Chapter 69: The Eighteen Levels of Hell

Chapter 69: The Eighteen Levels of Hell

The moment I stepped through the hall doors of the Northern Yin Fengdu Office, the Black and White Wuchang flashed aside at once, regarding me with newfound respect. Perhaps they had never seen anyone dare talk back to their boss before.

Since the city lord had already told me I could wander wherever I pleased, why bother with politeness? There was no need to hurry off.

I went first to the Merit Officer’s Office, then wandered through the Hall of the Ten Yama Kings.

The entire Ghostdark City Lord’s Castle looked, on the surface, like a building complex straight out of the underworld. In truth, it was nothing more than a mimicked administrative zone. The man serving as King Qinguang, foremost among the Ten Yama Kings, was none other than the one who had crossed force of consciousness with me back in the Northern Yin Fengdu Office.

I walked into his office.

When he saw me come in, he didn’t stand on ceremony. He simply poured himself a cup of tea, drank it, and said, “Want some? Pour it yourself.”

So I poured my own cup, sat down across from him, and asked, “Your force of consciousness—rank ten?”

King Qinguang said, “What do you mean by that? Still not convinced?”

“Not at all,” I said. “You’re strong, genuinely. I just want to understand how force of consciousness gets ranked. Martial techniques I understand—rank one through nine, and anything past ten counts as Great Grandmaster. But force of consciousness seems to work differently. The same thickness, the same strength, and yet depending on how it’s used, the results can be worlds apart. Take Yuan Lingliang, for instance. Her force of consciousness isn’t especially strong, but she knows mind arts, and she’s a nightmare to fight. What rank would that make her? How is it even measured?”

King Qinguang said, “Force of consciousness, at its core, is insight—not brute force. So it isn’t measured by strength but by intensity. Strength affects intensity, certainly, but the two aren’t the same thing. Intensity is the measure of influence itself. When we fought, I pressed you with sheer strength. At first, you tried to match me strength for strength. Judged that way, you’d likely have lost. But you adapted—you turned to intensity instead, and that’s the true way to wield force of consciousness. I respect that. As for Yuan Lingliang, the young lady of the Ziyun Sect? I know of her. We fear her too, and not only because she’s close with Pu Liuqian. Her mind arts can turn to water, or turn to needles. Not much strength behind them, but the intensity, the sheer destructive edge—that’s what makes her dangerous. So the ranking of force of consciousness comes down to intensity. Influence, in other words.”

“So that’s it,” I said. “The city lord tried to get me to take a post here earlier. I refused. Then he tried a different tack, telling me the force of consciousness here was abundant and powerful, that this was the best place to cultivate insight.”

King Qinguang said, “He wasn’t lying to you. The force of consciousness here truly is formidable—this is prime ground for harvesting it. If you’re willing to go down to the Eighteen Levels of Hell, that’s where it runs strongest. Though I warn you, it won’t be pleasant. Tenacious force of consciousness tends to belong to those who have suffered. People who’ve lived easy, untroubled lives rarely develop it. And force of consciousness has to be realized through insight—it can’t be poured into you the way martial technique can. It’s a spiritual force you generate yourself.”

“Duly noted,” I said. “So how do I get into the Eighteen Levels of Hell? Do I have to die first? What would be the point of that? Buddhist doctrine says once you’re in, you need a full cycle of reincarnation just to get back out.”

King Qinguang said, “Our Eighteen Levels of Hell here in Ghostdark City isn’t the real netherworld. It’s simply a mimicked form used to hold Ghostdark City’s prisoners. You’ve seen how many obsessive…