Bone Pagoda Forest

Especially Prince Shaomiao's steward, who made Su Fang vaguely feel an extreme sense of dread.

It was very likely that his cultivation had already reached the level of an Eighth-Stage Martial King; he was merely still hiding his true strength.

In one party, there were seven Seventh-Stage Martial Spirits, one suspected Eighth-Stage Martial King, and three Eighth-Stage Heavenly Demons transformed into humans.

Such a lineup was indeed unprecedentedly powerful. It could even stand toe-to-toe with an ordinary Ninth-Stage Martial Emperor.

"Hidden dragons and crouching tigers indeed!" Su Fang sighed.

He then continued observing the movements of this group...

After the Yin Soul Willow Tree was slain, Prince Shaomiao immediately went to the unconscious bare-chested man.

After examining him, he took out a pill and stuffed it into the bare-chested man's mouth.

After taking the pill, the bare-chested man finally woke up. Once he understood what had happened, he immediately thanked Prince Shaomiao for saving his life.

"Many thanks to Prince Shaomiao for saving my life. I have no way to repay such a life-saving grace. If Your Highness ever has need of me, this Chi will certainly give his all," the bare-chested man said, bowing respectfully as he made his pledge.

Seeing this, Prince Shaomiao accepted his gratitude generously.

After all, the pill he had just given away was quite valuable. If he did not gain a little favor in return, he would have suffered too great a loss.

Now that he saw the bare-chested man completely won over, he was thoroughly satisfied.

He then smiled faintly and helped the bare-chested man up. "Brother Chi, there is no need for such courtesy. It was only an ordinary pill; do not take it to heart."

Prince Shaomiao casually brushed the matter aside.

He then returned to the group and looked at the three black-robed figures who had stood rooted to the spot without acting.

"Gentlemen, did you rest well just now?" Prince Shaomiao asked, with a trace of dissatisfaction.

Upon hearing this, the leading black-robed man naturally understood that Prince Shaomiao was calling them to account for standing by with folded arms.

Thinking this, the black-robed man immediately forced a smile. "Your Highness need not be angry. I saw that your strength was sufficient to handle that willow tree ghost, so I did not intervene."

"If there is a next time, and an Eighth-Stage ghost appears, we three brothers will certainly act to deal with it."

The black-robed man promised.

Only after hearing his assurance did Prince Shaomiao's anger dissipate somewhat.

After giving a final warning of "Let there be no next time," he turned away and let the matter pass.

And so, after weathering a few twists and turns,

Prince Shaomiao's group continued onward.

Su Fang, far behind them, naturally followed closely.

The road ahead grew increasingly perilous...

Although Prince Shaomiao's group was exceedingly vigilant, several of them were still injured.

Fortunately, with those three black-robed men of Eighth-Stage Martial King level present, everyone remained safe for a time, and no one was injured again.

As the group ventured deeper into the wasteland, the Yin Qi here grew denser and denser. Though it had been diluted somewhat by the Yin Qi Tide, it was still not something Prince Shaomiao's group could easily endure.

They could only form pairs and pour greater amounts of spiritual power into the Darkforce Ancient Umbrella to withstand the increasingly dense Yin Qi at the outskirts.

The three black-robed men, on the other hand, moved through this watery Yin Qi with ease, showing little strain.

This gradually aroused the suspicions of Prince Shaomiao's group.

Yet no one dared voice those suspicions. After all, they were three Eighth-Stage Martial Kings, and the group still needed to rely on their strength. If they fell out with them, the losses would outweigh the gains.

Thus, everyone could only keep their doubts buried in their hearts, including Prince Shaomiao.

Meanwhile,

Su Fang, who had been tracking them all along, also felt immense pressure.

The dense, waterlike Yin Qi around him constantly battered the protection of the [Devouring Yin Tortoise Carapace], forcing Su Fang to increase his supply of spiritual energy.

Yet the danger did not end there.

Whether because the environment within the Yin Qi Tide was too unusual, or because the Yin Wraith ghosts here were too sharp-sensed,

Several times, the Yin Wraith monsters detected something amiss where Su Fang was concealed within the [Divine Concealment Formation].

Had he not fled ahead of time again and again to defuse the danger, the monsters would truly have discovered him.

Fortunately, there had been danger without disaster, and Su Fang was not actually discovered by the Yin Wraith ghosts.

Otherwise, any random Yin Wraith monster here would have been enough to make him swallow a bitter cup.

And so, Su Fang persisted in tracking them through the Yin Qi Tide for three days.

Then, on this day,

There was finally news from Prince Shaomiao's side.

Within the [Sky Patrol Monitoring Formation], Prince Shaomiao took out the [Nine Nether Map] and began carefully comparing it.

Then he said excitedly, "The Nine Nether Cavern is not far away. It should be nearby. Everyone, keep your spirits up."

Hearing Prince Shaomiao's words, everyone immediately perked up.

"Great! We can finally leave this damned place. If we stay a few more days, I might really die here."

The bare-chested man was the first to complain.

After only three days, this originally burly man had already lost an entire size.

He could practically be called a "skinny man" now.

The others were not much better. Their faces were all haggard, clearly because their bodies had been eroded by a great deal of Yin Qi during their battles with the Yin Wraith monsters.

"Do not celebrate too soon. The Nine Nether Cavern may not be a good place either. It might even be more dangerous than this place," Prince Shaomiao poured cold water on them.

At once, everyone fell silent.

They had only walked through the Yin Qi Tide for three days, yet they were already nearing their limits and could barely hold on.

If the Nine Nether Cavern held even greater dangers,

They truly did not know how they would get through it.

Perhaps they would even be wiped out to the last man.

Thinking of this, everyone suddenly felt that the road ahead was shrouded in fog...

Fortunately, they were all desperadoes who had long viewed life and death lightly. Before long, they shook off their dejection...

Afterward, they gathered their spirits and began heading in the direction marked on the [Nine Nether Map].

Yet after walking only a short while, they noticed that something was wrong.

Before them, bone pagodas suddenly appeared one after another, built entirely from piled bones. They exuded a sinister, ice-cold aura, and as far as the eye could see, they stretched densely onward without end...

Seeing this, Prince Shaomiao immediately became vigilant. "Everyone, be careful. There is something strange ahead."

Yet Prince Shaomiao did not need to remind them. Everyone had long since prepared for battle.

Even the three black-robed men at the Eighth-Stage Martial King realm were on high alert.

"The place indicated by the [Nine Nether Map] lies deep within this Bone Pagoda Forest. It seems we have no choice but to enter," Prince Shaomiao said helplessly after studying the [Nine Nether Map].

Hearing this, everyone could only agree through gritted teeth. They then cautiously entered the Bone Pagoda Forest...

"Damn, this place looks truly sinister. Where did so many bone pagodas come from? How many bones would it take to pile up all of these?" the bare-chested man complained.