Chapter 2002 - 1999: Entering the Nether Ruins

The disciples led by the Nether Talisman Hall were handsome, with flowing white robes and elegant demeanor.

He smiled, took a few steps onto the dragon boat, and saluted the young girl, his voice clear and bright: "Your Highness Princess, I, Qian Wuming, apologize for being late!"

The girl was none other than Princess Zhu Xuan of the Imperial Family of the Da Yin Dynasty. She waved lightly, her expression indifferent: "Qian Wuming, if you can help me find a seventh-grade treasure this time, all the future Nether Talisman business of the Da Yin Dynasty will be handed over to your Nether Talisman Hall."

"I will not forget your kindness, and I hope you will do your utmost."

To avoid waging war with other nations, the Da Yin Dynasty intended to send Zhu Xuan off for a diplomatic marriage, but Zhu Xuan fully resisted this, hence seeking assistance from the Nether Talisman Hall and other forces.

This time, she summoned five out of the seven great forces of the Da Yin Dynasty.

The Nether Talisman Hall was just one; disciples from the other four forces were also present, all with the single purpose of helping Zhu Xuan find a seventh-grade treasure.

"Since everyone is here, let’s begin." With that, Zhu Xuan’s side, Elder Mu, glanced at the three great forces below, his eyes like electricity, and said in a deep voice, "You may open the Nether Ruins."

Li Lingtian and the others dared not delay upon hearing these words.

In the face of such powerful forces, they were merely ants; any mishap could lead to their doom.

The three quickly made their moves, their abundant soul power like a flood dragon emerging from the sea, instantly merging into the towering mountain before them.

This mountain was the entrance to the Nether Ruins.

Under the combined efforts of the three, the mountain trembled violently with a dull roar and then slowly parted in two, moving to the left and right.

Between the two mountains, a massive white light screen gradually emerged, emitting a mysterious aura.

"Your Highness Princess, through this gate, you can enter the Nether Ruins," Li Lingtian said respectfully.

"Everyone prepare and enter the Nether Ruins immediately!" Elder Mu ordered loudly.

In an instant, disciples from the five great forces and members of the imperial family in the air began to move, pouring into the light screen like a tide.

"Let’s go too," Li Jiayin said with a determined expression, taking the lead to step forward.

The disciples of the Heavenly Nether Sect followed closely in a line.

Qi Huan of the Fire Lotus Saint Sect watched Xu Wendong being escorted by two women into the Nether Ruins, the killing intent in his eyes growing stronger, as if he wanted to cut Xu Wendong into pieces.

This scene did not escape the sect master Jiang Bai’en’s eyes.

"Qi Huan, do not cause trouble when entering the Nether Ruins this time."

"We are too weak before those external forces. The three great forces must unite closely, or we have no chance of winning."

"You better behave!" Jiang Bai’en warned sternly with a cold expression.

Qi Huan’s face was gloomy, but in his heart, he calculated secretly, not taking Jiang Bai’en’s words to heart at all.

In his view, Li Jiayin could only belong to him, and Xu Wendong had to die!

On the Divine Yin Hall’s side, Senior Sister Loli was full of anticipation.

"Lin Mo, there was some misunderstanding last time. This time I won’t let you go."

"With your talent, you’d have better development at my Divine Yin Hall. Whatever Li Jiayin can offer, I can give too!" She thought to herself, continuing to step into the Nether Ruins.

After everyone had entered, the Qing Shan slowly closed, and the gate of the Nether Ruins followed suit.

This journey to the Nether Ruins was fraught with danger. The three great sects collectively dispatched ninety disciples, while the five great forces from the external world and the imperial family sent sixty people, totaling one hundred and fifty into the Nether Ruins.

No one knew who could come out alive, but everyone knew that in the end, those who survived would probably be fewer than half.

"Mr. Li, Brother Su, now we can only hope that our disciples withstand the pressure and that a few more survive," Jiang Bai’en sighed heavily, his face full of worry.

"With the imperial family and these great forces involved, I’m afraid our people are in for a tough time..." Li Lingtian shook his head helplessly, silently praying in his heart that with Xu Wendong there, Li Jiayin would be safe.

As for the others, if they find opportunities in the Nether Ruins and are valued by the five great forces, that would be an unexpected joy.

After all,

The Nether Ruins are filled with countless coveted opportunities. Who knows, someone might indeed soar to new heights because of it.

Xu Wendong felt the scenes before him spinning wildly, his head dizzy, as if he were in a chaotic whirlpool.

When the whirlwind subsided a bit, he was startled to find that Li Jiayin, Zhao Ying’er, and the others around him had disappeared.

As his vision gradually cleared, a complex battlefield, miserable and hard to look at, came into view.

The battlefield was scarred, desolate, and dilapidated, the aura overwhelming him.

In the distance, the mountain ranges undulated as though cleaved by a giant axe, appearing particularly sinister.

A long river surged past, the water murky, seemingly flowing with endless blood.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, which invaded his nostrils, making him want to retch, as if every inch of air were narrating the tragic battles of the past.

"Is this... the Nether Ruins?" Xu Wendong frowned, his eyes full of vigilance.

This place was saturated with Yin Energy, almost tangible.

With each breath, he could clearly feel the chilly air following the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs, then rapidly converting into threads of soul power, flowing through the meridians.

He secretly marveled, thinking that if one were to cultivate diligently here, the speed of cultivation level improvement would surely far surpass the outside world.

"It is indeed a treasure land, but this place is a battlefield," Xu Wendong murmured to himself, "I wonder which forces have fought fiercely here."

He suddenly remembered Li Jiayin and Zhao Ying’er: "Right, where is Senior Sister and Zhao Ying’er?"

While Xu Wendong was filled with confusion, the slightly hoarse voice of the Painting Saint echoed in his mind: "This is actually a D-level battlefield!"

"What D-level battlefield?" Xu Wendong was puzzled. The Painting Saint, being a top-level powerhouse in his time, knew many unknown secrets.

"Hmph, with your current strength, you’re not fit to know these matters," the Painting Saint snorted lightly, his tone carrying a hint of disdain.

"Oh, then I won’t ask," Xu Wendong was straightforward, nodding his head, turning towards the distant mountain.

"You should ask! How can you not be curious?!"

"You should be pestering me, begging me to tell some stories!" The Painting Saint’s voice rang urgently in Xu Wendong’s mind, tinged with a bit of annoyance.

Xu Wendong shrugged, his face indifferent: "I won’t ask, nor am I curious, much less beg you to speak."

"You..." The Painting Saint was momentarily at a loss for words; Xu Wendong was indeed difficult to deal with. During his years of roaming the Netherworld, he had never encountered anyone so "unromantic."

"Hmph, even if you don’t ask, I’ll still tell!" The Painting Saint snorted coldly and began recounting slowly.

It turned out, this D-level battlefield had a great connection with the Three-Life Stone.

To seize the Three-Life Stone, the Netherworld erupted into an unprecedented top-level turmoil, with all the towering forces being drawn in.

The intensity and cruelty of that battle were earth-shattering, almost destroying the entire Netherworld.

And it was in that battle that the Three-Life Stone shattered into countless fragments, scattered everywhere.

The battlefield was then graded into levels A, B, C, and D according to its tragicness and the abundance of opportunities.

D-level being the weakest, on the periphery of the battlefield, although such places also hid opportunities, they were relatively not strong.

Only A-level battlefields are most likely to contain Three-Life Stone fragments.

These battlefields are like forbidden places; those without sufficient strength cannot step into them at all.

Currently, the Nether Ruins possessed by the Heavenly Nether Domain is a D-level battlefield, although the chance of finding the Three-Life Stone here is minute, it’s not impossible.

Hearing this, Xu Wendong’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

This time was the closest he ever got to the Three-Life Stone fragment since entering the Netherworld.

If there is a possibility, he must seek thoroughly here.

If he could obtain a Three-Life Stone fragment, it would be like finding a glimmer of hope, and he wouldn’t be far from assembling a complete Three-Life Stone!