Breaking a Taboo; Changing a Soul’s Essence!

The Netherworld, 8:15pm, Special Soul Collection and Rebirth Sect.

"Matriarch Shan Lin! Another one has arrived!" announced a blonde youth anxiously.

In his hands was an azure coloured flame that occasionally released a transparent glow. The blond youth carried it to the next room, where a middle-aged woman sat while reviewing some documents on a desk.

The woman heard his call and shifted her gaze away from the documents and toward the youth; her disciple.

"Is that so…?" she said indifferently.

"Is it the last…" her words drifted off.

"Yes."

"Matriarch, this disciple awaits your orders!" Zhao Yan stated, his expression full of determination.

"Do it." Her gaze locking into Zhao Yan.

She gazed at him meaningfully before walking towards him.

Zhao Yan's grip on the soul tightens for a split second, but is quickly released by the anxious Zhao Yan.

"B-But, Matriarch! It's a dragon soul! The elixir won't work!"

Shan Lin smiled, a hint of confidence hidden within her eyes.

"Don't use the Memory Cleansing Elixir, use this instead!"

She ordered,her face revealing a trace of anticipation while she takes out a small crystal bottle.

"This is the Memory Sealing Elixir. This will serve as his camouflage. He won't be found." she reassured.

The small crystal bottle seemed to be fused with a potent medicinal liquid and powerful spiritual energy. The elixir in itself would serve as a temporary seal for his memories, however it would also allow the soul's aura to change to that of a human soul's, letting the soul be concealed temporarily.

This meant the dragon's soul would have its memories sealed just like a human's, appearing as though the dragon's memories were long forgotten.

'Let's test it out'. A mischievous icy grin that made Zhao Yan's complexion pale had appeared on the matriarch's face. 'Little dragon, I hope you know how to choose your life well.'

"Matriarch! You don't mean…"

The Matriarch's eyes once again stared at the youth with a gentle smile, as she approached the soul. The youth, seeming to have realised what she was about to do and wanted to stop her. However, he couldn't because he knew quite well of the Matriarch's stubborn personality.

"He's our last hope. Only souls as special as the dragons' can help us stop this horrible war of the Seven Celestial Planes. His karma has been linked with ours."

The elixir was tipped onto the azure flame; the Zhao Long's soul. A purple essence slid down from the small bottle, merging with the azure soul, transforming its colour from azure blue to a bright yellow flame, the flame flickering for a moment, as if something was being ingrained deep inside its very essence. Changing a soul's essence is fundamentally impossible, but Matriarch Shan Lin had successfully carried it out. For that reason, the moment its very essence was changed, a huge shockwave full of immortal force pulsed in all directions. Like an invisible force it swept every part of the underworld.

As this change happened, Shan Lin's smile deepened, while a murderous glint appeared in her eyes.

"It's time to avenge our clan. Time for them to pay with blood." she stated chillingly.

'Be on your way then, Little Dragon…' She thought as she calmly placed the translucent flame at an altar, which instantly began to glow brightly, sucking up the soul as it ascended to the heavens, ready to face the Gates of Reincarnation.

Normally, this process occurred only after the soul was cleansed, and Zhao Long's soul had been cleansed. However, this in itself wasn't normal.

A dragon is already an immortal being, as such they were originally never meant to be cleansed. This cleansing would temporarily seal his memories… and hide his immortal soul!

Far away from this, at that same instant, in a mansion deep within the depths of the underworld, was a red haired youth complacently sitting on a throne, his eyes closed. He was surrounded by beautiful women who were feeding him fruits.

Suddenly, this youth who moments ago seemed complacent and carefree, opened his eyes and coughed up a mouthful of blood. It appeared as if he had been hurt in some way by some powerful invisible force.

"Just what do you think you're doing.... Shan Lin!!!" His voice echoed out through the whole of the Netherworld. It was ancient and deep, and if someone were to be looking at the youth, they wouldn't believe that this incredibly deep voice came from this teenager.

As soon as his voice echoed out, he shot through the sky like a lightning bolt, going over in the direction that Shan Lin and Zhao Yan were. A massive killing intent was emanating from him.

Back in the special soul collection and rebirth sect, Shan Lin's hair stood on end, while a thunderous voice echoing out.

"!!" Shan Lin's expression suddenly paled and she coughed a mouthful of blood.

"Not Good. Yan'er escape quickly!" Shan Lin said, her expression showing anxiousness.

"Matriarch!? What's going on? What was that?" Zhao Yan questioned nervously.

"No time to explain, we're in danger! You too go into the altar!" She exclaimed, her previously cold and indifferent face was replaced with a highly alert appearance, and before Zhao Yan could react she had already thrown him towards the altar.

"!?" Zhao Yan was shocked, he realised he could not stop his body from being sucked into the vortex. By the time he could finally react, he had already stepped into the altar, immediately his body grew translucent, and he quickly transformed into a flame.

Since his body had disappeared it left him in soul form, leaving him powerless to fight back against the suctioning force. Soon, he was sucked completely, disappearing together with Zhao Long's soul. Although this took a bit of time to describe it in fact happened in a flash.

"Good Luck Yan'er… Little Dragon…" with this, Shan Lin shut her eyes and calmly waited. The previous look of alertness disappeared while an indifferent coldness replaced it.

At this moment, a black vortex appeared behind her, and from within a lavish youth came out. It was none other than that same red haired youth who was at the palace a few moments back.

Shan Lin opened her eyes and turned to look at the youth that had emerged from the vortex. As soon as he stepped down, the vortex closed.

"Nether God." Shan Lin stated coldly. She was as calm as water as she faced the terrifying danger in front of her.

"Do you know what you have done?!" exclaimed the Nether God, his voice filled with an insurmountable rage.

"What have I done?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

"Very good! This God isn't as forgiving as the Death God, you wench," despite his venomous words, her expression remained calm. "I should be tearing you to pieces! It's a shame that I cannot kill you because of your brother. However, you will still be punished for breaking a taboo!" the Nether God spoke with an overbearing, frosty tone.

"10,000 years of imprisonment in the Tribulation Cell!" As she heard these words of condemnation, Shan Lin's expression changed. An unsightly expression replaced her previously calm face. The Tribulation Cell wasn't just your average punishment cell. It was filled with constant psychological torments of a person's inner evils. Whoever went to the tribulation cell would go for at most 500 years before being freed and executed. And every time they came out they would no longer be the same person they were before. Shan Lin had to stay there for a whole 10,000 years.

This was obviously impossible to accomplish. At most, she would be able to last for 1000 years before going completely insane!

Unable to refuse, she had no other choice but to quietly face punishment. However, she became resolute and silently accepted her fate. All she could do for now was have patience. Wait until Zhao Long would come back to the Netherworld. Deep inside her, he was her last strand of hope. And she knew he was the only one she and her sect could count on.

As she walked out of the Special Soul Collection and Rebirth Sect, a multitudinous crowd stood in front of Shan Lin. They were all of her disciples who seemed to be standing there with worried faces.

As the crowd of disciples saw that their Matriarch was being taken away, various voices began to cry out.

"Matriarch! Matriarch!"

"They're taking our Matriarch!"

It was a great humiliation to be taken away by the Netherworld Punishment Department in front of her disciples. She could only lower her head, grit her teeth and endure. But she would never forget this shame, she will come back someday.

After all… when a nobleman takes revenge, ten years is not too late.

Shan Lin would wait until the right opportunity to take her revenge, no matter how long the wait is.