Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 379 - 030: Netherworld

Chapter 379: Chapter 030: Netherworld

She gracefully folded her slender waist and took delicate steps, revealing fair wrists beneath gossamer sleeves.

From afar, Hou Ling’er gazed at the blood-colored moon, her heart filled with tender emotions.

Ultimately, these tender feelings slowly dissipated within her memories.

Despite knowing that Zhou Yan was no longer with her, she could not let go of these lingering memories. She even had an inkling that Zhou Yan would not die so easily.

It was like the times that he pushed his potential to the limit while training with the sword in the Cold Pond, or when he ventured into the Sword Origin Pool of the Great Zhou Family and vanished without a trace, or like the times at the Ancient Tomb Mountain or in the tavern across from the Great Zhou Family...

Each time, Zhou Yan had been thought dead, yet in the end, he had survived.

What about this time? How much did this time mirror the past?

But... was he still alive?

Hou Ling’er couldn’t help but feel a sense of desolation and confusion within her heart.

After a long while, she composed her emotions and began earnestly to absorb the "Hou Ling’er" soul, fusing it truly into her own, increment by increment, making her soul whole.

At the same time, Hou Ling’er’s soul also seeped into the Sword Body of the Holy Sword, gradually gaining the Origin of Enlightenment from the Saint Realm experts, as well as their memories of battle.

Hou Ling’er’s soul was undergoing a terrifying transformation.

Hou Ling’er’s combat power, too, began to steadily solidify, eventually showing signs of an explosive and extreme enhancement.

And as she continued her cultivation, time began to slip away.

...

Beyond the Sword Burial Ancestor Star, near the Nirvana Ancestor Star.

Beside the Heavenly Heart Secret Realm, in a fractured space.

A woman in black, like a decaying corpse, drifted through this space.

But in that moment, an eight-carried sedan chair, as if ignoring time and space, passed through the area.

Inside the eight-carried sedan chair, a drop of Essence Blood suddenly vibrated into motion.

"Hmm?"

Within the sedan chair, a chilling black-clad Yin Spirit, whose void-like, frigid eyes suddenly blazed with blood-red flames.

The flames leapt continuously, revealing a hint of sinister evil and a chilling aura.

"You still have the will to make autonomous choices? Impressive, having the guardianship of the Holy Sword Spirit does grant you a certain destiny."

"But if such a genius is allowed to live into the next life, the rules of the Heavenly Dao will be disrupted, and it would threaten the stability of the Netherworld Palace."

"So... let’s see what your Heavenly Destiny holds."

The black-robed Yin Spirit’s eyes sparkled with human-like intelligence, as enigmatic messages flowed through the void like water unaffected by gravity, suddenly directing towards the Yin Spirits bearing the sedan chair.

The bearing Yin Spirits shuddered, halting in place, and then, their figures began to distort.

"Pop, pop, pop, pop—"

"Pop, pop, pop, pop—"

The eight Yin Spirits shattered completely, vanishing like bursting bubbles.

The eight-carried sedan chair also disintegrated into black particles and dissipated completely.

Black particles danced around the black-robed Yin Spirit.

These black particles then, in the next moment, darted into the flaming eyes of the black-garbed figure.

"Find one’s place in life; Creation is within Heaven and Earth. Open the wilderness of the universe, and establish a new Heaven and Earth."

"To be born is to have destiny; to die is to follow the Tao. Life and death are impermanent; the Netherworld Palace is eternal."

The black-robed Yin Spirit uttered these ancient Rune words softly. The Runes suddenly danced forth, swirling through the void of the cosmos, manifesting the image of an ancient palace.

"Hmm? Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys, you send a message to the Life and Death Netherworld, what matter do you need to report?"

An ancient, chilling, and bone-piercing voice of authority transmitted throughout the old palace.

"Greetings, Hall Master. In this cycle of life and death, there lies a chance of heaven and earth. This severely injured woman possesses an immortal spirit, endlessly living, with the will of an embryo congealing. The combination of the two may nurture and give rise to a shocking talent."

The cloaked Yin Spirit bowed respectfully, conveying the ancient message.

"If that is the case, then seal and suppress her with the ancient Blood Concealing Technique, and perform the Three Corpses Return to Life to extinguish her true heart."

The voice, ancient and cold yet commanding, fell silent for a moment before a pitch-black rune flew out in the void of the palace.

"Yes, Hall Master."

"Hmm, and remember this. In the future, should there be similar matters, treat them all the same. The massive changes in the Life and Death Netherworld Illusion Realm must not be divulged; otherwise, it will spell the end for the Netherworld Palace in the Illusion Realm.

The world cannot tolerate a Netherworld Palace with a will of its own."

"Your subordinate understands!"

The body of the cloaked Yin Spirit shook with a look of shock flashing in his blood-red fiery eyes.

Then, he bowed formally and impeccably.

Saying so, he reached out to grasp, and a drop of Essence Blood was immediately enveloped and suppressed by the pitch-black rune, then thrust into the floating corpse in the void.

That bumpy corpse, which was already somewhat shriveled and rotten, now showed a significant bulge in the abdomen, where a cloud of Chaos suddenly ignited like flames.

The body felt a reaction from its deep slumber, with a faint physical response.

But at this moment, both the cloaked Yin Spirit and the ancient palace vanished, causing a baffling flow of void to reappear instantly.

The rejuvenated corpse was swept into the Heavenly Heart Secret Realm on Nirvana Ancestor Star due to the sudden and chaotic flow of the void.

...

The 15294th Secondary Main Peak.

Within the Thunder Ancient Array.

"From the Thunder Seal, the inheritance that Yanyan gave me, I have been naturally integrating, comprehending, and using it instinctively without considering the true nature of these things."

Zhou Yan muttered to himself with his hands behind his back.

The Essence Qi of the Six Great Talents provided many sources of energy, and after refining by the Thunder Seal, there was an abundance of Origin Energy.

Based on this Origin Energy, Zhou Yan profoundly understood the Thunder-controlling Sword Dao, the Nirvana Scripture, and other cultivation techniques.

However, this understanding still followed the teachings from the Thunder Seal, and Zhou Yan merely accepted it as if he were being enlightened.

After the acceptance, the Sword Soul Third Layer Heaven reached Endless Great Perfection, but still did not break through to the Sword Spirit Realm.

Moreover, the enhancement of his combat power was not as dramatic as he had hoped, only nearing a ’near seven’ rather than breaking through to ’past seven.’

It was a shackle.

In his cultivation, Zhou Yan had encountered plenty of shackles, but never before had he felt such a profound sense of true Perfection and no further room for improvement like this time.

So Zhou Yan gave up further cultivation and began to contemplate seriously.

"Master once said, ’See the essence through the phenomenon.’ In this world, too many cultivators passively accept what is given and practice by rote without considering the true nature of their cultivation or delving into deeper reasons.

However, in Master’s world, on Earth, the development of technology certainly provides explanations for these.

So, how else can I enhance my combat power?"

Zhou Yan walked back and forth in the Thunderflame Ancient Array, hands still behind his back.

After a long time, his contemplative face suddenly showed a glint of wisdom, and the next moment, his body shuddered as if he had experienced an epiphany, and Huo Ran suddenly came to Sudden Enlightenment.

At that moment, within the Thunderflame Ancient Array, an inexplicable Taoist charm exploded into existence, revealing a celestial music of guqins and zithers.

Although it was only an instant and there was no sound, it still made Zhou Yan shiver inside, knowing that he was on the right path.