Chapter 571: Found the Strange Fire!

Half a year later.

Chen Mu’s figure appeared again at the edge of the gray-black, thick fog carrying decay and fishy sweetness of the Nether Mountain Range.

He was still in that disguised appearance, with an ordinary face, slightly pale skin, wearing gray-black tight clothes, carrying an ancient long sword on his back, and his aura restrained at the peak of the Innate realm.

Half a year passed, the storm caused by the Nine Nether Sect due to the theft of the "Moon Shadow Flowing Light Sword" seemed to have gradually subsided, at least in this peripheral area, the tense atmosphere of sword-drawing and everyone feeling endangered was no longer seen, but the cold and murderous intent belonging to the Nine Nether Sect in the air remained thick.

Chen Mu did not go deep into the mountain range, but came again to the Black Nether City, which guarded the throat of the northeast entrance of the mountain range.

Paid the entry fee, mixed in with martial artists and black market merchants of all kinds and different auras, Chen Mu stepped into this fortress city constructed of black rocks.

The streets remained narrow and dark, with shops on both sides hanging strange signs, and the air was filled with a strange smell of blood, medicinal herbs, and metal.

He did not go to the "Dark Ruins," but chose a relatively lively and well-informed restaurant.

The light in the restaurant was dim, filled with the smell of inferior spiritual wine and some kind of incense.

Chen Mu found a seat in the corner, ordered a pot of wine, seemingly drinking by himself, but in fact, his Heaven Palace realm spiritual sense had already spread quietly like an invisible spider web, capturing every conversation and every useful piece of information around him.

"Have you heard? It’s not peaceful over at 'Shangyang Cave' recently, several teams that went in to explore haven't come out, it is said that there is a strange treasure born inside, inducing the earth vein yin fire..."

"Cut, what strange treasure, it’s the 'Nine Nether Sect' people doing sacrifices over there, making the movement of 'Yin Nether Fire,' tricking fools into going to die."

"Hey, do you know, a while ago at 'Blood Baleful Ridge,' someone saw a streak of red-gold fire light shooting into the sky

"Is that for real? Exotic fire is already rare, and it's related to the Dao of the sword? Wouldn't that be a supreme treasure for sword cultivators?"

"Who knows? Anyway, the Nine Nether Sect and several affiliated families have all sent people there and sealed off that area; outsiders can't get in at all."

Chen Mu’s hand holding the wine cup paused slightly.

Crimson-gold firelight, the sound of swords ringing, and an exotic fire related to the Dao of the sword?

He remained calm and continued to listen.

"I heard about it too, it seems to be called 'Sword-Howling Heavenly Fire'? They say that exotic fire not only has an incredibly high temperature but can also trigger ten thousand swords to ring in unison, which is a great benefit to sword cultivators. An Elder of the Nine Nether Sect even tried to subdue it, but ended up almost being backlashed by the exotic fire, losing half an arm."

"Tsk, the Nine Nether Sect is actually cautious this time; they didn't rush to take it by force, but instead set up a grand array, wanting to trap the exotic fire and refine it slowly. But I heard that the exotic fire has extremely high spirituality and has almost broken through the blockade several times."

"Exactly. Now, the 'Blood Fiend Ridge' area has been designated as a restricted zone by the Nine Nether Sect, and they even have Elders of the Heavenly Palace Realm taking turns stationed there."

Thoughts raced through Chen Mu’s mind.

Sword-Howling Heavenly Fire?

It must be Sword-Ringing Heavenly Flame!

Could it be that the "Sword Soul" exotic fire is not in the depths of the "Nether Abyss Secret Realm," but was moved by the Nine Nether Sect to the "Blood Fiend Ridge"?

Or, does the "Nine Nethers" in the jade pendant's information not refer solely to the "Nether Abyss Secret Realm," but generally to a certain area controlled by the Nine Nether Sect?

Chen Mu put down his wine cup, stood up, walked to the table of warriors chatting nearby, tossed out a handful of gold, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Brothers, regarding the 'Sword-Howling Heavenly Fire' you mentioned, where exactly in the 'Blood Fiend Ridge' is it? What kind of array did the Nine Nether Sect set up?"

The few warriors first looked at Chen Mu with vigilance, then looked at the gold, and after sensing the aura fluctuations coming from Chen Mu, they relaxed.

One of them lowered his voice and said.

"Brother, you're interested in the exotic fire too? Heh, let me give you a piece of advice: that place is a meat grinder right now. 'Blood Fiend Ridge' is in the northwest of the Nether Mountain Range, and the specific location of the exotic fire is in a basin called 'Sword-Burning Valley' deep in the ridge. That place used to be the ruins of an ancient sword cultivation sect, but it was destroyed later; there are earth fire veins underground, and somehow this exotic fire was nurtured there."

Another person chimed in: "The Nine Nether Sect set up the 'Nine Nether Spirit-Locking Grand Array,' which is said to be able to seal space and suppress spirituality. There are also three Elders of the Heavenly Palace Realm taking turns on duty: Elder 'Su Su Changshou,' Elder 'Gao Cheng,' and another one who is said to have been transferred from the Inner Sect Law Enforcement Hall, Elder 'Mi Mi Nangong'—all of them are experts in the mid-Heaven Palace Realm! In addition, there are dozens of Earth Altar Realm disciples patrolling. Trying to force your way in is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

Chen Mu silently noted this information, cupped his hands in thanks, turned around, and left the restaurant.

He did not stay in Black Nether City for long, but left the city directly and stealthily headed toward the "Blood Fiend Ridge" in the northwest.

Blood Fiend Ridge is located in the northwest of the Nether Mountain Range, and the terrain is even more treacherous than the outer areas.

The mountain body presents a dark red color, as if it had been soaked in countless fresh blood and then air-dried for years. The air is filled with a thick, bloody stench and the smell of sulfur, mixed with a scorching heat that makes the skin sting.

The earth fire fiend energy here is unusually active, and underground fire veins often erupt, burning and solidifying the rocks to form strange, glass-like landscapes.

Chen Mu restrained all his aura, like a ghost merging into the mountain shadows, avoided several open and hidden sentries set up by the Nine Nether Sect outside the ridge, and silently went deep into the ridge.

The closer he got to the core area, "Sword-Burning Valley," the higher the temperature in the air, and that faint, strange fluctuation that seemed capable of triggering resonance with the sword intent in his body became clearer.

He lurked on a high cliff overlooking Sword-Burning Valley and looked down.

The valley was vast, sunken in the center, the ground scorched black and covered with cracks, with hot air constantly steaming up from them, distorting the light.

In the center of the valley floor, one could vaguely see an area shrouded by a dark red light screen—that was the "Nine Nether Spirit-Locking Grand Array."

On the light screen, runes flowed, emitting fluctuations that imprisoned space and suppressed spirituality.

Inside the light screen, one could vaguely see a mass of crimson-gold light charging left and right. Every time it hit the light screen, it would emit a clear, impassioned sword ring that sounded like ten thousand swords falling silent, shaking the entire valley with a buzzing sound.

It was exactly the Sword-Ringing Heavenly Flame!

Around the grand array, every hundred zhang, a black banner several zhang high was inserted into the ground, spitting out Yin fiend energy and reinforcing the array.

Dozens of disciples dressed in Nine Nether Sect attire, with cultivation levels ranging across the Earth Altar Realm, formed patrol teams and patrolled back and forth in the valley.

And in the air directly north of the grand array, a platform was suspended. On the platform sat an old man in a deep purple robe with a withered face and hands like dried ghost claws. His aura was deep; he was impressively a mid-Heaven Palace Realm expert!

It was exactly one of the three rotating Elders, Elder "Su Su Changshou."

Chen Mu did not act immediately.

He carefully observed the operation patterns of the grand array, the routes of the patrolling disciples, and the position of Elder Su Su Changshou.

This "Nine Nether Spirit-Locking Grand Array" was indeed profound; not only could it seal space and suppress the spirituality of the exotic fire, but it also had a strong suppressive effect on the true qi and spiritual sense of intruders.

Breaking the array by force would inevitably alert Elder Su Su Changshou and draw an encirclement.

He needed to wait for an opportunity, or create one.

Time passed bit by bit, and the sky gradually darkened. In the night of the Nether Mountain Range, the Yin energy was heavier, and the fiend energy was thicker.

The patrolling disciples changed shifts, and Elder Su Su Changshou still sat with his eyes closed like a statue, but the cold Yin force field he emitted was closely connected to the grand array below, making it difficult for any movement to escape his notice.

Just at this moment, Chen Mu noticed that an earth fire crack on the east side of the valley suddenly erupted with a flame more violent than usual. Crimson lava shot into the sky accompanied by toxic smoke, causing a commotion among the patrolling disciples in that area, who retreated and dodged.

Su Su Changshou also opened his eyes slightly, glanced at it, and didn't care; this was a common occurrence in Blood Fiend Ridge.

But for Chen Mu, it was an opportunity!

With a thought, Chen Mu’s figure slid down from the high cliff like a ghost, but he did not rush toward the grand array; instead, he circled to the east side of the valley, near the earth fire crack that had just erupted.

He restrained his aura like a dead object and lurked behind a scorching hot rock.

A moment later, a patrol team of three Earth Altar Realm disciples arrived here, and the leader complained.

"This damn place, the earth fire eruptions are getting more frequent. I almost got splashed."

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and finish this patrol, then go back and change shifts," another said.

Just as the three passed the place where Chen Mu was hiding—

Swish, swish, swish~

Three streams of light, so subtle they were almost invisible, instantly sank into the back of the three disciples' heads.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The three bodies stiffened, the light in their eyes instantly dimmed, and without even a scream, their souls were destroyed, and their bodies fell softly.

[Corpse found, pick up?]

"Yes!"

The card was in hand.

Chen Mu rolled his sleeves, swept the three corpses and the remaining sword qi ripples that had not yet dissipated into the nearby earth fire crack that was still steaming, destroying the bodies and leaving no trace behind.

The whole process happened in the blink of an eye; the patrol team in the distance did not notice anything, and Su Su Changshou in the air did not sense any abnormal energy fluctuations.

Chen Mu changed into the clothes of one of the disciples, disguised himself as him, and simulated his own aura to be exactly the same as that disciple's.

He picked up the disciple's patrol token, lowered his head, and walked quickly toward an array base banner on the west side of the grand array.

According to his observations, although this "Nine Nether Spirit-Locking Grand Array" was powerful, the energy flow between its array base banners would produce an extremely subtle stagnation every hour due to the periodic fluctuations of the earth fire fiend energy; that was an unavoidable rhythmic difference when the array contended with the earth vein fiend energy.

This stagnation time was extremely short, less than a breath, but for Chen Mu, it was enough.

He arrived under that banner, pretended to check the array base, but in reality, a wisp of seventh-level sword intent, condensed to the extreme, silently seeped into the connection between the banner pole and the ground.

The sword intent did not destroy the banner, but like the finest wedge, lurked at a key node of the array base's rune structure, waiting for that moment to arrive.

Following the same method, Chen Mu did the same to the other two array bases.

These "sword intent wedges" were so small that they emitted almost no energy fluctuations and were mixed with the fiend energy of the array itself, making them extremely difficult to detect.

After doing all this, Chen Mu quickly left the patrol team, found a hidden corner, and lurked again, like the most patient hunter.

Time passed slowly, and the moon rose to the center of the sky, casting a pale light, but it was distorted by the fiend energy and heat waves in the valley.

The Hour of the Rat was approaching.

In the center of the grand array, that mass of crimson-gold "Sword-Ringing Heavenly Flame" seemed to have sensed something and suddenly became irritable. The crimson-gold flames surged, violently hitting the dark red light screen again and again, the sound of sword ringing becoming higher and more rapid with each strike, as if it were accumulating strength, preparing for a final struggle.

Su Su Changshou suddenly opened his eyes, ghost fire jumping in them, and shouted sharply.

"Everyone, be on alert! The exotic fire is about to strike the array! Reinforce the array bases!"

The patrolling disciples rushed to the nearest banners, preparing to inject true qi into them.

Just at this moment when their attention was drawn by the exotic fire—

The exact moment of the Hour of the Rat!

Deep underground, a periodic torrent of earth fire fiend energy surged out, hitting the grand array.

The light screen of the entire "Nine Nether Spirit-Locking Grand Array" shook violently, and the energy flow between the array base banners inevitably showed an extremely subtle stagnation of less than half a breath.

Now!

Sharp light exploded in Chen Mu’s eyes, and with a thought, the "sword intent wedges" lurking in the three array bases erupted.

Not to destroy, but to detonate.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At the three array bases, three wisps of condensed seventh-level sword intent, like sparks falling into a gunpowder barrel, instantly detonated the array energy that was already stagnant and chaotic due to the fiend energy impact.

The three banners shook violently, the runes on them flashed wildly, and the dark red light screen, which was originally a perfect whole, instantly developed a gap on the west side that was a zhang wide, twisted, and extremely unstable in energy.

"Not good! The array base is under attack! There are enemies!"

Su Su Changshou was the first to react, shocked and furious, his figure turning into a ghost shadow, pouncing toward the west gap.

But it was too late!

As early as the moment the sword intent wedges erupted, Chen Mu’s true body had already shot out from his hiding place like an arrow from a bow.

His target was directed straight at the array gap.

His speed was too fast; his movement technique, blessed by seventh-level sword intent, made him like a bolt of lightning tearing through the night sky.

"Stop him!"

Su Su Changshou roared, and a withered ghost claw shadow grabbed at Chen Mu’s back from the air, the claw wind shrill and enough to tear mountains apart.

Chen Mu did not look back and struck back with his sword.

"Purple Firmament Startling Heaven Sword," Thunder Style!

Rumble~!!

A purple thunder sword qi, condensed like silk, burst from his fingertips, not attacking Su Su Changshou, but precisely slashing at a certain point in the void between the grabbing ghost claw shadow and himself.

The sword qi exploded, turning into a sky full of fine purple electric snakes, instantly disrupting Su Su Changshou’s Yin fiend force field and spiritual sense lock.

Su Su Changshou only felt his claw momentum stagnate, and the target seemed to disappear into thin air for an instant.

It was this instant of obstruction that allowed Chen Mu’s figure to pass through the rapidly shrinking array gap and rush into the interior of the "Nine Nether Spirit-Locking Grand Array."

Once inside the grand array, a terrifying heat wave and peerlessly sharp sword intent pressure rushed toward him.

The crimson-gold "Sword-Ringing Heavenly Flame" was right before his eyes!

It seemed to have sensed Chen Mu’s arrival, as well as the pure, high-spirited, seventh-level sword intent on him that resonated with it from the same source.

"Roar—"

Su Su Changshou was furious and followed him into the array.

From the other two directions, sounds of breaking through the air also came; clearly, the other two rotating Elders, Gao Cheng and Mi Mi Nangong, were also alerted and were rushing over.

"Junior! You're courting death!"

Su Su Changshou used both hands, and two huge pitch-black ghost claws condensed from the power of heaven and earth, carrying a coldness that could freeze souls, sealed Chen Mu’s left and right retreat paths and grabbed down at his head!