Chapter 9

That person was a young man in his early twenties, looking refined, with a gentle smile on his face, very handsome.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you find special about this altar?"

The young man's eyes were like water, occasionally flashing with specks of starlight, giving him an otherworldly demeanor.

"The altar's appearance here is especially abrupt; it must serve some other purpose."

Yang Zhu walked over and analyzed.

The altar lay in a patch of primeval forest, with many ferocious birds roaming about; strangely, this place had no protective formations.

Moreover, the altar's structure is extremely high, estimated to be two or three meters above the ground.

Five jade pillars were distributed around the altar, yet their tops were only a few dozen centimeters higher than the altar.

Everything felt off.

"Exactly, I suspect something is sealed beneath the altar."

The young man, of extraordinary insight, saw through it in a single sentence.

"So I've been waiting for you, fellow Daoist, to open it together—what do you think?"

"Good."

Yang Zhu could sense the other's might, which far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators outside.

He could sense no malice from the other and readily agreed.

"Jiang Yi Fei, may I ask how you wish to be addressed?"

Yang Zhu realized, then, that he was from the ancient aristocratic clan—no wonder he bore such an extraordinary air.

"Yang Zhu."

According to the original story, Jiang Yi Fei can be described as loyal and righteous, and the Jiang clan also has its own backbone; if possible, Yang Zhu would be willing to become close friends with him.

As one of the heirs of the ancient aristocratic clan, Jiang Yi Fei naturally noticed the innate transcendence on Yang Zhu's person, and it was likely that he would soon make a name for himself in the Eastern Wasteland.

The Jiang clan would be delighted to make the acquaintance of such a person, and Jiang Yi Fei naturally felt the same.

Without much hesitation, they stood side by side, intending to join forces to open the altar.

Boom—! With a low, rumbling sound, the stone slab at the altar's center shifted sideways, revealing a pitch-black tunnel.

Just as they had thought, the altar truly held great mysteries.

They exchanged a glance, each nodded, and then proceeded together into the tunnel.

"I see, Brother Yang Zhu, your bearing is extraordinary—I hadn't even heard your name before."

"I have just emerged into the world; before this I had been living in seclusion, cultivating."

Yang Zhu casually found an excuse to respond.

One couldn't just blurt out the truth—that I came from Purple Mountain, sealed into this life and only just awakened—could one? "No wonder," he said, "I see your talent is not lacking compared to those saint‑child level figures."

Jiang Yi Fei spoke from the heart, a glint of starlight flashing in his eyes, unknown what he was thinking.

"Success depends on human effort."

Yang Zhu did not deny it, silently nodding, and said bluntly that he basically crushed those saint‑children and heirs in every aspect.

With Yang Zhu's background, techniques, physique, and talent, who in the Five Regions could rival him?

If one must speak, only the offspring of the Immortal Heavenly Emperor, the one nurtured by the nine‑colored divine egg, would be qualified.

His father, Wushi, swept all before him, achieving the Dao in just five hundred years.

Yang Zhu was confident he could catch up to him, even surpass him! They proceeded downward, walking for about half an incense stick's time, when suddenly the view opened up.

Beneath the altar lay a vast subterranean world, not man‑made but seemingly a natural underground city.

In the center of the underground stood another altar, its form and appearance identical to the one above, as if it were a copy.

Unlike the one above, this altar bore a bronze coffin laid across it, bound by several iron chains that suspended it in midair, each chain nailed to the surrounding walls.

The bronze coffin was simple and unadorned, carved with lifelike flowers, insects, birds, and fish, as if they might spring to life at any moment. Though the two had not yet approached, still some tens of meters away, a terrifying aura already surged toward them.

It was a thick deathly aura, as if countless spirits were releasing it together, faintly audible were the wails of vengeful ghosts.

It made one's heart go cold.

"Could the remains inside be those of a great demon?"

"Unclear."

Yang Zhu shook his head; before the coffin was opened, nobody dared to be certain who lay inside.

They observed for a long time, and only after confirming that there were no mechanisms or formations around did they dare to cautiously inspect the front of the mountain.

Upon reaching the altar's edge, they halted, for the coffin's pressure was too great; even they dared not act rashly.

"Even if it isn't a great demon, whatever's inside is far from ordinary."

Yang Zhu signaled Jiang Yi Fei to retreat; having come this far, he intended to step forward and investigate.

"Wouldn't that leave you to face the danger alone? I, Jiang Yi Fei, am not that sort of person."

"I have my own methods; having you along would actually be inconvenient."

After explanation, Jiang Yi Fei reluctantly agreed with Yang Zhu's view.

"Then I will guard your Dao; if anything goes wrong, I will pull you out."

Yang Zhu nodded in assent; the Primordial Scripture quietly circulated within him, beginning to probe the primal qi.

He drew a deep breath; even he had to respond cautiously.

Although his talent was outstanding, his cultivation was still low, making it impossible to handle all sudden situations.

Yang Zhu advanced cautiously, each step landing on a safe position; a single misstep would bring unimaginable consequences.

The Stride Word Secret, worthy of being one of the Nine Secrets, can go anywhere in the world—this is no idle boast.

"These steps… seem to be the Nine Secrets?"

Jiang Yi Fei's face twitched slightly; everyone knows the might of the Nine Secrets, and though many are said to have been lost, he never expected to witness them today.

Yang Zhu lifted his foot each time, and at the spot where his foot had originally landed, a pattern would be left—intricate, profound, mysteriously unusual—existing only briefly before vanishing.

Under the combination of probing the origin and the Walking Character Secret, Yang Zhu, after countless narrow escapes from danger, finally arrived smoothly before the coffin.

Yang Zhu carefully examined the coffin; aside from various patterns, one spot suddenly caught his eye.

On the coffin's side was a faint red dot, like a drop of bloodstain? This discovery made him startle—why would there be a bloodstain on the coffin? Could someone have come? Or was it left by the person inside before death? This was too unbelievable, and Yang Zhu had no clue for a moment.

"There's a drop here…"

Yang Zhu wanted to tell Jiang Yi Fei about this, but when he turned around he found nothing behind him—the other had already vanished.

"Not good!"

Yang Zhu realized the situation was dire and no longer concealed his aura.

The next moment, golden blood energy surged like a pillar, and vigorous life force instantly swept across the entire underground.

"Where are you running!"

Yang Zhu drove the divine rainbow forward and thrust a palm at the void ahead.

The Holy Body Dao Embryo renders all evil inviolable; it is the natural bane of all malevolent forces, needing only a trace to dispel evil and shatter their souls and spirits.

With a creak, Jiang Yi Fei fell from the void, already unconscious.

At the same time, the shattered skeleton rolled onto the ground.

That was a human skeleton clad in tattered armor, emitting a faint green light, heavy with deathly aura.

Yang Zhu picked up a stone tablet from the ground, on which two words suddenly appeared—Underworld! (End of chapter)