated front line, the mortal soldiers who were on the verge of death from severe injuries miraculously stopped bleeding from their fatal wounds and even began to scab over after being drenched in this rain of light; the civilians who had contracted radiation sickness from the spiritual energy storm regained their rosy complexion.
Like withered trees coming back to life and the earth warming up, green shoots miraculously sprouted from the frozen soil scorched by war.
The four billion surviving mortals around the world, bathed in this miraculous rain, embraced each other and wept. They finally truly felt that the gods not only have the wrath of thunder, but also the heart of mercy.
"The system panel shows that the global average life expectancy has increased by fifteen years thanks to the rain."
Gu Qing coldly read the data in his mind. He wasn't doing this out of pure kindness; the surviving humans needed to reproduce and thrive, needed healthy bodies to face the next, even more brutal evolution. A lifeless planet couldn't provide him with high-quality information.
After doing all this, Gu Qing's Dharma form slowly dimmed its light in the clouds.
But his last words to all mankind were like a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of four billion people, instantly plunging everyone who was just immersed in the joy of surviving the catastrophe into an icy abyss.
"Though the initial tribulation has receded, the gaze of the abyss has never left."
Gu Qing's voice turned unprecedentedly cold, "This world has bought you ten years. It is predicted that after ten years, the secrets of heaven will reverse, and the gates of the void will open again. At that time, what will descend will no longer be these mindless beasts, but a world-destroying calamity capable of devouring stars."
"All living beings, take care of yourselves."
The words faded completely, and the sky returned to its azure blue. But Gu Qing's words, "a ten-year deadline," struck like a heavy hammer at the heart of every power center in the world.
……
China, Kyoto, the highest underground fortress.
The director of Bureau 749, the supreme commander of the military, and several other top decision-makers with square faces had just recovered from the shock of the miraculous rain. Their ailments and fatigue had vanished, but none of them showed any signs of relief.
The atmosphere around the large conference table was oppressive and suffocating.
"ten years……"
The supreme decision-maker rubbed his temples, exhaling a long breath. His face, previously flushed from the rain, now appeared extremely grave. "You all heard the Dao Lord's words. In this war, we lost four billion people, half the world's population turned to ashes, and yet... it was only the so-called 'Initial Tribulation'?"
"We managed to survive once with our 100,000 Dao soldiers and Kunlun cultivators, but who can guarantee we can survive a second time?"
The meeting room fell into dead silence.
Everyone knows that in the face of absolute power, past great power rivalries, geopolitics, and even the deterrent effect of nuclear weapons have become a colossal joke. If, in the next decade, humanity continues to fight amongst itself and be wary of one another, then utter extinction awaits this planet.
"This can't go on any longer."
The Supreme Commander of the military slammed his fist on the table, stood up, and his fierce eyes flashed with determination. "The old order has been smashed to pieces. We need a completely new system to integrate all the resources on this planet! There can be no internal strife whatsoever!"
The top decision-maker slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on the bright red flag on the conference room wall.
"Connect with North America, Russia, the European Union... all those powers that still have a remnant of their establishment."
His voice was deep and powerful, announcing the complete end of an old era: "Tell them that the existence of national borders is meaningless now."
"To prepare for the annihilation that will occur ten years from now, we need to establish a unified government unlike any other in human history. We will share cultivation resources and technological advancements with all survivors, but on the condition that..."
An undeniable air of dominance flashed in the eyes of the supreme decision-maker: "In this game of life and death, China, with its Kunlun lineage and the strongest superhuman weaponry, must hold absolute dominance!"
This day marked the first day after the disaster and the beginning of a new era.
A cataclysmic change sweeping the globe was officially launched, spurred by Gu Qing's casual remark about a "ten-year deadline."