Chapter Eighteen: The Living Nether Street

Early the next morning.

Lin Danian walked ahead, with Zhou Bai following behind. He had wrapped his butcher’s knife in strips of cloth and tucked it at his waist, and together they made their way to the headquarters of the Underworld Bureau in Hangdu.

The malignant spirit of Qinghe had vanished without a trace. Even with the ability to see between worlds, it was impossible to find it in the densely populated city of Hangdu—searching for it was like looking for a needle in the ocean. They could only wait for it to reveal itself.

Master Hou, having reservations about joining the Underworld Bureau, stayed behind at the butcher shop to continue laying out his formation. Facing a life-and-death crisis, he had shed his usual careless demeanor, tirelessly gathering materials for hours, his figure nowhere to be seen.

The sky had not yet brightened, and few people were on the streets. Their path was unobstructed as they arrived at a shop near the city center.

“The Underworld Bureau’s headquarters is here? ‘Longevity Coffin Shop’…”

“Most people avoid this place, finding it unlucky. Even passersby rarely come near.”

Although close to the city center, the area was bustling and disorderly, with few residents. The shop sold coffins, further diminishing its clientele.

The streets were riddled with potholes, some still filled with water from days before, filling the air with a sour stench.

“Not only in Hangdu—headquarters of the Underworld Bureau are always hidden across the nine provinces. Only the capital has a larger, more open operation.”

Lin Danian explained as he pushed open the door and entered. The shop was shrouded in darkness, with only a few newly finished coffins displayed in the main hall.

Both Zhou Bai and Lin Danian were no ordinary men; their vision was unhindered by the darkness. After closing the wooden door behind them, they approached one of the coffins.

“Follow me. Don’t touch anything you shouldn’t.”

When Zhou Bai nodded, Lin Danian gripped a corner of the coffin and pulled hard, causing the wooden structure to shift.

A sharp click echoed, and the coffin slowly slid aside, revealing a tunnel leading underground.

Zhou Bai was startled, but considering the Underworld Bureau’s reach across the nine provinces, it made sense they would employ such means.

The two entered the tunnel, the coffin sliding shut behind them, leaving the shop empty once more.

Though the tunnel was dark and deep, Zhou Bai could sense a faint cool breeze, indicating this passage had more than one exit.

The walls were rough and mold grew in the corners, yet strangely, not a single insect could be found.

After walking for about ten minutes and passing several intersections, the monotonous tunnel changed.

A massive stone door, five meters tall, stood before them, etched with the marks of centuries. It must have been here for hundreds of years.

“Here, put this on.” Lin Danian tossed Zhou Bai a mask, blank and unadorned, with only two small holes for the eyes.

Zhou Bai took it, puzzled. “Why do we need masks?”

“We’re about to enter the greatest secret of the Underworld Bureau, the heart of the nine provinces: the Underworld Street.”

Lin Danian donned his own mask, patterned with the fierce visage of an Ashura, teeth bared.

“Hangdu has an underground city?” Zhou Bai was taken aback. In all his days here, he had never heard of such a thing—an underground city seemed fantastical.

Lin Danian’s tone was strange. “It’s not only Hangdu. This is a living, moving street. No matter where you are in the nine provinces, any member of the Underworld Bureau can enter Underworld Street through a secret entrance.”

Zhou Bai’s mouth hung open. Monsters and spirits already made this world uncanny enough—how could something like this exist?

“I don’t know much about its origins, only that it’s been here for centuries. As tradition, every new member must enter Underworld Street at least once. That’s why our superior, Master Wang, set the meeting here.”

Time was slipping away, and Lin Danian urged, “Quick, put on the mask. It can conceal part of your presence—though it’s probably useless against your spirit-seeing eyes.”

Zhou Bai nodded, placing the mask over his face. The eyeholes were set with two red gemstones. Even if he activated his spiritual sight, it was hard for others to discern his eyes.

“Ha!”

Lin Danian spat into each palm and his body swelled, muscles bulging as if ready to burst.

“Ha ha ha, Zhou Bai, let me show you my Ghost Dao power—Ghostly Bewitchment!”

He pressed against the stone door, muscles expanding further, face flushed red. The gap widened until it was large enough for a person to pass through.

Zhou Bai was surprised—he hadn’t expected Lin Danian to summon the strength to move the stone door, proof that his abilities were far from ordinary.

“If you wish to enter Underworld Street in the future, you’ll need greater strength, or find someone from the Bureau to help, like me.”

“Also, Underworld Street isn’t freely accessible—it’s sentient. Entry is allowed only once every thirty days. If you go in early, you’ll be reduced to bones.”

A hidden corner of this world was about to reveal itself. Zhou Bai felt a surge of excitement, took a deep breath, and followed.

As they stepped through the stone door, Zhou Bai felt the world spin, and the scene around him changed.

Before his eyes lay an underground street, sprawling in all directions and filled with shops. Conservatively, it was at least half the size of Hangdu itself.

Street lamps lit the way, shop doors stood open, and crowds bustled more than even Hangdu.

Many had strange appearances—some with horns and beast heads, others with ash-gray, withered skin, and even giants ten meters tall walking past. It was hard to imagine the Underworld Bureau was filled with such beings.

“This is Underworld Street—a street that’s said to move beneath the nine provinces,” Lin Danian marveled, recalling his own first visit, when he’d thought it was nothing but a ghostly illusion.

“Entering is difficult, but leaving is simple—just walk to the boundary, and you’ll return to where you started.”

“Why do these people look so…?”

“Don’t mind their appearance. Master Wang will explain everything soon.”

Zhou Bai nodded slightly, instinctively activating his spirit-seeing eyes and gazing at the bizarre figures.

At that moment, a figure with the shape of a woman turned toward him. Her entire body was shrouded in black, with only a pair of wild, beast-like eyes exposed.