52: Crossing the River Styx, the Road to the Underworld Appears

After rushing out of the Turbulent Meteor Stream Belt, the scene before them suddenly changed.

It was no longer a chaotic swirl of star fragments and energy currents, but an boundless, silent, gray Void Realm. In this Void Realm, an unimaginably wide river flowed silently—or rather, it was a liquid Law of Death.

The river water was a murky dark yellow, viscous like blood plasma, emitting a nauseating stench of decay. There wasn't a single ripple on the surface, yet it exuded a terrifying sense of devouring all life. Most eerily, this "Underworld River" didn't flow horizontally, but wound through the Void Realm at an illogical angle, like a Yellow Springs Road suspended in the sky.

In the river water, countless pale arms and twisted faces appeared and disappeared, struggling and wailing silently, yet unable to make any sound. Only an extremely dense resentment and Death Qi permeated the air, eroding the Divine Soul and vitality of all who approached.

"The second barrier, the Underworld River." Lin Fan floated at the river's edge, his three-thousand-zhang Chaos Domain naturally unfurling to protect everyone. Even so, the pervasive Death Qi still caused a stinging pain in the Divine Souls and a stagnation of Qi and blood for those with weaker cultivation.

"This river water isn't just a condensation of the Law of Death," Ethereal Moon said softly, her Power of Reincarnation particularly active here. "It's also mixed with the unwilling resentment of countless ancient fallen warriors, and mutated undead contaminated by Power of Annihilation. Ordinary methods simply cannot cross it."

"There's an anti-flight Law on the river surface, and the higher one goes, the greater the pressure." Qingxin sensed the spatial structure, her delicate brows furrowed. "The Underworld River itself seems to be a massive Law creation, and its source probably leads directly to the Eye of Gui Xu."

"Where's the tool to cross the river?" Zi Linger peered at the silent river surface. "We can't just swim across, can we?"

No sooner had she spoken than a faint green light slowly emerged from the distant Underworld River.

It was an ancient lantern, hovering three feet above the river surface, emitting a dim green glow. Behind the lantern, a dilapidated, seemingly ready-to-fall-apart covered boat silently sailed towards the shore. At the bow, a blurry figure, clad in a tattered coir raincoat, stood holding a long bamboo pole.

"The Underworld River Ferryman." A hint of solemnity flashed in Lin Fan's eyes. This was not a living being, but a special existence derived from the rules of the Underworld River; in a sense, it was the embodiment of the Underworld River's will.

The covered boat slowly docked, and the figure in the coir raincoat slightly raised its head. Beneath the hood was a deep darkness, with only two faint green lights observing everyone. Without a word, it extended a withered, scaly hand, dry as kindling.

"It's asking for 'ferry fees'," Ethereal Moon whispered. "To cross the Underworld River, one needs to pay with vitality or Soul Power. And judging by the size of this boat, it can probably only carry one person, or at most two or three, at a time."

Everyone's expressions changed slightly. Crossing the river in batches carried extreme risks. If they encountered an attack in the river, others would find it difficult to rescue them.

"No need." Lin Fan stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the Ferryman. "We don't need your boat."

The Ferryman's two green lights flickered slightly, seemingly with a hint of mockery. The bamboo pole in its hand lightly tapped the river surface, and an invisible Law power diffused, as if to say: without riding the ferry, one can never cross the Underworld River.

“System,” Lin Fan silently recited in his mind, signing in at the bank of this Underworld River, “Sign in before the Underworld River barrier.”

“Ding! Detected sign-in location—Underworld River Barrier (containing the Law of Death and Reincarnation Aura), meets special sign-in conditions, sign-in successful!”

“Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Yellow Springs Token (Replica)!”

A palm-sized, pitch-black token, with ancient seal script for "Yellow Springs" carved on the front and a pattern of the Bridge of Helplessness on the back, appeared in the System space. Yellow Springs Token (Replica): Refined to imitate a supreme treasure of the Underworld, it contains a trace of the Yellow Springs Road's rules. Holding it can temporarily gain the Underworld River's recognition, offset some of the Law of Death's suppression, and temporarily construct a "Yellow Springs Road" projection over the Underworld River. (Note: The replica's power is limited, and its duration and range are affected by the holder's strength.)

"Perfect!" Lin Fan was overjoyed and immediately took out the Yellow Springs Token. The token felt cool in his hand, and a strange ripple of rules spread out, resonating subtly with the Aura of the Underworld River. The Ferryman seemed to sense something, its figure pausing slightly.

"Everyone, follow me closely." Lin Fan injected Chaos Qi into the Yellow Springs Token, which immediately glowed with a faint black light. He took a step, not towards the ferry, but directly onto the viscous surface of the Underworld River!

"Alliance Leader!" everyone exclaimed.

However, the expected sinking did not occur. Beneath Lin Fan's feet, the murky river water seemed to solidify, and a illusory road, about three zhang wide, paved with countless pale white crushed stones, extended from beneath his feet, winding towards the opposite bank of the Underworld River! On both sides of the road, blurry ghost figures vaguely lingered, emitting silent roars, but they were isolated by the power of the rules emanating from the road.

The Yellow Springs Road projection! Although it was only a projection and its range was limited, it was enough for everyone to pass!

"Go!" Lin Fan shouted, holding the Yellow Springs Token, and was the first to step onto this illusory Yellow Springs Road. A solid sensation came from beneath his feet, but the pervasive death resentment still seeped through the road's barrier, eroding their Divine Souls.

Mo Yuan, Su Zhiqing, and the others followed without hesitation, stepping onto the Yellow Springs Road. Everyone tightened their formation, employing various methods to resist the invasion of resentment.

The Ferryman stood silently at the bow of the covered boat, its two green lights watching this "violating" team crossing the river. It neither stopped them nor made any other movements, as if it were merely an executor and observer of the rules.

The Yellow Springs Road extended over the Underworld River, and everyone walked upon it as if treading the boundary between life and death. The surrounding river water began to surge uneasily, and the pale arms and faces became clearer, frantically slapping the barriers on both sides of the road, attempting to drag everyone into the abyss of death. Even some powerful undead, retaining parts of their former forms, directly condensed into tattered armor and launched attacks on the people on the road!

"Get lost!" Mo Yuan's demonic blade slashed out, and where the blade light passed, several undead phantoms were cut down, but soon more undead surged from the river water, seemingly endless.

"These undead are inexhaustible, poor wretches bound here by the Underworld River and Power of Annihilation." Ethereal Moon sighed, forming hand seals, and her Power of Reincarnation transformed into gentle ripples that spread out. "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Past lives are gone, why cling to obsession? Reincarnation and Rebirth, Imperial Edict!"

Where the ripples passed, some weaker undead showed expressions of relief, their figures slowly dissipating, transforming into specks of light that merged into the Underworld River. But those powerful undead deeply eroded by Power of Annihilation only let out furious roars, their attacks intensifying.

The Buddhist Son chanted scriptures, and golden Buddha light transformed into golden lotuses, falling onto the Yellow Springs Road, further stabilizing the path and purifying the resentment. Elf's power of nature, on the other hand, transformed into verdant vines, coiling around and binding the approaching undead.

Lin Fan walked at the forefront, not only needing to maintain the stability of the Yellow Springs Road but also to contend with the densest impact of undead ahead. He did not frequently use the chaos bell, but instead used the power of the Chaos Domain in conjunction with the Yellow Springs Token's rules to repel or devour approaching undead.

However, as they delved deeper into the center of the Underworld River, the pressure grew. The projection of the Yellow Springs Road began to become unstable, with signs of fragmentation at its edges. In the river water, some massive and terrifying ancient undead began to appear—giants clad in tattered divine armor, primordial beasts reduced to skeletons, and even an ancient warship burning with eerie green ghost fire, crowded with countless undead soldiers!

"They are the heroic spirits of ancient fallen warriors, corrupted by the Underworld River and Power of Annihilation, transformed into the most ferocious specters!" Qingxin's voice was solemn.

That ghost-fire warship crashed directly towards the Yellow Springs Road. At the bow, an undead wearing general's armor, with scarlet soul fire burning in its eye sockets, pointed a rusty war-halberd directly at Lin Fan!

"Realm Lord-level Undead!" Lin Fan's eyes narrowed, and he finally brought out the chaos bell again!

"chaos bell, Suppress Souls!" He flicked a finger, and the bell chimed. This time, the bell sound carried a strange power of appeasement and purification, specifically targeting undead Divine Souls! Where the sound wave passed, large numbers of ordinary undead soldiers on the warship disintegrated like sand sculptures blown away by the wind, and the undead general's movements visibly paused, its soul fire flickering.

"Now!" Su Zhiqing and Mo Yuan struck simultaneously! The glazed sword qi and demonic blade light intertwined, fiercely slashing at the undead general! The Buddhist Son's Buddha light, Elf's Spears of Nature, the Giant Clan Warrior's Mountain-Shaking Fist, Zi Linger's Sky-Burning Fox Fire, Ethereal Moon's Reincarnation Chains, and Primordial Void Dragon's Primordial Dragon Breath—the Alliance members seized the opportunity and unleashed their full power!

With their combined strength, the Realm Lord-level Undead general let out an unwilling roar, and along with its ghost-fire warship, was utterly blasted into fragments, dissipating into countless specks of light.

However, more powerful undead awakened from the riverbed, surging towards the Yellow Springs Road. Under the dual pressure of the undead's assault and the Underworld River's rules, the Yellow Springs Road's projection accelerated its rate of disintegration.

"This won't do! The Yellow Springs Road won't last until the other side!" Lin Fan said in a deep voice, feeling the rule power within the Yellow Springs Token rapidly depleting.

His mind raced, and he suddenly remembered the fragment of the Law of Annihilation he had refined, and the power characteristics of the Annihilation Lords Branch Spirit. Annihilation also represented "ending"; in some ways, it shared similarities with the "death" Law of this Underworld River!

"With the intent of Annihilation, control the path of death!" A decisive look flashed in Lin Fan's eyes, and he suddenly injected a trace of the refined Law of Annihilation power into the Yellow Springs Token, while simultaneously harmonizing it with Chaos Qi!

The Yellow Springs Token vibrated violently, and within the black light it emitted, a deep, heart-palpitating sense of ending was added! The originally illusory and unstable Yellow Springs Road projection, at this moment, seemed to be endowed with a certain "authority," becoming much more solidified! The furiously attacking undead, upon sensing this oppressive Aura containing Annihilation and a higher-tier Law of Death, instinctively felt fear, and their offensive slowed!

"It's working!" Lin Fan's spirits lifted, and he quickened his pace. "Full speed ahead!"

Everyone seized the opportunity, accelerating to their maximum speed, dashing along the much more solidified Yellow Springs Road towards the opposite bank.

The Underworld River seemed enraged, its waters stirring up monstrous waves, with countless powerful undead surging forward relentlessly. But in front of the Yellow Springs Road, which had merged with the intent of Annihilation, their impact was greatly diminished.

Finally, just before the Yellow Springs Token's light dimmed to its extreme and was about to shatter, Lin Fan led the Alliance members successfully onto the opposite bank of the Underworld River!

Looking back, the illusory Yellow Springs Road had completely vanished, and the Underworld River returned to its deathly silence, with only the faint green lantern and the covered boat still quietly floating on the distant river surface, as if they had never moved.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, many involuntarily wiping cold sweat from their foreheads. The peril of crossing the Underworld River was even greater than that of the Turbulent Meteor Stream Belt.

Lin Fan put away the almost shattered Yellow Springs Token and looked ahead. Beyond the Underworld River was not a smooth path, but a vaster, darker, and more oppressive plain. At the end of the plain, a majestic and towering, yet entirely black mountain range, emitting a monstrous Aura of Annihilation, stood between heaven and earth like an ancient demonic abyss.

Above the mountain range, three streams of dark Aura, even more solidified and terrifying than the previous Annihilation Lords Branch Spirit, were faintly visible, like three black pillars supporting the sky, suppressing the four directions of the Void Realm.

Dark Divine Mountain! Nirvana Venerable! The third barrier, and also the final gateway, was right before them!

Lin Fan took a deep breath, his Battle Intent burning like a raging fire in his eyes.

"Last hurdle, flatten the Divine Mountain, and strike directly at the Dragon's Den!"

The Alliance members, having endured two trials of life and death, their Aura soaring, responded in unison: "Fight!"