Desolate Era

1-2

Book 1, Chapter 2 – Reincarnation

"By order of the Lord of Cui Palace, I have come to escort you to the Road to the Yellow Springs, brother."

In mid-air, a woman dressed in purple was flying while holding Ji Ning by his hand.

Ji Ning stared around him.

Just a moment ago, he had been in the palace of the Lord of Cui Palace. How did he suddenly appear in mid-air?

"Dare I ask, who exactly is the Lord of Cui Palace?" Ji Ning was puzzled. "I heard that before reincarnating, I should meet with the Judges of the Dead, who would investigate my past and present lives, then send me to be reincarnated?"

"Didn't you already see a Judge?" The violet clothed woman laughed. "As the Custodian of the Book of Life and Death, naturally the Lord of Cui Palace is the First Judge of the Dead! Since he personally came to judge you, of course the other common judges don't need to come judge you."

In the Netherworld Kingdom, the highest authority was that of the Yamas of the Ten Halls, the ten Kings of Hell. Immediately beneath them was the First Judge of the Dead, the Lord of Cui Palace, 'Cui Jue'.

His great fame had long since spread throughout the three Realms.

The Mortal Realm was vast beyond compare. It had three thousand major worlds and trillions of minor worlds. Every single living creature, before they were born, would have their good deeds and evil deeds assessed by the Judges. What an enormous task this was! Thus, the entire Netherworld Kingdom had trillions of Judges who were responsible for judging the dead souls of the trillions of worlds. But Cui Jue was the leader of all of the Judges, and was titled the First Judge. He was the true Custodian of the Book of Life and Death. His power was so great that he was virtually on the same level as the Ten Kings of Hell.

"Look. The Road to the Yellow Springs." The woman pointed to a vast road ahead of them, which had countless ghosts slowly trudging along in a line. "If you follow the road, you will quickly arrive at the Bridge of Despair. After you pass the Bridge of Despair and drink Grandma Meng's Elixer of Forgetfulness, you can go be reborn."

"Go."

The woman waved her hand.

Ji Ning's body was suddenly surrounded by golden light, which sent him flying straight down into the front of the line, allowing him to 'cut in line'.

The minotaur soldiers next to the line, upon seeing the violet clothed woman high up in the air, didn't dare to say a word. They even arranged for one of the minotaur soldiers to escort Ji Ning and were extremely courteous to him.

The Yellow Springs Road was full of mist. Countless souls were making their way through it, and Ji Ning was one of them.

"What's that?" Ji Ning stared in front.

In front of him, the mist was very thick. Any souls that entered there disappeared and never came back.

"Go on. In front is the Bridge of Despair." The nearby minotaur soldier said amiably.

Ji Ning nodded. Not hesitating, he stepped forward, entering that dense fog.

He suddenly felt as though spacetime had changed.

"Where is this?" Ji Ning stared at his surroundings in confusion. In front of him was a small, winding road. Ghostly forms could be hazily made out. In front of him, only a few dozen ghosts could be seen. In front of this little road was a river with rapid, turbid water.

"That should be the legendary Bridge of Despair." Ji Ning headed forward.

"How strange."

"Clearly, countless people entered here. But how come after I stepped in, so few people can be seen?" Ji Ning was quite baffled.