With the dagger piercing his chest, a cold glint flashed in the eyes of the elder of the Snow Mountain Tribe before he collapsed onto the ground.

He was already dead, having entrusted all his hopes in Chen Hao and his group before his demise.

"When you have faith, how can you be free?" The Second Generation Nether King said, looking at the gradually freezing corpse of the elder. As someone who had fashioned himself into a god, he knew better than anyone the restraints faith imposed on a person.

"Elder!" Below the altar, the girls of the Snow Mountain Tribe wept in unison.

The Second Generation Nether King released the dagger from the elder's chest, and instantly a black flame called the Nether King's Fire appeared in his left hand, incinerating the elder's body.

Then he rose, turned, and walked down from the altar to the middle of the temple, saying to the surrounding girls, "Continue doing daily as you were before. In a few days, I will personally come to select one of you as the Goddess, to inherit the position of the Snow Mountain elder."

At that moment, one of the girls stood up and retorted, "But the position of elder has always..."

"There are no buts!" The Second Generation Nether King interrupted the girl, "Whoever I appoint as the elder will be the elder! If you wish your people to live, you will obey me. Otherwise, your fate will be just like your elder's."

After speaking, the Second Generation Nether King left the temple.

Upon ascending from the temple and reaching the Ice Sculpture Building, his consciousness was slightly jolted again.

He closed his eyes, and the image of Chen Hao appeared in his mind.

Chen Hao was sensing the Nether King's Heart within him.

"You killed the elder of the Snow Mountain Tribe!" said Chen Hao.

"Indeed!" The Second Generation Nether King replied with a slight frown, "It seems your journey has been smooth, and it won't be long before you reach the Ancient City."

"About the Ancient City, I've heard it all from Xie Xiaofeng. You really are narcissistic, having elevated yourself to godhood."

The Second Generation Nether King looked stern: "I await your esteemed arrival here!"

With that, the Second Generation Nether King sealed off the Nether King's Heart within himself, disconnecting the resonance between the two hearts.

Stepping out of the Ice Sculpture Building and looking at the rows of diverse architectural styles, his heart filled with worry. He feared that the city he had created might soon be destroyed by Chen Hao and his companions.

He was even more worried that the idols and faith he had established here would be overthrown, and the divine status he held in the hearts of the people here would collapse.

"I am a god! The god who rules over all, controlling both yin and yang realms!" The Second Generation Nether King roared inwardly, his eyes blazing with determination.

Upon returning to the Ice Sculpture Building, the Second Generation Nether King immediately called together the stewards of the Ancient City, ordering them to dispatch powerful demons and various masters to the Snow Mountain Tribe to annihilate the people there.

However, the Second Generation Nether King could not have anticipated that at this very moment, the people of the Snow Mountain Tribe were hurriedly packing to flee.

Seven days earlier when the elder had returned to the tribe, he had secretly instructed the tribe's Clan Leader that if there ever came a day when he died, the Clan Leader must immediately lead the people to escape.

So just recently, when the life thread of the Snow Mountain elder was severed in the temple, the Clan Leader had ordered all the tribe members to gather their belongings and leave.

Two hours later, when the people sent by the Second Generation Nether King arrived at the Snow Mountain Tribe, the area was already deserted.

In the morning, when those people returned to Netherworld City and reported the situation to the Second Generation Nether King.

Upon hearing the news, the Second Generation Nether King flew into a thunderous rage, his face turning ashen as he realized that the elder had already prepared for his death.

At that moment, suddenly, a loud "boom" shook the entire Ancient City violently.

The Second Generation Nether King activated the Nether Vision and looked underneath the ancient city. He discovered that the heart of the Volcano King was stirring restlessly. This forced him to worry, for once the elder of the Snow Mountain Tribe died, there would be no one to suppress the heart of the Volcano King.

Fortunately, the earthquake merely appeared for a moment then stopped.

The Second Generation Nether King stood up, his brows furrowed, calculating in his mind when Chen Hao and his group would most likely arrive.

Contrary to earlier, he now desperately hoped that Chen Hao and his group would arrive sooner. Only then could he kill Chen Hao and obtain the complete Nether King's Heart.

With the complete Nether King's Heart, he could suppress and freeze the heart of the Volcano King.

..

..

Several days later.

Netherworld City.

In the blink of an eye, autumn had arrived. Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body had been on their journey to the Polar Ice Land for over a month.

A drizzle fell silently within the city of the Netherworld.

Within the Zhao Residence.

"Thump, thump, thump!" Zhao Chong's room door was knocked.

After a while, he opened the door, only to see Tang Jing standing in front of it.

"Tang Jing, do you need something from me?"

"Yes," Tang Jing nodded her head, "Remember the last time it rained, you took me to Samsara Path, to see the 'Three Lives Stone.' Since then, I've been waiting for the next rainfall, wishing for you to tell me about my past life. I didn't expect that today's rain would make one wait so long."

Zhao Chong frowned, thought for a moment, then slightly nodded, "Come in, I'll tell you everything I know."

After entering the room, Zhao Chong ordered a servant to brew a cup of tea for Tang Jing.

Once the servant served the tea, Zhao Chong began, "The first time I met you was already eighteen years after you died and came to the Netherworld. By then, you should have undergone reincarnation, but instead, you chose to endure severe torture and soul-thrashing ordeals, refusing to enter the Samsara Path."

"Is it because of Chen Hao's past life?"

Zhao Chong nodded, "At that time, I was in charge of Hell, and when my subordinates mentioned a Yin Soul who refused reincarnation, I went to look at Samsara Path. The last person I heard of who would rather disperse soul and spirit than reincarnate was Ye Heng. Unexpectedly, you were someone bound to him through a connection spanning three lives."

After a pause, Zhao Chong continued, "Later I asked you why you would rather suffer soul-grinding torture and not undergo reincarnation, you said it was because Ye Heng hadn't reincarnated, so you were unwilling to do so as well. As long as you reincarnated, it would sever your ties of three lifetimes with him."

"Does Ye Heng refuse to reincarnate because of his senior sister?" Tang Jing asked, her eyes now somewhat blurry. A faint sadness emerged in her heart, as if possessed by her previous life.

"You should have met his senior sister, Man Qingting," Zhao Chong thoughtfully said, "Man Qingting was a zombie who once faked her death and deceived Ye Heng, then disappeared without a trace. Ye Heng refuses to reincarnate because he wants to wait for news of Man Qingting."

"What happened after that?"

"I saw that you, a young girl, simply couldn't bear the soul-grinding and severe torture of the Eighteen Levels of Hell, so I brought you back to my residence."

"And what about Chen Hao's past life?" Tang Jing pressed on.

"He was very stubborn, preferring to endure severe torture in the Eighteen Levels of Hell rather than accept Yuqiao's kindness. It wasn't until many years later, during Yuqiao's 20,000th birthday celebration, that he was finally granted amnesty, and his punishment lifted."

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