"My apologies... But who are you?"
Hearing this the middle-aged man choked slightly; however, he swiftly regained his composure as he introduced himself.
"Ahem, Hmm hmm... I'm known as the First Supreme Judge, and often referred to as King Yama, but you can just call me, Yama." He answered, overlooking Ryujin's dissent.
"As for where you are, I'm sure you have already guessed it by now; this is indeed the Nether Realm; my abode, and the place all souls return to upon dying."
Yama answered Ryujin's next question before he could even ask, frightening the latter significantly.
'Scary!'
Ryujin blurted in his mind as he subconsciously retreated a step.
Then he proceeded to ask.
"If it isn't too much to ask; may I know why you summoned me?" His tone, this time, carrying a hint of reverential fear.
"Um... That's a tricky question. But if we were to sum it up, you could say... I need your help."
Ryujin nodded along for a moment; but then it clicked.
"Wait... what?!" He blurted in reflex.
"Hehe." Yama chuckled amusingly.
"You heard me right. I have a problem that I need to go away, but since I can't head out to solve it myself, I have to send someone in my place." Yama added, gesturing to the entire place.
Ryujin's expression turned serious.
'He's messing with me, isn't he?' He asked himself skeptically.
"No, I don't mess around, and neither am I messing with you. It's not like my problem leaves any me with any chance to enjoy such a luxury anyway." Yama answered, seemingly taking no offence to the question.
Ryujin nearly slapped his forehead in beratingly; how could he forget the man's mind-reading ability so soon.
However, the more he thought about the matter, the more confused he got.
If the man truly had a problem he couldn't solve, then why ask him?
What can't he send the terrifying demons that littered the entire realm?
'Let's say he can't send them; what about the other souls?'
Ryujin thought to himself trying to make sense of the situation.
"But why me? I mean... what do i have to offer?
What can I do that others can't?" He subconsciously blurted before grabbing his mouth in reflex.
However, the words had already been spoken, and this time, Yama adjusted his gait as the aura of a tyrannic emperor billowed out of him in waves that nearly suffocated Ryujin.
Ryujin had now shown dissent thrice in a row, and that was a blatant insult to the middle-aged man.
In fact, the sheer audacity to question a King of the Nether Realm within his office alone, was a sin Ryujin couldn't atone for even if he made ten lifetime's worth of effort.
However, with a slow, deep breath, the billowing tyrannic aura receded like a tide.
Then upon recollecting his composure, Yama stared intently at Ryujin as he replied.
"Nothing."
Ryujin felt his soul freeze in shame and embarrassment.
'That hurt!' He lamented mentally as his shoulders stooped dejectedly.
"-However, i chose you because we both come from the same realm." Yama continued in a gentler tone.
"From the same rea-?!" Ryujin couldn't believe himself.
He truly felt like he was seeking death.
'Curiosity does indeed kill the cat.' He lamented mentally.
"Correct... According to the mundane knowledge; I also came from Earth, but that was over billions of eons ago" Yama explained.
"Billions of eons?" Ryujin this time seemed to have thrown caution in the wind.
There was just too much he wanted to know, and his instinctive curiosity was out of control.
"All these souls; are they also from earth?!"
"Not everyone in the nether realm comes from earth." Yama replied, seemingly accustomed to his curious nature.
"In our KunLun Universe, there are three major realms; the Divine Realm, the Nether Realm and the Mortal Realm.
The Divine Realm refers to the Heavens; of which there are nine levels.
Then there is the Nether Realm which refers to the Underworld and also has nine levels;
and lastly, the Mortal Realm where there are billions of Major Worlds and countless Minor Worlds." Yama began.
"Earth is just one planet. But when one includes its sun, the other seven planets, and all their moons, then they could be collectively called a major world." He added.
"Earth is just a single unit of a major world with a current population of about a couple billion mortals.
However, at every moment in time, countless people die in every major world, and their souls all arrive here at the nether realm."
Ryujin reflexively tried to make a guess; but quickly realized it was a fruitless endeavor.
He nearly asked but was able to control himself this time. He needed to make sure his next question was relevant to the King, so it wouldn't be considered a dissent.
"So, what do I need to do?" He asked the most important of questions.
"Firstly, your mission is a challenging one, and you will need a few things during your journey.
However, these are things even I don't have, and those who have it in their possession attach a great sentimental value to them; thus, I believe they might require you to pass a trial of tests."
'Trials? Tests?' Ryujin thought to himself with a frown.
He just learnt about beings that had things even the ruler of the nether realm doesn't have, which could only mean they were at least on par with him in terms of strength and power.
How could he; a mere mortal that nearly just died from a flaming whip supposed to pass these people's tests?
"-Nevertheless, while I can't give you what you need for this mission, I at least have something that can help you pass these tests." Yama added as Ryujin's face finally brightened with hope.
Anticipation surged within him like a tide.
The thought of experiencing the abilities of the ruler of an entire realm was enough for him to brag for a lifetime.
Then he saw Yama grab the air, and pull out a book out of it.
It was the same checkered book he had been reading earlier.
"I have been reading through your past lives, and I have to say; it was mostly interesting."
Shock rippled through Ryujin's mind when he heard those words.
"Reading through my past life?!" He prompted subconsciously.
Yama nodded and then pointed at the book cover, shifting Ryujin's attention towards the words written on it.
[Book of Lives and Deaths.]
The moment Ryujin's mind recorded those words, his face suddenly paled significantly, as overwhelming sense of taboo suddenly washed over every fiber of his being.
He brain nearly split in half and his thoughts became heavily muddled.
Upon averting his gate, Ryujin found himself gasping for a breath he didn't need.
'All of that was just from reading the title of the book alone?
What if I peered at its contents?' He thought to himself as he wiped a nonexistent sweat off his temples.
"You have experienced numerous lifetimes, and I believe some of them would be of assistance in the trial you are about to face." Yama recaptured Ryujin's attention
"Of the numerous lifetimes you've lived through, there are about a dozen of them that were significantly praise worthy, and their accumulated memories seems to be the only thing I can give you, for now.
However, with your current capacity, I don't think you can survive the influx of more than nine lifetimes worth of memories, so I have picked the best nine of them for you." Yama explained as he approached Ryujin.
Then he placed his index finger on the latter's temples, as a bright light glowed from the spot, forcing Ryujin to reflexively shut his eyes.
An ocean of information that no system could store surged into Ryujin's mind in waves, transforming him in every sense of the word as his wisdom, insight, intuition and knowledge pool began to undergo a massive qualitative and quantitative upgrade.
'Nine lives ago; I was a 1000-year-old White Oak tree...
Eight lives ago; I was a 900-year old Golden Orchid...
Seven lives ago; I was an 800-year-old Jellyfish...
Six lives ago; I was a 700-year-old Orca...
Five lives ago; I was a 600-year-old Turtle...
Four lives ago; I was a 500-year-old Tiger...
Three lives ago; I was a 400-year-old Jaguar...
Two lives ago; I was an 300-year-old Golden Eagle...
In my previous life; I was a 100-year-old Nobel Scientist; who was also the leading scientist at Aeon Consults; a firm that dabbled in nanotechnological aspects of every scientific field...'
Ryujin's mind nearly exploded from memory overload, but he didn't seem to care one bit as he basked in the new influx of wide ranged memories.
He began to notice how he had reincarnated as something different each time.
He also saw the pattern of what he reincarnated as; starting as the most apex of Herbs, to the most exotic of marine animals, land, and even sky.
Then finally, he had reincarnated as one of the greatest minds of the human race.
Upon remembering his previous lifetime, Ryujin finally knew where his curiosity had stemmed from and why it was his strongest instinct.
The sheer level, volume, and depth of knowledge he was currently receiving was almost as vast as that of an entire race.
Then gradually bright glow began to slowly dim out until it vanished with a final surge.
Yama then remove his index finger from Ryujin's temples, and left him alone to digest, readjust and establish a new mindset with his new memory bank.
Time slowly trickled by, and eventually, Ryujin finally digested, sorted and adapted to his newfound knowledge.
Upon opening his eyes however, he saw Yama resting on the reclining chair with labored breaths.
His gait looked lean and even his complexion was considerably pale, as the latter seemed to have been stripped of half his vitality.
"You're done?" Yama asked as he slowly propped himself to his feet.
He wobbled heavily, but before he could fall, Ryujin was flashed to his side and lent him a shoulder.
"Good. I can see you have managed to digest a tiny bit of your past memories." Yama added with a nod of approval.
Ryujin on the other hand, couldn't believe what had just happened.
He gazed at his hands in incredulity as he marveled at the feat he had just pulled off.
He had reflexively moved based on pure instincts, and had traversed a ten meter gap within the fraction of a second.
"What's happening to me?" He asked in shock.
"Well, one's intuition guides one's reflexes, and one's reflexes urges one's body.
However, one's speed is totally dependent on the capabilities of one's body; but since you have no body at the moment, that sort of limitation doesn't exist with you.
If given enough time to revisit, resort and readjust to your memories, I believe you could reach twice the speed with a fraction the effort." Yama explained.
Ryujin's mind reeled in shock, and in the next moment, he clasped his hands and bow slightly.
"I will never forget this kindness." He thanked wholeheartedly/
"No worries, this is nothing..." Yama waved his hand dismissively.
"You will need much more than this to pass your trial, so you need to take every passing moment to try and increase your limits." Yama reminded.
Ryujin nodded slightly. There was indeed no free lunch in all of existence.
Yama had only gifted him the memories because he needed him to pass the trials; however, Ryujin still believed that the level of improvement such memories has and will grant him was worth more than simply passing the trial.
He didn't just want to pass the trial, he wasted to trailblaze it with mind-boggling efficiency.
"We're on a serious time crunch, so I think we should leave now."
Ryujin took a last look at the Book of Lives and Deaths before turning to Yama and giving a nod of readiness.
"Don't worry, when you grow stronger, I might just bring you over to come catch a glimpse of what your other lives has been about.
Fret not. Though you had peak highs and trough lows, there wasn't any single boring chapter in your lifetimes."
Upon saying this, Yama turned northward, and tapped the air with his index finger.
Shockingly, the air rippled, before swirling into a portal.
"Shall we?" He urged with the courtesy of a gentleman.
"We shall... Definitely." Ryujin replied.
Then with an anxiety-level curiosity, Ryujin stepped forward and entered the portal with Yama in tow.