CHAPTER 287: CHAPTER 286: OH NO, NETHER RIVER HAS LEARNED THE REAL STUFF!

Endless death energy erupted from the sword, birthed by Nether River within the ephemeral cycle of reincarnation. Life and death’s eternal wheel seemed to unfold upon this singular strike.

Nether River’s Dao had become less pure, but the Life and Death Dao stood vastly superior to the mere Slaughter Dao—especially when intertwined with the Power of Reincarnation and the Outer Dao. This was a new path.

With one slash, the interwoven forces of life and death chaotically obliterated the Dao Qi of Yunxiao and Jin Ling.

As a disciple of the Jie Sect, Jin Ling confronted head-on without an ounce of hesitation!

Wielding the Qingping Sword, she unleashed her Golden Dao; razor-sharp golden radiance infused the sword light as she struck forward.

Meanwhile, Yunxiao raised her hand and summoned the Chaos Origin Golden Bowl, sending a storm of yellow sand flying to swiftly form the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation. The sweeping sands began breaking down and purging the vile blood within the formation.

Sword light danced, Qingping Sword, Flying Gold Sword, and Dragon Tiger Ruyi clashed against Nether River. After several rounds, they fell into a disadvantage. At this moment, Ancestor of Nether River seemed strange—Nether River had cultivated for countless Yuan Hui, making his comprehension of the Dao superior—but his Dao now wielded powers not just to obliterate and erode Jin Ling’s Golden Dao but also twist it in reverse.

How did it twist?

The Golden Dao, renowned for its sharpness and ferocity, would experience inexplicable disruptions whenever she made contact with him. The razor-sharp edge of gold dulled to sluggishness.

Using Dragon Tiger Ruyi to strike, the hardness attribute of gold would inexplicably soften, dissipating thirty percent of the force of her blow.

This unsettling distortion directly diminished Jin Ling’s combative capacity by twenty percent—a phenomenon she had never encountered before.

Fortunately, Yunxiao’s Nine Curves Yellow River Formation had reached the seventh curve, successfully mitigating Nether River’s home-field advantage.

Jin Ling, wielding Qingping Sword, held her ground with unyielding determination. Neither side was in ideal condition, while Yunxiao, an orchestrator of formations, controlled the giant dragon formed from yellow sand, tirelessly supporting Jin Ling in the battle.

Facing their combined assault, Nether River exhibited an increasingly erratic brilliance. Within endless possibilities simulated by the cycle of reincarnation, though limited and fragmented, Nether River gained countless new perspectives and realizations. As the battle unfolded, these countless insights nourished his power, becoming fully integrated into his control.

Even in a one-against-two scenario, he began to gradually seize the upper hand.

Yunxiao’s yellow sand, imbued with forces of dissolution, proved ineffective against Nether River’s Dao Qi. Whereas ordinary Immortals’ Dao Marks might resemble simple threads, Nether River’s Dao Marks were like ropes messily twisted and knotted without any discernible order.

This unusual nature left Yunxiao helpless—she had never encountered an opponent like this before.

To Yunxiao and Jin Ling, Nether River’s seemingly deranged demeanor came across as madness, but to him, it was exhilarating—a pure thrill of validating his knowledge through practice.

From within the Mountain and River Map, Nezha had been observing Nether River outside meticulously. His increasingly fearless and relentless momentum reminded him of Ouyang Feng’s reversal of the Nine Yin Scripture to become the World’s Number One.

Damn, looks like Nether River actually learned something real!

I hardly remember what I said, yet you somehow actually grasped it? Are all the Primordial Great Experts this absurd?

Perhaps everyone should stop scheming and just come listen to me lecture instead. Saint-making specialized tutor Li Nezha—no ninety-nine-eight bargains, just one Innate Top-grade Spiritual Treasure and the path to Sainthood is yours to take home!

While internally ranting, Nezha wasn’t concerned for the trio’s safety.

Simply put, even Immortals had their limits. Nether River, having delved into reincarnation simulations, fused his Three Corpses, and now engaged in single combat against two Quasi-Saints, was draining his Divine Soul and mana severely.

Were it not for the countless Blood God’s sons in the Blood Sea supplying him with Divine Soul power and mana, Nether River would have already pushed himself to self-destruction. His current ferocity masked the fact that he was nearing a certain limit.

As long as they stalled for time, victory was assured for Nezha’s side—especially with reinforcements like Zhen Yuanzi on the verge of reaching the battlefield.

And indeed, Zhen Yuanzi had now arrived at the Blood Sea’s edge.

Fighting Nether River? I, Zhen Yuanzi, am very serious about this!

Channeling his prior fury entirely into his attacks on Ancestor of Nether River, Zhen Yuanzi charged into the Blood Sea, clutching the earth-hued Earth Book.

Nether River Mother looked at the chaotic scene unfolding around the neighboring Blood Sea, her head throbbing.

Thank goodness I separated myself from Nether River quickly!

But at the thought of Nezha, frustration surged—this brat’s truly a troublemaker!

Her blood-red irises flickered with calculation, pondering ways to force the Little Raksamon out of the fray.

...

Zhen Yuanzi unleashed the power of earth veins at full tilt, the earth-hued radiance ferociously pressuring the surrounding Blood Sea, forcibly carving out a patch of land.

Zhen Yuanzi was known as the nice guy, but does being nice mean he lacks a temper?

The fragment of Hong Yun’s soul he had nurtured since the Three Teachings at Zixiao Palace during the Sealing God Period spoke to the depth of his obsession with resurrecting Hong Yun. Now that Hong Yun’s sub-soul reincarnated and told him, "Don’t bother, Hong Yun is already dead," the despair transformed into unbridled fury against both Kunpeng and Nether River, the killers of Hong Yun.

This moment was not simply about rescuing his allies—he was here to vent his wrath.

Endless Earth Element Power erupted from Zhen Yuanzi without restraint, relentlessly breaking the rules of the Blood Sea. This destruction was catastrophic for Nether River—it was akin to uprooting his foundation.

Under relentless assaults from both fronts, Nether River’s tension-strained madness finally subsided, yielding a glimmer of clarity before complete collapse.

"Zhen Yuanzi, you two little brats—just wait! When I achieve Sainthood, the first thing I’ll do is cut you all down!"

With that, he directly employed a blood-burning spell to ignite his current vessel, driving Yuan Tu to destroy Yunxiao’s Nine Curves Yellow River Formation and diving back into the depths of the Blood Sea, vanishing from sight.

The Blood Sea was Nether River’s domain—unless the entire sea was drained, no one could truly kill him here.

At this moment, Jin Ling gripped her sword tightly, glaring hatefully at the distant Blood Sea. She was brimming with defiance, beaten but unyielding!

Yunxiao, on the other hand, exhaled in relief. She recalled how the alliance of Kunpeng and Nether River orchestrated the Yun Meng Swamp incident. Revenge had crossed her mind countless times, but she had always been waiting for Zhao Gongming.

This encounter left her shaken—how was Nether River so strong despite his cultivation dwindling?

How can two Quasi-Saints with equal status differ so vastly?

That bizarre Divine Skill was unheard of—it defied comprehension.

The true instigator of this battle, Nezha, found it difficult to openly explain the matter. These insights weren’t part of the Daoist Ancestor’s teachings—using them to hoodwink others was one thing, but discussing them with proper Mystic Sect disciples felt akin to betraying his lineage. This was absolutely forbidden.

The battle had reached its conclusion. The two sister disciples exchanged glances and proceeded toward Zhen Yuanzi’s direction. At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi himself was drenched in sweat.

The relentless assault on Blood Sea’s Dao was not without consequence; his own Dao Fruit dimmed considerably. Yet he showed no sign of stopping.

For the first time, Nezha witnessed a ferocious expression on this typically gentle man’s face.

The path of Cultivation begins with the cultivation of the heart. If one’s thoughts lack clarity, at best they may succumb to heart demons, and at worst, they may spiral into madness, their Dao perishing entirely.