Yama Rising

After parting with the ruler death gods of the three pillars, Qin Ye sped directly toward the new continent as a gust of Yin wind.

Along the way, fierce wind was swept up all around him, raising enormous waves on either side of his body. He couldn't help but reminisce about his first visit to the new continent. At the time, he had taken extreme caution not to be detected, yet now, he was able to blatantly make the journey, and no one would dare to stop him.

He had already achieved everything that he could in Earth's underworld.

Granted, the Cathayan Underworld still wasn't the most powerful underworld. In the wake of the fall of the old Hell, several thousand years worth of netherworldly citizens, skilled personnel, and accumulated wealth and resources had been lost. However, the current Cathayan Underworld already had the right to lead the world forward once again.

Even looking back now, some of the choices that he had made were still quite harrowing to him. However, it was only due to those bold gambles and all types of fortunate circumstances that he was in his current position, able to fly over the Atlantic Ocean with reckless abandon, rather than cowering in the second King Yanluo's array like a scared kitten.

If Zhao Yun hadn't transcended beyond the Yama-King level by a stroke of luck, Qin Ye would've been completely at the mercy of the three pillars during the conference in Nara, allowing them to levy whatever sanctions they wanted against him.

If it weren't for that conference in Nara, they wouldn't have been able to recruit their first allies in the form of the five Northern Europa nations and the Mythic Spirits of the Alkebulan Underworlds, nor would they have been able to initiate the new energy resource revolution.

If he hadn't made a seemingly reckless move by dedicating the entire nation's resources into developing the new energy resource, the Cathayan Underworld would've been stagnant for much longer.

All of the steps that he had taken had finally brought him to a point where the entire world was willing to come together and set aside their differences, and only then did the Cathayan Underworld earn itself the right to be the world's leader.

As these thoughts were flashing through his mind, the enormous Xolotl's Screen had already appeared up ahead, and all of the guards on the screen were on high alert at the sight of the cloud of Yin energy speeding over the surface of the sea. By the time Qin Ye drew to a halt in front of the screen, countless Eagle Warriors had already raised their crimson shields, while the massive Eye of Xolotl had risen up behind them.

"Yanluo Qin." Xolotl's indifferent voice rang out from behind the screen. "I didn't receive any advance notice of your visit, so you are trespassing on another nation's territorial sea."

A faint smile appeared on Qin Ye's face. He no longer had any qualms facing death gods of Xolotl's caliber. The only beings in this world who could speak to him as equals were ruler death gods who were also advanced Yama-Kings.

Xolotl wasn't happy to see him here because there was a natural conflict of interest between them. He didn't know what Qin Ye's intentions were, so he was under the opinion that Qin Ye was helping Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa to extend their lifespans. Little did he know that this wasn't even Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa's objective anymore.

"We just held a meeting between the Coalition of Rulers. I'm sure you know what that is," Qin Ye said. "The content that was discussed during the meeting is extremely important, and I must relay it to Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa in person. At the same time, prior to coming here, I already instructed our foreign affairs department to send a message to the new continent's foreign affairs departments, and this is a private visit from me. Did you not hear about this? I didn't know that the new continent's government was so inefficient. Could it be that no central government even exists anymore on the new continent?"

In a massive Aztec-style temple behind the screen, Xolotl's expression instantly darkened significantly.

He certainly didn't enjoy being spoken to in such a condescending tone. He had naturally already received notification from the foreign affairs department, but he didn't want to allow Qin Ye into the new continent again.

This was their continent! Once Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa perished, he and the other death gods would be the rightful heirs! With that in mind, he was naturally very reluctant to see anyone attempt to extend Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa's lifespans.

Furthermore, Qin Ye was clearly looking down on him.

That final question about whether a central government still existed on the new continent seemed to be a joke, but it was actually a threat. According to international regulation, once a nation had no central government, then the Coalition of Underworlds would have the right to deploy troops to that nation to maintain stability there.

What does it matter to you if we have a central government or not? Mind your own damn business!

Xolotl's rage was constantly building, and a cold smile appeared on his face as his voice rang out like rumbling thunder above Xolotl's Screen. "Is that right? I'll immediately contact the foreign affairs department for verification. Prior to that, I must fulfill my duties, so please wait here momentarily, Yanluo Qin."

His plan was to embarrass Qin Ye by making him wait for several hours in a foreign territorial sea.

He could simply blame this on a miscommunication from the foreign affairs department, and there would be no way to verify whether that was true or not. In any case, the blame would fall upon the foreign affairs department, and he wouldn't be held accountable anyway.

Outside Xolotl's Screen, Qin Ye's eyes narrowed slightly as he said in a cold voice, "Death God Xolotl, are you refusing a mandate from the meeting between the Coalition of Rulers or are you refusing entry to the Cathayan Underworld's King Yanluo?"

"I am simply performing my duty," Xolotl replied. "Let me reiterate that without prior notice, your arrival here will be seen as trespassing upon the territory of the new continent, which can be viewed as an act of war. Do you intend to instigate a war against the new continent just like you did with the Nipponese Underworld?"

As he was speaking, all of the Yin soldiers on the city wall lowered the tips of their spears, aiming them directly toward Qin Ye.

Right at this moment, the sound of a cane thudding onto the ground suddenly rang out from outside the temple, and Xolotl faltered slightly upon hearing this sound before immediately turning around.

The Yin soldiers on either side of the temple's entrance had already sprawled onto the ground on all-fours, and standing between them was a short and wizened figure.

The figure had a hunched back and was wearing Aztec-style attire that was teeming with feathers, as well as heavy gold accessories. Her wizened face was riddled with liver spots, and she wore a half smile as she gently massaged the human bone necklace in her hand while staring intently at Xolotl.

A sense of foreboding instantly welled up in Xolotl's heart, and he was scarcely able to believe his own eyes. The Yin energy behind the figure was as vast as smoke, and just being in her presence alone made him feel as if there were a sword hanging above his head, threatening to take his life at any moment.

It was Mictetikasiwa!

Why is she here?!

Indeed, an application for a diplomatic visit from the Cathayan Underworld would definitely have been submitted to Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa by the foreign affairs department, but weren't they already insane? Why were they still interested in meeting the ruler death god of another nation? And how had she arrived here so quickly?

Xolotl's throat instantly ran dry as he greeted in a hoarse voice, "Your Excellency..."

All of a sudden, Mictetikasiwa's Yin energy erupted forth violently, and all of the lights in the entire temple were instantly destroyed. Her inky-black Yin energy formed a boundless realm of death within which countless Yin spirits were howling and weeping incessantly. Inside this domain of death, Mictetikasiwa finally began to move, making her way toward Xolotl one step after another.

Her footsteps were completely silent, but with each step she took, Xolotl felt as if his heart were being trampled under the feet of a giant.

After just a few steps, Xolotl's legs had already given out from under him, and he scrambled down from his throne before collapsing to the ground in a horrified manner.

His soul was trembling violently, and his heart was filled with fear. Finally, he saw a pair of feet draw to a halt in front of him, following which what felt like a terrifying beast leaned down to observe him in silence.

At this moment, he felt like a defenseless bunny being scrutinized by a dragon!

In the face of what was clearly a higher life form, he could only grit his teeth with all his might. He wanted to say something, but was unable to say anything, and in the end, he was only able to force out a hoarse greeting in a trembling voice.

"I didn't know that you had the right to intercept a ruler death god of one of the four pillars," Mictetikasiwa said in a cold voice.

"No, I..."

"I didn't know that the central government had already become so inefficient."

"Your Excellency..."

Before he had a chance to finish, Mictetikasiwa slammed her cane down onto the ground, and a visible shockwave swept through the entire temple. Xolotl immediately fell silent.

"Xolotl." Mictetikasiwa stood up straight as she said, "Your brother, the Plumed Serpent God, betrayed the plane, yet we still allowed you to continue overseeing Xolotl's Screen, and that is a sign of our faith in you. Do you think that without Xolotl's Eye, we won't be able to effectively defend our territorial sea? Ah Puch and Supay have been eyeing your position for a very long time. You are the only one with a legitimate excuse to gather an army so that you can fight for our position after we pass away."

"I..." Xolotl was just about to say something, but Mictetikasiwa's Yin energy instantly enveloped his entire body like a cocoon.

"Did I allow you to speak?" Mictetikasiwa asked in a voice that was brimming with cold killing intent. "Don't try to deny it, we know that you're all waiting for our deaths. At least five of the world's top 10 consortiums have invested in you, so you're clearly the most hopeful candidate in their eyes. Unfortunately, they don't know anything. I can tolerate the army that you're gathering here, and I can even tolerate your insubordination. After all, we will be leaving this plane soon, and it's time that we handed over the reins to the three of you. However, you've become too conceited, to the point that you think you're already the ruler of this continent, that you can communicate as equals with the ruler death god of one of the four pillars. You're still not an advanced death god yet, Xolotl."

Xolotl raised his head in an incredulous manner upon hearing this.

Isn't she supposed to be insane? Why is she still so reasoned and logical? This doesn't make sense!

He could see that Mictetikasiwa's were completely clear and lucid without any hint of insanity in them.

A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind, yet just as he was about to say something, Mictetikasiwa slammed her cane onto the ground again.

In the blink of an eye, Xolotl vanished on the spot before he even had a chance to cry out.

Only then did Mictetikasiwa turn around as she put on her most welcoming smile. Her voice wasn't very loud, but it was clearly audible along the entire length of Xolotl's Screen. "Open the gate and organize a welcome of the highest caliber for the Cathayan Underworld's King Yanluo!"