13: Secrets must be shared

An expert makes a move, and you know if they have it or not!

Leaving aside combat power, just with his ability to capture people and monsters, Zhen Yuanzi can truly be called the Three Realms' best!

Tang Ku was very familiar with the Sleeve Universe, or rather, it was very familiar in Tang Seng's memories, because they had been captured by this Divine Ability more than once during their journey to the West!

Seeing the calm after the storm, all the Celestial Soldiers were instantly cleared and vanished without a trace, and Tang Ku and the other two immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

In the air, a Daoist wearing a purple-gold crown and a crane-feather Daoist robe slowly descended from the clouds, landing directly in front of Tang Ku. With kind eyes and a benevolent face, yet carrying three parts of majesty, who else could it be but Zhen Yuanzi?

Zhen Yuanzi, or rather, Great Immortal Zhenyuan, was such a figure that even Guanyin Bodhisattva had to show him three parts of respect.

Intelligence 30, Strength 40, Skill 85, Agility 52, Speed 60, Defense 80!

This is a Great God!

However, when Tang Ku slightly raised his head and looked at Great Immortal Zhenyuan, who was a head taller than him, he didn't feel inferior at all; on the contrary, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Tang Seng's previous incarnation, Golden Cicada, was actually an old acquaintance of Great Immortal Zhenyuan, and this sense of familiarity was precisely because he had recovered Golden Cicada's memories and had also become a Buddha himself. Both in terms of identity and status, he was fully capable of sitting as equals with Zhen Yuanzi!

"You've become a Buddha?" Zhen Yuanzi asked with an expressionless face.

Tang Ku proclaimed a Buddhist title and nodded faintly.

"Very good! So what Buddha did that Tathagata seal you as?" Zhen Yuanzi asked.

"Buddha of Sandalwood Merit!" Tang Ku said with a chuckle.

"It does fit your past nature, but this is just an honorary position, not of much use!"

Zhen Yuanzi actually smiled for once, then became serious again, saying earnestly, "My brother... is he really dead?"

Tang Ku knew he was talking about Sun Wukong. Back then, regarding the Ginseng Fruit Tree incident, Sun Wukong went through several twists and turns and eventually became sworn brothers with Zhen Yuanzi. It has to be said that Zhen Yuanzi's words truly came from the bottom of his heart, showing his concern for him.

"Wukong's soul should not have perished. I think the souls of the Western Paradise Buddhas, the Immortal Realm gods, and the Netherworld's Yin Gods should not have completely perished either!" Tang Ku thought for a moment, then said, "There should still be a way to save them!"

"I thought so too!" Zhen Yuanzi turned to look at Erlang Shen and bowed, "True Monarch, Great God of the Three Altars and Seas, I salute you. It's been a long time since we last met!"

The two quickly returned the greeting. Yang Jian said, "Great Immortal, the Immortal Realm is already..."

Zhen Yuanzi waved his hand, interrupting, "I already know... My two disciples are also missing. I came out of my temple to find them, but I've searched the Three Realms and found no trace... Hmm, this is not the place to talk. Follow me!"

The three immediately followed Zhen Yuanzi and walked towards the backyard again.

"The Ginseng Fruit Tree has been taken by those evil beings. It's probably difficult to see Ginseng Fruit again in the future!"

Passing by the large pit, Zhen Yuanzi sighed for once, then led the group to a large hall in the back. Although it was also in ruins, it was relatively intact. After Great Immortal Zhenyuan led them in, he flicked his sleeve, and a huge Pill Furnace suddenly appeared in the center of the hall.

Yang Jian immediately saw the clue and couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "Is this Lao Jun's Pill Furnace?"

"That's right!" Zhen Yuanzi pondered for a moment and said, "Half a month ago, Lao Jun visited me. The first thing he did was hand me the Pill Furnace. I didn't understand why at first, but he said that a great calamity was approaching the Three Realms and that I should leave a spark for this world... Hmm, it seems that the great calamity Lao Jun spoke of has arrived!"

"Did Lao Jun say what the great calamity was? Is it just these invaders? But why have even the Immortal Realm, the Buddhist Realm, and even the Netherworld been invaded?" Nezha suddenly couldn't help but ask, "And why is the relatively weaker Human Realm deliberately left for last by them? What exactly are these evil beings here for?"

"Lao Jun didn't say what the great calamity was. He only calculated that a calamity would occur, but he didn't know the enemy's true identity!" Zhen Yuanzi shook his head and said, "No one knows the purpose of the evil beings... However, regarding the Human Realm... I do know a little. That is, the entire Human Realm is the Foundation that supports this world, the Foundation that supports the Three Realms. Its Foundation is not comparable to that of the Immortal Realm and the Netherworld. If I were the enemy, I would also leave the Human Realm for last to deal with, because it is the hardest bone to chew!"

Tang Ku said, "Let's not talk about these for now. Before, we had no clues to find the enemy's whereabouts. Does Great Immortal have any clues?"

"I don't have any clues about the enemy!" Great Immortal Zhenyuan frowned slightly, "However, if you say that the souls of the immortals are still there, I do have a little idea... Hmm, we don't know if the other party has a way to detain souls, but at least it's a direction for investigation... I believe you have already entered the Netherworld, haven't you? Have you been to the Eighteen Levels of Hell?"

"The Holy Monk and I have already investigated. The order is well-maintained, and there's nothing unusual, nor have we found everyone's souls!" Yang Jian frowned slightly and said, "Great Immortal, could the clue be in Hell?"

Zhen Yuanzi thought for a moment, then sighed helplessly, "This Hell generally has eighteen levels, specifically for those with deep sins to eliminate their karmic debts. The punishments within can make souls suffer immensely... But what few people know is that besides these Eighteen Levels of Hell, there is also the lowest, nineteenth level in the Underworld. Both immortals and Buddhas are tight-lipped about it, and it is called Avici Hell. And what is imprisoned there are great demons with deep sins, or immortal gods with deep sins!"

The three listened in stunned silence!

Tang Ku this time truly gave a bitter smile. He couldn't help but say helplessly, "I knew something like this would happen... But why didn't I think of it at the time?"

"We have never known such a secret!" Yang Jian cupped his hands and bowed, "How exactly does one get to that Avici Hell? Please enlighten us, Great Immortal!"

"You'll have to go to the eighteenth level and find it yourselves!" The Great Immortal shook his head helplessly, revealing a bitter smile for the first time, "Don't get too happy too soon. Even if Avici Hell truly exists, the souls of the disappeared may not necessarily be there, and it's still questionable whether the enemy knows of Avici Hell's existence. So, this is just a direction for investigation, not a certainty!"

Tang Ku suddenly remembered something and frowned slightly: "I don't know about the others, but I guess one soul is very likely to be in that Avici Hell. Of course, this is also a gamble; whether my guess is accurate still needs to be seen!"

Yang Jian showed a thoughtful expression and couldn't help but frown slightly: "Then there's no time to lose. Let's set off now and go to the Underworld again to see if we can find the entrance to the so-called nineteenth level and find the person you mentioned?"

Nezha was still completely confused, asking blankly, "Who is the person you're talking about?"