Mo Qi stared into her eyes, "Isn't it?"
Xin'er let out a soft hum, "No!"
Mo Qi was helpless if she didn't admit it, and he wasn't entirely sure either.
After a long gaze, he changed the subject, "Does your Wu tribe have a way to enter the Underworld? I want to go there."
Xin'er said with a calm expression, "There is a way, but it's easy to go and difficult to return..."
Mo Qi said without hesitation, "I still have to go."
Xin'er slowly continued, "The gates of hell are always guarded. Forcibly breaking in will surely attract their attention, and they will hunt you down with all their might. There are also countless vengeful spirits, who are searching for human bodies everywhere. You will become a target..."
Mo Qi remained unmoved, casually brushing it off, "Got it, got it."
Afterward, Mo Qi sent for Shi Siyao, and Xin'er began to perform her magic.
Xin'er set up an altar. She was not as tall as the altar, and after standing behind it, she was completely hidden.
Mo Qi became increasingly convinced that she was not a child.
And her father had also said she wasn't a child.
Xin'er held her sword, suddenly jumped onto the altar, chanting incantations. Her eyes were half-open, as if communicating with the heavens.
A faint, lingering melody spread through the air, and the still atmosphere suddenly stirred with wind!
Sand and stones flew, and the sky turned dark!
It looked quite convincing!
Mo Qi and Shi Siyao were greatly shocked.
At this moment, Xin'er pointed her hand, and talismans continuously floated out, drifting down to the ground and forming a line.
Xin'er then brandished her sword in the air, and a sword energy shot out. Amidst a series of crackling explosions, golden light flickered, and energy like a shuttle split the line of talismans in the middle.
A rumbling sound echoed, and the ground shook, splitting open on both sides along that line.
Was the Underworld really underground?
After Mo Qi and Shi Siyao managed to steady themselves, they prepared to jump into the crevice.
But the crevice was not wide enough, and both of them stared intently at the ground.
However, Xin'er appeared to be struggling, holding her sword pointed at the ground, her hands trembling.
Just then, a red light flashed.
It was like a fiery sun dragging a long tail, striking towards Mo Qi.
As Mo Qi looked up, he saw only a sea of fire pressing down on him, with no way to dodge, no time to dodge. He could only instinctively push out his hand, and a surge of holy fire spiritual energy erupted.
Before the two seas of fire could collide, Shi Siyao also made her move, immediately raising her Asura Pestle and striking towards the red light.
The Asura Pestle emitted a mass of black mist, roaring and churning with immense power.
The holy fire spiritual energy, like a giant dragon, plunged into the fiery glow, forcefully carving out a passage and striking towards Chunyu Honglie.
Meanwhile, the outer edges of the fiery glow continued to surge towards Mo Qi.
In his haste, Mo Qi could only channel his protective spiritual energy and raise the Dragon-Subduing Pearl to meet the attack.
The Dragon-Subduing Pearl's light was scattered the moment it appeared.
Even so, it significantly weakened the sea of fire.
The sea of fire roared and engulfed Mo Qi.
Xin'er let out a cry of alarm, and the incantation in her hands ceased.
The gates of hell slammed shut.
At the same time, Shi Siyao's Asura Pestle followed the passage carved by the holy fire, striking all the way towards Chunyu Honglie.
From a distance, Chunyu Honglie could no longer withstand the malevolent energy, and his body was blown backward.
Fluttering chaotically like dead leaves in the wind, his mind remained clear, and he quickly analyzed the situation.
In the field, both Mo Qi and Shi Siyao's cultivation were below his, but their coordination was seamless and perfect, earning his involuntary admiration.
Moreover, there was someone else standing by who hadn't made a move, and their strength seemed considerable.
Forget it, it was better to retreat for now.
As the saying goes, where there's life, there's hope.
With this thought, he leaped up, using the momentum of the opponent's spiritual energy to unleash a peculiar movement technique.
He spread his right hand, and a bubble appeared in his palm.
He forcefully pushed the bubble, and it exploded with a roar, generating a powerful airflow that rose from nowhere, like a hurricane.
Chunyu Honglie then rode the hurricane and sped away, disappearing in a flash.
The Asura Pestle heavily struck the ground, creating a deep pit. Sand and stones flew, lingering in the air for a long time.
Seeing Xin'er looking dejected, Mo Qi immediately ran over, "How is it? Can you open it again?"
Shi Siyao also walked over slowly, her gaze fixed on Xin'er with a hint of urgency.
Xin'er sighed, "It's difficult now. The gates of hell weren't here originally. We used witchcraft to steal a sliver of an opening, like chiseling a hole in someone's wall. There were only a few seconds to enter, but now the Underworld guards must have discovered it and are on high alert. It's very hard for me to open it again, and even if I force it open, it will be difficult for you to enter."
Shi Siyao and Mo Qi's hearts sank, and their expressions turned grim simultaneously.
At this moment, an eye floated out from Mo Qi's body, "Look how difficult it is for you. This kind of thing is a piece of cake for me. If you need to get something from the Underworld, I'll fetch it for you in an instant."
Xin'er and Shi Siyao merely thought she was bragging and shook their heads.
But Mo Qi was utterly shocked and asked in disbelief, "I clearly put you away. How did you get out?"
At this point, Shi Siyao and Xin'er also reacted, "Yes, how did you get out?"
The Demon King spat disdainfully, "Can that broken bottle trap me? You guys really don't take a Demon King seriously!"
With such movement skills, it seemed she could indeed come and go freely in the Underworld. Perhaps they could trust her for now. After all, she couldn't be contained, and if she wanted to leave, she would have left long ago.
After a moment of thought, Mo Qi said, "Alright, then I'll trouble you for this trip! Go and get us some Underworld River water."
The Demon King readily agreed, and her eyeball suddenly plunged towards the ground.
Judging by her posture, it was no different from suicide.
But the three of them watched indifferently, not worried at all.
Because the Demon King would not commit suicide!
Indeed, amidst sparks, the Demon King's eyeball forcefully squeezed into the ground and disappeared.
She said it would only take a few seconds and she would be back in an instant, so the three waited there.
However, a few seconds passed, and she did not return.
Several hours passed, and she still hadn't returned.
Several days passed, and she still hadn't returned.
Thus, Mo Qi lost his patience and said to Xin'er, "Try again. We'll go ourselves."
Shi Siyao, however, was beginning to waver, "Brother, perhaps I should just fend for myself. You don't need to worry about me anymore."
Mo Qi glared at her, "You cannot retreat in the face of adversity, or I will chop off your head."
Shi Siyao stuck out her tongue, "Alright, you decide!"
Seeing his determined attitude, Xin'er couldn't say anything to object and said, "Okay, I'll do my best. You two also be careful, don't force it. If the situation turns unfavorable, turn back. When you see the location of the Shore Flower, call my name, and I will pull you back."
Then came his earnest teachings, like a child of about ten years old.
Mo Qi and Shi Siyao prepared themselves again, and Xin'er began to cast her magic once more.
This time, to conserve Xin'er's strength, before the crevice opened too wide, Mo Qi and Shi Siyao leaped down using their respective special movement techniques.
It was a long, long journey, feeling endless as their bodies continued to fall.
Fearing they would get separated, the two held hands tightly.
Their bodies plummeted at high speed, feeling like an eternity had passed!
The sensation of falling became the entirety of their existence.
After a very long time, they felt themselves surrounded by faint, ethereal figures, which occasionally let out eerie laughter, sending chills down their spines.
Some even made unwanted advances.
Shi Siyao was very aggressive, holding her Asura Pestle in her hand, a bloodthirsty glint in her eyes, causing those figures to scatter.
Looking up, they saw the spirits arranged in neat, long lines, moving forward along a barely discernible path.
At this moment, the spirits seemed to possess much more intelligence than those Mo Qi had seen before, and they were closer to being corporeal.
They were marching in an orderly fashion, actually being led.
Every few yards, there was a person holding a lantern, illuminating and guiding the way forward.
The path was the Yellow Springs Road, winding and rugged, stretching endlessly.
On both sides of the road were endless abysses, filled with churning, crimson lava. From a distance, waves of heat assaulted them, making one feel as if they were being roasted until they oozed oil.
Many people instinctively moved towards the center, trying to stay away from the edges, fearing they would fall.
Mo Qi and Shi Siyao walked among the crowd, blending in perfectly.
Mo Qi assumed they had established a tacit understanding and didn't remind her to remain silent.
Unexpectedly, Shi Siyao started to act foolishly, grabbing a spirit and asking, "Does this road lead to the Underworld River?"
The surroundings were deathly silent, and her voice became a jarring noise.
Everyone around turned their heads in unison, looking at her.
A few lantern-holders even glared at her with murderous intent.
Shi Siyao felt a bit embarrassed by their stares, coughed dryly, and chuckled, "You don't know? Then forget I said anything."
At this moment, two black and white figures swooped towards them from a distance, "What wicked spirits dare to trespass in the Underworld?"
Black and White Impermanence?
"Quick, let's go!" Mo Qi pulled Shi Siyao's hand and soared towards the sky above the abyss.
Heat rose from below intermittently, making one's body feel withered.
Mo Qi felt nothing, but Shi Siyao was starting to struggle and cried out, "Brother, not this way, not this way."
But if not this way, then which way should they go?
Mo Qi was in a dilemma.
He looked back and saw Black and White Impermanence pursuing them. If they turned back, they would have to confront them head-on. A slight delay would result in more hellish envoys surrounding them, making it impossible to escape.
Mo Qi thought for a moment, then without explanation, he put Shi Siyao on his back and flew forward horizontally, using his body to block most of the intense heat.
Although Shi Siyao was still uncomfortable, it was now within her body's tolerance.
She stopped crying out and allowed Mo Qi to carry her forward.