The Legend of the Netherworld

Chapter 208: Ruthless War

As Lin Xiao continued to venture deeper into the mysterious woods, his steps grew steadier, his gaze sharper. Just then, a cold breeze blew past, and the air suddenly shifted, a powerful pressure pressing down on him. He frowned slightly, his heart wary.

"The wind is ruthless." Lin Xiao whispered to himself, with a barely perceptible cold light in his eyes.

In a flash, Feng Wuqing appeared before Lin Xiao. His clothes flowed like ripples in the wind, free and unrestrained. His face was handsome, yet a murderous aura lingered between his brows. Disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect were known for their agility and stealth, their movements mysterious, and their actions ruthless.

"Lin Xiao." Feng Wuqing said calmly, his voice carrying a hint of coldness. "You've finally made it here. I've been getting a little impatient waiting."

Lin Xiao didn't respond, but just stared at him quietly. He knew Feng Wuqing was no pushover, carrying the Xiaoyao Sect's unique arrogance and murderous aura. If he underestimated the enemy, the consequences would be disastrous.

Feng Wuqing seemed to sense Lin Xiao's vigilance, and a scornful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Even though you now have clues to the Resurrection Grass, the danger here is no less than you imagined. If you kill Li Hong, perhaps the ending today will be even more tragic."

Lin Xiao was not shaken by this. Instead, he raised the corner of his mouth with a faint smile: "You are just an assassin sent by the Xiaoyao Sect. I'm afraid you alone are not enough to take away the Resurrection Grass."

Feng Wuqing's eyes instantly turned cold, and then a powerful aura erupted. He suddenly leaped up, raising both palms, sending sand and dust flying everywhere. The surrounding trees seemed to tremble, and his pressure was as great as a mountain.

"Since you are so confident, I will let you understand what true strength is." Feng Wuqing's voice was low and sounded like thunder in his ears.

Lin Xiao coldly watched his movements. In an instant, Feng Wuqing's energy surged like thunder, and a powerful wind roared from his palms. Simultaneously, he unleashed the Xiaoyao Sect's unique skill, the "Wind Spirit Technique." The surrounding air rapidly flowed, even drawing in the dust, forming a powerful vortex that attacked Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao's mind moved, and he immediately used the "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitative Phantom Moves", instantly splitting into three figures of himself. The three Lin Xiaos stood side by side in different positions, forming a perfect encirclement.

A hint of surprise flashed in Feng Wuqing's eyes. He realized that Lin Xiao's strength was not simple, but then he sneered: "Three people? They are just phantoms." He waved his hand casually, and the wind power in his palm turned into a blade, which directly slashed towards one of Lin Xiao.

However, the blade passed through the phantom, and there was no reaction in the air. Feng Wuqing's face changed, and he turned around suddenly, only to see the real Lin Xiao was already behind him, coldly raising his longsword, the blade flashing with a cold light.

"Too slow." Lin Xiao sneered, his sword already stabbing towards Feng Wuqing's vitals.

Feng Wuqing sensed the danger and quickly turned around, interlocking his palms. A powerful wind wall blocked the sword energy. At the same time, he quickly retreated, his body spinning rapidly, transforming into a wind shadow, quickly increasing the distance.

"Yes, you can actually force me to use my full strength." Feng Wuqing retreated while whispering, "But this is far from enough."

He suddenly released a stronger aura, and his palm transformed into a vortex of wind blades, violently sweeping towards Lin Xiao. Feng Wuqing unleashed his "Wind Blade Dance" move, sending the air spinning wildly like a storm sweeping over everything.

Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed. He knew that if he continued to delay, Feng Wuqing would unleash an even more terrifying attack. So, he gritted his teeth and decided to defeat him as quickly as possible.

He used the "Sword Qi Technique" and the sword energy surged, instantly breaking through the wind blade and rushing towards Feng Wuqing with lightning speed.

Feng Wuqing saw the situation was not good and immediately used the "Wind Spirit Step", transforming his body into a gust of wind and dodging quickly. Lin Xiao's sword energy brushed past his shoulder, instantly opening a wound and sending blood splattering.

Feng Wuqing's face darkened. He had obviously not expected Lin Xiao's attack to be so swift and fierce, and his body movements were forced to such a tight limit.

"If you want to live, hand over the Resurrection Grass immediately." A fierce look flashed in Feng Wuqing's eyes, and the strength in his body burst out instantly, immediately causing the surrounding air to fluctuate violently, and the wind and sand were blowing violently.

Lin Xiao stood still, with no fear in his eyes. He knew that Feng Wuqing's energy had reached its limit at this moment. If he didn't deal with him in time, he would fall into greater trouble.

"I advise you to be sensible." Lin Xiao responded coldly, the long sword in his hand glowing slightly, the sword tip pointing directly at Feng Wuqing's chest.

Feng Wuqing's eyes gradually turned gloomy. He had not expected that Lin Xiao could actually make all his attacks so awkward in such a short time. As a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect, he had always been known for his Qinggong and palm techniques, but at this moment, he felt unprecedented pressure.

He snorted coldly, and suddenly crossed his palms, condensing a powerful vortex of wind, trying to block Lin Xiao's sword energy. However, Lin Xiao's sword seemed to cut through the vortex of wind, and with a momentum like thunder, it rushed straight towards Feng Wuqing.

Feng Wuqing's heart trembled, and he quickly used the "Wind Spirit Step" to retreat rapidly again, quickly soaring into the air and avoiding the attack. However, just as he stabilized his body, he felt an extremely biting cold air approaching. He looked back and saw that Lin Xiao's figure had disappeared.

"Damn it!" Feng Wuqing turned around suddenly, but Lin Xiao had already appeared behind him like a shadow, with a flashing sword and a sharp cold wind, going straight for his heart.

"You're nothing special." Lin Xiao said coldly, the sword blade swept through the air, drawing an elegant but deadly arc.

A flash of panic flashed across Feng Wuqing's eyes. He tried to strike back with his palm, but the sword's speed was too fast and had already penetrated his defense. With a "swish", Lin Xiao's sword had already pierced Feng Wuqing's chest, and blood spurted out.

Feng Wuqing was stunned, looking down at the sword wound on his chest. Blood flowed from the wound, gradually staining his clothes red. He tried to struggle again, but found that his strength was rapidly draining away, and the surrounding wind and sand seemed to no longer provide him with support.

"You...you dare...kill me?" Feng Wuqing spoke with difficulty, with a hint of anger and unwillingness in his voice.

"You have no right to threaten me." Lin Xiao's voice was low, but full of determination. "Since you don't know whether to live or die, then go to hell."

After saying that, Lin Xiao gripped the sword tightly and exerted force suddenly. The sword energy tore through Feng Wuqing's body. Accompanied by a shrill scream, Feng Wuqing's body twisted violently in the air, and finally turned into a wind shadow, completely dissipating in the air.

Lin Xiao stood there, his eyes grim, staring at the spot where Feng Wuqing had disappeared, and slowly sheathed his sword. He knew that today's battle was only the beginning, and more challenges and enemies awaited him ahead.

He turned around and continued walking deeper into the forest, knowing full well that this mysterious forest was far from being as simple as it seemed, and the dangers hidden within it were probably beyond his expectations.

At this moment, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps coming from a distance. As the sound gradually approached, a familiar figure appeared in front of him.

"Lin Xiao!"

Lin Xiao was slightly stunned and looked up, only to see Wang Qingzhao walking slowly towards him with a smile on her face, but a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Wang Qingzhao?" Lin Xiao raised his eyebrows, obviously not expecting to meet his good friend here. Wang Qingzhao was dressed in a black robe, with a calm look in her eyes, giving people an unusual feeling.

Wang Qingzhao looked at Lin Xiao, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, "Why are you here? This place is not something that anyone can just barge in."

Lin Xiao smiled calmly, "How could I miss such a good show? Besides, since you're here too, it seems I'm not the only one who wants that resurrection grass."

Wang Qingzhao nodded slightly, "However, before that, we have to solve the trouble at hand." As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere around him tensed, and then a sneer was heard.

Lin Xiao turned around and discovered that several black-robed cultivators had surrounded them. Leading them was a middle-aged man with a stern face and an undeniable sense of pressure in his eyes.

"Who are you?" Lin Xiao frowned, sensing the danger in the other party's aura.

The middle-aged man chuckled, "We are Chen Yijian's men. You dare to break in here, and you will definitely pay the price for it."

"Chen Yijian?" A hint of anger flashed in Wang Qingzhao's eyes. She seemed familiar with the name. "It seems that today's matter will not be so simple."

Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat. Chen Yijian—he'd heard that name several times before. Like Wang Qingzhao, he'd clashed with Chen Yijian before for some reason. Chen Yijian was an extremely cunning and sinister individual who took pleasure in revenge, especially against those he had grudges against.

"Since you are here, don't leave." The middle-aged man spoke coldly. As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand to signal the people behind him. Suddenly, several sword lights attacked Lin Xiao and Wang Qingzhao like lightning.

A cold light flashed in Wang Qingzhao's eyes. He took a deep breath and quickly summoned a black sword. As he swung it, the sword energy surged like a tide, pointing directly at the enemy.

Lin Xiao showed no sign of weakness, raising his sword with a powerful force. The two of them joined forces to attack, their momentum soaring, instantly forcing the enemies on all sides back.

But the opponent was obviously not an ordinary cultivator. Every move and every style of theirs was filled with strong murderous intent and exquisite formations.

Lin Xiao knew that if he couldn't end this battle quickly, he would probably be pinned down by more enemies and the situation would become extremely complicated.

"Wang Qingzhao, break their formation!" Lin Xiao shouted softly, and swung his sword violently. The sword energy intertwined into a net and pounced on the enemy.

Wang Qingzhao nodded, his eyes flashing with determination. He quickly mobilized the strength in his body, and the long sword in his hand suddenly glowed, turning into a sharp sword energy, slashing fiercely at the enemy's formation.

"boom!"

A violent explosion sounded, the enemy's formation was broken and collapsed instantly, and several cultivators were seriously injured.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man's eyes flashed with surprise and anger, "So strong? It seems that you are not ordinary characters."

He paused and sneered, "If that's the case, don't blame me for being rude!"

The middle-aged man snorted coldly, his aura suddenly surging, and the air around him seemed to freeze instantly. A crimson long sword suddenly appeared in his hand, a blazing flame burning on the blade, emitting a powerful pressure.

"Flame Blade Technique: Sky-Splitting Slash!" the middle-aged man roared, swung his crimson sword, and a massive flaming blade shot straight at Lin Xiao and Wang Qingzhao. The blade's energy pierced through the heavens and earth, seemingly capable of tearing everything apart. The temperature around them instantly soared, and the air itself was distorted by the heat.

Lin Xiao felt the scorching heat coming towards him, and he quickly used his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitating Shadow Moves" to summon two phantom clones to join him in the attack. At the same time, he swung his sword and unleashed his "Sword Qi Horizontal Technique." Countless sword energies intertwined into a web, meeting the flaming blade energy.

"Boom!" Two powerful forces collided in mid-air, causing a deafening roar. Flames and sword energy intertwined, instantly shattering the surrounding trees into pieces and raising a layer of dust from the ground.

Elsewhere, Wang Qingzhao wasn't idle either. His gaze was sharp, and the black sword in his hand suddenly glowed with a dark golden light. He shouted, "Sword Art: Unparalleled Slash!" The sword transformed into a stream of light, charging straight at the middle-aged man.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man sneered and swung his red sword horizontally, blocking Wang Qingzhao's attack. However, just as he was concentrating on dealing with Wang Qingzhao, a phantom of Lin Xiao quietly appeared behind him.

"Shadow Spirit Sword Stab!" The long sword in the phantom Lin Xiao's hand turned into a shadow and stabbed the middle-aged man in the back. The middle-aged man felt the murderous aura behind him and turned abruptly. He swung his long sword and collided with Lin Xiao's phantom sword energy, shattering the phantom.

"Nothing more than that!" The middle-aged man laughed. However, just as he finished his words, the real Lin Xiao appeared in front of him, with the sword pointing straight at his throat.

The middle-aged man's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly swung his sword to block, but it was too late. Lin Xiao's sword energy was like a rainbow, accurately slicing across the middle-aged man's throat, and a trace of bright red spurted out.

The middle-aged man's eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe that he had actually been defeated by Lin Xiao. His body stiffened and fell to the ground. The crimson long sword slipped from his hand and stuck into the ground. The flame gradually died down.

Lin Xiao put away his sword and stood there with a cold look in his eyes. He looked around and found that the remaining enemies had been killed by Wang Qingzhao.

"These people are indeed Chen Yijian's men. It seems that we will have a battle with him sooner or later." Wang Qingzhao walked to Lin Xiao's side with a low voice.

"However, he only sent someone here to test us this time." Lin Xiao nodded slightly, bent down to pick up the middle-aged man's storage bag, opened it, and found a few pieces of fairy jade, a bottle of healing pills, and a map inside.

Lin Xiao picked up the map and looked at it carefully, and found that there was a hidden cave location marked on it, and the name of the cave was "The Secret Place of Guihun"!

"The secret place where souls return? Could this be the place where the resurrection grass grows?" Lin Xiao frowned, obviously a little surprised.

Wang Qingzhao came over to take a look and revealed a serious expression. "This place must be hiding a bigger secret. I'm afraid Chen Yijian is also preparing for it."

Lin Xiao nodded and put the map away. "In that case, we must act quickly. Otherwise, when Chen Yijian really makes a move, we may lose the initiative."

The two quickly gathered their things and headed towards the direction marked on the map. Unbeknownst to them, in the distant forest, a pair of cold eyes were staring at them intently, a strange smile curling up at the corners of their mouths.

"Feng Wuqing is dead, Chen Yijian will know..." the man muttered to himself, and then disappeared into the darkness, as if he had never appeared.