Published: September 2, 2025
Chapter 581: Rahula and the Great Jin Imperial Dynasty
“Sir, you say this place is the land of darkness and shadows. Could it be connected to the Netherworld Realm as rumored? What exactly is this place? Our magical power has been suppressed—do you know of any way to restore it? Most importantly, I do not wish to stay here; I want to return outside. I ask the elder to point out a clear path for us,” Han Li frowned and then let out a long breath as he asked.
“To go back? If it were that easy, would we still be stuck here, living a life of uncertainty every day? You have to understand, most people here were born in this land of darkness and shadows. Only a very few, like you and me, were sucked in by the ghost mist. Most outsiders who enter are devoured by the yin beasts. Only those with good luck survive for various reasons and manage to escape into the village. Our friends and family are all outside too,” the elder shook his head and sighed.
Han Li was speechless upon hearing this.
“As for what this place truly is, and whether it is related to the Netherworld Realm—who can say? But many predecessors who arrived before us have speculated. One theory, similar to what you mentioned, is that this is a spatial rift where the Netherworld Realm and the human world intersect. That’s why the aura of darkness and shadows is so thick here, yet it can’t form very powerful shadow beasts.”
“Another theory suggests that the Netherworld Realm doesn’t actually exist—that it’s just a misunderstanding passed around by some cultivators. They believe this place is actually inside the legendary demon beast called Rahula. Only this demon beast, said to swallow the sun and moon and traverse space in an instant, can explain why the ghost mist appears in different seas and why this place connects to the outside world only once every few years. You should know, the Rahula demon beast is said to prefer hiding in the deep sea and only feeds once in a very long time.”
“Rahula demon beast? Impossible! That theory is even more far-fetched than the Netherworld Realm. I don’t believe such a beast exists in our generation,” Han Li’s face changed drastically upon hearing the elder’s suggestion.
“That’s right. I was just as shocked when I first heard that theory. But I must say, while ridiculous, it does hold some possibility. If this rift opened regularly in space, it should always open at the same point outside. But actually, every time the land of darkness and shadows connects to the outside, the people sucked in come from several different seas. They don’t even know the names of each other’s seas. For example, I come from a small island in Wannan Prefecture of the Great Jin Imperial Dynasty. Other cultivators come from the Five Dragon Sea, the coastal regions of Tiansha Continent, and the Chaotic Star Sea. Before we met, most of us didn’t know where the others’ seas were located,” the elder said thoughtfully.
“The Great Jin Imperial Dynasty! You come from the Jin Kingdom?” Han Li showed a trace of surprise. That was a super empire he had heard of back in Tian Nan.
“Are you also from the Great Jin Imperial Dynasty?” The elder’s eyes brightened immediately.
“No, but I’ve heard a bit about it. I know it’s a huge country. I’ve always admired it but never had the chance to go,” Han Li shook his head.
“I see! That’s a pity. I do hope I get a chance to return someday,” the elder said with some disappointment.
“Heh heh! If you go to our Great Jin, you’ll see what a true immortal cultivation world looks like. From what I know, although many other regions have cultivators, none compare to the Great Jin in scale and prosperity. Calling it a sacred ground for cultivators in this world is no exaggeration,” the elder said enthusiastically when talking about his homeland.
Han Li rubbed his nose and smiled wryly, feeling a stir in his heart from the elder’s words.
“Heh, I’ve gone off-topic. You asked if there’s a way to restore magical power and abilities here. I can tell you clearly: as long as you stay in this land of darkness and shadows, don’t expect your previous magical abilities to return. Besides the aura of darkness and shadows, there is also something we call the aura of absolute spirit extinction. These usually lie deep underground but periodically erupt from the earth, filling the entire space. Any cultivator within its influence will lose all magical power and abilities. This is irreversible. You were sucked in because the rift opened at the same time as an eruption of this aura,” the elder said with a faint smile.