261: What is reincarnation?

The entire Nine Nether World shattered into pieces; the vast territories of the past turned into broken ruins, the mighty oceans flipped into scorched earth, and the land cracked open into great chasms.

The Styx River, which once spanned the Nine Nether World, connecting to the myriad heavens and myriad worlds with its endless, ancient flow, had also dried up and depleted, its riverbed exposed like a hideous spinal column.

This place was now a dead, silent wasteland!

Qin Wushang's aura began to wane; after regaining control of his body, he felt utterly drained.

He landed on the wasteland, immediately taking out a large pile of Medicinal Pills and swallowing them all, then produced the wine immortal pot and frantically gulped down the blood wine poured from it.

"Buzz!"

A blurry figure emerged.

It was a woman.

Qin Wushang was momentarily stunned. He composed his mind, then sincerely bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Senior!"

"Mm!"

The woman nodded faintly and said, "You are quite something, to recognize this Seat at a single glance."

She was the Lord of Samsara who had just slain the Ghost Emperor.

"It was based on intuition."

Qin Wushang replied frankly, "Currently, in the entire Nine Nether World, apart from Senior, it seems all other living beings have been devoured by the Ghost Emperor."

"That is not entirely true."

The Lord of Samsara’s voice carried a trace of vicissitude.

"They were all born from the nurturing of the Great Dao of Reincarnation. Now that the Dao's Origin is dry, they are merely following the Law to return to Reincarnation."

"The Origin devoured by the Ghost Emperor will all be returned to the Nine Nether when he dies and his Dao vanishes. This, is a cycle of Reincarnation."

The Lord of Samsara looked at Qin Wushang, shifted the topic, and asked, "Boy! Let this Seat ask you, what is Reincarnation?"

This question struck right at the core of his Dao Heart.

Qin Wushang's Dao Heart roared, and he fell into deep thought.

"Reincarnation is when a living being perishes, their Divine Soul and consciousness are able to undergo a complete transformation, reappearing in the world in a brand new form of life."

"Thus, it repeats endlessly, ceaselessly, just like the wheel that turns without stopping, hence Reincarnation."

He thought for a moment and said this.

"No! You are mistaken!"

"That is only one form of Reincarnation!"

The Lord of Samsara spoke up to correct him.

"When you speak and then fall silent, the rise and fall of this single utterance is a cycle of Reincarnation."

"Rain is born in the Nine Heavens, falls, seeps into the earth, then evaporates back to the Nine Heavens; this back-and-forth journey of water is also a cycle of Reincarnation."

"A flower blooms and then withers, only to break the soil and be reborn next year; this cycle of decay and flourishing is even more so a cycle of Reincarnation."

"Even your aging and death, the rise and fall of heaven and earth—none of it is outside of Reincarnation!"

"Do you understand now?"

The words of the Lord of Samsara greatly shocked Qin Wushang's heart.

He contemplated, closed his eyes, and instantly entered a state of Epiphany.

This surprised the Lord of Samsara.

"He achieved Epiphany just like that?"

"As expected of the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo, naturally close to the Dao; the speed of enlightenment is truly terrifying."

Her beautiful eyes gazed at the Reincarnation Law swirling around Qin Wushang's body, filled with shock.

After an unknown amount of time, Qin Wushang opened his eyes again.

The Lord of Samsara before him appeared even more ethereal, as if she might dissipate at any moment.

"You are finally awake! If it had taken any longer, this Seat might have dissipated!"

The Lord of Samsara spoke, her voice very low, giving a feeling of extreme weakness.

Qin Wushang frowned and asked solemnly, "Senior is truly going to perish just like this?"

"Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth, that is all."

The Lord of Samsara sighed softly, her tone carrying a sense of release.

"Immortality is ultimately like a flower reflected on water; even though this Seat presided over the Nine Nether for ages, in the end, I still could not touch the threshold of Immortality..."

"My only wish is for this Nine Nether World."

"From now on, I entrust it to you!"

"The day this Seat disperses the Dao will be the day the Nine Nether is reborn."

"Whether this realm can re-establish the path of transmigration for all the myriad races of the heavens rests entirely on you."

Her voice grew fainter, and her form became increasingly translucent, nearing transparency.

The entire Nine Nether World boomed, the Great Dao of Reincarnation vibrated, seemingly bidding her farewell.

"Boy! You are very good!"

The voice of the Lord of Samsara pierced through the roar of the Laws and clearly entered Qin Wushang's ears.

"If one day you ascend to the Quasi-Emperor realm but still cannot find the door to the Emperor Dao, then re-enter the Nine Nether and seek the Spirit of the Yellow Springs."

"Merge the reincarnation immortal bone with the Yellow Springs Dao, use the power of the immortal bone to forge an alternative path to enlightenment; it is not impossible."

She paused and added, "Just remember, this is your last fallback."

"You are walking an invincible path; unless you reach a dead end, this Seat does not recommend you take this last resort."

"An alternative path is, after all, an alternative; it cannot compare to the Mandate of Heaven."

"This Junior understands! I respectfully see Senior off!"

Qin Wushang bowed deeply, his voice resounding across the desolate land.

"The authority of the Great Dao of Reincarnation has long merged into your reincarnation immortal bone... Use this power wisely, and you can return to the Nine Nether at any time..."

Her final words dissipated in the wind, and the figure of the Lord of Samsara completely transformed into specks of light, merging into the vast Nine Nether.

[Ding! Host has completed the selection mission, 'Who Else But Me,' by obeying the words of the Lord of Samsara, receiving the rewards: Nine Nether Gate and Slaughter Dao.]

[Nine Nether Gate: A Reincarnation Dao Artifact, capable of carrying the authority of the Great Dao of Reincarnation... After refining it, you may freely enter the Nine Nether and reach any location within it.]