Book 08 Chapter 119: The Nine Kings

In an extremely secretive place, the sky was overcast, dark with flashes of faint red light. Below was a large city with the words “Underground Blood City” above the entrance.

The city had no city walls, just a city tower, making it stand out. Thick fog shrouded the surroundings, enveloping the entire city. Strangely, this fog had seven colors.

Bringing the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon, the Black Soul Reaper stopped at Underground Blood City’s entrance, apparently hesitant, not knowing whether to go in or not.

“Number Two, are we there yet? I sense a strange aura that makes my hair stand on end!” the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon said with an unsightly expression.

“We’ve arrived. Underground Blood City is right before us,” the Black Soul Reaper said with a frown.

“Are there people more powerful than us here? Why is my heart pounding?” the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon asked worriedly.

The Black Soul Reaper shook his head. “More powerful than us? Not necessarily. However, the curses of the Blood Shaman’s line of inheritance might send us to our doom, so we must be careful.”

“Alright. I’ll listen to you. However, isn’t this place too quiet?” the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon said after some silence.

There was no one at the city entrance. A sinister wind blew, which felt very eerie.

“Hehehehehe! Who says there’s no one? It has been a long time since outsiders came to Underground Blood City. Only old fiends would be able to come here. I wonder who it is?” An extremely creepy, aged voice rang out.

Suddenly, a disheveled, hunchbacked old man appeared at the entrance of Underground Blood City, leaning on a cane shaped like a snake’s head. A lantern dangled from the snake’s mouth at the top of the cane.

The hunchbacked old man looked grotesque but had a sly smile.

“The two of you have traveled far. Will you report your names?” the hunchbacked old man asked with a sinister smile.

“I’m called—”

“Shut up!” The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon was about to speak when the Black Soul Reaper interrupted him.

“Huh?” The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon appeared confused.

“You can’t casually reveal your name, especially in Underground Blood City. If you reveal your name, they can use it to lay curses,” the Black Soul Reaper explained in a whisper.

“Ah?” The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon’s expression changed to that of horror.

If it were in the past, the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon would not care about curses. However, after suffering at Ming’s hands, he no longer dared to underestimate curses.

“This humble one is Black, and this is Bellowing. Are you the divine envoy who will guide us into Underground Blood City?” the Black Soul Reaper said gravely.

“Oh? It looks like you two know the rules here!” The hunchbacked old man smiled.

“Here are one million superior-grade spirit stones; consider them the guide fee.” The Black Soul Reaper tossed over a storage bracelet.

The hunchbacked old man caught the storage bracelet and sized it up; his eyes immediately lit up.

“Pretty good, pretty good. One million superior-grade spirit stones just for a guide, truly extraordinary. Who do you want to meet?” The hunchbacked old man immediately turned polite.

“I would like to meet the leaders of Underground Blood City, the Nine Kings!” the Black Soul Reaper said gravely.

“Oh? The Nine Kings? Haha! You are truly bold. Do you know the price of meeting the Nine Kings?” The hunchbacked old man smiled coldly.

“I have made sufficient preparations and prepared one hundred million superior-grade spirit stones for each of them. There are also countless precious treasures on top of that!” the Black Soul Reaper explained.

“Hah!” the hunchbacked old man exclaimed in shock. “You are quite well-versed in the rules. Regardless of whether the Nine Kings help you or not, the gifts will not be returned. Why are you here in Underground Blood City?”

“The rules of Underground Blood City dictate that you pay for services with money. My brother here has fallen victim to two curses. I would like to ask the Nine Kings to use the Nine Cauldrons to shatter the curses and save my brother,” the Black Soul Reaper explained gravely.

“Hah! Do you think it is easy to get the Nine Kings to do something? Moreover, you want all the Nine Kings? That’s impossible. I can only introduce you to one at best,” the hunchbacked old man scoffed.

The Black Soul Reaper shook his head. “I have studied these curses. One King might not be enough. We need all the Nine Kings together.”

“Now that you are in Underground Blood City, you have to follow the rules here. What I say goes. If you are not willing, then you are free to leave,” the hunchbacked old man said coldly.

The Black Soul Reaper remained silent. The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon’s expression changed, appearing like he would fly into a rage.

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the lantern on the hunchbacked old man’s cane.

“These are honored guests; don’t be discourteous!”

The hunchbacked old man’s expression changed when the rather young voice rang out from his lantern. He immediately fell to his knees.

“Master, please forgive me. This subordinate was just doing things according to Underground Blood City’s rules,” the hunchbacked old man said in horror.

The Black Soul Reaper was shocked. When he last came to Underground Blood City, this divine envoy held a high status. Even though the Nine Kings managed this place, the divine envoy did not have to kneel to them. What was going on now? Just this voice alone had scared the divine envoy into kneeling.

The voice from the lantern rang out again. “Rules also have to adapt to the circumstances. One of these two is the Heavenly Demon Holy Land’s Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon, a person extremely close to the consummation of the spiritual souls. The other is the Black Soul Reaper, someone already at the consummation of the spiritual souls. They’ve come as esteemed guests, yet you are getting in their way? If he wants to kill you, it would only take a thought!”

“This servant did not know! This servant did not know! Master, please forgive me!” the hunchbacked old man pleaded in horror.

“Bring them to me. I have already informed the Nine Kings to bring the Nine Cauldrons over!” the voice from the lantern added.

“Yes, Master!” the hunchbacked old man said in horror.

The Black Soul Reaper’s expression changed. Underground Blood City has a new master? Even the Nine Kings obey him?

The voice from the lantern had stopped speaking for quite a while before the hunchbacked old man dared to get up.

After looking at the two, the hunchbacked old man bowed respectfully. “I apologize for the earlier offense. Please come with me.”

The Black Soul Reaper remained silent as he nodded. Then they followed the hunchbacked old man to the city entrance.

Creak!

After the city gates opened, the three entered, with the Black Soul Reaper remaining extremely silent.

“Number Two, who was that master of Underground Blood City earlier? To think he figured out our identities?” the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon asked worriedly.

“Since we are here, don’t overthink,” the Black Soul Reaper replied solemnly.

“Alright!” The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon nodded.

The moment the three entered the city, they found themselves on a street.

Many beggars stood on this street. Festering sores marred their faces, making them appear extremely miserable. However, their bodies gave off a faint, bluish-green energy.

The Black Soul Reaper knew who these beggars were. They were people who cultivated curses but had their curses rebound on them. They had no money to hire someone to undo the curses on them, so they could only become beggars to get some scraps. To outsiders, it was a source of extortion. If one did not give them money, they would curse you. The Black Soul Reaper had to spend a considerable sum to shoo these beggars away the previous time he was here. Now, they were here again.

“Benevolent sirs, have mercy!”

“Generous sirs, spare some alms!”

…

When the beggars saw the outsiders, they rushed over excitedly. Simultaneously, Curse Energy came from their bodies, shooting towards the Black Soul Reaper and the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon.

“How audacious!” The hunchbacked old man slammed his cane on the ground.

Boom!

All the Curse Energy immediately scattered.

“These are the master’s guests. How dare you be rude to them?” the hunchbacked old man said seriously.

“Ah?!”

The beggars promptly moved aside in horror.

The three continued into the city. The others ahead quickly made way, apparently having heard the hunchbacked old man’s words. Some of the stores even closed up.

The horrified attitudes of the citizens roused the Black Soul Reaper’s suspicions. He understood that these people did not fear him but the master of Underground Blood City. Who exactly is this person? To think he inspires so much fear in these curse cultivators?

The hunchbacked old man led the way. After they entered the city, they flew into its depths and reached a vast sea of blood.

The blood sea churned as though monsters lay hidden at the bottom. There was a cluster of palace halls on the shore. The three arrived at the largest hall, named Blood Shaman Hall.

Nine men wearing imperial robes were already standing respectfully in Blood Shaman Hall. All of them showed solemn expressions as they looked at the Black Soul Reaper and the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon.

“The Nine Kings?” the Black Soul Reaper said in shock.

During the Black Soul Reaper’s previous trip here, he did not even get to see the Nine Kings, yet all the Nine Kings were gathered here now? Each of the Nine Kings oversaw one of the Nine Cauldrons. With the nine gathered here, did that mean the Nine Cauldrons were gathered? This trip seemed to be going unexpectedly smoothly.

“Master, I have brought them here!” the hunchbacked old man said respectfully.

There was no one else in the large hall. However, the hunchbacked old man knelt devoutly.

The Black Soul Reaper carefully looked around and finally discovered a living being at the ceiling. It was a pitch-black bat hanging upside-down.

The bat’s eyes shone red as it looked at the hall.

“The Heavenly Demon Holy Land’s Black Soul Reaper greets the Underground Blood City Lord!” the Black Soul Reaper greeted.

The bat at the ceiling flapped its wings.

“He is cursed?” The voice of that master came from the bat.

“That’s right. I’ll have to trouble City Lord. The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon’s curses are extremely strange. I have tried to break them many times but failed,” the Black Soul Reaper said respectfully.

“Alright. One of you, go take a look!” the city lord said indifferently.

The Nine Kings exchanged looks. Suddenly, one of them said, “Bi-An King, you traveled the world a few years back and have some understanding of the outside world. You examine him first.”

The Nine Kings nodded. Then one of them slowly stepped forward, walking to the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon.

“Bi-An King? We greatly appreciate your assistance!” the Black Soul Reaper said gravely.

“Thank you for your assistance!” the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon said extremely carefully.

“Sit down. Let me take a look,” the Bi-An King said solemnly.

The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon immediately sat cross-legged.

“Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon, you possess a strong cultivation; I’m not as strong as you. Later, I will send a curse into your body to examine you. Do not resist. Otherwise, if it rebounds, I might get severely injured,” the Bi-An King said.

“Don’t worry. Just pretend I’m a dead person,” the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon said while nodding.

The Bi-An King closed his eyes and extended his hand, sending a beam of golden light into the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon’s body. The Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon immediately felt strangely itchy. He instinctively wanted to resist but endured and restrained himself.

The Bi-An King kept his eyes closed, as though sensing his Curse Energy. When the Curse Energy flowed to the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon’s broken arm, the Bi-An King suddenly trembled and broke out in a cold sweat.

The surroundings fell silent, no one daring to interrupt him.

When the Curse Energy reached the Bellowing Griever Heavenly Demon’s blind eyes, another rebound happened. The Bi-An King shuddered.

Blargh!

The Bi-An King spewed a mouthful of blood, his eyes widening. “A primogenitor-grade curse?