Chapter 1054
Void
Yun Feiyang's expression changed slightly. He swiftly waved his staff, and a dazzling starlight barrier appeared before him. However, the man's battle axe seemed to possess the power to shatter all laws, directly cleaving the barrier in two. Yun Feiyang only had time to utter a cry of surprise before he was blasted away.
Yang Ling struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his lips, his eyes burning with an indomitable spirit: "We have not yet been defeated!"
He formed a hand seal, and a golden talisman flew out again, striking the man. The man sneered and swung his axe, casually dispelling the talisman. But Yang Ling's attack did not stop; he flashed to the man's side and delivered a powerful punch to his ribs.
The man reacted quickly, dodging the sneak attack by sidestepping. However, Yang Ling's attack followed relentlessly, sweeping a leg towards the back of his knee, intending to knock him down.
The man roared and swung his battle axe, forcing Yang Ling back. He glared at Yang Ling, his voice icy: "You lot are truly extremely annoying!"
Before he finished speaking, he flashed again and disappeared from his spot in an instant. Yang Ling and the others looked around nervously, trying to find the man's whereabouts.
"He's over there!" Dan Yan suddenly shouted, pointing his long sword at a certain point in the void.
The man materialized from the void, wielding a battle axe and coldly staring at the crowd: "It's time to end this game."
As the battle axe swung, a massive, jet-black axe beam shot out, heading straight for Yang Ling and the others. Seeing this, everyone used their unique skills to defend themselves, but the axe beam's power was too great, and all their attacks were thwarted.
"This is bad!" Yang Ling exclaimed in alarm. Just as the axe's energy was about to strike, a green figure suddenly descended from the sky and blocked everyone's path.
The man in the green robe formed a hand seal, and a dazzling green light barrier suddenly appeared in front of him, forcefully blocking the axe-force attack. With a deafening roar, the axe-force dissipated, but the man in the green robe stood firmly in place, unmoved.
"Senior!" Yang Ling and the others exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the mysterious expert they had previously helped.
The man in the green robe turned around and revealed a warm smile: "You all performed very well, showing no fear in the face of a powerful enemy. You are truly formidable young people."
The man stared at the man in the green robe with a gloomy expression: "Who are you? How dare you interfere in my affairs!"
The man in the green robe looked at him calmly and said in a peaceful tone, "He's just a passerby who couldn't stand seeing you bullying a junior."
The man, enraged, laughed: "Hahaha! What a passerby! Let me see what you're capable of!"
In a flash, the battle axe slashed down with fierce force towards the man in the green robe. The man in the green robe neither dodged nor evaded, but simply raised his hands to block the battle axe.
"Your strength is decent, but it's still insufficient in front of me," the man in the green robe said calmly.
The man's expression changed drastically. Sensing the powerful aura emanating from the man in the green robe, he knew he was no match for him. He glared fiercely at Yang Ling and the others before his figure transformed into black light and vanished into the sky.
"Thank you so much for saving us, senior!" Yang Ling and the others bowed deeply, their gratitude beyond words.
The man in the green robe waved his hand and laughed, "No need for formalities. I just happened to be passing by. Your performance has truly impressed me, and your future looks promising."
He paused briefly before continuing, "However, the threat from the Netherworld still exists, and you all still need to diligently cultivate and strengthen yourselves."
Yang Ling and the others all nodded in agreement. They knew that their cultivation level was still far behind that of true experts, and they needed to work twice as hard to meet future challenges.
"Senior, may I ask how I should address you?" Yang Ling asked respectfully.
The man in the green robe smiled and said, "A name is just a label. If you are willing, you may call me True Man Qingyang."
"Master Qingyang?" Yang Ling and the others exchanged glances and nodded, bowing in unison. "Thank you for saving our lives, Master!"
Master Qingyang nodded slightly, his figure gradually becoming ethereal: "Alright, it's time for me to leave. Remember to cultivate diligently without ceasing, and I look forward to your future achievements."
As the words fell, Master Qingyang's figure gradually disappeared into the air, leaving only a faint afterglow of azure light. Yang Ling and the others gazed at the spot where the master had vanished, remaining silent for a long time. Finally, Dan Yan broke the silence, sighing, "Master Qingyang is truly a master. I wonder when we will be able to reach such a level."
“That day will come,” Bai Yunzi replied. “As long as one cultivates diligently and constantly surpasses oneself, one can eventually become a powerful figure like Qingyang Zhenren.”
"Baiyunzi is absolutely right." Yang Ling nodded in agreement. "How can we be discouraged by this setback? We should turn it into motivation and study even harder."
Yun Feiyang brushed the dust off his clothes, stood up, and said, "Although we were defeated this time, it has made us realize our shortcomings. We should learn from this defeat and become stronger."
"Exactly, we must become stronger!" Dan Yan gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes flashing with unwavering determination.
The four looked at each other and smiled, the atmosphere between them becoming increasingly harmonious. They knew that although this experience had been perilous, it had made them more united and strengthened their determination to become stronger.
"By the way, what do you think is the background of that man in black?" Bai Yunzi suddenly asked.
"I don't know." Yang Ling shook his head, "but his strength is indeed formidable, and the battle axe he uses is no ordinary weapon."
"I felt a dark and gloomy aura surrounding him," Yun Feiyang recalled. "That aura was extremely uncomfortable."
“Indeed, I feel the same way,” Dan Yan echoed. “That aura seemed to originate from the Netherworld.”
"The Netherworld?" Bai Yunzi's expression changed slightly. "Are you saying that the man in black is related to the Netherworld?"
"It's just speculation," Yang Ling said. "But if it's true, we must be even more cautious. The forces of the Netherworld have always coveted the human world, so we must not let our guard down."
“That’s right.” Yun Feiyang nodded. “We need to strengthen our training and be prepared to deal with any possible crises.”
Dan Yan frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "I have heard that there is a secret passage between the Netherworld and the human world. Could it be that the man in black came to the human world through this passage?"
“That is certainly possible,” Bai Yunzi replied, “but it is difficult to confirm at present. In any case, we must be vigilant and practice diligently in case of any unforeseen circumstances.”
Yang Ling nodded: "What Bai Yunzi said is very true. We must not only strengthen our own cultivation, but also pay close attention to the surrounding situation at all times. Once we discover anything unusual, we must report it in time."
"So what should we do next?" Yun Feiyang asked.
"The first priority is to heal your injuries," Yang Ling said. "Then you must strengthen your cultivation and improve your strength. At the same time, you must pay close attention to the surrounding dynamics, especially those places that may be related to the Netherworld."
The four agreed to heal their injuries. Several days later, their injuries were fully recovered, and they began to intensify their cultivation.
Dan Yan hones his swordsmanship by swinging his sword a thousand times a day; Bai Yunzi secludes himself to comprehend the true meaning of the Dao and nature; Yang Ling studies ancient books in search of clues to the Netherworld; and Yun Feiyang cultivates the power of stars to enhance his magical strength.
Several months passed, and all four had significantly improved their abilities. On this day, they gathered again to discuss their next move.
"I think we should explore that hidden passage," Dan Yan suggested. "If we can find the passage and find a way to seal it, it will be difficult for the forces of the Netherworld to infiltrate the human world again."
“This is a good idea,” Bai Yunzi agreed. “However, we must proceed with caution, as it is the border between the two realms and is fraught with danger.”
"Precisely because of the numerous crises, we must go," Yang Ling said resolutely. "How can we allow the forces of the Netherworld to run rampant in the human world?"
“I agree with Yang Ling’s opinion,” Yun Feiyang said. “As cultivators, we should shoulder the responsibility of protecting the human world.”
The four agreed and immediately began preparations. Carrying the necessary equipment and elixirs, they embarked on their journey to find the hidden passage. (End of Chapter)