Chapter 245: Third Surge of Immortal Light

"An earthquake?"

On the Yellow Springs Road, the ground shook beneath the trio, and the stone walls on both sides trembled. Huai Jing swiftly and steadily slowed the jeep. In the back seat, Wang Sheng and Xi Lian opened their eyes almost at the same time.

For the past couple of hours, Wang Sheng had been quietly comprehending the insights that he had gained after his breakthrough. It accelerated the transformation of his true essence into enchanted power.

Meanwhile, Xi Lian had grown bored and simply fallen asleep.

Before the vehicle could come to a full stop, Wang Sheng shot out through the car window, stepping on Flying Haze and soaring into the sky with effortless grace.

"

Aiya!

" the startled half-immortal fox cried out. She was stuck halfway through the car window.

She did not dare use much enchanted power or any real techniques while in the Small Nether Realm.

Xi Lian's expression darkened. Just as she was about to rip off the bulky gear, Wang Sheng quickly returned and gently pulled her free.

"Let me carry you, Big Sister. Try not to use your power unless you really have to."

Xi Lian sighed. "Fine. After all, I'm nearly two thousand years old now. I'm practically an old woman."

From her tone, it was clear that she was deeply concerned about the possibility of falling into devilry.

As he supported Xi Lian and lifted her into the air, Wang Sheng noticed for the first time that the Yellow Springs Road wasn't a canyon. It looked more like a neatly carved channel in the middle of a flat highland.

The previously dim sky was now filled with vibrant rainbow light. The source of the glow was at the far end of the Yellow Springs Road, at the deepest part of the Small Nether Realm.

"This is the third time, isn't it?" Wang Sheng muttered to himself. The strange phenomena drew his attention before he could contemplate further.

Ghostly wails came from all directions, and fierce winds raged beneath the rainbow light. The yin qi across the Small Nether Realm began to surge toward the origin of the glow, but within seconds, the light pushed it all back again.

In the span of a few seconds, the yin qi across the entire Small Nether Realm rose and fell like a tide, rushing toward Fengdu City and the Eighteen Levels of Hell. However, the light repeatedly drove it away. It looked as though some invisible forces were locked in a contest of strength.

Something strange caught Wang Sheng's attention, though. He could clearly sense that the surge of rainbow light was causing the concentration of primal qi in the area to rise rapidly.

Could this really be the work of a Celestial Immortal?

Vaguely, he sensed the pressure coming from the far end of the rainbow light. Within it, he seemed to glimpse a woman dressed in white, standing proud and still.

The source of all the upheaval was the female immortal whom they had brought from the moon.

What exactly is she doing?

Several beams of rainbow light shot through the air at the Nether Gate.

Immortal light instantly shattered the dark clouds over the area. Several massive pillars of light trembled in the sky, and Mount Pingdu shook once more.

Inside the Nether Gate, two soldiers from the transfer station immediately rushed out toward the gate. Even though those outside had already learned about the changes inside, their duty required them to relay any updates as quickly as possible.

But before the two could reach the gate, the immortal light had already begun to fade. The ghostly wails across the Nether Realm grew louder.

It was as if the entire Small Nether Realm were grieving something.

Hovering above the Yellow Springs Road, Wang Sheng stared at the final traces of the light. A wild and unsettling thought surfaced in his mind.

Could this be... the process of a Celestial Immortal's fall? Did the female corpse call Senior Sister over to give her a final gift before she died?

After thinking it through, Wang Sheng concluded that the corpse was unlikely to attempt possession. She was a princess of the Heavenly Court, after all. The Daoist heritages that the immortals there had left behind showed their character.

Besides, she had interacted with them before and showed real affection for Mu Wanxuan. If she truly wanted to possess someone, there were many others she could choose instead. She most likely wanted to leave a parting gift and the method to restore the Small Nether Realm.

The sky quickly returned to its original darkness. The ghostly wails across the realm gradually faded away, as if thousands of fierce spirits had cried out and then fallen silent.

Near where Wang Sheng and Xi Lian floated, Huai Jing stood atop the vehicle, gazing into the distance along the Yellow Springs Road.

"

Amitabha.

There really is no advantage in being a man. No one ever takes us flying," he muttered to himself.

In midair, Wang Sheng closed his eyes and quietly sensed the atmosphere. He thought he heard a sigh, but when he focused, it seemed to have just been the wind.

"Such powerful pressure," Xi Lian murmured. "Should we fly ahead and offer support? I should try using some power here, see how far I can go."

"Alright, but don't force yourself," Wang Sheng replied softly.

Noticing a strong fluctuation of primal qi rising from her, he loosened his grip to give her space.

The power surged slowly, but just a few moments later, Xi Lian groaned softly. "No good. The environment here is stirring my devilish nature."

Wang Sheng quickly reached out and steadied her. "Can you stabilize it?"

Through the transparent visor of her protective suit, Wang Sheng saw a lock of her silver-white hair shift to a deep orange hue. Xi Lian began sealing her power and focused on calming her turbulent emotions.

A few seconds later, the strand of hair returned to its original silvery white. The two sighed in relief.

"I can probably use power equivalent to the Nascent Soul Realm," Xi Lian said softly. "But I won't be able to maintain it for long. If I engage in combat, the yin qi and baleful aura here may trigger my devilish instincts."

"Don't worry. Let's head back down first," Wang Sheng instructed. "The nukes might have already taken out the malevolent ghosts in the Eighteen Levels of Hell. We might not even have to fight."

Xi Lian rolled her eyes. "You think only those small fries were sealed here? The real monsters might already be free, just biding their time to recover."

Wang Sheng shook his head. "If the Heavenly Court had chosen to clean up Earth before they left, they wouldn't have spared the most dangerous ones sealed in the Eighteen Levels of Hell."

Xi Lian thought about it for a moment. "Good point. Let's just contact your master for now."

Before they could, however, Huai Jing shouted from the roof of the vehicle, "Fei Yu! Daoist Master Bu Yan is calling for you!"

"Coming!"

Wang Sheng supported Xi Lian as they quickly descended. Huai Jing jumped down and opened the doors on both sides of the vehicle. Fortunately, the half-immortal fox didn't get stuck this time.

"Is everything okay, Master?"

—Yeah, there's nothing unusual at the moment. The third surge of immortal light seems to have pushed the Eighteen Levels of Hell out of the rift, though. A ring-shaped mountain resembling a volcanic crater has formed.

—According to the elders of the Hidden Earth Sect, it's the first level of the Eighteen Levels of Hell. The entire structure is an inverted pagoda.

"Are you going to explore the Eighteen Levels of Hell?"

—We've just cleared out the vengeful ghosts in Fengdu City, so we haven't decided yet. Anyway, I'm just giving you a heads-up. There's still no need to hurry; take your time.

"Understood," Wang Sheng replied. He added, "Senior Xi Lian can temporarily fight in this realm with strength equal to the Nascent Soul Realm."

Qing Yanzi chuckled.

—That's excellent news. But the closer you get to the Eighteen Levels of Hell, the stronger the baleful aura becomes. It's best if Senior Xi Lian holds back. Only allow her to act if she really has to.

—I'll be joining up with Team Two now. No need to rush. On your way here, take as much time as necessary to comprehend everything you've gained from your breakthrough.

Qing Yanzi ended the call, causing a soft static crackle through the radio.

Wang Sheng and Huai Jing exchanged a smile. The tension in their hearts eased a little.

Xi Lian snorted lightly as she closed the car door. She then stared blankly out the window.

"Let's go!" Huai Jing shouted, then asked, "Should we play some music? I just uploaded a few tracks into the car's system."

Wang Sheng replied, "Sure, or I'll fall asleep for real."

"You got it!" Huai Jing laughed as he pressed a few buttons. The vehicle was soon filled with... Buddhist chants.

He swayed his bald head to the rhythm. He roughly sang, "Hey, hey, hey~ This one's called

Blessings and Disaster-Removing Mantra

—dedicated to you, our dear Fei Yu!"

Xi Lian chuckled. Listening to the chanting and modern instruments, she found herself a bit curious. She sat quietly, her eyes reflecting a hint of nostalgia.

She remembered when she was still just a little fox. Back then, Santong used to teach and chant sutras at the temple, and she would often hear those very same melodies.

Though back then, the accompaniment had only been a wooden fish[1]. Not drums,

guqin

, and

pipa

[2] together.

Wang Sheng also listened with interest. As a Daoist disciple, though, listening to Buddhist chants in the Small Nether Realm felt a little disloyal to the Three Pure Ones.

***

Two minutes earlier, atop the city wall near the rift in Fengdu City, over a dozen figures stood in silence, watching the distant sky.

Qing Yanzi had ended the communication and restarted his wrist communicator to only receive updates from the transfer station.

"Why not have Fei Yu and Senior Xi Lian come over?" Yan Zhengnan suggested.

Qing Yanzi gently shook his head. He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze calm.

Beside him, Mu Wanxuan typed something on her phone and showed it to Yan Zhengnan.

Mu Wanxuan: We can handle this.

The Daoist elders nearby understood. As masters and martial siblings themselves, they knew that Qing Yanzi simply wanted to protect his youngest disciple and keep him from unnecessary danger.

The grand elder of the Hidden Earth Sect asked in a deep tone, "Daoist Master Bu Yan, when shall we summon the ghost soldiers?"

"Five minutes before the monsters arrive," said Qing Yanzi. "The ghost soldiers only last for a limited time. We must make full use of them."

The grand elder nodded. "Understood. I'll start preparing."

A Daoist elder from Mount Mao asked, "Why are the monsters from the Eighteen Levels of Hell heading straight for Fengdu City?"

"Maybe something here is attracting them. Or maybe they want revenge on the ghost officers who tormented them in the past." Zhang Zikuang shrugged. After stretching, he added, "Check your pills and talismans. If you run into a tough opponent, don't hold back or hesitate to call for help. All we have to do is hold the gate and wait for artillery support."

Qing Yanzi glanced at his eldest disciple. Mu Wanxuan's face was pale, but her aura was steady. She was far stronger now than when she had first arrived.

"Later, stay toward the rear, Little Xuan."

"Okay." Mu Wanxuan nodded, but her gaze had already grown resolute.

If she didn't fight these monsters, her junior brother would have to. As his senior sister, she had to shoulder the burden.

Ghosts?

Yes, they were ghosts indeed.

Qing Yanzi had clearly downplayed things. Near the rift outside Fengdu City, a ring-shaped mountain had truly formed like a volcano, and the Eighteen Levels of Hell had been pushed up from beneath.

From the volcanic crater, countless ferocious ghosts and fierce spirits were pouring out, charging straight toward Fengdu City.

1. also known as a Chinese temple block or wooden bell, a wooden fish is a type of woodblock that originated from China. Monks use it as a percussion instrument. ☜

2. A traditional Chinese lute with four strings and a pear-shaped wooden body. ☜