Chapter 243: Out in the World, It's All About Your Backing!

The Netherworld Research Institute remained as tranquil as ever; everyone was at ease, just short of watering flowers, reading the paper, and cracking melon seeds.

On any other Administrative Star, merely monitoring the Virtual Number Ocean's pull on the Material World and the fluctuations in descent depth each day would keep you too busy to touch your feet to the ground.

But Hengzhou's blockade level is extremely high, making it very difficult for rifts to form and allow Vassal Creatures to flow into Reality.

Hence it is especially leisurely.

Ma Kezhang carried a thermos, hands clasped behind his back, and strode into the room.

The section had few personnel — a handful of people all told, not even filling two hands.

"Section Chief, can we leave early today?"

Xiao Li asked.

"What? Something at home?"

Ma Kezhang asked with a smile.

"Queuing to buy Hengzhou Top Hundred champion merch for my girlfriend. That Qin Classmate did come out of our Tai'an, after all; we really should support him."

Xiao Li scratched his head and said.

"Reasonable enough. Approved."

Ma Kezhang nodded; he himself wanted to leave early later — today was his turn to pick up the kid.

Dongxia citizens always view the Netherworld Research Institute through a layer of mysterious filter, as if it were a place full of nothing but high-IQ geniuses and psychotic madmen.

In reality, their work nature differs little from low-visibility agencies like the Meteorological Bureau or the Environmental Protection Bureau.

Both sides' functions are to formulate defense plans against "disasters" and issue early warnings; neither possesses any armed force.

"Speaking of which, that Qin Classmate once triggered a Netherworld Depth disturbance that left our institute scrambling."

Someone chimed in.

"Right. The Old Factory Street incident caused a huge commotion — the Four Pillars Descend Together; first time I've ever seen it."

Someone agreed.

"I heard Qin Classmate is clashing with the Seventh War Corps again; there's a sparring match today."

Someone whispered gossip.

The monitoring room instantly grew lively; everyone chattered away, idly chatting about that Qin Classmate.

Though reports on him are not many, they feel more authentic, like the good kid from the neighbor's house.

Unlike the new generation's Sun — noble birth, elite background, receiving all manner of top-tier education — like stars beyond the sky, unreachable.

Qin Shi's image is approachable, yet his own exposure is low, creating a sense of being near yet mysterious that sparks intense public interest, compelling discussion and digging.

This is the Tai'an region's deliberate publicity direction aimed at Qin Shi himself.

Because the latter has low enthusiasm for media interviews and event participation.

So the Education Committee reduced the sky-covering repetitive reports and instead added a large amount of Old Factory Street related introductions, enriching Qin Shi's public image through his past experiences.

"A hero emerges in youth. The Four Pillars' judgment is indeed flawless — truly far-sighted, clear as a candle flame."

Seeing the atmosphere heated, Ma Kezhang uttered a few perfunctory remarks.

He glanced at the round clock on the wall, calculating how much longer he could sit before slipping away.

But before the hands could tick a few times, a hornet-like alarm blared.

"Section Chief, the Netherworld Depth Value has surged by ten points! It is currently achieving overlap with the Material World, triggering a rift..."

The sudden upheaval threw the monitoring room instantly into work mode; everyone lunged for their consoles.

"Location confirmed — it's... Old Factory Street again? Nanhuang Dao Guan!"

The researcher reported.

Ma Kezhang, who had looked tense, heard "Nanhuang Dao Guan" and instantly set his mind at ease, settling back into his seat.

"No need to worry. Nanhuang Dao Guan filed a report — they deliberately lowered the blockade for short-term cultivation; procedurally it's fully compliant and legal."

The young researcher stared at the red-flashing data on the screen and asked worriedly:

"Section Chief, the Netherworld fluctuation is about to break the peak value; the data changes are clearly abnormal — do we really not issue a high-level early warning?

If left unchecked, a stable rift could form and likely destroy half of Old Factory Street..."

Ma Kezhang waved a hand, confident and composed:

"That's Nanhuang Dao Guan. Even without a Grandmaster holding the fort, there's still a Sitting Forgetting-tier Spiritual Ability Witch.

With her present, even a Great Demon's Arrival can be handled."

Ma Kezhang remained perfectly calm.

The Spiritual Ability Witch Yu Weiwei's "fearsome reputation precedes her" — to the institute that has dealt with the Netherworld for years, her name is known like thunder in the ears.

"Just unknown whether she can hook a 'Big Fish' at the Great Demon level."

Ma Kezhang sipped his goji berry tea, unhurried.

He watched the fluctuating data on the main console; his calm expression wavered slightly, and he suddenly thought:

"This Witch wouldn't be blocking the door to kill, would she?

That wouldn't be fishing anymore — equivalent to using a detonator to blast fish; the danger is very high!"

The Netherworld is the destination of spirits; it does not depend on the Material World — on the contrary, it is quite independent, almost a separate universe dimension.

In the words of Dongxia's highest-achieving scholar, Doctor Yan Tongxuan: the Netherworld is like a thick veil between reality and illusion.

Any living being that passes through it and enters that vast, boundless deep ocean finds that all fundamental rules applicable to the Material World cease to work.

Everything inside is chaotic; even existence and time flow at completely different rates, countless variables fill it, and nothing is certain.

Erosion is like endless violent turbulence, enveloping every living being that comes to the Netherworld at every moment.

Causing them to lose themselves, go mad, and even sink into depravity.

Even Judgment Court warriors whose wills were as firm as steel brands, once swallowed by the Netherworld, could not escape unscathed, but would inevitably twist into some foreign race.

It was precisely because the Netherworld existed that there was a fate between the stars more terrifying than death.

Not only did every Professional Army soldier carry an "Honor Bullet," voluntarily choosing to die gloriously, but Judgment Court members also injected "Poison Pills" of genetic collapse into their bodies in advance.

That way, they could avoid having their spirits seized by Vassal Creatures and taken to the Netherworld.

Boom—rumble—rumble!

The black tide surged forward, like angry waves layered upon ridges, and atop a "wave crest" nearly several hundred meters high stood a humanoid creature draped in a pitch-black feathered cloak.

Its form was slender, nearly three meters tall, with dark gray skin; six pairs of eyeballs opened respectively, exuding an evil magic nature, like pitch-black whirlpools that seemed to draw out the soul.

"Truly doesn't know when to quit. They said not to let you pass, and you don't understand human speech."

Yu Weiwei was fearless and at ease; facing this great demon, one translucent Spiritual Flower after another bloomed in succession, like a sea howling.

Her fingertip lightly touched, her spirit condensed to the extreme, like a pillar of light bursting forth, piercing through the thick black tide.

Immediately after, her palm shifted horizontally, like a sword sweeping across, forcibly tearing a rift in the black tide piled up hundreds of meters high!

The Six Eyes creature atop the wave crest opened its mouth, its fangs dense as sawteeth.

A strong fluctuation that contaminated the spirit was released, emitting a low howl like a dark crow.

"What should I call you? Dear Miss Yu, or Ms. Yu?"

Yu Weiwei raised her slender, fair palm, and a long sword condensed from intense light spanned a hundred li.

Like a red-hot knife cutting through butter, countless Vassal Creatures wailed, their Spirit Bodies collapsed, turning into wisp after wisp of blue smoke.

"Ge Tu, you are truly defiling your own 'Saint Blood.'"

Yu Weiwei and that Six Eyes creature seemed to be "old acquaintances."

"With me here, you cannot cross this rift."

The Six Eyes creature named Ge Tu gave a sinister smile:

"I came for you, Miss Yu. Your spirit is delicious, like a bottle of precious collection-grade fine wine."

"Miss Yu, you have chosen a very dangerous path, destined like your predecessors to walk into the long night with unwilling hearts, returning to the Netherworld Ocean."

Yu Weiwei's expression did not change, a majestic and dignified Heavenly Maiden Embrace, wielding a light sword to sweep away evil energy; vast numbers of Vassal Creatures crumbled like Gravel.

"I will wait for you, wait to savor your flawless yet blood-stained heart."

Ge Tu felt no pain at all; Vassals were consumables, and he wanted as many as he could get. The boundless Star Sea never lacked foolish, ignorant blind idiots trying to take shortcuts.

"By the way, it seems you care very much about that little fellow exuding an alluring aura."

"Although he is far less intoxicating to me than you, I am still willing to place a Spiritual Field Mark on him."

"From now on, if he appears in the Netherworld, I will personally arrive and contaminate his soul."

The Six Eyes creature's bearing was elegant, like a noble from the Ancient Era, but the words it spoke were extremely cold, with intense malice.

"You know, Miss Yu, I will never let anything that casts a shadow over your spirit go unpunished."

Ge Tu extended his arms, slender as bamboo poles, opened his palm, and dark, lumpy crystals quietly appeared.

"Look, your revered teacher, your pitiful classmates—they are all waiting for you."

On the surfaces of the dark crystals, twisted faces appeared one after another.

Yu Weiwei raised her eyebrows, killing intent surging; her black hair showed a tendency to turn red.

The Witch's personality seemed about to awaken.

Ge Tu was delighted to see this scene; he was even willing to pay the price of injury.

The spiritual path promotion method Yu Weiwei chose was no different from hanging her spirit on a steel wire, at any moment possibly falling into a deep valley, body and bones shattered.

And what Ge Tu did was to give a gentle push, completely upsetting the original Momentum/Force balance.

"Senior Sister."

Just as Yu Weiwei lowered her bright eyes, deep as an abyss, a call from behind startled her.

The Spiritual Field Light illuminated the other party—it was actually Little Qin Shidi!

"Shidi, why did you come?"

Yu Weiwei couldn't help but feel a bit flustered; her Heavenly Maiden image in the Netherworld was not usually something she showed to others.

"Senior Sister, I'm a bit worried about you. With such a huge Yin Realm Rift, what if some terrifying existence is drawn in? That would be troublesome to deal with."

Qin Shi finished his cultivation, his spirit and energy full, filling the Mortal Body's bones and physical ability drained by the Tenfold Amplification trait.

After Senior Brother Ren's reminder, he learned that Senior Sister Yu was guarding the rift alone, preventing Vassal invasion.

So, through his Inner Landscape, he entered samadhi with his spirit and sent his mind to the Netherworld.

"Senior Sister, is this your Spirit Body? So beautiful."

Looking at Yu Weiwei's Heavenly Maiden Embrace, Qin Shi praised from the bottom of his heart.

Third Senior Sister was already very beautiful, but the Heavenly Maiden Embrace within the Netherworld had a peerless beauty, exuding an inviolable noble atmosphere.

"Shidi... you should go down quickly."

Yu Weiwei rarely showed emotional fluctuation; she tried her best to remain calm and said:

"It's too dangerous here; it's not suitable for you."

The Netherworld great demon's spirit intensity was close to the Sitting Forgetting Peak level; if it wanted to corrupt and contaminate a person, even a professional level would find it very easy.

Especially since Ge Tu's background was extraordinary; he was of the Saint Blood race of the Nine Great Powers of the Star Sea, and his sequence level was not low.

Later he joined the Chaos Camp, thus falling into depravity as a terrifying legend long wandering the Netherworld Ocean.

"Tsk tsk, Miss Yu's spirit... is even more mellow."

Ge Tu blinked his six eyes, then showed an intoxicated look, as if smelling a faint fragrance.

He raised his withered palm, suddenly tore it open, and a Chaos Storm suddenly arrived, crushing all the Vassal Creatures beneath his feet into powder.

The deep and vast ocean surged like a tsunami, raising shockwaves of extreme intensity.

"Ge Tu! You dare!"

Old Yu, realizing what Ge Tu intended to do, turned cold; her Heavenly Maiden Embrace was as if covered in frost, ribbons swirling, radiance blazing!

Substantial spiritual intensity roared, like lightning bursting forth!

Ge Tu, who could tear through space and was approaching at high speed, ignored the defense directly and bore the blow.

That withered palm was as if roasted by fierce flames, instantly turning red, the dark skin cracking with fissures, as if it would collapse.

"Miss Yu! I look forward beyond measure to hearing your weeping and wailing again! Those are the most pleasing sounds to me in the Star Sea……"

Ge Tu's palm was like dark clouds rolling in on a rainy day, suddenly shrouding toward Qin Shi.

The latter had almost no ability to resist; he was merely at the Saint Embryo Stage, while the other belonged to the Sitting Forgetting Peak.

Such a great gap was almost the level of dying from a single glance.

"Tsk, this little fellow's flavor isn't bad either, there's a sense of freshness!"

Ge Tu's palm easily passed through and completely seized Qin Shi, casting a heavy shadow over his spirit, as if he were about to be dragged into the Abyss.

Old Yu's black hair flew loose, as if exploding, streaming backward, instantly turning wine-red.

"Ge Tu, I told you! He's under my protection! Don't touch him!"

Countless blooming Spiritual Flowers turned crimson in an instant, as if dyed in blood, dazzling and intense!

A terrifying storm brewed and accumulated in the skies above the Netherworld, about to erupt.

"Truly mad! Lady Yu! But this is precisely the supreme flavor I hoped to taste! Such a degree of despair makes me so excited…… ah!"

Before Ge Tu could celebrate and feel satisfied, his palm was like grasping a searing branding iron, excruciating pain sweeping through his soul!

The heat was almost like a spear piercing through the spirit, then viciously tearing it in half!

"Pillar! How could it be a Pillar!"

Now it was Ge Tu's turn to be furious; he saw four Symbolic Emblems rise within Qin Shi's spirit.

Especially the radiance of 【Taiyi】 and 【Tianren】 was most brilliant, as if triggered, rumbling loudly and echoing through the Netherworld.

Terrifying pressure pressed the boundless deep ocean into sinking!

Crack!

Like a hot water kettle stepped on and burst, Ge Tu's immensely powerful spiritual body exploded instantly into countless fragments.

"The four big shots are quite Reliable."

Qin Shi stood steady as an old dog; since he dared to venture into the Netherworld, he naturally had something to rely on.

Bearing the Symbolic Emblems of the Four Pillars, any Vassal Creature that saw them would have to retreat three she.

It's just that he didn't expect this Six Eyes to be so brave, directly making a move.

Even more stimulating the orderly and constant 【Taiyi】 and the 【Tianren】 that forbids Foreign Races.

Four Symbolic Emblems, like four blazing suns, dispelling the gloomy darkness above the Netherworld.

Ge Tu had nowhere to hide, like being tied to a pyre, a depraved Holy Blood Clan member roasted under the eternal blazing sun, suffering the most painful cruel torment!

"Ahhhhh!"

This great demon's spirit fragments were like melting snow, evaporating bit by bit.

"Out here mixing, it's about backing. Don't even know fishing law enforcement, no wonder you're doing so-so!"

Qin Shi shook his head; just heard Senior Sister say, the other side was still a Holy Blood Clan of the Nine Great Powers, the rarest "Long-lived Species" among countless civilizations in the Star Sea.

Lived in vain.

He made his evaluation.

"Almost forgot, you have the Favor of the Four Pillars. But it's also very risky, Little Qin Shidi; the Divine Spirit's Symbolic Emblem is more of a 'label' than a talisman."

Seeing Qin Shi relying on the Four Pillars to make Ge Tu miserable beyond measure, Old Yu's unfolding blood-red storm suddenly paused.

The wine-red long hair returned to black, the Witch's persona was once again pressed deep into the heart.

(Chapter End)