561: Four indigenous forces, fishing in the Styx

Moonlight cascaded onto the Nether River.

A large nethercrossing boat was traversing the Nether River, steered by the Ferryman Saint, Jiuyou.

Chu Jiang observed that they were not the only nethercrossing boat on the Nether River; however, in terms of size, the other boats were significantly smaller than the one from the Ferryman Clan’s ancestral land.

Most were mere skiffs, only a few meters long and one meter wide, accommodating three or four people, with larger ones reaching a dozen meters.

The Great Clan Elder looked at these smaller nethercrossing boats and said, “The reason the Tiancan Sword Alliance is extensively capturing our Ferryman Clan and refining nethercrossing boats is not only for their own journey to the other side of the Nether River, but also to sell these nethercrossing boats to other forces in the Nether Abyss.”

The Nether Abyss is vast, and naturally, the Ferryman Clan is not the only indigenous group.

It’s just that other indigenous groups are not as renowned as the Ferryman Clan.

Of course, these were all small nethercrossing boats; large ships were never sold.

These nethercrossing boats, only a few meters long, were highly likely to sink if even a small wave rose on the Nether River.

Only large ships over ten meters could withstand the great waves of the Nether River.

Chu Jiang’s gaze turned to the distance, where a forty-meter-class nethercrossing boat was cutting through the wind and waves, with a mysterious person wearing a Xuanlin cloak standing at its bow.

On either side were large ships of about twenty meters.

Approximately three hundred people, all dressed in grey and wearing hooded cloaks, with a pattern of a crippled Dragon devouring a human etched on their clothes, obscured their faces.

“Senior Chu, that is the Wandering Soul Clan. The Wandering Soul Clan has lived in the Nine Yin Earth Cave for generations, sacrificing living people to gain the protection of the Crippled Dragon.”

“That person should be the Great Priest of the Wandering Soul Clan, along with the Wandering Soul Clan’s direct elite, the three hundred Blood Hunt Guards!”

The Great Clan Elder introduced them to Chu Jiang.

With changes in the Nether Abyss, over ninety percent of nethercrossing boats have become ineffective. They needed to seize the opportunity to cross the Nether River while they still could and make a big profit on the other side.

This was also the mindset of all indigenous people on this side of the river.

In another area.

There were also four nethercrossing boats, each over a dozen meters, traversing the river.

The boats were filled with bone-armored soldiers, about a hundred of them, with only their eyes visible.

“That is the Earth Fire Remnant Clan. They occupy an underground magma lake as their base. They abandon their flesh and blood bodies, believing in the Dao of artifacts, transforming themselves into the strongest weapons. Their hearts are cast from Banyan cores, and they can generate immense power upon self-detonation.”

“This is part of their forces; their main force should have already reached the other side.”

The Great Clan Elder continued.

Chu Jiang smiled faintly, “Interesting.”

Flesh is weak, mechanical Ascension?

This Nether Abyss truly is intricate, with diverse paths of development.

The Great Clan Elder sighed slightly.

Although his Ferryman Clan also wanted to enter the other side of the Nether River, in the current Nether Abyss, the Ferryman were a hot commodity.

Their essence blood could be refined into nethercrossing boats, and those unable to refine them could submit them to major forces like the Tiancan Sword Alliance for rewards.

If not for the presence of Senior Chu, they truly wouldn’t dare to come out.

Just then, two fifty-meter-class nethercrossing boats appeared ahead.

The boats bore two different flags: one with a sword, and the other with a Vicious Beast totem, with a Wandering Soul Clan skull hanging from the flagpole.

Jiuyou Saint, who was steering, changed his expression slightly and shouted, “Great Clan Elder, it’s the Corpse Barbarian Tribe and the Tiancan Sword Alliance!”

The Corpse Barbarian Tribe, the Ferryman, the Earth Fire Remnant Clan, and the Wandering Soul Clan are the four major indigenous forces of the Nether Abyss. Among them, the Corpse Barbarian Tribe has the strongest combat power, specializing in hunting other indigenous people and being extremely dangerous.

Recently, the Corpse Barbarian Tribe allied with the Tiancan Sword Alliance to hunt down the Ferryman Clan everywhere.

The other Ferryman on the boat showed a hint of fear in their eyes. A while ago, the Ferryman were chased by the Corpse Barbarian Tribe, and they were still traumatized.

“Don’t worry, this is the Nether River; no fighting is allowed here, they wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.”

“Besides, Senior Chu is here.”

The Great Clan Elder calmed everyone with a few words.

Compared to the panic of others.

Chu Jiang’s eyes were calm, showing no ripples. The Corpse Barbarian Tribe and the Tiancan Sword Alliance were already on his death list.

As for other forces, if they insisted on provoking him, he could only ask them to die.

…

On the Corpse Barbarian Tribe’s nethercrossing boat.

A wild man, wielding a battle axe and clad in beast armor, stood at the bow.

“I didn’t expect the Ferryman Clan to hide such a top-tier nethercrossing boat, even larger than the Barbarian King’s main vessel.”

“Since you’ve delivered it to my doorstep, I can only accept it with a smile.”

A hundred-meter-class nethercrossing boat would be extremely useful even in the Nether Sea; they had to seize it.

“Don’t be careless. The Ferryman Clan dares to come out, so they must have something to rely on. Duanyue Sword Sovereign of my Tiancan Sword Alliance has already fallen into his hands in the Yan Luo Temple.”

The green-robed swordsman beside him said in a deep voice. When he first received the news, he was also very disbelieving, and the intelligence department wouldn’t joke about such a thing.

The wild man was Tuoba Xing, one of the three great generals under the Corpse Barbarian Tribe’s Barbarian King.

The Corpse Barbarian Tribe found it extremely difficult to produce offspring, resulting in a small population. They were the smallest of the four major indigenous forces.

Their total number did not exceed three thousand, with no more than eight hundred able-bodied young warriors.

But each of them was an elite.

“River-Severing Dragon, you are the Grand Elder of the Tiancan Sword Alliance; how can you boost others’ morale and diminish your own prestige?”

Tuoba Xing said disdainfully.

Duanyue Sword Sovereign was already seven hundred years old, nearing his end, with his Qi and blood depleted. It was not impossible for him to be killed due to a momentary lapse.

How could that compare to his Corpse Barbarian Tribe?

He could kill him within twenty moves.

“Once we land, you and I will combine our strength to kill that person and seize that large nethercrossing boat.”

“We must go all out, no holding back.”

River-Severing Dragon nodded slightly, not refusing, but merely reminding Tuoba Xing not to hold back.

A hundred-meter-class nethercrossing boat was too rare; they had to get their hands on it.

…

At the bow of the Wandering Soul Clan’s boat.

“Great Priest, that’s a hundred-meter-class nethercrossing boat. Should we…?”

A Blood Hunt Guard said in a deep voice, his eyes somewhat fervent.

The larger the boat, the higher its resistance to risks, and the more supplies it could transport.

“The Ferryman are sly; without absolute certainty, they surely wouldn’t show themselves. My Wandering Soul Clan cannot get involved in this mess. Although this nethercrossing boat is good, we cannot take that risk.”

The Great Priest said indifferently.

Above the Nether River, many who encountered Chu Jiang’s nethercrossing boat harbored unusual thoughts.

Time flowed, the moonlit sky was boundless.

The nethercrossing boat’s speed gradually slowed down, stopping in a certain water area.

In the Nether River, even the churning silt was no longer visible, but it became even more turbid.

“Senior Chu, this is one of the best fishing spots in the Nether River. Someone once fished up a heavy treasure here.”

The Great Clan Elder spoke.

One could see.

In the upstream area, there were already twenty to thirty nethercrossing boats anchored here, with fishing rods dangling into the Nether River, fishing for treasures.

Originally, there were usually hundreds of nethercrossing boats here, but due to the ineffectiveness of most nethercrossing boats, only these few remained.

Although there were treasures on the other side of the Nether River, it was extremely dangerous with demons and Vicious Beasts rampaging.

Some people, fearing death, would fish in the Nether River in hopes of obtaining heavy treasures.

After all.

In the Nether River, as long as you don't court death, jump into the water, or encounter a great tide of the Nether River, there is basically no danger to life.

However, historically, those who could fish out heavy treasures from the Nether River were extremely rare.

Basically, they were all medium-grade treasures.

On average, only five or six items could be fished out in a year, and High Grade treasures usually appeared once every ten years, entirely depending on personal Luck.

Of course, a good fishing rod would also increase the success rate.

“It’s a pity that our clan’s treasured Yin King fishing rod has already been taken by the Tiancan Sword Alliance.”

Many treasures from the First Ancestral Land were plundered. This Yin King fishing rod was a heavy treasure that King Guang of Qin found on the other side of the Nether River and bestowed upon his Ferryman Clan as a reward.

“Senior Chu, this is the Wind Chasing fishing rod, the second best fishing rod in our clan after the Yin King.”

The Great Clan Elder pulled out a fishing rod from his nether ring and handed it to Chu Jiang.

Chu Jiang took the fishing rod and found it somewhat interesting. He hadn't fished since coming to this world. Since he was already here, he might as well cast a few lines.

Plop!

The Wind Chasing fishing rod entered the water without any bait. Fishing in the Nether River was basically a matter of willing fish taking the bait; no fishing skills were needed at all.

Just at this moment.

A cry of surprise came from the nethercrossing boat flying the Tiancan Sword Alliance flag.

“It’s on!”

“It’s on!”

A flash of light shone, and a glowing treasure box was fished out from the Nether River.

“It’s a High Grade nether artifact… the Demonic Cloud Sword!”

“Not bad!”

River-Severing Dragon of the Tiancan Sword Alliance had fervent eyes. As expected of the Ferryman Clan’s treasured fishing rod, this Yin King fishing rod had only been cast three times and already yielded a High Grade nether artifact.

This further stimulated the various forces, making them stare intently at the surface of the Nether River.

“Damn the Tiancan Sword Alliance, that was originally a heavy treasure of my Ferryman Clan.”

Jiuyou and the others said unwillingly.

After casting his rod, Chu Jiang focused on the water. He had two divine jades in hand, so his Luck should not be low. Just as he was pondering.

Splash!

The Wind Chasing fishing rod suddenly trembled violently, as if it had hooked something enormous.