248: Chapter 248 The Nine Netherworld Seal and the Might of the Great Luo

“Rumble—!!!”

An earth-shattering explosion resounded, as if the death knell of Nine Nether Hell had been struck. The entire ten-thousand-zhang-tall Netherworld Pagoda shuddered violently in that instant. Upon the black tower's surface, countless previously dormant gray runes seemed to come alive, wandering and twisting frantically before finally converging into a massive Formation light-net that covered the entire Nine Nether City.

Nine Nether City fell into chaos.

The originally bustling and prosperous streets instantly plunged into a deathly silence, followed immediately by the terrified screams and flight of countless Gray Realm creatures.

“City-wide lockdown! Activate the Great Array!”

“Everyone, stand by where you are! Anyone who moves without permission shall be executed without mercy!”

Cold Divine Thoughts, carrying the pressure of the Taiyi Realm, swept out from the top of the Netherworld Pagoda, instantly covering every inch of land within a ten-thousand-mile radius. That was the will of the Nine Nether Domain Lord, the Grand Unity Gray Immortal Yin Hua... In the west of Nine Nether City, deep within a dark and narrow alleyway.

The Void Realm twisted slightly, and a green-robed figure tumbled out, appearing somewhat disheveled.

Zhou Wannian (alias Li Feiyu) felt his legs go weak, nearly kneeling on the ground. He abruptly braced himself against the wall, panting heavily. The wall was not made of brick or stone, but polished from the ribs of some giant beast; it was bone-chillingly cold to the touch and carried a nauseatingly greasy sensation.

“Pfft!”

A sweetness welled up in Zhou Wannian's throat, and he forcibly swallowed a mouthful of blood.

In that moment of escape, although he had the heaven seizing bottle to guide the way and the heaven measuring ruler to tear through space, forcing a breakthrough under the spatial lockdown of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal had still left him with significant internal injuries.

Had his Physical Body not just undergone a transformative strengthening in the Xisha Pool, he likely would have been torn to shreds by the spatial turbulence by now.

“Tiezhu, report physical condition,” Zhou Wannian thought urgently in his mind.

In his mind, Tiezhu's voice remained mechanical, yet it carried an unprecedentedly urgent warning tone:

“Warning! Host's Physical Body is 15% damaged, Meridians are vibrating. The immortal spiritual power and the recently absorbed ‘Evil Qi Origin’ are in violent conflict. Recommendation: Immediately find a safe location for the final harmonization of ‘Immortal and Demon as One’. If forced into combat, the risk of body explosion increases to 4%.”

“A safe location?”

Zhou Wannian looked up at the gray light-net slowly pressing down from above, a bitter yet crazed cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

“In the entire Nine Nether City right now, where is there any safe location?”

“Since there's nowhere to hide, then I'll just slaughter my way out!”

Zhou Wannian straightened his body, the Fan Sheng True Demon Art within him circulating frantically.

The Nine Nether Evil Qi that had been rampaging and conflicting within him actually began to miraculously merge with his immortal spiritual power under the guidance of the Demonic Technique. Layers of pale golden demonic patterns emerged on the surface of his skin, and beneath those patterns, the silver Law of Space and the golden Time Law could be seen faintly intertwining.

The baptism of the Xisha Pool had allowed his body to completely adapt to the Laws of the Gray Realm.

At this moment, he was no longer a simple outsider, but an 'anomaly' that possessed the recognition of the Gray Realm's Origin.

“Buzz—”

Just then, a burning sting suddenly came from the center of his brow.

It was the [Time God Seal] he had planted in Stone Breaking Void's Divine Soul fluctuating violently.

A Divine Sense transmission filled with fear, anxiety, and even a sobbing tone bypassed the spatial barriers and exploded directly in his mind:

“Li Feiyu! Ancestor Li! Where are you?!”

“My third uncle isn't dead! But he's heavily injured! Lord Yin Hua has gone mad! He's burning his Origin to search the whole city! He said if he can't catch you, he'll use me as a sacrificial offering!”

“Hurry up and leave! The hourglass in my head only has two grains of sand left! I'm going to die! I'm going to die, ahhh!”

Zhou Wannian's eyes flickered slightly.

Stone Breaking Void wasn't dead yet? It seemed this kid's life was indeed tough enough, or perhaps that Taiyi Gray Immortal called Shi Zhanfeng had risked his life to protect him.

“Stop howling.”

Zhou Wannian replied coldly through the God Seal.

“If you want to live, then show me a path.”

“Does Nine Nether City's protective array have a weakness? Or... is there a secret passage that doesn't go through the city gates?”

There was a moment of silence on the other side, followed by Stone Breaking Void's even more broken voice:

“A secret passage?! Where would a city of this level get a secret passage?! Unless you can turn into a gray rat and burrow underground!”

“But... wait!”

Stone Breaking Void seemed to remember something, his voice suddenly dropping low.

“The north of the city! Beneath the ‘Corpse Refining Workshop’ in the north, there's an Underground Yin River used to discharge waste Evil Qi! It leads directly to the Bone Burial Wasteland outside the city! But there are countless mutated Corpse Evils guarding it, and... and it's a dead end!”

“Whether it's a dead end or not, I'll only know after I've seen it.”

Zhou Wannian cut off the transmission.

“North of the city, Corpse Refining Workshop.”

He identified the direction and his figure blurred. He didn't use any escape techniques, but relied purely on physical explosive power, weaving through the complex alleys like a cheetah.

Because he discovered that as long as he didn't use immortal spiritual power, it was very difficult for that Grand Unity-level search light-net overhead to lock onto him, a person who already possessed the 'Gray Realm aura'... North of Nine Nether City, Corpse Refining Workshop.

This was the filthiest, most chaotic, and most Evil Qi-concentrated place in all of Nine Nether City. Countless corpses of fallen Gray Realm creatures and remains of external Cultivators were transported here to be refined through special methods into corpse puppets that knew no pain, only slaughter.

The air was thick with the suffocating stench of corpses and sulfur.

Zhou Wannian had already changed into a tattered gray robe stripped from a roadside corpse, his face smeared with corpse oil, and his aura restrained to the extreme. He blended into the crowd like a low-level corpse-bearer.

“Hurry up! Transport this batch of corpses down!”

An overseer holding a bone whip was shouting and cursing loudly.

Zhou Wannian kept his head down, carrying the thousand-jin skeleton of a giant beast on his shoulders as he trudged toward the depths of the Corpse Refining Workshop.

However, just as he was about to approach the entrance leading underground.

“Halt.”

A cold voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

Zhou Wannian's footsteps paused. He didn't turn around, but merely hunched his body slightly, pretending to tremble with fear.

“The scent on you... isn't right.”

A Gray Immortal guard wearing heavy black armor and having only one eye walked over. His nose twitched, and the spear in his hand pointed at Zhou Wannian's back.

“Too fresh.”

The one-eyed guard said coldly.

“Corpse-bearers in the Corpse Refining Workshop all have a lingering Death Qi that won't dissipate. But on you... although there's corpse oil to cover it, that blood vitality is far too vigorous.”

“Turn around!”

Zhou Wannian sighed.

As expected, ordinary disguises were still insufficient before these fellows who dealt with corpses year-round.

“I originally wanted to save some effort.”

Zhou Wannian slowly set down the beast skeleton on his shoulder.

“Since you've discovered me...”

He turned around and lifted his head.

On that face smeared with corpse oil, a brilliant smile appeared.

“Then I can only ask you to... shut up.”

“Enemy attack—!!”

The one-eyed guard reacted extremely fast, opening his mouth to sound the alarm.

But his voice only made it halfway before coming to an abrupt halt.

Because a slender, powerful hand covered in purple-gold scales had crushed his throat in an instant.

“Crack.”

Zhou Wannian casually threw the guard's corpse into a nearby corpse-refining furnace.

“Must move fast.”

He no longer concealed himself, his figure turning into a residual shadow as he charged directly toward the massive underground tunnel.

“Roar—!!”

Dozens of surrounding guards and hundreds of corpse puppets reacted instantly, roaring as they lunged at him.

“Those who block me shall die!”

Zhou Wannian gave a low shout, the physical strength he had suppressed for so long erupting completely at this moment.

This Physical Body, tempered by the Xisha Pool and merged with fragments of the Time Law, now displayed a terrifying dominance.

“Bang!”

He threw a punch, and the air in front of him was directly blasted apart, forming a visible white airwave.

The three True Immortal-level corpse puppets at the very front were blasted into a spray of shredded meat by the wind of the punch before they could even touch him.

“What?! What kind of monstrous strength is this?!”

The remaining guards were scared out of their wits. They watched helplessly as that seemingly thin human Cultivator, like a humanoid dragon, pushed through everything in his path; any Magic Treasure or weapon that struck him only kicked up a shower of sparks, unable to even break his skin!

A Taiyi-level Physical Body!

And a Peak Taiyi Physical Body at that!

Zhou Wannian moved as if through an uninhabited land. Within a mere ten breaths, he had torn through the outer defenses of the Corpse Refining Workshop and leapt directly into the entrance of the Underground Yin River, which was exuding dense black Qi... "Rumble—"

The very instant Zhou Wannian entered the underground...

Above Nine Nether City, the wind and clouds suddenly shifted.

A massive face, condensed from gray Evil Qi, appeared in the firmament. The face was ten thousand zhang wide, its eyes like two blood moons, staring fixedly in the direction of the Corpse Refining Workshop.

Yin Hua had arrived.

"Found you... little mouse."

That voice was like rolling thunder, shaking the entire city.

"In the Corpse Refining Workshop!"

"All Black Rope Guards, hear my command! Seal the exits of the Underground Yin River!"

"This seat will personally... catch the turtle in the jar!"

...The Underground Yin River.

This was a river composed entirely of black corrosive liquid. Countless severed limbs floated on the surface, and the waters roared as they surged toward an unknown abyss.

Zhou Wannian stood on a floating boulder, drifting downstream.

He could feel that suffocating Grand Unity pressure from above rapidly approaching. Yin Hua's Divine Sense had already locked onto this area. Although the underground provided a natural shield of Evil Qi, being discovered was only a matter of time.

"Golden Child, wake up!"

Zhou Wannian patted his sleeve.

"Squeak, squeak..."

Golden Boy poked its head out dazed. This fellow had overeaten in the Xisha Pool and was currently in a semi-slumbering state of evolution.

"Stop sleeping! There's a big guy behind us coming to catch us and turn us into stew!"

Upon hearing the word "stew," Golden Boy instantly woke up halfway.

"Who?! Who dares to stew this great lord?!"

"That Nine Nether Domain Lord," Zhou Wannian said, pointing upward.

"Squeak! Can't win! The situation is dire, let's bolt!" Golden Boy had great self-awareness; after sensing Yin Hua's aura, it immediately pulled its head back in.

"Don't hide, get to work."

Zhou Wannian stuffed the heaven measuring ruler into Golden Boy's arms.

"There are spatial nodes beneath this Yin River. You're responsible for sensing the node locations, and I'll clear the path."

"This is the Gray Realm where the Law of Space is chaotic; only you can find the safest jump points."

"Alright! Leave it to me!"

Golden Boy held the heaven measuring ruler, its compound eyes flashing with silver light.

Just then.

"Splash—!!"

The Yin River ahead suddenly exploded.

Massive, black-furred Aquatic Corpse Fiends emerged from underwater in dense numbers, totaling over a thousand. They let out piercing shrieks and surged toward Zhou Wannian like a tide.

Behind these Corpse Fiends, a grim-faced old man in black robes came treading across the water. He held a Soul-Summoning Banner and was followed by four Gray Immortals at the Early Stage of the Taiyi Realm.

It was Shi Zhanfeng.

Although he had been set up by Zhou Wannian in the Netherworld Pagoda and was heavily injured, he was still a Late Stage Taiyi expert. Moreover, he had come with Yin Hua's death order.

"Li Feiyu!"

Shi Zhanfeng looked at Zhou Wannian, his eyes filled with malice and triumph.

"There was a path to heaven but you didn't take it; there was no door to Hell but you barged in!"

"This Underground Yin River is the core of the 'Ten Thousand Corpse Formation' refined by Lord Yin Hua! Here, even if you were at the Peak of the Taiyi Realm, you would be ground to death!"

"Go! Tear him apart!"

As he waved the Soul-Summoning Banner, the thousand Corpse Fiends instantly went berserk, lunging at Zhou Wannian without fear of death.

Zhou Wannian watched the overwhelming tide of corpses and the predatory Shi Zhanfeng behind them, yet his expression remained surprisingly calm.

He slowly drew the sword from his back that he had never used—the [xuantian spirit slaying sword].

After being scoured by the Time Law in the Xisha Pool, the blade of this sword had turned from its original emerald green to dark gold. Upon the edge, one could faintly see the flow of time.

"Grind me to death?"

Zhou Wannian flicked his wrist, the sword tip pointing diagonally toward the water.

"Shi Zhanfeng, did you forget..."

"I am a Sword Cultivator."

"Hum—"

A grand, desolate Sword Intent, seemingly from the end of the long river of time, instantly erupted.

Zhou Wannian did not use any fancy sword techniques.

He simply swung the sword forward.

"Great Five Elements Illusory World Art · Time God Sword!"

This strike was very slow.

So slow that even the most ordinary Corpse Fiend could clearly see the sword's trajectory.

But in Shi Zhanfeng's eyes, this strike was fast to the extreme.

Because the moment the sword was swung, the surrounding time... stopped.

It wasn't an illusion.

It was a true cessation.

The Corpse Fiends pouncing in mid-air, the splashing water droplets, and even the savage smile on Shi Zhanfeng's face were all frozen into a painting at this moment.

Only that dark golden sword light, like a swimming Golden Dragon, threaded through the static tableau.

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

A series of faint shattering sounds rang out.

It was the sound of the Corpse Fiends' heads exploding.

Immediately following.

Time resumed its flow.

"Boom—!!!"

Over a thousand Corpse Fiends, at the exact same time, all exploded into a mist of blood!

The entire Yin River was instantly dyed blood-red.

And at the end of the blood mist.

Zhou Wannian had already sheathed his sword and stood three zhang away from Shi Zhanfeng.

Shi Zhanfeng's smile was frozen on his face, and his Soul-Summoning Banner had snapped into two pieces.

At his neck, a thin line of blood was slowly emerging.

"You..."

Shi Zhanfeng's eyes widened, a gurgling sound coming from his throat.

"Time... Law..."

"Major Achievement..."

Thud.

A fine head rolled into the water.

Late Stage Taiyi Gray Immortal, Shi Zhanfeng.

Fallen.

The entire scene was deathly silent.

Only the four remaining Early Stage Taiyi Gray Immortals watched this scene, so terrified they couldn't even hold their weapons steady.

One strike?

With just one strike?!

Instantly killing a thousand corpses and a Late Stage Taiyi?!

How was this a Golden Immortal... this was clearly a Grand Unity Golden Immortal in human skin!

"Get out."

Zhou Wannian didn't even look at them, coldly spitting out a single word.

The four Gray Immortals fled as if granted a general amnesty, wishing their parents had given them more legs.

"Boss is mighty! Boss is domineering!"

Golden Boy clapped frantically from the sleeve.

"Quit the flattery, find the node!"

Zhou Wannian's face turned slightly pale.

That strike just now seemed effortless, but it had actually used all the power of the eighty-one Dao Runes of the true word treasure wheel, consuming nearly half of his immortal spiritual power.

Furthermore, the Law fluctuations of that strike were too strong; it had definitely completely exposed his location.

"Found it! Right under that whirlpool ahead!" Golden Boy shouted.

Zhou Wannian no longer hesitated, leaping forward to charge toward the whirlpool.

However.

Just then.

"Good... very good!"

A voice so cold it seemed capable of freezing the Soul suddenly echoed through the entire underground space.

"You kill my people and still think you can leave?"

"Do you really think this Grand Unity is just for show?!"

Rumble—

The rock ceiling above suddenly collapsed.

A massive gray hand that blotted out the sky, carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth, grabbed directly at Zhou Wannian.

Yin Hua had arrived.

This time, it was the true body of the Grand Unity Realm descending!

The sense of oppression was more than a hundred times stronger than the previous Divine Thought!

Zhou Wannian felt his entire skeleton wailing. The surrounding space was completely locked down, and even the heaven measuring ruler could not break through.

A desperate situation!

This was the true desperate situation!

Zhou Wannian looked up at the falling hand, but there was no despair in his eyes.

On the contrary, an unprecedentedly frantic Battle Intent burned in his eyes.

He pulled something from his robe.

It was not a Magic Treasure, nor was it a Medicinal Pill.

It was a... mask.

A mask that seemed to be both crying and laughing, emitting eerie fluctuations of the Law of Reincarnation.

[Reincarnation Mask] (Gifted by Fox Three, it was actually a high-grade item specially made by the Master of the Reincarnation Palace).

"I didn't want to use this."

Zhou Wannian slowly placed the mask over his face.

"But..."

"Since a Grand Unity has made a move."

"Then I'll let you see..."

"What is meant by... Reincarnation."

Hum—!!!

The moment the mask was donned.

Zhou Wannian's aura changed.

No longer a Golden Immortal, no longer a Taiyi.

A vicarious, ancient, and terrifying will that seemed to have experienced ten thousand lifetimes of Reincarnation awakened from within his body.

He looked up through the mask at the falling massive hand.

Then, he extended a single finger.

"Reincarnation · Reversal."