Netherworld Descends

The figure stood side by side with the woman in the five-colored long dress, not in the posture of a captive, but in a position of extremely high status, no less than the latter.

Upon hearing the question from the martial artist from the Central Plains, Feng Yanleng paused slightly but did not turn around.

Finally, she started walking again, step by step, leading the way among the Demon Race race.

There was no explanation.

He didn't look back.

The figures of the people from overseas disappeared into the sweltering heat, and no one from the Central Plains stopped them.

Just as the other side said, this Dragon Gate Contest has only just begun.

The Feng Yanleng and gloomy "betrayal" cast a shadow over everyone's hearts.

No one knows why Feng Yanleng, who comes from the Anguo Ji Clan and is known for his chivalry, would side with the overseas forces.

This person's betrayal also had extremely negative consequences.

Because she is not only Human Race, but also of the Ji Clan clan, the top of the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, and a role model for countless young martial artists in the Central Plains.

The more pressing issue is that the top-ranked fighter on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking is now on the opposite side of the Central Plains.

As one side gains and the other loses, the balance of power, which was originally evenly matched, has quietly tilted.

Ji Zhaoxuan said with a somber expression, "After we leave Dragon Gate, I will definitely hold the Anguo Ji Clan accountable on behalf of the royal family and make them give the world an explanation!"

Among the crowd, several martial artists who had previously been acquainted with Feng Yanleng did not share this view.

One of them shook his head, his voice low. "There must be more to this than meets the eye. Heroine Feng has always acted with integrity and uprightness; she is by no means someone who would betray principles for personal gain."

Another person chimed in, "There must be some hidden story behind this that we don't know about!"

The more certain he was of his words, the deeper the questions arose in everyone's minds—what kind of hidden story could lead a Human Race to the point of associating with the Demon Race race?

An Ruyu lowered her eyelids slightly, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips. After a moment, her gaze inadvertently drifted towards Yu Tunzhou.

Yu Tunzhou was also puzzled by Feng Yanleng's choice.

This made him suspect that the person behind Feng Yanleng Leng was some powerful Demon Race!

Did that Old Wang know about this?

The matter of Feng Yanleng "betraying" the Central Plains camp was quickly dealt with sloppily by all parties.

Because everyone is facing new challenges.

All eyes were on the Dragon Race numbered less than ten.

The problem they now face is how to "divide" the remaining Dragon Race.

In this world, the existence of the Dragon Race is the key to their survival and the search for fortuitous opportunity.

Ao Xiyu and Liu Zhizhou both sensed the different gazes from those around them, which had shifted from the concern of allies to a cold assessment.

"Gentlemen."

A Human Race warrior dressed in black martial arts attire spoke first.

"This secret realm requires Dragon Race's guidance and the nourishment of dragon blood to open, but now only a few Dragon Race remain—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Ao Xiyu, Liu Zhizhou, and the other surviving dragon descendants, a subtle glint of greed flashing in his eyes.

"Shouldn't we discuss taking over the responsibility of protecting the remaining Dragon Race?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a chorus of agreement immediately arose from all around.

"Excellent! To survive this trial, the most urgent task is to open the secret realm as soon as possible and seize the fortuitous opportunity. If the remaining Dragon Race continue to fight individually, they will only be defeated one by one from overseas!"

"Why don't we join forces to protect the remaining Dragon Race and open the secret realm one by one? Anyone who contributes can enter. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Fellow Daoists of the Dragon Race should understand. If you were to travel alone, you might attract the pursuit of the overseas Dragon Race."

These words sounded grand and righteous, but the remaining members of the Dragon Race all turned ashen-faced.

Ao Xiyu looked around at the faces—some hypocritical, some greedy, some feigning sincerity—and felt a fire burning in her chest.

They called themselves guards, but in reality, they were dividing up the spoils.

It's called a partnership, but in reality it's coercion.

Yu Tunzhou, observing this scene with a cold eye, had already understood the true purpose of the overseas forces.

With the threat from overseas forces temporarily eliminated, the Central Plains region has fallen into the traditional internal strife of the Human Race.

After all, in this Dragon Gate, their enemies are not just overseas forces, but each other.

Every hidden realm, every fortuitous opportunity, could be the key to widening the gap between different people.

In addition, there are many scions of the Aristocratic Clan here.

Most scions of the Aristocratic Clan were used to the dirty infighting within their clans and had long since become accustomed to such things.

"Let's go."

Yu Tunzhou withdrew his gaze, losing interest in watching, spoke indifferently, and turned to leave.

Ao Xiyu and Liu Zhizhou followed without hesitation.

They knew full well that the current situation was unfavorable, and their Dragon Race identity had become a source of trouble. Once they were freed from Yu Tunzhou's protection, their fate would be uncertain.

Everyone noticed Yu Tunzhou's departure, especially since he was accompanied by two dragon maidens, but no one spoke up for a moment.

"Young Hero Yu."

At this moment, Ji Zhaoxuan stepped forward, his tone sincere and his expression calm.

"Young Hero Yu, you were unparalleled in the first trial, and just now you displayed your divine power to protect the two dragon maidens. I admire you greatly. However, we are all from the Central Plains, and now we should unite as one to overcome this difficulty. How about we jointly protect these two dragon maidens and open the secret realm in order? With Young Hero Yu's strength, you should naturally be first."

The Yu Tunzhou stopped.

He turned around slowly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Ji Zhaoxuan's face, and he spoke slowly:

"Hey Ji, stop your nonsense. My friend Yu Tunzhou isn't your key or your blood pack. If you're truly determined to die, I, Yu, won't mind having the Great Yan replace its crown prince."

These words, when spoken, initially caused many to frown inwardly due to their rudeness, thinking to themselves that this person was not the crude, vulgar street urchin they had heard about.

What followed left the martial artists from the various Aristocratic Clan looking at each other in bewilderment, instantly falling silent and completely abandoning any thought of speaking.

The rumors may not be true, but the title "Dragon and Tiger Ranking" is absolutely correct!

The Central Plains are still under the rule of the Great Yan, and powerful Aristocratic Clan in various regions only dare to defy it behind its back.

Even the direct descendants of the ancestral temples of Daoism and Buddhism would never openly utter such arrogant words as demanding that the Great Yan change its crown prince in public.

But this guy dared to do it!

Many people glanced at Ji Zhaoxuan seemingly casually, and seeing his shocked and angry expression, they secretly felt a sense of satisfaction.

In this matter of the Dragon Gate quota, the powerful Aristocratic Clan in various regions have been thoroughly outmaneuvered by the royal family, and they are naturally happy to see Ji Zhaoxuan being threatened.

Ji Zhaoxuan was clearly stunned for a moment, his expression shifting from astonishment to shock and anger, then from shock and anger to lividity. His lips moved slightly, but he couldn't utter a word for a moment.

I never expected Yu Tunzhou to suddenly turn on me and make such mad dog-like remarks!

His face was extremely pale, and his body trembled slightly.

Rebellious ministers and traitors!

He truly is a traitorous and rebellious subject!

"Amitabha."

The Dharma Master Jiese stepped out from the crowd, looked at everyone, and sighed softly, "Esteemed benefactors, what you gain through coercion may not be cooperation, but rather mutual destruction. No one knows what lies beyond the gate. Moreover, the Dragon Race members can abandon the trial and leave the Dragon Gate at any time. I urge you all to think carefully before acting."

This reminder caused a slight change in everyone's expression, and their gazes towards the remaining Dragon Race subtly shifted.

After saying these words, Dharma Master Jiese took his leave and went after Yu Tunzhou.

At the same time, several other figures also chose to leave, chasing after the Yu Tunzhou.

The remaining members remained silent on the surface, but secretly they were contacting the remaining Dragon Race and offering their prices.

An Ruyu smiled and took her leave, taking with her a Dragon Race from the East Sea.

Watching the demoness's departing figure, some people's eyes flickered, and soon several figures followed her.

Come with me.

A young Dragon Race looked up and followed the sound, his face turning pale. The newcomer was dressed in blood-red clothes and was none other than Wu Xuan of the Blood River Dao!

Suddenly, a sharp shout rang out, "Wu Xuan! An Ruyu has already taken away one dragon descendant. Do you, the Six Paths of Evil and Demons, intend to take away a second one?"

Upon hearing this, many people stepped forward, subtly forming a circle around him, while others silently blocked Wu Xuan's retreat.

They were still somewhat wary of the plan to encircle Yu Tunzhou.

They can encircle and annihilate the Six Paths of Evil and Demons, which is naturally a righteous attack.

Seeing that everyone had surrounded him, Wu Xuan's expression turned gloomy, and his eyes swept around like a venomous snake, knowing that he would have difficulty leading his people away safely.

He glanced coldly at the person who had spoken earlier, memorized the name, and then, with a flash of crimson light, his figure vanished from the encirclement.

Witnessing Wu Xuan's fate, Deng Canglan sighed. Indeed, his prejudice was too deep. He should avoid associating with these Six Paths of Evil and Demons.

Then, he calmly met Jin Buxi's suspicious gaze, took a step forward, and eagerly offered to cooperate.

Jin Buxi squinted at the man who had been sitting very high on the stone steps not long ago, but whose face was completely unfamiliar. After pondering for a moment, he agreed to cooperate with the man.

Huang Tian strode up to a Dragon Race woman.

He stood tall and walked with a steady gait, saying calmly, "You will come with me, and I will protect you along the way. You will also share in any gains we make."

As the Dragon Race woman gazed at him, the Primordial Spirit Inner Form the Golden Crow's primordial spirit she had glimpsed on the stone steps involuntarily surfaced in her mind, shining like the sun descending.

She asked solemnly, "May I ask who you are?"

"Mending Heaven Pavilion, Huang Tian."

Just as various parties were vying for the "hearts" of the remaining Dragon Race and forming alliances, Yu Tunzhou also welcomed his own teammates.

Dharma Master Jiese, Fairy Nishang, Yuan Mengzhou, and Lin Yueheng.

There were also several martial artists he didn't recognize, but Yu Tunzhou declined their invitations.

This trip is about quality over quantity. After all, in the Dragon Gate, anyone could be an enemy. Character and acquaintance are the primary considerations.

However, one thing made him frown slightly— Xie Linchuan didn't come.

Before leaving, he made a point of exchanging glances with Old Xie.

Yu Tunzhou paused and looked back. After waiting for a moment, he guessed that Old Xie probably had other plans, so he didn't wait any longer and led everyone on their way.

After everyone introduced themselves and got to know each other, the awkwardness lessened.

Liu Zhizhou's gaze swept over the talented young men present, and he felt a rare sense of shame.

She has always been proud of her bloodline, but among the group of people in front of her, even the weakest Yuan Mengzhou, is a young master ranked twenty-second on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking!

Dharma Master Jiese and Lin Yueheng are top-tier masters among the top ten of the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, and in previous years, they even had the potential to challenge for the number one spot.

And these people are now gathered here with Yu Tunzhou as the center.

"What a pity," Yuan Mengzhou said regretfully, "Old Jiang didn't come, otherwise, following Brother Yu this time would have been a sure win."

The person he was referring to was Jiang Cheng, who used to be ranked thirty-fourth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, but after the hidden geniuses from various families emerged one after another, his ranking plummeted to the bottom.

Yuan Mengzhou has made considerable progress in his strength recently, but he has also dropped from seventeenth to twenty-second place.

The Dharma Master Jiese clasped his hands together and said, "My inner Gang Qi has lost the blessing of my Primordial Spirit, so its power is halved, and it's no different from Blood Qi. I suppose Benefactor Yuan is in a similar situation?"

Gang Qi is essentially a fusion of Blood Qi and Primordial Spirit. When the Primordial Spirit is suppressed, its power is greatly reduced.

The topic was initiated by the Dharma Master Jiese, and everyone began to discuss and try out which other methods they knew could be used.

Ultimately, they discovered that there were no loopholes in this place; not only were Divine Ability and Primordial Spirit suppressed, but even Fist Intent and Sword Intent were suppressed.

All they can rely on is the present moment.

Even the External Scenery weapons they carried had lost most of their power, leaving only their sharpness.

"There really isn't a single flaw," Lin Yueheng smile, his tone revealing no frustration but rather a hint of eagerness. "It seems that the competition in this world will degenerate into pure physical strength and individual martial arts skills."

The term "martial arts" refers to techniques such as Swordsmanship and fist fighting.

Before physical strength provides an overwhelming advantage, technique is enough to determine the outcome.

"It feels like I've returned to the Chain Forming Realm," Nishang sighed.

At their level, they are already accustomed to the blessing of Divine Ability and the Primordial Spirit. Suddenly being brought back to their original form is like falling from the clouds to the dust overnight. That empty feeling is extremely uncomfortable.

"Tunzhou, where do we go next?"

Yu Tunzhou looked up at the distant sacred mountain, so far away that the distance between them was immeasurable, and pondered:

"Let's head towards that mountain and search for the so-called 'small realm' along the way, otherwise I'm afraid you won't be able to hold out for long in such harsh conditions."

Liu Zhizhou suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with seriousness. "We must hurry, otherwise, by nightfall, this place may face danger."

Everyone's expression turned solemn.

Yu Tunzhou asked solemnly, "You also heard this from a voice deep within the Dragon Gate?"

He had previously suspected that the biggest problem in this world was probably not other martial artists, but the world itself.

Liu Zhizhou nodded. "I don't know the specifics of the danger, but I'm reminded that we must find hiding places before nightfall."

Ao Xiyu asked doubtfully, "How come I didn't hear that?"

Liu Zhizhou snorted lightly, slightly raising his chin. "I've long said that the bloodline of your Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas is becoming increasingly impure."

"Before night falls..." Yu Tunzhou squinted at the two suns in the sky. They hung high in the sky, dazzling and unbearable to look at, and for the time being, there was no sign of them shifting.

"Gentlemen, let's go. Hopefully, this place is truly full of fortuitous opportunity," Yu Tunzhou said.

According to the logic of the first level, this world should contain fortuitous opportunity that can further enhance their physical strength.

His Eight-Nine Mysterious Art are not far from the second level.

The only thing one can rely on in this world is one's physical body. If one wants to roam freely, one must make further progress in the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art.

Or two steps.

The Eight-Nine Mysterious Art Second Level is [Transformation of the physical body from the mortal realm, initial union of Celestial Person and man], and the third level is [Return of Celestial Person to their true nature, the body as primordial chaos].

He had already mastered these two fundamental and crucial aspects of the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person.

The next step is to use heaven and earth as a furnace and oneself as a cauldron, transforming the Power of the Eight Extremes of heaven and earth into one's own Inner Qi, thereby tempering one's physical body.

Although his Primordial Spirit was suppressed, his Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person was also suppressed.

However, the fact that all his meridians and acupoints could resonate with the Power of the Eight Extremes of Heaven and Earth did not disappear; this should be considered a divine ability of his physical body.

At this moment, he was drawing upon the power of heaven and earth through the acupoints throughout his body, like scorching sunlight falling on his body, which he transformed into a heat current that tempered his muscles and bones.

Its effect was several times better than sunlight from the outside world!

With each step he took, his Inner Qi grew stronger.

Although slow, its advantage lies in its continuous and uninterrupted flow.

Everyone noticed the aura emanating from Yu Tunzhou, but no one asked any further questions.

The group continued their journey towards the sacred mountain, encountering similar scenery along the way: cracked earth everywhere, with no sign of life.

During the journey, both Ao Xiyu and Liu Zhizhou made a discovery and found the so-called "gateway." However, after vaguely sensing the gate, both of them turned pale and sensed a deadly danger.

Yu Tunzhou and his companions chose not to take any risks and instead continued onward.

Along the way, they hadn't seen Demon Race walking ahead.

Is it still ahead, or perhaps...?

Have they already entered some portal?

Finally, Liu Zhizhou found a relatively safe entrance, behind which lay an oasis.

As the sun began to set and it grew late, the group decided to stop there.

"You all go in first. I want to see what changes this place will undergo after nightfall."

Upon hearing Yu Tunzhou's words, everyone stopped in their tracks, also curious about the danger that Liu Zhizhou had mentioned.

Liu Zhizhou and Ao Xiyu were of slightly lower cultivation levels, and since they were Dragon Race Buxi drought, they entered the oasis to rest earlier.

Yu Tunzhou and the others waited quietly for night to fall.

Finally, as the sun sank below the horizon, night fell.

Only then did Yu Tunzhou notice.

This world has no moon.

As the last rays of the sun gradually faded, the surroundings were plunged into pitch blackness.

Everyone waited quietly, fully on guard.

Just then, Yu Tunzhou noticed that wisps of black mist had appeared all around them.

A chilling, eerie, and even malevolent aura gradually spread.

Everything in the fog appeared extremely blurry and indistinct, yet a chilling atmosphere permeated the air.

The group gradually discovered the presence of the black mist, wondering if this was the danger that Liu Zhizhou had mentioned.

Dharma Master Jiese clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and chanted Buddhist scriptures. In an instant, the surrounding black mist seemed to dissipate, as if he had been converted.

But the next moment, the black mist suddenly retaliated!

"Watch out!" Yu Tunzhou was the first to notice the change, and his expression shifted slightly.

A gust of cold wind blew by, and the black mist drifted towards the Dharma Master Jiese, who dodged it.

At that moment, everyone felt a chill run down their spines, a sense of dread washing over them, and an instinctive reluctance to be tainted by the black mist.

"Brother Yu, look behind you!" Yuan Mengzhou suddenly changed.

Yu Tunzhou suddenly turned around, his Blood Qi erupting as he threw a punch, but he missed completely.

"Just now... just now a blurry face appeared behind you," Yuan Mengzhou explained, his face extremely pale. "It disappeared the moment you turned around."

Yu Tunzhou squinted, unaware of the danger because his Primordial Spirit was sealed.

The expressions on everyone's faces gradually turned grim.

The danger that lurks after nightfall is not a physical entity!

Compared to this bizarre situation, they would much rather have a real fight with the overseas Demon Race race.

Nishang Chang hesitated, saying, "Why don't we retreat to the oasis first?"

Lin Yueheng voice, "Night has just fallen, we still have time. We need to figure out what this thing is as much as possible."

"Let's stand back to back," Yuan Mengzhou suggested.

The group quickly turned back to back and faced different directions.

At this moment, the last rays of the sun had completely dissipated, and the surroundings were plunged into utter darkness.

Fortunately, everyone's eyesight had improved, and they all possessed night vision.

Just then, a faint glow of firelight fell from above their heads.

Everyone looked up and saw that above each person's head hung an ancient lamp, its light eerily dim and emanating a strange aura.

"Tap... tap..."

In the deathly silence of the surrounding darkness, footsteps suddenly echoed, clear and terrifying, carrying an eerie, oppressive feeling that was suffocating.

The footsteps approached from afar, but echoed all around, making it impossible to pinpoint their exact source!