Chapter 60

The Sutra of the Eighteen Netherworlds states: In life, one sees the sun, but more often does not. Good and evil change, not resembling each other. Disrespecting parents, offending the Son of Heaven, one dies and enters the netherworld, with varying depths.

There are eight fiery netherworlds and ten icy netherworlds, with the fiery ones located below the earth's surface and the icy ones at the boundary of heaven and earth. Those who were evil in the past but became good later do not enter the netherworld.

...

There are eight fiery netherworlds, with deeper and more severe punishments for greater evil, and shallower and easier ones for lesser evil.

The netherworld is like a prisoner confined in a dungeon, sentenced to labor far away, dying in the wilderness. Halfway through, if they fall into water or this life, they cannot reach their death.

Entering the netherworld is extremely painful, a pain that cannot be described, and it takes a long time to escape.

The icy netherworlds are located at the boundary of heaven and earth, with a great mountain two thousand miles high, known as the Sparrow Mountain, which blocks the wind. There is no sunlight or moonlight, and the mountain is dark. Outside, there are many suns and moons, but the icy netherworlds are countless and endless...

The Fire Plow technique is one of the three ghost techniques recorded in the Sutra of the Eighteen Netherworlds, classified as a low-level, high-quality ghost technique, once hailed as the strongest low-level ghost technique!

In theory, to cultivate the Fire Plow technique, one must complete the first eight levels of the Netherworld Sutra. However, in practice, ghosts usually complete the first ten levels, reaching the first stage of the Ghost Officer realm, before choosing to cultivate it.

There are two reasons for this. First, ghost techniques require ghost essence to activate, and reaching the Ghost Officer realm allows for the condensation of ghost essence, preventing the depletion of ghost qi and damage to the foundation.

Second, the Fire Plow technique is fire-based and can summon fierce, high-temperature earth fire. If there is a mishap, the ghost body and soul will be burned to ashes in the raging earth fire. Cultivating the last ten levels of the Netherworld Sutra, the Icy Plow, can balance the Fire Plow, increasing safety.

Xingke understood this, but he sought victory in danger. At the eighth level of the Fire Plow, he could cultivate the purest and most fierce earth fire, without the influence of the Icy Plow, which would make the earth fire impure and reduce its power.

"Fire Plow, Fire Plow, a sea of fire and hell!" Xingke muttered, his deep eyes widening as if two crimson flames had leaped out from the depths.

Based on the description of the Fire Plow in the Sutra of the Eighteen Netherworlds, Xingke began to visualize the Fire Plow in his Heavenly Soul, placing his left hand over his right, with the thumbs touching, symbolizing completeness.

After the Netherworld Seal transformed into the Complete Seal, the tip of his tongue touched the upper teeth, naturally producing saliva.

This was a temporary method Xingke thought of. The saliva produced in the mouth is a natural elixir that can extinguish fire. If something went wrong, it would provide a glimmer of hope.

"The next step is crucial, summoning the earth fire!" Xingke's expression became serious, his senses focused. Unlike visualization, which requires isolation, cultivating the Fire Plow requires the seven orifices to be open to release the fire.

In the Heavenly Soul, a scroll unfolded.

The earth was dark red, barren, and steaming, with cracks of various sizes emitting a faint red glow, and hot magma surging up.

On this terrifying land, countless volcanoes stood, some towering into the sky, a thousand feet high, spewing thick, black volcanic ash that covered the entire sky.

"Boom!"

The volcano erupted, rocks flying, and lava splashing, flowing down the conical mountains, forming a red river that terrified all living beings, destroying everything in its path!

The entire scroll depicted an apocalyptic scene, with a black sky filled with thick volcanic ash. The earth was crimson, with countless cracks emitting a faint red glow, and countless volcanoes erupting, the ground shaking, and lava spewing, scorching everything!

In this world of destruction, at the edge of the earth, a small figure appeared. The evil spirits, barefoot on the scorching ground, their feet sizzling and emitting the smell of cooked meat.

The evil spirits were cast into hell, punished for their past sins. They could not endure the scorching heat, but their bodies would regenerate as they were burned to ashes, enduring endless torment.

Xingke visualized the Fire Plow scroll, and the temperature was so high that it affected the outside of the scroll. The translucent Heavenly Soul turned a scorching red, and the edges of the leaves on the tree crown began to char and curl, almost catching fire.

Xingke was truly frightened, breaking out in cold sweat. The Fire Plow he visualized was too realistic, almost igniting his Heavenly Soul!

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the Golden Image appeared, and the True Image Diagram unfolded. Although only an outline, it effectively suppressed the Fire Plow, eliminating the anomalies and dangers in the Heavenly Soul.

"Summon the earth fire!"

The first eight levels of the Netherworld Sutra circulated, and the Fire Plow visualized in the Heavenly Soul seemed to come to life, connecting with the hell below. With a whoosh, a thread of fierce earth fire appeared in Xingke's left palm.

The earth fire danced in his palm, a deep red, like blood, pure and crystal-like. Although only a thread, it was extremely hot, causing the temperature in the room to rise sharply, and many things were about to catch fire.

"So hot, it's worse than being consumed by desire!" Xingke groaned in pain, feeling as if his entire ghost body was about to evaporate. If not for the Complete Seal and the circulation of the Netherworld Sutra, his left and right hands would have been reduced to ashes.

"Swallowing saliva"

Xingke continuously swallowed the saliva produced in his mouth to lower his body temperature, while fully activating the first eight levels of the Netherworld Sutra to refine the thread of earth fire in his left palm!

With a pop, the Fire Plow in his mind burst open, breaking through the Heavenly Soul and descending into the netherworld.

"Go!"

Xingke's seven orifices smoked, and a thunderous sound came from his tongue. With a command, the Fire Plow behind his head rapidly spun, shrinking into a cloth that wrapped around the earth fire in his left palm.

"Sizzle..."

The earth fire, wrapped in the Fire Plow cloth, emitted a hundred rays of light, and a burning sound came from within. The earth fire seemed to have a spirit, struggling fiercely to burn the Fire Plow.

"Hmph! If it were a Fire Plow conjured by an ordinary ghost servant, you might burn it to ashes, but the Fire Plow I visualized will only be refined by me!" Xingke sneered, accelerating the Netherworld Sutra, his ghost qi surging like a tidal wave, unstoppable.

Instantly, the Fire Plow emitted a brilliant light, and the earth fire was quickly refined. In no time, the earth fire stopped struggling and was successfully refined, indeed having a spirit, accepting its fate.

Xingke's face showed a hint of joy, and he extended his hand, causing the visualized Fire Plow to disappear, exposing the thread of earth fire.

The earth fire flickered and slowly flew into Xingke's left eye.

"Bad!"

Xingke's face darkened as he smelled a burning odor. Turning his head, he saw black smoke rising from the furniture, which burst into flames with a whoosh!

"My furniture!"

Xingke was on the verge of tears, wanting to put out the fire but unable to find water in the apartment!

"There's no tap water! I can't use my saliva, can I?" Xingke grimaced, watching helplessly as his few pieces of furniture were burned to ashes. Even spitting wouldn't help, as it was like a drop in the ocean.

"Well, I was planning to go out anyway, to buy some essentials. Hmm... a mat should be enough." Xingke muttered, looking at the scorched ground. The room was empty, the furniture burned to ashes.

The Fire Plow technique was initially mastered. Generally, successfully summoning the earth fire is considered a success, but Xingke had a terrifying idea, actually subduing a thread of earth fire for his own use!

With the earth fire, there were many conveniences, such as using it for refining weapons or alchemy, becoming a sought-after ghost alchemist.

Xingke, having subdued a thread of earth fire, naturally had such thoughts. He needed many medicinal pills for cultivation, and the monthly salary from the City God's Mansion and the extra income from the General Kitchen were far from enough. If he could refine them himself, it would be different, and he might even become a respected ghost alchemist.

"Let's do it. I'll go to the Yin Tian Pavilion to buy some books on refining and alchemy and study them carefully." Xingke said, a smile on his face. Action speaks louder than words, and he immediately left the apartment for the Yin Tian Pavilion.

The City God's Mansion was vast, and the Cooking Academy was just one of its many stars. Xingke followed his memory, exiting the same way he entered, as ghost servants were not allowed to use the main gate, only the back door.

The Yin Tian Pavilion was not only in the outer district of Fengdu City but also in the inner district. With a deep background, it had branches in the Four Departments and Nine Provinces, with the main pavilion in Yin Tian City.

Yin Tian City, one pavilion, one city!

The Fengdu Yin Tian Pavilion was one of the largest branches, with everything one could need.

"I should have invested in it!" Xingke exclaimed, standing in front of the Yin Tian Pavilion in the inner district of Fengdu City. He looked up at the tall Tang-style building, which rivaled modern skyscrapers, with two giant three-legged golden toads crouching on either side, lifelike.

The two toads held a couplet in their wide mouths, which read: "Attracting wealth, endless and boundless!"

"Tsk, tsk, truly worthy of the Yin Tian Pavilion. So wealthy, the entire toad is made of pure gold, with red eyes that are actually rubies, and various treasures embedded in the bumps on their backs. Hey? There's even a fist-sized night pearl in their mouths?!"

Xingke circled the three-legged golden toads, his mouth agape, his hand caressing them, reluctant to leave.

"Should I carry the two toads away at night?" Xingke had a terrifying thought, but it was possible. With a single arm, he could exert ten thousand pounds of force, enough to move the two pure gold toads.

"Still, let's not." Xingke shook his head, dismissing the idea, though he still looked regretful. If the higher-ups of the Yin Tian Pavilion found out, they would be stunned and would definitely punish Xingke for his audacity and greed, daring to touch the property of the Yin Tian Pavilion, let alone invest in it?!

"Who is he?"

"Just a bumpkin."

"Truly audacious."

"He must be a first-timer at the Yin Tian Pavilion. There should be a boundary in the inner district; how can just any ghost enter?"

Voices around him were filled with disdain.

Xingke shook his head, not caring, and walked into the Yin Tian Pavilion with large strides.

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