Chapter 646: Confronting the Netherworld Dragon Emperor, Comprehending the Ancestral Dragon's Slaughter, Returning to the Netherworld

Four sword lights, terrifying and peerless, intertwined and coiled together, as if transformed into a sky‑rending dragon‑like tornado, seeking to pierce through everything.

Like a shocking fury dragon, as it lets out a long roar, it emits a dragon's cry, which then turns into a sword's cry, as if a peerless swordsman stood with hands behind his back at the forefront of the sword‑qi dragon.

Leading myriad sword lights to sweep across the heavens, heading for the North Sea at dusk, to Cangwu!

And listen to the sword's cry!

Li Che truly heard it!

Endless wind and waves raged and intertwined, the wild wind howled, sword qi tore through the firmament.

The Heaven-Reaching God Emperor rose to his feet, stepped aside, giving the Death Sovereign a chance to step out of the Netherworld Mouth!

Such a provocative act, the Death Sovereign naturally would not indulge it; since you dare leave an opening, he dares to charge out!

One who can stand at the pinnacle of the Netherworld, the Death Sovereign is also an overbearing peerless figure.

He has long commanded death, almost born overbearing!

Otherwise he would not have let the surrendered Ying Dragon and Ancestral Dragon tread beneath his feet, groveling at his feet!

Boom!

The Netherworld Ying Dragon let out a dragon's cry and long roar, its wings unfurled, extending from the Netherworld Mouth, spreading wide to cover the heavens and earth, as if everything lay beneath its wings across countless miles.

The Heaven-Reaching God Emperor stepped upon the sword light and came down, his fingers hooked like claws, he struck down fiercely.

The God‑Slaying Sword Formation turned, its terrifying slaughtering power cutting the void directly into a vacuum region.

The four divine swords intertwined and rolled, then fiercely slashed at the Netherworld Ying Dragon!

The Death Sovereign stood atop the Netherworld Ying Dragon's head, clenched his fists into a punch, and thrust it out horizontally.

With a thud, it collided with the God‑Slaying Sword Formation.

The terrifying death origin surged, ripples spreading outward in all directions.

The Heaven-Reaching God Emperor's robes fluttered, he stood with hands behind his back at the crest of the sword‑qi wave, showing no retreat whatsoever.

His gaze fell upon Li Che's position.

Li Che had already moved at this moment, not lingering in a daze; this was no time to be dazed.

The heaven‑and‑earth chessboard like a Daoist robe draped over him, his whole body shot swiftly toward the Netherworld Mouth.

The Netherworld Mouth appeared small, yet was actually immense.

The opening's diameter reached over a hundred li, the death origin seeping out spread its deathly breath, continually drifting from that gap and swirling in all directions.

The swirling pulled the entire Endless Sea's waters into a rotating vortex, forming a violent, terrifying whirlpool!

Li Che's tiny form struggled against the current in the vortex, like a minuscule ant, as if any moment a wave could smash him to pieces.

But Li Che now is unyielding and peerless, naturally showing no retreat.

His martial immortal flesh, forged by a second opening of heaven, is exceptionally overbearing; even as the reversed, back‑flowing Endless Sea waters surge and pound it, his flesh remains unbroken, bursting with matchless vigor, scorching hot.

Boom——!!!

The terrifying collision erupted above the Netherworld Mouth.

Countless sword lights blazed and exploded, like the most dazzling fireworks.

That was the Heaven-Reaching God Emperor's God‑Slaying Sword Formation clashing with the Death Sovereign.

That was the clash of two supreme beings: the Sword Dao Sovereign of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, and the Death Sovereign within the Netherworld.

Strictly speaking, the Death Sovereign is somewhat stronger, for he is the Sovereign.

Under the pressure of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths' heavenly will, the Death Sovereign's power can only be exerted at the imperial level.

This is also why the Heaven-Reaching God Emperor can hold the Netherworld Mouth single‑handedly; like the Nuwa Empress, he has absolute confidence in his strength.

Believing he can suppress the Sovereign seeking to break out of the Netherworld Mouth.

The Death Sovereign thrust out a horizontal punch, its method entwined with the surging death origin.

The Ying Dragon roared, spread its wings, and surged forward to assault the Heaven-Reaching God Emperor.

The Heaven-Reaching God Emperor flicked his finger, and the four sword lights spun up rapidly, like a hard‑to‑control jet, executing exaggerated turns while speeding.

Countless sword qi burst forth from the four divine swords.

The instant the Netherworld Ying Dragon lunged, the sword lights sliced it, its body covered in ferocious, horrible wounds, each wound bleeding.

But that blood quickly evaporated into black death origin, re‑merging into the Netherworld Ying Dragon's body, allowing it to revive.

As if truly immortal, it could not be killed.

But the formidable opponent the Heaven-Reaching God Emperor must face is actually two more.

The Netherworld Dragon Emperor and the Netherworld Candle Dragon, both possess such mighty undying conditions.

After the Death Sovereign threw a punch, he resembled an unparalleled Sovereign, continuously throwing punches each with the terrifying might to overturn seas and destroy heaven and earth.

As if he were actually trying to suppress the Heaven-Reaching God Emperor in return.

Boom boom boom——

Just a few breaths' time, and the terrifying battle had already erupted above the Endless Sea.

That was a battle capable of shaking the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

The Trapped God Immortal, using Trapped God Sword Intent, had set up a means to isolate powerful beings' perception and probing; under this battle's onslaught, it was directly torn apart.

Thus, among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, in the three great divine factions, many immortals sensed the battle here.

The immortals who had been confronting the Three‑Eyed True Lord in the Prison Lotus Land all changed color.

The Three Worlds Tathagata, the Emperor Hong Human Emperor, the Taiyi Immortal, and other imperial‑rank heavenly immortals wore grim expressions.

No longer clinging to the burning origin, defending the Prison Lotus Land's borders, the Three‑Eyed True Lords instead rushed toward the Endless Sea.

Almost just a few breaths' time, and they completed the vast cross!

Boom boom boom——

Above the Endless Sea.

In an instant, it seemed as if countless vast suns were descending.

The Three-World Tathagata, the Di Hong Emperor, and the Taiyi Immortal exuded powerful and scorching auras.

At a glance they saw the raging Nether Gate; the Death Sovereign, stepping on the Nether Azure Dragon, burst out of the Gate and was locked in combat with the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor!

"Death Sovereign! Is the Nether launching an attack, aiming to breach the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths?"

The Di Hong Emperor's expression turned grim and sullen, as if water might drip from him.

He harbored extreme resentment toward the Nether.

Why?

Because, as native inhabitants of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, their war with the Nether has lasted for countless ages, seemingly ever since life was born, they have been locked in endless slaughter with the Nether.

Too many mighty beings have perished, and too many celestial pride have fallen.

The instinct to fight the Nether has been etched into their very bones.

The Di Hong Emperor clenched his five fingers, grasping the Imperial Great Sword without hesitation; he stepped forward, a terrifying blade light soaring skyward, unrivaled in its ferocity, as if the souls of ancient ancestors from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths rose behind him.

He entered the fray, charging toward the Death Sovereign!

However, the Three-World Tathagata and the Taiyi Immortal watched coldly, taking no initiative to join the battle.

The Three-World Tathagata furrowed his brows, sensing that something was amiss.

An emanation of Ding Guang Buddha materialized, countless Buddha lights shining around him.

"There's a problem."

"Given the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor's caution and righteousness, it would be impossible for him to relinquish his position and let the Death Sovereign break out, triggering such a massive battle…"

Ding Guang Buddha said lightly.

The Three-World Tathagata looked over, furrowing his brow: "So, Ancestor Ding Guang Buddha thinks the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor did it deliberately?"

"Deliberately luring the Death Sovereign to strike him, forcing the Death Sovereign to seize the opening left by his vacated position and unleash a thunderous attack?"

Ding Guang Buddha smiled, raised his Buddha palm, and said lightly: "Perhaps the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor is covering for someone?"

"Covering?"

"Someone intends to enter the Nether? Fearing that entering through the Nether Gate would attract the Death Sovereign's attention… so they preemptively lured the Death Sovereign out."

The past and present incarnations of the Three-World Tathagata overlapped like superimposed shadows, as if they were in a different dimension from everyone else.

"By that one's style, it would be roughly like this."

Ding Guang Buddha said so.

His words were remarkably certain, as if he had glimpsed the heavens and calculated everything.

The Three-World Tathagata's eyes hardened, his body trembling; the next moment, endless Buddha light streamed out from a palm-sized Buddha pagoda, spreading to envelop the entire Nether Gate.

Boom—!!!

Li Che sped across the Nether Gate, nearly reaching its final ring; once he crossed that ring, he could descend into the Nether.

At the same time, the Buddha light rose like the morning sun, rapidly enveloping the area.

Li Che felt a slight tremor in his mind, furrowed his brows, and glanced around.

If illuminated by this Buddha light, the camouflage of the celestial board might reveal a flaw.

With the Death Sovereign's immense power, it would be sensed instantly.

Li Che's body quivered; he stamped heavily, a terrifying second surge of heavenly blood erupted from within, accelerating his speed ever further.

Simultaneously, his spirit flickered slightly.

The Execution Immortal, Slaying Immortal, and Absolute Immortal, which had been stationed on the Endless Sea, now joined forces and attacked the Three-World Tathagata.

The Three-World Tathagata glanced, spreading his five fingers like a palm fan, and struck down fiercely.

In an instant, his palm expanded out of thin air, vast as the firmament.

The Execution Immortal was instantly crushed into a grievous wound, while the Slaying Immortal and Absolute Immortal were directly blown apart with severe injuries.

The Three-World Tathagata's combat power was truly terrifying, chiefly due to the pure imperial-level heavenly immortal pressure emanating from him, which the Execution and Slaying Immortals found hard to resist.

But this is exactly what Li Che wanted.

With the combined effort of the Three Earth Immortals, they managed to stall the Three-World Tathagata for a while.

Li Che seized the chance, his body streaking like a comet, pulling out dazzling streams of light, and slammed hard into the Nether Gate, entering the Nether directly.

Thud—!!!

The Death Sovereign, standing on the Nether Azure Dragon, furrowed his brow slightly; the death-origin aura radiating from him was heavily suppressed by the massive regulatory chains of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

However, he paid no mind; in battle he remained unrivaled in dominance, even pressing down on the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor.

And at the instant Li Che passed through the Nether Gate into the Nether.

The Death Sovereign instantly sensed it.

"Seeking death!"

"Heaven-Connecting! So this is why you gave up your position! You're scheming against me!"

The Death Sovereign said coldly, "You could have said so earlier; why fight like this, sending someone into the Nether… why make it so troublesome?"

"The Nether Gate remains open year-round, welcoming any deity to descend and become a Nether divine cultivator; the Nether welcomes you!"

The Death Sovereign sneered, "Any cultivator of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths who enters the Nether—each one will die!"

Yet while he spoke thus, his movements grew ever harsher and more powerful.

After shaking off the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor, he took a step back, rapidly retracting at extreme speed.

Because the Heaven-Connecting Divine Emperor would rather relinquish his position to deliver whatever exists into the Nether…

Who could it be?

The Death Sovereign was very curious.

Anyway, this attempt to break out of the Nether Gate was a failure.

After all, the Tathagata of the Three Worlds, Emperor Hong, and the immortal Taichi's killing forced the Death Sovereign to give up continuing the slaughter.

The timing has not yet arrived; it is not yet the moment to battle Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

However, the Death Sovereign wishes to depart; this time the Tongtian Divine Emperor switches from defense to offense, launching a full‑scale attack that buys Li Che time against the Death Sovereign, allowing Li Che to pass through the Nether Gate into Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Boom—!!!

The Nether Yinglong was instantly cut, suffering excruciating pain; its injuries were so severe that it seemed about to fall and nearly shattered.

Four divine swords—Divine Execution Sword, Divine Slaughter Sword, Divine Severance Sword, and Divine Trap Sword—appeared as four steel forks, plunging directly into the massive body of the Nether Yinglong, freezing it solid in the void.

The Death Sovereign did not look back; no matter how much the Nether Yinglong suffered, it was just the same to the Death Sovereign.

It is merely the pain of a mount; what does it matter to them?

The Death Sovereign instantly landed atop the Nether Gate; with a single stomp, the vortex of the Nether Gate seemed to freeze.

The Death Sovereign's body was immensely massive, countless black patterns continuously swirling over him, exuding an extreme‑cold primordial aura.

That is the source of death; this being has completely consumed the death source, as if he is the source itself.

The source's spring was embedded within his body.

"Who on earth… sneaking around, skulking!"

The Death Sovereign let out a long howl.

With a thought, the Nether Dragon Emperor and the Nether Candle Dragon steadfastly guarded the realm barrier leading to the Nether.

……

……

Boom—

Li Che's body fell into the Nether Gate.

The celestial chessboard suddenly expanded, moving flying stars; each step taken was like the flow of constellations.

Speed reached its extreme; in the blink of a sparkling star, it already spanned a vast distance.

Soon, he arrived at the far end of the Nether Gate.

Domain Barrier!

Li Che sensed the existence of the Domain Barrier, meaning that the Nether can also be regarded as a realm of its own.

However, unlike the realms between Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, there is no void city requiring an immortal to sit and guard.

Roar—!!!

A terrifying dragon roar suddenly rang out from the Domain Barrier.

Having taken refuge in the Nether, infected by the death source, flesh fell away, revealing an immortal Dragon Emperor of skeletal white bone, as if transformed into a peerless terrifying death bone dragon, now swinging its tail to block the Domain Barrier.

If Li Che attempts to pierce the barrier, it will inevitably trigger the opponent's perception.

"Immortal Dragon Emperor… the ancestral dragon lineage."

"Founder of the Ancestral Dragon Killing Technique."

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

He learned the Ancestral Dragon Killing Technique from the Young Dragon Emperor and has finally found its originator.

"It is indeed a good opportunity; I need to elevate the Ancestral Dragon Killing Technique, a rare celestial seed, to the level of a supreme martial‑cultivation masterpiece. Perhaps today is an excellent chance."

In the next moment, Li Che's mind sparked.

He no longer chose to conceal his form.

His five fingers brushed across his face.

The white jade mask belonging to the Earth Store King vanished.

In the next instant, it transformed into a cute bull mask.

Bull Demon!

The long‑absent Underworld Bull Demon reappeared!

Li Che suddenly activated the martial immortal blood within, the terrifying second opening of Heaven erupting like a furnace, instantly revealing his form and striking the Nether Dragon Emperor with lethal force!

Myriad Transformations Dragon Elephant Furnace!

Dragon Roar Elephant Whinny!

A void shadow spanned, blood and qi danced wildly like a dragon elephant!

He slammed fiercely toward the Nether Dragon Emperor.

At the sheer cliff, a world‑shaking massive collision erupted!

The void instantly split with massive fissures; a ferocious and dreadful death aura continuously seeped from the cracks.

The Nether Dragon Emperor's eyes opened and closed, his scarlet pupils flashing with an odd hue!

"Cultivators of the Prison Lotus Camp?"

Such a physique…

"Earth Store King?!"

To achieve such a martial immortal physique across Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, there is only one person, the Earth Store King.

He is the present world's sole strongest martial immortal!

Even though Li Che wore the Bull Demon mask, the Dragon Emperor instantly recognized him.

Thud!

Although the Dragon Emperor has fallen, descending into the Nether, his combat power has not diminished but increased, even returning to the peak of his youthful dragon blood.

In a single clash, the second opening of Heaven Li Che was immediately at a disadvantage, like a cannonball being brutally shot, striking the Nether's Domain Barrier.

Bang bang bang—

Li Che rebounded from the sheer cliff, each rebound evading the terrifying bone‑dragon claws of the Nether Dragon Emperor.

Smoke and dust billowed up on the sheer cliff.

When confronting the Nether Dragon Emperor, Li Che's eyes also fixed on the opponent, observing his killing techniques.

He was refining the Ancestor Dragon Killing Technique bit by bit!

Boom!

Qi and blood surged outward; within the Immortal Martial Qimen Acupoints, countless prison lotus primal sources erupted, like a blooming black lotus exploding before the Nether Barrier.

The Nether Dragon Emperor's dragon mouth opened, elongated flesh fell apart, yet the robust Ancestor Dragon skeletal body displayed the complete power technique in a dragon form.

Another collision.

Li Che's spine struck the Nether Barrier hard once more.

But Li Che emerged unscathed, his jet‑black hair flying, golden qi and blood blazing fiercely.

"Dizang... what are you really thinking?"

The Nether Dragon Emperor spoke in a low, muffled tone.

A dragon‑bone tail swung down, its edge as terrifying as a divine sword cut by a celestial god.

The Ancestor Dragon Killing Technique blended seamlessly into this move.

Li Che's gaze brightened slightly; his insight into the Ancestor Dragon Killing Technique was fully stored within his heart.

"Almost there, I've comprehended."

Li Che exhaled.

Fighting a celestial immortal of the Emperor‑grade Ancestor Dragon level was indeed still far beyond him.

He was not a match; he was suppressed the whole time.

But it was enough; Li Che merely grasped the Ancestor Dragon Killing Technique during the clash with the Dragon Emperor, pushing the final Immortal Martial supreme art to completion!

"Dog Lord, please."

Li Che finished speaking.

The fluffy Dog Lord in his arms immediately poked its head out.

Its jet‑black eyes rolled swiftly.

In the next instant, two dog legs kicked against Li Che's chest, as hard as a mountain stone.

The kick left two plum‑blossom‑shaped red marks on Li Che's chest.

Using the rebound force of that kick, the Dog Lord burst forth with a thunderous launch.

Li Che, struck by that force, felt as if two dog legs sprouted from his back, unleashing terrifying power that shattered the indomitable Nether Barrier.

On the other side, the Dog Lord floated gracefully like a flying dog with its paws spread.

It drifted up leisurely, appearing before the Nether Dragon Emperor.

Compared with the Dragon Emperor's colossal ten‑thousand‑foot stature, the Dog Lord's tiny form was just a speck of black, like an ant trying to shake a tree.

The Dog Lord opened its mouth, yawning, unconcerned with its minuteness.

Sometimes size means nothing.

It is the strength of the core that is true power.

Countless death origins from the Nether Mouth converged upon the Dog Lord's paws.

Magma‑like patterns flowed across the Dog Lord's delicate paws.

The Nether Dragon Emperor's dragon eyes narrowed; a supreme pressure pressed upon him, rendering him immobile!

Bang—!!!

The Dog Lord's paw slapped the Nether Dragon Emperor's bone dragon head.

It seemed to glue the Dragon Emperor's head in place, forming a Tai‑chi shape; amid the ripples, a whoosh—like a dancing dragon—traced a smooth circular dragon dance before being flung outward.

The Nether Dragon Emperor could not resist at all…

Thus, like a hidden weapon, it was hurled out by the Dog Lord.

It surged toward the Death Sovereign that had torn through the Celestial Emperor's blockade, crashing back into the Nether Mouth.

The Nether Realm Barrier was shattered with a thunderous blast.

Li Che glanced back; within the Nether Mouth, the Dog Lord's combat power seemed completely unbound, soaring wildly.

He involuntarily inhaled.

This is…

The covering strike the Dog Lord spoke of?!