Undercurrents and Choices

After a night of dreamless sleep, Su Yan's condition had largely recovered thanks to deep meditation. The morning sun filtered through the wooden windows of the inn, casting dappled light across the room. The air was filled with the unique fresh scent of herbs and spiritual plants characteristic of Flowing Cloud Collection. However, the moment Su Yan opened his eyes, a faint tremor inexplicably flashed through his mind. It didn't originate from him, but from the Compass in his embrace, which was connected to his consciousness.

He took out the Compass. On its silver surface, the steady, flickering blue light marking the Netherworld beacon remained. But beside it, the black skull marker from the Sower seemed... more active than last night? Although still suppressed by the Compass's silver light, that ominous darkness pulsed with an extremely slow, heartbeat-like rhythm, emitting a faint, almost imperceptible pull towards Lanruo Temple.

"An illusion?" Su Yan frowned slightly, concentrating his senses. The feeling vanished, and the skull marker returned to its dormant state. But he trusted that the Compass's warning was not unfounded.

With this doubt lingering, he went downstairs to meet Mo Hen and the others. While having some spiritual grain porridge in the "Immortal Guest" lobby, he overheard a few cultivators at the next table talking in low voices.

"Did you hear? Around midnight last night, some cultivators from Heavenly Secrets City observed a fleeting flash of eerie light from the direction of Lanruo Temple. It looked like a meteor traveling backward, but it carried an indescribable evil aura!"

"Isn't that right? This morning, a team went to investigate, only to find that the Yin energy on the outskirts hadn't dissipated even after the Ghost General was dealt with. Instead, it seemed... to have intensified? Some people even said they heard more tragic wails than before!"

"Strange things happen every year, but this year is particularly unusual. That place is incredibly sinister; it's best to stay away."

The rumors confirmed Su Yan's unease. The hidden danger at Lanruo Temple had not been completely resolved by the Ghost General's demise. Instead, the broken seal might have attracted deeper darkness, or... triggered some kind of chain reaction.

"It seems things have changed there again after we left," Mo Hen said, putting down his porridge bowl with a serious expression.

"Amitabha, could it be that the Ghost Princess in the temple has grown stronger by taking advantage of the situation?" Bai Zhi worried.

Yun Ji sat quietly, her gaze behind the mist seeming to penetrate the inn's walls and look towards Lanruo Temple. She said softly, "Karma is intertwined; pulling one thread moves the whole tapestry. With the Ghost General gone, the balance is broken, and the 'things' that were lurking will naturally emerge."

Su Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to return immediately and investigate. The priority was to determine the path to the Netherworld and enhance their overall strength to deal with greater crises, rather than getting entangled in the potentially deeper quagmire of Lanruo Temple.

"Let's gather information about the entrance to the Netherworld in Flowing Cloud Collection first, then we'll make plans."

The group left the inn and headed to the small central plaza of Flowing Cloud Collection. There was a simple task notice board, displaying various low-level quests for gathering materials and clearing nearby monsters. Su Yan quickly scanned it but found no directly relevant information.

Next, they entered a teahouse called "Hundred Knowledge Pavilion" next to the plaza. It was a mixed crowd, the best place for cultivators of all kinds to exchange information and relax. Finding a quiet spot by the window, they ordered a pot of Clear Mind Tea, and the four of them focused on listening to the conversations around them.

"...Want to go to the Netherworld? It's difficult! The official Yin-Yang Paths are controlled by the major sects and the Underworld Yin Division, and they rarely grant passage. Those wild Yin-Yang Rifts are too dangerous; spatial turbulence alone can kill you!"

"I heard that some people who cultivate ghost arts or have special connections can contact a 'Ferryman' and take the 'River of Forgetfulness,' which is relatively safe, but the fare isn't something ordinary spirit stones can cover..."

"An Underworld Guide? That requires someone who performed great deeds in life, or whose sect elders make arrangements after their death, to guide souls down. For a living person to travel that path? Unless you're a disciple of Master Zhong or have special permission from King Yama!"

The scattered pieces of information coalesced, largely matching what Monk Hui Ming had said. For a living person to enter the Netherworld, the Ferryman and the Underworld Guide were the two relatively "feasible" routes.

Su Yan's heart stirred. He secretly activated the Compass's [Energy Trace] function. His invisible perception spread out like ripples on water, scanning the energy signatures inside and outside the teahouse. Most cultivators' energies were balanced and peaceful, or carried the characteristics of their respective sects. However, as his perception swept past a gaunt man in the corner of the teahouse selling "Netherworld specialties" – Yin Soul Beads – the Compass transmitted an extremely faint, but fundamentally the same source of filth as the End Times Cult!

The man appeared ordinary, only level 25, but his eyes flickered, and his aura was well-hidden. Without the Compass's divine power, he would have been impossible to detect.

Su Yan exchanged a look with Mo Hen. Mo Hen understood and unhurriedly got up, pretending to be interested in the materials on the stall, and struck up a conversation with the man. Su Yan continued to lock onto the target with the Compass, sensing the subtle traces of his energy flow.

Half an hour later, Mo Hen returned and whispered, "I've found out. He's a small fry, responsible for acquiring materials containing death energy in Flowing Cloud Collection. He's likely an outer member of the End Times Cult. He revealed that higher-ups are pressuring him lately, needing large quantities of 'Vengeful Spirit Dust' and 'Yin Fiend Grass.' It seems they're planning a large ritual in a place called 'Yin Soul Ravine' in the Netherworld soon. The time is near."

"Yin Soul Ravine..." Su Yan noted the name. This was likely an important stronghold of the End Times Cult in the Netherworld.

Just then, a woman in a dark, flowing dress embroidered with Manjusaka Flowers, with a cool aura tinged with a hint of ghostly presence, entered the teahouse. Her gaze swept across the room, eventually landing on Su Yan's table, specifically on the Compass by his hand, which hadn't fully concealed its light. She walked directly towards them.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists," the woman's voice was ethereal, with a slight echo. "I am Gui Xiaoxiao, an Underworld Guide under the Wuchang Division of the Underworld. I observe that you possess a rare treasure and your aura is pure, seemingly with a connection to the Netherworld. I have come to meet you."

[Gui Xiaoxiao (Underworld Guide)] (Friendly Unit) Level: 45

People from the Underworld! And at such a high level! Everyone's hearts tightened.

"So it's an Underworld Emissary, apologies," Su Yan stood up and cupped his fists.

Gui Xiaoxiao bowed slightly in return, her gaze falling on the Compass, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "This item... actually contains a trace of the Power of Reincarnation Order. Rare indeed. Are you all seeking a way to enter the Netherworld?"

Su Yan's heart moved. He replied frankly, "Precisely. We have important matters that require us to go to the Netherworld. May I ask if Emissary Gui can guide us?"

Gui Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment. "Living beings entering the Netherworld is not impossible according to Underworld law, but it requires a legitimate reason, acceptance of guidance, registration, and adherence to Underworld rules. I can guide you, but you must agree to assist my Wuchang Division with three official duties within the Netherworld as a show of sincerity, and be temporarily under our jurisdiction. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement and can ensure you encounter less trouble in the Netherworld."

This was an offer of an Underworld Guide, with the condition of working for the Underworld.

Afterward, Su Yan also mentioned Monk Hui Ming's information about the Ferryman.

Two paths lay before them, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Returning to their inn room, the four began to discuss.

Mo Hen spoke first, "Although the Underworld Guide route has many rules and requires work, it's safe. With official backing, the security is high, and we can obtain intelligence and support from the Underworld. I think it's feasible."

Bai Zhi pondered, "From the perspective of purifying the End Times' corruption, if we can get the Underworld's help, it might be twice as effective with half the effort. However, being under their jurisdiction might hinder our actions."

Yun Ji's cool voice sounded, "The Ferryman's whereabouts are mysterious, the fare is unknown, and the risks are unpredictable, but the actions are free, and might reach the crucial point directly. The Underworld Guide route is clear, offers protection, but easily draws one into Netherworld power struggles, and it's unknown whether 'Yin Soul Ravine' is related to the Underworld."

Finally, all eyes turned to Su Yan.

Su Yan pondered for a long time, his fingers unconsciously stroking the cold surface of the Compass. The Compass felt steady, and the Netherworld beacon on the Star Map in his mind was still clear. He thought of the Sower's marker, the anomaly at Lanruo Temple, and the End Times Cult's ritual at 'Yin Soul Ravine.'

"The Underworld Guide is certainly safe, but we might not control the timing, and we'd inevitably be branded with the Underworld's mark, restricting our actions," Su Yan slowly began, his gaze gradually firming. "The End Times Cult's ritual is imminent, and our time is short. Although the Ferryman route has unknown risks, more initiative is in our own hands. I've decided, let's try to find the Ferryman first!"

He looked at everyone, "If we can't find the Ferryman, or if the fare is unacceptable, it's not too late to go back and find Emissary Gui."

With the decision made, everyone felt a sense of relief. Just as they were packing their bags, preparing to leave Flowing Cloud Collection and head towards the "Waterside where Yin and Yang meet and resentment runs deep" as Monk Hui Ming had suggested, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the inn!

A cultivator ran frantically down the street, shouting, "Bad news! The Daoist at Black Skull Cave to the west of the collection has been wiped out, and now his accomplices are coming! They say they're going to find the killer and get revenge!"

Su Yan and the others' faces changed. Black Skull Cave – that was the small End Times Cult stronghold they had taken down earlier based on the Compass's clues! They hadn't expected such a swift reaction, and revenge was already upon them!

At the same moment, the Compass in Su Yan's embrace suddenly trembled! This time, it wasn't from the skull marker, but clearly pointed outside Flowing Cloud Collection, towards Lanruo Temple – a terrifying aura far colder, more powerful, and filled with endless sorrow and enchantment than the Ghost General's bloody aura, surged forth like a tide, as if a fierce beast that had slept for millennia had finally awakened completely!

Ghost Princess? No, this aura far exceeded their estimations!

Pursuers in front, a terrifying presence behind! Danger was imminent, leaving them no time to choose calmly!

"Go!" Su Yan made a decisive choice and rushed out of the inn first. "We can't implicate Flowing Cloud Collection, let's leave here first!"

The path to the Netherworld had not yet begun, but the storms of the mortal world had once again pushed them to the forefront.