C2 Cultivation Inheritance

At the city's First Hospital, Lin Chen lay on the hospital bed, yearning to speak. Suddenly, he felt himself sinking slowly, as if plummeting into an abyss, surrounded by an all-encompassing darkness and a bone-chilling cold.

"Where am I? Is this the morgue?"

With a thud, Lin Chen felt as though he had crashed into a frigid pool at the bottom of an abyss. A ray of light seemed to beckon him through the darkness.

Is this place hell?

The sight of light sparked hope in Lin Chen. He was filled with a fierce determination to survive. He sprinted towards the light, refusing to accept death. He had only just returned to the Lin family, eager for retribution. He had just married Su Qingxue and hadn't even shared a kiss with her. He had promised his mother he would complete his education, and being only a junior in college, he was not ready to die.

He had been set up. How could he be implicated in drug crimes? To be beaten to death like this was unthinkable.

He couldn't accept it!

No, this couldn't be happening!

He ran desperately, the icy waters beneath his feet growing shallower until he emerged onto the shore from the darkness, the light ahead growing ever nearer.

He couldn't die. He simply couldn't!

Lin Chen, fighting through the pain, charged towards the light and found himself facing a pitch-black door shrouded in swirling dark mist, with two blood-red characters inscribed upon it: Hell.

Upon seeing those words, Lin Chen fell to his knees. Was this truly the end? Was this the fabled hell?

This was the resting place of the deceased, the realm of spirits. He realized he was indeed dead.

Should he enter? Beyond this threshold, he might encounter countless lost souls and witness the grotesque visage of the King of Hell himself.

"Everything under heaven, the cycle of Yin and Yang... I never expected the Netherlord to be waiting for you!"

A deep, ethereal voice reached Lin Chen's ears, leaving him disoriented as he searched for its source. His eyes fixed on a blood-red figure looming in the void.

Who was this? A ghostly envoy? Or the King of Hell himself?

"Lord Yama, I, Lin Chen, was truly wronged in my death. Please, don't claim my soul, alright? I don't wish to descend into hell. I yearn to return, to be reborn!"

Lin Chen faced the blood-red apparition without a trace of fear, for what could be more frightening than death itself? With no life left to lose, what was there to fear?

"Lord Yama? Hah, what does he amount to in the presence of the Netherlord?"

The blood-red figure let out a contemptuous snort, and Lin Chen's heart quaked with the realization that he had misspoken.

He wasn't Lord Yama? And he dared to belittle the Yama King? Surely, if he possessed such might, he could grant Lin Chen a second chance at life?

"Excuse me, sir, but who might you be to dismiss the Yama King so casually?"

"I am not of mortal kind. I am Lin Yi, the Netherlord, the most formidable force across all realms, a being on par with the Immortal Emperors. The Yama King is but a trifle to me. Alas, I no longer possess a physical form, and my spirit is trapped within this sea of death. To think that at the twilight of my existence, I would encounter a descendant of the Lin bloodline!" The voice of the blood-red figure was tinged with a hint of contentment.

"The Lin bloodline, the Great Netherlord?" Lin Chen was bewildered. Wasn't the world all about cultivating the right way? And yet, here he was, face-to-face with an ancient powerhouse from his own lineage?

Regardless of the surname or title, what mattered most was revival. Lin Chen pleaded earnestly with the Netherlord to breathe life into him once more.

"Reviving you is no challenge. With me here, not even the Yama King could claim you!" The shadowy figure was indistinct, but its voice resonated with authority, instilling Lin Chen with a profound sense of strength.

"That's a relief. I won't go anywhere. What do you require of me? Revive me, and I'll help you achieve your goal!" Lin Chen inquired.

"Fate begins and fate ends; what good is immortality without purpose? I have but one condition—you must carry on my legacy. Do you accept?"

"Your legacy? I'm not a villain; I consider myself a good person. I'm not sure how I ended up here, but I've never committed any evil deeds!" Lin Chen spoke with trepidation, fearful that accepting the Netherlord's legacy might corrupt his very nature.

"You have no choice. It's destiny!"

As the Netherlord's voice dissipated, the blood-red specter enveloping him transformed into several serpentine blood dragons that wound around his body.

Lin Chen began to feel a warmth spreading throughout him. The blood dragons penetrated his body, igniting him from within, his consciousness blurring.

The only sound was the expectant voice of the Netherlord: "Lin Chen, you have received my legacy. Upon your revival, you must diligently practice. I hope that one day you will ascend to the pinnacle of the cultivation world, while I will eternally slumber in this abyss."

With those words, Lin Chen slipped into unconsciousness.

When he awoke, he was in a hospital treatment room, surrounded by state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Rising, he examined himself and found no injuries, despite his leg having been clearly broken. How had it healed so suddenly?

Lifting his shirt, he discovered that his once frail body now boasted well-defined muscles, and he felt a newfound power coursing through him.

Curiously, Lin Chen looked around and realized that the once dark operating room was now crystal clear to his eyes. His vision had become superhuman.

Had he truly received the Netherlord's inheritance?

Struggling to remember the recent events, it seemed he had experienced an incredible dream, yet it was undeniably real. He was no longer the meek scholar at the mercy of bullies.

His strength wasn't the only thing that had increased—his vision, hearing, reflexes, and speed had all significantly improved.

Even his appearance had undergone a transformation.

His once youthful face now had a chiseled, angular look, with deep, cold eyes that gave him a rugged, masculine air.

"Damn Zhou Cheng, for such a vile and treacherous betrayal! You'll regret this!"

His fists clenched, a steely resolve and chilling intent flickered in his eyes, his presence emanating a destructive malevolence.

With a beloved wife and new ties to the Lin family, his wrongful grievances unavenged, how could he possibly accept death?

Reborn with the legacy of the Netherlord, he was fated to unleash turmoil and vengeance upon the city.

"Zhou Cheng, you're marked. I swear, you'll pay with your life!"

With a dismissive snort, he was on the verge of hailing a cab when a woman unexpectedly collided with him from the side. His body, having been enhanced by the legacy of the Netherlord, remained unyielded by the sudden embrace.

"Big brother, I'm so sorry. Someone was chasing me just now!"

A crisp voice rang out, and Lin Chen found himself momentarily captivated. The girl who had run into him was quite a sight!

She appeared to be in her twenties, dressed in a pale blue dress, with her raven hair cascading down to her waist. Her eyes shone like autumn waters, her eyebrows arched delicately like willow leaves, her lashes long, and her lips full and rosy.

If Su Qingxue was the most stunning and icy female CEO he had ever encountered, then this girl was the epitome of pure and adorable innocence!

"No worries, it was actually quite pleasant!" Lin Chen responded nonchalantly.

But no sooner had he spoken than the girl, in a flurry of anxiety, clutched his arm and took refuge behind him.

Soon after, a group of men in matching uniforms, each with a distinctive mark tattooed on their necks, approached menacingly.

"Hehehe, school beauty, looks like you've run out of places to hide, huh?"

The bald leader of the pack leered at the girl, his eyes gleaming with a taunting malice.