Chapter 518: The Entrance to Hell

In this cursed place, the red-haired monsters were like messengers of the Grim Reaper, their arrival bringing endless panic and death.

These monsters were covered in blood-red fur, their eyes flashing with violent light, each attack filled with destructive power.

Faced with this sudden disaster, the cultivators appeared extremely fragile; many companions died miserably under the red-haired monsters' claws, turning into the same terrifying creatures.

"What kind of monster is this?!" a young cultivator shouted in terror, his eyes wide open, filled with fear.

"Their attacks carry a curse; once bitten, one becomes their kind!" an older cultivator replied in a low voice, his tone hinting at despair.

"We must be careful, not let them get close!" another cultivator shouted loudly, gripping his long sword tightly, body tense, ready to fight at any moment.

The red-haired monsters let out an earth-shaking roar, their bodies suddenly erupting with a powerful force that shoved all the surrounding cultivators back.

The monsters' strength seemed endless; each attack made the cultivators feel immense pressure.

"Where is their weakness?!" a cultivator asked, panting, his body already covered in wounds, yet he persisted in fighting.

"The heart, we must strike their hearts!" an experienced cultivator shouted, his eyes flashing with determined light.

The cultivators began targeted attacks, yet the monsters' bodies were abnormally hard; ordinary attacks could not penetrate their skin at all.

"These monsters' defenses are too strong; our attacks are completely ineffective!" a cultivator shouted in despair, his voice trembling.

"No!" another cultivator answered firmly, his eyes flashing with unyielding light, "We must find a way, or we will all die here!"

The battle grew ever more brutal; the red-haired monsters' attacks were like a violent storm, cultivators kept falling, their bodies torn apart by the monsters' claws, blood staining the ground red.

Yet even facing such a powerful enemy, the cultivators did not give up, continually seeking opportunities, trying to find the red-haired monsters' weakness.

"Look quickly, that monster's chest has a scar!" a sharp-eyed cultivator suddenly shouted, pointing at a red-haired monster.

Everyone immediately focused their attention on that red-haired monster, discovering that its chest indeed bore a scar, though shallow, it was hope for their attack.

"Concentrate fire, attack that monster's chest!" a cultivator commanded loudly, his voice carrying a hint of resolve.

The cultivators immediately responded, their spells and weapons all focused on that red-haired monster's chest.

Under the combined attack of everyone, that red-haired monster's chest was finally pierced through, its heart completely destroyed.

"Success!" a cultivator shouted excitedly, a joyful smile appearing on his face.

However, their joy did not last long, as more red-haired monsters began to surge forward, their eyes flashing with violent light, as if they wanted to tear all the cultivators to pieces.

"We must retreat, otherwise we will all be killed by them!" a cultivator shouted loudly, his voice tinged with panic.

"No, we cannot retreat!" another cultivator answered firmly, his eyes flashing with unyielding light, "If we retreat, these monsters will run rampant; we must stop them here!"

The cultivators began to fight even more desperately, their spells and weapons falling like rain upon the red-haired monsters' bodies.

However, the number of red-haired monsters was simply too great, and the cultivators' strength began to gradually wane.

"Our spells are about to run out, what should we do?" a cultivator asked anxiously, sweat covering his face.

"We must persevere; as long as there is still a breath, we cannot give up!" another cultivator answered firmly, his eyes flashing with determined light.

The battle grew ever more brutal; the cultivators' bodies were torn apart by the red-haired monsters' claws, blood staining the ground red.

Yet even facing such a powerful enemy, the cultivators still did not give up, continually seeking opportunities, trying to find the red-haired monsters' weakness.

"Look quickly, those monsters have runes on their bodies!" a cultivator suddenly shouted, pointing at the red-haired monster's body.

Everyone immediately focused their attention on the red-haired monsters' bodies, discovering that these monsters indeed bore runes, which emitted an eerie light, as if they were the source of their power.

"Attack those runes!" a cultivator commanded loudly.

The cultivators immediately responded, their spells and weapons all focused on the runes on the red-haired monsters' bodies.

Under the combined attack of everyone, those runes were finally destroyed, and the red-haired monsters' power began to rapidly decline.

"Success!" a cultivator shouted excitedly, a joyful smile appearing on his face.

As the last red-haired monster fell, its body split apart, blood spraying across the ground, the air filling with a pungent smell of blood.

The cultivators had just breathed a sigh of relief when they suddenly felt the entire space beginning to exhibit strange fluctuations.

The ground began to tremble slightly, as if some terrifying existence were about to awaken.

"What is going on?!" a cultivator shouted in terror, his voice trembling.

"Look quickly, cracks have appeared on the ground!" another cultivator pointed at the floor, from the cracks seeping a greenish light, as if it were a gateway to another world.

The cultivators nervously retreated, their eyes fixed tightly on those cracks.

Suddenly, black smoke spewed from the cracks, the smoke quickly condensing in the air into hideous faces that emitted shrill screams.

"This is the entrance to Purgatory!!" an older cultivator shouted loudly, his eyes filled with fear.

"What's happening?!" a young cultivator asked anxiously, his face pale, his body trembling involuntarily.

As the cracks continued to expand, waves of terrifying aura poured out, the temperature of the entire space plummeting, as if even the air were freezing at that moment.

The cultivators felt an intangible pressure that made them barely able to breathe.

"What are those?!" a cultivator pointed at the figures emerging from the cracks; those figures were tall and twisted, their bodies covered in black scales, their eyes flashing with a greenish light.

"They are demons! Demons of Purgatory!" a cultivator shouted in terror, his voice tinged with despair.

The demons let out earth-shaking roars, brandishing their weapons, and launched a fierce attack on the cultivators.

The cultivators immediately reacted, their spells and weapons intertwining in the air to form a strong attack net, attempting to block the demons' advance.

"Intruders, you will pay the price for disturbing our peace!" the demon's voice thundered like lightning, shaking the cultivators' eardrums painfully.

"Prepare for battle!" a cultivator shouted loudly, his voice carrying a hint of resolve.

But the demons' power was too great; their flame swords easily tore through the cultivators' defenses, each attack carrying extreme heat, as if to burn everything to ashes.

"Water-element spells, quickly use water-element spells!" a cultivator shouted loudly, his voice tinged with urgency.

The cultivators immediately changed tactics, water-element spells intertwining in the air to form streams, attempting to extinguish the flames on the demons' bodies.

But the demons' flames were too strong; upon contact with the fire, the water streams instantly evaporated into a white mist.

"This is impossible, water-element spells are ineffective against it!" a cultivator shouted in despair, his eyes filled with fear.

At the same time.

In that hellish depths shrouded in darkness, a suffocating aura spread out.

The ground cracked open a huge fissure in the violent tremors, and from that abyss a nine-headed hell hound slowly rose, each of its heads emitting a different light, their eyes flashing with cruel and bloodthirsty light.

The appearance of this hell hound seemed to make even heaven and earth change color, the surrounding air filled with the smell of sulfur and death.

The cultivators looked at this creature crawling out from the depths of hell, and a fear unprecedented welled up in their hearts.

Its body was enormous, each head seeming to contain destructive power.

Its appearance was like that of a messenger of the god of death, proclaiming death and despair.

「What what is this monster?! 」 a young cultivator shouted in terror, his voice trembling, his eyes filled with fear.

「This is a nine-headed hell hound, the guardian of hell, each head capable of emitting a different attack. 」 an older cultivator replied in a deep voice, his voice hinting at despair.

The appearance of the nine-headed hell hound made the already tense battlefield even more chaotic.

The cultivators scattered and fled, trying to escape the monster's attack range.

But the nine-headed hell hound is extremely fast, each of its heads capable of launching powerful attacks—fire, ice, lightning, poison. These attacks intertwine, forming a death net that envelops the cultivators.

「Run! These attacks cannot be blocked at all! 」 a cultivator shouted, panting, his face full of fear.

「No, we can't just run away like this! We must unite and find a way to counter it! 」 Longling shouted loudly, his voice filled with determination and resolve.

Longling knew that if they did not defeat this nine-headed hell hound, they would never be able to leave this hell.

He took a deep breath, began to mobilize his inner power, and behind him a huge White Bone Dharma Aspect slowly appeared; this Dharma Aspect stood tens of zhang tall, its body composed of countless white bones, its eyes flashing with golden light.

「Come on, nine-headed hell hound, let's see who is truly the strongest! 」 Longling roared, his body turning into a light-shadow as he charged toward the nine-headed hell hound.

The nine-headed hell hound also seemed to feel Longling's challenge, its nine heads turning simultaneously toward Longling, their eyes flashing with provocative light.

The nine-headed hell hound's body suddenly became blurred, then instantly appeared before Longling.

Its nine heads simultaneously launched an attack at Longling, each head bearing great power, as if trying to tear Longling to pieces.

Longling's White Bone Dharma Aspect and the nine-headed hell hound's battle erupted instantly, their powers colliding in hell, forming ripples of energy that spread outward.

The magma in hell, under the effect of these energy ripples, flew up in bursts, forming waves of magma.

「Be careful, these attacks are too strong; we must join forces! 」 Longling loudly reminded his companions, his eyes flashing with determined light.

The cultivators immediately responded, beginning to join forces in attack; various spells and treasures intertwined in the air, forming a strong attack net that trapped the nine-headed hell hound.

But the nine-headed hell hound's power was too great; each of its attacks made the cultivators' defenses tremble.

「These spells are utterly ineffective against it; we must find its weakness! 」 a cultivator shouted, panting, his face covered in sweat.

「Look, the flame of that head seems weaker than the others! 」 an observant cultivator suddenly shouted, pointing at one of the nine-headed hell hound's heads.

Everyone immediately focused their attention on that head, discovering that its flame was indeed weaker than the others.

Longling immediately seized the opportunity, his body turning into a light-shadow as he rushed toward that head.

「Now, attack that head! 」 Longling roared, his Light Sword waving, tracing mysterious trajectories in the air, forming a strong sword qi that struck straight at that head.

「Boom! 」 The sword qi collided with that head, emitting a thunderous roar. The head was hit, letting out a painful roar, its flame beginning to rapidly weaken.

The other heads of the nine-headed hell hound immediately turned toward Longling, their eyes flashing with angry light.

The nine-headed hell hound's body suddenly burst forth with a strong power, deflecting all surrounding attacks.

It waved its sharp claws, launching a fierce counterattack at Longling.

「Watch out! 」 Longling roared, his body turning into a light-shadow, easily dodging the nine-headed hell hound's attack.

His Light Sword waved, tracing mysterious trajectories in the air, forming a strong sword qi that struck straight at the nine-headed hell hound's vital point.

「Boom! 」 The sword qi collided with the nine-headed hell hound's body, emitting a thunderous roar.

The nine-headed hell hound's body was blown away, slamming heavily into the rock wall of hell, causing the whole hell to tremble.

However, the nine-headed hell hound's body was abnormally hard; Longling's attack left only a shallow trace. It quickly rose to its feet, its eyes flashing with even more ferocious light, as if stimulated into greater power.

「These monsters' power is constantly increasing! 」 Longling warned loudly, his eyes flashing with vigilant light.

Everyone immediately reacted, beginning to join forces in attack; various spells and treasures intertwined in the air, forming a strong attack net that trapped the nine-headed hell hound.

The nine-headed hell hound let out a roar, its body suddenly bursting forth with strong power, deflecting all surrounding attacks.

It waved its sharp claws, launching a fierce counterattack at everyone.

However, the cultivators did not retreat; they knew that if they did not defeat this nine-headed hell hound, they would never be able to leave this hell.

The battle lasted a long time, both sides paying a heavy price.

Although the nine-headed hell hound's body was hard, under the cultivators' joint attack it began to show signs of damage.

Its claws were torn, its body covered in wounds, yet it stubbornly kept fighting, each attack carrying ferocious power.

Finally, after a fierce attack, the nine-headed hell hound's body was completely shattered, turning into countless fragments that dissipated in the air.

Hell returned to calm, but the cultivators' hearts could not find peace. The appearance of this nine-headed hell hound might merely be the tip of the iceberg of the mysterious power of this hell world.

「We must be more careful; there may be more hidden dangers. 」 Longling said in a deep voice, his eyes flashing with determined light.

With the downfall of the nine-headed hell hound, the fear and despair that had shrouded the battlefield finally dissipated.

The darkness of hell began to recede, as if even the sky were making way for this victory.

Sunlight pierced the heavy clouds, falling on the weary cultivators, bringing them warmth and hope.

Just as everyone marveled at this sudden change, a golden light descended from the heavens, illuminating the entire hell.

This light was so pure and holy that it dispelled the surrounding darkness, making everything bright.

The cultivators looked up and saw only a golden heavenly ladder slowly emerging, extending down from the clouds, as if it were a bridge to heaven.

「This is the Heavenly Ladder! 」 a cultivator exclaimed, his voice full of awe.

"It seems the victory has been acknowledged; this is the passage to the sacred land." Longling said in a low voice, his eyes flashing with determined light.

The appearance of the heavenly ladder swept away the cultivators' fear and fatigue.

They supported each other as they stepped onto the golden heavenly ladder, each step bringing an unprecedented sense of ease and pleasure.

As they climbed step by step, the surrounding scenery began to change.

The originally desolate hell gradually turned into a garden of blooming flowers, the air filled with the fragrance of flowers and the fresh scent of soil.

They saw clear streams, verdant meadows, and trees swaying in the wind; everything appeared so full of life.

When they finally reached the top of the Heavenly Ladder, a sacred place unfolded before them.

This is a vast square, its ground paved with smooth marble; at its center stands a huge fountain, its water column shooting up to form a beautiful rainbow in the sunlight.

Around the square stand magnificent buildings, their walls inlaid with various gemstones that glitter with dazzling light.

Cultivators strolled across the square, feeling a peace and harmony unlike anything they had ever known.

The air here seemed to contain some miraculous power, purifying and elevating their bodies and souls.

At the far end of the square, a massive palace stood, its gates wide open as if welcoming their arrival.

Longling led the crowd toward the palace, knowing that it surely hid more secrets and opportunities.

As they stepped into the palace, a powerful aura washed over them.

The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated, with exquisite murals on the walls depicting various mythological tales.

In the center of the palace stood a huge throne, upon which sat a deity clad in golden robes.

His eyes shone with wisdom and compassion as he gazed at them, as if awaiting their arrival.

"Welcome." The deity's voice was gentle yet powerful, echoing through the palace; he was actually the artifact spirit of the ancient pagoda.