Chapter 526 – The Messenger of Divine Radiance

The Netherworld possesses an ‘Eternal Existence’ effect and can capture enemies within it, inherently possessing sealing and suppression capabilities.

The Undead Holy Mountain does not yet have sealing abilities, and its suppression effect only manifests when this power is activated, using the holy mountain as a great seal to press down upon enemies.

The Netherworld Market does possess sealing capabilities, but trapping external enemies within it continuously consumes the power of Red Robe and the market itself.

The sealing and suppression powers of the Netherworld, along with its concept of eternal existence, are all innate.

Enhancing these powers or activating the Ninefold Underworld punishment effects does require energy consumption. However, simultaneously, the Netherworld can Devour evil karma, generating sin power that is several grades higher than ordinary cosmic energy.

To some extent, imprisoning criminals in the Ninefold Underworld achieves a self-sustaining perpetual motion effect.

Similarly, imprisoning criminals also benefits Rakshasa himself, as the Netherworld constantly needs to absorb sin.

“It’s just that Tianyuan City can’t find that many guilty people.”

“No, I was mistaken. Why limit it to humans? Legendary monsters can serve as energy batteries, and we don’t need to hold back when extracting from them.”

How absolutely perfect.

Thinking of acting immediately, Mu Yuan continued flipping through the Sky Patrol Mirror in his hand, considering finding a suitable vessel for the Ninefold Underworld.

Finding a vessel, integrating the Netherworld into it, and using real-world forces to continuously strengthen it… this wasn’t an easy task either.

Mu Yuan promptly created a small group chat with Deadbone, Isloria, Red Robe, and Rakshasa to discuss this matter.

Deadbone: “A quite feasible approach, as expected of our Lord!”

Isloria: “…Our Tianyuan City does indeed need to build an Advanced prison, but I always feel like our Lord is aiming for the top-tier configuration.”

What could she say? Of course she agreed.

(Sigh)

Rakshasa: “(Currently cultivating, not yet connected)”

Red Robe: “zzz.”

Suddenly, Dolai barged in, “Why didn’t anyone ask for my opinion? (wronged.jpg)”

It was clearly Tianyuan City’s second strongest fighter, among the top experts in wielding legendary power, a reliable and venerable Senior. It could provide constructive suggestions too.

Mu Yuan said, “Alright, then let’s invite Student Dolai to share their views.”

Dolai first sent a ‘patting chest no problem.jpg’ emoji, the hair on its humanoid avatar standing up perkily, full of energy.

Immediately after, Dolai’s humanoid avatar displayed expressions of thinking, deep contemplation, frowning contemplation, and frantic contemplation.

After a long while,

Dolai chuckled sheepishly, “Ehehe, Dolai doesn’t really have any opinions.”

It tried to cute its way through the situation.

Mu Yuan let it slide, as this outcome was expected. If Dolai could actually propose any plans or suggestions, it wouldn’t be the pure, simple Dolai anymore.

He began discussing with Deadbone and Isloria, and woke up the pretending-to-sleep Red Robe.

This discussion lasted an entire day and night.

Dolai didn’t leave either, since it had squeezed its way into the meeting – leaving halfway would be too embarrassing. Besides, it was also very curious about how the territory’s new prison would be constructed.

However, as it listened, its eyes gradually became nothing but spinning spirals.

It could clearly read the words, but when combined, it couldn’t understand anything at all!

How annoying!

It was supposed to be a Senior!

Dolai fell into deep contemplation.Who could blame it for not having finished a single book from the Academy’s collection of replicated texts?

After Red Robe and Ailin returned from their advanced studies at Tianze Academy, Tianyuan City’s Academy underwent a renovation. Not only did the library’s collection multiply several times over, but it also began teaching more advanced cultivation techniques and knowledge.

Ordinary professionals didn’t need to learn these, but if high-level professionals wanted to modify or adjust their own skills, or if Legendary Realm cultivators sought to refine their cultivation methods and create original techniques, this knowledge was indispensable.

In Tianyuan City, these subjects were essentially mandatory “elementary to intermediate” courses.

In the world of high-level cultivators, they were practically common sense. Mastering this common sense wouldn’t necessarily enable one to offer effective suggestions for “Netherworld construction,” but at least one wouldn’t be completely lost when listening in on discussions.

However, even though these were only “elementary to intermediate” mandatory courses, the vast majority of Tianyuan City’s elites still hadn’t completed them.

The time was too short.

The content was too difficult.

Mu Yuan was a humane Lord—failing to learn was fine, as long as one’s progress on the path of strength wasn’t hindered. For most people, studying these basics was merely to avoid obstacles in their cultivation journey.

As for someone like Dolai, who grew stronger just by cultivating and became invincible just by eating—being uncultured was no big deal.

Being capable in combat was enough.

Dolai thought the same way—it was the second most powerful fighter in all of Tianyuan City!

But now…

In the distant Twilight Great Domain, within the merchant caravan heading to Stone Ridge City, Dolai sat inside the carriage, its expression shifting repeatedly. Gritting its teeth, it pulled out a brick-thick hardcover book from its pocket with a look of grim determination.

It opened the cover and flipped to the page where it had been stuck for half a year—the second page—and began reading intently, its eyes burning as if with fire.

Also seated in the carriage was the caravan’s nominal leader for this trip, a Fourth Order Peak Frost Lord named Red Frost.

Her jaw dropped as if she had witnessed something unbelievable.

“Senior Dolai is… is actually reading!”

At Tianyuan City’s Academy, Senior Dolai was notorious for failing every minor exam, having once performed the feat of devouring an entire book and exam paper yet learning nothing from it.

Believing that Senior Dolai could read on its own was even less plausible than believing it could instantly annihilate a Law Realm monster!

Heavens! This is a major event!

Red Frost carefully took out her portable diary, recording what she had witnessed today and marking it as one of Tianyuan City’s Seven Great Wonders.

…

The construction plan for the Ninefold Underworld was quickly finalized.

The building site was located outside Tianyuan City but still within the coverage range of the Brilliance Barrier. Mu Yuan planned to dig a “conceptual channel” from the Skull Graveyard to divert death energy to the construction site as materials for the early stages of the project.

Simultaneously, he placed an order on the Celestial Realm for an Excellent-grade Miracle Blueprint ‘Bone Prison’ and a primary construction material not available in Tianyuan City.

Beep~

Contribution Points deducted. Your order has been placed.

The Miracle Blueprint ‘Bone Prison’ and material ‘Abyssal Bone’ are expected to be delivered to Boulder City within six hours. This order has been selected for ‘self-pickup’ service. We wish you pleasant territory development.

In less than four hours, the two items were delivered to Boulder City’s official warehouse.Immediately after, the Tianyuan representative stationed in Boulder City came to collect the goods, brought them back, and sent them to the territory via the Star Gate—all in one smooth motion.

Construction in the western part of Tianyuan City commenced swiftly.

The buildings in the western part of Tianyuan City were completed in the blink of an eye.

Next, it was time to integrate the Ninefold Underworld—or rather, use this structure as a vessel to unleash even greater power in the mortal realm.

Inside the Miracle Building, which resembled a skeletal tower, a crack suddenly appeared, like a giant opening its eye, reflecting mountains of sabers and seas of fire within its pupil. The crack then rapidly spread and expanded until it enveloped the entire tower.

A mysterious transformation quietly unfolded.

From the outside, the bone tower remained unchanged, standing only a little over ten meters tall.

This prison-type structure, chosen by Mu Yuan, possessed confinement capabilities ranked at the T0 level among structures of exceptional grade, even rivaling a few epic-grade buildings of the same type.

The flaw of the Bone Prison lay in its small footprint; no matter how strong its confinement abilities, they were meaningless if the interior space was cramped.

But now, the Bone Prison was merely the external manifestation. Anyone stepping inside the bone tower would discover that beneath it, a much larger space had emerged.

The space seemed to have multiple layers and was expanding rapidly in concentric circles.

Mu Yuan had intended to continue observing and see what the newly formed prison building looked like, but an urgent matter suddenly arose.

“You said there are visitors?” he asked.

His assistant, Moli, replied, “Yes, and they’re not ordinary visitors. They claim to represent the Divine Radiance Empire.”

…

Outside Tianyuan City.

A group of three, weary from their journey, finally arrived in the area.

The trio consisted of two men and one woman, all seemingly lords. They had just dismounted their steeds and stored them in their Mark Space.

“So this is Tianyuan City? It looks pretty ordinary,” muttered the brown-haired young man.

Beside him, the golden-haired woman glanced over. “It’s anything but ordinary. The entire city uses exceptional-grade City Walls, and relocated mineral veins are visible everywhere outside the city. More importantly, this Tianyuan City was established less than two years ago.”Yeah, yeah, right,” the brown-haired young man said dismissively, though he was well aware that building a city to this scale in under two years was an astonishing feat.

Still, admitting that the Tianyuan Lord was powerful would imply they themselves were lacking—even if Tianyuan truly was formidable.

“But even so, I don’t think there’s any need to recruit this Tianyuan. Our Divine Radiance isn’t short on strong individuals. Vivian, how are any of you seven super lords inferior to this Tianyuan? Not to mention offering him such a high price.”

The golden-haired woman: “…”

Most of us seven super lords have enough self-awareness to know we can’t compare to this Taixuan prodigy. Why are you all so confident instead?

She didn’t feel like elaborating.

If it weren’t for the project funds tied to the super lord initiative, she wouldn’t have taken on such a pointless task.

For this mission, she wasn’t even the leader—just a messenger delivering a letter.

Though she came from a noble background, her family was only minor nobility. Now, she herself was the sole pillar of her entire Family, and her influence paled in comparison to those backed by major financial conglomerates or powerful Families—even if many of those individuals were far weaker than her in strength.

Like a certain old-timer who didn’t dare come in person, only projecting a temporary Incarnation through a medium.

She took out a golden treasure orb and activated it.At once, golden threads spread out from the pearl, intertwining after more than ten seconds to form a white-haired old man in a suit with an imposing aura.

“Have we arrived? Why are we still outside the city?”

The old man looked at the golden-haired woman.

The golden-haired woman Vivian said, “I believe this better demonstrates our sincerity.”

“Very well.”

The four were quickly led into the city and waited in the reception building next to the municipal building.

“Where is your Lord?”

“Our Lord has been notified. Please wait a moment.”

Mu Yuan had of course received the news early. With his speed, he could have arrived at the scene even before these Divine Radiance individuals entered the city.

But it wasn’t necessary.

After all, this was Divine Radiance.

Mu Yuan didn’t harbor deep hatred for the Divine Radiance Empire—after all, the agents of the Eye of Divine Radiance hadn’t caused him any real losses; they were too weak. But he certainly held no goodwill toward Divine Radiance. Making them wait was only appropriate.

If it weren’t for the fact that Taixuan and Divine Radiance were still nominal allies on the surface, and the visitors were of sufficient stature, Mu Yuan wouldn’t have entertained them at all.

After all, in certain aspects, he now also represented Taixuan.

“One Soul Realm, two Heaven-Earth Realm, and one projection.”

“With Tianyuan City’s City Defense Barrier and sufficient numbers of powerful experts, even one Soul Realm cultivator couldn’t cause trouble—let alone ten more.”

After observing for a while, Mu Yuan arrived fashionably late.

The Legendary Realm cultivator from the Divine Radiance Empire, who sat in the lowest position, introduced, “This is Micah Duke of our Empire. This is one of our Empire’s seven Super Lords, Diamond Queen Vivian. And this one…”

He introduced them one by one according to their rank.

Mu Yuan had long recognized Diamond Queen Vivian—after all, she was touted alongside the Fire God, Winter Monarch, and others as one of the ‘young generation powerhouses’ strongly promoted by Divine Radiance.

These individuals could indeed be considered world-class experts, with some reputation across the globe.

As for the others? He didn’t know them.

Including that so-called Micah Grand Duke.

Mu Yuan had only heard of several powerful dukes in Divine Radiance, and Micah wasn’t among them.

Micah Duke looked him up and down before saying after a moment, “Young man, I’ll be direct. We’ve come to invite you to join our Divine Radiance Empire and create greatness together. Don’t rush to refuse—hear our terms first.”

“As long as you agree, we can immediately place you in the Super Lord Program, ranking you among the Seven Lords without any assessment. Additionally, the Empire can grant you the title of Duke. All you need to do in return is carry out some tasks as directed by the Council.”

“I am well aware that the Taixuan Alliance can offer few resources and is quite stingy even toward talents like you. Our Divine Radiance is different. We are stronger and wealthier. I believe you’ve heard about the massive resources Super Lords can access.”

“Young man, this is a rare opportunity.”

The old man finished speaking confidently and waited for Tianyuan’s reply.

Half a second later,

“Is this all you have to say?”

It was true that the Divine Radiance Empire was wealthier than Taixuan because initially, when the Holy Griffin Empire invested in Blue Star factions, they chose Divine Radiance.

It was also true that Divine Radiance currently had more high-end combat power—they could even send a Soul Realm Lord to act as a persuader, or rather, as a medium.

But this was only because the Divine Radiance Empire had fewer people, having filtered out a large number during Blue Star’s apocalypse, and now had fewer defense zones to guard.

In reality, no matter what price Divine Radiance offered, he wouldn’t waver. It was a matter of principle.

Besides,The price offered by the Divine Radiance Empire made him want to laugh.

“Xiliu, please see our guests out.”

“Young man, you’ll regret rejecting it so decisively!”

The white-haired elder’s projection vanished with a click—he had canceled it himself.

The remaining three had no desire to stay any longer and quickly took their leave.

Once outside the city, the brown-haired young man muttered, “I thought the offer was quite generous.”

The golden-haired woman remained silent.

The current momentum of the Tianyuan City Lord surpassed even that of the Cold Moon City Lord—a true prodigy. For the Empire to offer merely a super-lord title and a hollow dukedom with no real authority might fool a simpleton like the brown-haired youth, but she? She scoffed at it.

An old-timer like Micah Duke had truly grown senile.

If they could win the Tianyuan Lord over to their side, she would naturally be pleased. But it wasn’t that simple—it required an exceptionally generous offer and a gradual, strategic approach to have even a sliver of a chance.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the authority to make such decisions.

She had remained silent throughout, refusing to support Micah Duke, precisely to avoid offending Tianyuan.

But that alone wasn’t enough.

She needed to build a slight rapport, maintain a thread of connection. This was the perfect opportunity to reshape and deepen the impression. If the need arose in the future, this could become a crucial connection.

At her level as a lord, the Empire and the Alliance were no longer obstacles—her sights were set on the world stage.

Back in the reception room.

A note slowly materialized on the table.

“A modest gift to express my apologies—Vivian.”

Mu Yuan: “How intriguing.”

(End of Chapter)