Volume One, Chapter 57: First Encounter with the Netherworld

Beneath the cloak of night, atop a sea of corpses, a lone rider and his steed galloped strangely through the air. Fortunately, the blazing skeletal horse was an undead creature; its bare bones and fiery hooves rendered it immune to infection, no matter how fiercely the zombies clawed and bit.

“Damn horse! I thought I was crazy enough, but it seems you’re braver than I am,” Qifeng Ling encouraged the fiery steed as the horde of zombies beneath them was gradually left behind. Yet, the skeletal horse appeared to misunderstand his intent. After Qifeng spoke, it suddenly turned back toward the undead masses.

Luckily, the horse was clever enough—it seemed it had only pretended to retreat as a scare tactic...

At noon, the artificial sun scorched the earth, yet the internal air circulation brought a refreshing coolness. Outside the packed military canteen, soldiers stood in tense standoff, while at the center, an elderly man and a youth sat facing each other, leisurely chatting as if in a quiet moment of respite.

For his sake, she had cast aside even her kin to stand beside him; she had already lost so much and could no longer endure any more blows.

Crystalline tears fell upon Huo Lingfeng’s handsome face—each drop carried the weight of her deep gratitude and sincere affection. Cold as ever, his lips curled ever so slightly, revealing an otherworldly elegance akin to a sacred lotus blooming atop a snowy peak—aloof and noble.

Yitong spun excitedly on the ground, protesting with several cries before curling up obediently into a ball.

Though reporters could not enter, speculation ran rampant. Some boldly predicted that Lin Bixiao dared not appear because she had long since fainted at home from tears.

Witnessing this scene, Mo Ke realized that what Elder Huang was about to discuss must relate to the spiritual energy within him.

Na Tie was currently in the room closest to the passageway—likely a guard barracks—though it was empty at the moment, making it easier for Na Tie to act.

Jiang Lan realized what the white object was. Drugs were common in the slums, but to find them openly accepted even in a district prison was shocking.

Yet, with his physical strength at such a level, he could freely adjust his body. To appease Meng Feifei’s anger, Pan Yuhong reluctantly relinquished the spot she was squeezing, choosing to bear the pain himself.

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Qin Wuyang ignored the anguished cries of the ordinary Taoist priests around him and strode toward the Sanqing Hall. His steps were light, as if a great burden had been lifted from his heart.

These weapons shared a common trait: low drop rates, their bosses hard to defeat, and stunning appearances that instantly drove their prices soaring.

As time passed, Naruto, who had long worried about Sasuke, suddenly noticed a swirl of leaves nearby. Sasuke and Kakashi—the two who loved to show off—had arrived punctually, beginning the second test. Wuyue, however, was absent.

“I don’t know, she told me to find you,” Wang Dong said, not even glancing at Dulisa before pulling Xingtian away.

Chu Fei stared intently at Xingtian, her lifeless eyes flickering with a hint of vitality, then dimming again. The stronger the enemy, the more distant her hope for revenge became. Trapped in enemy hands, she had no self to speak of—how could she speak of vengeance?

“Young man, those nine God-Slaying Swords are beyond your capacity. Keeping them will only invite trouble. Return them!” The half-century-old man’s voice was firm and majestic.

“Bastard!” Vegeta’s face darkened. No longer holding back, his body became a streak of light, conjuring eighteen illusions in the void—eight of which were identical, indistinguishable from the original.

“Very well. Seeing you plead for him, I’ll give him one chance. If he can withstand three of my attacks, I won’t stop him from entering,” Lei Yu said coldly.

The voice was melodious. At that moment, the whole world seemed hushed, leaving only that flute-like gentle tone.

The energy contained within the Dragon Ball was immense. Even Yun Changkong, who had long anticipated its strength, felt secretly shocked upon firsthand experience. As the most precious item of the Sacred Realm’s demonic beasts, even a mild spiritual treasure like this was overwhelmingly powerful to Yun Changkong and his companions.

Su Ran placed her hand gently over Xu Zhi’an’s, squeezing it softly. Xu Zhi’an smiled, signaling she was alright.

The emperor was not deliberately withholding tea—those leaves cost a thousand guan each, and he had a palate that made everything taste the same.

Thus, Lin Yin had to continuously cast spells, wrapping herself in a spiritual shield. But with so little water spirit energy here, her water-based spells could hardly reach their full potential.

Together, they watched sunrises and sunsets, wandered through forests, and shared their heartfelt thoughts and worries. Zhang Ziqing’s injuries gradually healed, but his attachment to Li Zhihan deepened with each passing day. Eventually, he confessed his feelings and vowed to protect her for a lifetime.

“Return now. Once there are new developments, I will send someone to inform you,” Wu Erbai said to Wu Xie, though his gaze was fixed on Zhang Qiling.

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Though Wu Dingguo was a soldier with a simple mind, even he could deduce that the silent youth must be of extraordinary status—likely a scion of one of the top noble families.

Tuyuhun was an excellent buffer zone; if this balance were broken, a war between Tubo and the Tang Dynasty would be inevitable.

“Oh dear, Mrs. Lu, don’t deny it. Mr. Lu has helped me so much,” the aunt dabbed her tears, chattering on.

Who are you putting on a gangster’s drama about a rash act for love in the dormitory for?

“Surely he is my lucky star!” The Jade Emperor rejoiced upon seeing him, disregarding the Queen Mother’s injury and drawing the child into his arms to examine him closely.

“This... this is merely my fighting style,” the Dark Dragon muttered. Seeing no chance to escape, he gathered dark power. Once fully amassed, he would be unstoppable, but he must not sense it while gathering.

Qiaomei and Shanshan walked beside a staircase when a few middle schoolers ran up. One bumped into Shanshan, who, still dizzy from the roller coaster, lost her balance and nearly fell.

On the battlefield, You Yitian’s eyes absorbed endless data. The four great magicians were all in A-grade condition, their magic energy nearly full. It seemed the time to strike had arrived.

“I am Lu Ya, a hermit from West Kunlun. Passing by, I saw your refined work, but it’s incomplete. You acted rashly; please pardon me,” Lu Ya appeared, apologized, then returned the courtesy.

“At the factory, Butterflies and Poison.” Xiao Han was stunned, vaguely guessing. Wang Dalu Zhen Jia Song seemed to work at a factory in Jinling.

Setting aside this matter, King Zhou’s sudden change of heart suggested a sage might be behind the West Qi Marquis. Now, behind himself, there was none. This Taoist Duobao was likely here to support him, facilitating this gamble.

“No matter what, as long as it benefits the Human Sect, our efforts earn merit. Unless the Human Sect is destroyed, even sages cannot move against us,” Yuan Hong speculated instinctively, though he was uncertain.

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