"Damn, it seems the memories of the Netherworld Saint-level can't be trusted. This isn't some small cave where a few Deity-level reside; it's a complete underground labyrinth!"
Jason walked along a narrow side path that was only a little over a hundred meters wide. He walked for several thousand meters without reaching the end of the path. Finally, he stopped at a Saint-level insect by the roadside again. After searching his memory, he realized that this area was actually dug out by the Saint-level magical beast "Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm" over hundreds of thousands of years.
As for the area, even this Saint-level Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm, which has lived here for nearly ten thousand years, doesn't know, but it's definitely very large.
The Saint-level's status in the Netherworld is too low, so its understanding of the surrounding environment is also superficial; Delisha may have mistaken this area for an ordinary side path in the cave before, without checking it in detail, which led Jason to mistakenly enter this place.
Jason turned back. From the memories of the copper- Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm, he learned that their clan had many Deity-level members in this area. Fighting in this underground labyrinth would be very disadvantageous for Jason.
However, Jason sadly discovered that he couldn't find his way back.
"You bastard!" Jason drew his weapon. "Who's behind this? Show yourself!"
No response.
How could he not see that he was being targeted by a Deity-level, and one who was proficient in the Deity-level of the Laws of the Earth, possibly even a member of the Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm clan?
After double-checking, the way back was indeed blocked; the original passageway was now a solid stone wall.
Jason guessed that the other party was probably proficient in Earth Travel Technique, as they had blocked the cave so easily, and there was no "cavity" left within the range of Jason's divine sense. The other party must be very proficient in the Profound Mysteries of the Element of Earth.
Fortunately, before Jason left the Rhine Clan, he left the Interspatial Ring, which had been bound to him, with Delisha. He could sense that he wasn't too far from the family's location—in the Netherworld sense, of course.
Jason prepared to dig back underground, because no matter how strong he was, he couldn't withstand the constant assassinations, especially since the Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm in this area seemed to be quite organized, and there might even be Highgod here.
The two clones separated; the Lightning Clone used a long sword to slash at the earth and rocks, while the Death Clone stood guard nearby.
Jason somewhat regretted not having Earth Clone train in the underground caverns; he'd already killed quite a few Midgod bandits on the surface.
A dozen or so Earth Spike came flying at us.
Jason swung his Profound Mysteries in a circular arc, the Power of Death Corrosion the tips of the Earth Spike.
Jason's Edicts of Death is now showing its Corrosion power.
Jason attempted to penetrate the soil with his divine sense, but could only go less than forty meters before being unable to go any further. This distance was about half the distance on the surface of the Netherworld. Jason did not find the attacker.
"The Earth Spike wasn't strong just now because the opponent was quite far away, so its power was weakened?"
Jason's Lightning Clone continued to appear, while his Death Clone remained on guard.
Normally, Deity-level are proficient in both magic and martial arts, but "magical attacks," or ranged attacks, are generally weaker than melee attacks for many reasons: the lack of direct enhancement from Divine Artifact, the attenuation of divine Divine Power, the inability to fully utilize physical strength, and the fact that attacks have a certain delay, making them easier for enemies to defend against.
However, there are also Deity-level who are proficient in ranged attacks. A small number of Deity-level have racial talents that are adapted to ranged magic, or the surrounding environment is not suitable for close combat. As for staff-type Divine Artifact, they also exist, but they are very rare.
Since the enemy chose to launch a sneak attack while fighting in their own territory, it indicates that the enemy's strength is not very high.
More than an hour passed, and apart from the initial attack, there were no further sneak attacks. This made Jason's slightly relieved heart tense up again—the other side might be gathering their companions.
It will probably take another ten hours.
Jason was helpless. The soil of the Netherworld was not like that of the Material Plane. He had been careless when he went in and went too far, and he did not have Earth Clone.
A surge of energy erupted, and a spike, similar in thickness to the previous one but much more solid Earth Spike towards Jason.
Jason unleashed his Power of Death once more, but could only Corrosion a small portion of it. In desperation, the two clones merged into one, preparing to fight the enemy.
He felt himself being covered by the divine sense of Midgod, but when he released his own divine sense, he couldn't find the other party's location.
"How come the divine senses of these five Midgod extend so much further than mine?" With the blessing of the Edicts of Death, Jason's divine sense was already relatively broad among Midgod: "Could it be that cultivating Earth Travel Technique allows one's divine sense to penetrate the earth more effectively? Does Water Body Technique have the same effect in water?"
Jason thought of his Water Clone. He had never measured it precisely before; the waters in the Material Plane were all very shallow, so Jason hadn't paid much attention to the underwater coverage area of his divine sense.
The five Midgod surrounding Jason did not continue their standoff.
A series of Earth Spike came at Jason, it seemed that the opponent wanted to wear Jason down underground for a while. After all, as a Midgod, their ranged magic would consume very little energy underground.
Jason gritted his teeth and severed most of the Earth Spike, leaving a few to withstand with his own strength. After the dragon scale armor shattered, Delisha gave him a set of high-quality Highgod Defensive Divine Artifact for both Lightning Element and death.
The Earth Spike struck Jason's gray-black armor, shattering into pieces, while Jason only suffered a slight shock.
He guessed correctly. None of the five Midgod on the other side were skilled in soul attacks, and although ranged magic looked impressive, it couldn't break through Jason's defenses without the support of Divine Artifact.
Jason felt reassured. He narrowed his consciousness to a range of twenty meters around him as a warning, then ignored the Earth Spike protruding from the side wall and Jason to start digging.
The Earth Spike lasted for ten minutes, and the opponent realized that it wouldn't do any harm to Jason.
Then the surrounding rock walls suddenly contracted, squeezing Jason in.
Jason's God's Domain expanded, and the power Power of Death Divine Power filled the God's Domain, rapidly Corrosion the ordinary rock and soil that pressed in.
With a thought, Jason turned and raised his knife, barely blocking a fist wearing brown boxing gloves; after parrying the opponent, he swung his knife again, forcing back a Midgod wielding a long staff beside him.
Three Midgod were observing from the stone wall beside them.
Jason noticed that when the two Midgod attacked, they didn't fly directly out of the ground to launch the attack. Instead, they needed to emerge from the ground, stabilize their state, and then launch the attack.
"They haven't mastered the Earth Travel Technique, at least not to a high degree. Their ability to travel underground is probably a racial talent. This talent isn't as effective as Earth Travel Technique, so there's a pause when they leap out and burrow into the ground. Those three Midgod stopped there because they were afraid I'd attack them the moment they leaped out," Jason thought.
The two Midgod attacking Jason from both sides were positioned relatively far from Jason, emerging from the ground before launching their attack.
Jason glanced again at the two people flanking him; they were just ordinary humans, their race impossible to discern. Jason guessed they were both "Copper-Toothed Burrowing Worm."
"I had no intention of trespassing here, I did not harm your people, and I do not wish to be your enemy. Let me leave, and I will pay you five Soul Gold Bead as travel expenses, how about it?" Jason made one last attempt.
"Kill you, and everything you own will be ours!" A Midgod smirked sinisterly.
Jason snorted coldly, and his Lightning Clone flew out—to continue digging.
He could tell that these five Midgod were not as strong as the Midgod bandits on the ground, let alone the best Midgod during the Fiend assessment.
Jason's Death Clone is more than enough to deal with this, and besides, Jason now has Defensive Divine Artifact, so he won't be injured even if he takes a couple of hits.
The five Midgod seemed to be provoked by Jason's disdainful attitude.
Two Midgod charged straight over, while two of the other three Midgod emerged from the ground in the distance, paused briefly, and then attacked Jason.
Jason's Death Clone unleashed a wave of Power of Death, enveloping a section of the cave in front of him. The two Midgod inside instantly felt their divine Divine Power, which had been surging due to the battle, become sluggish.
This is one of Jason's abilities, "Deathly Stillness," which he possessed when he first entered the Edicts of Death. Over the years, this ability has become increasingly powerful, making it Jason's strongest support ability when facing enemies.
With two Midgod nocked their arrows, they had no choice but to rush forward. Jason swung his sword and slashed horizontally. The two gods, whose strength was already weakened due to their sluggish Divine Power, were easily forced back by Jason. The remaining Midgod, who was still in the wall, took out a bone spear and threw it at Jason's Lightning Clone, but the Lightning Clone easily dodged it to the side.
During this time, the Lightning Clone didn't even stop digging.
Four Midgod gathered in one place, while the other continued to wander the earth.
Just as Jason had predicted, only one of the five had mastered the Earth Travel Technique, and none of them had achieved the profound fusion of its Profound Mysteries. Among the Midgod, their strength was among the lowest.