As Long as He Is Here

They say they're looking for a safe place, but in reality, there's nowhere safe anymore.

After Minghe's agonizing howls, the Netherworld erupted with the force of Heaven Collapse. Countless primordial monsters that had been hidden Central Plains the Sea of Blood surged forth like a tsunami, their blood and mud churning. The once tranquil River Styx also began to churn, devoid of water, filled only with billowing rage and vengeful spirits—an ancient, pervasive mist that had lingered there since time immemorial. At this moment, even the air itself was a sharp blade, piercing straight to the soul.

Someone with poor cultivation would have been reduced to ashes long ago in this environment.

Even the quietest Netherworld is not a place for mortals to enter, just as countless new disciples of the Myriad Images of the Universe die there every year. And in such a turbulent Netherworld, even a cloud-riding being would probably not be able to withstand the turmoil for more than a few breaths.

Moreover, there is also the threat of biological invasion.

Originally hidden in the deepest shadows, they all bared their fangs.

"Whoosh!"

A Nether Python suddenly attacked Qin Yi's back from the shadows behind him.

Qin Yi held the girl in both arms, seemingly unguarded, but suddenly another hand grew from his back, twisting the Nether Python's vital spot and breaking it in two.

Black blood sprayed everywhere, Nether Python hissed in pain before returning to its original form.

Before Qin Yi could even respond, countless bats swarmed over from both sides, accompanied by piercing sound waves.

Qin Yi shook his head. With a thought, the Buddhist beads automatically spun around him. The bat braked suddenly, seemingly greatly affected by the Buddhist Light, and dared not approach, only letting out a scream from several miles away.

The sound waves assaulted, causing people to feel agitated. Yunxiu Flute automatically produced a ring, its melodious sound completely neutralizing the sound waves.

Another strange beast raised its head from the ground. No one could recognize what it was; its eyes were bloodshot and its teeth were sharp.

Qin Yi felt a bit of a headache.

On the surface, it seemed like he couldn't free his hands while holding his sister, but it didn't really matter. At his current level, a thought was all it took for his magical artifacts to operate Law Treasure, without needing to use his hands. It's just that Martial Cultivation practitioners rely more heavily on their physical bodies, but he already had Three Heads Six Arms, so he wasn't lacking in hands.

But he can't keep fighting here forever...

The two girls' current condition is unclear; if they don't find a safe place to recuperate soon, things could get really bad. What's the point of showing off here, charging in and out of the Yin Realm creatures seven times?

Liusu then said, "By forcing our way into these Styx Rivers, we can see that unlike the Sea of Blood, which is piled with flesh and blood, the Styx Rivers are clean and clear at the bottom, where spiritual energy gathers. Once we get down there, we can find a spot to set up an array to keep out the invasion of external vengeful spirits. It would be a pure land."

"Those creatures can't get in?"

"You can't get in. The River Styx only accepts the purest spirits."

"Then I'm not."

Liusu looked thoughtfully at Minghe in his arms. "Give it a try, maybe it will work."

"Alright!" Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. Without saying a word, Qin Yi separated the vengeful spirits and rushed towards the Bottom of the Nether River.

As expected, they were not hindered and dived straight down smoothly, while the Nether Python and the like lingered outside the river and could not get in.

That's strange. If it can only accommodate pure spirits, how did someone like me, such a jerk, manage to get down here?

Forget about it.

In fact, Qin Yi sometimes thought that the deepest and most mysterious place at the bottom of the Main Plane could often be a way to reach the Netherworld, rather than drilling all the way to the Earth's core.

What lies at the deepest part of the Netherworld? Is it a solid ground that even gods cannot penetrate? If it can be penetrated, then where lies beyond the Netherworld?

Schrödinger's Underworld.

The River Styx was very deep. Qin Yi rushed down for a long time without seeing the bottom. Instead, the resistance increased along the way. The Spiritual Qi below became more and more concentrated and substantial. His feet could land on soft solid ground, as if he were standing on a cloud. He couldn't go down.

"Shall we tentatively consider this the bottom for now?" Qin Yi put down the two girls, looked around for a while, and was still a little annoyed. "It's not easy to set up an array here."

Without the power of the earth, the location of the Array Flag cannot be determined, and the power of heaven and earth that it invokes is not the same as that of the outside world.

Liusu said, "Try sticking the phoenix feather here."

When they fled earlier, Feng Yu and Gouzi automatically returned, and even the sword and Shadow Shuttle that Minghe Qing Ying left on the Flesh Giant were retrieved by Gouzi. Qin Yi took out Feng Yu and inserted it into the swirling Spiritual Qi at the bottom.

The flickering flames dispelled the smog and the gloom, causing the vengeful spirits to flee far away. They looked at the Phoenix Fire with fear, yet also seemed to have a certain longing. Their hesitant manner was quite puzzling.

"It's useful, that's good." Qin Yi breathed a sigh of relief and summoned the Buddhist beads again. Each bead circled the Phoenix Fire, resonating with the Buddhist intent of Nirvana, like planets orbiting the sun. The Spiritual Qi swirling between the phoenix feathers and the beads lingered like a nebula, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene, like a miniature universe.

With phoenix feathers as the core and Buddhist beads surrounding them, a special formation was formed, finally blocking all prying eyes, even the gaze of vengeful spirits, and evolving into a small void world.

Liusu couldn't help but say, "I think you should offer incense at Great Joy Temple when you get back..."

Qin Yi: "... I still think Feng Yu is more awesome."

This phoenix feather is truly powerful... I didn't examine it carefully when I hastily acquired it before, but now, after using it multiple times, I'm increasingly aware of the vast and unparalleled phoenix power it contains. After all, it's a complete phoenix feather, and it seems to have fallen from a Taiqing-level phoenix...

What is the concept of Taiqing's physical body?

No wonder Dragon Son all want it.

If refined, it would definitely be able to become a formless-grade Law Treasure core; the problem would be the lack of suitable materials to match it. Of course, Qin Yi wouldn't refine it himself; it was meant for the Winged Human Race, and there was no reason for him to keep it for himself.

Anyway, it seems we're safe now. Let's check on the two girls first.

Only then did he notice that Minghe's painful groans had stopped, and she sat to the side, staring blankly at him. Meng Qingying was still unconscious, but very quiet.

Qin Yi held out his hand and waved it in front of Minghe: "Are you snapping out of it?"

Minghe stared at him blankly for a long time before whispering, "I... remembered something... but it's like I remembered nothing at all..."

"..."

"When I called out to Minghe, the moment I responded... it felt like some part of my true self burst forth, churning my Sea of Souls of shattering. Endless, vast thoughts squeezed into it, making it impossible to understand or distinguish... I thought I was going to die, lost in the river of reincarnation, never to find myself again."

"It's alright, it's alright..." Qin Yi gently hugged her. "Isn't everything alright now?"

Minghe leaned against him and whispered, "Thanks to your pills... they allowed me to temporarily forget the past, and actually pushed those enormous thoughts out... I don't know if they were pushed out or not, maybe they're still lingering deep in my Sea of Consciousness, waiting to erupt again someday?"

Liusu said, "Of course we'll keep it. The so-called awakening is waiting for that time. You're too early now."

Minghe looked at it inquisitively.

Liusu squatted on Qin Yi's shoulder, her hands folded, and remained silent.

Minghe seemed to only then notice that a Little Ghost was perched on Qin Yi's shoulder. The way it crossed its arms was cute, but its expression was arrogant, and she really wanted to hit it.

A deep, visceral urge to hit it, as if I'd wanted to hit it in a past life.

For no apparent reason, Minghe felt a surge of vengefulness. Ignoring the Little Ghost, she hugged Qin Yi even tighter, almost causing the Little Ghost on his shoulder to fall off.

The Liusu was almost pushed off, hanging in mid-air, bulging and staring at her.

Minghe ignored it and whispered, "Qin Yi, why did you happen to appear here? Luckily you were here..."

Minghe would never normally say such a thing; it would be so embarrassing. But for some reason, she said it now, feeling that the Little Ghost would be very angry if she did.

Qin Yi said somewhat awkwardly, "Isn't this what mutual assistance among fellow Daoists is all about? It just so happens that we're here; I can only say it's fate."

"Yes, it's fate." Minghe raised her head, her eyes misty, even her anger towards the Little Ghost had faded.

It was always him, like a pillar sheltering us from the wind and rain.

Whether it's a decaying ancient tomb or a silent, desolate underworld.

As long as he is there, there is peace.