The Reincarnation Department, Hall of Rebirth.
The solemn, orderly scene of the past was completely gone. Many parts of the palace were damaged, shrouded in ominous black smoke. Nearly one-third of the countless "Soul Guiding Lamps," which originally rotated slowly along specific paths to guide Departed Souls, were now extinguished or shattered, lying scattered on the ground with dim spiritual light. The light from the remaining Soul Guiding Lamps had also become erratic, casting distorted shadows within the hall, making it resemble a Ghost Domain.
Deep within the main hall, the Well of Reincarnation, which emitted a soft white light as if connecting to infinite Time and Space, now had its stable halo barrier around the wellhead fluctuating violently, flickering on and off like water disturbed by a stone. What emanated from the well was no longer the comforting power of Rebirth, but a chaotic, tearing vortex aura. Countless Departed Souls awaiting Reincarnation, having lost the guidance of the Soul Guiding Lamps and affected by the instability of the wellhead, became restless and agitated, crashing and wailing throughout the hall. The Ghost Officers tried desperately to maintain Order, but with little effect.
King Qinguang, King Zhuanlun （ directly in charge of the ） Reincarnation Department, and several other Yama Kings who quickly arrived, stood beside the Well of Reincarnation with ashen faces. They felt the unstable barrier and the chaotic aura within the well; the oppressive atmosphere emanating from them nearly suffocated the surrounding Ghost Officers.
"Investigate! This King demands a thorough investigation! Which reckless villain dared to attack this vital hub of Reincarnation!" King Zhuanlun's voice trembled slightly due to extreme anger. He had managed Reincarnation for ten thousand years and had never encountered such a terrible incident!
The Northern Ghost Emperor, the Central Ghost Emperor, and others arrived subsequently. Seeing the scene before them, all wore grave expressions.
"What is the extent of the damage to the wellhead barrier? Will it affect the stability of the Samsara Passage?" the Central Ghost Emperor asked in a deep voice. He was the most composed among the Five Ghost Emperors, focusing immediately on the core issue.
The old man responsible for maintaining the Well of Reincarnation, an elder whose age was unknowable, covered in wrinkles, was currently working with several disciples to stabilize the wellhead barrier with all their might. His voice was hoarse, "The barrier is significantly damaged, but its foundation is intact. This old man and my disciples are working hard to repair it; it will take at least three hours to achieve preliminary stability. During this time, Reincarnation must be completely suspended, otherwise, Departed Souls risk being torn apart by the chaotic power or mistakenly entering the wrong path."
Suspending Reincarnation! This weighed heavily on everyone's minds. It meant the passage between Yin and Yang was temporarily closed. Living Souls stranded outside the Ghost Gate could not enter the Underworld, and the replenishment of New Life souls in the mortal realm would also be affected. Although the duration was short, it was already a severe disruption to the Order of Heaven and Earth!
"What about the attackers? Did they leave any traces?" King Qinguang suppressed his rage and asked.
The commander of the Reincarnation Hall, responsible for the Reincarnation Department's guard, knelt on one knee, shamefaced. "Reporting to Your Majesty, there were five attackers. All were masked in black, their Cultivation Methods were bizarre, and their movement techniques extremely fast. They were intimately familiar with the internal structure of the Reincarnation Department! Their targets were clear: they struck directly at the Soul Guiding Lamp Array and the Well of Reincarnation barrier, striking ruthlessly and retreating immediately! Your subordinate... your subordinates failed to stop them, and they fled towards the 'Misty Swirl,' losing all trace."
The Misty Swirl was a naturally formed foggy area outside Fengdu, where Divine Sense struggled to penetrate and directions were impossible to discern—an excellent place for hiding or escaping.
"Useless!" King Chujiang cursed.
The scene fell into a dead silence. The attackers were well-prepared and decisive; this was clearly premeditated.
Lu Pan followed the contingent from the First Hall and also arrived at the Hall of Rebirth. Looking at the ravaged scene and sensing the unstable fluctuations of the Well of Reincarnation, the chill in his heart reached its peak. Attacking the Well of Reincarnation was no longer a power struggle; this was an attempt to shake the very foundation of the Underworld's Existence! Even the Northern Ghost Emperor, no matter how mad, should not commit such an act of self-destruction... Could it be that he was not responsible? Or perhaps some of his subordinate forces had lost control? Or was there a third party involved?
He observed the scene without showing emotion. On the fragments of the shattered Soul Guiding Lamps, there remained a scorched black mark, carrying a faint, nauseating stench, clearly not caused by ordinary fire or Energy. He quietly collected a trace of the residual aura and hid it in his sleeve.
Simultaneously, his gaze swept over the impact points on the Well of Reincarnation barrier. Besides the residual violent Energy, there seemed to be an extremely faint trace of corrosive and devouring power, one that shared the same origin as the Solitary Delusion Peak Nether Evil Cave and that black-red stone slab! Although faint and masked by the chaotic Energy, his pure Spirit Body was exceptionally sensitive to such forces!
The power of the Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern! It truly was connected to this incident!
His heart sank to the bottom. The possessor of the Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern could not only use it to incite Earth Vein Baleful Qi but also to assault the Well of Reincarnation barrier! The danger level of this forbidden power had risen once again!
"The immediate priority is to stabilize the Well of Reincarnation and restore Order," the Central Ghost Emperor stated. "As for tracking down the culprits, that requires long-term planning. The Misty Swirl is vast; searching it will require mobilizing a large number of troops."
The Northern Ghost Emperor Yongli also spoke in a deep voice at this moment: "Indeed! The safety of the Well of Reincarnation is paramount! This King suggests immediately dispatching the 'Wind-Splitting Cavalry' from the Northern Territory to assist in searching the Misty Swirl! We must apprehend these lawless fanatics!"
He was once again attempting to insert himself into matters concerning the core area.
King Qinguang shot him a cold glance. "Your Majesty Yongli need not trouble yourself! The guards of Fengdu have their own procedures! Reincarnation Hall Commander!"
"I am here!"
"Effective immediately, the Reincarnation Department is under lockdown! No one is permitted within a hundred miles of the Well of Reincarnation without a Hand Token from this King or King Zhuanlun! Furthermore, issue an order for the Department of Punishing Evil and the Investigation Department to jointly investigate this case, with a deadline of seven days to provide an explanation to the Ten Halls!"
"As you command!"
King Qinguang's arrangements directly rejected the Northern Ghost Emperor's interference and firmly kept the investigation authority within the hands of the Ten Halls.
Yongli's eyes turned cold, but he said nothing further. The situation dictated that the Ten Halls were united against a common enemy following the attack on the Well of Reincarnation. If he forced his involvement now, it would only make him look suspicious.
Subsequently, the various Yama Kings and Ghost Emperors discussed further details for stabilizing the situation and appeasing the Departed Souls. The Northern Ghost Emperor's Proposal Document regarding the 《 Blood Sea Hunting Ground 》 was naturally dropped without anyone mentioning it amidst such a shocking upheaval, shelved indefinitely.
A meeting that might have determined the future direction of the Underworld concluded abruptly and heavily in a manner no one had anticipated.
The crowd dispersed one by one, leaving only the Ghost Officers and craftsmen of the Reincarnation Department nervously repairing the damage.
Lu Pan left the Hall of Rebirth with the crowd, glancing back. The Well of Reincarnation, which maintained the Balance between Heaven and Earth, was still trembling slightly, emitting an uneasy aura.
He knew that the attack on the Well of Reincarnation was merely the beginning. The mastermind used this most extreme and insane method to declare their Existence and recklessness to the entire Underworld. Their goal was certainly not just destruction; it seemed more like a... show of force, or perhaps, to conceal a deeper objective—for instance, forcing the Ten Halls to focus all their attention on the Well of Reincarnation, thereby ignoring movements elsewhere?
Lu Pan touched the trace of strange aura in his sleeve, then recalled the mysterious "Gear" mark.
The fog had not dissipated; instead, it had grown thicker. But he felt he was getting step by step closer to the eye of the storm.
He looked up at the perpetually dim sky of Fengdu, feeling as if he could see a pair of cold eyes hidden behind the endless abyss, mockingly observing everything.
"No matter who you are, no matter what you intend to do..." Lu Pan murmured inwardly, his gaze sharp as a knife, "I, Lu Zhiyuan, will never let you succeed!"