Divine King of Honour Chapter 1816: Situation in the Underworld
Previously on Divine King of Honour...
Bodies of Netherworld cultivators are mainly forged from soul power.
At first glance, these forms look indistinguishable from authentic fleshly bodies.
Nevertheless, cultivators with superior prowess can readily detect the disparity.
Hence, infiltrating the Netherworld as an immortal proves nearly unattainable.
Yet, if they fail to differentiate between a soul body and a true physical form, wouldn't that suffice?
"Master, do you possess any cultivation methods from the Netherworld?" Xu Nian inquired.
"Planning to venture into the Netherworld? I possess a fitting cultivation technique for you. It allows temporary solidification of your soul into a corporeal body, albeit limited to half your full battle power." Emperor Ye Tian's voice resounded.
Half power would do just fine!
Without delay, Xu Nian sought this cultivation technique from his master, Emperor Ye Tian.
He promptly started the cultivation process.
Given Xu Nian's present soul cultivation prowess, forming a soul body at Immortal Emperor rank posed no challenge whatsoever.
Before long, a soul body materialized right in front of him.
This soul body demands no full split of his soul.
All he must do is embed his soul origin mark inside it for complete dominion.
"Buzz!"
Xu Nian's soul origin merged in, seizing command of the soul body.
The soul body gradually parted its eyelids.
"Compared to my true body, this soul form is undoubtedly weaker—the gap is vast—but its key merit lies in freely altering its shape," Xu Nian muttered softly.
Right now, his power stands at merely half of his original.
Moreover, absent the Supreme Dragon Robe's boost, his might matches that of a typical late-stage Immortal Emperor powerhouse.
"This soul cultivation art offers a boon: employing this soul body for training will eventually feed its gains back to nourish your soul origin," Emperor Ye Tian's guidance reverberated in Xu Nian's consciousness.
Hearing this, Xu Nian gave a nod.
Thus, training via the soul body wastes no time at all.
"Time to move!"
Xu Nian swiftly made for the Gate of Netherworld's portal.
"Buzz!"
In moments, Xu Nian traversed the Gate of Netherworld without issue.
A desolate vista unfolded before his eyes.
Directly ahead loomed ten Nether Emperors conducting their watch.
These Nether Emperor powerhouses sat in lotus position by the Gate of Netherworld's entry. Every one of the ten had reached Nether Emperor Perfection.
"Buzz!"
Upon stepping into the Netherworld, Xu Nian sensed ten mighty soul auras scanning across him.
Clearly, these ten Nether Emperor masters were scrutinizing him.
But that wasn't the real shocker for Xu Nian; the true astonishment came from the heavenly laws.
It felt like crossing into the Netherworld had unshackled the heavenly restraints that once confined him.
"Rumors hold true after all. The Netherworld bears no heavenly shackles. Here, grasping laws, Taoist skills, and even superior insight realms becomes possible." Xu Nian whispered to himself.
Though the Netherworld falls short of the Divine World's prestige, its leniency toward laws mirrors the Divine World.
Owing to their soul-based nature, Netherworld cultivators cap at the Daluo God Realm.
Progress beyond that remains out of reach.
"Wonder if Divine-level, God-level, or Daluo God-level powerhouses lurk here." Xu Nian pondered aloud.
He needed utmost vigilance for his Netherworld trek.
"Who goes there?" Abruptly, a Netherworld Nether Emperor fixed his gaze on Xu Nian and demanded.
"I am Xu Fenn, a wandering cultivator from the Netherworld," Xu Nian responded.
"A wandering cultivator?" The Netherworld Nether Emperor eyed Xu Nian with astonishment.
The remaining nine Nether Emperors turned piercing stares toward Xu Nian.
Xu Nian creased his brow.
Something off?
Or perhaps wandering cultivators don't exist in the Netherworld?
"A Nether Emperor-level wandering cultivator? First I've ever seen. You hail from Wushen Mountain—that's the sole spot harboring such loose cultivators at this level," the Nether Emperor pressed on.
"Indeed, I'm from Wushen Mountain," Xu Nian affirmed after a brief pause and a nod.
He had no clue what Wushen Mountain entailed.
But in this moment, no alternatives presented themselves.
He'd claim it; refusal meant instant exposure.
"Word is, Wushen Mountain gained a fresh entrance lately. Which path did you take?" The Nether Emperor probed further.
"Correct, that's how I came through," Xu Nian affirmed.
"Hmph, even if the realm master forbids slaying Wushen Mountain folk, remember the Netherworld Master's Land isn't yours to roam freely," another Nether Emperor scoffed.
Xu Nian furrowed his brows.
He faintly sensed something off.
A tension appeared to exist between the Netherworld Lord and Wushen Mountain.
"Alright, since the Lord of the Netherworld commanded us not to target those from Wushen Mountain, you can go. But you should exit the realm master’s domain quickly," declared the lead Nether Emperor powerhouse.
Though the rest of the Nether Emperors felt unwilling, they held back from interfering.
Xu Nian, naturally, wasted no time staying.
He swiftly opted to depart right away.
To take down ten Nether Emperors, revealing his true form would be necessary.
Yet, employing his true form carried a high risk of exposure.
Avoiding the clash thus delighted Xu Nian greatly.
In short order, Xu Nian shot away from the ruins, descending upon a barren mountain summit.
That prior clash forced Xu Nian to confront a critical issue.
His grasp of the Netherworld remained virtually nil.
This profound lack of knowledge might readily betray his presence.
He had presumed the Netherworld Lord dominated every corner of the Netherworld, yet this Wushen Mountain had emerged unexpectedly.
"I need to swiftly gather intel on the Netherworld. Plus, where’s Sister Tantai? Has she made it into the Netherworld yet? And my master, Bai Tianhan—he’s here in the Netherworld as well. Wonder if I’ll get to meet him," Xu Nian muttered softly.
Bai Tianhan had earlier shared with Xu Nian.
He shattered the void to step into the Netherworld.
At present, he should remain within the Netherworld.
Still, the Netherworld’s expanse dwarfed the combined lands of the Immortal Realm, Demon Realm, and Magic Realm.
Tracking down a single person amid such immensity posed a monumental challenge.
"Looks like I’ll need to test my fortune," Xu Nian whispered to himself.
Next, he selected a path and soared in that direction.
Before long, a city came into view.
"Heavenly Thunder City?"
Xu Nian eyed the city’s plaque and registered some astonishment.
To his shock, a place carried that very name.
In the other Three Realms, such a label would raise no eyebrows.
Yet here in the Netherworld, wasn’t Heavenly Thunder their greatest dread?
With that, Xu Nian strode into the city.
"Stop! Entry costs one hundred Joss Paper," bellowed the gate guard upon spotting Xu Nian.
The guard possessed only Heavenly Immortal realm cultivation.
Most travelers passing through lingered below Heavenly Immortal, mired in lower cultivation stages.
Xu Nian found this startling.
Never had he imagined the Netherworld teeming with so many cultivators.