https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-168-Zeus-Transformed-into-a-Giant-Eagle-and-the-Goddess/12850296/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-170-The-Meaning-of-the-God-Position-Grain-Ferments-in-Darkness/12850298/
Chapter 169: When Death Comes to Collect
Chapter 169: When Death Comes to Collect
Three days passed in a flash, and Qin Muye was preparing to head to the Underworld. He would miss Aladdin and Baydel's wedding.
Sisyphus eventually told the River God Asopus about Afia's whereabouts, and in exchange, he secured an eternal, inexhaustible spring for the Kingdom of Corinth. Qin Muye estimated it was at least an artifact-level reward.
However, these matters had little to do with Qin Muye, as Death had come to collect him.
Death extended a skeletal hand, and Qin Muye, understanding the gesture, handed over the old tinderbox. Thanatos, the God of Death, was very pleased and put it away before leading Qin Muye to the Underworld.
They passed through endless darkness to reach the Gates of Hell.
Qin Muye knew that this darkness was a deity, Erebos, the brother and husband of Nyx, the Goddess of Night.
Whether Erebos was also the father of Death and Sleep was unclear, as the poetry he had obtained did not explicitly state this.
At the Gates of Hell, a massive three-headed dog, Cerberus, was guarding the entrance. This was the gate to the Underworld, and also the garden of Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, where many white poplar trees and fruitless coconut trees were planted.
Qin Muye had no particular feelings about the coconut trees, but he wondered if Persephone ever had the urge to uproot all the poplars. These trees were not planted to please Qin Muye; they were a symbol of Hades, so they naturally had to be there.
However, seeing the symbol of her lover in her own garden, and now having to raise his son, Persephone's low blood pressure might be cured.
Thanatos led Qin Muye forward, arriving at the River of Woe.
The River God Charon had been waiting for a long time.
Qin Muye also noticed something: once they entered the Underworld, Thanatos transformed from a black-robed skeleton into a handsome silver-haired youth with dark wings, looking quite extraordinary.
"..."
He understood now; the Titans were all appearance-conscious. Just think of the fate of Hephaestus, the God of Fire.
Charon also had a robust appearance, complete with a beard. However, he probably only looked this way in front of Qin Muye, a connection; for a soul brought by Thanatos, he might look terrifying and fearsome.
Perhaps because they were now on the same side, they were more relaxed.
After nodding to Thanatos, Charon took Qin Muye across the river.
"You surviving the River of Woe is quite surprising. Even the gods wouldn't have floated the entire length of the river like you did," Charon said.
The River of Woe was not just this one river; there were four more rivers: Lamentation, Forgetfulness, Flame, and Hatred. In Charon's eyes, Qin Muye floating to the human world and surviving was a miracle.
In his view, Qin Muye lost his Titan bloodline because of the river's flow. If not for being born by the River of Woe and possessing part of Hades' divine power, he would have long become a wandering soul in the river instead of living to this day.
Qin Muye was puzzled: "So, Lord Charon, you saw me float by?"
"Yes, I saw you, but I didn't have time to rescue you. I didn't expect you to be the offspring of Hades and the Goddess Rhea," Charon replied.
"Is there a possibility that you might have been mistaken? I don't look anything like Lord Hades," Qin Muye thought this might be a reasonable person.
Charon smiled: "I don't look like my father Erebos either."
"..."
Alright, so Charon wasn't just any ordinary figure. His father was Erebos, the embodiment of darkness, the same darkness Qin Muye passed through when entering the Underworld. In other words, that layer of darkness was his father. If his calculations were correct, he and Thanatos were brothers, though whether they were full or half-brothers was unknown.
This wasn't just a matter of looking different; it was a matter of being a different species.
"Cerberus doesn't look like his father Typhon or his mother Echidna. There's no resemblance at all, but it doesn't affect his blood relationship with them.
Charon's words left Qin Muye speechless. He actually suspected that Tiphon and his wife might have mixed up their children. Otherwise, how could there be such a difference? Moreover, it was highly likely that their eyesight was problematic, considering Tiphon was of the Titan race and Echidna was a half-human, half-snake deity.
Well, the issue of Titan bloodlines was something not worth fretting over. Not looking alike might not be enough to prove they were not related, and different species could still be blood-related.
So, in a normal world, Qin Muye's reasoning might have held up, but in this bizarre world, his human appearance was already very similar to Hades.
Not turning into a bizarre monster could be considered a sign of strong genes.
From what he could see, the original Titans held a significant position in the Underworld, with considerable authority. At least the transportation sector was entirely handled by this lineage.
"Alright, you've convinced me, but I still think I have no blood relation to Lord Hades," Qin Muye added a caveat. If it were proven later, he would be in a dire situation.
There was a solution, though. Qin Muye could extract blood or flesh from Hades to replicate it.
He already had Zeus's blood, extracted from Aladdin.
Bloodline Elixir: Titan Race · King Zeus
Bloodline Concentration: Extremely Low
Effect: Gain 1% concentration of Titan Race · King Zeus bloodline
If it were just the Titan bloodline, Qin Muye would have used it, but with the "King Zeus" suffix, he had to be cautious.
He was in the Underworld, after all. Using it would imply that Zeus had cuckolded Hades, which would be suicidal.
More importantly, if he had Zeus's bloodline, he might attract the attention of Hera, the Queen of Heaven. So, he decided to refine and purify it before selling it.
Since his base was now in the Underworld, he needed to find a way to obtain Hades's bloodline.
Qin Muye was also considering a bold move. If he not only obtained Hades's bloodline but also that of PerPersephone, the Queen of the Underworld, the position of Prince of the Underworld would be secure.
As for Hades and Persephone being confused by this, that wasn't his concern.
Turning from the son of a lover to a real son, especially when she had never given birth, would leave Persephone utterly bewildered.
But no matter how bewildered she might be, she would likely still recognize him. Blood relations couldn't be faked, and there were no legends in this world about replacing bloodlines.
The authenticity of the bloodline wouldn't be an issue, as long as it was backed by The Lord Era. This way, he would become the real deal.
It was this thought that brought Qin Muye to the Underworld. If he succeeded, the entire Underworld would be his backyard, and with the support of the King and Queen of the Underworld, his development would be even better than when he had the backing of the three major forces in the Horror Universe.
As for the mission, he would push it back. If his plan succeeded, it wouldn't be a big deal, but if it failed, he would have to flee.
The mission didn't matter much to him. He could use the trans-temporal teleportation channel to return to the Magic Continent, and if the mission failed, the subsequent benefits from the world would disappear.
Qin Muye didn't want to push it this far, but now that he was in this situation, he had no choice but to take the risk.
Charon ferried him across the River of Woe, arriving at the Field of Truth, also known as the Field of Asphodel.
"There are two paths here: one leads to the Elysian Fields, the other to Tartarus. You must not take either of these paths; you must go down the middle, where the palace of the King and Queen of the Underworld is located."
"Of course, if you take the wrong path, the judges of the Underworld will guide you."
Charon kindly reminded Qin Muye.
"Thank you, but I don't have any gold coins," Qin Muye said, remembering that Charon charged gold coins to ferry the living.
"Once you cross the River of Woe, you are no longer among the living," Charon said meaningfully.
"???" Qin Muye was bewildered. Did crossing the river mean he was dead?
He was about to ask more, but Charon rowed away, leaving him without an answer. He touched himself, still alive, and wondered why he didn't need gold coins anymore.
(End of Chapter)
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