Identifying this creature as an ancient dragon, and given their location in the Fourth Hall of Yama, Zhou Tieyi quickly deduced why the dragon was trapped here and gauged its true strength.
In ancient times, every race had constructed its own Nether Divine Court, and the dragon kin were no exception. However, these Nether Divine Courts were eventually brought under the control of the Emperor of Life and Death. The Nether Dragon God that originally belonged to the dragon kin had naturally betrayed its own kind. Because the Ten Halls of Yama operated under a system similar to that of feudal princes, they were not the direct subordinates of the Emperor of Life and Death but rather existed as vassal ministers. This was why the dragon addressed the Emperor of Life and Death by name rather than by title—its true liege had always been the one residing within the Fourth Hall of Yama.
This system might have allowed the Nether Dragon Gods to play both sides in the past, but when the great war of life and death erupted—a conflict in which even Sages fell—such middle-of-the-road factions were thoroughly purged. Even after two thousand years, knowing that a powerful Nether Dragon God was trapped here, neither the dragon kin nor the faction of the Emperor of Life and Death had ever considered a rescue.
Chapter 490