"Ugh, it's like a scene out of a zombie apocalypse," Daoyi said as she entered Youdu with Tianyi. She took a few sniffs. "Smells like one too."

"Haha," Tianyi laughed. "I thought the same thing."

The city resembled the Xi Dynasty's capital in layout and design but on a much grander scale. However, all that was ruined by the disorder and the dead walking about. 

"I heard that the dead are attracted to the living, but they are just ignoring us," Tianyi said. "I understand why I'm ignored since I don't know if they even consider me a living being anymore, but what about?"

"Are you blind?" Daoyi asked. "Did you forget the Law of Death I just mastered? They probably consider me more dead than them because of how much death qi I'm leaking."

"I don't think of death in the traditional sense anymore," Tianyi admitted.

The two sank into silence, but soon, Tianyi spoke again. "Really, how do the souls get reincarnated with the Nether Realm in such a state?"

"Without Empress Ping to support it or any ghost officials, the Nether Realm cannot fulfill its purpose. The Three Thousand Immortal Realms System will not last. At least, in this timeline," An unfamiliar voice said. 

"I see. Makes sense." Tianyi suddenly paused in his footsteps and whipped around. He and Daoyi turned around to see a man who appeared in his thirties behind them.

The man had a sickly pallor and wore a black jade coronet with even blacker robes. Yet, he exuded a noble air. 

"Who are you?" Tianyi asked. "It's impossible for me not to sense you."

The man tilted his head. "No, you sensed me."

"Impossible," Tianyi said as he prepared to attack and hid Daoyi behind him. If he couldn't sense the man, it meant that Daoyi could definitely not deal with him.

The man waved his hand. "Don't be so defensive. I haven't spoken to another sentient being since Empress Ping disappeared. As to answer your question, my aura is everywhere here, so you sensed me."

Tianyi furrowed his brow and observed the man. He felt that the man was similar to one existence he had met before. "You are Youdu's artifact spirit?"

"Correct."

"And what do you mean by Empress Ping disappeared? I thought she never existed in this timeline," Tianyi said.

"When timelines split, every being is recreated equally, but there cannot be a divinity in two timelines, so the divinity will disappear from the weaker timeline," Youdu Spirit said. 

"How long ago was this?" Tianyi asked. 'This must mean that this was one of the timelines split from my timeline, and Empress Ping should exist there like Immortal Court Spirit said.'

"Not too long ago, less than ten thousand years ago," Youdu Spirit said.

'Your definition of not too long ago is too detached for us,' Tianyi thought. "So, what are you here for? To stop us?"

Youdu Spirit shook his head. "Nothing of that sort. I said the Nether Realm was already doomed the moment Empress Ping left. I guess I wanted to speak to someone since you're likely to be the last people to enter here."

"That is true, the price to enter is too high," Tianyi said.

"Before, the hardest place to trespass was the Immortal Court, but after their destruction, it became the Nether Realm," Youdu Spirit said.

'Really? I thought everyone and their mom could trespass into heaven as they liked, considering how many times it happened before in legend like in Journey to the West.' Tianyi thought. "What are you going to do? I don't think you can travel to other timelines like divinities."

"Nothing," Youdu Spirit said. "I can do nothing but wait for the Nether Realm and this timeline's destruction. I just want to talk a bit."

Tianyi stared warily at Youdu Spirit. He exchanged gazes with Daoyi and said, "Okay."

"Follow me," Youdu Spirit said as he led the two through the streets of Youdu. The souls parted like the red sea for Youdu Spirit, and the three entered Youdu Palace in the center of the city.

There, Youdu Spirit entertained Tianyi and Daoyi with tables upon tables of food, but Daoyi loved the wine the most.

"This is Nine Nether Wine," Youdu Spirit said. "Anyone who drinks it will feel the chill of death but not actually die. Many cultivators like to drink it to experience the pressure of death and breakthrough."

Daoyi chugged the whole cup and slammed it on the table. "Another!"

Youdu spirit paused for a second but obliged Daoyi's request. "This is the best wine I can offer at the moment. When Empress Ping left, she took all the valuables."

Daoyi downed another cup as her cheeks started to flush. "That damn empress! Greedy bitch!"

Youdu Spirit showed no sign of discontent even though Daoyi just insulted his master. Tianyi covered his face with his palm. "You're going to give us what's left of the valuables for just accompanying you like this. Are you sure?"

Youdu Spirit shrugged. "I'm just an artifact spirit. What's the use for me in holding on to these things that will get destroyed? But I have to tell you that any divine artifacts that you bring into another timeline will disappear and integrate with the original artifact in that timeline."

Tianyi frowned. No wonder Immortal Court Spirit only gave him the Heaven Bearing Seal. His eyes flashed. "Is there a method to prevent this?"

Youdu Spirit nodded. "You just have to find a concealed space that can avoid the presence of the Heavenly Dao."

"What happens to the original artifact after it is integrated with another timeline's artifacts?"

"Nothing, the divine artifact doesn't get stronger. If it's damaged, it will heal, but that's it," Youdu Spirit said, disappointing Tianyi.

"Is that why you don't want to leave this timeline?" Tianyi suddenly asked.

Youdu Spirit paused. He took a swig of the Nine Nether Wine. "What's the use, I will just be integrated into the other Youdu. I don't want to bring Empress Ping trouble."

'Trouble?' 

"Do you resent Empress Ping for abandoning you?" Tianyi asked.

Youdu Spirit stayed silent. "I'm just an artifact spirit. My only mission is to fulfill my master's orders."

"Youdu Spirit, do you want to become my artifact?"

Youdu Spirit paused and stared at Tianyi. "I can see that you are extraordinary, but it's impossible. My whole body is the city. You can't take me away."

"But what if I can?" Tianyi asked. "What if I can bring you to a space isolated from the Heavenly Dao that's no worse than the Nether Realm?"

"It's impossible for such a place to exist. Even the Immortal Court cannot accomplish this," Youdu Spirit said.

"But I can."

Youdu Spirit closed his eyes. When he opened them, there was a tiny glint in his abyss-like eyes. "Alright, I'll gamble on you. However, If I sense the Heavenly Dao at all, I'll self-detonate."

A smile formed on Tianyi's face. However, it disappeared when Daoyi slapped his back, her face completely red. "Stop yapping so seriously. Can't you see the good wine? We should enjoy ourselves whenever we can! No one knows if this will disappear one day!"

"Haha," Youdu Spirit laughed as he clinked his glass against Daoyi's. "Fairy Thrallsong is right; we should enjoy the present."

---

Youdu was connected to the Ten Yama Palaces, and unless the connection were severed, Tianyi would not be able to take away Youdu. Tianyi could try repeating his earlier action when he took away the Three Lives Stone, but he didn't fancy testing how big the Heavenly Dao's reaction would be.

Unlike the Three Lives Stone, Youdu had greater significance to the Nether Realm and the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System as a whole, even if it was crippled at this moment. Even with the Nine Heavens Universe, Tianyi didn't want to gamble whether he could take the blow from a dying timeline.

So, this only left the option of manually cutting the connection. He considered taking away the ten Yama Palaces but decided that the cost would not be worth it. 

After Empress Ping left over a thousand years ago, the cycle of samsara slowed down, and the number of ghosts in the Nether Realm increased. Some were ghosts full of malice, but others were former ghost officials who proclaimed sovereignty.

None of these ghosts were easy to deal with, and they occupied the Yama Palaces due to the high concentration of yin qi. None of them dared to take Youdu with Youdu Spirit present, although many have tried to subdue him.

According to Youdu Spirit's information, of the ghost occupying the Yama Palaces, the one holding fort down in Clearlight Yama Palace was the weakest. The ghost there took a pill to become a ghost monarch.

Tianyi and Daoyi traveled to Clearlight Yama Palace in a month. When they arrived, they saw the horde of ghost soldiers waiting outside Clearlight Yama Palace. He raised his hand, and a miniature sun appeared in his palm.

For beings of yin, yang was the best nemesis for them. Though, the opposite was also true.

He dropped the miniature sun and activated Stellar Silence. He didn't have much feeling towards annihilating over ten thousand ghosts at once. Youdu Spirit had said that the rogue ghost rulers were disrupting the reincarnation cycle, so wasn't he helping prolong the Silent Lightning Timeline's lifespan?

"Who dares to attack my territory?!" A furious roar erupted from within the palace.

Although Tianyi's attack destroyed much of the land, only a few burn marks appeared on the palace. From within the palace, a ghastly figure flew out. Even from this distance, Tianyi could hear the wales of torture emanating from the ghost monarch. He didn't even need to look hard to see the dense karmic sin emanating from him.

"Maybe I should take care of him," Tianyi said as he moved forward, but Daoyi stopped him.

"I just entered the Immortal Realm, and I need someone to practice with," Daoyi said. 

"Still, he's an immortal monarch, not a true immortal."

"I've already mastered the Law of Death, so that should equalize it," Daoyi said.

"If you say so," Tianyi said as he allowed Daoyi to fly forward.

Daoyi took out her guqin and thrummed the strings, causing the surrounding ghost soldiers to wail in pain.

"Hmpf, you look down on me too much," The ghost monarch said. "Once I eat this girl, you're next!"

The ghost monarch turned into a spherical gas with a giant face on it. He opened his jaws and flew towards Daoyi.

Daoyi didn't panic and started to pluck the strings of her guqin. A dreadful song started to play.

"Eighteen Songs of Hell - Eighth Song Glacier Seal"

A white mist started to form in the air as the temperature dropped and water vapors condensed. A chilling blue shell encased the charging ghost monarch as even the qi around him started to freeze. But, cracking sounds appeared as the ice cracked.

Daoyi frowned and changed the tune. 

"Eighteen Songs of Hell - Sixteenth Song Volcanic Bedevilment"

A red glow emerged from the ghost monarch's mouth as smoke billowed out. The ice blue shell coating him melted as his body took on a fiery tone, but that did nothing to deter the ghost monarch as he crunched down on Daoyi.

Daoyi's figure turned translucent and shifted to another location on the battlefield. She released a high-intensity note and inside the ghost monarch's mouth, where she had once been, exploded in ice.

Heat and cold clashed within the ghost monarch's mouth. Moments later, he reverted back to his previous form with a crack on his face. "Who are you? You aren't a soul!"

Daoyi said nothing and continued her attack. Although she seemed to have easily held the upper position, she expended too much qi. 

"Eighteen Songs of Hell - Seventh Song Shredding Sabers"

Ghostly warriors formed from song emerged from Daoyi's guqin and flew towards the ghost monarch. Her eyes widened when he saw his next action. He actually turned tail and ran!

'Don't you have any dignity?!' Tianyi thought as he appeared in front of the ghost monarch and unleashed a palm strike.

"Haha, fool. Ghosts are least afraid of physical attacks!" The ghost monarch said as he rushed towards Tianyi's palm. He expected to fly through it, but reality wasn't so kind. He flew back hundreds of meters from Tianyi's shove and screamed as Daoyi's ghost warriors lacerated his back.

The ghost monarch could already tell that Tianyi was far beyond him in power and possessed superior speed, so he couldn't escape. Decisiveness flashed through his eyes as he charged toward Daoyi, ignoring the injuries aching on his back.

His body enlarged and turned into a vaporous and misty figure several hundred meters large. 

[I was tempted to write: "Tianyi gets bigger," Daoyi said. But I like it so much that I'm going to leave this comment, even if its not canon.]

Daoyi continued to play her Eighteen Songs of Hell and puncture holes in the transformed ghost monarch without moving from her spot. Just as he was about to reach and envelope Daoyi in his body, he suddenly froze.

Upon closer inspection, you could see tiny strings forming a spiderweb in front of Daoyi. Shuijing stood proudly on Daoyi's shoulder. It had spun a web of dreamsilk that trapped the ghost monarch.

With the ghost monarch trapped, Daoyi unleashed her strongest song.

"Eighteen Songs of Hell - Ninesong Unity"

Under the barrage of Daoyi's attack, the ghost monarch wailed as his soul started to become transparent. Just before vanishing, the web wrapped around him and turned him into a small spherical pill.

Daoyi opened her Liquorlight Gourd and sucked the ghost monarch's soul into it.

"Good job," Tianyi said. "Hey, you okay?"

Daoyi didn't reply as she started to gasp for air. The nether qi entered her body in the process. "No, I'm spent. I didn't get injured, but I almost used up all my qi. 

"After resting, do you want to fight the next one?" 

"Not right now. Save him for me later, I want to review my battles and make up for my deficiencies," Daoyi said.

Tianyi nodded. He stored Daoyi into the Nine Heavens Universe and disconnected Youdu from Clearlight Yama Palace before searching for the next one. Considering that Daoyi might want to fight the ninth and eighth strongest ghost rulers, Tianyi targeted the seventh ghost ruler first.

After disconnecting Youdu from the fifth Yama Palace, he had already disconnected four connections by this point. Tianyi stopped as he received a message from Youdu Spirit.

"Did you defeat the ghost emperor of Balanced Scale Yama Palace?"

"No, why?"

"I lost the connection to Balanced Scale Yama Palace," Youdu Spirit said.

"But I didn't do it," Tianyi said as his expression turned grave. "Do you know who did?"

"I can sense that the ghost rulers of the Yama Palace are still there, aside from the one you defeated. It could be some rogue ghosts who made a breakthrough or..."

"...someone entered near the same time as I did."