Chapter 627: The family of three are all striving; even a leftover bone must be taken along

The golden kitchen knife, like a meteor falling from the Nine Heavens, landed in the ground, instantly sank, splitting the entire Hell Lotus Land's ground!

At this moment, the power of the golden kitchen knife severed and shattered the heavenly and earthly rules, making it impossible to continue maintaining the stability of the Hell Lotus Land.

Li Che hovered in midair, holding Xixi, his gaze involuntarily focusing as he looked in the direction where the boss had casually thrown down the kitchen knife.

This Hell Lotus Mausoleum Pool...

Is it hidden so casually?

Or rather, how could the boss's way of opening the Hell Lotus Mausoleum Pool be so casual?

Terrifying power erupted, the ground collapsed with a boom, countless hot currents shot up into the sky, countless flames blazed, scorching mountains and boiling seas!

Countless flames and dust that had exploded shook off from the edges with a rustling sound, like a waterfall pouring down.

And a colossal Hell Lotus flower slowly rose from the cracked ground, ascending into the ever-widening gap between the two sides of the ground.

The shaken-off dust, debris, and flowing fire all gathered together.

Within the ruptured ground, countless black flames flowed upward, combining into a colossal lotus flower.

It was a pitch-black lotus flower that seemed to bloom between heaven and earth, filled with the aura of destruction and slaughter, as if endless divine spirits' withered bones were rising and falling within it!

Gurgle gurgle...

Suddenly, a rolling, boiling sound echoed, like water flowing, and also like stagnant blood in a long‑still heart beginning to circulate, scouring the vessels and body.

Indeed, on the petals of the Hell Lotus appeared countless dense blood‑red patterns, flowing like magma, intensely crimson.

Li Che, holding Xixi, hovered high in the air, not far from the boss, looking down from above, and happened to see the very center of the Hell Lotus.

At the center of the Hell Lotus flower lay a pool of ink‑black water.

In the pool, the black water rippled with tiny waves.

Scattered within it were quietly blooming black lotus flowers.

Each black lotus swayed gently and peacefully, evoking a sense of tranquil ages, as if, after enduring terrifying slaughter, they had returned to the ink‑black lotus pool, peacefully becoming a beautiful blooming flower, isolated from violence, seeking only tranquility.

"This is the Hell Lotus Mausoleum Pool."

The boss's white clothes fluttered, his black hair flying wildly, as if the entire Hell Lotus Land were igniting, the temperature rising steadily.

He stared at the Hell Lotus blooming below, his expression blank, as if a hint of nostalgia surfaced.

"Each lotus flower within is a Hell Lotus Maiden who fell during an age of divine tides."

The boss said.

Upon hearing this, Li Che's body involuntarily shuddered.

Gazing at the quietly swaying lotus, he imagined that if his daughter also failed to break through in this age of divine tides, she would become a lotus, losing all vitality and will, sinking silently into the mausoleum pool, making Li Che feel as if his heart were being clenched tightly by a mighty hand, barely able to breathe.

Xixi grabbed Li Che's big hand, a hint of sorrow appearing on her face.

"Father... Xixi felt it."

"I felt the big sister's sorrow and weeping."

Xixi said.

Li Che knew that deep in Xixi's mind seemed to reside a Hell Lotus Maiden.

This could be understood as the elder Xixi, or perhaps... Xixi's future!

A Hell Lotus Maiden's will, fallen and unable to break through, slumbers deep in Xixi's soul, as if it were a situation that Xixi's future would inevitably face.

"Xixi, go."

"Go accept your inheritance; the peace and tranquility of these Hell Lotuses may be the key to suppressing the Hell Lotus curse."

The boss said, offering guidance to Xixi.

"But actually, what inheritance you will encounter in the Hell Lotus Mausoleum Pool, what trials you will face, we don't know."

The boss shook his head, speaking frankly; otherwise, he would surely not hide anything.

Li Che felt a bit nervous.

"Will it be dangerous?"

The boss glanced lightly at Li Che: "Having come to this situation, what could possibly not be dangerous?"

"However, if Xixi fails to inherit, she won't die; rather, the curse's power will fully erupt, her will be suppressed, dominated by the will of heaven and earth, turning her into a blade of heaven‑and‑earth will that slays gods."

Li Che exhaled; indeed, he realized he had asked a foolish question.

Involving inheritance at this level inherently carries uncertain danger; for a daughter to grow up, it's impossible to protect her from everything—she must experience it herself.

Flowers in a greenhouse cannot withstand rain and frost, but wildflowers by the roadside can stubbornly grow, blooming gorgeously!

"Father! Rest assured, Xixi will absolutely not hold back Father and Mother!"

Xixi said seriously.

"Xixi will surely succeed in accepting the inheritance, suppressing the Hell Lotus curse, preventing its power from eroding and devouring her! She will not let Father and Mother worry!"

Xixi's little face was full of determination; at her young age, she has endured too much.

She once wished to grow up quickly, and now she is about to turn twelve, soon to become a young lady.

So she must also learn to strive and forge ahead on her own!

"Xixi looks forward to the day when our family of three joins forces to slay all the gods of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths who have oppressed our family!"

A hint of killing intent involuntarily appeared in Xixi's eyes.

Although Li Che has always protected Xixi, keeping her from too much darkness, Xixi is after all not a newborn who knows nothing.

She still felt the world's malice, sensed the killing intent and coercion of many deities.

She once felt wronged and sad, but now she understands that resentment and sorrow are useless; they only become motivation for others to bully you, the more they bully, the fiercer they become!

Xixi loosened the small hand that had been holding Li Che's big hand.

Afterward, her eyes were full of resolve.

She looked down at the many villagers hiding outside the opened Hell Lotus Mausoleum Pool.

During the days living in Earth Village, Xixi was actually also very happy; the villagers of Earth Village treated her well, always safeguarding her growth, allowing her to feel warmth during those fearful, bewildered days when she first entered the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Now, Xixi's gaze, tinged with pity and guilt, turned toward the villagers of Earth Village.

She knew that those villagers…… had actually all died.

Although she had been rescued by her father using special means, death…… was ultimately death.

Because of her, Xixi, they died.

Xixi merely kept this grievance pressed deep in her heart; she dared not reveal it, she was unwilling to let the spirits of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths have their way!

She, Xixi, would persist in growing her own strength, becoming Xixi the Great Emperor, ruling over the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, sweeping away the three major divine factions, and slaying all gods!

It seemed as if a crystal-clear tear droplet slid down from the corner of her eye.

Xixi bowed deeply toward the villagers of Earth Village.

Afterward, she looked toward Li Che, then toward the boss.

"Xixi has entered the pool!"

The words fell.

Xixi then stepped forward; the skirt woven by her mother Zhang Ya on her body fluttered in the wind.

Her body hovered above the Hell Lotus Abyss Pool.

A tremendous suction erupted from within the pool, and then Xixi, like a cannonball, shot forward at high speed, plunging headfirst into the ink‑black Hell Lotus Abyss Pool!

Boom—

A muffled bang, and the pool exploded!

The pool instantly seemed to turn into an enormous black hand, completely enveloping and swallowing Xixi.

Hum—

Li Che's entire body quivered with qi and blood, a powerful martial immortal aura rumbling and vibrating in midair.

He stared fixedly at the Hell Lotus Abyss Pool.

After Xixi fell into the pool, the pool undulated and then returned to calm; Li Che also did not know what Xixi had experienced or encountered inside the pool.

As a father, at this moment he felt an unprecedented helplessness.

Because, at this moment, even the Flying Thunder Chess Piece left on Xixi's person could not observe her condition; within the Hell Lotus Abyss Pool lay an extremely terrifying heaven‑earth origin, somewhat like…… the origin sea of Hell Lotus Land.

Unless one attains immortality by proving the Dao with the origin of Hell Lotus Land, it is fundamentally impossible to perceive or enter.

The boss glanced at Li Che and said lightly: "Relax……"

"Nothing will happen."

He looked again at the Hell Lotus Abyss Pool, gazing at those black hell lotuses; the corner of his mouth, on his paralyzed face, twitched up slightly.

"The Hell Lotus Maidens of past generations…… they…… would probably like this lifetime's Xixi, wouldn't they?"

The boss's words left Li Che slightly stunned.

But Li Che quickly realized that this lifetime's Xixi is actually special.

Because of Li Che's existence, the early fate lines have changed; she did not darken, nor become a headsman who slaughtered countless, hands stained with blood.

And all of this is because of Li Che's existence; in this lifetime, as the father of the Hell Lotus Maiden, Li Che silently protects Xixi, suppressing all dangers, bearing too many storms for her.

Furthermore, with the protection of the boss and Gou Ye, they perhaps also wish to see a different Hell Lotus Maiden.

So, this lifetime's Xixi has a different fate.

Compared to those endless black hell lotuses that have been struck, it is different; their black should not be able to corrupt……

Xixi's white.

Gurgle gurgle.

Within the Hell Lotus Abyss Pool, it seemed as if boiling water were bubbling; slowly, the black water began to swirl, forming a vortex.

The vortex spun, and at its center sat Xixi with eyes closed, legs crossed.

Xixi's skirt fluttered on her, her whole person seeming to have fallen into slumber.

Seven hell lotus flowers swayed continuously, seemingly emitting specks of black origin substance, staining and altering Xixi.

Suddenly, within the first hell lotus, a black lotus seed was nurtured, detached and floated, slowly drifting toward Xixi, landing on her brow; that hell lotus seed merged into Xixi's brow palace.

And the inheritance trial of Xixi's first Hell Lotus Maiden also formally began.

……

……

Primordial Heaven.

Within the Space Channel. It seemed as if an entire expanse of void were undergoing distortion, a terrifying and powerful will gestating within, constantly radiating blazing brilliance.

That is where Zhang Ya burned herself, employing the power of the Nüwa Reincarnation Body to pull and seal the four Heavenly Immortals.

Inside a Space Prison.

Within the sealing formation of the Nüwa Reincarnation Body, the four Heavenly Immortals cannot easily break free.

Immortal God Emperor, Laozi Immortal, Immortal Golden Cicada, and Immortal Demon Emperor—the four great Heavenly Immortals, among whom the Immortal God Emperor and Laozi Immortal are of imperial‑rank Heavenly Immortals.

Yet they still cannot break the sealing power of the Nüwa Reincarnation Body burning itself.

On Zhang Ya's person, the soul‑force of the Nüwa Reincarnation Body is burning bit by bit, and the power to communicate with the netherworld seems to be growing ever weaker.

With the passage of time, her means of suppressing the four Heavenly Immortals by relying on the netherworld will gradually become inadequate.

Zhang Ya's radiant white glow is gorgeous beyond compare; formerly she actually lacked stunning beauty, being more of a lovely petite jade.

As she followed Li Che's growth, step by step she walked out of the ruined house in the small town, entering the prefectural city and the Dao city, she grew up, and her temperament changed.

Temperament is most nurturing; the aura it generates can change a person's appearance, absolutely not an exaggeration.

And Zhang Ya, who has triggered the reincarnated body of Nüwa, is even more beautiful beyond description.

Suddenly.

Zhang Ya slowly opened her eyes. Endless black chains clattered and writhed around her, continuously spreading out before her, rushing from all directions to seal the space tightly.

It gave no chance for the powerful beings within the space to break the seal and escape.

Behind her, a white phantom arose, with a winding tail that stretched endlessly.

Her eyes seemed to have three flowers condensed in the pupils, constantly rotating.

In a haze, Zhang Ya seemed to see Xixi tearful, saw the little girl, heedless of everything, lowering her head and crashing into the Prison Lotus Abyss Pool.

Besides, the little girl's extraordinarily determined words echoed in her ears.

"What Xixi looks forward to is also what Mother looks forward to……"

"We three, united, will surely slaughter all the gods of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths who forced our family apart……"

"The slaughter is not for the divine tide, but merely for a breath of indignation in our hearts!"

Zhang Ya's hair flew wildly, turning silvery white, like a snow maiden on a snowy mountain.

Boom—

The cage trembled.

An old man gripped a vajra pestle and slammed it hard onto the cage, casting a blurry silhouette.

A monk pressed his palms together; behind him, an ancient golden cicada rang out with a brilliant chirp, transmitted through the barrier.

Also, terrifying demonic energy raged and intertwined, like the furious roar of an ancient ferocious beast.

Moreover, an aura of boundless majesty—so that even the void's barriers could not suppress the divine light, resembling that of a sovereign of gods!

Under repeated collisions, Zhang Ya's exquisitely delicate face grew increasingly pallid.

"Come on, Xixi……"

"Mother, I will forever protect you."

Zhang Ya pressed her red lips; in her fair palm appeared a white Flying Thunder chess piece, translucent like white jade.

It lay quietly in her hand.

Zhang Ya gazed at the white chess piece, her eyes gentle.

"Husband…… Little Ya is so tired."

"But this time, Little Ya will not drag her husband down again!"

Zhang Ya wearily closed her eyes, then instantly opened her pupils; the Wa Huang Three-Flower Pupils kept turning, countless chains stabbing into the void, sealing it tightly.

The three of us.

All are striving!

How could she fall behind!

……

……

Whoosh—

The Prison Lotus Land seemed to return to tranquility.

The boss assisted in opening the Prison Lotus Abyss Pool, hovering in midair, maintaining that the golden cleaver plunged into the Prison Lotus Land would not be repelled by the will of heaven and earth.

In that case, the Prison Lotus Abyss Pool would reseal.

"Thanks for the trouble, boss."

Li Che clasped his fists.

The boss shook his head: "It's just a trifle, nothing much."

Keeping the golden cleaver from returning is not difficult for the boss; it mainly depends on whether Xixi can smoothly complete the inheritance.

Li Che floated in midair, his powerful physique trembling.

The Myriad Monster Emperor's Dao Fruit achieved eight metamorphoses, after absorbing the immortal demonic aura of two monster clans, it successfully broke through transformation.

But Li Che knew that for these Dao Fruits to reach nine metamorphoses was extremely difficult.

Indeed, it was no longer as simple as slaying the immortal monster clans and absorbing their demonic aura to undergo metamorphosis.

Many Dao Fruit masters are stuck at this level; Li Che wanting to easily break through is far from simple or easy.

"My Chess Sage Dao Fruit…… is almost ready."

"The process of the heavenly chessboard contending with the Buddha's radiance is also a tempering duel, greatly enhancing the maturity of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit."

"Unfortunately, there is still a slight distance to eight metamorphoses; if I could achieve the eight metamorphoses of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit, it would be of tremendous help to me."

Li Che drew a deep breath.

Earlier, he had buried his head and rushed from Yuanlei Heaven all the way, with no extra battles, solely to deliver Xixi to the Prison Lotus Land.

Now, at last, he succeeded; Xixi entered the Prison Lotus Abyss Pool safely, receiving the inheritance of the Prison Lotus Maiden.

Then he too could be freed.

He turned his head toward the direction of Yuanlei Heaven.

The battle there had not yet ended.

Qitian and the Three-World Tathagata clashed; the Third Prince and the Human Emperor Hong fought to the death; the Three-Eyed True Lord abandoned the Guiyi Miao to oppose the Taiyi Immortal…… The three deities of the Prison Lotus faction were exerting every effort to buy him time.

And now, Xixi has been successfully delivered.

Yet Li Che could not choose to abandon them.

Xixi, while receiving the Prison Lotus inheritance, was continually growing stronger.

His wife Zhang Ya was suppressing four immortal heavenly beings; the passage of time was her countdown……

How could Li Che possibly halt his steps?

Whoosh—

The wind and waves fluttered sharply.

On Li Che's burly frame, his muscles were distinct; as his strong body trembled, boundless profundity erupted.

His black hair flowed like a cape as he gazed at the splendid sky of the Prison Lotus Land; blue sky and white clouds drifted slowly.

A sense of ease and comfort welled up, making one sink and wear away one's will.

"Xixi is almost twelve years old..."

"Her birthday is coming up soon."

"Although Xixi's mother can't be here for this birthday, we must still make it lively and bustling."

"Qitian senior, San Taizi, and Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun senior must all come."

"The more people, the livelier."

"Li Che lightly exhaled a breath."

"The boss beside him looked at Li Che, his face stiff, brows slightly furrowed."

"You want to kill your way back to Primordial Thunder Heaven?"

"You barely made it out of Primordial Thunder Heaven alive, and now you want to go back in? This return will be dangerous; you might not even come back."

"The boss said in a low voice."

"Gou Ye is also fighting in Primordial Thunder Heaven; how could we possibly abandon him?"

"Li Che laughed."

"The boss fell silent for a moment, shook his head: \"Don't worry about Gou Za; he'll be fine, he won't die. \""

"Li Che slowly turned; countless air waves stacked beneath his feet, pressed down by him like an invisible staircase."

"His black hair flowed like a cape as Li Che, with his back to the boss, waved his hand."

"\"Boss, rest assured; I too will be fine, I won't die. \""

"\"Xixi's birthday hasn't come yet; I haven't seen her grow into a young lady, haven't saved my wife… Even if the Netherworld Sovereign himself came, he couldn't take my life. \""

"Li Che threw back his head and laughed loudly."

"He flicked a finger."

"\"A Flying Thunder Chess Piece shattered the void, shooting out like a meteor, piercing the sky of the Prison Lotus Land, unknown where it went. \""

"\"Behind Li Che, the Time-Space Golden Wheel clanged and began to rotate. \""

"\"After breaking through the Buddha of Fixed Light's radiance, the Time-Space Golden Wheel grew considerably, though it still fell short of the Eight Transformations. \""

"The void split, as if terrifying thunderbolts kept shooting and intertwining."

"\"The seniors are fighting bloody battles for our family; how could I abandon them? \""

"Li Che glanced back at the boss, then let out a long whistle to the heavens; a warrior's body burst forth with surging blood energy, piercing the sky and earth of the Prison Lotus Land."

"\"Even if they fought to the extreme, crumbling down to just a fragment of bone…\""

"\"I too will bring them back! \""

"(End of chapter)"