The Nine Nether Welcomes Its End

Beneath the Nine Nether.

This continent in the deep sea is surrounded by endless storms that form a 360-degree circle like a white wall. The delicate Heaven and Earth Qi, as fine as silk, is fixed into an endless meteorological ring by the Gene Ability to manipulate rules at will.

It forcibly severed the channel through which the Judgment-class demon named Chi You drew energy from the outside world, thus creating a secluded place that nurtured a large number of Honkai Beast.

To be precise, the weather circle is a cyclical mechanism created by the Immortal Chi Yuan using the Heaven and Earth Qi within Chi You's body as the initial weight and resources. Since Chi You himself has been sealed, he has no power to resist Fu Hua's methods.

Once this cycle is established, it has no way to break free of its seal except to wait for the opportunities that time will provide.

Therefore, the demons that had gradually been raised into groups within the circle had remained obediently under Chi You's control, staying within the weather ring and not attempting to actively break through its defensive perimeter to reach the outside world.

Without any interference from corresponding laws, the meteorological circle is in a state of absolute isolation, both inside and out. The seemingly pale wall, like a pile of snow, is actually composed of thin, translucent Heaven and Earth Qi, with each frame woven together like a continuous, dense cutting machine or a large circular chainsaw.

Any demon that could be born in this era, even the highest-ranking Emperor-class under normal circumstances, would be annihilated if they tried to escape through this defensive perimeter to the outside world.

On the other hand, demons are unable to disrupt the weather system's mechanisms, and their chances of even reaching the outside world are extremely slim.

However, if the weather circle is attacked, it will consume the Heaven and Earth Qi stored up by Chi You himself, and it will be meaningless for him to let the other demons leave this place.

Therefore, it is pointless to try to incite these subordinate demons born from the leaked Heaven and Earth Qi.

Therefore, as long as no external enemies came to seal off the outer perimeter, this place maintained a delicate ecological cycle.

These beings, born from the Heaven and Earth Qi of Chi You, periodically return to the continent at the center of the weather ring, walk to the heart that supplies energy and power to the entire body, and engage in mutual slaughter in the ventricular region, returning the Heaven and Earth Qi to this Judgment-class body, allowing it to continue to eke out a living.

Jiang Rongyue's arrival clearly disrupted this cycle, making it difficult for Chi You's self-eating to maintain the original balance.

Therefore, this ancient demon, originating from the time of Xuanyuan, slowly awoke from the deathly silence where its bodily functions had been completely dormant, and turned its gaze toward this uninvited guest.

The demons, who were originally in a standby state, surged towards the girl who had come for training as if they had locked onto a specific target.

For Jiang Rongyue, entering the battlefield of the meteorological circle at the beginning was the most advantageous. This was also the core reason why she was able to fight inside the meteorological circle while simultaneously casting spells to push the demon corpses intact to the upper sea surface.

But once she entered the meteorological field, she would face an endless war.

If her master hadn't decided to let her Grand Martial Uncle come to the Nine Nether Netherworld to devour it all at once, she probably wouldn't have had the luxury of using a spell to open the inner seal of the weather circle during the battle and send the demon's corpse to the outside world.

Because war never ends.

Jiang Rongyue believed that, compared to her experience in fighting demons, even though she was still young, there were very few martial artists in the world who could match her experience. However, Chi You's followers still broke through all the accumulated experience from previous battles, and taught a lesson with their bloody brutality and fearlessness.

That is, a battlefield belonging to the Honkai, what kind of calamity would it unleash if it descended upon the human world?

Before the girl lay an endless continent. In the dark land, only the ancient fluorite exposed on the surface, along with some beautiful corals and herbs, emitted a faint glow, barely illuminating the view before her.

This is a location two kilometers from the weather circle.

When Jiang Rongyue first entered the edge of the Nine Nether Netherworld, she thought that the large-scale meteorological phenomenon that completely enveloped the Nine Nether would provide a sufficiently bright environment, and that was indeed the case after she first entered.

Those constantly rotating energy threads, like giant spirals, are being baked ever hotter in the raging fire of the burning world. Light and heat should have shown a strong presence here, but they also seem to have become gentle and warm, like the cold and tranquil ocean, making the Nine Nether Netherworld Palace in the distance, which resembles a continent, clearly visible yet not dazzling.

But after going just one mile deeper, it was as if she had entered a completely different area.

It was as if the world was constantly changing with each step she took, or as if the principle of light refraction was gradually distorted and altered as she got closer, until the [white wall] behind her and on the dome, which should have been permanent, disappeared, leaving not even a trace of afterglow. This forced the girl to face a difficult battle relying solely on the Honkai Energy Domain.

This is actually a very strange thing.

Jiang Rongyue did not encounter such a bizarre event when she first entered this place.

It can be explained to both the Grand Martial Uncle and the grandmaster that this is the only answer that is more useful for integrating the techniques.

Although some of the answers were irrelevant, they were undeniably the truth.

At least, even if one doesn't glimpse the demons' scarlet eyes, like candlelight in the night.

After a brief period of crisis and tempering, the skills that Su Qing'an had been given gradually began to show their potential, giving her an incredible fighting instinct that went beyond mere physical abilities.

The Manas Consciousness allowed Jiang Rongyue to transcend a vast amount of time and directly reach the most difficult introductory stage. However, given that the young man himself had not yet recalled the relevant memories, it was impossible for him to achieve mastery and micro-management skills in one leap.

The corpses of demons and the blood flowing from her body are the best teachers.

All around the girl were mountains and seas of countless corpses piled up. Her eyes were lowered, her pupils unfocused, reflecting a clear and cold light in the dim glow. The silver bracelet on her wrist trembled and vibrated incessantly with the vibrations of the Heaven and Earth Qi.

As a result, the fearless demons from all around used this as a medium to arrive one after another, letting out a series of roars and howls. Accompanied by the booming sound, it was as if one lamp after another was lit up in the night. It was the eerie scene created by the demons who had broken free from their restraints and opened their beastly eyes after sleeping inside the rock strata.

Jiang Rongyue closed her eyes. In fact, in such a place, choosing to trust one's senses sometimes leads to a quicker death. The perception network built with Honkai Energy Domain is sufficient for the task of observing the enemy.

Her palms were covered in blood that kept flowing down her face. The sword hilt, constructed from the Heaven and Earth Qi, was sometimes stable and sometimes unstable. It was only natural that she would end up like this, given that she was using such mediocre skills to attempt such a difficult challenge.

Even though the white bones were faintly visible inside her tightly clenched hands, she still did not give up fighting according to these rules.

Obsessive and tenacious.

This kind of temperament is the reason why the girl has been able to survive in the world and has not yet degenerated into a demon.

"Continue."

Amidst the clamor of a thousand armies of demons roaring across the heavens and earth, her calm voice fell clearly, accompanied by the increasingly distinct sound of a sword's clang.

Do not be attached to material things, do not be trapped by your mind, and do not be disturbed by others.

This is the real reason why the shackles of the sword realm never stood in her way.

The so-called exceptional talent is more than capable of bearing this level of expectations.

The sword shape in the girl's hand suddenly vanished into nothingness, then instantly transformed into a magnificent display, like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

Even without the Xuanyuan Sword.

Jiang Rongyue still harbors a sword in her heart that can cut through a mountain of Sea of Mist and a season of heavy snow.

--Even more so, slaying demons.

At the edge of the sea, a girl in red slowly stepped onto the shimmering water. A ribbon wrapped with the Heaven and Earth Qi was tied around her waist, and a path paved with Qi was under her feet, supporting her light weight and allowing her to stand against the laws of physics.

But this seemingly impressive scene was ruined by her pretty face that looked like she was about to cry, and instead became somewhat funny.

Li Shishi couldn't help but turn back to look at the calm-looking young man on the wooden boat, and she accused him:

"Waaaaah, Su Su, you're so mean!"

Click.

Su Qing'an broke off a corner of the wooden boat, placed the ribbon in her hand on the rough and sharp wound, and said softly:

"Senior Sister Shishi, focus on training and don't get distracted."

"Early bird catches the worm, and diligence can make up for lack of talent."

"You weren't really suited for this line of work to begin with, but now that you've stepped out of your comfort zone, you need to have some self-protection skills. Otherwise, you lack experience with the outside world, and given that this is a time of war and chaos, and you're also good-looking, it's unlikely you'll have a good ending."

Li Shishi silently recited the Sword Heart Technique, calming her mind and maintaining her footing. She wrinkled her delicate nose and whispered:

"Although I'm happy that Su Su said I look good, could you please move that part of the ribbon a little further away? I'm afraid it will break."

The boy said calmly:

"It's enough to stabilize your Qi cultivation to the point where you can walk on water unconsciously. As for whether you can even get started with the Sword Heart Technique, that's not important. Given that your talent seems to be only slightly better than mine when I first entered this world, let's just see how things go."

"Recently, I've been thinking about the martial arts I learned in the past. Although I can't remember what my first teacher looked like or anything, that won't stop me from teaching you."

The little girl stared at the fish that seemed to be swimming faintly beneath the surface of the water, feeling utterly insecure. She chose to close her eyes and pretend she couldn't see anything.

"So Susu, please pay attention to me, and remember to take good care of the ribbon!"

Su Qing'an continued:

"The muscle memories recorded by the Manas consciousness are transmitted to the depths of your soul. At the corresponding key points, your instincts will spontaneously modify those memories until they are completely your own. Once you get through this process, you will be able to reach the state of Clear Mirror, Still Water on your own."

"Even if I can't use something as provocative as Stealing Heaven's Secrets on you, I think that would probably stimulate Senior Sister Shishi instincts to this extent."

The young man's slender fingertips gently brushed across the water's surface. The [Stigmata] revived, as if imbued with life, causing the countless Seawater it touched to split into thousands of rhythmically flowing beads that slowly rose and fell behind him. He said:

"I see you've mostly adapted. Next, I'm going to use the Heaven and Earth Qi to manipulate several water droplets to periodically strike the ground where you land."

Li Shishi sighed and said:

"We agreed to go boating on the beach for a while, then Wen Chun Pavilion for afternoon tea, and then watch a shadow puppet show, right?"

"That innocent and adorable Su Su, as tender as a newly blossoming flower, has learned to lie. I'm so sad."

Su Qing'an pretended not to hear and analyzed carefully:

"Based on my assessment, if you continue to close your eyes, you will likely lose your footing in three seconds because you won't be able to dodge the attack. I've calculated the contact force between the ribbon and the gap; assuming your mistake is severe, it will break off directly, and you'll sink into the sea."

The girl quickly opened her eyes. Staring at the dense, bullet-like water droplets behind the other person, she felt utterly hopeless and lamented:

"Susu, you really, really won't let go of my hand, right? Even if I make a mistake and fall, you'll definitely pull me back, right?"

Su Qing'an said quietly:

"Don't worry, it won't happen."

Li Shishi was a little flustered:

"Wait, which one did you say you didn't know?"

The boy avoided answering, and simply continued:

"But if it breaks, I think Senior Sister Shishi can go down and find Rongyue; it should be much more lively there than here."

That kind of excitement is bound to kill people, right?

Damn it, is Su Su trying to get revenge for being lifted up high in the past after regaining her memories?

"Because of the gift we gave her, the battles below will probably become endless with no room for rest. Senior Sister Shishi can probably add a bit more difficulty when she goes down, but I don't mind."

Li Shishi was shocked:

"So that's the purpose of the silver bracelet?"

Su Qing'an snapped his fingers, and a dozen water droplets, enveloped by the Heaven and Earth Qi, shot towards the water surface beneath the other's feet. He watched the girl nimbly dodge them with the fluidity of flowing water, and was not surprised at all.

In that split second, she almost instinctively controlled the muscles she could, fully grasped the key points of force application, and utilized the flexibility bestowed upon her by years of dance training to naturally display an astonishingly fast dodging speed.

This is an external aid given by the Manas consciousness.

Otherwise, given normal human dynamic vision and physical fitness, without years of martial arts training, it would be impossible to reproduce such a scene.

The boy explained slowly:

"That was just a prop to make things more difficult for Rongyue, but I doubt it will be a problem for her."

"So I asked Hua for the accurate formula structure of the meteorological circle covering the Nine Nether Netherworlds, made some subtle modifications, and dimmed the brightness within it."

Li Shishi remained silent. Compared to being shocked by her own series of instinctive actions, she was first stunned by Su Qing'an's actions.

Judging from the vocabulary I've recently learned from Su Su, this practice of both providing debuff items and using administrator privileges to increase the difficulty of dungeons...

That's so despicable.

No wonder Rongyue was unharmed on the first day, but came out covered in wounds on the second day. Especially in the afternoon when she came out, she was basically covered in blood, and some of her bones were broken in a way that defied human joints. It was a truly gruesome sight.

It turns out that Su Su was behind everything.

Although Jiang Rongyue, who was completely unharmed the next day, seemed terrifying in a way, Su Su's actions were indeed more terrifying.

Li Shishi trembled. Even though she had dodged the attack, she still felt a great sense of foreboding.

"Susu, let me tell you, not all humans are as abnormal as Rongyue. Normal humans are very fragile, so you must remember that I am the only normal person among you. You must be as gentle as if you were holding a butterfly drooping in the wind and rain, understand?"

The boy sighed and glanced at the dilapidated power domain within the Soul Hall, where only a single Abyss Flower swayed forlornly.

Assuming the [Creation] power can still be used, it shouldn't matter how Rongyue and Senior Sister Shishi are trained, right?

What a pity.

Jiang Rongyue and Li Shishi were completely unaware that they had truly escaped a terrifying ordeal that was worse than death.

Su Qing'an said earnestly:

"I'll be careful with the force, Senior Sister Shishi, don't worry."

Li Shishi pouted, looking at the dozens of dangerous water droplets that suddenly appeared before her, and immediately shouted in a flustered manner:

"Waaah, don't come any closer!"

The girl twisted her waist, touched the water with one toe, tilted to the side and then smoothly flipped over to change her footing.

Qi circulates, and Honkai Energy gathers.

But the water droplets seemed to be heading straight for the aura of Honkai Energy, shattering the place where they stood.

The little girl's foothold on one side was breached, and the top half of her dress was soaked by the Seawater, clinging to her slender and rounded thighs. However, at the crucial moment, she managed to stay afloat by wrapping her palms with the Heaven and Earth Qi, thus avoiding falling headfirst into the sea.

Immediately afterward, as water droplets sprayed out, the girl's long legs swung with great force, her red skirt drawing a graceful semicircle in the air, allowing her to rise again and regain her footing.

Her face was contorted with grief:

"Sister Chi Yuan, save me!"

The Udu-dust in those eyes flickered uncertainly, as if hesitating for a moment, but then disappeared quietly as if it had never appeared at all.

The Immortal Chi Yuan wasn't there, so he didn't hear it.

Yes, I wasn't lying.

This extremely brutal training for someone only quietly ended after Jiang Rongyue stepped out of the weather circle, climbed onto the wooden boat, and fainted.

The young man glanced at the graceful figure of the girl as she was soaked, and with a flick of his finger, he transformed the Heaven and Earth Qi into a gentle breeze that instantly dried her. He then cast a faint white light on Jiang Rongyue, who was covered in blood, barely managing to stop the bleeding from worsening her wounds.

The current [creation] can only achieve this level.

He had forgotten where this power came from, only vaguely remembering that it was a treasure left behind by someone important.

However, to restore it to its original state, it is probably necessary to wait until the struggle between the Manas consciousness and the Planetary-class essence ends, then adjust the spacetime axis of the Soul Hall, and let it slowly restore itself to its original state through the passage of time.

The Udu-dust on Li Shishi's body extended into the illusion of an immortal, and she whispered:

"Rongyue's cultivation has reached its expected level."

"It's time to make a move."

Su Qing'an gazed at the distant sunset and responded:

"Okay, sure."

This feud and long-standing grievance that has lasted for thousands of years is about to come to an end prematurely.