Netherworld Exploration and the Whisper of the "Rule Tumor"

The moment they set foot on the Netherworld's soil, an indescribable heaviness pressed in from all sides. It wasn't merely an increase in physical gravity, but more like a rejection and suppression originating from the very rules of the world itself. The spiritual energy in the air was pitifully thin, replaced by a thick, unyielding miasma of death and gloom. Inhaling it felt like drawing in ice and decay, causing Su Yan and the others, being living beings, extreme discomfort. Their Soul Power circulation was at least thirty percent slower than in the human world.

Looking around, this was a land that defied all reason.

The sky was an eternal, oppressive, dim yellow, devoid of sun, moon, or stars. Only some distorted, pulsating light spots, like the eyes of the dying, drifted slowly, casting shifting shadows that lacked any sense of reality. The ground was dark red, as if stained by endless blood and then dried for millennia. From the cracked fissures, wisps of black malevolent energy occasionally seeped out. In the distance, twisted, bizarre mountain ranges lay like the skeletal remains of slumbering behemoths, silently sprawled across the horizon.

There was no wind, yet a chilling current always circled silently, stirring up the grayish-white dust on the ground, resembling ashes. Some semi-transparent, vaguely formed [Wandering Souls] (Level 33, Normal) drifted aimlessly. They seemed to sense Su Yan and the other "living beings," but for the most part, they merely observed from afar, not immediately attacking. Occasionally, peculiar plants could be seen, such as the [Soul Guiding Flowers] that emitted a faint blue glow and resembled ghostly hands, or the entirely black [Sighing Grass] with leaves like crying human faces, adding a touch of the bizarre to this land of deathly silence.

"This... this is the Netherworld?" Bai Zhi whispered softly. Even with the protection of Buddha's light, she still felt a primal repulsion and discomfort originating from her very life force. The luster of the Willow Branch in her hand seemed to have dimmed.

Mo Hen checked his mechanisms, his brow furrowed. "The environmental corrosiveness is extremely high. Soul Power transmission efficiency has dropped by nearly forty percent, and the wear rate on mechanisms is more than double that of the outside. Truly an unfriendly place."

Yun Ji's body was enveloped in swirling mist, as if she were actively adapting to and filtering the surrounding miasma. She observed the distorted light spots in the sky and said coolly, "The laws of this realm are vastly different, and the spacetime structure is unstable. We must remain vigilant at all times."

Star Vortex appeared the most agitated. The Star Map patterns on its shell lit up autonomously, repelling the encroaching gloom. The Star Vortex at its tail continuously emitted a low hum, expressing extreme aversion to the environment. After all, it was a living being, incompatible with this world of silent dead.

Su Yan took a deep breath, forcing himself to adapt to the discomfort. He took out his Compass. Its silver light was even more active than in the human world, even trembling slightly on its own. The Star Map in his mind seemed to have been injected with vitality. The [Netherworld Beacon], which merely indicated direction, now shone brightly, pointing like a lighthouse into the depths of this dim yellow world. What shocked Su Yan even more was the Compass's newly unlocked [Energy Trace] function, which was constantly capturing extremely faint, yet filled with distortion, chaos, and discord, energy ripples from the surrounding environment—this was the pollution emanating from the "Rule Tumor"!

"The Compass is sensing strongly. The 'Rule Tumor' is in this direction, and it doesn't seem particularly far from where we entered," Su Yan pointed in the direction indicated by the Netherworld Beacon. "However, the surroundings are also filled with its pollution ripples. Everyone be careful, any anomaly could be a trap."

They began to proceed cautiously in the indicated direction. Not long after, a group of strangely formed creatures blocked their path. They were monsters that seemed to be forcibly fused from countless shattered souls, their bodies constantly twisting and deforming, emitting a grating tearing sound. They were called [Soul Devouring Beasts] (Level 35, Elite). They had no fixed form, their attacks were bizarre, capable of unleashing mental shocks, and they could quickly reassemble from physical attacks.

Simultaneously, the ground cracked open, and several [Remains of Yin Soldiers] clad in tattered Netherworld standard armor, with green ghost fire burning in their eye sockets, crawled out. They wielded rusted weapons and advanced with stiff steps, surrounding them.

"Adaptation battle begins!" Su Yan grunted, launching the first attack. He attempted to cast [Lightning Talisman], only to find that the lightning it summoned here had become weak and dim, its power greatly reduced. Its effect on the Soul Devouring Beasts was far less significant than when dealing with Vengeful Spirits in the human world.

"The laws of the Netherworld repel yang-attribute lightning!" Yun Ji immediately reminded him. "Try using yin-attribute or Star Power!"

Su Yan immediately changed tactics. He cast [Soul Chasing Talisman (Corrosion)], and the purple lightning with black patterns seemed to thrive here, dealing considerable damage to the Soul Devouring Beasts. At the same time, he circulated his Star Power. Although suppressed, the inherent balanced and peaceful nature of the Power of Stars was still effective against these chaotic soul entities.

Star Vortex let out a long cry, unleashing [Starlight Breath]. The silvery-white starlight illuminated a small area, dealing significant damage to both the Soul Devouring Beasts and the Remains of Yin Soldiers. The "Soul Burning" effect, in particular, caused the Soul Devouring Beasts to emit painful shrieks. Its movements were like lightning, and with [Star Vortex Sky Rend Strike], it specifically targeted the cores of the Remains of Yin Soldiers, achieving high efficiency.

Mo Hen's enchanted crossbow bolts had average effects, but he quickly switched mechanisms, deploying numerous [Frost Traps] and [Soul Power Disruptors], effectively limiting the monsters' movement and attack frequency. Bai Zhi's Buddhist magic was significantly effective against the Remains of Yin Soldiers. Under the illumination of Buddha's light, the malevolent energy on them melted like ice and snow. However, against the purely soul-based Soul Devouring Beasts, she primarily relied on the [Golden Cudgel Spell] for control and weakening.

After a fierce battle, they finally cleared out this group of Netherworld creatures. The fight was more difficult than anticipated, the environmental suppression effect was very pronounced, and everyone's Soul Power and physical strength were greatly depleted.

"We must find a relatively safe route as soon as possible and adapt to the combat methods here," Mo Hen said, catching his breath.

Continuing forward, guided by the Compass, they deliberately avoided areas where the pollution ripples were particularly dense. However, as they passed through a depression filled with twisted, black withered bones, the Compass suddenly emitted a violent tremor!

The pollution ripples in this area were exceptionally clear, and the air was filled with a nauseating odor, as if countless negative emotions had fermented together. In the center of the depression, a patch of the landscape was slightly distorted, as if viewed through a layer of murky frosted glass.

Su Yan instinctively focused his mental power on the Compass, attempting to perceive the source of pollution here more clearly. The moment his mental power deeply merged with the Compass's [Energy Trace] function—

"Boom!"

A chaotic, fragmented scene, filled with pain and madness, slammed into his mind!

It was a magnificent, boundless, ancient divine palace that cast an oppressive aura over the entire Netherworld... A figure clad in a dark dragon-patterned imperial robe, wearing a crown, with a blurred yet infinitely majestic face, sat upon a throne forged from bones and Netherworld gold, ruling over myriad ghosts, holding dominion over reincarnation... However, from the endless darkness, a trace of filth quietly seeped in, spreading rapidly like ink dropped into clear water... The imperial robe was stained, the crown cracked, and the majestic figure let out a roar of unwillingness and pain. His power began to spiral out of control, his will was twisted, the divine palace collapsed, and the laws broke down... Finally, everything returned to deathly silence, leaving only a constantly pulsating, colossal "tumor" emitting an aura of chaos and destruction, rooted in the very origin of the Netherworld...

The scene abruptly ended.

Su Yan stumbled back a few steps, his face pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his brain throbbing as if pricked by needles.

"Brother Su!" "Fellow Daoist Su!" The others rushed to support him.

"I... I'm fine," Su Yan gasped, his eyes filled with shock and horror. "I saw... part of the truth about the 'Rule Tumor'... It, it is very likely the result of an ancient Netherworld sovereign being corrupted and twisted by the Power of the End!"

This news sent a shockwave through everyone. A Netherworld sovereign! What kind of existence was that? Even it had been corrupted into a world-destroying tumor by the Power of the End? Just how terrifying was this Power of the End?

"That sovereign... its residual consciousness seems to be enduring endless pain..." Bai Zhi's compassionate heart stirred, her voice trembling slightly.

Yun Ji's expression was extremely grave. "Corrupting a sovereign, twisting the laws... this is no longer an ordinary disaster, but a decay of the world's foundation."

After a brief rest, the group continued on their way with heavy hearts. Knowing part of the truth about the "Rule Tumor" did not ease their minds; instead, it made them feel an even heavier sense of responsibility and pressure.

As they delved deeper, the direction indicated by the Compass became clearer. Finally, after passing through a black stone forest that resembled swords pointing towards the sky, they witnessed a shocking sight:

The terrain ahead had been extensively modified. On a relatively flat area, a simple yet fully functional camp had been established! Black banners bearing the symbol of the End Times Cult were planted around the camp, and figures in black robes with chilling auras moved within. Around the perimeter of the camp, a large number of more ferocious Netherworld creatures, entwined with black Breath of the End, roamed—[Corrupted Soul Devouring Beasts], [End Times Yin Soldiers], and so on. Their levels were generally between 36-38, clearly the minions transformed and controlled by the End Times Cult.

And deeper within the camp, the outline of an altar, constructed from countless bones and twisted metal, emanating strong spatial fluctuations and foul energy, could be vaguely discerned! That must be the location where they planned to conduct their ritual—an outpost on the edge of the Yin Soul Ravine!

The End Times Cult had already extended its reach this far and established a solid stronghold.

Su Yan and the others concealed themselves behind a massive black stone, gazing from afar at the brightly lit (using eerie green ghost fire) and heavily guarded camp, their faces grim.

The path ahead was blocked by powerful enemies.