Netherworld

Lin Hua stared at the infinite lines of ghosts in front of him. Then he glanced at the minotaurs who were overseeing them as if they were felons.

"So this is the netherworld. Unbelievable!"

"It seems that the Legend of the Three Realms isn't just a legend."

From time to time, ghosts that in a semblance of a round soul appeared in the land. Like Lin Hua, they stared around them with confusion. Of course, some shrieked, screaming as they threatened the minotaurs with their status, only to end up getting whipped.

Unlike others, Lin Hua was aware that he died. When he saw that foolish ghost who announced he was a King got beaten up, he shook his head.

"No matter how great your identity is, it's worthless once you died. But interesting. He said he's a King, but where can you find a king with hundreds of thousands of soldiers on earth? That only means there's many more human civilization outside Earth!"

Lin Hua felt shocked when he thought of this theory. At the same time, he felt excited while thinking; if he would be given a second chance here, he would definitely live a life that he likes to have!

While harboring this thought, he suddenly frowned. He had killed many people in his life, so it would be a disadvantage for him to be given a chance to reincarnate as a Human, a Deva, or an Asura.

"Forget it. If I reincarnate as an Animal, a Preta Ghost, or a Hell Being, it only means heaven wills it, so I can't do anything about it."

Lin Hua sighed.

Following the line of ghosts, Lin Hua surveyed his surroundings.

Numerous clouds of black gasses hovered in the atmosphere, creating a strange, eerie vibe.

However, Lin Hua felt nothing special about it. He wasn't even afraid of this strange atmosphere. In fact, he liked being surrounded by darkness.

While following the ghosts for who knows how long, Lin Hua got bored. He was walking for many hours now and it was simply a torture for him. As he sighed in frustration, an idea popped into his head.

He tried to circulate the Dragon Caching Technique, and out of shock, Lin Hua almost yelled.

"How is this possible? I can circulate the technique?" Lin Hua was stunned. "Logically, this shouldn't be possible. Circulating it needs the support of the body and the breathing, but I'm just in a form of a soul! This doesn't make sense."

Lin Hua furrowed his eyebrows. Dragon Caching Technique wasn't that attractive, but it was unique. With it, one could hide one's presence. Even a normal person couldn't see him once he would circulate it. This was also the reason why Lin Hua had been ranked as the most terrifying assassin after the disappearance of the Mysterious Assassin, Long Fan.

After experimenting, Lin Hua had gradually calmed down. He tried peeking at the ghosts around him, but they seemed to be not as special as him. Lin Hua even screamed atop his lungs while he had circulated the Dragon Caching Technique, but not a single whip had landed on his body nor anyone noticed him.

Although Lin Hua did not know what was the reason for this, he had come to a realization, that is, his bizarre technique was even more powerful that not the netherworld could sense him!

But this also puzzled Lin Hua. When he was on earth, his Dragon Caching Technique wasn't as strong as today. If the technique was as strong as the present, then he would not have died from the ambush.

Lin Hua did not have an answer to this unusual thing, so he ignored it for the moment. He then deactivated the technique as he followed the ghosts obediently.

As the ghosts wandered the endless road, a mist suddenly enveloped them at some point. When the ghosts entered these mists, they would disappear in it, emerging in another dimension.

As he stepped in the mists, Lin Hua saw a group of people hooded in black sitting within the reception areas.

"There are so many receptionists. I can't even count them all!"

As he thought up here, Lin Hua was enlightened.

"Are these black hooded people are the judges of the dead? That's it. However, these people seemed to not have a good position. I've heard below the Yama Kings, there would be Palace Lords, and finally the Judges. This group of people should be the Judges of the Dead who will investigate my life experiences."

It did not take long for Lin Hua's turn.

"Follow me."

A minotaur guided Lin Hua into a receptionist. As the minotaur retreated, Lin Hua looked at the judge in front of him.

Taking a closer look, Lin Hua realized that not every judge was a man. This judge in front of him was a young woman, probably around the age of 16-20. There was an air of naivety on her that it appeared that this lady wasn't one of the Judges of the Dead but a young lady of a prestigious family.

"Hello! How may I refer you, young lady?"

Lin Hua asked.

"Hi there, ehem, this is my first day of work." The judge seemed friendly. "I'm Ning Yudian, but that's much as I can tell you. You'll forget it anyway."

"So all ghosts have to drink Grandma Meng's soup?"

"Oi, you seem well informed. Wait a minute, let me check your experience." Ning Yudian giggled as she opened a book hue in black.

Looking naively, Ning Yudian focused her attention on the book in her hand.

Lin Hua took a glance around him. The surroundings were pretty much the same, the same uncanny atmosphere. However, something caught Lin Hua's attention.

In the center of the receptionist area, in front of ten palaces, there was a huge stone erected. It evokes an ancient feeling onto him, something he could not describe.

"What's that?"

Lin Hua mumbled.

"Oh, oh, that's the Ancestor's stone." Ning Yudian's excited voice sounded out from nowhere. "Hey, hey, let me tell you- this stone has existed even before the netherworld has formed!"

"Is that so?" Lin Hua felt dubious. "If its existence is greater than the netherworld, then why is its called Ancestor's stone?"

"You're so ignorant." Ning Yudian finally showed arrogance over the bumpkin as she said. "The reason it has been named as it is, it's because the Ancestor used his power to let it form into a piece of stone, allowing it to erect in the center as a form of respect! A noble symbol of the netherworld!"

"So it means this stone is a treasure!"

Lin Hua thought and nodded indifferently. However, a trace of greed flashed on his heart. With the Dragon Caching Technique, it was possible for him to steal it and jump into the Reincarnation Pool!

He could even reincarnate while not losing his memories!

....

Soon after, Ning Yudian appeared to be appreciable of Lin Hua. It appears that Lin Hua's worries were trivial.

Previously, he had been troubled that killing people would result in him gaining negative karma, but he was mistaken. It seemed that killing those with negative karma would improve one's positive karma.

With that, Lin Hua had gained the right amount of karma to be reincarnated as a Human, just a bit off to be reincarnated as a Deva.

"Don't worry too much. With that amount of karma, you probably would reincarnate in a world where you can pursue immortality," Ning Yudian said.

"Can I ask something?"

"Yes, go ahead."

Lin Hua whispered to her. "Why are you telling me this. Isn't that against your job?"

"Of course, no, you silly man." Ning Yudian laughed. "You'll soon forget your memories anyway. Even if you awaken your memories somehow, once you drink Grandma Meng's soup, you wouldn't recall anything related to the netherworld nor our conversation! That's, of course, you'll reach a certain level of cultivation, but that'd unlikely to happen."

Lin Hua also laughed, but he sneered inwardly.

"Miss Yudian, where is Reincarnation Pool located by chance?"

"In that direction."

Ning Yudian pointed in that direction.

Lin Hua thanked him and asked, "By the way, can I approach that stone? I just want to see it from a close distance."

"Oh?"

Ning Yudian appeared trouble.

"So it's against the rule." Lin Hua sighed. "You probably seen it many times, right?"

"I think it's okay if it's you."

Ning Yudian nodded her head. She seemed not bothered by it after much thought.

Lin Hua had boundless positive karma...

He would not do as foolish as stealing it. Can a ghost steal in front of me though? She thought as she led Lin Hua in the Ancestor's stone.

As they appeared close to the Ancestor's stone. Lin Hua tried to test if his Dragon Caching Technique would work on Ning Yudian, and it didn't disappoint him as usual.

After that, Lin Hua calculated the time he could run to the nearest reincarnation pool where there was a 'human' sign atop on it. He realized he could jump at the nearest human reincarnation pool within fifty seconds.

After they entered the zone of the Ancestor's stone, Lin Hua immediately acted. He activated his technique and dashed straight to the stone.

Since he had activated the technique, Ning Yudian had seen no one as the Ancestor's stone disappeared in the center. Without even a minute had passed, she heard a commotion on a nearby reincarnation pool.

"THE AUDACITY!

Boom!

A yell suddenly came from the sky. The ghosts felt as if their souls would dissipate when the sound waves struck them. At that moment, a huge palm descended in the sky, hitting the blur of soul who had been discovered.

However, before the palm could strike the ghost, it suddenly entered the reincarnation pool. Instead of hitting the ghost, the palm shook the reincarnation pool.

"What happened? Who angered Grandma Meng?"

Ning Yudian felt puzzled. She turned her head, but she could not found the silhouette of Lin Hua.

Where is he?

Ning Yudian turned her head to the centre and her eyes shrunk.

The Ancestor's stone was gone!

She felt a sudden bad omen.

"Ning Yudian, follow me. I'm disappointed in you."

A voice awoke her from the stupor, and when it landed to her ears, she came into a sudden realization.

Lin Hua had stolen the Ancestor's stone?!