Chapter 386: Chapter 19: The Netherworld Abyss, The Flower of the Other Shore
As the group continued their descent, the surrounding yin energy grew increasingly dense.
In the end, it almost solidified into a visible purple-black fog, slowly rolling near the ground, resembling entwined writhing tentacles, which instinctively filled one with a fear that made one shudder and chilled to the bone.
“The yin energy here seems different from the absolute yang area we encountered last time,” Wei Dongliu suddenly said, “It feels different.”
“Indeed,” Jiang Liyan also agreed, “If the yin energy from last time gave the sensation of ‘heaviness,’ then this time it feels ‘cold.’
“Human children, this shows that you have no real understanding of death,” the Flying Asura said, sticking out its sharp tongue and licking its lips with a sinister smile, “If you had a near-death experience, you would definitely remember this kind of aura.”
“What’s your understanding of death, then, senior Asura?” Long Xiaoqi quickly asked.
“Death,” the Flying Asura mused with half sincerity, “It’s an extremely terrifying destination, yet one that you can’t refuse.”
“Enough, stop showing off your experience here,” Wei Dongliu cut it off, “How much further is it to the Netherworld Rift?”
“Just around the corner ahead, about twenty steps or so,” the Flying Asura replied.
“Brother Wei,” Wen Yang suddenly spoke up, “If there really is no Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone outside, I suggest you do not take the risk of entering the Netherworld Rift.”
“Inside the Netherworld Rift, the most yin and most vile energy is vast as the sea and omnipresent, and it has a strong erosive effect on living beings. Ordinary cultivators who enter that place will be infected with the foul energy within two or three hours, decaying the flesh and transforming towards death.”
“I don’t think so,” the Flying Asura objected, “Don’t you have that… what was it, the Demon Lord Dharma Body?”
Source: NovelFull.com, updated on Ɲονǥ0.ƈο
“As long as you activate your Dharma Body, you’ll be no different from us zombies, and even the darkest yin energy won’t matter to you, right?”
Wei Dongliu’s mind shifted slightly, but he said nothing, just staring at the Flying Asura’s brown pupils as if discerning its innermost thoughts and desires.
The other party was not wrong; the talent of his mysterious character, “Chaotic Demon Body,” lay precisely in its complete indifference to yin energy and vile energy – let alone the Nine Serenities Underworld, he could freely traverse even the deepest layers of Hell itself.
The issue was the demons inside.
Moreover, looking at the Flying Asura’s demeanor, it seemed eager for me to enter the Netherworld Rift?
Wei Dongliu did not trust the Flying Asura, for zombies are born from the most yin and most vile energy between heaven and earth, naturally harboring hatred and hostility toward any living being.
It’s just that this particular “High Rank Zombie” possesses its own consciousness and intelligence, and under the threat of the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, it has no choice but to submit and cooperate obediently.
If an appropriate opportunity arose, it would certainly not hesitate to strike a deadly blow.
“Sword Master, you must be careful,” the Green Duckweed Sword also reminded, “Don’t forget, there are two constraints on this Flying Asura.”
“One is the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword; this object was smelted alongside it during the Corpse Refining stage, leading to interconnected vital energies, so you can control it through the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, that is one.”
“The second is the seal on its Cultivation Level, which prevents it from fully utilizing its poisonous zombie divine powers and limits it to physical attacks and a few secret techniques.”
“At the same time, this seal acts as a protection for it because this Flying Asura’s Cultivation Realm is already at Perfection, and the next step is to evolve into a drought demon.”
“If any trace of its aura were to leak, it would immediately attract Heavenly Tribulation, and the seal prevents this situation; that is two.”
“I see,” with the reminder from the Green Duckweed Sword, Wei Dongliu quickly grasped it, “If we enter the Netherworld Rift, it’s as if entering another world, naturally separated from the outside.”
“At that time, if it possesses a method to remove the seal, it wouldn’t have to worry about attracting Heavenly Tribulation after unsealing itself, making the second limitation severely weakened, right?”
“Exactly,” the Kunlun Mirror also agreed, “Its eagerness to lure you in must not be without preparation; you must be very careful.”
“If it really has set some traps inside, or hidden any schemes, Sword Master just needs to pretend to be indecisive, and then the Flying Asura will surely offer more temptations to persuade you to choose to go in,” the Green Duckweed Sword said with a cold laugh.
Indeed, seeing that Wei Dongliu remained silent for a long while, the Flying Asura suddenly struck its palm as if remembering something and said:
“Right, Master! I just remembered, within the Nine Serenities Underworld, there is a strange object known as the ‘Mythical flower’. Consuming its petals can increase your Refining Mansion Cultivation by fifty years.”
As it said this, even Wen Yang, who had been firmly against entering the Netherworld, began to waver.
Not to mention Jiang the Witch, who had been indifferent to the idea, was now rolling her eyes and quickly weighing the pros and cons.
Only Long Xiaoqi remained in a listening posture, seemingly unmoved—after all, for Demons who undergo Transformation and form Demon Cores, it entirely depends on their bloodline Rank and doesn’t follow the human Cultivators’ Ninth Rank Golden Core system.
After a moment of thought, Wen Yang still shook his head and said,
“If we die in there, even with fifty years of Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, what good would it do?”
“Can the Mythical flower be taken out?” Long Xiaoqi asked curiously.
“No,” the Flying Asura said with an evil grin. “This flower grows in the underworld and needs to draw water from the River of Forgetfulness through its roots to survive.”
“If the stem is ripped, it will immediately wither and die. Taking just the petals is a bit better, but they can only last for about ten breaths and must be consumed quickly.”
With such an explanation, the possibility of “letting the Flying Asura enter the Netherworld alone to fetch the Mythical flower” vanished completely.
“If that’s the case, Brother Wen and Brother Long can wait outside, and I’ll accompany Brother Wei inside,” proposed Jiang Liyan.
“You plan to go too?” Wei Dongliu asked in surprise.
If it were just him entering alone, Wei Dongliu would have no worries at all, since he possessed the erudite Green Duckweed Sword and the almost omnipotent Kunlun Mirror. If worst came to worst, he could teleport and run away at any time.
But if Jiang the Witch were to accompany him and they encountered any peril inside, he had no assurance that he could save her.
“Yes,” said Jiang the Witch with a giggling smile. “We of the Heavenly Demon Path also have a Secret Technique that can resist the corruption of evil energy from the outside world, so Brother Wei needn’t worry too much about me.”
It seemed the fifty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation granted by the Mythical flower had blinded her.
Wei Dongliu shook his head, about to subtly hint that there must be some plot behind the Flying Asura’s offer when suddenly he heard the Kunlun Mirror speak,
“Let her go; she won’t come to any harm either.”
“What do you mean?” Wei Dongliu was initially stunned, then quickly caught on, “Kunlun Mirror said ‘she won’t come to harm either,’ does that mean she also possesses some kind of life-saving secret technique?”
“Sort of,” the Kunlun Mirror said ambiguously. “Actually, the only one who really needs to worry about the Flying Asura’s conspiracy is you.”
Wei Dongliu couldn’t help a burst of annoyed laughter; so you mean I’m actually weaker than Jiang the Witch?
I’ll have to see for myself later!
“Alright!” He made a decisive decision, “Brother Wen, Brother Long, since both of you are unwilling to enter, could you help us keep watch outside? If you’re unwilling, we won’t force you.”
“Having agreed to accompany you, naturally I won’t leave early,” declared Wen Yang immediately, and Long Xiaoqi had no objections, “We will stay here and wait for your return.”
“Sister Jiang,” Wei Dongliu said, bowing his head slightly and looking deeply into Jiang Liyan’s eyes, “there’s no need for me to remind you of the dangers inside the Nine Serenities Underworld. If you are truly determined to go in, then you must make full preparations.”
“Of course,” Jiang Liyan said earnestly.
The reason she said this was because she trusted her innate sense of danger and agility.
The Netherworld Rift wasn’t a place that was only possible to enter but impossible to exit. If they truly encountered a life-threatening situation, she was sure that her intuition would alert her in advance, and then it would be a matter of fleeing for her life urgently.
“Then let’s go,” Wei Dongliu nodded and ordered.