Chapter 125: Yellow Springs [First Update]

"Pick up girls? Do you think I'm that stupid? We’re all here to hunt for treasure in Kunlun. I heard that today is the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival, when the gates of the underworld swing open. People say the Nether Cold Flame has appeared in the Kunlun Mountains, so I came."

Jun Muyu walked with a light, airy step, her demeanor innocent and lively. Her hair bounced with every movement as she skipped along.

"Oh? How does everyone know about the Nether Cold Flame? A man named Xia and his subordinate, Zhao Ritian, are here too. Everyone in Sky City knows about it, right?"

Lu Fei looked at the beautiful girl, feeling a bit speechless. Saving Qin Bailing depended on that Nether Cold Flame; he couldn't let anyone else snatch it away.

"Zhao Ritian is here? Then Xia Shi must be here too. That guy is incredibly powerful—I can't beat him. It’s no surprise he’s looking for the Nether Cold Flame. Why don't we just leave? We can't win against him." Jun Muyu said to Lu Fei with genuine concern.

"Oh, you can't win? That doesn't mean I can't. I just beat Zhao Ritian and sent him running earlier." Lu Fei said confidently, continuing forward without paying much attention to her.

"No way! You’re not just bragging, are you? You beat Zhao Ritian? And you don't even have a scratch on you? No one would believe that." Jun Muyu said, crossing her arms in disbelief.

"Believe what you want. You’re free to leave; I’m going on alone." Lu Fei said nonchalantly, walking with his hands behind his back, looking completely indifferent.

"Hmph... we met by fate, how could I let you go to your death? I’ll protect you! Did you know that Xia Shi has gone to great lengths to get that Nether Cold Flame?" Jun Muyu tilted her chin up and looked at Lu Fei, pondering.

"I really don't know." Lu Fei shook his head. He wasn't from Sky City, so it was impossible for him to know such a person.

"Then where are you from?" Jun Muyu asked, staring at him with curious, bold eyes.

"I'm from the Jiuzhou Safe Zone." Lu Fei replied calmly. He looked ahead at the gloomy, grim landscape filled with spectral energy. This wasn't a mountain of immortals; it was a mountain of ghosts.

"Oh, so there’s another safe zone in the coastal region? We thought there were only the Xiangxi and Sky City safe zones." Jun Muyu seemed surprised by his answer. "That’s so far away—it must have taken you a long time to get here, right?"

"It was alright." Lu Fei certainly wasn't going to mention that it only took him about three days. If he did, Jun Muyu would surely be shocked, and she might even accuse him of bragging again.

"You don't know this, but Xia Shi is a madman. His mother was a mistress, and he was constantly suppressed and abused in the Xia family when he was young. Zhao Ritian helped him since childhood, feeding him and encouraging him, acting as both a mentor and a father figure. He gave him the courage to grow into the Xia Shi he is today—a man who trampled those who insulted and oppressed him. Now, the student has surpassed the master; Zhao Ritian is no longer his match. He has braved mountains of blades and seas of fire just to find this Nether Cold Flame. He even had the whole Xia family searching for it until they discovered it was in the Kunlun Mountains and would only appear today. That's why he’s here, and why he brought Zhao Ritian along."

Jun Muyu spoke earnestly. "I, on the other hand, just came to try my luck. I never expected to actually obtain the Nether Cold Flame."

"Oh, then you've arrived at the perfect time. I am determined to have that flame." Lu Fei said confidently. He continued walking until an iron chain bridge appeared before them. The entire area was a hazy grey, filled with the sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves—an eerie, endless void.

"Isn't this the Bridge of Helplessness? Could the Nether Cold Flame be growing inside the underworld itself? Is it only appearing today because the underworld has manifested here?" Jun Muyu looked shocked, unable to tell if they were still in the Kunlun Mountains or if they had entered the underworld. It was terrifying.

"Let’s go across and see." Lu Fei stepped forward without a hint of fear, despite the skulls made of black mist flying past them, emitting horrific shrieks.

Below the chain bridge flowed a river of yellow water, where countless vengeful spirits wailed and struggled—a sight so gruesome it made one's scalp tingle.

"Ah..." Jun Muyu shrieked in fear. She had never expected such a nightmare; it was far worse than any zombie. It was hell itself. She had never encountered such a scene before and instinctively hid behind Lu Fei.

"Haha, there's nothing to be afraid of. It’s just the Bridge of Helplessness, not the real thing." Lu Fei shook his head and kept moving. The iron bridge swayed, but Lu Fei walked with steady composure.

Suddenly, a rotting, yellow-stained hand reached up from beneath the bridge, grabbed Jun Muyu’s arm, and let out a terrifying hiss, trying to drag her down.

"Damn it!" Jun Muyu was furious. Despite her fear, she summoned her courage and lashed out with her purple whip, but it couldn't strike the disgusting hand.

"How dare a filthy wretch commit evil in our presence!" Lu Fei pulled an Exorcism Talisman from his clothes and flung it out. It burst into flames with a flash of golden light. The evil spirit shrieked in agony, immediately releasing Jun Muyu’s arm and plummeting into the yellow river.

"Uh, how do you know how to do that?" Jun Muyu asked, clearly astonished by Lu Fei's technique.

"I’m an all-rounder." Lu Fei said confidently. He continued forward, and Jun Muyu scrambled to catch up.

Suddenly, the chains began to vibrate violently, clanking loudly.

"Living... such tender human flesh."

The yellow river churned as a massive palm rose from the depths, sweeping away countless wailing spirits. A gargantuan head, as large as a small hill, emerged, followed by the rest of its monstrous body.

Jun Muyu gasped at the sight. It was terrifying—a behemoth composed of countless vengeful spirits.

On the other side, another titan appeared, equally massive with blood-red eyes. It raised a gigantic palm and smashed it toward Lu Fei and Jun Muyu.

The wind howled as the two hands blotted out the sky, looming over them. Lu Fei’s eyes turned cold, while Jun Muyu, gasping for air, felt this was the most terrifying thing she had ever encountered. She instinctively hugged Lu Fei tightly, her soft chest pressed firmly against him.

"Hmph... petty tricks!"

Lu Fei let out a cold snort. The Nirvana Rebirth Flame swept out in all directions, turning the two giant monsters and their massive hands into ash. The nearby spirits were incinerated instantly, and the entire yellow river fell silent. Not a single spirit dared to surface, and the wailing ceased. This was the extent of Lu Fei's power and dominance—those who tried to play tricks in front of him only had one path: death. Of course, he also felt the softness against him as he continued walking forward. Seeing that the danger had passed, Jun Muyu finally followed him across.