Chapter 459 - 458: Entering
I was just thinking I’d missed my chance and would have to come back to investigate after taking Yan’Er back to the Phoenix Nest. I never expected the path to the Phoenix Nest to be the Netherworld Passage itself! This was bizarre. ’Could the Phoenix Nest be in the deepest part of this place?’
Yi Tianyun took out the Netherworld Passage Map. It showed the general layout of the Netherworld Passage. While some details were missing, most of it was mapped out. A closer look revealed a completely straight path leading inward, with no turns. ’Does that mean it’s an easy walk?’
Anyone who actually thought that would surely die a miserable death. The Netherworld Passage Map listed several extremely dangerous locations, specially marked in red to signify extreme peril. But that was it. There were no other detailed explanations, and the lack of information was almost deceptive.
It didn’t seem very useful, but it had its purpose. At the very least, he now knew where the dangerous spots were, which would help him plan his movements better.
Overall, there was only one path. However, he could use his own abilities to navigate around the hazards and minimize the risk.
’To think I had to come here in the end. It’s perfectly on the way...’ Yi Tianyun scanned his surroundings. Everything was pitch-black, as if the entire area had been doused in ink. Even the ground was stained a deep black. A faint black mist seeped out from beneath the earth, slowly creeping toward him.
However, the moment it neared Yi Tianyun, it dissipated, having no effect on him whatsoever.
Yi Tianyun knew it wasn’t because his own aura was too powerful. It was his Transmigrator title that prevented these evil entities from invading his body. It was a different story for Yan’Er beside him. The black mist began to seep into her, trying to burrow into her body. With a wave of her hand, however, a burst of Phoenix Fire erupted from within her and scattered the dark wisps.
"Daddy, what is this place? It makes me feel really uncomfortable..." Yan’Er wasn’t afraid, but the invasion of the black mist was deeply unsettling to her.
"It’s alright. We’ll be through it soon." Yi Tianyun thought for a moment before saying, "Yan’Er, don’t resist in a moment. I’m going to try something."
"Hm?" Yan’Er didn’t quite understand what he meant.
Yi Tianyun didn’t answer. He simply focused his Divine Thought, intending to place Yan’Er into his Pet Slot. It would undoubtedly be much safer for her. When he made the attempt, she was instantly stored away without the slightest difficulty.
’It actually worked!’ Yi Tianyun’s eyes lit up. He had thought it would be impossible, but he’d managed to bring her in after all. ’Looks like I just have to try things more often.’
With Yan’Er stowed away, everything became much simpler. Her cultivation was too low, making this place unsuitable for her. If any danger arose, he wouldn’t be able to protect her properly. Storing her in the Pet Slot was the best possible solution.
The Pet Slot was essentially a separate dimension. When Yan’Er was placed inside, she wasn’t immobilized; she was just staying in a special space. Since she was in there all by herself, it would probably get a little boring.
"Yan’Er, you stay put in there and don’t try to come out, okay?" Yi Tianyun said reassuringly. "I’ll let you out once we’ve left this place."
"Okay, Daddy." Yan’Er didn’t throw a tantrum. She could feel how unpleasant this place was, so she had no desire to come out.
However, Yi Tianyun used the Netherworld Treasure Pearl to send a huge pile of Netherworld Fire inside for her to eat at her leisure. That way, she wouldn’t get too bored.
Sure enough, upon receiving the mountain of Netherworld Fire, Yan’Er’s furrowed brow immediately relaxed, and she devoted her full attention to her meal.
Yi Tianyun nodded in satisfaction. ’Yan’Er’s appetite is truly massive, like a bottomless pit. I wonder if all phoenixes are like this.’
After settling that matter, he refocused on the path ahead. With a brief glance, he lifted his foot and started walking deeper inside. The moment he entered, waves of black mist surged toward him, but they were all repelled before they could touch him. There was no problem at all.
As long as it was an evil entity, it would be repelled, which saved him a lot of trouble.
’This Netherworld Passage is certainly grim and cold. I wonder what it’ll be like when I finally reach the Netherworld...’
Yi Tianyun had never been to the Netherworld. It was highly likely that Ming Chen hailed from there, which meant he might eventually run into Ming Chen’s Divine Country Power. Before coming here, he had done some research. The Netherworld Passage was known as a major danger zone, even more perilous than the Coiling Dragon Cave.
The surrounding environment made that obvious; there wasn’t a single Cultivator in sight. Who would dare to venture here casually? Most who came had only one objective: to travel to the Netherworld. As for whether they ever successfully reached it, no one knew for sure. But one thing was crystal clear: it was basically a one-way trip.
Perhaps they found the Netherworld so comfortable they chose not to return. Or perhaps they simply died there. Both were possibilities.
According to legend, the universe was divided into the Three Realms: the Celestial Realm, the Mortal Realm, and the Netherworld. The Divine Country Powers were distributed between the Celestial Realm and the Netherworld. However, it was hard to say which side was good or evil. Very few people knew the real situation. At the very least, Ming Chen was from the Netherworld, which had given Yi Tianyun a very poor impression of it.
Logically, the Phoenix Nest should be in the Celestial Realm. Yet, the Soul Guidance was pulling him toward the Netherworld. This was rather strange.
Regardless, Yi Tianyun continued forward, following the pull of the guidance. As he ventured deeper, the surrounding black mist grew more intense, surging toward him in ever-increasing waves. If one were to be completely invaded by this mist, it would be a dead end. It was a corrosive miasma; once it fully permeated a body, that person would become nothing more than fertilizer for this land.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!
Suddenly, the sound of something tearing through the air came from the side as several sharp spikes shot toward him. Yi Tianyun had already sensed them and swiftly sidestepped, easily dodging the attack. When he looked over, he discovered his attacker wasn’t a Cultivator, but the giant tree beside the path!
Several sharp branches, like razor-sharp blades, had thrust out viciously. A cultivator with a lower cultivation base would have been impaled instantly.
FWOOSH!
Without hesitation, Yi Tianyun flung out his Immortal Fire, instantly setting the Demon Tree ablaze. As if encountering its natural enemy, the Demon Tree was quickly engulfed in flames. It twisted its dense branches frantically, emitting a bizarre screeching sound, and in a matter of moments, it was reduced to a pile of ash.
"Ding! Successfully killed the Demon Tree. Obtained 36,000 Experience, 3,600 Madness Value, and 100 Sin Value. Obtained Demon Tree Sap, Demon Tree Leaf."
Killing it still yielded a reward, roughly equivalent to a Spirit Pill Stage expert. The attack had been sudden. He never expected the trees here would actually move. They had become spirits!