The Legend of the Netherworld

Chapter 186: Fighting Murong Rui Again

As Lin Xiao swung his sword, the runes at the center of the altar vibrated violently, as if struck by an indescribable shock. The massive vortex of death energy suddenly lost its support, slowing its rotation until it came to a complete standstill. Lin Xiao's sword, like a dragon, slashed fiercely at the altar's core with unmatched force.

"boom!"

With a deafening roar, the center of the altar suddenly cracked, the surrounding runes crumbling and turning to ash. The deathly aura dissipated, and the air became fresh, as if reborn. Lin Xiao felt an unprecedented sense of relief, and a huge weight finally fell from his heart. He knew that with the altar destroyed, the source of the deathly aura had been cut off.

"Damn it!" Wang Yang's expression suddenly changed, his eyes brimming with fury. Seeing the altar crumble, he immediately decided to take action himself. He reached out and grasped, and the death energy condensed, transforming into a massive black dragon that pounced towards Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao sneered, his eyes determined. He knew the real battle had just begun. His internal Qi had reached the peak of the Jiayin Eighth Realm, and the advantage of this breakthrough made his reactions and speed even sharper. He instantly activated his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitating Phantom Moves," transforming his Qi into three phantoms that appeared simultaneously, quickly dispersing to evade the black dragon's attack.

"Shadow Spirit Sword Stab!"

Lin Xiao drew his sword, instantly transforming into a shadowy figure, aiming directly at the black dragon's head. The sword's sharp energy practically cleaved the air, and the black dragon's aura was clearly suppressed. However, Wang Yang was not easily defeated. He snorted coldly, and with a flash of his body, he appeared in front of Lin Xiao. A long, inky black blade suddenly condensed in his hand, and he slashed down fiercely.

"Heaven-shattering and earth-shattering knife!"

A powerful black energy swept over, as if even the heavens and the earth were making way for the blade. A flicker of alertness flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. He knew that Wang Yang's blade was incredibly powerful. If he were to be struck by it, even if he could withstand it, he would still suffer great damage.

He immediately swung his sword to meet the attack, unleashing the "Sword Qi Strike" technique, transforming the sword energy into countless sharp blades of light that swept across and collided with Wang Yang's blade.

"clang!"

A violent collision sounded, and the sword blade and the blade intertwined, emitting dazzling sparks. Lin Xiao only felt a huge impact force coming from the sword body. The strength in his body was almost suppressed to the point that it could not be condensed, and cracks appeared on the ground under his feet.

"cough!"

Lin Xiao couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood. His internal energy fluctuated unsteadily for a moment, and he was nearly injured by the backlash. Wang Yang sneered, "You, a Jiayin Eighth Realm brat, actually dared to confront me head-on? You're not worthy!"

However, a cold light flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes: "You haven't seen my true strength yet."

He took a deep breath, and the surrounding air quickly gathered around him, and the cold light of the sword became more and more dazzling. His power swept out like a tornado, and in an instant, the temperature of the surrounding air dropped sharply. Wang Yang's face changed, and he felt the oppression erupting from Lin Xiao.

"Sword dances in a whirl of glory!"

Lin Xiao's sword dance reached its peak. Every swing of his sword was accompanied by a whistling sound. The sword energy transformed into a myriad of rays of light in the air, like dancing grace, swift and fierce. Wang Yang suddenly felt the countless sword energies approaching, making it difficult to resist. He could only swing his long sword with all his might to block Lin Xiao's attacks.

However, Lin Xiao's swordsmanship had already reached perfection, with almost no flaws. All his attacks seemed to predict Wang Yang's every move. Gradually, Wang Yang began to show signs of fatigue, unable to completely withstand Lin Xiao's sword energy.

"With just this little ability, you dare to dominate the world?" Lin Xiao said coldly, his strength bursting to the extreme. He took a step forward suddenly, the sword flashed, and hit Wang Yang's chest directly.

"You..." Wang Yang's eyes widened as he suddenly felt an irresistible force crash into his chest. The long sword's defense was completely broken, and Lin Xiao's sword energy instantly pierced through his chest.

"puff!"

Blood spurted out, and Wang Yang slowly lowered his head, looking at the sword hole in his chest, a sneer on his lips: "You... can only be a passerby after all..."

"I finally won." Lin Xiao's voice was low and firm, his eyes gleaming with a chill. Although he disliked this kind of slaughter, he already understood the cruelty of this trial. Between life and death, only the victor survived.

The moment Wang Yang fell, Lin Xiao quickly searched his body and found several bottles of precious potions and a strange black stone tablet. Lin Xiao put them into a cloth bag and turned to leave. However, just as he was about to leave, he heard a familiar voice: "You, can't leave!"

Lin Xiao turned around suddenly and saw Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi, their eyes full of murderous intent.

"You guys..." Lin Xiao frowned, immediately sensing something was amiss. He knew that Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi had completely changed their mindsets. Clearly, their goal was no longer a spot in the trial, but him.

"You ruined our plan and took away our chance!" Xiang Shouyi said in a low voice, with a cold glint in his eyes. "Now, I will pay the price for your actions!"

"You guys..." A hint of confusion flashed across Lin Xiao's eyes, and then he sneered, "If this is for the quota, what do you think you can take away from me?"

"Do you think you can walk out of here alive?" Murong Rui said coldly, his eyes filled with deep hatred. "You misunderstood. The ultimate test of this trial is not combat, but trust. You were destined to die here."

"I'm really looking forward to you trying it!" Lin Xiao smiled faintly, and the sword in his hand once again condensed a cold aura, and the air around him was also shaken.

"bring it on!"

Lin Xiao raised the tip of his sword slightly, his eyes flashing with coldness. He knew that this battle would no longer be a simple test, but a battle of life and death. Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi were no longer friends, but had become complete enemies.

Xiang Shouyi slowly took out a jade talisman from his arms and gently squeezed it. Suddenly, a dark red light emanated from the jade talisman and quickly spread into a barrier, completely blocking the surrounding space, as if isolating the three of them in an empty world.

"Is this... a formation?" Lin Xiao frowned slightly, obviously not expecting that Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi had prepared such a meticulous method.

"Do you think you can escape this time?" Murong Rui sneered, his eyes filled with the determination to retaliate. "Within this barrier, any spatial fluctuations will be restrained. No matter how many times you use your illusionary skills, you won't be able to escape."

Lin Xiao glanced coldly at the two men, his mind racing. He knew that relying solely on his own strength wouldn't necessarily allow him to easily break the formation. But if given the chance, he wouldn't hesitate. His gaze swept around him, sensing that the thick aura of death had completely dissipated. The entire altar seemed to have returned to peace. Their location was like an isolated island, no longer able to rely on outside forces.

"What do you want to do?" Lin Xiao's voice was cold and sharp, with a hint of deterrence that could not be ignored.

"You can no longer move forward." Xiang Shouyi's eyes flashed with coldness. "No matter how you struggle, the barrier has trapped you. You will surely die tonight!"

Murong Rui sneered, "If you had just handed over the Amethyst Jade, I wouldn't have let you die so awfully. But since you insist on resisting, we'll send you packing!"

After hearing this, Lin Xiao sneered inwardly. If it were in the past, he might have had some concerns, but now, after all the fighting and growth along the way, he was no longer the doubtful boy he once was. His sword was not just for slaying enemies, but also a declaration of fearlessness.

"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Lin Xiao's eyes became as sharp as a knife. "You are just using despicable means to trap me, but I will not sit still and wait for death."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly narrowed his eyes, his strength rose to the peak again, and the aura around him suddenly changed, as if a huge force was brewing.

Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi exchanged a glance, a hint of fear flashing in their eyes. Although Lin Xiao's realm was only at the eighth level of Jiayin, the aura he released at this moment made them feel an invisible oppression.

"It seems that you are quite capable." Murong Rui's eyes became serious. "But you can't escape."

Lin Xiao smiled indifferently, and the long sword in his hand suddenly made a deafening sound. The air around the sword seemed to be torn apart by a huge force, and the entire barrier began to vibrate slightly.

"Illusionary Skill: Imitating Phantom Moves!"

Instantly, he unleashed his most powerful form-shifting technique, his inner energy instantly disintegrating into countless phantoms. Sword light intertwined in a web around him, like an invisible tornado, shattering the air. A piercing chill spread, like ice and snow pressing down on the earth, making it difficult to breathe.

"Damn it!" Xiang Shouyi waved his hand violently, summoning a light shield to push away the pressure of the barrier, trying to contain Lin Xiao's attack. However, his movements were obviously slow, and Lin Xiao's sword energy was already rapidly approaching.

"Sword Qi Strike Back and Forth!"

Lin Xiao shouted coldly, and the sword in his hand instantly flashed a brilliant light. The sword energy was like a rainbow piercing the sun, its sharp edge directly breaking through Xiang Shouyi's light shield and striking his chest. Xiang Shouyi felt a heavy pressure coming towards him, his face turned pale, and he hurriedly held his sword to block it.

"clang!"

With a loud bang, Xiang Shouyi was forced to step back several steps, his blood surging and he almost couldn't keep his balance. Lin Xiao took the opportunity to perform "Sword Dance Wind Spin". The sword body spun like a dancer in the wind, and the sword energy turned into thousands of rays of light, locking onto Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi.

"Do you think you can defeat us?" A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Murong Rui's eyes. He waved his hand violently, and the energy around him burst out, instantly gathering into a black whirlwind, rushing straight towards Lin Xiao.

"Extreme Wind!" He roared, mobilizing the power in his body. The air around him was instantly torn apart, forming a powerful cyclone. The strong wind blew in his face, as if to swallow everything.

Lin Xiao sneered, shifting his footsteps slightly and unleashing his "Dragon Swimming Across the Seas" technique. He dodged the attack as lightly as a leaf in the wind. At the same time, he swung his sword again, its energy piercing through space and pointed directly at Murong Rui.

"Do you really think you can use these little tricks to deal with me?" Lin Xiao's tone was cold, his figure flashed around like a ghost, and the sword light cut through the space mercilessly.

Seeing that he was unable to resist, Murong Rui roared in frustration: "Die!"

He gathered all his strength and unleashed a move called "Dark Night Hurricane". The storm in the entire barrier intensified again, and it was so fierce that it seemed to swallow up everything.

However, Lin Xiao did not retreat. A sneer appeared on his face, and the sword shook slightly. Suddenly, the surrounding airflow changed instantly, forming a sword energy barrier that completely blocked all attacks.

"Sword Qi Strike Back and Forth!"

"Extreme Wind Break!"

The two streams collided violently, like two giant stars colliding, producing a tremendous explosion. The air vibrated, dust flew, and the entire barrier was shaken violently, as if it would collapse at any moment.

Lin Xiao took a deep breath, turned his sword, and locked onto Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi again.

The sword energy and the storm in the air intertwined into a chaotic chaos. The barrier trembled continuously, and it seemed that it would collapse at any moment. Lin Xiao stood still, his breath steady, his eyes as sharp as a knife. He was not eager to attack, but calmly observed Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi across from him. Although their auras fluctuated slightly, they were still filled with murderous intent.

Murong Rui clenched his fists, anger boiling in his heart, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes. Xiang Shouyi no longer looked down on Lin Xiao. He had obviously realized that this battle was not just a duel of strength, but also a contest of wisdom.

"Do you think you can defeat us?" Murong Rui said coldly, his tone full of disdain and challenge. "With your current level, you dare to go against my Murong family!"

"The Murong family?" Lin Xiao repeated the name softly, a slight sneer curling up at the corner of his mouth. "You are nothing but a bunch of bullies, what can the Murong family do? I can kill a mere Jiayin realm expert at any time!"

His words were neither hurried nor slow, yet they carried an oppressive aura, as if he were declaring an unquestionable fact. Lin Xiao suddenly moved, his steps swift as the wind, and he instantly appeared in front of Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi.

Xiang Shouyi's face changed, and he quickly held his sword across his body, ready to attack. Murong Rui's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he quickly mobilized his internal energy, condensing a black vortex in his palm and heading towards Lin Xiao.

"Yin Yang is broken!" Murong Rui shouted softly, and a black cyclone rushed towards Lin Xiao like an evil wind. A sharp whistling sound was heard in the air, as if it could swallow everything.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao unleashed his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitative Shadow Moves," instantly transforming his inner energy into two illusory figures that quickly separated from him. The black cyclone instantly struck, carrying with it an extremely powerful pressure. Lin Xiao's two shadows quickly dodged, but were still swept by the cyclone's aftermath.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, one of Lin Xiao's shadows disappeared instantly, but his other shadow took the opportunity to approach Murong Rui. Murong Rui's face changed slightly, and he was startled. He wanted to mobilize his strength to stop it, but it was too late.

"Shadow Spirit Sword Stab!"

The sword energy in Lin Xiao's hand condensed into a sharp blade, directly penetrating Murong Rui's defense and pointing directly at his chest. Murong Rui suddenly raised his hand, trying to mobilize his defense again, but the sword energy was extremely fast, leaving him with almost no time to react.

The sword energy was as sharp as a blade, carrying an infinite chill, instantly slicing through the air and fiercely piercing Murong Rui's chest. Murong Rui only felt a powerful force coming from his chest, blood suddenly gushing out, and the whole person was like a kite with a broken string, being knocked several feet away and hitting the ground heavily.

"Young Master!" Xiang Shouyi shouted, his face pale, and he immediately raised his sword to counterattack Lin Xiao. At the same time, the air around him suddenly exploded, forming a terrifying storm that swept up the surrounding trees and rocks and pressed towards Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao watched Xiang Shouyi's movements, a cold glint in his eyes. At this moment, his strength had already reached its peak, and every ounce of power in his body was fully utilized. Without any hesitation, he crossed his swords, forming an impenetrable defensive line.

"Sword dances in a whirl of glory!"

He shouted softly, and as his long sword danced, sword energy blossomed like petals, quickly forming a sword net that completely tore through Xiang Shouyi's storm. The rocks and branches in the storm were chopped into pieces by the sword energy, and Xiang Shouyi's attack was completely defeated.

A flash of panic flashed in Xiang Shouyi's eyes. He realized that he was completely at a disadvantage. A trace of unwillingness appeared on his face, but there was nothing he could do. At this time, Murong Rui had already fallen to the ground with serious injuries. His whole body was weak and he had almost lost his fighting ability.

"You... let's call it a day." Lin Xiao's voice was as cold as snow, completely devoid of any mercy. He stepped forward, the tip of his sword pointed directly at Xiang Shouyi's heart.

Xiang Shouyi retreated hastily, wanting to struggle again, but he was exhausted and could no longer fight. His eyes were filled with regret and powerlessness. He finally realized that he had underestimated Lin Xiao's strength.

"Don't... don't kill me..." Xiang Shouyi's voice was hoarse, with a hint of pleading, "If you spare me, I am willing to work for you..."

A cold glint flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes, but his heart remained calm. He would show no mercy to his former ally. Those betrayals and injuries would eventually be repaid with blood and lives.

"Since you want to live, then go die." Lin Xiao didn't hesitate and stabbed Xiang Shouyi's chest with his sword.

The sword energy pierced the air, and a trace of fear and unwillingness flashed in Xiang Shouyi's pupils, and then his whole body's breath suddenly dissipated.

With Xiang Shouyi's death, Lin Xiao finally regained a moment of peace. Murong Rui still lay on the ground, breathing weakly, his life or death uncertain. Lin Xiao looked at him, his eyes devoid of any pity. The sword in his hand trembled slightly, as if waiting for the final blow.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the distance. Lin Xiao turned his head vigilantly and looked in the direction of the sound.