Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor
Chapter 36: The Black Earth

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Black Earth

At that moment, the place Shi Feng was headed to was thirty miles north of Moon City, the ancient relics that Fatty Wang from Moon City had spoken of. After encountering Dark Evil, Shi Feng increasingly felt the need for immense power. This time someone had targeted him, rendering Dark Evil nearly lifeless. What about next time? If someone targeted his loved ones, his sister Shi Ling, or his mother Bai Yue-e next time? Only power could shatter all foes.

Ancient relics, as described by the heads of the Four Great Families, even including their four Martial Spirits, and the multitude of Martial Artists from their families had failed to breach it for many years, the place likely harbored treasures and was fraught with peril. A perilous place was also a perfect proving ground for Martial Arts, to break through one’s own strength limits.

A Two-headed Green-winged Eagle flew over Moon City, and Shi Feng estimated they had flown about thirty miles before immediately making the Two-headed Green-winged Eagle descend.

Now dawn was breaking, with the sky a pale white like the belly of a fish.

The Two-headed Green-winged Eagle slowly descended into a barren wasteland. As soon as Shi Feng jumped off the back of the Two-headed Green-winged Eagle, he felt strands of chilly air assail him. Everywhere he looked, the ground was pitch-black and barren.

Apart from that, Shi Feng could even sense that beyond them, there was not a trace of any living being’s presence around.

"What place is this? Why does it feel so eerie and creepy? It gives me the chills," Zhang Hu looked around and couldn’t help but ask aloud.

Shi Feng surveyed the surroundings. He was not sure if this place had the ancient relics, but it certainly exuded a mysterious air.

Crouching down, Shi Feng inspected the pitch-black soil below. The moment his right hand touched the ground, a sudden chill crept up.

"What’s this?" Feeling the chill emanating from the black soil, Shi Feng sensed that this aura was somewhat similar to his own Nine Nether Power.

"This is the aura of Yin Cold. This land has been ravaged by Yin Cold Power. Judging from these marks, it appears to have happened within the last few years," Shi Feng analyzed, then mumbled to himself, "This is merely a battlefield left behind by a Martial Arts expert, not the ancient relics. So where are the ancient relics that the Four Great Families spoke of?"

Shi Feng stood up and began to look around again.

"Young Master Feng, there are footprints here," Zhang Hu ran a few dozen meters away, turned around, and called out to Shi Feng.

"Oh?" Hearing Zhang Hu’s words, Shi Feng quickly hurried over.

"Screech! Screech!" Behind them came two cries from the Two-headed Green-winged Eagle, which had completed their mission and were flapping their wings, taking off into the sky.

Shi Feng didn’t pay any attention to the Two-headed Green-winged Eagle and walked straight to Zhang Hu. When Shi Feng approached, Zhang Hu pointed to the ground and said, "Young Master Feng, look!"

Shi Feng saw that on the pitch-black ground, there were pairs of footprints. Judging from the number of footprints, there were about a dozen people.

And from these footprints, it could be surmised that the footprints were fresh, and these people had not left this place long ago.

Shi Feng followed the footprints with his gaze, which led straight ahead.

"Could it be that the other three great families have taken action earlier?" Shi Feng speculated silently.

Then Zhang Hu spoke, "These footprints begin from here, which means that these people either, like us, arrived here riding Flying Demon Beasts, or they came using a Flying Mysterious Artifact.

The other possibility is that they flew down here themselves, but that’s hardly possible. To break free from the Earth’s restraint and soar through the sky, at the very least they would need to be at the Martial King Realm level. Combined, our Yunlai Empire doesn’t have that many Martial King Powerhouses."

"Let’s follow these footprints," Shi Feng said. Regardless of who they were, appearing here likely meant they were here for the relics.

Shi Feng and Zhang Hu followed the footprints forward but deliberately slowed their pace. Shi Feng didn’t want to catch up and be noticed. Fatty Wang had invited him to brave the relics, and even the four great families had not been able to decipher the relics for many years, indicating unknown dangers within the relics.

Shi Feng thought to stay behind and let those people enter first, then use them to scope out the situation inside.

"I’ll pass on a mental method to you first. According to this mental method guide, you can channel the Primordial Power hidden within your body into your Dantian," Shi Feng said to Zhang Hu as they walked.

"Remember this well." Then, Shi Feng orally transmitted the mental method to Zhang Hu.

At first, Zhang Hu didn’t feel anything special, but as he listened more, he became increasingly frightened, excited, and joyful.

Being able to cultivate to Martial Spirit Realm, he naturally understood the authenticity and mystery of this mental method. Listening to this mental method, the Primordial Power initially undetectable and hidden throughout his body, now could be sensed.

Besides, if he were to cultivate according to this mental method, his cultivation speed would increase at least threefold compared to before.

Threefold! That meant, if he had needed three years to advance one level before, now it could be shortened to just one year.

The journey of Martial Arts became increasingly difficult as one progressed, and it took more time; a threefold speed was a massive boon for any Martial Artist.

"This... Young Master Feng, just command me in the future, even through fire and water, I will not refuse!" said Zhang Hu, trembling with excitement, and earnestly spoke to Shi Feng.

Shi Feng nodded gently and said, "This time, as long as you earnestly serve me and all instructions are followed, the benefits will not be few for you. First, follow the mental method I taught you to channel the Primordial Power into your Dantian, and start with increasing your strength."

"Yes!" Then Zhang Hu operated the mental method, following Shi Feng while guiding the latent Primordial Power within his body, slowly enhancing his strength.

Along the way, the landscape remained desolate and silent, the earth pitch-black and icy cold.

Suddenly, Shi Feng halted his steps, and Zhang Hu, awakened from the mental method, looked around, his face full of surprise as he said, "What’s going on? Why have the footprints disappeared here? Could it be they all left carrying Flying Demon Beasts or using Mysterious Artifacts?"

Shi Feng gazed into the distance ahead, shaking his head slightly, and said, "That shouldn’t be the case. If I’m not mistaken, the entrance should be right here!" With that, Shi Feng took a step forward.

In an instant, under Zhang Hu’s astonished gaze, Shi Feng suddenly vanished into thin air, "This is? A hidden portal!" Without hesitation, Zhang Hu followed suit and stepped forward, and immediately, the world before his eyes underwent an earth-shattering transformation.

It was a frozen world, as far as the eye could see, everything was icy white, the earth was frozen into smooth, mirror-like ice, emitting strands of cold chill.

In the distance ahead of Shi Feng and Zhang Hu, a majestic and imposing ice mountain stood like a giant between heaven and earth, as if connected to the heavens, eternal and unchanging.