Volume One: Youthful Encounters in Humble Times Chapter 137: The New Dawn, Part 2

The two paths offered by the Daoist were both ones the Netherworld Beast refused to choose. Whichever path it took meant losing its freedom and becoming a subordinate to Li Yu. But would the Daoist allow that?
In its former prime, the beast could only be subdued by the Daoist as if he walked through an empty realm; now, it was even less likely!
After the Daoist voiced his intentions, he struck the Netherworld Beast with lightning on the spot. The beast had anticipated some extreme demands from the Daoist. Initially, it thought that merely having the Daoist imprint the runes of the Netherworld Path upon it was already humiliating enough. Yet, unexpectedly, the Daoist demanded something even more outrageous: that it serve as Li Yu’s guardian beast. How could it tolerate that?
So, despite its current weakness, it decided to wrestle with the Daoist and see who was truly the ruler of this place with their present strength.
Having made up its mind, it launched the first attack on the Daoist. Within the Domain of Return to Void, its power was amplified beyond what it could display in the outside world. Though injured, the Netherworld Path, combined with the special nature of this domain, produced effects far beyond ordinary magical arts or divine powers.
The Netherworld Beast was born from this very Domain of Return to Void. Its own great Dao was perfectly attuned to this place, and together they fully unleashed the advantages of its Netherworld Path.
The Domain of Return to Void possesses the nature of devouring all things in heaven and earth; it is the ultimate destination for the demise of all worldly paths. The Netherworld Path is obscure and vague, exuding an aura capable of dragging all existence down the path of annihilation—a path of utter consumption.
They complement and contrast each other, fully activating the domain’s essence.
The surrounding space continuously collapsed. Originally, there was no space within the Domain of Return to Void, only patches of darkness. But after the demise of the immortal’s spirit, a trace of space Dao within the immortal’s path began to create pockets of spatial dimension.
Now, under the influence of both the Return to Void and Netherworld paths, the entire space began collapsing again, gradually returning to the previous state of void and darkness.
The Daoist, witnessing the Return to Void’s attempt to swallow him, showed no fear. Though his understanding of the Return to Void was limited, as long as he remained, this realm was his; he was the very essence of this world.
The Daoist, now nearly depleted of power, became transparent and ethereal. He said to Li Yu, “Throw out the scroll!”
Li Yu obeyed. As soon as the scroll was cast into the energy of the Return to Void, it turned to ash. Yet the Dao within it remained utterly unharmed.
From within the scroll emerged a final extraordinary entity, and a chant began to resonate throughout the surrounding domain. Li Yu recognized it immediately—it was the voice of the Amaterasu Sutra he had read before.
This was no ordinary Dao; it was the Daoist’s preserved recording of Li Yu reciting the Amaterasu Sutra, stored inside the scroll for the purpose of subduing the Netherworld Beast in the future.
After confirming on the sea that Li Yu could trigger Dao resonance, the Daoist had also had him read the Amaterasu Sutra at another point, recording the Dao aura it evoked.
This trap was planned by the Daoist long ago; everything he gave Li Yu was the best he could provide.
The Yin-Yang Fish and the Netherworld Beast concealed Li Yu’s uniqueness, and the Daoist even prepared a path for Li Yu’s cultivation unlike any other.

From the scroll flew forth a golden, radiant cord that defied the devouring power of the Return to Void, cutting through it directly toward the Netherworld Beast. As the beast’s expression shifted between panic and fear, the cord wound tighter and tighter around it.
No matter how it struggled, the beast could not break free. Powerless, it let out a helpless roar, “Daoist Lin, I curse you to die a miserable death, your soul scattered, your body and Dao destroyed.”
Lin, the Daoist, only smiled and replied, “You must be forgetful, noble guest. I have already merged with the Dao and departed; your curse cannot come to pass.”
The roar ceased in shock. The beast had clearly forgotten this fact, mistaking the Daoist before it as a living person, not realizing that the true Lin had long since merged with the Dao and vanished from the world.
But would this silence the Netherworld Beast? Certainly not.
After only a few breaths of stunned silence, it turned its wrath toward Li Yu, cursing, “I curse you, little disciple, to never attain the Dao in this life or any future life. Even if you do, your fate will be no better.”
Such words were poison to any cultivator—cutting off the path of cultivation and extinguishing the most beautiful visions one could hope to see afterward. Far more venomous than a curse of death or Dao destruction.
Li Yu, however, did not care. He never considered death or Dao destruction a fate too hard to accept, nor did he fear failing to attain the Dao. Since the day his grandmother passed, his only hope for life came from the Daoist. But now the Daoist was also gone; for the moment, he really did not care whether he lived or died.
If not for the Daoist’s demands, he might have chosen a path of despair, just as he did when his grandmother left.
Yet these vicious words were hard for the Daoist to hear. He could accept curses directed at himself, but if they targeted his most cherished disciple, he would not tolerate it. Instantly, a fine needle appeared, sewing the Netherworld Beast’s mouth shut.
The beast never expected such harsh treatment. Always aloof and revered, it had never been humiliated like this before.
For the first time, it showed a wronged expression, its large, shimmering eyes blinking rapidly as tears streamed down its face.
Lin ignored it and said expressionlessly, “I teach you but one thing: show some respect to Xiao Yu from now on.”
To the Netherworld Beast, this was a warning aimed at protecting Li Yu, the Daoist’s final protective measure. Only Li Yu vaguely understood that this was also to protect the beast itself, for no one knew better than the Daoist just how ruthless Li Yu could be when provoked.
The Daoist was not siding with the beast but feared that if the beast said something crossing Li Yu’s bottom line, Li Yu might destroy it.
If that happened, all the Daoist’s painstaking efforts would be in vain. After all, he still needed the Netherworld Beast to guard Li Yu’s Dao path. Moreover, the beast would play a role in Li Yu’s cultivation journey, so losing it over needless disputes would surely anger the Daoist.
Soon, the Netherworld Beast was drawn into the space between Li Yu’s eyebrows.
Once inside, it sank into Li Yu’s Sea of Consciousness. The golden cord unraveled and transformed into a heavy stone stele, pressing down on Li Yu’s Sea of Consciousness.

The Netherworld Beast tried to struggle, summoning all its strength to surge upward within Li Yu’s Sea of Consciousness, but the strange stele suppressed it back down.
Unwilling to yield, it exerted its Dao to the utmost and even sacrificed some of its remaining essence to briefly restore its peak strength and form.
This power had not even been unleashed during its confrontation with the old ghost tribe matron. It had held back, sensing the Daoist’s impending rescue and because its essence was nearly depleted.
Now, if it did not act, it would be completely trapped forever.
After expending its last bit of essence, its aura changed dramatically. Confident, it believed it could break through Li Yu’s Sea of Consciousness. Even if Li Yu survived, he would become a mindless shell.
It could not blame itself—it was the Daoist who imprisoned it within Li Yu’s Sea of Consciousness!
A person’s Sea of Consciousness is the key to clarity and reason. If destroyed or injured, recovery is difficult.
It is also the most vulnerable spot; without specialized cultivation of the Sea of Consciousness, one cannot withstand a full-force attack from others.
Just as the Netherworld Beast was smugly certain of victory, countless “stars” suddenly appeared above Li Yu’s Sea of Consciousness. One star emitted a beam of light, pinning the beast firmly to the bottom of the sea.
Only then did it realize this was no ordinary Sea of Consciousness. Most people’s Seas are transparent and insubstantial, at most imbued with scattered Dao insights. But Li Yu’s Sea was adorned with runes of the Netherworld Path.
Looking upward, it saw that these were not stars at all, but one of the three thousand great Daos.
The Netherworld Beast was familiar with this. When its talents awakened, all 3,600 Daos also awakened within its soul. Though it could not cultivate them, it was deeply imprinted with their essence.
The 3,600 Daos formed a stellar array, which then unleashed a suppressive light, imprisoning the Netherworld Beast completely. Such a feat was not accomplished overnight.
In fact, after bringing Li Yu back and having him read the Dao Sutras, the Daoist had already been preparing this part of the plan. Though not fully formed at first, as Li Yu’s traits became more evident, the Daoist made his cultivation path increasingly unique and special.
Now the Netherworld Beast understood this was no accident—it had been planned all along.