Chapter Ninety-Two: The Realm of the Netherworld (Part 1)

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Xuan Xingzi’s body kept retreating. He saw Jiang Feng instantly restore his soul power, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes as he stared intently at Jiang Feng’s form, as if trying to discern something. Yet the radiance emanating from Jiang Feng was all soul force hidden deep within his sea of consciousness. Without direct contact, it was impossible to tell just by looking.

“Jiang Feng, if you’re willing to hand over that treasure to me, along with the Underworld Prison map, I’ll spare your life and agree to your two conditions. How about that?” Xuan Xingzi suddenly said, his eyes full of cunning.

Possessing such a treasure that could instantly restore power was essentially having infinite combat strength. As long as the opponent wasn’t too formidable, Xuan Xingzi was confident he could kill them. That was the premise for his compromise.

“My soul force?” Jiang Feng’s heart tightened, then he laughed loudly three times. “You’re really greedy! But even if you compromise like this, I still can’t agree to this condition, because this treasure is me!”

Soul force stemmed from deep within Jiang Feng’s sea of consciousness, a surging power awakened in times of great peril. Even if he wanted to give it to Xuan Xingzi, he wouldn’t know how.

But this reminded him of something: when Fang Yichen snatched the Blood Fiend Fruit from him that day, that fruit contained a powerful soul force. Later, in their duel, Jiang Feng hadn’t sensed that soul force in Fang Yichen at all. Then, what became of that Blood Fiend Fruit?

Before he could sort out these questions, Xuan Xingzi’s words rang in his ears: “If you’re unwilling, then I’ll take it myself.”

Xuan Xingzi shook his head and struck again with a palm, this time with clear force. Instantly, a nebula swirled up, vast and boundless, the heavens and earth seeming endless.

His palm strike caused the nebula to transform into a mist rising within the Azure Emperor’s Glazed Cauldron, completely shrouding his figure. Jiang Feng tried to pierce through the mist with his spirit but failed to lock onto his opponent’s form, surprised.

The situation was perilous, hanging by a thread!

Jiang Feng’s vital energy surged wildly. He knew he couldn’t bluntly block the palm strike with his hand—it would surely be fatal. He roared, “Myriad Phenomena!”

Immediately, he seemed to stroll within the nebula. The star clouds were all absorbed by his soul force, dismantled and transformed into a cloud path. Along both sides of the path appeared countless dragons, snakes, tigers, leopards, kingdoms, and mountains—all bowing in homage to Jiang Feng. After paying respects, their eyes blazed with murderous intent as they lunged into the void.

Xuan Xingzi finally revealed himself, a mass of dark clouds appearing above his head—also part of Jiang Feng’s Myriad Phenomena. For a moment, thunder roared, lightning flashed, volcanoes erupted, and all manner of natural disasters struck at Xuan Xingzi.

It was as precarious as stacking eggs on a knife’s edge!

Jiang Feng saw the azure glow in Xuan Xingzi’s hand condense into a small sword. His pupils constricted sharply as the aura emanating from that sword was far more terrifying and imposing than the many palm strikes he had previously unleashed. Yet the rainbow-like momentum that appeared for a moment was suppressed by Jiang Feng’s Myriad Phenomena like a great river flowing eastward, a waterfall plunging three thousand feet—swift and clean, like a hare leaping away.

“Well done, kid! To unleash such a powerful Myriad Phenomena!” Unexpectedly, Xuan Xingzi showed no fear but instead praised Jiang Feng, as if instructing him in soul arts. “Since you’ve used Myriad Phenomena, let me show you my soul art: Star Sea Calamity!”

With a light flick of his finger, the azure small sword shattered into countless fragments invisible to the naked eye, dispersed in the air. Whether they were swallowed by Myriad Phenomena or escaped from within it, Jiang Feng couldn’t tell.

He only knew it felt like he had been killed by a counterattack. His Myriad Phenomena was broken in an instant by Xuan Xingzi.

The force that countered Myriad Phenomena was a calamity-like power: Star Sea Calamity.

Countless stars within the Azure Emperor’s Glazed Cauldron lit up, like the high and mighty Death God suddenly opening many eyes, each one majestic and unchallengeable.

Calamities are invincible.

Suddenly, those stars slashed out skewed, sinister beams, like demonic blades exuding a chilling aura, as if wielded by invisible arms, dripping with bloodlust—simple, ruthless, and precise.

Jiang Feng retreated again and again, evading their sharp edges.

But no matter how far he fled, he couldn’t escape this calamity. These star-formed blades seemed to have eyes, opening and closing wildly like fierce dragons crossing rivers, unstoppable.

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“Calamity Soul Art?” Jue, watching this scene, couldn’t help but exclaim softly in his sea of consciousness, “This is Star Calamity. Though relatively easier for him to cultivate, it’s still extremely difficult to master. In my memory, those who have mastered Calamity Soul Art can be counted on one hand, and yet he’s wielding it alone. Truly astonishing—no, soul-stirring!”

Jiang Feng suddenly felt his vision darken. He didn’t get thrown out, and hearing Jue’s words, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly and complain, “Jue, even now you’re defending the opponent. Why don’t you tell me what to do?”

“What can you do? Fight with your soul force!” Jue rolled his eyes. “I have plenty of soul arts here, but now isn’t the time to learn. This is a life-or-death moment. You don’t have to rely solely on soul arts. If he detects your soul force, he’ll be shocked. Then your Myriad Phenomena might find an opening!”

“Fine!”

Jiang Feng’s thoughts raced. Jue’s advice made sense. He quickly condensed his half-step Soul Power Pill in front of him. Using his rock-solid body, he withstood dozens of star-blade strikes.

Xuan Xingzi was slightly stunned. “Not even a scratch. This guy’s endurance is impressive.”

His Calamity Soul Art, though not as overwhelming as volcanoes, tsunamis, or earthquakes, was still a terrifying force derived from celestial phenomena. Since mastering it, those weaker than him would have their treasures shattered and bodies sliced to shreds by a few strikes. Those who escaped did so with shattered divine forms and pulverized flesh, their souls fleeing in panic.

Yet Jiang Feng, relying on the half-step Soul Power Pill from the Jiangshan Bottle and his mysterious treasure that restored power, endured dozens of strikes!

Just as Xuan Xingzi tried to press harder, suddenly the force before Jiang Feng shrank to the size of a sesame seed. Alarmed, he swiftly retracted the Star Sea Calamity towards himself.

Boom!

Jiang Feng’s soul force condensed into a tiny point, then instantly expanded a thousandfold, flaring like wildfire beneath a blazing sun. The layered space trembled, even Xuan Xingzi’s Calamity Soul Art faltered momentarily, ceasing operation.

“Calamity is nothing to fear. Even if you’ve mastered Calamity Soul Art, what am I afraid of?” Jiang Feng expanded all his soul force as if to burst the Azure Emperor’s Glazed Cauldron. Carrying the might of the half-step Soul Power Pill, he broke free and without hesitation stepped forward, throwing a punch.

That punch absorbed all soul force, soul power, and star energy from all directions, infinitely devouring it—a result of his infinite devouring technique. Without hesitation, he unleashed every soul art he knew, like a god descending, a hawk catching a rabbit.

“Near yet far, Soul Nation!”

Jiang Feng squinted his eyes, and while Xuan Xingzi was busy absorbing the punch, he gathered all his soul force, despite losses, relying on his Myriad Phenomena technique. It was truly profound and earth-shaking in power.

That punch shook Xuan Xingzi’s head as if hammered countless times. His soul force was chaotic, and his body wobbled as if unstable. The star force meant to serve him wildly surged inside, colliding against him, causing his skin to bulge—frightening to behold.

His complexion paled, but his eyes held no pain, only near-excitement as he shouted, “Soul force—this is definitely soul force!”

This was the moment Xuan Xingzi’s expression changed most. He finally identified the mysterious treasure in Jiang Feng’s body, which unsettled him further. The punch he should have neutralized partially struck him, scattering his soul force and causing him to stagger, injuring his internal organs.

Yet Xuan Xingzi’s strength was formidable. His body shivered slightly, eyes flashing open, as he absorbed the star force surging inside, condensing it into a small orb. He hurled it at Jiang Feng’s upgraded Myriad Phenomena, the ‘Soul Nation.’

“Well done, kid!”

Recognizing soul force, Xuan Xingzi trembled in shock. He realized why Jiang Feng’s Myriad Phenomena was called Soul Nation—because the illusions were all made from soul force. He tried to escape, but it was too late. His star orb, which could normally shatter Myriad Phenomena, seemed insignificant against Jiang Feng’s soul force-crafted Soul Nation.

His body was torn by Soul Nation’s deadly strikes, revealing white bones. Within the bones swirled dense azure soul force. If his bones weren’t forged with star energy, nearly immortal, they would’ve shattered.

Xuan Xingzi finally acknowledged that despite his much higher cultivation, he was fragile before Jiang Feng’s soul force. Ultimately, he was defeated by his own arrogance.

He tried to flee.

“Trying to run?”

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Jiang Feng seemed prepared. While Xuan Xingzi battled Soul Nation, Jiang Feng cultivated and waved his hand. The nine-linked chain blades inside him shot out wildly. Additionally, various soul treasures borrowed from Fang Lingtai transformed into a vast swarm, enveloping the area.

Xuan Xingzi turned angrily, eyes full of resentment. He hadn’t expected Jiang Feng to be unsatisfied with his gains and to want to eradicate him completely. Furious, he disregarded his injuries and threw out the Star Radiance Sword from his bosom. The blade shimmered like a star, but within the azure glow was a streak of white—the true color of stars.

The Star Radiance Sword spun and suddenly unleashed tens of thousands of sword energies. Each energy was a formed treasure sword, shining like star brilliance, a clear autumn water pond, a layer of frost—cold and pure.

The colossal sword energies were far more powerful than any killing move Jiang Feng had ever seen.

No words could describe the overwhelming number of sword energies Jiang Feng faced. At that moment, he felt the suffocating sensation of facing the Blood Fiend Tree and its fruits again.

Immediately, Jiang Feng dared not hesitate. He floated the half-step Soul Power Pill above his head and unleashed all its soul arts. Though this would severely drain the pill’s power, today he was determined to show Xuan Xingzi a lesson—and kill him!

“Impervious to all evil, unbreakable by all laws!”

The shining star sword energies struck the Soul Power Pill with popping sounds.

Jiang Feng paid no heed. His spirit remained connected to Soul Nation. Before the pill’s defense failed, he planned to use Soul Nation to completely devour Xuan Xingzi’s spirit.

As a natural deity, the greatest fear was spirit devouring!

Their bodies were maintained by spirit. Once their spirit was severely damaged, their bodies would dissolve into primordial energy, causing massive loss of cultivation and profound decline in their path.

“Jiang Feng, don’t be too ruthless. Don’t force me to self-destruct—that won’t end well!” Xuan Xingzi’s voice trembled with sobbing inside Soul Nation, after enduring spirit tearing pain.

Jiang Feng sneered arrogantly, “Self-destruct? Someone like you who treasures wealth would choose that? At most, you’ll exhaust your soul power trying to kill me. Anyway, you still have the Azure Emperor’s Glazed Cauldron, my Underworld Prison map, and your rare talent. Regaining your cultivation is only a matter of time!”

“You!” Xuan Xingzi’s thoughts were pierced by Jiang Feng’s words, anger swelling within. He unleashed a torrent of soul power from his body, intending to break through Soul Nation.

Within Soul Nation, ghostly wails echoed as demon blades and divine swords fiercely cut at Xuan Xingzi, trying to erode his cultivation and soul power, attempting to dull his mind into a fool.

But Xuan Xingzi fought back fiercely, screaming in pain while wielding the Star Radiance Sword. The battle reached a stalemate, entering a white-hot phase.

Jue also grew anxious in his sea of consciousness, watching Jiang Feng and Xuan Xingzi intently, murmuring, “It seems Jiang Feng is truly going all out this time. A war of attrition... I’ve never seen such a young one choose this tactic. If his defenses break, all his soul power will dissipate instantly, and the opponent’s soul power will flood over him like a dam breaking. Kid, you must hold on! His will is so stubborn, if you endure the trial, your spirit will leap forward!”

Jiang Feng’s face grew grim. He knew the most dangerous, tense moment had arrived.

Xuan Xingzi’s soul power was gradually depleted. Blood seeped from his forehead, a consequence of spiritual damage. Yet Jiang Feng’s body was also injured by the star sword energies. The half-step Soul Power Pill’s defense was gone. Now, only his tenacious body was enduring against Xuan Xingzi. Whoever lasted longer would win.

Various thoughts swirled in Jiang Feng’s mind. Unaccountably, the idea of becoming the Soul King resurfaced, like a whip lashing his nerves, trapping him.

He could kill a true Underworld Realm Sixth Stage expert—in this very moment!