"Returning home..."
"What do you mean by 'should probably'?"
"Why suddenly mention returning home now, clearly I am just..."
"...No, it is indeed time."
"..."
Standing on Naihe Bridge, overlooking the Netherworld Palace, Hu Ma listened to the voice of the State Preceptor coming from behind and suddenly felt enlightened.
Before entering the Netherworld Palace, he already had a One Incense beyond the heavens, which marked the Non-human Realm.
And after entering the Netherworld Palace, he took a step further, using his body as a bridge, merging with heaven and earth, capable of borrowing the mortal world's calamities, which signified the Non-Ghost Realm.
After vanquishing the Eight Palace Emperor Ghosts, both consuming and drinking...no, reclaiming Purple Qi, swallowing the Emperor Ghost, he remarkably advanced from the nascent stage of the Non-Ghost Realm, his level soaring rapidly.
From the First Hall to the Eighth Hall, slaughtering countless Evil Ghosts, as fate continuously bestowed upon him, by the time he reached the Second Hall, he had already reached the pinnacle of the Non-Ghost Realm.
What remained between him and the Non-Ghost Realm was just that final step.
Then, the State Preceptor arrived.
He shattered his own deadlock with Naihe Bridge, delivering countless Evil Ghosts from the underworld, and this immense power broke through the Netherworld Palace and the underworld, allowing Hu Ma, via Naihe Bridge, to swiftly bear the burden of the underworld, stepping into the Non-God Realm.
The underworld is also a part of the mortal world, merely the yin aspect, hidden deep within.
The dreamlike changes, at this moment, manifested vividly; just a breath ago, he severed his human bridge, distancing from the mortal world, a breath later, he reconnected the Life Bridge, stepping into the Non-God, paradoxically closer to the mortal world.
But now, it was not the time for him to shield the Netherworld Palace with his body, instead, innumerable yin souls from the underworld invaded the Netherworld Palace, aiding him, suppressing the boundless Evil Ghosts within.
This was not the end; suddenly, incense breath flowed from behind, majestic and elusive, soothing the Divine Soul, drifting from behind Hu Ma.
It was the pond god of the mortal world, summoned by the Emperor of the Hu Family.
If Naihe Bridge and the City of the Dead represent the yin of the mortal world, then this incense breath was the will of all people.
It represents yang!
Hu Ma didn't need to turn around; he already felt the incense coming upon him, even seeing numerous No-Eating Beef Disciples, standing at the four corners of heaven and earth, before villages everywhere, holding high the green incense, serving the Sect Hierarch, drawing endless incense of the mortal world for him.
Saw Granny, the mountain lord, the pond god, and countless new gods, shadows of gods.
Even saw a willow branch drifting from nowhere, gently brushing, turning into strands of golden threads, wrapping around his wrist...
...Stepmother is not easy either, learned to be obedient.
Layer upon layer, thread upon thread, endless incense wrapped around him, Hu Ma felt the One Incense within him changing, this One Incense and the pond god's incense merging into one.
One Column became endless, merging with the countless incense of heaven and earth, inseparable.
At this moment, although in the Netherworld Palace, far from the mortal world, it seemed like the moment closest to heaven and earth, as if transformed into heaven and earth, viewing the mortal world from a godly perspective, at an extremely close distance.
Hu Ma entered this brand-new realm, feeling that indescribable divine wonder.
"Is this the Non-God Realm?"
Stepping on the Netherworld Palace, bearing yin and yang.
Originally, looking at the two Emperor Ghosts of the Netherworld Palace felt extremely oppressive, but now suddenly breaking free from the shackles: "You rely on Tai Sui, but I bear the underworld and mortal world!"
The Emperor's Great Saber in his hand shook, throwing up roaring evil waves, pushing the two Emperor Ghosts far away.
The countless eyes on them turned horrified, seemingly unable to comprehend how Hu Ma could undergo such transformation all at once, that the essence of yin and yang united, a state they had never witnessed even alive.
But this was not the end, achieving Non-God, stepping on yin and yang, the Eight Sceneries of the Netherworld arrived.
Naihe Bridge, Ghost Gate, Bloodstain Pond, Poqian Mountain, Wangxiang Platform, Clothes Stripping Pavilion, Wild Dog Village, Granny Meng's Shop, each landed upon him, again causing an explosion of power, illusory yet real, as if already incarnated into heaven and earth.
"The Eight Sceneries in hand, heaven and earth united!"
Hu Ma had unprecedented clarity, immediately understanding all along what the State Preceptor and the Daluo Dharma Sect spoke of, the method of ascension to the mortal world.
The ten families only grasp one scenery, yet wish to become living immortals, but the Daluo Dharma Sect devours rivers and mountains, mastering the Eight Sceneries, incarnating heaven and earth, becoming God!
No wonder the State Preceptor could never achieve this, he couldn't bear the Eight Sceneries, not even one scenery; even his former Ten Incense self couldn't bear the Eight Sceneries until this venture into the Netherworld Palace.
Devouring Emperor Ghosts, fate blessed him, ascended as Emperor, gained the pond god's protection, Purple Qi returned to the mortal world, nourishing the people, performing unprecedented meritorious deeds.
The various causes intertwining at this moment, allowing him alone to bear the Eight Sceneries of the Netherworld, sharing shoulders with heaven and earth for that subtle moment, this is Non-God.
Humans are originally human, yet stand shoulder to shoulder with gods, bearing heaven and earth.
But, missing just a little bit...
He incarnates heaven and earth, everything between heaven and earth will manifest upon him; these two Emperor Ghosts are the impediments of heaven and earth, thus becoming his impediments now.
Clarity in mind, Hu Ma suddenly opened his eyes, glanced coldly towards the Emperor Ghosts within the Netherworld Palace, then raised his hand, tossing the Emperor's Great Saber aside, raising his hand straight to the sky.
