Chapter 2702 - 2701: The Three Creekside Freaks

Ling Feng and Ling Yao tightly held each other’s hands as they plunged into the Nine Nether. At the same time, Ling Feng summoned Little Fei mid-air, stepping on Little Fei’s sturdy back, allowing the two to land smoothly on the ground.

After them, Song Ruozhao, who fell into the Nine Nether slightly later, also landed steadily using his Void Stepping Technique.

Ling Feng looked at Song Ruozhao’s expressionless face and couldn’t help but be surprised. He had initially thought Zhou Ming pulled them into the Nine Nether to torment them, expecting they would be separated. But now, it didn’t seem that way.

Ling Feng and Song Ruozhao surveyed the surroundings, finding that although this was the Nine Nether, it was surprisingly similar to the scenery above.

The so-called Nine Heavens above and Nine Levels below, "Nine Nether" refers to the lowest point in the world, corresponding to the legendary highest realm, the "Nine Heavens".

Legend has it that after death, everyone falls into the Nine Nether, heading towards Elysium, and eventually, part of them can be reincarnated as humans.

Thus, this Nine Nether seems similar to the concept of the "Underworld" on Earth.

However, upon discovering that the scenery here wasn’t much different from the living world, Ling Feng assumed this Nine Nether wasn’t truly a place like hell but rather a small world beneath the Nine Provinces.

He even had reason to suspect they might not be in the world of the Nine Provinces anymore.

Song Ruozhao looked upward, seeing a purple-black vortex above, not resembling any normal sky, obscuring the details with its dark hue.

Despite the surroundings being roughly similar to the Upper Realm, the colors were monotonous, consisting almost entirely of gray and black, creating a very oppressive feeling.

Song Ruozhao’s black and white eyes emitted a faint glow. After observing the upper part for a long time, he asserted, "We should still be in the Nine Provinces World. This place called Nine Nether is likely a small world created by someone."

"The name Nine Nether, with its fear-inducing connotation, is just a public stunt!"

Song Ruozhao shook his head, clearly disdainful.

Ling Feng rubbed his chin, looking at the unfamiliar monochrome scenery around, also having doubts about its true nature: "Anyway, let’s leave here first. Zhou Ming’s methods are quite formidable. The vortex’s power makes even me somewhat uneasy."

The term "Zhou Ming" naturally refers to the aforementioned dark force.

"It’s not safe to stay here. The secret treasures of the Nine Provinces will appear soon, and if someone seizes an advantage, it will be troublesome for you to compete for them," Song Ruozhao remarked indifferently.

"The Demon King wishes to be on good terms with you, and likely won’t compete, but you can’t be sure the Devil Clan won’t make a move. Many from the Human Race, including the Human Emperor, are also eagerly eyeing those secret treasures!"

Ling Feng puzzledly asked, "The Human Emperor is from the same era as you, right?"

Song Ruozhao nodded: "He’s even older than me. When my reputation hadn’t yet become prominent in the Nine Provinces, the Human Emperor had been in power for quite some time."

"Then why is he still competing? It’s been thousands of years, and with secret treasures appearing every 333 years, hasn’t he gotten any?" Ling Feng was "exasperated".

"Hmm..." Song Ruozhao pondered for a long time, "Although I was sealed these years, as my cultivation deepened, my mental perception has grown stronger. Over these years, even in my spirit form, I’ve learned quite a bit."

"In 3000 years, only nine treasures have appeared, five of which were seized by the Devil Clan. Three individuals have already left the Nine Provinces World, ascending to other worlds."

"The circumstances of the other two are unknown."

"The Human Race got only three treasures in 3000 years, with one seized by the Dao Sect and another by Buddhist exponents. The Human Emperor managed to acquire only one, and its function is quite limited."

"It’s a divination secret treasure. The Human Emperor isn’t skilled in this aspect and has never ventured into it, so he handed the treasure to the Imperial Family’s chief astrologer."

"So, in reality, the Human Emperor has essentially no secret treasures. This time the treasure enables world-breaking transmission, so he is determined to obtain it." Song Ruozhao’s face was filled with a teasing expression.

"Five plus three, that’s only eight treasures. Where’s the other one?" Ling Feng asked.

"The last one is the treasure that appeared 333 years ago. Its ownership is the most mysterious."

"When a treasure appears, there’s usually a celestial phenomenon, most notably a brilliant beam of light that pierces the sky, announcing its presence to the world."

"The beam extinguishes only when someone seizes the treasure."

"This treasure’s beam extinguished within mere seconds from its appearance. That day, I saw the beam appear, and then very shortly after, it vanished, indicating someone had taken it!"

Ling Feng was slightly shocked. What terrifying speed!

"No one knows who took that treasure, not even those cultivators nearby could see the owner."

"At the time, this treasure caused great commotion, with countless people expending efforts to track it down, but achieving nothing."

"What was the trait of the treasure back then?"

"Only two words: Concealment."

Ling Feng understood, then shook his head: "Sounds like a treasure that allows one to hide themselves. Unless the owner reveals themselves, we’ll never know who they are."

Ling Feng suddenly laughed: "How unlucky for the Human Emperor! Living thousands of years and not acquiring any treasure. If I were him, I’d be at my wits’ end, haha."

Song Ruozhao shook his head and didn’t say anything. The three continued discussing the treasures as they walked, searching for a way to leave the Nine Nether.

When Ling Feng arrived at this place, he had opened his Divine Sense, observing the surrounding scenery attentively. Yet, everything appeared identical, with no change, not even a single person.

As they walked, a small stream appeared before them, and an old man in simple gray clothes was leaning over a stone bridge, strenuously fiddling with something beneath the bridge.

Next to the stream, an old woman was washing clothes, her head bowed, while a child nearby played with mud on the ground, similarly lowering their head.

Ling Feng was a bit surprised upon seeing the trio but quickly smiled, approaching them while calling out:

"Hey there, granny, can you tell us where we are?"

The old woman and man seemed not to hear him, continuing their tasks, with only the child’s body suddenly becoming tense, as if hearing Ling Feng’s question.

The child slowly raised their head, startling Song Ruozhao and Ling Yao.

His face had no features, just a blank, pale face.

Only Ling Feng wasn’t frightened by this eerie appearance. He chuckled as he walked over, ruffling the child’s hair and asked, "Kid, do you know where we are?"

"Umuh kuti lukir..." The child spoke a string of words in a language unknown, his voice not childlike but instead carrying a beastly roughness.

"Where are you from? How come you’re in our little place?" asked the old woman who had been washing clothes, raising her bow.

With his hand still on the child’s head, Ling Feng showed possibly the friendliest expression ever, replying, "We’re passing through here but got lost. Could you kindly show us the way out?"

"Hehehe," the old woman’s hands paused in washing clothes. "Do you know where you are? Just barging in like that?"

"We don’t, so we need some directions. As said, we’re accidentally lost." Ling Feng maintained his smile.

"This is the Nine Nether. You must be from the Upper Realm. Why come here?" The old woman suddenly raised her head.

Her face was a network of twisted wrinkles, intertwined like the roots of trees, with something seemingly crawling within the folds.

Song Ruozhao and Ling Yao furrowed their brows even deeper.

"So this is the Nine Nether? We didn’t intend to come here, so can you tell us how to get out?" Ling Feng politely asked.

"There’s no way out," the old woman shook her head, casually pointing at the man on the bridge, "See? That guy also stumbled into the Nine Nether like you, and now he’s insane, not knowing what he’s doing on the bridge."

Ling Feng glanced at the man who had half his body leaned down from the bridge. Ling Feng took a few steps forward, intending to inquire but merely saw the man’s head turn in an almost impossible manner.

The man bore a rugged face, almost as if the face of a dragon was stitched onto him, rough and gnarled skin interwoven, making him resemble a half-beast.

And now, this peculiar old man coldly stared at Ling Feng.