Chapter 28: From the Depths of the Nine Netherworlds

Xiaolin Town. With Zhao Rucheng and Du Yehu stripped of their combat effectiveness, and Ling He busy carrying Zhao Rucheng on his back, Jiang Wang was the only one capable of fighting on the return journey to the Central Palace position. Fortunately, he had gained considerable experience dealing with those wandering souls, and his "Purple Qi from the East" sword technique grew increasingly proficient through this continuous combat.

He didn't need to worry about stamina. Since returning from Tangshe Town, his cultivation of the Impulse Meridians had allowed him to amass over seventy Dao Yuan. Although he used one every time before a Dao Vortex was formed, at critical moments, each Dao Yuan provided sufficient feedback to support such high-intensity combat without much pressure. In truth, these Dao Yuan were his trump card for deciding to break into the Xun Palace position; he simply hadn't expected Zhao Rucheng to fall into sudden danger, nor Du Yehu to be so decisive.

"I say, don't all of you keep wearing such long faces," Zhao Rucheng couldn't help but speak up again after a while. "It's just an excessive loss of vital essence and blood; it's not like there's no way to remedy it."

"What way?" Before Du Yehu could even utter a word, Ling He grew agitated, shaking Zhao Rucheng's hand repeatedly as he supported him. "Tell us, quickly!"

While clearing away wandering souls, Jiang Wang couldn't help but glance at him, wishing he could strike him with a couple of sword strikes. This kid—if he had a way, he should have said so earlier instead of holding onto such mischief.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're shaking my handsome head dizzy," Zhao Rucheng finally managed to soothe his 'temporary mount' before continuing. "I happen to know that a few days ago, someone bought a Gu Yuan Pill from the State of Yun at a high price and was looking to resell it. This pill has miraculous effects in nourishing vital essence and stabilizing one's foundation. Some noble youths even take a Gu Yuan Pill specifically before opening their meridians, so that their Dao Meridians and True Spirits are more agile after the process! Not to mention Du the Tiger's mere case of depleted vital essence."

"I just don't know..." He even curled the corners of his mouth into a smirk, "whether certain people are willing to buy it."

Du Yehu paused for a moment before replying in a muffled voice, "I don't have any money."

"You can borrow from me. It's industry standard: nine out, thirteen in," Zhao Rucheng said with a beaming smile.

"High-interest loans are fine; Brother Tiger likes high-interest loans," Du Yehu replied with a seemingly honest smile.

"Enough, enough." Jiang Wang's forehead was lined with black streaks. In the entire Maple Forest City, who didn't know that Du Yehu was notorious for never repaying loans? To use Du the Tiger's own words, since none of those moneylenders were good people anyway, one might as well scam them out of a bit of drinking money. If he hadn't come from the Dao Academy, he would have been tossed into the city moat long ago.

"Xiao Wu, who is that person? How much silver for the pill?"

Jiang Wang had already secretly decided that no matter what price that person asked, he would find a way to scrape the money together.

"The person who bought the Gu Yuan Pill actually happens to be surnamed Zhao. Isn't that a coincidence?" Zhao Rucheng sighed affectedly. "Even more coincidental is that he is actually someone from my own manor. This is just too coincidental!"

Jiang Wang took a deep breath, warning himself that Old Five was heavily injured and could easily be beaten to death. Only then did he control his impulse to strike.

This kid had gone in circles for so long, only to say that his family had a Gu Yuan Pill that could compensate for Du Yehu's loss. That single sentence had teased his brothers' appetites for the duration of half an incense stick.

Even the broad-minded Ling He felt a headache coming on.

However, with this assurance, everyone felt much more settled. As they spoke, they had already returned to the Central Palace position.

Li Jianqiu and Zhao Lang were already waiting there, discussing something with Wang Changxiang. There were also several other fellow disciples present, though none were in good condition. Wei Yan had gone to support the Dui Palace position, which was the only outpost that had not yet been breached.

"Junior Brother Jiang performed well," Li Jianqiu greeted him casually.

Wang Changxiang also nodded to him.

"I am ashamed; it was all thanks to the outbursts of Brother Tiger and Rucheng," Jiang Wang said with a bitter smile.

In front of the main forces, he decisively yielded the credit. At this stage, the most important thing was to ensure their successful meridian opening. He did not mention Ling He because Du Yehu and Zhao Rucheng's states were more convincing.

Ling He did not take offense.

Li Jianqiu and the others were battle-hardened; one look told them Du Yehu's condition, and they were secretly startled by the sheer strength of his vital essence.

"Once Wei Yan returns, we will head straight into the Central Palace," Wang Changxiang said. "Everyone fought bravely against the evil this time; your performance was commendable. Maple Forest City will not forget your contributions, and the Dao Academy will not forget your merits."

"Exactly!" As he spoke, Wei Yan emerged from the thick fog, followed by three Dao Academy disciples. Two disciples had not appeared, suggesting they had met an unfortunate end.

The tragic battle was not limited to the Xun Palace position. Aside from Wei Yan and Li Jianqiu, who resolved the town's guardian怨鬼 (resentful ghosts) almost without loss, the other squads had various casualties. Eleven had died, a fatality rate of nearly half! Almost everyone alive was wounded. Even Zhao Lang had nearly been disemboweled, leaving a gruesome wound on his abdomen.

Had it not been for Wang Changxiang's timely coordination before taking command of the Central Palace, this squad operation might not have succeeded.

Wei Yan said solemnly, "If we can return from this battle, I will be the first to request honors for everyone."

"The danger of this battle was something I did not foresee. But now that Maple Forest City's combat strength is depleted, only you all are capable of fighting." At this point, he actually bowed deeply. "On behalf of the souls who died in vain in Xiaolin Town, and on behalf of the people of Maple Forest City, I thank you all for shedding your blood!"

"Brother Wei, you overstate it," Li Jianqiu said.

Everyone stepped aside, unwilling to accept such a formal gesture.

"What kind of words are those, General Wei? You are a man of Maple Forest City; are we not also raised here?" Du Yehu said with dissatisfaction. "Stop with the empty formalities; there is no time to lose!"

Even in such a weakened state, the man did not hide his fierce spirit.

Wei Yan gave him a deep look, gripped his blade, and turned around. "Our Junior Brother is right. Follow me, charge! Let us see what kind of demon is here poisoning our kin!"

With the eight palaces broken, the fog walls of the Central Palace position lost their foundation and collapsed silently, no longer blocking the path. However, the thick fog had not dissipated and continued to obscure their vision.

Wei Yan took the lead, with Li Jianqiu and Wang Changxiang guarding his flanks. Though injured, Zhao Lang's combat effectiveness was largely intact, and he held the rear. The group explored the Central Palace position with full alertness.

By now, the danger of Xiaolin Town went without saying. Having experienced the perils of slaying the resentful ghosts in the other eight palaces, everyone could imagine the ferocity of the Central Palace position.

If the demons committing evil in Xiaolin Town had a scheme, it would surely be at this very center.

This group could be said to represent the hope of the younger generation of Maple Forest City. If they all fell in battle here, it would mean the entire Maple Forest City Dao Academy would face a generational void.

Yet, not a single person spoke of retreating. The path ahead was indeed terrifying, but this was their ancestral home!

They were born here, raised here, studied here, and were willing to die here.

Aside from Zhao Rucheng and Du Yehu, three other Dao Academy disciples had also lost their combat effectiveness. Given how treacherous Xiaolin Town was, they could not be left behind. Therefore, Ling He continued to carry Zhao Rucheng through the ranks, while Huang Azhan, a fellow drinking companion of Du Yehu, protected him on the side.

Unlike the nearly exhausted Du Yehu, Huang Azhan was quite lively. In the previous battles, he was one of the few who remained unscathed, proving he possessed some actual skill and was not merely a flamboyant character.

As the group advanced, Huang Azhan suddenly stopped in his tracks. He sniffed the air forcefully. "I smell a fragrance."

The group paused accordingly.

He continued, "It's women's rouge... no, it's the scent of a woman's body."

Everyone turned to look at him.

He added, "It's a beauty."

Du Yehu said irritably, "Is that a dog's nose of yours?"

"Ah! A beautiful female ghost!" Zhao Rucheng suddenly became excited. "I told you there was something! Du the Tiger, compensate me for my lost romantic encounter!"

No one paid attention to these two clowns, for they had already reached the very center of Xiaolin Town and seen that massive, churning vortex.

Aside from that, there was nothing else in the entire Central Palace position.

The woman in red, the white-haired elder, and the black-robed cultivator—it was as if they had never appeared.

It wasn't just that they were absent. There were no people, no livestock, not even a single brick or tile. Aside from the endless, swirling thick fog, there was only this strange, lonely, massive vortex.

"Where did the government offices go? What kind of ghost thing is this vortex?"

No one could answer the question. Only Wang Changxiang's eyes widened in inexplicable horror!

"Brother Wang, do you recognize it?" Wei Yan asked in a low voice, holding his blade in a defensive stance.

But his question was quickly answered.

For from the profound darkness at the center of the vortex, a pitch-black object slowly emerged.

To see pitch-blackness within darkness was a paradoxical description, yet that was exactly what was happening.

The pitch-black object, situated within the darkness yet appearing as its very center, allowed everyone to see its form clearly. As it rose bit by bit from the vortex, its full appearance gradually revealed itself to everyone.

It was a stone archway, not particularly grand in scale, following a structure of three bays, four pillars, and seven pavilions. If one ignored its pitch-black texture and the context of its appearance, it would look no different from the archways people saw in daily life.

However, the plaque in the very center of the archway spoke volumes of its extraordinary nature.

Three characters were written upon it. No one present recognized the script, but every single person understood its meaning at first glance.

——GHOST! GATE! PASS!