Immortal Realm, Nether Passage

Ninety percent of the light in the hall was swallowed up by that enormous shadow, and the remaining light on the dome was only enough to outline the figures in a blurry way.

The smile on Nan Guan's face froze completely.

He stared intently at the overflowing shadow, his pupils slightly contracted, as if he recognized something but dared not confirm it.

Zhao Xuan reacted faster than him.

The moment those martial artists with Divine Ability fell to the ground, he had already created distance and reached his peak condition, but he did not rush to attack. Instead, he prepared to strike.

He stared at the overwhelming shadow of the Kunpeng, then glanced at the Yu Tunzhou, his face twitching, his voice deepening:

"This is... Spirit Aspect? You're only at the Divine Ability Realm, where would you get Spirit Aspect?!"

Nan Guan seemed to finally realize what was happening. His Adam's apple bobbed, his face twitched, and after a long pause, he gritted his teeth and said:

"What a fine 'not that a dragon can't cross the river,' it's that I, Nan, have been fooled! Friend, let's draw the line: who exactly are you?"

Yu Tunzhou moved forward slowly. For every step he took forward, Nan Guan took a step back. Sweat poured down his forehead as before, but this time it was no longer feigned weakness. Instead, he felt the terrifying pressure emanating from this man.

The most unbelievable thing is... this sense of oppression is actually far greater than the feeling he had from Old Zhao!

Who exactly are you?

Zhao Xuan also asked in a deep voice. He took a step forward, withstanding the pressure from Yu Tunzhou. His inner Gang Qi slowly surged, and the pressure from the External Scenery Second Layer was like an invisible mountain slowly pressing down. He looked directly at Yu Tunzhou, his gaze sharp.

"You came here specifically for the 'gate'?"

Nan Guan tactfully retreated behind Zhao Xuan.

As the two passed each other, he and Zhao Xuan exchanged a glance.

Their eyes met briefly in mid-air before simultaneously looking away, as if they had reached some kind of silent understanding.

Those who came today are certainly not well-intentioned.

Nan Guan already had a bad feeling, especially since the other party was carrying Reincarnated Spirit Physique, and as expected, they were heading for the "Fallen Immortals" in the rift!

If they succeed, all their years of hard work will be in vain...

But which link in the chain leaked the information?!

Nan Guan's mind raced, trying to find a way out.

At this moment, facing the silent yet relentlessly advancing pressure of Yu Tunzhou, Zhao Xuan snorted coldly, and her figure vanished from the spot in an instant.

His mastery of the laws of heaven and earth made him almost one with the Void. When he reappeared, he was already three feet in front of Yu Tunzhou, and behind him was a majestic mountain that reached the sky and touched the earth, blocking the Spirit Aspect above!

With a powerful palm strike, he aimed at Yu Tunzhou's head. The palm strike was heavy and imposing, like a mountain descending from the sky, carrying with it the very laws of heaven and earth of the entire hall, leaving no room for evasion!

Before the palm strike landed, the ground was already under immense pressure, cracks appearing beneath Yu Tunzhou's feet.

Nan Guan also instantly took out a silver needle, its tip gleaming with a ghostly green color, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Suddenly, the figure that had been slowly approaching and constantly oppressing his mind vanished.

Where are they...?

Before the thought could even flash through his mind, a familiar figure had already flown past him.

Then a second figure brushed past him.

"Who are you?!" A horrified roar came from behind.

Even without turning around, Nan Guan could still sense the changes in the legal principles behind him.

Old Zhao showed no mercy; his attack was like a real mountain bearing terrifying weight, crashing down from the sky. One strike was enough to destroy this underground branch, along with the entire White Dragon Pass!

This is Divine Ability Realm barrier that even the Divine Power Realm can hardly overcome!

However, the next moment, this mountain-like aura suddenly collapsed, as if it had been smashed from bottom to top.

Nan Guan's fat body trembled, and just as he was about to turn around, a scream suddenly came from the shadow covering the main hall above, and Nan Guan's mind went blank for a moment.

When he came to his senses, he suddenly realized that he had been affected by the other party's Primordial Spirit, and cold sweat soaked his clothes.

In the Early Divine Ability Stage, his cultivation of Nature Cultivation far surpassed mine, and his aura even suppressed Elder Zhao. Furthermore, this Spirit Aspect, resembling a flying bird, claimed to be surnamed "Lu"...

This person's identity seems to need no further guessing!

Suddenly, Nan Guan tensed up, realizing something was wrong.

Quiet...

It was so quiet inside that hall...

The battle is over?

How long was he actually unconscious?!

Clatter

A drop of sweat dripped from Nan Guan's hair and fell to the ground.

The deathly silence in the hall was broken.

He turned around abruptly, his silver needles poised to strike, but froze in place the instant he turned.

Zhao Xuan, whom the Chamber of Commerce had nurtured for many years, was embedded in the rock wall in a starfish shape, his head bowed, his fate unknown, and spiderweb-like cracks spreading behind him.

Below the rock face, the man dusted off his clothes, turned around, and smiled at him.

This scene made Nan Guan's temples throb.

Battles on the External Scenery Second Layer are commonplace, their effects often extending for miles or even tens of miles. Yet this underground palace, barely a hundred feet high, shows no signs of collapse even after the battle. This outcome...

It will only happen in battles where the disparity in strength between the two sides is enormous!

Nan Guan's lips moved, and his usually smiling round face appeared unusually pale in the shadows. He forced a smile that was more like a grimace and said:

"May I ask if you Young Hero Yu Tunzhou, currently ranked number one on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking?"

"Good eye!" Yu Tunzhou gave a thumbs up. "You really are a smart man, Lao Nan."

Nan Guan took a deep breath, and at this moment he calmed down. "Is that Zhang Buyu from Floating Hill Mountain?"

Yu Tunzhou smiled and said, "I feel I can get most of the answers from you."

Instead of answering, Nan Guan asked, "May I ask, Young Hero Yu, was it Zhang Buyu himself who led you here, or someone else from Floating Hill Mountain?"

He paused, as if thinking of someone, and tentatively asked, "Is it Jin Buxi?"

Yu Tunzhou calmly said, "Brother Nan, you are a smart man, but unfortunately you've chosen the wrong path."

Even though Yu Tunzhou didn't say it, Nan Guan roughly got the answer. He looked around and couldn't help but say:

"When Elder Zhao came forward to intimidate you yesterday, why didn't Young Hero Yu take action immediately, but instead waited until today?"

Given his strength, why would he wait until now to make a move? Is it because he suspected they might have a hidden trump card, and therefore didn't take the risk, cautiously waiting until now?

If that's the case, then Yu Tunzhou's appearance just now was probably not because they tricked him into revealing himself, but because he already knew their trump cards and had no need to hide them anymore...

Thinking of his earlier smugness, Nan Guan couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Yu Tunzhou shook his head and said, "I didn't expect you to go this far. There's even an aura of Immortals and Gods permeating the underground. I really dare not act recklessly."

Nan Guan suddenly realized what Yu Tunzhou was wary of, which was why he hadn't made a move earlier.

It's the "door" they just closed!

His expression returned to calm, realizing that this situation had been a dead end from the moment Yu Tunzhou found White Dragon Pass, with no room for maneuver.

Because they could not allow the Nether Passage Rift to continue to expand, suppression was inevitable.

Once the Nether Passage Rift was suppressed, Yu Tunzhou had no more concerns, and the inevitable result was that his schemes were no match for his Divine Ability.

At that moment, Nan Guan at the young man in front of him and suddenly revealed a strange smile again.

"Young Hero Yu, I can tell you anything."

He dropped the silver needles, his chubby face filled with sincerity.

"I can tell you anything you want to know, but please be prepared."

"Do it well..."

"Preparing for the decision."

Three Autumns City.

Jin Buxi and Daoist Mingxin arrived in Three Autumns City half a day ahead of schedule that afternoon.

Concealing their presence, they entered the city directly. It was afternoon, and the streets were bustling with people. The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, horses' hooves, and the clanging of metalwork in the shops mingled together, making it no different from any other city.

They sat down by the window on the second floor of a teahouse facing the street, ordered a pot of coarse tea, and looked through the half-drawn bamboo curtain at the bustling crowd below, feeling the lively atmosphere of the city.

"Nephew, do you know that the original location of my Floating Hill Mountain was not in the Eastern Wilderness?" Daoist Mingxin suddenly asked.

Jin Buxi nodded. "I understand. The mountain gate was originally located on Floating Hill Mountain, not far from the Divine Capital."

Throughout the dynasties of the Central Plains, imperial families changed one after another, but the Divine Capital remained unchanged—a "tradition" left by the Human Emperor.

The fact that Floating Hill Mountain was able to establish its lineage not far from the Divine Capital was due to the name of the Human Emperor's lineage.

"That's right. The reason our Floating Hill Mountain first entered the Eastern Wilderness was actually to slay demons and monsters, uphold justice, and fulfill our obligations as the ancestral home of the Daoist School, not to take over the Eastern Wilderness."

Daoist Mingxin looked down and slowly said:

"According to the mountain gate records, thousands of years ago, when the ancient sages entered the Eastern Wilderness to quell the chaos, the Human Race here were mainly in tribes. Each tribe not only had to worry about food, but also had to resist demons, evil spirits, and heretics."

"Therefore, many tribes have sought refuge under the protection of evil and heretical sects, offering them tribute in exchange for the continuation of their tribes. However, evil and heretical sects are always cruel and devoid of humanity, often using talented individuals to assist in cultivation. But the tribes of the Eastern Wilderness have no choice; without the protection of evil and heretical sects, they still face the invasion of demons and monsters. Therefore, the survival of the major tribes in the Eastern Wilderness is extremely difficult."

"Under such circumstances, when Floating Hill Mountain first entered the Eastern Wilderness, it was met not with cheers from the lower-level tribes, but with resistance."

"Some, even those saved from the clutches of evil by their ancestors, still remained loyal to the evil, betraying their forefathers at crucial moments and siding with the evil."

This scene had a tremendous impact on our ancestors. They couldn't understand why the people of the Eastern Wilderness had become like this, and they were determined to find out the root cause—

"Before the rebellion was quelled at Floating Hill Mountain, various powerful figures had already entered the Eastern Wilderness to quell the rebellion, spanning hundreds or even thousands of years. However, none of them were able to eradicate all the demons and evil spirits. After they left, the tribes they saved were retaliated against and purged by other demons and evil spirits."

"After this cycle repeated itself for countless years, the people of the Eastern Wilderness tribes were utterly desperate."

"In their view, no matter how evil the heretical paths are, they can still protect their lineage and ensure its continuation, while the powerful figures of the Central Plains will only lead them to their doom. This is because the powerful figures of the Central Plains cannot stay here forever; they can only provide protection for a short time. After this 'short time,' the tribe will face an even more tragic future."

"After learning all this, the mountain lord of that generation made a difficult decision: he decided to relocate the mountain gate, so that Floating Hill Mountain Eastern Wilderness and never return to the Central Plains!"

"It was under the mountain lord's decision that all the disciples of Floating Hill Mountain entered the Eastern Wilderness. This great decision also received the help of other Daoist School and even the Buddhist School. In the end, the righteous sects of the world united as one and drove out all the evil and heretical sects in the Eastern Wilderness, allowing the foundation of Floating Hill Mountain to take root in the Eastern Wilderness."

Looking down at the bustling crowd, Daoist Mingxin sighed.

"After thousands of years of perseverance, we finally found a way to change this land, gradually eliminating the lingering effects of the war between immortals Immortals and Gods, transforming the barren mountains and harsh waters, scattering the tribes, and relocating the people of the Eastern Wilderness to the great city..."

Jin Buxi listened quietly as his senior apprentice recounted events from thousands of years ago.

He never believed that his uncle, or any of his other senior disciples, could be evil.

Therefore, even if one commits evil, there must be a reason for it.

What he wanted to find out was the whole story.

"... After the disappearance of the Human Emperor, the Central Plains gradually descended into an era of war, and the imperial throne fell into the hands of various families one after another. During this period, evil and heretical sects roamed the Eastern Wilderness."

"At this time, the major Aristocratic Clan and sects were too busy to care about the tribes in the Eastern Wilderness. By the time they could spare the time, the evil forces had already taken root in the Eastern Wilderness."

"This situation persisted for a thousand years until Floating Hill Mountain took control of the Eastern Wilderness and completely eliminated those people. It was only after this that Floating Hill Mountain gradually discovered that the reason why those evil beings chose the Eastern Wilderness back then was because this Ksitigarbha countless battlefield ruins of Immortals and Gods, as well as a gateway to the ' Immortal Realm '!"

Nan Guan looked up at Zhang Buyu, who was rushing over.

At this moment, not only Zhang Buyu was present, but Guo Feng of the Pine Mountain Sect was also released. His other junior brothers were not in good condition and were resting on the side.

As for the other prisoners in their uniforms, Yu Tunzhou learned from Nan Guan that they were all death row inmates purchased by the Five Rivers Chamber of Commerce from the government.

"Young Master Zhang, as a disciple of Floating Hill Mountain, you should be very clear about what ' Nether Passage ' means."

Zhang Buyu took a deep breath. "The Immortal Realm you speak of, are you referring to the universe created by the ancient Immortals and Gods?"

Whether they are contemporary martial artists or Ancient Method cultivators, their cultivation path includes the creation of an Inner Heaven and Earth Inner Heaven and Earth, which, in the end, develops into a complete great world.

The Immortal Realm mentioned by Nan Guan, in modern terms, is a "realm" created by beings above the level of Immortals and Gods.

The original meaning of "Nether Passage" is to freely enter and exit these realms.

Floating Hill Mountain inherited not only the Dao of Alchemy tradition of the Human Emperor, but also some Cultivation Method and Divine Ability, such as the fundamental method of the Human Emperor Seal.

However, Floating Hill Mountain still only claims to have inherited the Dao of Alchemy lineage of the Human Emperor, and no one in the world would recognize them as having the complete lineage of the Human Emperor. The reason is this: the lineage they possess does not contain Cultivation Method that can connect to the "Immortal Realm" left behind by the Human Emperor.

This is also known as the method of Nether Passage.

"Good."

Nan Guan continued,

"After discovering this truth, Floating Hill Mountain immediately dispatched his disciples to search every inch of the Eastern Wilderness, finding portals dug out by evil spirits and heretics."

This place is one of them.

Suddenly--

"Why..."

Upon learning that this place was the Five Rivers Chamber of Commerce, Guo Feng stood there stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

At this moment, Guo Feng finally came to his senses. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked at Nan Guan with a gaze that seemed to want to devour him whole. He trembled all over and only managed to utter three words:

"Why?!"

Yu Tunzhou Nan Guan were well aware of what this person was questioning.

Nan Guan remained silent for a few moments, then said calmly:

"Because all six of you senior brothers possess the bloodline of ancient Immortals and Gods."

"As long as you live, you will continuously guide those Fallen Immortals back."

"Of the six of you, your junior sister has the strongest bloodline and perfectly corresponds to this gate. Refining the Heavenly Origin Pill with her bloodline can slow down the madness of the Fallen Immortals behind the gate, keeping the gate quiet for at least three months."

"Wait..." Zhang Buyu suddenly interrupted, his expression blank, his gaze slightly lost. "You just said..."

"Heavenly Origin Pill?"