Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor
Chapter 431 Black River

Chapter 431: Chapter 431 Black River

"Can the map tell us how wide this Black River is?" Looking at the Black River that lay ahead of them, the Kirin King turned to Shi Feng and asked.

The map he spoke of was the Fragmented Map that they had purchased for one hundred thousand Primordial Stones from the "Complete Guide to Death Forbidden Land."

As soon as the Kirin King finished speaking, Shi Feng shook his head and said, "No, that old bastard’s fragmented map only shows us up to here, it doesn’t even include the Black River that’s in front of us."

"No way!" Upon hearing Shi Feng’s words, the freak looked at Shi Feng with a puzzled gaze and said. Then, the freak Ning Cheng also pulled out a copy of the "Complete Guide to Death Forbidden Land." However, the book that Ning Cheng took out was starkly different from the one the Kirin King and Shi Feng had bought.

The cover of Shi Feng’s book was blue, just like those found at a roadside stall, but when Ning Cheng took out his book, an aura of luxury immediately hit them.

The entire book was golden in color, glinting with dazzling gold light. Compared to Shi Feng’s book, it looked as though his book was just a pirated copy.

Then, Ning Cheng flipped through the pages. He skimmed over a few maps of the Death Forbidden Land, but a few pages in, they saw that his book actually had the map of Black River, with a label: "River of Death, about a hundred meters wide."

Following that, there were even several lines of cautions: "When crossing the River of Death, be absolutely cautious, and make sure not to let the Death Water touch you!

If it touches you, death is certain!

When crossing the River of Death, be extremely careful! Do not make a sound, lest you disturb the strong presence within the river!"

Looking at this guidebook and then at Shi Feng’s, it was as if Shi Feng’s was treated like Cinderella. It was a complete knock-off!

Not only did it have extra maps, but it also contained notes and cautions, with stark warnings to be exceptionally careful!

Shi Feng and the Kirin King’s worthless book had cost them one hundred thousand Primordial Stones from that old crook, while Ning Cheng’s had been given to him for free; if you said he wasn’t that old bastard’s illegitimate child, it would be hard to believe!

Ning Cheng put away the gold-glinting book with an expression of disdain and said, "Junior brother, how can you shamelessly buy pirated books, don’t you know it’s disgraceful to read pirated copies?"

Damn you, do you think we are all like you, the old bastard’s illegitimate children?

Listening to Ning Cheng’s words, the Kirin King cursed inwardly.

Shi Feng also put away the now useless book, ignoring Ning Cheng, and continued to gaze at the Black River ahead, the water of which must not touch the body.

And there’s a strong presence within this Black River?

"Young Master Feng, should we cross the river?" the Kirin King looked at the Black River and asked Shi Feng in a soft voice.

"Not yet! Wait!" Shi Feng stretched out his hand and stopped in front of the Kirin King as he said.

"Eh? The map ends here!" Just then, a surprised and doubtful voice suddenly rang out from behind Shi Feng and the others.

Shi Feng and his two companions turned to see four martial artists appearing from the grey-white mist behind them. The group consisted of a middle-aged man, two young men, and a young, pure, and beautiful girl dressed in a white long dress.

The middle-aged martial artist had the highest Martial Arts Realm, at the Three-star Martial Venerable Level. Both young men were at the Nine-star Martial Sect Realm, and the girl was at the Eight-star Martial Sect Level.

The dubious exclamation had come from one of the young men, who also held a pirated copy of Ning Cheng’s "Complete Guide to Death Forbidden Land"!

After they emerged, the four observed Shi Feng and his companions for a moment before turning their attention to the Black River that lay in their path.

"How can we cross this river? Could it be dangerous?" the worried young girl asked as she gazed at the Black River before them.

"Ha ha, Sister Jun need not worry. We are all martial artists at the Martial Sect Level; even if the river’s water is poisonous, can’t we just fly over it with our space-breaking skills?" The young man holding the book laughed in response to the girl’s concern.

"Exactly! It’s just a river. For those of us who can perform space-breaking, what is it really?" The other young man said, his voice dripping with disdain.

From the way the two young men looked at the girl, it was clear they were quite fond of her.

"If it were that simple to cross, then why haven’t they flown across?" the girl, with her delicate thoughts, wondered why Shi Feng and the others had not acted rashly towards the Black River.

"Hmph!" snorted the young man with the book, with a hint of contempt upon hearing the girl’s words: "They are just cowards who fear death. It’s a waste that two of them are Martial Venerable Realm fighters. So timid, I have no idea how they managed to get to the Martial Venerable Realm. I suppose that’s where their journey in Martial Arts ends."

The young man’s words were unapologetically loud, unconcerned whether Shi Feng and his companions overheard. In his eyes, they were nothing more than two martial artists at the Martial Venerable Realm, one a One-star and the other a Two-star, while his group had a middle-aged man at the Three-star Martial Venerable Level. Should they dare to challenge them, a Three-star Martial Venerable would be more than enough to annihilate them instantly.

"Be quieter!" the girl whispered anxiously to the young man.

"Ha ha, Sister Jun, what are you afraid of? Now, watch me, Huang Yue, show you my courage! This Black River, this Death Forbidden Land, mean nothing to me, Huang Yue!" the young man named Huang Yue declared proudly.

Then, Huang Yue placed the "Complete Guide to Death Forbidden Land" into his storage ring and with a shimmer of his body, he darted towards the Black River, quickly positioning himself above its surface. Standing proudly above the river, maintaining half a meter’s distance from the water, he turned back towards the shore.

At that moment, Huang Yue’s face was full of self-satisfaction as he looked back at Shi Feng and his two companions, eventually fixing his gaze on the pure and beautiful girl, and laughed heartily:

"Sister Jun, look! Just as I said, it’s merely a Black River. For us who can perform space-breaking, it really is nothing!"

"Aah!" The girl’s face turned to one of panic as she watched the laughing young man standing above the river surface—not only her, but also the other young man and the middle-aged man’s expressions changed drastically.

"Huang Yue, run! Get back here!" the girl cried out to Huang Yue in alarm.

"Come back, Huang Yue! Danger!" the other young man shouted as well.

A vast dark shadow was emerging behind Huang Yue.

"What! Ha ha ha ha, you’re trying to scare me, right? Ha ha, ha ha! Sister Jun, I didn’t know you joked around too!" Despite their shouts, Huang Yue continued to laugh gleefully, utterly disbelieving that he was on the brink of danger!