210: Sanskrit sounds destroy evil

The bronze lamp in the core hall of Beyond Heaven flickered with ghostly light. Jun Xiaoyao leaned back on his dark iron seat, twirling a white jade chess piece between his fingertips.

Outside the hall came the sound of Zhao Gao knocking on the door ring, carrying three parts caution and seven parts respect: "Young Lord, The Net has sent back a secret report. The Unruly intercepted a batch of 'Netherworld Water' at the Chuzhou wharf. It is only missing one ingredient, 'heart-rotting grass', based on the formula recorded in the Nether Lord's notebook."

Jun Xiaoyao raised his eyes, the chess piece stopping at his fingertips: "The Unruly?" The corners of his mouth curled slightly, "Marshal of the Unruly is even more impatient than I thought. Tell Marshal of the Unruly that the heart-rotting grass is at the bottom of the miasma pool behind Myriad Gu Valley. If he wants it, he must trade it for three 'Soul-Leaving Nails'."

[System Prompt: Summoning energy fluctuation triggered. This time's random summoned character — "sentimental swordsman, ruthless sword" · Li Xunhuan]

The summoning array in the center of the hall suddenly lit up with crimson gold light. Runes flowed across the ground like water, condensing into a virtual phantom of a Flying Dagger.

When the light and shadow dissipated, Li Xunhuan, dressed in wide white robes, stood with his hands behind his back. The wine gourd at his waist swayed gently, his eyes lazy yet hiding sharpness. He was at the Earthly Immortal Early-Stage Realm.

[Character Panel Expanded: Name: Li Xunhuan (from the "sentimental swordsman, ruthless sword" world) Realm: Earthly Immortal Early-Stage. Martial Skill/Cultivation Technique: 1. Little Lis Flying Dagger: Never misses, condenses Qi and spirit into a Flying Dagger, can break any defense in the world; even the Indestructible Vajra Body can find a gap. 2. Drunken Fist: The seemingly staggering footwork hides exquisite movement techniques, capable of avoiding over ninety percent of surprise attacks. Special Abilities: - Wisdom Eye: Can judge an opponent's strength and killing intent just by their Aura, never failing. - Flying Dagger Pathfinding: Can transmit information through the trajectory of the Flying Dagger; Luowang Assassins can interpret instructions from the blade marks. Additional Items: - Golden Ring Broadsword (backup weapon): The blade is quenched with exotic Western poisons, more efficient than the Flying Dagger when dealing with group battles. - Aged Plum Wine: Drinking it can briefly boost spirit and energy, increasing the power of the Flying Dagger by thirty percent.]

"Li Xunhuan?" Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow, the chess piece landing on the "The Net" position on the board. "Perfect. Go check out the situation at Chuzhou wharf. If Marshal of the Unruly refuses to trade, use the Flying Dagger to 'remind' him."

Li Xunhuan bowed, his voice tinged with the smell of alcohol but clear: "As you command, Young Lord." As he turned, a Flying Dagger suddenly flew out from his sleeve, precisely pinning itself to the copper ring on the hall door—the blade vibrated, actually curling the secret letter Zhao Gao had just sent in onto Jun Xiaoyao's desk.

The secret letter contained a map of the Netherworld Valley drawn by a spy from The Net. Three red dots were marked at the eye of the Nine Netherworld Rakshasa Formation, with "Requires three Nether artifacts: Soul-Suppressing Gong, soul locking chain, Soul-Eroding Banner" written next to them. Jun Xiaoyao pointed at the red dots and looked at the newly summoned Sweeping Monk: "Does Great Master think there is a way to break this Formation?"

Sweeping Monk pressed his palms together in a salute, his dark iron staff tapping the ground lightly, and Sanskrit chanting suddenly sounded in the hall: "The Nine Netherworld Rakshasa Formation uses resentful souls as a guide, and the three Nether artifacts are the core where the evil energy condenses. My Indestructible Vajra Body can block the Evil Qi in the Formation, but to break the Formation, we must use Buddha light to purify the resentful souls, and then let Little Lis Flying Dagger destroy the Nether artifacts."

[System Prompt: Detected Young Lord's request, triggered targeted summoning — "the smiling, proud wanderer" · Ren Woxing]

The summoning array shone again, and Ren Woxing, dressed in the attire of the Sun Moon Holy Sect leader, stepped out of the light. His whole body radiated a domineering Aura, and the pressure of the Heaven and Human Late Stage Realm caused the candles in the hall to shake violently.

[Character Panel Expanded: Name: Ren Woxing (from "the smiling, proud wanderer" world) Realm: Heaven and Human Late Stage. Martial Skill/Cultivation Technique: 1. Star Absorbing Great Technique: Can absorb others' Internal Energy for his own use, especially effective against Formations that rely on Internal Energy to operate. 2. Sunflower Manual (fragment): The movement technique is bizarre, allowing him to travel through the Formation as if on flat ground. Special Abilities: - Wisdom Eye: Can see through the flaws of a Formation at a glance, having once broken the Shaolin Eighteen Bronze Men Formation. - Leader's Majesty: Can deter the resentful souls in the Formation, making them temporarily lose their will to attack. Additional Items: - Black Wood Order: Holding this order can mobilize the remnants of the Sun Moon Holy Sect for Beyond Heaven's use. - Iron Chain: Similar in material to the soul locking chain, can serve as a temporary substitute for breaking the Formation.]

"Ren Woxing?" Jun Xiaoyao looked at the iron chain at his waist. "Can your Star Absorbing Great Technique absorb the evil energy of the Nether artifacts?"

Ren Woxing laughed wildly: "Young Lord, rest assured! Let alone evil energy, even the magic power of an immortal, I can absorb it! However..." A flash of light appeared in his eyes, "Afterwards, you must let me see the resentful souls of the Nine Netherworld Rakshasa Formation; I'm sure absorbing them will be very satisfying!"

Rapid footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, and Zhao Gao tumbled in: "Young Lord! Marshal of the Unruly sent someone to deliver the Soul-Leaving Nails, saying... saying as long as you tell him the location of the heart-rotting grass, he is willing to give Beyond Heaven seven percent of the Netherworld Water at Chuzhou wharf!"

Jun Xiaoyao pushed the map to Sweeping Monk: "Great Master, go with Sect Leader Ren to Chuzhou. Once you get the heart-rotting grass, go to Netherworld Valley to scout the Formation. Li Xunhuan, you take the Luowang Assassins to provide support, and ensure you get the Soul-Leaving Nails."

The three received their orders and left. Only Jun Xiaoyao and the chessboard remained in the hall. He picked up the white jade chess piece and placed it on the "Netherworld Valley" position, forming a triangular stance with "Chuzhou wharf" and "Myriad Gu Valley"—these three pieces were the new game he had set up.

At this moment, in the camp of The Unruly at Chuzhou wharf, Marshal of the Unruly was stroking the three gleaming Soul-Leaving Nails. Behind him, The Unruly had prepared diving equipment, just waiting for news from Beyond Heaven. Suddenly, a Flying Dagger broke through the air and pinned itself to the wooden stake next to the Soul-Leaving Nails. A line of small characters was engraved on the blade: "The miasma pool has man-eating algae, bring kerosene."

A flash of severity crossed Marshal of the Unruly's eyes, and he said to his subordinates: "Prepare kerosene! Notify The Net and let their people guard the edge of the pool; don't let the remnants of Myriad Gu Valley ruin the good deed."

Outside Netherworld Valley, Sweeping Monk's Sanskrit chanting had already faintly sounded, Ren Woxing's Star Absorbing Great Technique began to draw the evil energy in the Formation, and Li Xunhuan's Flying Dagger traced a stream of light in the twilight—The Net of Beyond Heaven was quietly tightening, and those forces hidden in the dark did not yet know that they had become abandoned pieces on the chessboard.

Jun Xiaoyao watched the twilight deepening outside the hall and placed the last chess piece on the eye of the "Beyond Heaven" Formation. He never entered the game himself, yet he could always make the pieces land according to his will. This was his rule as the Young Lord behind the scenes—whoever touched his resources would have to pay the price, even if it was the Nether Lord's Nine Netherworld Rakshasa Formation, it was no exception.