The Legend of the Netherworld

Chapter 184 Battle with Murong Rui

Lin Xiao quickly adjusted his mindset, sitting quietly on the hillside, silently circulating his energy to recover the strength he had consumed in the previous battle. He knew that the upcoming Collapse Night would be one of the most dangerous stages of the trial, and all hidden enemies would surface.

As night fell, Lin Xiao took out some dry food and water from his storage bag and quickly replenished his energy. At this point, his Qi Hai was stable and his Qi strength had returned to its peak.

He looked around and made sure there was no other presence around, then prepared to leave for a more advantageous ambush position.

The plains were now filled with a solemn and murderous atmosphere. The contestants began to disperse, each seeking suitable hiding places. Some even prepared to attack their opponents before the collapse, hoping to obtain more resources.

In the distance, amidst a towering coconut grove, Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi were already lying in ambush on a high ground. They had chosen a high position from which they could overlook the movements of the entire plain.

"Young Master, that Lin Xiao will most likely come to the center of the plain. Should we take action directly?" Xiang Shouyi asked in a low voice.

Murong Rui sneered, his eyes filled with cruelty: "No hurry. He thinks he is the hunter, but tonight, he is destined to be the prey."

Lin Xiao swiftly moved through the forest, his steps light and graceful, like a ghost in the night. He dodged several waves of fierce fighting and chose to hide on the outskirts of the island. Rather than heading directly to the center, he used his "Illusionary Skill: Imitating Shadow" to summon two clones, each moving in different directions to confuse others.

"Tonight is the critical moment before the collapse. My goal is to preserve my strength as much as possible while obtaining resources." Lin Xiao analyzed calmly in his mind, his eyes like lightning, scanning the movements around him.

As Lin Xiao was lurking, he keenly sensed a strange aura. It was an extremely oppressive wave of power, emanating from the center of the plain. Following the aura, he saw a black mist enveloping an area in the distance, and faintly discernible figures engaged in a fierce battle.

"It seems that someone has already started taking action." Lin Xiao frowned slightly. After thinking for a while, he did not rush to get closer. Instead, he chose to bypass this area and continue to sneak towards a safer place.

...

At the same time, Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi also noticed the black fog. They did not act rashly, but chose to wait and see what would happen.

"The power fluctuations in that black fog are extremely strong. It seems that there are strong men in the Jiachen realm fighting there." Xiang Shouyi said in a low voice.

Murong Rui snorted coldly: "That's perfect, let them both suffer losses, and then we will reap the benefits in the end."

However, at this moment, a low whistling sound suddenly came from above their heads, and several sharp sword energies fell from the sky, heading straight for the high ground where the two were!

"Lin Xiao!" Murong Rui gritted his teeth and roared, quickly activating the family's secret technique. His figure dodged the sword energy, and at the same time, a violent force condensed in his hands and blasted towards the source of the sword energy.

Lin Xiao's figure slowly appeared not far from the high ground. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking coldly at Murong Rui, and said lightly: "You are hiding here to plot against me? Your calculations are too loud."

Murong Rui's face was ferocious, and with the power surging in his hands, he shouted coldly: "Lin Xiao, today it's either you die or I die!"

Xiang Shouyi hurried forward and stood side by side with Murong Rui. The two of them joined forces and launched a fierce attack on Lin Xiao in an instant.

Murong Rui unleashed his family's secret technique, "Wind and Thunder Curse," sending a violent wave of wind and thunder sweeping in. Xiang Shouyi unleashed "Flame and Flowing Fire," and the blazing flames transformed into a dragon-like aura, charging straight at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao remained unfazed. He calmly channeled his energy, instantly splitting into two phantoms to join his true form in the battle. The three "Lin Xiaos" unleashed "Shadow Spirit Sword Stab," "Sword Dance Spin," and "Sword Qi Horizontal Decision," weaving through the wind, thunder, and flames like a swift dragon.

Amidst the flashes of swords and sabers, the battle between the three became more and more intense. The surrounding trees were shattered by the aftermath of the force, the earth cracked, and the wind howled, like a doomsday scene.

Just as the battle between the three reached its climax, an old voice suddenly resounded: "Young man, don't fight so hard. The trial has just begun!"

Before he finished speaking, an old man with white hair and beard slowly walked out of the darkness. He was wearing a gray robe and holding a cane, and his aura was unfathomable.

Lin Xiao, Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi stopped what they were doing at the same time and looked at the old man with a wary look on their faces.

"Who are you?" Lin Xiao asked coldly.

The old man smiled faintly and said calmly, "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that your fate may be rewritten tonight."

Lin Xiao stared at the old man, his heart filled with alarm. This gray-robed old man with a deep aura seemed no ordinary competitor. The oppressive aura he exuded even faintly surpassed that of the Jiachen Realm, making him a force to be reckoned with.

"If he is a special existence in the trial field, we must not act rashly." Lin Xiao quickly analyzed in his mind and secretly mobilized his strength to be on guard.

Murong Rui's eyes were equally cold, and he whispered to Xiang Shouyi, "Be careful, this old guy is probably not an ordinary person."

The gray-robed elder noticed the tension among the others, sighed softly, and said, "You youngsters, you only care about fighting, but you don't understand the true meaning of the trial. Tonight's Collapse Night is not just a contest between you, but also the beginning of a battle with heaven and earth."

"Fighting against heaven and earth?" Xiang Shouyi asked doubtfully, with a hint of disbelief in his tone.

"Do you think the collapse of the trial grounds is just a simple elimination mechanism?" The old man chuckled and continued, "If that's the case, let me show you what a true trial is."

Before he finished speaking, the old man gently swung his cane, and a beam of golden light shot out from the tip, shooting straight into the sky. The golden light exploded in the sky, forming a dazzling halo. In an instant, the sky over the entire plain seemed to darken, and then a low rumbling sound rose from deep underground.

The roar grew louder, the earth began to shake violently, and a huge, bottomless crack suddenly appeared in the center of the plain. From the crack, thick black fog gushed out. This black fog quickly spread, instantly withering the grass and trees wherever it touched, and even the air was filled with a suffocating smell of decay.

"What... is this?" Murong Rui's pupils shrank sharply and he stepped back repeatedly.

The old man smiled slightly and said, "This is the true face of the trial ground. The place you are in is actually a sealed ancient battlefield. The collapse tonight will release some of the power hidden here. If you want to survive, you must face your own weaknesses."

As soon as he finished speaking, several dark figures suddenly emerged from the crack. They were hideous beasts, enormous in size, emitting a foul stench. Their eyes gleamed crimson, clearly filled with hostility.

"The power of these things is far beyond your imagination." The old man's voice was somewhat cold. "If you can't unite, you will all become their prey."

Seeing this, Lin Xiao no longer hesitated. He quickly summoned his strength and used his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitating Phantom Moves" to summon two clones. At the same time, his true form drew its sword and said coldly, "It seems that tonight, in addition to our mutual hostility, we also have a common enemy."

Murong Rui snorted coldly. Although he was reluctant to join forces with Lin Xiao, the current situation clearly did not allow him to deal with it alone. He turned to Xiang Shouyi and said, "Deal with these strange beasts first, and we'll deal with the rest later!"

Xiang Shouyi nodded and immediately used "Flame and Flowing Fire". A fire dragon roared and rushed towards a strange beast, knocking it to the ground.

Lin Xiao and his two clones attacked at the same time, performing "Sword Qi Horizontal Technique" and "Sword Dance Spinning" one after another. The sword energy fell like rain, blocking the oncoming strange beasts.

The old man stood aside, watching with a cold eye. He did not intervene, but put his hands behind his back, as if observing everyone's performance.

As time went on, more and more strange beasts emerged from the cracks, each one more powerful than the last. Although Lin Xiao and the others tried their best to resist, they gradually felt powerless.

"This isn't a solution!" Lin Xiao slashed a beast with his sword and quickly retreated, saying in a deep voice, "These things seem to be endless. We must find the source of the cracks, otherwise we'll be exhausted sooner or later."

Murong Rui gritted his teeth and said, "Do you have a solution?"

Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at the gray-robed old man and asked loudly, "Senior, since you know the secret of the trial field, you must have a solution!"

The old man smiled faintly and said, "There is a way, but you must prove your worth."

"How to prove it?" Lin Xiao asked.

"Clear all these strange beasts and seal the cracks." The old man spoke lightly, but his eyes held unquestionable authority. "If you do this, you will be qualified to know the true secrets of the trial field."

Lin Xiao took a deep breath and said with a firm look, "Okay! Let's give it a try!"

Lin Xiao took a deep breath and quickly regained his composure. He turned to look at Murong Rui and said calmly, "Now is not the time to fight each other. Let's work together to deal with these beasts first, and then discuss the next strategy."

Murong Rui's face was gloomy. Although he was unwilling to give in, the current situation did not allow him to show off his strength. He snorted coldly and said, "I'll listen to you for now. Xiang Shouyi, let's suppress the monster together!"

"Yes, young master!" Xiang Shouyi nodded in response, and quickly formed seals with his hands. The flames and strength intertwined to condense into a ball of blazing fire.

Lin Xiao quickly summoned his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitating Phantom Moves," and two clones of his energy, one on his left and one on his right, formed a solid defensive line. He swung his sword fiercely, and the "Sword Qi Horizontal Technique" slashed with several sharp sword beams, slicing the approaching beast into several pieces.

"That crack seems to be the source of these strange beasts!" Lin Xiao noticed that every time a strange beast was destroyed, a new one would emerge from the crack. He stared into the depths of the crack, secretly calculating in his heart.

Just as everyone was desperately trying to stop the beast, a deep roar suddenly erupted from the crack. Then, a massive beast, pitch black with blood-red eyes, slowly crawled out. Its body was as massive as a mountain, its claws razor-sharp, and it exuded a suffocating, oppressive aura.

"What kind of monster is this?" Murong Rui's pupils shrank sharply, and a trace of fear rose in his heart. He could clearly sense that the aura of this giant beast far exceeded that of the Jiayin Realm, and might even have reached the peak of the Jiachen Realm.

"Looks like this is the real test!" Lin Xiao's expression was solemn, but a hint of fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. He took a deep breath, and increased his strength to the limit. The longsword in his hand hummed, and it seemed to have the potential to break through the air.

"Give it your all, don't hold back!" Lin Xiao shouted, and at the same time performed the "Sword Dance of Wind and Glory". The sword energy swept out like a violent storm, heading straight for the giant monster.

Murong Rui and Xiang Shouyi were not to be outdone, unleashing their respective powerful martial arts. The combined attacks of "Flame Flowing Fire" and "Dark Night Hurricane" were overwhelming, slamming fiercely into the giant beast.

The giant beast roared deafeningly and swung its massive claws, scattering all incoming attacks. Though its movements were clumsy, each swing of its claws carried immense destructive power, tearing deep cracks into the ground.

Lin Xiao's clones quickly circled behind the beast and used "Shadow Spirit Sword Stab" and "Sword Qi Strike" respectively, trying to restrain the beast's movements. However, the giant beast seemed to sense the threat of the clones and suddenly turned around, sweeping out with its tail, shaking the two clones apart.

"Its defense is too strong, ordinary attacks are simply ineffective!" Lin Xiao gritted his teeth secretly, while thinking quickly about countermeasures in his mind.

At this moment, the voice of the gray-robed old man suddenly came: "The core of this strange beast is in its chest. We must hit it there to completely destroy it."

"Chest?" Lin Xiao observed quickly and found that there was a faint dark red light flashing on the chest of the giant monster.

"Murong Rui, Xiang Shouyi, cover me! I will attack its core!" Lin Xiao gave the order decisively, and then mobilized all his strength, ready to kill with one blow.

Although Murong Rui was dissatisfied, he had no choice at this moment. He said coldly: "Xiang Shouyi, attack with all your strength!"

"Yes!"

The two of them joined forces to launch their strongest attack. The scorching flames and violent hurricanes formed a suppressive offensive around the giant monster, creating an opportunity for Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao took advantage of the moment the beast was restrained and leaped up, his sword raised high, concentrating all his strength to the limit. He shouted, "Sword Dance - Spinning World Slash!"

The sword light streaked across the night sky like a meteor, carrying unparalleled power, piercing straight into the chest of the strange beast.

The giant beast sensed danger, roared angrily, and tried to block it with its giant claws. However, Lin Xiao's sword flashed as fast as lightning, piercing through its defenses and piercing the dark red core in its chest.

"boom!"

With a deafening explosion, the giant beast's body trembled violently before collapsing and dissipating in a puff of black mist. The beast that emerged from the crack also ceased its movements, as if it had lost the power to control it.

After Lin Xiao landed, he panted and retracted his sword. He looked at the gray-robed old man sharply and said, "We have proven our worth. Now can you tell us the secret of the trial?"

The gray-robed old man smiled slightly and nodded: "Very good, you have passed the first test. However, this is just the beginning..."