Chapter 681: Unaccustomed to the Land

"So this is the Youming Jie?"

"You've never been here?"

"I must be crazy to dare let my spirit enter here? Aren't you afraid of being devoured by the nether beasts here? Or do you think those Youming Jie cultivators are blind?"

After a long period of spatial traversal, perhaps because we were carrying too many items, this traversal took longer than Yan Buji had imagined.

"So, is it because I brought too many things that this happened?" Yan Buji began to ponder.

That seems to be a basic principle of the Way of the Universe.

But without a cross-domain vessel, the spatial turbulence and storms Yan Buji saw outside the cabin earlier, according to those Elders, could even tear them apart!

It's not that they can't be blocked, but cultivators who don't understand the Way of the Universe can't find a foothold and are doomed to die, lost in the spatial turbulence.

"Elders, we've arrived at the Youming Jie!"

"Hmm, well done, Hall Master."

"I didn't expect Hall Master, with the power of the Golden Core, to carve such a massive spatial tunnel; no wonder he is valued by the Patriarch and the Sect Master," several Elders laughed.

"Elder, you're overpraising; I'm also glad to serve the sect and add bricks and tiles," Yan Buji said with a smile.

Anyway, they're just flattering words; these Elders will certainly be willing to hear them.

"Since we've come to the Youming Jie, Hall Master, do you know where this place is?"

Yan Buji looked around; the terrain and landscape differed completely from the original Youming he had visited, and many ruined structures were visible, suggesting this was once the realm of the Underworld.

"Let me calculate... we're off by three thousand li, not far. Once we reach the designated spot, we can contact the Underworld cultivators!"

"Alright, if danger arises on the way, we will certainly intervene!"

The others nearby couldn't hide their curiosity about the Youming Jie, but the dense nether qi made them feel very uncomfortable.

Unlike Yan Buji and the Elders, who remained composed, even among the followers, the highest-ranked disciple Huang Ji's complexion turned blue as he continuously employed techniques to fend off the nether qi's erosion.

"Hall Master... this nether qi is incredibly strong!"

"After all, it's not the power cultivated by living beings," Yan Buji laughed.

"Hall Master, do you have any solution? Otherwise, we fear that once we leave the cross-domain vessel, we might collapse."

"Well..." Yan Buji thought, noting that after so many previous traversals of the Youming Jie, his body had become accustomed to its nether qi.

It might also be due to the influence of the Rift Stone and the Youming Tome, but Yan Buji had also obtained from Wang Dao Long a technique to cultivate nether qi, though its requirements were absurd, so he never practiced it.

"Conveniently, this time we need to contact the Underworld cultivators; perhaps asking them will get us what I want."

Yan Buji thought thus and assigned people to pilot the cross-domain vessel toward the destination.

Come to think of it, this massive cross-domain vessel requires five Nascent Soul Cultivators to operate smoothly; Yan Buji naturally couldn't steer it, so the remaining tasks were handed to Huang Ji and his group.

The Youming Jie was still much like before, but this time Yan Buji entered the Underworld's domain—a place he had only visited once—so he wasn't very familiar with the routes.

"Eight hundred li ahead, turn right!" Yan Buji shouted.

"Trouble! A large group of nether beasts!"

Yan Buji furrowed his brows and led the others onto the cabin.

"So many nether beasts?"

They weren't particularly dangerous; just a pack of Golden Core-stage nether beasts, with the leader appearing to be at the Nascent Soul stage.

"Come with me and deal with these nether beasts!" Yan Buji led the charge, leaping from the ship to battle the nether beasts.

Since they wished to avoid attention, the cross-domain vessel flew at low altitude, but these nether beasts were oddly shaped; their powerful hind legs could easily leap to heights of a hundred meters, colliding with the vessel, so Yan Buji had to descend with his men to deal with them.

Half an hour later.

After wiping out the nether beasts, Yan Buji led the group back onto the ship, but seeing many looking ill‑adjusted, he fell silent and said, "Hold on, everyone; once we reach the destination, I'll ask the Underworld folks if they have any method to block the nether qi."

"Yes, Hall Master!"

Yan Buji had no remedy for their condition, only advising them not to constantly absorb the world's spiritual energy as they did in the Five Realms to replenish their consumption.

He estimated that these people, during the recent battle with the nether beasts, had subconsciously absorbed the Youming Jie's nether qi, which caused their condition; although they are of a demonic sect, their cultivation methods also use spiritual energy, not nether qi.

But it seemed there was no serious danger; their adaptability was still quite high.

"Hall Master, no problem?" a Refining Void Elder stepped forward and asked.

"Replying Elder, it's fine. It's just that everyone is a bit unaccustomed; they can't adapt to the nether qi."

"Hmm," the Refining Void Elder frowned, "they should have been given some pills beforehand to stabilize their cultivation power."

"Understood, we'll be more careful next time!"

"Hall Master, you needn't be like that; this isn't your fault."

They arrived at the agreed spot without incident; Huang Ji insisted on going to the bow and looked down, "Hall Master, where are the Underworld cultivators?"

"Not clear yet; let's contact them first."

Yan Buji produced a messenger arrow, summoned his mana, and launched it outward.

"Hall Master..."

"What now?"

Huang Ji's complexion turned blue as he clutched his chest, "I want to ask, if the Underworld cultivators don't come, then this time we won't..."

"Impossible," Yan Buji shook his head. "I heard the Patriarch also entered the Youming Jie; if the Underworld cultivators aren't fools, they wouldn't deceive us."

Moreover, Yan Buji believed that since this was a business arrangement, they had no reason to cheat us unless they could withstand the wrath of the Great Sinful Sect.

With that thought, Yan Buji felt at ease and patiently awaited the arrival of the Underworld cultivators.

After a while.

Yan Buji suddenly saw a group of cultivators flying in from the distant sky, riding dragon chariots and pulling several powerful nether beasts, looking quite impressive.

"They're here!"

The Elders inside the cabin also stepped out, and the disciples stood on the deck, watching the opposite side anxiously.

"Elders, may I first ask who they are?" Yan Buji said, looking toward the Elders.

Good.

This matter was originally facilitated single‑handedly by Hall Master, so naturally it's better for you to make contact.

Yes.

Yan Buji understands the rules well; when important figures are present, he must solicit their opinions and cannot act on his own.

When the time comes that he himself becomes an important figure, his treatment will naturally be the same.

Yan Buji flew into mid‑air, bowed his palm toward the cultivators of Youming Jie ahead, and said, "Great Sinful Sect Yan Buji, pleased to meet you all. May I ask whether the newcomer is an Underworld cultivator?"

"Hall Master, long time no see," Wang Daolong flew over and laughed.

Yan Buji raised an eyebrow and asked softly, "What is that dragon chasing?"

"Naturally it is our lord, the Underworld Yan King!"

Yan King?!

Why did he himself come over?!