27: Ferrying the River Styx, the Daughter of the Underworld

The Star Sword Seed took root in his Sea of Consciousness, forming a subtle resonance with the Star Chain and the star pagoda, elevating Lin Fan's perception and utilization of the Power of the Stars to a new level. He continued to explore the initial desolate area of the ancient path, relying on his enhanced Divine Soul perception and the Eternal Indestructible Body's intuition for danger, avoiding several spatial traps and lurking vicious creatures.

Several days passed. Along the way, he harvested a few more Artifact Refining Materials and Spiritual Plants that, while not particularly precious, were rare in the outside world. He also conveniently dealt with a few Vicious Beasts of the ancient path that were foolish enough to try and treat him as blood food. These Vicious Beasts came in various forms: some resembled giant scorpions with venomous tail hooks that could corrode Protective Aura; others were like twisted shadows, adept at spiritual attacks and hard to guard against. But in front of Lin Fan's absolute physical strength and a Divine Soul gradually fusing with Star Sword Intent, they all became whetstones.

On this day, he arrived before a strange great river.

The river water was extremely murky, displaying a deathly dark yellow color. It flowed ceaselessly, yet strangely, it made no sound. Above the river, a faint grey mist permeated, and within the mist, countless blurred human faces seemed to struggle and wail, emitting a heart-palpitating aura of resentment and sorrow. Just standing by the river made one's Divine Soul unstable and gave rise to illusions.

"Water of the Styx?" Lin Fan frowned deeply. The aura of this river water subtly echoed his Nine Nether Reincarnation Art, but it was more turbid, chaotic, and filled with negative energy. Clearly, this river was a natural barrier in the ancient path, containing terrifying corrosive power against the Divine Soul.

The river was extremely wide, with the opposite bank out of sight. When his Divine Sense probed into the river, it was like a clay ox entering the sea, instantly swallowed and dissolved by the dark yellow river water. When he tried to fly, he found that an invisible, powerful forbidden-air Law pressed down once he was more than ten zhang above the river surface, making it impossible to cross.

"It seems I can only cross the river," Lin Fan's gaze swept across the river surface. He saw, faintly visible in the distant mist, several dilapidated small boats, carved from what looked like black deadwood, drifting with the current. On each small boat stood a figure shrouded in a large black robe, holding a long boat pole, their faces unclear, their aura deathly silent, as if they were not living beings.

Styx Ferrymen. Lin Fan knew that this was probably the only way to cross this river. He walked to a place by the river that resembled a simple dock, where seven or eight Cultivators from different races and forces had already gathered. All of them had formidable auras, the lowest being at the Peak Divine Power Realm, with two or three even reaching the Early Stage Purple Mansion Realm. They were wary of each other, maintaining their distance, their gazes fixed on the river surface, waiting for the ferry boat to arrive.

Lin Fan's arrival attracted some attention. His aura was restrained, but his profound and calm demeanor, as well as the faint Physical Body Qi and blood that exuded a pressure even the Purple Mansion Realm Cultivators present felt, made people not dare to underestimate him.

After a while, a black ferry boat slowly sailed out of the mist and docked at the pier. The black-robed ferryman was like a statue, unmoving and silent.

Among the waiting Cultivators, an impatient Barbarian Tribe strongman was the first to leap onto the small boat, took out a crystal shimmering with earthy yellow light, and threw it to the ferryman. The ferryman reached out a withered, chicken-claw-like hand to catch it. The crystal instantly turned to dust, its energy seemingly absorbed. Immediately, the small boat trembled slightly and began to sail towards the opposite bank.

Seeing this, everyone followed suit, taking out various Heaven And Earth Treasure and Spirit Stones containing pure Origin Qi or Soul Power as ferry fees, and boarded the subsequent ferry boats.

Lin Fan also boarded a small boat, took out a High-Grade Spirit Stone he had obtained from the ancient path, and handed it over. The ferryman took it, and the Spirit Stone also turned into powder. The small boat silently glided into the dark yellow river water.

As soon as he entered the Styx, Lin Fan felt a cold, deathly, and resentful aura eroding him from all directions, trying to penetrate his Sea of Consciousness. The river water beneath the boat seemed calm, but in reality, undercurrents surged. Occasionally, pale arms or twisted faces would suddenly emerge from the water, grabbing at the boat, only to be blocked by a faint layer of black light emitted by the small boat.

On the other small boats, exclamations and sounds of battle had already begun. Some Cultivators were dragged into the water by vengeful spirits and water ghosts that suddenly leaped out of the river, instantly devoured before they could even scream; others with weak willpower were entranced by illusions in the mist and voluntarily jumped into the river.

Lin Fan guarded his mind, and the Nine Nether Reincarnation Art operated naturally. The nine Reincarnation whirlpools in his Sea of Consciousness slowly rotated, absorbing and decomposing all the invading negative emotions and illusions, transforming them into nourishment for his Divine Soul. The Star Sword Seed vibrated slightly, and the Star Sword Intent it emitted acted like an invisible barrier, annihilating the vengeful spirits that tried to approach.

His small boat was exceptionally stable.

Just as the small boat reached the middle of the river, a sudden change occurred!

"Splash!" The river surface not far ahead exploded. A giant, pale ghostly hand, formed by countless vengeful spirits, carrying monstrous resentment and the terrifying pressure of a Mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm Cultivator, directly grabbed towards the small boat next to Lin Fan! On that small boat was a female Cultivator at the Peak Divine Power Realm from a small Sect. At this moment, her face had lost all color, and her Protective Aura was on the verge of collapsing under the pressure of the ghostly hand.

Just as she was about to perish, a clear voice with a strange fluctuation rang out: "The Yellow Springs road is long, Souls return home. Disperse!"

The voice was not loud, but it seemed to contain some kind of Heavenly Law. As the word "Disperse" fell, the huge pale ghostly hand trembled violently. The countless vengeful spirits forming the ghostly hand actually showed expressions of relief, and then the ghostly hand disintegrated like a sand tower, transforming back into wisps of resentment and merging into the river water.

Everyone was startled and looked in the direction of the voice.

They saw a young girl standing on another, slightly further ferry boat. She wore a simple white long dress, her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her face was delicate but with a hint of sickly pallor. Her figure was slender, as if a gust of wind could blow her over, but her eyes were crystal clear, and deep within them, a dark, ceaselessly flowing long river seemed to be reflected. The Divine Ability that spoke and manifested the Law was precisely what she had just displayed.

"It's her! Fairy Ethereal Moon of the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Sect!"

"No, rumors say she already betrayed the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Sect and now travels alone."

"What a bizarre method, dispersing vengeful spirits with a single word. What kind of Divine Ability is this?"

Whispers rose among the crowd. The rescued female Cultivator quickly thanked Ethereal Moon, who merely nodded slightly, her gaze passing over everyone and landing on Lin Fan.

Lin Fan was also looking at her. The aura emanating from this woman was of the same Origin as his Nine Nether Reincarnation Art, but it was purer and deeper, as if she herself was a part of Reincarnation. Moreover, her previous strike did not rely on brute force, but directly used a certain Law Power involving the Soul Origin, which was incredibly profound.

Their eyes met, and a hint of surprise flashed in Ethereal Moon's eyes. She seemed to have also noticed the Reincarnation Concept Foundation on Lin Fan, which was of the same Origin as hers but even more supreme.

Just then, an even more terrifying roar came from the riverbed! The entire Styx vibrated violently, and a huge, mountain-like shadow slowly rose from the riverbed, emitting suffocating pressure! It was an ancient Styx Old Turtle that had Cultivated for countless years, and its aura had astonishingly reached the Late Stage Purple Mansion Realm!

It seemed to have been enraged by the commotion just now. Its huge head emerged from the water, and its scarlet eyes locked onto Ethereal Moon and Lin Fan, whose auras were the most unique!

"Oh no! It's the Styx Overlord!"

"Run!" The other Cultivators were Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering in fear, desperately urging their small boats forward. The ferryman also sped up, his boat pole dancing like the wind.

Ethereal Moon's face paled slightly. Clearly, her previous use of Divine Ability had consumed a lot, and facing this Late Stage Purple Mansion Realm Old Turtle, she also felt immense pressure.

Lin Fan's eyes narrowed. He took a step forward, subtly shielding Ethereal Moon behind him. He took a deep breath, and the Qi and blood in his body burned like a furnace. The Divine Light of the Eternal Indestructible Body once again emanated from his body. At the same time, he pointed his fingers like a sword. The Star Sword Seed in his Sea of Consciousness vibrated violently, and a faint but incredibly pure Sword Intent, as if it could sever stars and shatter Reincarnation, condensed at his fingertips!

This was his first attempt to actively draw upon this power after initially fusing with the Star Sword Seed!

"Slash!" Lin Fan roared softly. The wisp of Star Sword Intent at his fingertip transformed into a tiny, almost invisible silver line, tearing through the grey mist, disregarding spatial distance, and instantly slashing onto the huge head of the Styx Old Turtle that had emerged!

There was no earth-shattering explosion. The silver line silently disappeared into the Old Turtle's head, like a hot knife cutting through butter.

The Old Turtle's massive body suddenly stiffened. Its scarlet eyes were filled with terror and disbelief. It let out a painful and muffled roar, its huge body struggled violently, stirring up the Styx, and then quickly sank to the riverbed, disappearing, leaving only a gradually calming murky water area.

One strike, repelling a Late Stage Purple Mansion Realm Vicious Beast! Although it was mainly the supreme Concept contained in that wisp of Star Sword Intent that awed the Old Turtle's Divine Soul, it was enough to make everyone turn pale with fright!

Even Ethereal Moon's gaze towards Lin Fan was filled with shock and scrutiny.

The small boat finally docked. Everyone, like startled birds, quickly left the dock and disappeared into the depths of the ancient path.

Lin Fan and Ethereal Moon were the last to disembark.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your assistance," Ethereal Moon bowed gracefully to Lin Fan, her voice clear and ethereal.

"The feeling is mutual," Lin Fan returned the bow, his gaze calm. "Fellow Daoist's Divine Ability just now was truly astonishing."

Ethereal Moon smiled faintly, her pale face gaining a bit more Life Qi from the smile: "A trivial skill, not even one ten-thousandth as good as Fellow Daoist's Sword Intent. My name is Ethereal Moon, may I know Fellow Daoist's name?"

"Eastern Domain, Lin Fan."

"Lin Fan," Ethereal Moon repeated softly, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes. "The ancient path is perilous. If Fellow Daoist doesn't mind, perhaps we can travel together for a while?"

Lin Fan looked at the mysterious and powerful woman before him, pondered for a moment, and nodded.

"Agreed." By the banks of the Styx, Lin Fan and this Daughter of Yellow Springs, who was possibly from the Ghost Realm and possessed Reincarnation secret arts, temporarily formed an alliance. The mist ahead seemed to part a little because of this.