340: Chapter 340 The Netherworld Palace

The Northern Desert Region.

This is the most savage and chaotic of the five regions in the Qingling Realm.

The vast desert stretches for ten thousand miles of yellow sand, with wild winds howling and sweeping up gravel, and the world is perpetually shrouded in a vast, desolate, and murderous aura.

Unlike the Eastern Desolate Region, which is filled with Sects and presided over by orthodox Holy Lands, nor does it possess the beautiful mountains and rivers of the Southern Ocean Region, where the Yao Race lives in unified harmony.

The Northern Desert Region is fragmented by various powers; Righteous Path Sects are in decline, while demonic Sects, cults, ancient remnants, and desperate Loose Cultivators occupy different areas, each claiming territory as their own and ruling as kings.

Survival of the fittest is not just a Law of Heavenly Dao here; it is the norm.

Slaughter runs rampant, grievances never end, and rules and etiquette are merely nominal here. Only strength is the sole truth for establishing a foothold in the Northern Desert.

Ji Taichang sat cross-legged on Cai Ling's back, traveling throughout the Northern Desert Region, crossing the vast desert, passing through dilapidated ancient cities, and traversing dangerous forbidden zones.

Whenever he encountered a Cultivator, Ji Taichang would activate his Heavenly Fox True Pupil to friendly and sincerely inquire about information regarding the demonic cults of the Northern Desert Region.

These Cultivators would all be terrified and trembling, answering truthfully, allowing Ji Taichang to quickly master numerous secrets and intelligence about the Northern Desert Region.

Ji Taichang laughed and said, "Who said the Northern Desert Region is chaotic and savage? In my view, the local customs are simple, and the Cultivators are all passionate and honest."

Cai Ling: ...

What is this guy saying?

With strength comparable to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, and such a Heaven-Defying ability as the Heavenly Fox True Pupil, even the most ferocious Devil Head would not dare to act presumptuously in front of you!

Cai Ling grumbled in her heart, but when she spoke, it turned into flattery: "Master is an Immortal reborn, a Divine Being descended to this world! Your aura suppresses the vast desert for hundreds of millions of miles. Not to mention ordinary Loose Cultivator Devil Heads, even those tyrannical demonic giants of the Northern Desert Region would have to tremble in their hearts and bow in awe upon seeing you..."

Ji Taichang's lips curved slightly upward as he patted Cai Ling's head. "If you know how to speak, say more."

"..."

Cai Ling's mouth twitched, and she could only continue to flatter him.

A moment later.

As Cai Ling crossed a stretch of desert Gobi, a cold and terrifying Evil Qi rushed toward them.

What came into view was a desolate and deathly silent mountain range. The vast earth was completely pitch-black, barren of all vegetation, with no birds in sight.

The world was perpetually shrouded in purple-black curse mist, with cold winds wailing and continuous ghostly cries. Decaying white bones could be seen everywhere on the ground, along with faint, shimmering blood-red curse patterns, and the Evil Qi never dissipated.

A blood moon hung upside down in the firmament, Evil Qi suppressed the Dao, and the Laws were twisted.

Deep within the black mist, black bone altars appeared and disappeared, surrounded by evil souls.

Youluo Nether Palace.

Among the many demonic Sects and cults in the Northern Desert Region, its reputation is not the greatest, but it is the demonic Sect that most Cultivators in the Northern Desert Region are least willing to provoke.

This is because the Youluo Nether Palace is extremely sinister and terrifying. Any Cultivator who becomes their enemy either dies suddenly, suffers from Qi Deviation, or meets with an accident while fighting others and gets killed—all of them die in bizarre ways!

The means used by the Youluo Nether Palace are precisely curse techniques!

This kind of bizarre and impossible-to-guard-against method is quite terrifying; even Mahayana Stage powerhouses are wary of the Youluo Nether Palace and dare not easily provoke them.

Cai Ling flapped her wings, kicking up a wild wind that blew away the surrounding black mist.

However, wisps of bizarre curse power permeated the world, silently enveloping them, attempting to erode Ji Taichang and Cai Ling.

Cai Ling let out a cold snort, and the seven-colored glow on her body became even more brilliant, blocking all the curse power from the outside.

"Hehehe... I smell hostility. The two Fellow Daoists seem to have come with ill intent?"

Suddenly, a cold voice sounded from all directions, drifting and uncertain.

The surrounding black mist surged, and the decaying white bones on the ground trembled, as if countless eyes were staring straight at Ji Taichang and Cai Ling.

"Playing god and acting the devil, get out here!"

Cai Ling spread her wings, her dense feathers glowing and transforming into streaks of seven-colored sharp arrows, sweeping across in all directions and blotting out the sky, kicking up a heaven-shaking storm.

Accompanied by a "rumbling" sound echoing through the air.

The earth shook and mountains swayed; the ground for thousands of miles around was sunk. The black mist dissipated, dust filled the sky, and a huge deep pit was forcefully blasted out, creating a shocking scene.

"Mahayana Stage Sixth Level?!"

A voice of surprise came from the distance.

The black mist filling the sky surged from deep within the territory of the Youluo Nether Palace, gathering into a figure completely shrouded in black robes, wearing a ghost face mask, with a withered hand gripping a skull scepter.

"For what reason have the two Fellow Daoists come to my Youluo Nether Palace?"

Ji Taichang said indifferently, "This Seat wants the curse techniques of your Youluo Nether Palace."

"Oh?"

The black-robed person sneered, "Interesting... Then what do you intend to trade for them?"

Ji Taichang showed a playful smile on his face, "We will trade with your lives."

"Hehehe... Hahaha!!"

The black-robed person laughed until he was leaning back and forth, as if he had heard a colossal joke. "As a demonic Sect and cult, the Youluo Nether Palace has always been the one robbing others. I never expected that today, we would actually be robbed by someone coming to our door. This is truly interesting!"

"You are not the first to do this, but... they all died very miserably!"

The black-robed person grinned, revealing a grim and terrifying smile.

Hum—

The skull scepter in his hand glowed, and he slammed it hard into the Void Realm. Twisted, wriggling black demonic patterns continuously spread, instantly forming an altar and a magic array, reflecting the figures of Ji Taichang and Cai Ling.

In just an instant.

The temperature between heaven and earth plummeted. An invisible and terrifying power of curses descended, everywhere, surging like a tide!

Even as strong as Cai Ling was, at this moment, she could not help but have her hair stand on end, get goosebumps all over, and feel a great sense of alarm in her heart!

"Curses rise from the Yellow Springs, Evil Qi locks the Divine Soul! Blood-inscribed Dao marks, life locked in the Nether abyss!"

"Hehehe... Die for this Venerable One!!"

The black-robed person sang and danced, chanting some kind of incantation. In an instant, cold winds raged around them, ghosts cried and wolves howled, as if ghosts and gods were whispering. The bizarre and terrifying curse swept toward Ji Taichang and Cai Ling!

Ji Taichang stood with his hands behind his back, not even taking the initiative to attack. A green lotus mark on his forehead glowed slightly; the Creation Green Lotus Dao Seed sensed the curse descending, spontaneously awakening, and releasing a wisp of supreme aura.

Whoosh!

In just an instant, the surrounding thick curse power was completely cleared away. Even the Evil Qi and black mist that had been entrenched here disappeared, and the world returned to a clear and bright sky.

"?"

The black-robed person's body stiffened, and his eyes widened a little.

"The power of this curse technique is mediocre; try another one."

Ji Taichang shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with disdain. "Bring out the strongest curse technique of your Youluo Nether Palace; don't disappoint This Seat."

"Get some spirit; don't lose face!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the black-robed person's expression turned completely cold.

This was simply a blatant provocation and a slap in the face!

"Good... Very good!"

"No wonder you dare to come to my Youluo Nether Palace to pick a fight; you do have some ability."

"Since you want to witness the strongest curse technique of my Youluo Nether Palace, this Venerable One will satisfy you!!"