Chapter 525: Blazing Descent into the Nine Netherworlds

As the grand battle between the mortal realm and the Nine Netherworlds erupted within the Five-Direction Great Formation, everyone outside the formation watched intently.

The powerful figures of the Nine Netherworlds looked lazy and amused, their eyes full of indifference; to them, the slaughter, life-and-death struggles, and ups and downs within the formation were merely a gambling spectacle for entertainment.

In contrast, the myriad experts of the mortal realm all wore solemn expressions, their hearts heavy and unable to hide their anxiety.

Since the reopening of the Nine Passes auction, after every auction concluded, very few human cultivators in the life-and-death contest within the Five-Direction Great Formation had ever managed to survive until the end as the sole survivor.

There was no other reason; in the ways of killing, slaughter, and surviving by devouring death, the human race was inherently inferior to the various Nine Netherworld tribes, who were born fierce and took slaughter as their instinct.

This time, due to the interference and involvement of two King-realm experts from the Nine Netherworlds—Lady Spider Lily and the Ghost King Su Mingyue—direct descendants from many human factions were forcibly thrown into the Five-Direction Great Formation.

The leaders of each faction, watching their carefully nurtured juniors trapped in a desperate situation, struggling bitterly in the slaughter and facing death and soul dispersal with the slightest misstep, felt nothing but immense pain and powerlessness.

Inside the great formation, disciples from several of the human race's top powers stepped forward, voluntarily taking on the responsibility of coordination and command, swiftly and orderly directing everyone amidst the chaotic battle.

They arranged formations, divided tasks for cooperation, and commanded all trapped human cultivators to join forces in defense, doing their utmost to resist the frenzied assaults of the Nine Netherworld creatures.

These actions undoubtedly bought the human cultivators some time, preventing them from being completely crushed by the Nine Netherworlds the moment the battle began.

However, as powerful Nine Netherworld figures like Gui Che rushed into the battlefield, the human cultivators fell completely into a passive situation.

Among them, Gui Che was the most troublesome.

Gui Che was a ferocious bird of the Nine Netherworlds, its movement swift as the wind; hovering high in the sky, it was very difficult for human cultivators to launch attacks against it.

Furthermore, Gui Che excelled at soul attacks; every dive, surprise assault, and sonic wave strike would knock down a swath of human cultivators.

The crowd of mortal realm cultivators outside the formation, witnessing the gruesome scene of Gui Che rampaging freely within, slaughtering and devouring their own kin, found it unbearable to watch; many lowered their eyes in heartache, closing them in sorrow.

As for the human cultivators trapped inside the great formation, facing life and death directly, their understanding of Gui Che's terror and danger was even more profound.

"Everyone, help me kill Gui Che!"

A hoarse roar, like the howl of a wild beast, exploded among the human cultivators.

The one who roared was Zhu Yunche of the Zhu family, a Dao-protecting clan.

At this moment, he was covered in blood, his body riddled with countless wounds, yet he seemed to feel no pain; he only stared fixedly at Gui Che's nine-headed demonic body, which resembled a moving meat grinder, his eyes filled with towering hatred and a determination to face death.

"We are going to die anyway! If I can personally slay this beast that is devouring my human compatriots before I die, then I won't have lived in vain!"

These words immediately ignited the fighting spirit and battle will of the surrounding human cultivators.

"Right! Rather than being swallowed pathetically, let's drag Gui Che down to hell with us!"

"Form the Return Spirit Formation! Lure Gui Che over!"

In the blink of an eye, dozens of human cultivators rushed toward Zhu Yunche's location like moths flying into a flame.

They exchanged glances and then tacitly formed a great defensive formation.

The moment the formation's light curtain rose, Gui Che's nine heads simultaneously turned toward Zhu Yunche and his group, a hint of contempt and greed flashing in its eyes.

In its view, these cultivators were merely struggling in their death throes.

After letting out a disdainful hiss, Gui Che's nine heads thrust forward together, carrying an aura that could destroy everything, charging straight at the defensive formation maintained by the combined effort of dozens of people.

Under Gui Che's oppressive force, the formation curtain shook violently, spiritual light flickering across its surface as if it were about to shatter at any moment.

The cultivators inside the formation had faces as pale as paper, yet they gritted their teeth tightly, continuously drawing spiritual power from within their bodies, which the formation then circulated and converged entirely into Zhu Yunche, who stood at the center.

With the infusion of spiritual power, Zhu Yunche's aura soared step by step, rising explosively from the early stage of the Spirit Platform realm to the middle stage, then the late stage, finally stopping at the peak of the Spirit Platform realm.

Zhu Yunche's body bore immense pressure, fine beads of blood oozing from the surface of his skin, yet he kept his teeth firmly clenched, his gaze sharp as a blade.

The eyes of the others were equally unwavering, all harboring the resolve to fight to the death.

Just as Gui Che's nine ferocious heads were about to reach the top of the defensive formation, opening their bloody maws to devour the souls of everyone inside...

"Whoosh~"

Zhu Yunche suddenly broke out of the formation, holding a ten-thousand-year-old peach wood sword; he poured all the spiritual power gathered within his body into the blade and slashed out the strongest strike of his life at the head of Gui Che nearest to him.

This slash tore through the filthy air within the great formation, carrying an unstoppable momentum, and struck heavily upon Gui Che's neck.

"Splat!"

As the sword light flashed, a ferocious head, trailing scalding black blood, was severed cleanly at the root and fell heavily to the ground, smashing out a deep pit.

"Aow~"

Gui Che let out a mournful, piercing scream.

The sound waves swept through the surroundings like a gale blowing away fallen leaves, directly blasting away Zhu Yunche, who was attempting to strike a second blow, as well as the others who were struggling to reform their formation.

One of its heads had actually been severed by a group of human ants; Gui Che had gone completely mad!

"Seeking death!"

Gui Che's remaining eight heads simultaneously turned toward Zhu Yunche, murderous light blazing in its eyes; carrying a hatred capable of destroying heaven and earth, it frantically attacked this ant who had dared to sever its head.

"Yunche!"

On the walls of Duimen Pass, the Zhu family elders' eyes threatened to split from rage, while other members of the Zhu family saw tears welling in their eyes.

They all sensed that Zhu Yunche was doomed!

Other human cultivators also sighed one after another.

Gui Che's sharp beaks, like the scythes of the Death God, carried a stinking wind as they flashed toward Zhu Yunche with lightning speed to bite.

Facing the maddened Gui Che, Zhu Yunche was powerless to resist; he could only watch helplessly as the huge mouth filled with fangs rapidly enlarged in his field of vision.

Between those forest-white sharp teeth, it seemed as though the gruesome scene of him being chewed up and devoured was already being enacted.

However, just at the critical moment when the massive jaws capable of crushing metal were about to snap shut and the scythe of death was about to reap his life...

"Whoosh~"

A white soul whip shot through the air, wrapping precisely around Zhu Yunche's waist.

"Whoosh!"

The soul whip suddenly contracted; a gentle yet powerful force transmitted through it, yanking Zhu Yunche forcibly out of Gui Che's mouth, narrowly avoiding those fangs capable of tearing souls apart.

Hua Changxi's figure appeared in mid-air like a phantom; she raised her right hand and flung Zhu Yunche toward a relatively safe area behind her.

"Whoosh~"

Hua Changxi extended her right hand, and the peach-wood sword Zhu Yunche had dropped to the ground was immediately drawn into her palm.

The next moment, a crackling sound erupted.

Purple lightning-fire darted and leaped along the blade like a living creature, instantly enveloping the entire peach-wood sword.

In an instant, a terrifying aura of supreme yang and rigid strength, specialized in suppressing yin evil, exploded outward with Hua Changxi at its center.

The Gui Che, originally enraged by Hua Changxi's sudden appearance, had opened all eight heads wide, poised to choose a victim and devour them.

Yet the moment that aura of lightning-fire struck its face, all eight heads froze simultaneously, their movements stiffening in mid-air.

A tremor originating from the depths of the soul instantly swept through the entire body of the Gui Che.

Not only the Gui Che, but even Cang Ming, who had just broken out of the Soul Domain, and the other Nine Nether creatures present, now displayed expressions of shock and horror.

Lightning-fire!

In the Nine Nether, there were several types of flames that its creatures loathed and detested; lightning-fire was among them.

The suppression lightning-fire exerted on Nine Nether creatures was too severe; unless one broke through to a higher realm, Nine Nether creatures would not even mention it.

Now that lightning-fire had appeared within the Five Directions Great Formation, every trapped Nine Nether creature felt panic.

In contrast to the solemnity of the Nine Nether creatures inside and outside the formation, the eyes of the human cultivators on the walls of Duimen Pass city surged with a mix of surprise and joy.

Since lightning-fire specifically counters the Nine Nether, perhaps this time, the survivors of the Five Directions Great Formation would be humans!

"Lightning-fire is not easy to subdue..."

Upon seeing the lightning-fire, the eyes of many among the powerful figures of the Human Realm flickered with interest.

An elder of the Zhu family looked at Wei Zhenjie, whose brows had relaxed, and asked, "Minister Wei, you are widely experienced; do you recognize the person in the formation who saved my Zhu family disciples?"

Wei Zhenjie shook his head, neither confirming nor denying acquaintance.

Seeing this, the Zhu elder pressed no further, instead changing the question: "That person previously claimed they could break the Five Directions Great Formation; does Minister Wei think this is possible?"

Hearing this, the other powerful human figures also looked over, their eyes surging with hope.

Wei Zhenjie showed helplessness on his face: "I do not know how to divine or cast hexes; how would I know about such things?"

As he spoke, within the great formation, Hua Changxi gave the Gui Che no time to react; gripping the peach-wood sword wreathed in lightning-fire, she transformed into a streak of purple light, carrying an aura of certain death, and charged straight at the Gui Che's massive demonic body!

Upon closing the distance, Hua Changxi swung her sword, unleashing hundreds upon thousands of sword beams simultaneously.

Sword light cascaded like a waterfall; lightning-fire wove a net of destruction that instantly enveloped the Gui Che's massive form.

"Squelch~"

There were no fancy techniques, only extreme speed and power.

The lightning-fire peach-wood sword tore through the Gui Che's hard defense as easily as a hot knife cuts butter.

Accompanied by a piercing, agonizing scream, before the Gui Che could dodge, three of its heads were completely detonated by the supreme yang and rigid power of the lightning-fire amidst the slashing sword beams, turning into a sky full of charred minced meat and blood mist.

"Howl~"

The last time it lost one head, the Gui Che had gone mad.

This time, having lost three heads, the Gui Che felt chill fear; without looking back, it fled, rapidly distancing itself from Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi's gaze sharpened; mounting her Somersault Cloud, she turned into a streak of purple rainbow and gave chase.

In merely a few breaths, she had caught up behind the Gui Che.

She leaped from her form, falling like a meteor, and landed steadily on the Gui Che's massive spine.

Terrified out of its wits, the Gui Che let out a unified roar from its five remaining heads, frantically diving, circling, and rolling in an attempt to shake the rider off its back.

Alas, Hua Changxi seemed fused with it; no matter how it struggled, she remained stuck to its body.

Just as the Gui Che violently surged into the air, Hua Changxi seized the opening; raising the lightning-fire peach-wood sword high, with lightning snakes dancing wildly along the blade and flames churning, carrying the might to burn the Nine Nether to ashes, she slashed fiercely at the neck of the head on the left!

"Crack~"

Sword light flashed like lightning, and the head fell at the sound!

Lightning-fire poured madly into the severed wound, burning the Gui Che's entire demonic body until it convulsed violently, spewing black blood and emitting heart-rending, soul-shattering wails.

Its remaining four heads turned with difficulty toward the distance, their voices trembling with unprecedented fear and despair: "Cang Ming, save me~"

Cang Ming too was stunned by the combat power Hua Changxi had displayed.

Although the Gui Che clan was not a top-tier power in the Nine Nether, their individual combat strength was formidable, and they had always acted without restraint; this was the first time he had seen a Gui Che driven to such a wretched state...

Regarding the lightning-fire sword in Hua Changxi's hand, Cang Ming still felt some apprehension; he did not charge directly at Hua Changxi, but instead slammed his hands together to form seals, causing sinister qi to surge wildly around his body.

"Splash~"

A river domain of the Nether, vaster and more violent than before, condensed out of thin air, like an inverted black ocean, carrying the might to annihilate everything as it crashed straight toward the human cultivators!

Towering, terrifying waves blocked out the sun and sky; black water churned, emitting a suffocating corrosive aura.

"Ah~"

Human cultivators who failed to dodge were instantly swallowed by the wave crest; before they could even utter a scream, they turned into bare white bones within the black water, their souls scattered.

Filling Hua Changxi's ears were rising and falling screams; gritting her teeth fiercely, she stopped entangling the Gui Che, leaped down from its spine, transformed into a streak of flowing light, and rushed toward the area where the human cultivators had gathered.

"Too late!"

A cruel, ferocious grin curled Cang Ming's lips; he slammed his hands down violently, and the sun-blocking waves of the Nether River crashed down like the sky collapsing, determined to drown and devour every last human cultivator.

Just before the terrifying waves fell, Hua Changxi landed among the human cultivators.

"Splash~"

Amidst a deafening roar, the terrifying waves of the Nether River submerged the area where the human cultivators had gathered, covering heaven and earth.

Outside the formation, the various powerful figures of the Nine Nether watching the battle all showed joy: "It is finally over."

On the walls of Duimen Pass city, the surviving human cultivators wore faces full of regret and grief; some even could not help but close their eyes, unwilling to witness such a tragic scene.

However, just when everyone thought the human cultivators had been utterly wiped out, a sudden change occurred.

Within the formation, the area submerged by the terrifying waves of the Nether River suddenly began to boil without warning; dark green waves churned violently, as if some terrifying power was brewing beneath the water.

Immediately following, rolling clouds of dark green water vapor steamed upward, instantly spreading into the sky.

The terrifying waves vanished at a speed visible to the naked eye, revealing a tightly closed, fire-red lotus bud at the center of the mist.

The lotus bud emitted a heart-pounding warmth that made Cang Ming's pupils constrict as he sensed the threat.

"Boom~"

Cang Ming exerted his strength again, manipulating the Nether River's terrifying waves to slam violently into the bud.

Alas, amidst the deafening crash and flying spray, the bud remained utterly unmoved.

"Whoosh~"

As the waves receded, the sound of flames rising and burning echoed from the bud.

Immediately after, under the dumbfounded gaze of everyone inside and outside the formation, the tightly closed bud trembled slightly, then began to slowly unfold and bloom outward.

"Whoosh~"

As the petals unfurled, an intensely scorching crimson flame erupted like a slumbering volcano suddenly awakening.

Layer by layer, the petals bloomed, each one unleashing a wave of fire capable of burning down the heavens and extinguishing the earth.

In merely the blink of an eye, the bud had fully blossomed, transforming into a magnificent fire lotus that illuminated the Nine Netherworlds!

"Boom~"

The instant the fire lotus bloomed, a terrifying wave of fire swept in all directions.

Centered on the fire lotus, crimson flames poured forth, meeting the Nether River's terrifying waves that had not yet fully receded.

There was no earth-shattering collision, only one-sided incineration.

"Hiss hiss hiss~"

The Nether River water, capable of corroding metal and dissolving souls, vaporized instantly upon contacting the flames burning on the fire lotus petals, just as spring snow meets the blazing sun.

The dark green mist quickly dispersed under the glow of the firelight.

In merely a short while, the Nether River's terrifying waves that had once blocked out the sky and sun were completely evaporated by the fire lotus.

Heaven and earth fell silent!

The experts of the Nine Netherworlds wore grim expressions, while the human experts were elated.

Excellent, that human's identity has finally been revealed—the Hall Master of the Ling Guang Hall!