Red Spider Lilies, Bull-headed and Horse-faced, Black and White Ghosts, Ferryman.
Along the way, I encountered six gods, each well-suited to the role of underworld deities. They may not possess immense divine power, but the two brothers are at a first-class god level.
However, to Hades, they are far more significant than the Titan Main God.
They are truly the most appropriate gods of the underworld.
Stepping into the underworld will undoubtedly enhance its essence. Their presence can strengthen the very foundation of the underworld, which is paramount; otherwise, Hades has little interest in the other gods.
As they progressed,
Hades guided Kushi Inada Hime to the depths of hell. Beyond the eight hot hells and eight cold hells lie ten expansive palaces, each representing one of the ten kings in hell:
King Qin'guang, King Chujiang, King Songdi, King Wuguan, King Yanluo, King Bianchange, King Tiashan, King Dushi, King Pingdeng, King Zhuanlun
These Ten Kings of Hell oversee the functioning of hell, managing its vastness and serving as the fundamental core of the entire realm. They handle all the changes that occur within hell.
It is often said that King Qin'guang is regarded as the king of Yan Mo.
From this, one can grasp the significance of the Ten Kings' status.
Their divine power is not particularly formidable, typically at the level of the main god. Some are stronger while others are weaker, but they reach the apex of main god power. Just like the black and white ghosts, and the bull-headed and horse-faced beings, their contribution to the underworld is immense.
"Indeed."
"The underworld's ascension relies not just on the transformation of the World Tree."
"The best method is..."
Hades crossed the Eight Hot Hells and Eight Cold Hells, reaching the deepest recesses of hell. He whispered to himself, "It is to absorb the various underworlds—hell, underworlds—in each mythical world and integrate them into our own. Only in this way can we bring about the greatest improvement to the underworld."
Moreover, this is a unique approach that only Hades can employ. Just like the grand world of Japanese mythology, is there not a sea world? A heaven? In essence, mythology is divided into heaven and earth, with heaven representing the supreme gods and earth encompassing the underworld. Hades embodies this duality.
Heaven and earth exist in every world, which is why Hades can promote his ascendance in almost any mythical realm. In this Japanese mythological world, if he can consume hell, it will lead to significant and unparalleled improvement for the underworld.
The strength of the underworld gods is not the key factor; rather, it is the enhancement brought about by the underworld itself.
The advancement of the divine realm will naturally feed back into the World Tree, thereby boosting Hades' divine power.
Hades made a rough estimate. While he couldn't be entirely sure, if he could fully integrate hell into the underworld, his current strength would at least double, bringing him one step closer to the elusive Primordial God.
To be honest Hades has not yet fully comprehended the gap between the god king and the Primordial god. It seems both unreachable and just a step away. What is certain is that as he moves forward, he has gradually begun to see the threshold of the Primordial God. Although still distant, it is now within his sight.
"My lord!"
At that moment, Kushi Inada Hime spoke softly: "After crossing the Eight Hot Hells, Eight Cold Hells, and Sixteen Small Hells, we will arrive at the depths of hell, where the current ruler, King Yan Mo, resides."
"Yan Mo."
Hades murmured softly, "There have been changes in hell."
"Yes!" Kushi Inada nodded slightly. "In the seven generations of gods, Izanami perished while giving birth to her son. She descended to hell and established the Kingdom of Yellow Spring here.
Previously, hell lacked reincarnation. However, as the realm ruled by Izanami, all souls eventually arrive at Yellow Spring Kingdom after death, becoming its inhabitants."
"Then what changes occurred?" Hades inquired softly. Although he had a general understanding of the Japanese mythological world, he lacked clarity on the specifics.
Kushi Inada Hime continued, "As time passed, the gods of Tianjin and the Seventh Generation, the elder gods, retreated into seclusion beyond Gao Tianyuan, and no one knew their whereabouts. Takamagahara is now ruled by three gods: Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, and Susanoo.
Among the eight million gods of Takamagahara, only one god was born."
"Yan Mo."
"My lord!"
"Yan Mo was born in hell, gradually subduing Yellow Spring Kingdom, sealing it deep within hell, and establishing the eight hot hells, eight cold hells, and sixteen small hells atop Yellow Spring Kingdom to contain it, creating the entirety of hell.
The Ten Kings, the Black and White Ghost Messengers, the Bull Head and Horse Face, the Red Spider Lilies, the Ferryman, and the envoy who always accompanies Yan Mo—the judge of life and death—constructed a complete hell and became its ruler..."
"Um."
Hades nodded slightly, but he pondered deeply, considering the flower of the other shore, the ferryman, the bull-headed and horse-faced beings, the black and white ghosts, the Ten Kings, and the judge of life and death. The hell created by Yan Mo is exceedingly comprehensive, even remarkably so.
The titles are fitting, and thus, absorbing the entire hell will undoubtedly promote the underworld.
However before proceeding, I must meet Yan Mo. Hades has no reservations. One thing is certain: Yan Mo may be very powerful, but the two sides are on the brink of conflict.
What both Hades and Kushi Inada Hime remain unaware of is that over the years, Gao Tianyuan and hell have engaged in repeated conflicts. However, Yan Mo has defended hell, leveraging its unique nature to repel Gao Tianyuan's assaults.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
Kushi Inada Hime followed Hades, as the two gods dispelled their hidden auras and walked toward the small courtyard before them, resembling a quaint structure set upon a lake.
In this courtyard, a hint of blue lake water glimmered, and perhaps the most striking figure awaited them in the pavilion by the water.
"King Yan Mo!"
"Stand back!"
"Yes!"
Two judges, dressed identically but with completely different attributes, stepped aside.
The Judge of Life held the Book of Life and Death, while the Judge of Death wielded the Yin-Yang Pen, symbols of life and death.
The divine power of the two judges was not weaker than that of the Ten Kings.
They possessed strength at the apex of the main god level.
But Hades quickly perceived that the Judge of Life and the Judge of Death were essentially one being; their true essence is a single judge who wields the divine power of the Titan Main God.
With the judges' presence, hell becomes more complete, and a perfect realm unfolds before them.