Murong Yefeng said, “Since we’re heading to the Nether King Sword Tomb, we must rescue someone.”
“Who?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Murong Yefeng replied, “Bao Lie, the Army King.”
“Senior Brother Bao Lie… he’s still alive?”
Zhang Ruochen was both astonished and elated.
Bao Lie, the third disciple of Emperor Ming, was once the Army King of the Saint Ming Central Empire.
Eight hundred years ago, Bao Lie had already reached the Saint King realm.
Zhang Ruochen had studied historical records from that time, which documented that Bao Lie and Princess Chi Yao each led armies of millions in a prolonged war at Mingguo Prefecture.
In the end, the Saint Ming army suffered a crushing defeat.
Bao Lie, renowned as the Army King, was recorded as having died in that war.
Murong Yefeng said, “From what I know, Bao Lie didn’t die. He was imprisoned by Chi Yao in the Nether Dungeon of the Nether King Sword Tomb. Of course, after eight hundred years, whether he’s still alive is uncertain.”
“No matter what, we must go to the Nether Dungeon. If Senior Brother Bao Lie is alive, we’ll rescue him. If he’s fallen, we’ll retrieve his remains and give him a proper burial,” Zhang Ruochen declared.
The Nether Dungeon had eighteen levels and, since ancient times, had been a prison for the most vicious humans and savage beasts of the Kunlun Realm.
Zhang Ruochen and his group left Qianshui Royal City, travelled to Eastern Region Holy City, and rendezvoused with Xiang Chunan, Murong Yue, and others.
During their time in Luo Shui, significant events had unfolded in the Kunlun Realm.
The five human domains ruled by the First Central Empire were riddled with world rifts.
Each rift was a brutal battlefield—a gateway for the Infernal Realm’s invasion of the Kunlun Realm and a site where the Heavenly Realm established defensive fortresses.
For example:
The Fallen God Tomb Forest in the Eastern Region and Immortal Machine Mountain in the Northern Region.
The world rift in the Central Region lay within the Yin Burial Mountain Range.
Just two days prior, a fierce battle had erupted between the armies of the Infernal Realm and the Heavenly Realm.
The Infernal Realm breached the Heavenly Realm’s defensive fortress, allowing a large number of Undying Blood Clan and Nether Clan cultivators to enter the Kunlun Realm.
Previously, only scattered Infernal Realm cultivators—like the Blood Bee Asura King and Chang—had infiltrated, causing limited damage before being swiftly hunted down.
But this time, a massive influx of Infernal Realm cultivators had poured in, with dire consequences.
This was grim news for both the beings of the Kunlun Realm and the cultivators of the Heavenly Realm.
Fortunately, the defensive fortress at Yin Burial Mountain Range had been reinforced by a host of Heavenly Realm experts, preventing a total collapse. Otherwise, the entire Central Region would have been engulfed in endless war, turning into a living hell.
Realising the gravity of the situation, Zhang Ruochen said, “The Undying Blood Clan entering the Kunlun Realm will surely attempt to rescue the Nether King. We must hurry to the Sword Tomb at once.”
As they prepared to depart, Murong Yefeng received a messaging light talisman. His expression darkened, and the air around him grew frigid.
“What’s wrong?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Murong Yefeng replied, “The Murong Clan has been attacked by a powerful enemy. Initial suspicions point to the Angel Clan.”
“Angels? Is this retaliation from the Heavenly Realm?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Murong Yefeng explained, “In the battle at Eastern Region Holy City, the Paradise Faction suffered countless casualties, but some escaped. They must have uncovered my identity and targeted the Murong Clan in revenge.”
“I’ll head back to the Murong Clan now and eradicate the Paradise Faction’s enemies,” Murong Yue said.
Murong Yefeng shook his head. “The Paradise Faction is full of experts. With your current cultivation, you might not be able to protect the Murong Clan. I must go myself. Yue’er, stay by His Highness’s side and protect him—there can be no mistakes.”
After Murong Yefeng departed, Zhang Ruochen and the others left Eastern Region Holy City, using a spatial wormhole to reach the Nether King Sword Tomb as quickly as possible.
Accompanying them were Xiang Chunan, Murong Yue, and a cultivator claiming to be Luo Yi from the Shangyuan Sect.
Zhang Ruochen remained wary of Luo Yi, instructing Zhenmiao Little Taoist to keep a close watch on him.
Upon arriving in the Central Region, Zhang Ruochen released Shi Ren, who had been cultivating in the Qiankun Realm.
Shi Ren, the young chief of the Prison-Suppressing Ancient Clan and Zhang Ruochen’s sworn brother, had been studying under the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree in the Qiankun Realm. Half a disciple of the tree, his attainments in spiritual power and talisman arts had advanced significantly.
Crossing vast wilderness, Zhang Ruochen’s group ventured deep into a range of primordial mountains.
The terrain grew increasingly majestic, rich with heavenly holy qi. Swift ancient rivers flowed through the mountains, clouds and mist rose, lending an air of mystery and depth.
The ground and sky shimmered with intricate, profound array inscriptions, turning the heavens into eerie hues. Any creature entering this place had to tread carefully.
Luo Yi trailed behind, observing the inscriptions and asking, “These inscriptions are ancient and mysterious—likely passed down from the Middle Ages, right?”
“Correct,” Shi Ren confirmed.
Zhenmiao Little Taoist grinned. “They’re heavily damaged, though, and their power is limited. If they could be repaired, they might rival the ancient inscriptions of Eastern Region Holy City.”
“Only an array geomancer could restore these inscriptions,” Shi Ren said with a hint of regret.
This wasn’t Zhang Ruochen’s first visit to the Nether King Sword Tomb, but this time felt different.
To the left, a shattered stone forest came into view. Opening his Heavenly Eye, Zhang Ruochen saw crimson inscriptions weaving through it.
He pointed a finger at the stone forest.
A sword wave shot forth.
“Boom!”
The stone forest erupted like a disturbed beehive, unleashing a surge of crimson energy and a heart-palpitating force capable of annihilating a Saint King.
After a few breaths, the stone forest settled back into silence.
Zhang Ruochen remarked, “The remnant inscriptions of the Sword Tomb are far more powerful than before.”
Shi Ren explained, “In the past, before the Kunlun Realm’s revival, the Sword Tomb’s inscriptions were powered by underground spiritual veins. Now, holy veins have formed beneath the earth. With holy qi from these veins driving the inscriptions, their power far exceeds what it once was.”
“For beings below the Great Saint level, breaking into the Nether King Sword Tomb is nearly impossible.”
Zhang Ruochen wasn’t as optimistic as Shi Ren. “The Undying Blood Clan might not breach the Middle Age array remnants, but they excel in transformation arts. Sneaking into the Sword Tomb wouldn’t be difficult for them.”
Shi Ren nodded. “Let’s hope my father has sealed the Nether King Sword Tomb.”
At the Sword Tomb’s outskirts, atop a cluster of white clouds, a mountain of white bones was concealed. Blood-red streams of qi darted through its ridges.
On the bone mountain stood a bone platform.
Three divine sons and seven imperial sons and daughters of the Undying Blood Clan stood atop it, watching Zhang Ruochen and his group vanish into the mountains.
“They crossed that area unharmed?” Wu Jie Imperial Son said, surprised.
A long-faced imperial daughter laughed. “Clearly, they know the way into the Nether King Sword Tomb. We should capture them directly—no need to keep waiting here.”
The three divine sons of the Undying Blood Clan exuded extraordinary presence, silver wings sprouting from their backs.
One divine son bore nine eyes—five on his face, two on his chest, and one in each palm. Few knew his true name; Undying Blood Clan cultivators revered him as “Nine-Eyed Heavenly King.”
Among the clan’s divine sons and daughters, Nine-Eyed Heavenly King was a top-tier powerhouse.
He cautioned, “Don’t act rashly. Among that group is a formidable figure with immense spiritual power. If not for the concealment array inscriptions carved by an array geomancer on the divine bones within this mountain, she might have already detected us.”
The seven imperial sons and daughters present were all Dao Domain realm experts, but after Nine-Eyed Heavenly King spoke, they fell silent, listening respectfully without a trace of defiance.
“Such a spiritual power expert entering the Nether King Sword Tomb isn’t good for us. Could Hundred Illusions Divine Son’s disguise be seen through?”
Nine-Eyed Heavenly King shook his head. “The Undying Blood Clan’s disguises are so flawless even a Great Saint might not see through them. Besides, Hundred Illusions Divine Son excels in illusion, beguilement, and disguise. No matter how strong her spiritual power, she won’t spot any flaws.”
“Hundred Illusions Divine Son infiltrated the Sword Tomb a day and a night ago—why hasn’t he emerged? Has something gone wrong?” an imperial daughter asked, concerned.
A seven-metre-tall divine son beside Nine-Eyed Heavenly King laughed. “Who in the Nether King Sword Tomb could handle him? I bet he’s trying to wipe out the Prison-Suppressing Ancient Clan single-handedly, rescue Lord Nether King, and claim all the glory.”
Nine-Eyed Heavenly King said, “The Nether King Sword Tomb has always been one of the Kunlun Realm’s most mysterious places. Ten thousand years ago, even our clan’s gods dared not trespass recklessly. The Nether Dungeon is especially perilous, housing only the most vicious fiends. Even Lord Nether King is confined to the seventeenth level—it’s possible a god is imprisoned on the eighteenth. If Hundred Illusions Divine Son gets greedy, he might not meet a good end.”
“So what do we do now—just wait?” an imperial son asked.
Nine-Eyed Heavenly King’s gaze sharpened. “We wait. But we’re not just waiting for Hundred Illusions Divine Son—we’re also waiting for Nether Immortal.”
“Nether Immortal?”
“That freak from the Nether Clan is coming here too?”
The Undying Blood Clan cultivators present were stunned, some visibly alarmed.
Nine-Eyed Heavenly King remained composed, saying calmly, “The Shen family, one of the three major clans of the Prison-Suppressing Ancient Clan, holds the Kunlun Realm’s premier array tome, the Star Battle Diagram. The array inscriptions around the Nether King Sword Tomb were laid down by the Shen family’s ancestors, showing just how profound the Star Battle Diagram is.”
“Nether Immortal’s target is the Star Battle Diagram. We each take what we need.”
