Tracing the Nine Nether's Origins, First Battle's Might

Yunxiao's message talisman sent a jolt through Xuanwei's heart. For the usually serene and composed leader of the San Xiao sisters to use the phrase "greatly implicated," the origin of this Netherworld Taint Qi must be extremely unusual.

He dared not delay. After making brief arrangements for the Medicine Garden and leaving enough Primordial Chaos Spiritual Qi for the underground cocoon to "consume" for several days, he immediately set off, heading back to the San Xian Island.

Navigating the sea mist and innate formations with practiced ease, Xuanwei once again set foot on this sacred immortal land. Unlike his previous arrival, where he was brought in half-dead and severely wounded, this time he was full of vigor. Though his Heavenly Immortal cultivation wasn't top-tier, his aura was harmonious and restrained, with hints of green, yellow, and chaotic Dao rhymes subtly hidden within, giving him an extraordinary presence.

Qiongxiao was already waiting outside the island. Seeing him, she smiled gently, "Junior Brother has arrived. Eldest Sister is waiting for you in the 'Tide Listening Pavilion'."

"Thank you for leading the way, Senior Sister Qiongxiao," Xuanwei said, cupping his hands. He followed Qiongxiao into the island. Along the way, he could feel the friendly thoughts emanating from the numerous Spiritual Plants and immortal birds on the island. Clearly, his act of healing the Seven Orifices Exquisite Lotus last time had earned him their goodwill.

The Tide Listening Pavilion was situated on a cliff overlooking the sea on San Xian Island. Outside, waves crashed against the shore, while inside, sandalwood incense wafted gently. Yunxiao sat alone in the pavilion, a wisp of black airflow suspended before her, fiercely restrained by the golden light of the Primal Chaos Golden Dipper. It was the very Netherworld Taint Qi that had been forced out of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Lotus.

Even now, under the suppression of the Primal Chaos Golden Dipper, this wisp of tainted Qi still exuded a heart-palpitating foulness, a deathly stillness, and... a resentment that seemed to originate from ancient times!

"Senior Sister," Xuanwei stepped forward and bowed.

Yunxiao nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the wisp of tainted Qi. Her cool voice carried a hint of solemnity, "You are here. I have repeatedly cleansed and refined this substance with the Primal Chaos Golden Dipper, but its core origin point is exceptionally stubborn. It even faintly points to a forbidden place that should no longer exist in this world."

"A forbidden place?" Xuanwei's heart tightened.

"Mm." Yunxiao flicked her finger, sending a beam of clear light into Xuanwei's forehead. It contained vague information about ancient events in the Primordial World. "At the end of the Dragon-Han Primordial Calamity, before the conflict between Dao and Demon, there was a Demon Lord under Demon Ancestor Luohu named 'Nine Nether.' He wielded the power of the netherworld and deathly stillness. He once used Nine Nether Demonic Fire to scorch the western lands, causing boundless slaughter. After the Dao-Demon conflict, Luohu was defeated, and the Nine Nether Demon Lord was also jointly banished by the Dao Ancestor and several powerful beings to the depths of Guixu. His dojo, the 'Nine Nether Demon Domain,' subsequently collapsed and was sealed. Logically, his origin Demonic Qi should have long since dissipated into the world..."

Xuanwei gasped! A Demon Lord under Demon Ancestor Luohu?! That was a terrifying background! That was someone who had contended with Dao Ancestor Hongjun! Even if he was just a subordinate, he was by no means someone Xuanwei could provoke now!

"Senior Sister means... this Netherworld Taint Qi might be related to that long-destroyed Nine Nether Demon Domain? Has the seal loosened?" Xuanwei's voice was dry.

"It's not necessarily the seal loosening," Yunxiao shook her head. "More likely, when the Demon Domain collapsed back then, extremely tiny fragments, carrying this trace of origin, drifted to some part of the Primordial World. Recently, perhaps due to some reason, they were activated, and this wisp of tainted Qi escaped, coincidentally infecting the Spiritual Lotus on the island."

She looked at Xuanwei, her eyes sharp. "And according to my calculations, the place where those fragments drifted and were activated is very likely in the sea area near Liubo Mountain in the East Sea!"

Liubo Mountain! Liubo Mountain again!

Xuanwei's heart trembled violently! He had just barely escaped with his life from there, and had almost been left behind by that Mysterious Mystic Ink Turtle. How could he be involved with this cursed place again? And this time, it involved an ancient Demon Lord!

"This matter is of great importance," Yunxiao said solemnly. "If fragments of the Nine Nether Demon Domain have indeed appeared, even if it's just an insignificant trace, if it falls into the hands of someone with ill intentions, or if it breeds demonic creatures on its own, it will lead to great disaster. We must find and completely purify or seal it before it causes further harm!"

Her gaze fell upon Xuanwei. "You carry Primordial Chaos Qi and Jianmu's vitality, making you naturally resistant to this kind of foul and deathly power. Furthermore, you have personally been to the vicinity of Liubo Mountain. I wish to ask you, along with Bixiao and Qiongxiao, to once again explore the Liubo sea area and find the source of this tainted Qi. Are you willing?"

Xuanwei's lips twitched slightly. Of course, he was unwilling! That was a remnant of an ancient Demon Lord! Just hearing about it sounded like a super troublesome and high-risk mission! But did he have any room to refuse? Publicly, this matter endangered the Primordial World, and as a disciple of the Intercepting Sect, he had a responsibility to investigate. Privately, Senior Sister Yunxiao had saved his life, and moreover, she was someone he... had developed feelings for. How could he refuse?

"I will not shirk my duty!" Xuanwei suppressed his inner apprehension and solemnly agreed.

"Good." A very faint hint of approval appeared on Yunxiao's face. "Bixiao and Qiongxiao are already preparing. You will depart shortly. This trip is primarily for investigation. If the situation is unfavorable, retreat immediately, and I will provide support."

Soon, Xuanwei met up with Bixiao and Qiongxiao. Bixiao was still in her eager-to-try state, the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors humming in her hand as if impatient to slay demons. Qiongxiao, on the other hand, meticulously checked various elixirs and talismans, and handed Xuanwei a "Spirit Purifying Pearl" that emitted a cool aura, capable of resisting demonic Qi corrosion to a certain extent.

The three of them mounted their escape lights, left San Xian Island, and headed once again towards that troublesome sea—the direction of Liubo Immortal Island.

This time, they did not head directly to the location where the secret realm had erupted previously. Instead, guided by Yunxiao's calculations using the origin of the tainted Qi as a reference, they flew towards an unfamiliar sea area further south of Liubo Immortal Island.

The further south they flew, the thinner the spiritual energy in the air became, even carrying a faint, chilling sense of deathly stillness. The color of the sea also grew deeper and darker. The occasional sea beasts swimming below had more grotesque and bizarre forms, their eyes flashing with bloodthirsty red light.

"Everyone be careful, this sea area is a bit strange," Qiongxiao reminded softly, the Dragon Binding Rope already quietly encircling the three of them.

Xuanwei also fully unleashed his divine sense, while secretly communicating with the Chaos Bead, ready to deploy the "Chaos Domain" at any moment. He could feel that the Chaos Bead in his sea of consciousness was also emitting a subtle sense of repulsion towards this sea area.

After flying for about an hour, a cluster of islands shrouded in gray-black mist appeared ahead. The mist blocked divine sense, making it impossible to discern the specific situation within the islands, only a dense aura of deathly stillness and resentment emanating from them, originating from the same source as the Netherworld Taint Qi!

"This is it!" Bixiao's eyes narrowed, the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors already poised.

Just as the three of them were preparing to descend and approach for investigation—

"Roar!" "Aow—!"

Several roars filled with ferocity and greed erupted from the sea below! Immediately after, seven or eight dark figures broke through the water and shot up into the sky, blocking their path!

These were not ordinary sea demons. Their forms were more distorted. Some were covered in bone spurs, others had multiple heads, their eyes burning with eerie green soul fire, and they were enveloped in dense demonic Qi and deathly aura. They were clearly Yao Beasts that had been eroded and demonized by the Netherworld aura of this place! Among them, the three leading figures had auras that reached the early Mysterious Immortal stage!

"Demonic Beasts! Be careful, they have no reason, only the instinct for slaughter and devouring!" Qiongxiao shouted sharply. The Dragon Binding Rope shot out like a spirit snake, instantly binding a True Immortal-level demonic octopus that lunged at them.

Bixiao was even more direct. The Golden Flood Dragon Scissors transformed into two intersecting, world-splitting golden lights, carrying an edge that could tear through everything, and directly slashed towards the largest of the three Mysterious Immortal demonic beasts, the Spined Shark Demon!

"Crack!" A bone-chilling sound of cracking bones echoed. The Spined Shark Demon's protective demonic Qi was like paper before the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors. Its massive body was instantly cut in two, spraying demonic blood!

However, the other two Mysterious Immortal demonic beasts, one a Shadow Bat Demon as fast as a ghost, and the other a Corrosive Poison Crocodile Demon, thick-skinned and immensely strong, had already seized the opportunity to pounce! Their target was none other than Xuanwei, who appeared relatively "weaker"!

"Junior Brother Xuanwei!" Bixiao and Qiongxiao cried out in alarm, wanting to help but being fiercely entangled by other demonic beasts.

Facing the pounce of the two Mysterious Immortal demonic beasts, Xuanwei was startled but not panicked. He knew this was the time to test his newly acquired strength!

He did not choose to confront them directly. Instead, his figure flickered. The [Deep Immortal Seclusion] combined with the Wood Release technique from the newly comprehended Azure Emperor Longevity Art allowed him to disappear from his original position like a phantom, causing both the Shadow Bat Demon's strike and the Corrosive Poison Crocodile Demon's venomous spray to miss.

The next moment, his figure reappeared dozens of feet away, his hands rapidly forming seals!

"Chaos Domain, open!"

Buzz!

Centering on him, within a radius of ten feet, space instantly became distorted and blurred! It was as if a small world had been formed, with chaotic laws and dim light! The two demonic beasts that missed their attack crashed into the domain, immediately feeling as if they were sinking in mud. Their speed greatly reduced, their abilities operated sluggishly, and even their divine sense perception was significantly weakened!

"What kind of divine ability is this?!" Bixiao and Qiongxiao, watching from outside, were both surprised and delighted. They could feel the abnormality of that area but couldn't see through it clearly.

Xuanwei stood in the center of the domain, like the master of this chaotic space. With a thought, he mobilized the Chaos Qi within the domain, mixing it with his own immortal power and Wood Element Vitality, transforming it into countless gray, yet containing the power of decomposition and annihilation, "Chaos Sword Qi." It shot out like a storm towards the two demonic beasts within the domain!

Chit chit chit...!

The Chaos Sword Qi struck the demonic beasts. Their demonic Qi armor, capable of withstanding ordinary immortal methods, was like ice and snow melting before the higher-level Chaos power, rapidly eroded and decomposed! The Shadow Bat Demon let out a piercing shriek, its wings pierced by the sword Qi, its speed further reduced. The Corrosive Poison Crocodile Demon's skin was torn open, and the corrosive venom that flowed out was annihilated by the Chaos Qi!

"Supreme Pure Divine Thunder!"

Xuanwei, gaining the upper hand, showed no mercy and unleashed a spiritual power from the Supreme Pure Immortal Method! A bolt of purple-white lightning condensed in his hand. Though not as world-ending as when Duobao or Yunxiao wielded it, under the enhancement of the Chaos Domain, this divine thunder carried an supreme majesty that could shatter all laws and vanquish evil, striking the sluggish Corrosive Poison Crocodile Demon!

RUMBLE!

The lightning exploded, and the demonic qi dispersed! The Corrosive Poison Crocodile Demon's massive body was blasted black, letting out one last unwilling roar before its soul was utterly annihilated!

Seeing the unfavorable turn of events, the other Shadow Bat Demon shrieked, attempting to break free from the domain and flee.

"Trying to leave?" Xuanwei snorted coldly. The Chaos Domain suddenly contracted, its pressure intensifying! At the same time, he brought out the "Wutu brick" he hadn't used in a long time... no, it was the "Chaos Wutu Seal," condensed with the Wutu Source and the power of chaos, which smashed down like a small mountain!

BANG!

The already heavily injured Shadow Bat Demon, struck by this seal imbued with immense weight and suppressive power, instantly turned into a burst of blood mist and demonic qi, completely devoured and purified by the Chaos Domain!

In the blink of an eye, two early-stage Mysterious Immortal Demonic Beasts perished!

The domain dissipated, and Xuanwei's figure reappeared, his breathing slightly rapid and his immortal power considerably depleted. However, his eyes were bright, and his fighting spirit was high!

Bixiao and Qiongxiao had also dealt with the remaining Demonic Beasts and flew to his side, looking at him with eyes full of shock and admiration.

"Junior Brother Xuanwei! You... what kind of spiritual power was that? It's so powerful!" Bixiao's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

Qiongxiao also said softly, "Junior brother actually possesses such means. It seems this trial has yielded far more than we could have imagined."

Xuanwei smiled faintly, about to offer a humble reply, when his expression suddenly changed. He turned sharply towards the depths of the island chain shrouded in gray-black mist!

Just as he had used the Chaos Domain and the power of chaos to purify the demonic qi, he had clearly sensed that in the depths of the island chain, a vaster, purer source of Nine Nether Origin, carrying immense resentment and deathly stillness, had been stirred!

Moreover, that source seemed to have... locked onto him! Not because of his cultivation, but because of the unique power of chaos and vitality on his person, capable of purifying demonic qi!

A chilling sense of crisis, like a cold venomous snake, instantly coiled around his heart!