Chapter 1133
Scattered and Fleeing
The Netherworld Ancestor's face was gloomy, but he quickly regained his composure and sneered, "A mere illusion technique, you think you can stop me? Today, none of you will leave alive!"
Having said that, the Netherworld Ancestor no longer held back, his entire body surging with demonic energy, transforming into a monstrous black storm that swept towards the four. Seeing this, Shi Ji and the others also unleashed their ultimate techniques, fighting with all their might to resist, and a life-or-death struggle once again began.
During the battle, Shi Ji, with her unwavering will and constant self-improvement, repeatedly deflected the Netherworld Ancestor's deadly attacks and gradually found weaknesses in his offensive. At the same time, General Fei Yu, Qing Xuanzi, and Shi Ji also played important roles, and the four cooperated seamlessly, gradually turning the tide in the face of adversity.
Just as the battle reached its climax, and both sides were exhausted, an unprecedented power suddenly surged within Shi Ji. This power stemmed from his deepest beliefs and unwavering commitment, as well as his relentless pursuit of justice. Driven by this power, the immortal energy within Shi Ji surged, instantly breaking through his long-standing bottleneck and greatly increasing his strength.
"Ancestor of the Netherworld, your end has come!" Shi Ji shouted, her figure transforming into a streak of light as she charged straight at Ancestor of the Netherworld. To everyone's astonishment, Shi Ji single-handedly withstood Ancestor of the Netherworld's full-force attack, and ultimately dealt him a severe blow with a superb sword technique.
Upon seeing this, the demonic cultivators scattered and fled, and even the Netherworld Ancestor, severely injured, had no choice but to retreat in haste.
After being severely injured, the Netherworld Ancestor's eyes flashed with a cold light. Knowing that he could no longer fight today, he snorted coldly: "Shi Ji, although you have escaped this calamity by chance today, the Demonic Path will surely make a comeback one day!" Before he finished speaking, he used his escape technique and turned into a wisp of black smoke, disappearing into the sky.
Seeing the Netherworld Ancestor retreat, Shi Ji remained unperturbed, knowing full well that the demonic forces would not let them off easily. Turning to look at Qing Xuanzi, General Fei Yu, and Shi Ji, all four were exhausted, but their eyes shone with unwavering determination.
Qing Xuanzi slowly spoke: "Shi Ji, it is already a great fortune that we were able to protect you today, but the Boundary-Breaking Stone is still in the hands of the demonic path. We must be even more careful from now on."
General Feiyu nodded in agreement: "That's right, we must recover our strength as soon as possible, and then find a way to retrieve the Boundary-Breaking Stone."
Shi Ji said softly, "Let's find a safe place to heal first, and then make plans after we've recovered."
Everyone nodded, and then, led by Shi Ji, they found a secluded cave to hide in temporarily. Inside the cave, Shi Ji sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and regulated her breathing, trying to recover her strength and immortal energy. Qing Xuanzi stood guard at the cave entrance, while General Fei Yu and Shi Ji silently healed their injuries nearby.
Time flew by, and several days passed. The four men's injuries gradually improved. Shi Ji opened his eyes and felt that his immortal energy had recovered to 70%. He took a deep breath and looked at the other three: "We need to hurry. The demonic path may attack again at any time."
Qing Xuanzi nodded and said, "That's right. The Boundary-Breaking Stone is a supreme treasure of the cultivation world and must not fall into the hands of the demonic path. We must devise a meticulous plan to retrieve the Boundary-Breaking Stone."
General Feiyu pondered for a moment and said, "We need to find out the movements of the demonic path first, and then find their weaknesses before we can formulate an effective action plan."
Shi Ji continued, "I have a friend who is skilled in intelligence gathering and infiltration. He might be able to help us find out what the demonic path is up to."
Shi Ji's eyes lit up: "Great, Shi Ji, contact that friend as soon as possible. We must act quickly."
Shi Ji nodded, then took out a carrier pigeon, wrote a letter, and released it. A short while later, a gray carrier pigeon flew back to the cave, bringing a reply from Shi Ji's friend. The letter detailed the movements of the demonic cultivators and the location of the Boundary-Breaking Stone.
After reading the letter, Qing Xuanzi frowned slightly: "The demonic path has hidden the Boundary-Breaking Stone in a secret cave at the bottom of Thousand Mile Lake. The place is heavily guarded, so we must be careful."
A cold glint flashed in Shi Ji's eyes: "No matter how difficult it is, we must take back the Boundary-Breaking Stone."
General Feiyu patted Shiji on the shoulder: "Brother, don't worry, we'll live and die together, we'll definitely succeed."
They reached a consensus and decided to act at nightfall. That night, they quietly arrived at the shore of Thousand Mile Lake, submerged themselves, and swam towards the cave. The lakebed was pitch black and fraught with unknown dangers, but they remained steadfast.
As they approached the cave entrance, they discovered that the area was indeed swarming with patrols of demonic cultivators. Qing Xuanzi gestured for everyone to stop and whispered, "We need to split up and distract them."
Shi Ji nodded: "General Fei Yu and I will distract the guards, while Qing Xuanzi and Shi Ji will infiltrate the cave."
With the plan set, Shi Ji and General Fei Yu quietly approached a patrolling group of demonic cultivators. Suddenly, Shi Ji launched an attack, a sharp sword aura slashing towards the group, drawing their attention. General Fei Yu assisted from the side, and the two quickly repelled several cultivators, drawing the attention of most of the guards.
Meanwhile, Qing Xuanzi and Shi Ji took the opportunity to sneak into the cave, making their way deeper into it on tiptoe. The cave was full of traps and mechanisms, but Shi Ji skillfully avoided them all thanks to her superb infiltration techniques.
They finally arrived at the hiding place of the Boundary-Breaking Stone, where a strange stone emitting a faint light floated in the center of a magic array. Qing Xuanzi and Shi Ji exchanged a glance, and after confirming that there were no ambushes around, they cautiously approached the Boundary-Breaking Stone.
Just as Qing Xuanzi was about to break the formation and retrieve the stone, a cold voice rang out: "Looking for death!" It turned out that the Netherworld Ancestor had appeared silently at some point, leading a group of demonic experts who surrounded the cave completely.
Qing Xuanzi and Shi Ji felt a chill run down their spines, but they did not panic. Qing Xuanzi quickly turned around, his gaze sharp as he stared directly at the Netherworld Ancestor: "Netherworld Ancestor, you have indeed come. But do you think you alone can stop us?"
The Netherworld Ancestor sneered, his tone full of contempt: "Hmph, Qing Xuanzi, do you think I'm still the same person who was still recovering from serious injuries? I've regained most of my strength. Today, you won't be able to escape!"
Shi Ji quietly approached Qing Xuanzi and whispered, "We must finish this quickly; the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for them."
Qing Xuanzi nodded, and then he and Shi Ji launched an attack together against the Netherworld Ancestor. The two cooperated perfectly, and for a time they were evenly matched with the Netherworld Ancestor and his demonic experts.
However, despite Qing Xuanzi and Shi Ji's extraordinary strength, there were many powerful demonic cultivators and the Netherworld Ancestor was extremely powerful, so they gradually felt powerless.
Just then, a fierce battle erupted outside the cave. It turned out that Shi Ji and General Fei Yu, after drawing away the guards, had returned in time and launched an attack on the demonic experts from the outside. As soon as Shi Ji rushed into the cave, she shouted, "Qing Xuanzi, Shi Ji, we've come to lend you a hand!"
General Feiyu charged directly at the Netherworld Ancestor, engaging him in a fierce battle and relieving the pressure on Qingxuanzi and Shiji.
Upon seeing this, the Netherworld Ancestor's expression darkened. He hadn't expected Shi Ji and General Fei Yu to return so quickly. However, he did not back down; instead, he launched an even more ferocious attack, attempting to end the battle as soon as possible.
However, Shi Ji and her three companions worked together seamlessly and all possessed considerable strength, which led to a stalemate with the demonic experts for a time.
Just then, Qing Xuanzi suddenly found an opportunity to break the formation. He shouted, "Shi Ji, lend me a hand!"
Upon hearing this, Shi Ji immediately channeled her immortal energy into Qing Xuanzi's sword. Qing Xuanzi then used this power to unleash a powerful strike, breaking a hole in the magic array.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Qing Xuanzi reached out and took out the Boundary-Breaking Stone, then shouted, "Run!"
The four immediately turned and fled out of the cave. Seeing this, the Netherworld Ancestor roared and led the demonic experts in hot pursuit.
However, Shi Ji and her companions had already gained the upper hand. Taking advantage of the cave's complex terrain, they engaged in a fierce chase with the demonic experts. After a desperate struggle, they finally escaped the cave and returned to the lake.
As the Netherworld Ancestor watched the four figures disappear into the distance, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes: "Shi Ji, Qing Xuanzi, you just wait! My demonic path will never let this go!"
The four men from Shiji surfaced, their faces shimmering in the moonlight that illuminated their weary yet resolute expressions. They exchanged a smile, a smile of relief and gratitude that came after surviving a brush with death.
Shi Ji wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her gaze fixed firmly on the distance, as if piercing through the night to see the direction where the Netherworld Ancestor was: "Netherworld Ancestor, if you want us to wait to die, you'd better have the ability! The Boundary-Breaking Stone is already in our hands. If the demonic path wants to once again encroach on the cultivation world, they'll have to ask the swords in our hands if they agree!"
Qing Xuanzi gently stroked the Boundary-Breaking Stone in his hand, feeling the immense power contained within it. His gaze was equally firm: "Indeed, Netherworld Ancestor, the grudges between the demonic path and the cultivation world will not end here. But today, we have proven that justice and light will never be swallowed by darkness."
Shi Ji patted Shi Ji on the shoulder and laughed, "Well said, Shi Ji. Although we are exhausted, our morale is high. If the demonic path wants to make a comeback, they'll have to see if we'll allow it."
General Feiyu gripped his spear tightly, his voice filled with heroic spirit: "Brothers, in today's battle, though we were in grave danger, we also demonstrated our strength and determination. If the demonic path wants to wreak havoc again, let them see how the warriors of the cultivation world protect this land!"
The four spoke with such conviction that it seemed to tremble even on the surface of the lake. They knew that this battle was only the beginning, and the road ahead was long, but they had the confidence and determination to fight against the demonic path to the very end for the peace and tranquility of the cultivation world.
Standing at the cave entrance, the Netherworld Ancestor watched the four figures disappear into the distance. Though unwilling, he knew that today's battle was lost. He snorted coldly, turned to the demonic experts, and said, "Withdraw! I, the Netherworld Ancestor, will remember this grudge. Shi Ji, Qing Xuanzi, you wait. One day, the demonic path will rise again, and then we will make you pay for your blood debts!"
After speaking, the Netherworld Ancestor led the demonic experts away from the shores of Thousand Mile Lake, disappearing into the night. Shi Ji and her companions continued on their way. They knew that although they had retrieved the Boundary-Breaking Stone, the demonic path had not been completely eradicated. The road ahead was long, and they needed to be even more cautious and diligent to protect the peace and tranquility of this world.
Carrying the Boundary-Breaking Stone, the four cautiously made their way back to the heart of the cultivation world. They knew that although they had successfully retrieved the Boundary-Breaking Stone, the threat of the demonic path had not been completely eliminated, and the challenges ahead remained formidable.
Shi Ji frowned as he looked at the Boundary-Breaking Stone in his hand. He knew that this strange stone not only contained immense power, but might also be the key connecting the cultivation world and the demonic path. He decided to study the Boundary-Breaking Stone in depth, hoping to find a way to completely seal the demonic path.
"Qing Xuanzi, Shi Ji, General Fei Yu, although we have retrieved the Boundary-Breaking Stone, the threat of the demonic path has not been eliminated. I believe we need to study this strange stone in depth to find its true purpose and a method to seal the demonic path," Shi Ji said in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, Qing Xuanzi nodded: "Shi Ji is absolutely right. We have not yet fully grasped the power of the Boundary-Breaking Stone. We must study its mysteries as soon as possible to prevent the demonic path from using it again."
Shi Ji also expressed her agreement: "I agree, and I think we should set up a tight protective array to ensure that we are not attacked by the demonic path again during the research on the Boundary-Breaking Stone."
General Feiyu gripped his spear tightly and said with great pride, "I'll leave the research on the Boundary-Breaking Stone to you. I'll be responsible for guarding the outer perimeter and ensuring our safety."
After some discussion, the four decided to establish a research base in a secluded place in the cultivation world and set up a tight protective array. Shi Ji, Qing Xuanzi, and Shi Ji then began to delve into the Boundary-Breaking Stone, attempting to uncover its secrets.
Days passed, and Shi Ji and her two companions, immersed in their research on the Boundary-Breaking Stone, almost forgot the passage of time. They discovered that the Boundary-Breaking Stone not only contained immense power but also had intricate connections to the laws of the cultivation world. However, just as their research was making some progress, an ominous premonition suddenly enveloped them.
"Shiji, look over there!" Qing Xuanzi suddenly pointed to the sky not far away, his expression solemn.
Upon hearing this, Shi Ji and Shi Ji immediately looked up and saw a crack suddenly appear in the sky not far away. A surge of evil energy surged out of the crack and permeated the entire world.
"What is this? How could such a crack suddenly appear?" Shi Ji frowned, a sense of unease rising in her heart.
Qing Xuanzi said in a deep voice, "The evil aura surging from this crack is extremely similar to the aura of the demonic path. I'm afraid this is a sign that the demonic path is trying to invade the cultivation world again."
Shi Ji nodded and said, "That's right. Moreover, these evil energies seem to have special abilities. They can attach themselves to the human body, control others to absorb greed, and thus strengthen the power of the demonic path."
Upon hearing this, Shi Ji was startled. He understood that if these evil energies were allowed to continue spreading, the cultivation world would face an unprecedented crisis. He had to find a solution as soon as possible. (End of Chapter)