PD -Chapter 134 The Naihe Bridge

This formation was something I had specifically devised during my recent period of secluded cultivation for this journey into Youdu. It was called the Nine Yin Refinement Formation.

The formation was powered by yin-attributed spiritual energy, making this place the perfect environment to use it.

With both favorable timing and terrain on my side, the formation was easily activated by my spiritual power. Its effectiveness even exceeded my expectations.

The moment I finished the incantation, the surrounding yin energy gathered together and formed a gigantic cauldron in midair. The cauldron was semi-transparent, enveloping the scholar’s body, and gradually changed from black to red.

The scholar let out a cold snort from within the cauldron. Opening his folding fan once more, he prepared to use it as a sword and slash through the cauldron created by my formation.

I immediately channeled my spiritual power, directing the cauldron to resist his strike.

But in the end, I still couldn’t withstand the terrifying power of the fan in his hand. The formation was shattered in an instant.

As I watched the scholar break free, I felt neither surprise nor frustration.

Because I had known from the beginning that, with my strength alone, there was no way I could trap a Ghost Emperor of this level.

The formation had only one purpose—to buy time and divert his attention.

The scholar was no fool. After breaking free, he saw that I showed no signs of panic and instantly seemed to realize something. He turned around to look for Shentu’s whereabouts.

Unfortunately for him, it was already too late.

In that instant, Shentu’s damaged Ghost Emperor Seal appeared once again.

At the same time, a divine sword radiating nine-colored light materialized in Liu Xiaopeng’s hand.

The Immortal-Slaying Sword had returned.

Standing beside Shentu, Liu Xiaopeng’s pupils shone with brilliant nine-colored light. He looked like an immortal descending from the heavens as he glared at the scholar and shouted:

“Bixi, heed my command!”

A beastly roar instantly echoed throughout Ghost Gate Pass.

A divine beast with a dragon’s head, a single horn, and an enormous turtle shell appeared in the sky.

It was none other than the Sixth Son of the Dragon—

Bixi!

The moment Bixi appeared, it lifted Shentu’s Ghost Emperor Seal upon its shell.

The two seemed to merge into one.

Its body expanded explosively as golden spiritual energy intertwined with dark-red spiritual energy. In the blink of an eye, it became incomparably massive and charged toward the scholar with overwhelming force.

The scholar immediately hurled his own Ghost Emperor Seal in response.

But the instant it struck Bixi’s shell, it was reflected away.

In the next moment, Bixi descended upon him.

To disrupt the scholar’s movements, I threw out another talisman.

The Nine Yin Refinement Formation formed once again.

The enormous black cauldron trapped the scholar inside.

This time, a vicious ghost condensed from yin energy also appeared within the formation.

As the scholar swung his fan, attempting to break the cauldron, the ghost immediately thrust its hand into the cauldron and grabbed the fan, interrupting his attack.

Everything happened within a flash.

My formation probably restrained the scholar for less than two seconds.

But those two seconds were more than enough.

The old saying was true:

Even two fists cannot defeat four hands.

Although this scholar possessed Ghost Emperor-level power and surpassed any one of us in direct combat, he still couldn’t withstand the relentless teamwork of all three of us.

Boom!

The moment the scholar shattered my formation, Bixi, carrying Shentu’s Ghost Emperor Seal, crashed down with earth-shaking force.

Before the scholar’s Ghost Emperor Seal could act again, it was already pinned beneath Bixi.

Then something even stranger happened.

Bixi’s colossal body gradually lost its color and began turning into a black-gray stone statue.

Even the scholar’s arm, which was stretched out beneath it, began to petrify as well.

“Pleasure working with you.”

Shentu landed on the ground and clapped her hands before smiling at Liu Xiaopeng, who had landed beside her.

Liu Xiaopeng, however, showed no sign of amusement.

Instead, he looked concerned.

“The disturbance just now was too great. Your barrier probably can’t conceal everything.”

Shentu’s expression turned serious.

Looking into the distance through the barrier, she remained silent for a moment before saying:

“Now it’s time for you to handle the real task. Don’t worry about the rest. Leave it to me and the kid surnamed Qiu.”

After thinking for a moment, Liu Xiaopeng nodded and once again entered the tunnel-like passage.

I knew what he was about to do.

He was going to begin refining the black jade gates of Ghost Gate Pass.

“Kid.”

Shentu turned to me.

“The commotion just now is bound to raise suspicions. We need to find a way to buy the Liu boy some time.”

“How?”

“You and I are going deeper into the Underworld. We’ll stir up some trouble and draw their attention elsewhere.”

I hesitated and glanced at Liu Xiaopeng as he walked toward the passage.

Leaving him here alone still made me uneasy.

But then I remembered how the scholar Ghost Emperor had just been suppressed.

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

Now that Liu Xiaopeng’s bloodline had awakened, his strength had already surpassed mine.

What right did I have to worry about his safety?

Thinking of this, I sighed and nodded at Shentu.

“No time to waste. Follow me!”

Before her words had even finished, her figure transformed into an afterimage and shot out of the barrier.

Wherever she passed, the barrier automatically opened a path for her.

“Fire essence flying crow, phoenix beak and dragon fang. Let the flying talisman lead the way and cut down all evil spirits ahead.”

I recited an incantation and slapped a talisman onto my leg.

In an instant, I too became a blur, tightly keeping pace with Shentu.

This was another spell I had learned during my secluded training—

The Wind and Fire Advance Talisman.

For a limited time, it greatly enhanced the caster’s physical abilities and reaction speed, allowing feats such as sprinting at incredible speeds and even flight.

“Where are we going?” I asked after catching up to Shentu.

“Do you see that bridge?” she replied, pointing ahead.

I followed her finger.

Up ahead, a narrow river appeared out of nowhere.

Spanning it was an ancient bridge.

At both ends of the bridge stood structures resembling fortified gatehouses.

The bridge itself seemed ordinary enough.

What caught my attention instead was the river.

Its waters were muddy, like those of the Yellow River, and the current was extremely swift.

Yet countless lotus leaves floated upon the surface.

Beneath their cover, patches of red flowers could be seen.

Looking closer, I realized they were not lotus blossoms at all.

The flowers hidden beneath the leaves had dark-red, slender petals and an unusually strange appearance.

I had never seen such a species in the world of the living.

“Below the Naihe Bridge bloom the Flowers of the Other Shore; yet where they bloom is not the Other Shore.”

Shentu suddenly stopped not far from the bridge and gazed ahead as she murmured to herself.

I was startled.

Although I had already suspected that the bridge before us might be the legendary Naihe Bridge, hearing Shentu confirm it with her own words still felt surreal.

Just as we stopped before the bridge, a head suddenly poked out from one of the buildings at the bridge entrance.

It looked around cautiously.

As if sensing our presence, it narrowed its eyes and stared directly toward us.