121: Chapter 121, Netherworld Corpse General, Fourth-Order Dao Palace Realm!

Bai Yu's figure also flickered, pulling Han Li back with him.

"Boom!"

A massive foot stomped down, cracking the ground and sending gravel flying, leaving a deep footprint in its wake.

The terrifying shockwave knocked Ye Chen and the others, who had just dodged, off their feet again, leaving their blood and qi churning.

"Ants, keep struggling. The more you struggle, the more chewy your flesh and Divine Soul will be..."

The Netherworld Corpse General let out a weird, owl-like cackle, its other large hand shaped like a cattail fan.

Accompanied by a fishy wind, it swatted toward Lei Zhen, who had just regained his footing and was currently adjusting his breathing.

Lei Zhen's True Essence was nearly exhausted at this moment. Facing this fatal blow, he had no way to dodge.

"Senior Brother Lei Zhen!"

Murong Bai's eyes threatened to split from the strain. He wanted to help, but he was pinned down by another whistling Netherworld Chain.

It looked as though Lei Zhen was about to perish under that palm.

"Swoosh!"

A greyish, extremely condensed Sword Qi, like a meteor piercing the darkness, arrived first despite being launched later.

It struck with incomparable precision at the wrist joint of the Netherworld Corpse General's hand that was swatting toward Lei Zhen!

It was Ye Chen!

He had just stabilized himself and, ignoring his own injuries and the depletion of his True Essence, he forcibly channeled his Hunyuan True Essence.

He unleashed the most concentrated strike he could currently produce: the "Hunyuan Armor-Piercing Awl"!

"Clang!"

The Sword Qi struck the pitch-black bone armor, producing a crisp sound.

The bone armor was extremely hard, and the Sword Qi failed to completely break through.

However, it caused the descending palm to pause slightly, shifting the wind of the palm by several inches.

That shift of several inches was all it took.

Lei Zhen seized this fleeting opportunity.

He rolled pathetically to the side, narrowly avoiding the fatal palm strike.

The wind of the palm grazed his body as it passed, slamming a large crater into the ground. The flying gravel stung as it hit him.

"Hmm?"

The Netherworld Corpse General seemed somewhat surprised. Its pale Soul fire turned toward Ye Chen.

"Interesting little bug... Your power is very annoying... but also very delicious."

It abandoned Lei Zhen and turned its massive body toward Ye Chen. With a single step, the earth shook and the mountains swayed.

Its other large hand reached out for Ye Chen's head, as if trying to catch a chick.

The speed was too fast, and the pressure was too strong.

Ye Chen felt as if he had fallen into a quagmire.

The surrounding space was solidified by the dense netherworld death qi, making it difficult to even perform Phantom Step.

He was on the verge of being caught.

"Wind Bind!"

A light shout rang out.

Without anyone noticing when, Bai Yu had appeared at the Netherworld Corpse General's side.

He unfurled the iron fan in his hand and fanned it violently toward the corpse general's thick front leg that supported its body.

An incredibly condensed, eerie blue-black whirlwind was generated instantly. Like a rope, it coiled around the corpse general's front leg joint.

The whirlwind was not an attack, but instead carried a strong force of delay and entanglement.

The Netherworld Corpse General's forward momentum was actually hindered by this whirlwind, causing its movements to stall for a fraction of a second.

Though this stall was extremely brief, it was enough for Ye Chen.

He forcibly broke free from the suppression of the Death Qi, used Phantom Step again, and retreated rapidly.

At the same time, he swung his ice scar sword to release several bursts of Sword Qi to block the corpse general's vision.

"Annoying flies!"

The Netherworld Corpse General seemed to be enraged by Bai Yu's harassment.

It temporarily let Ye Chen go.

The Netherworld Chain on its other arm shot out suddenly like a venomous snake, piercing straight toward Bai Yu's heart.

The tip of the chain flickered with ghostly light, carrying a sharpness that could pierce through anything.

Bai Yu's expression changed. He used his iron fan to block in front of him, while his body drifted backward like willow catkins.

"Clang!"

The iron fan collided with the tip of the chain, producing a piercing sound.

Bai Yu felt an irresistible force surge toward him, and the iron fan flew out of his hand.

His entire person was also sent flying backward by the shock.

He crashed into a ruined wall and let out a muffled groan. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth; he had clearly suffered internal injuries.

In just a few breaths, everyone had encountered life-threatening danger and suffered successive injuries.

The strength of this Netherworld Corpse General was far beyond their imagination.

"We can't face it head-on! Scatter and flee! Every person who can get away, do so!"

Murong Bai roared sharply, his voice tinged with a hint of despair.

Faced with the combat power of a Dao Palace Realm being, their small group was simply not enough.

If they continued to fight, they would only be completely wiped out.

"Scatter and flee? Jie jie jie. Not one of you will escape..."

The Netherworld Corpse General laughed strangely, and the Death Qi around its body suddenly surged.

It formed a dense, dark Domain that enveloped the entire ruins.

Within the Domain, the Death Qi was as heavy as lead. Everyone's speed and the circulation of their True Essence were greatly suppressed.

To make matters worse, those two thick Netherworld Chains seemed to gain a life of their own within the Death Qi Domain, dancing and intertwining frantically.

They transformed into a massive net of chains, faintly sealing off everyone's path of retreat.

"I'll fight it to the end!"

Shi Yue struggled to stand up, his eyes blood-red, about to charge forward again.

"Senior Brother Shi Yue! Don't be impulsive!"

Mo Ling cried out urgently, but she also had no other solution.

Ye Chen leaned against a broken wall, panting heavily, his mind racing.

Fighting head-on was a dead end.

Scattering and fleeing under this Death Qi Domain and the net of chains would likely lead to the same fate of being picked off one by one.

Could it be that there truly was no way out?

His gaze swept over the rusty bone armor on the Netherworld Corpse General, and over the thick chains wrapped around its neck, wrists, and ankles.

He looked past the eye sockets where the pale Soul fire burned.

Finally, his gaze landed on the deep pit behind the Netherworld Corpse General, which was constantly spewing Death Qi.

That was the place it had crawled out from.

Was it also... a part of its source of power?

The other ends of those chains were deep inside that pit.

If he could sever those chains, or...

Destroy something within the pit, would it be possible to weaken or even severely wound it?

A crazy thought rose in Ye Chen's mind.

He glanced at Murong Bai, then at Bai Yu nearby, who was significantly injured but whose eyes remained calm.

He also saw Zhao Feng, Han Li, and Su Yuwei, who were terrified but still gripped their weapons tightly.

Perhaps... it was worth a try.

Fighting meant death.

Not fighting also meant death.

In that case, it was better to gamble for a slim chance of survival!

"Senior Brother Murong! Bai Yu! Senior Sister Mo Ling!"

Ye Chen suddenly sent a voice transmission to the three of them, speaking extremely fast.

"I have a way that might severely wound or even finish it! But I need your cooperation to create an opportunity for me to get close to that pit behind it!"

Murong Bai, Bai Yu, and Mo Ling were all stunned upon hearing this, and then a light of hope erupted in their eyes.

"What way?"

Murong Bai asked urgently.

"No time to explain! Trust me!"

Ye Chen said in a low voice.

Murong Bai took a deep look at Ye Chen.

He saw that familiar, almost crazy determination and calmness in his eyes, just like on the Heavenly Punishment Platform.

Just like when he had faced Xiao Li's Heaven-Burning Great Handprint.

"Fine! Tell us, what do we do?"

"I need you all to attract its attention at all costs, to tie up its chains and attacks, and buy me three breaths of time to get near that pit!"

Ye Chen said quickly.

"Three breaths? Near the pit?"

Bai Yu's brow twitched as if he had guessed something.

"You want to strike at its roots?"

"Correct!"

"Are you certain?"

"Thirty percent."

"...Let's do it."

Bai Yu grinned, even though there was still blood on the corner of his mouth.

"Junior Sister Mo Ling, what about you?"

Murong Bai looked at Mo Ling.

Mo Ling gritted her teeth.

"Let's go for it! I can use my remaining power to detonate all the Formation Flags and Talismans to create Chaos and temporarily interfere with its senses and Domain! But only for an instant!"

"An instant is enough!"

Ye Chen nodded.

"Senior Brother Murong, Bai Yu, you two lead the attack and distract it.

Senior Sister Mo Ling, watch for the right moment.

Zhao Feng, Han Li, Su Yuwei, Senior Brother Shi Yue, Senior Brother Lei Zhen, Senior Brother Jing, all of you try your best to protect yourselves and harass from a distance. Do not get close!"

"Alright!"

Although the others didn't know exactly what Ye Chen was planning, they had no other choice at this point and could only choose to believe him.

"Move!"

Murong Bai shouted and was the first to charge out.

He no longer held anything back. The True Essence in his body burned frantically, and his lustrous white longsword erupted with an unprecedentedly brilliant light.

His whole being seemed to transform into a bright, clear moon, carrying an indomitable Aura as he slashed fiercely toward the head of the Netherworld Corpse General!

This was a life-risking sword strike that had nearly exhausted all of his True Essence and mental energy.

"Jie jie... Seeking death!"

The Netherworld Corpse General was indeed distracted, its pale Soul fire locking onto Murong Bai.

One Netherworld Chain, like a furious dragon, whistled as it whipped toward Murong Bai.

The other large hand also swatted toward that "bright moon."

At the same time.

Bai Yu also moved.

His figure was like a ghost, flickering unpredictably within the Death Qi Domain.

He actually performed that eerie Wind Bind technique again to delay its movements.

Several blue-black whirlwinds coiled around the Netherworld Corpse General's other arm and leg joints.

At the same time, without anyone knowing when, several more poison needles as thin as cow hair and flashing with a ghostly blue cold light appeared in his hand.

With a flick of his finger, he shot them toward the pale Soul fire in the Netherworld Corpse General's eye sockets.

Although he knew it might not be able to break through the defense, the purpose of harassment was achieved.

The Netherworld Corpse General was forced to divide its attention, swinging its other chain to sweep away the poison needles while simultaneously shaking off the Wind Bind on its body.

In that instant when it was slightly held back by the fearless attacks of Murong Bai and Bai Yu.

"Explode!"

Mo Ling gave a delicate shout and slammed both hands violently onto the ground.

At this very moment, the Formation Flags she had previously set up around the ruins, which had already dimmed, along with all the remaining offensive and defensive Talismans, were detonated simultaneously!

"Boom boom boom—!!!"

A continuous string of explosions rang out, filled with firelight, lightning, frost, and gale winds...

Turbulent spiritual energy of various attributes exploded violently around the Netherworld Corpse General.

Although it couldn't cause substantial damage, the chaotic energy and light-shadow effects that erupted in that instant...

...did indeed greatly interfere with its perception and the stability of its Death Qi Domain.

Especially the interference on the level of the Divine Soul.

The Netherworld Corpse General let out an angry roar, its movements showing an extremely brief moment of stagnation and confusion.

Now's the time!

A sharp light burst from Ye Chen's eyes as he pushed his "Phantom Step" to the absolute limit.

He channeled the last of his meager True Essence entirely into his movement technique.

He didn't rush toward the Netherworld Corpse General; instead, like a slippery loach, he stayed close to the ground, weaving through the chaotic energy turbulence and the gaps in the Death Qi.

At an almost impossible angle and speed, he headed behind the Netherworld Corpse General.

He charged straight toward that deep pit from which Death Qi was constantly gushing!

Three breaths!

He only had three breaths of time!

During the first breath, he rushed through the chaotic zone and approached the edge of the pit.

The Netherworld Corpse General seemed to sense something and snapped its head around, its pale Soul-fire locking onto Ye Chen as it let out a roar of shock and fury.

One Netherworld Chain abandoned Senior Brother Murong and, like a bolt of lightning, lashed toward the back of Ye Chen's heart!

"Your opponent is me!"

Murong Bai roared, disregarding his own safety as he threw himself forward.

He actually used his Physical Body and longsword to tightly embrace the chain that was lashing toward Ye Chen.

He sprayed blood as he was struck by the massive force and Death Qi on the chain, yet he refused to let go.

During the second breath, Ye Chen had already reached the edge of the pit and, without hesitation, leaped down!

Below was a bottomless darkness and an even more dense and pure netherworld death qi.

And... the source from which those several thick chains extended!

While still in mid-air, he had already raised the ice scar sword.

Inside his body, the Dark Red Ember within his wheel sea seemed to sense the Death Qi below, which was dense to the extreme.

It actually began to throb wildly, emitting a sense of longing and hostility.

The Ice Lotus Imprint also trembled slightly.

Ye Chen's mind was clear and empty, casting aside all distracting thoughts.

He took the last trace of Hunyuan True Essence, along with all his insights into the Concepts of "Return to Void" and "Extinction"...

...as well as a wisp of chaotic clear radiance from the Ice Lotus Imprint and a spark of life-fire from the Dark Red Ember, compressing and condensing them all onto the tip of the ice scar sword.

It wasn't to attack a specific point.

It was to trigger something!

To trigger something within that vast Death Qi below...

...something that might exist and would conflict, clash, and annihilate with the fire of life, the chaotic clear radiance, and the intent of Hunyuan Return to Void!

"Explode... for me!"

Ye Chen roared in his heart, thrusting the ice scar sword, which condensed all his strength and Concepts, fiercely into the bottom of the pit.

Into the pitch-black rock layer where the chains extended from, where the Death Qi was densest, and where some kind of core seemed to exist!

The ice scar sword condensed Ye Chen's final strength and all of his True Essence.

Along with his insights into the Concepts of "Return to Void" and "Extinction."

Furthermore, the chaotic clear radiance of the Ice Lotus Imprint and the life-fire of the Dark Red Ember merged into it.

It transformed into a grey-red stream of light, interwoven with Chaos and vitality, yet carrying the ultimate intent of annihilation.

It stabbed fiercely into the pitch-black rock layer at the bottom of the pit, where the chains extended and the Death Qi was most concentrated.

The moment the sword tip touched the rock layer...

...there was no world-shaking explosion.

There was only a low, long hum that seemed to come from the depths of the earth, causing even the Soul to tremble.

Time seemed to be infinitely stretched and frozen at this moment.

Above the pit, the massive body of the Netherworld Corpse General, which was fighting with Murong Bai, Bai Yu, and the others, suddenly stiffened.

Then, it let out a world-shaking, shrill roar filled with endless pain, shock, and fury.

"Roar—!!!"

This roar no longer rang directly in the Sea of Consciousness.

Instead, it transformed into a physical sound wave, mixed with dense Death Qi, erupting from its wide-open mouth.

Like a storm, it instantly sent Murong Bai and Bai Yu, who were closer, flying back.

It also sent Shi Yue, who was death-gripping the chain, tumbling away as he sprayed blood.

On the Netherworld Corpse General's body, centered on its chest, countless fine cracks suddenly appeared across that thick layer of pitch-black bone armor.

From within the cracks, a grey-red light similar to the glow from Ye Chen's sword tip shone through—a blend of Chaos and vitality.

Yet it also carried a grey-red glow of destructive Aura.

The thick Netherworld Chains wrapped around its neck, wrists, and ankles...

...trembled and hummed violently. The dark light flowing on the chains dimmed rapidly, flickering as if they might break at any moment.

The pitch-black rock layer into which the other end of the chains was embedded also began to vibrate violently, letting out "crack-crack" sounds of shattering.

Streaks of grey-red light, like a spiderweb, spread rapidly from where Ye Chen's sword tip had pierced.

In an instant, they covered the surface of the rock layer and crawled up along those thick Netherworld Chains toward the Netherworld Corpse General's body.

"No—! This is impossible! You ant... you dare... to destroy my Netherworld Profound Yin Vein!"

The Netherworld Corpse General's roar was filled with unbelievable shock and fear.

It struggled desperately to shake off the grey-red light crawling onto its body.

It wanted to pull out the chains embedded deep in the rock.

But that grey-red light seemed to carry a bizarre power of erosion and annihilation; wherever it passed...

...the Death Qi on its body surface dissolved rapidly, the cracks on its bone armor continued to expand, and the netherworld power on the chains was being crazily disintegrated and devoured.

Even more terrifyingly, it felt that its connection to the bottom of the pit...

...to the "Netherworld Profound Yin Vein" that maintained its existence and provided its power, was being rapidly severed, eroded, and destroyed.

That grey-red power seemed to be the natural nemesis of netherworld death qi.

Carrying a terrifying Dao charm of "Returning all things to the void" and "Extinguishing all vitality," it crazily destroyed everything.

"Die, die, die! I will make your Soul Fly Away and Spirit Scattering!"

The Netherworld Corpse General went completely insane; it no longer paid attention to Murong Bai and the others, its massive body suddenly turning toward the pit.

The remaining Netherworld Chain, like a maddened venomous dragon, carried all its power and malice...

...as it stabbed fiercely into the pit, aiming straight for the core of that grey-red light—Ye Chen!

At this moment, after stabbing that sword with all his strength, Ye Chen was truly at the end of his rope.

His face was as pale as paper, he was bleeding from his seven orifices, and his body was like it had been emptied of all bones, slumped weakly against the cold, slippery wall of the pit.

The ice scar sword had long since left his hand, stuck diagonally into the pitch-black rock layer below, which was covered in cracks and flashing with chaotic light.

He didn't even have the strength to lift a single finger.

His Divine Sense was scattered, his wheel sea was drained, and his Meridians felt as if they had been scorched by fire; intense pain and endless exhaustion hit him like a tide.

Wave after wave crashed against his consciousness, which was on the verge of collapse.

Ye Chen could feel that his sword strike seemed to have detonated something incredible.

The so-called "Netherworld Profound Yin Vein" at the bottom of the pit, with its pure netherworld death qi, had reacted with the chaotic vitality and the power of Return to Void and Extinction contained in his sword.

It produced a violent, chain-like, annihilating reaction.

This reaction was destroying the Foundation of the Netherworld Corpse General's power.

But similarly, this destructive energy turbulence filled the entire pit and was about to erupt completely.

Above, that chain carrying the Netherworld Corpse General's final madness and malice had already broken through the Death Qi.

Like the fangs of a death god, it stabbed toward the center of his brow.

Before the chain even reached him, the peerlessly sharp qi and the chilling intent of death already made his brow sting and his Divine Soul feel like it was splitting.

He couldn't dodge.

He couldn't block it either.

Is it over?

He still hadn't found news of his parents.

The grudge against the "Shadow Fiend" had not yet been avenged.

Lin Qingxue was still waiting for him to return.

Leng Ningshuang, Elder Li, Zhao Feng, Duan Tianya... there were still so many things left undone.

I'm so unwilling.

Ye Chen closed his eyes wearily, waiting for death to arrive.

However, the expected penetration and pain did not come.

He only heard a slightly sharp whistle, yet one with a strange rhythm, ringing in his ears.

Next came a dull impact and the "clanging" sound of the chain being forcibly knocked aside.

He managed to open his eyes a crack.

He saw a white figure, like a bird diving into a forest, in a posture of absolute determination.

The figure flew down from above the pit, blocking the space between him and the incoming Netherworld Chain.

It was Bai Yu!

He had somehow also rushed into this pit filled with Death Qi and violent energy.

The iron fan in his hand was now fully unfolded, and complex, profound silver patterns appeared on the surface of the fan.

It emitted faint wind blades that seemed capable of slicing through space.

His face was pale and blood leaked from the corner of his mouth; clearly, he had been significantly injured by taking the Netherworld Corpse General's sound wave shock head-on earlier.