Chapter 800: Cat Lord
Hao Chuan Wuchang showed a surprised expression. The two human cultivators ahead were not very advanced in cultivation, yet the speed they burst forth with was actually a notch faster than his own.
However, Hao Chuan Wuchang was not slow either. He pursued them closely, shaking his arm as a black iron chain flew out from his sleeve, crossing a distance of over ten miles to strike at Zhang Ruochen's back.
On the iron chain, chilling ghost patterns emerged one after another, freezing the air into rings of ice pillars that extended all the way to behind Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen gritted his teeth fiercely and once again executed a Space Displacement, dodging away with Hanxue.
"Boom!"
The sickle at the end of the iron chain struck a ten-zhang-tall tombstone beside them, cutting it in two as easily as slicing through tofu.
"Ripples of space."
Hao Chuan Wuchang's gaze was extremely cold. The ghostly aura on his body surged forth endlessly, and his killing intent grew even stronger.
Finally, he began to understand why the Ghost King had sent him to hunt down these people. Among them, there were indeed a few who were quite special. If they were allowed to enter the Underworld, they might break into some hidden places and cause massive destruction.
"Clatter, clatter!"
The sound of flowing water arose.
Before long, Zhang Ruochen, Hanxue, and the young man skilled in talisman arts arrived one after another at the banks of the Corpse River.
The embankment of the Corpse River was entirely piled up with bones, emitting a strong stench.
The water in the river was extremely filthy, completely black in color, with corpses drifting down from upstream, floating on the surface.
The Corpse River was also known as the boundary river between the Yang Realm and the Underworld. Once one crossed it, they would enter the Underworld.
Legend had it that no living being who entered the Underworld had ever walked out alive, including Saints, who would never return.
Arriving here was like reaching the Gate of Hell; a decision had to be made.
Zhang Ruochen naturally had no choice. He had to go to the Underworld no matter what, to find Qiangu Nüdi. Only by finding her could he possibly suppress the undead spirits of the Fallen God Tomb Forest again.
That young man showed a cold expression, controlling two talismans to harness the wind force, flying toward the direction of the Corpse River.
"Be careful. There's a strange force above the Corpse River. Any cultivator trying to cross will be suppressed. Once you fall into the river, the water will corrode your bones and leave nothing behind," Zhang Ruochen warned.
The young man had already flown ten zhang out when he felt a force pressing down from above, like a great mountain crushing onto him.
However, upon hearing Zhang Ruochen's warning, he immediately flew back, narrowly returning to the riverbank.
But his feet still stepped into the edge of the Corpse River, touching the water, and were instantly corroded, losing a layer of flesh.
Black yin energy continuously spread upward, reaching all the way to his knees.
The young man's cultivation was extremely profound; he was a First-Stage Half-Saint. Back on the shore, he immediately mobilized his sacred qi to refine the yin energy that had seeped into his legs.
The young man let out a long breath, still feeling a lingering fear.
At the same time, he developed a bit of goodwill toward Zhang Ruochen. He quickly walked over, cupped his hands, and bowed, saying, "I am Shi Ren. Thank you, brother, for the warning just now. Otherwise, I would have likely lost my life in the Corpse River. How did you know there was a strange force above the Corpse River?"
"I've been here once before."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on the Corpse River, a solemn expression on his face.
Last time, he and Shengshu Cainü had fled here, using the Ascension Boat to float on the river's surface.
Now, without the Ascension Boat, how could they cross the Corpse River?
Hanxue held the Void Sword in her hand, looking back. Seeing a mass of black ghostly aura surging rapidly toward them, she quickly said, "Master, that Wuchang has caught up again. What should we do?"
Zhang Ruochen's eyes were fixed on the corpses floating on the water. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Since those corpses can float on the water, why can't we use them as boats? Maybe we can cross the Corpse River that way."
"Exactly."
The young man named Shi Ren nodded, took out a chain with a hook, and swung it onto the river. The sharp hook caught a black ape corpse over ten meters long and dragged it to the shore.
Then, the three of them stepped onto the ape corpse, channeled their sacred qi, and began to cross the river.
"So that's how you cross the river. Why didn't I think of that?"
"Let's go. Let's go to the Underworld too. We have to find the legendary divine medicine that can bring the dead back to life."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's group come up with this method of crossing, the other cultivators also rushed out from the tomb forest, looking for corpses to ferry themselves across the Corpse River.
When Zhang Ruochen's group reached the middle of the Corpse River, Hao Chuan Wuchang had already arrived at the riverbank. The soul beast beneath him raised its front hooves and let out a earth-shaking roar.
"Roar!"
Instantly, the calm Corpse River stirred up waves over ten meters high.
If it were an ordinary river, even waves dozens of zhang high wouldn't trouble the cultivators crossing it. But the water of the Corpse River was extraordinary. Once caught in it, death was certain.
"Plop!"
Not far away, a scream rang out.
Hit by both the sound wave and the water wave, an old man at the Ninth Change of Fish-Dragon lost his balance and fell into the Corpse River, letting out a piercing scream.
By the time the cultivators nearby fished him out, the old man had already turned into a black corpse. His flesh had dissolved like mud, emitting a foul stench.
Hanxue had never seen such a horrifying scene. Her delicate little face turned pale.
But she still gritted her teeth tightly, trying hard to control herself, constantly telling herself in her heart that she had to be strong, couldn't hold her master back, and absolutely couldn't be afraid.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Hanxue and suddenly felt some regret for bringing her into the Fallen God Tomb Forest. After all, she was still just a child.
On the shore, Hao Chuan Wuchang snorted coldly. Riding his crocodile-like soul beast, he charged into the Corpse River and launched an attack on the cultivators crossing it.
The soul beast's four hooves stepped on the water's surface without sinking, moving at an astonishing speed.
"Die!"
Hao Chuan Wuchang swung his arm, sending the iron chain flying. It swept across the river's surface in a circle, directly knocking five human cultivators into the water.
"Help... save me..."
"Ah..."
A series of screams rang out over the Corpse River.
But they didn't last long. Soon, the screams stopped, and they lost all signs of life, floating up from the water as corpses.
Hao Chuan Wuchang's gaze locked onto Zhang Ruochen's group, and he snorted again. Then, he sent his iron chain flying once more, producing a sharp whistling sound as it pierced through the void.
The iron chain carried an extremely powerful force, causing the Corpse River to churn violently, creating a wide water path that extended all the way to behind Zhang Ruochen's group.
"Hanxue, draw your sword," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Yes."
Hanxue formed a sword seal with her hands. The Void Sword immediately emitted a brilliant radiance, turning into a white light that flew out to strike the iron chain.
At the same time, Zhang Ruochen mobilized all his sword intent and pointed a finger forward.
A beam of light shot out from his fingertip, striking the Void Sword, increasing its power several times over.
After the Void Sword's sword spirit awakened, it had recovered to become a Supreme Sacred Artifact, one of the most powerful swords in the entire Kunlun Realm.
Now, with both Zhang Ruochen and Hanxue controlling it together, the power it unleashed was naturally terrifying.
"Whoosh!"
The sword edge slashed down, directly cutting Hao Chuan Wuchang's chain in two.
The sword qi struck the water's surface, leaving a sword path that reached all the way to the riverbed, briefly causing the Corpse River to stop flowing.
Hao Chuan Wuchang and his soul beast quickly retreated backward. He forcefully pulled back his arm, but only retrieved half of the chain. The other half fell into the Corpse River.
"That is..."
Hao Chuan Wuchang's ghostly eyes stared at the white Void Sword, a look of shock on his face. Then, he spoke the rest of the sentence: "Qiangu Nüdi's Void Sword."
Hao Chuan Wuchang's expression turned extremely grave. He shouted, "Xun Jin Wuchang, go quickly and report to the Ghost King. Tell her that the Void Sword has appeared again, and someone is trying to bring it into the Underworld."
Among the Ten Wuchangs, one of them quickly turned around and rushed out of the Fallen God Tomb Forest.
Hao Chuan Wuchang, however, rode his soul beast and continued to pursue Zhang Ruochen's group, determined to stop them from entering the Underworld no matter what.
...
About half an hour later, by the banks of the Corpse River, behind a massive tombstone, a round, furry black head poked out.
It showed itself once, then immediately pulled back.
After doing this three times, a big, fat black cat walked out. Its round eyes glanced around, and after detecting no danger, it hooked its claws behind it and chuckled, "Hehe! After this emperor's careful reconnaissance, it's temporarily safe here."
Mu Lingxi stepped out from behind the tombstone. She was dressed in pure white clothes, tied with a belt that made her chest appear particularly round and firm. Her jet-black hair hung down to her waist, and her long legs were hidden beneath her skirt, making her figure look exceptionally tall and slender.
However, at this moment, there were multiple bloodstains on her white clothes.
Clearly, charging into the Fallen God Tomb Forest had caused her some injuries as well.
Mu Lingxi's eyes fell on the rotting corpses piled up like an embankment, and her two slender, dark brows slightly furrowed. "This is truly an ominous place. No wonder it has nurtured so many undead spirits. Did Zhang Ruochen really come here?"
"With such a big incident happening in the Fallen God Tomb Forest, Zhang Ruochen will definitely take the Void Sword to the Underworld to find Qiangu Nüdi. Hehe! How could this emperor miss out on finding Lady Nüdi?"
Xiao Hei's gaze looked toward the Underworld on the opposite side of the Corpse River. Then, his eyes sharpened, and he coldly shouted, "Shen Mo Shu, get the hell out here!"
Hearing Xiao Hei's reprimand, the Shou Shu hiding behind the tombstone trembled slightly. He stumbled out and flatteringly smiled, "Cat Lord, what are your orders?"
Xiao Hei glanced toward the Corpse River and said, "Carry us across the river."
The Shou Shu's face changed color, and he took two steps back. "No way! The water in the Corpse River is terrifying. It can corrode a living being's flesh. Once you touch it, death is certain."
Xiao Hei's nostrils flared with two streams of white air. He raised his paw and slammed it down on the Shou Shu's head. "Damn it! You're a Shen Mo Shu, and you're afraid of corpse water? Are you going or not? Are you saying you're not going? Are you tired of living?"
Xiao Hei's paw came down, hitting the Shou Shu's head with a "bang, bang" sound, driving half of the Shou Shu's body into the ground.
"Plop!"
Xiao Hei kicked out, sending the Shou Shu tumbling into the Corpse River.
Strangely enough, the Shou Shu fell into the river and choked on a few mouthfuls of water, but he was completely fine, still swimming on the surface.