The Legend of the Netherworld

Lin Xiao left the valley and embarked on a journey towards an unknown destination. Although he had already killed Wang Haohao, the deputy leader of the Xiaoyao Sect, the oppression within him had not eased in the slightest, but had instead intensified. Every battle left him more exhausted, but also more determined. Between life and death, only by constantly moving forward could he have a chance of survival.

He traversed dense forests, crossed winding streams, and climbed over isolated hills. The sky gradually darkened, the starry sky clear, and the night breeze blew gently, carrying the fresh scent of earth and grass. Lin Xiao stood on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the world below, his heart stirring slightly. As he had sensed before, this road was destined to be bumpy. Enemies and difficulties would always be there, and his goal would not change despite repeated setbacks.

At this moment, the sound of light footsteps came into his ears. Lin Xiao instantly tensed up all his nerves. He turned around quickly and looked around.

"It's you," he whispered.

The figure walked out slowly, dressed in a plain white dress, with a beautiful face and a cold temperament. It was Shangguan Qingqing, whom he had met at Shangguan's house. Her appearance made Lin Xiao feel a little surprised, but also a little puzzled.

"Why are you here?" Lin Xiao asked with a hint of vigilance in his tone.

Shangguan smiled lightly, walked to Lin Xiao's side, and looked up at the distant starry sky: "I wanted to find you, but I didn't expect you to find me yourself."

"Looking for me?" Lin Xiao raised his eyebrows, feeling even more confused.

"You killed the Li family, Prefect Li Zhenguo, and robbed the execution ground, disrupting the order of Tianyuan City. Now, your name has spread throughout Tianyuan City." Shangguan Qingqing's voice was cold, like a reminder and a warning. "I came here to tell you that some things cannot be done just as you please."

Lin Xiao sneered: "I always thought that everything I did was decided by myself, and others had no right to interfere."

"Do you really think you can stay this free forever?" Shangguan turned gently, his eyes as calm as water. "You may possess great power, but Tianyuan City is not the place you imagine. Although the Li family has been destroyed, the price will be high. Many forces have begun to target you."

"I can handle it." Lin Xiao's tone was extremely calm.

"Can you handle it?" Shangguan chuckled. "No matter how powerful you are now, can you handle everyone? You killed Wang Haohao, and the Xiaoyao Sect won't let you go. The forces behind the Li family won't let you go either. Also, the death of Chen Yi has already drawn the wrath of the imperial court. You've really gotten yourself into big trouble this time."

"Everyone I killed deserved to die." A cold light flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. "I won't regret it."

Shangguan Qingqing was silent for a moment, looking at Lin Xiao with a complicated gaze. "You might be able to kill these people, but you know what? You're standing at a crossroads. The people behind you might be more terrifying than you imagine. Your current enemies might just be the tip of the iceberg."

Lin Xiao did not respond, but just looked at her quietly.

Shangguan sighed softly: "Since you have decided to take this path, I will not persuade you anymore. But if one day you regret it, remember to look back at me."

After saying that, she turned and left, disappearing from Lin Xiao's sight.

Lin Xiao stood there for a long time, motionless. His heart felt empty, as if an invisible pressure was pressing down on him. Although he kept moving forward, the road ahead wasn't easy; every step would cost him a price. Shangguan Qingqing's words were like a gentle breeze, gently brushing past his ears. It was hard to grasp, but it also stirred his heart.

"She's right. I have far more enemies than just these two." Lin Xiao muttered to himself, "But no matter what, I've come this far. There's no turning back."

He took a deep breath, his eyes became more determined, then he turned around and continued moving forward.

The storm in Tianyuan City hadn't ended yet, and he finally realized that the enemy before him would be far more powerful and complex than anything he had ever faced. And this storm might have only just begun.

Lin Xiao's previous ease and composure vanished as he fled. His emotions grew increasingly heavy and complex. The Xiaoyao Sect had issued a kill order for him, dispatching countless powerful individuals and bounty hunters to pursue him. The pursuit had even spread to the entire martial arts world. Everywhere he went, a bloody battlefield ensued. Lin Xiao was accustomed to loneliness and carnage, but he had never imagined that all this would implicate his only friend, Shangguan Qingqing.

That day, Lin Xiao engaged in a fierce battle with a group of bounty hunters in a valley. He was wounded in many places and looked exhausted. However, his heart remained unshaken by the pain. His gaze remained firm, as if he could sever everything in the world except that one emotion, which he could not escape.

Suddenly, a burst of urgent shouting came from the horizon. He looked up and saw Shangguan Qingqing running down the mountain road at a rapid speed, his face anxious, as if rushing to rescue him. However, behind him was a middle-aged man. The man was burly, with a fierce face and cold eyes. It was obvious at a glance that he was not a good person.

"Qingqing, hurry up!" Lin Xiao shouted suddenly, trying to stop the enemy.

However, before he could get close, the middle-aged man suddenly exerted his strength, and a gust of wind with deafening momentum rushed towards Shangguan Qingqing at such a speed that it seemed as if he had instantly covered dozens of steps. The moment Shangguan Qingqing was hit, his body was thrown back and hit the rock hard, splashing blood.

"Qingqing!" Lin Xiao roared, his eyes instantly filled with murderous intent.

He quickly stepped forward, brandishing his sword, and pounced on the middle-aged man. This man was none other than the bounty hunter Wang Kuang, a professional killer known for his ruthless methods.

Wang Kuang sneered, showing no intention of retreating. He rushed forward, unleashing an extremely powerful martial art and striking Lin Xiao with a single palm strike. Lin Xiao was enraged, his internal energy surging. He unleashed "Sword Dance Spin," his sword energy surging like a violent storm, pressing towards Wang Kuang.

Wang Kuang blocked the sword energy with his fortitude, but Lin Xiao's rage made each sword strike carry the power of thunder, almost making Wang Kuang feel breathless. The two fought fiercely for dozens of rounds, and Lin Xiao's tiger-like offensive made it difficult for Wang Kuang to resist.

"You killed her!" Lin Xiao growled, the anger in his eyes difficult to conceal, "You deserve to die!"

Wang Kuang sneered: "Do you think I dare not kill her? She is just a woman, what use can she be? She is just someone you care about, hehe."

Lin Xiao's eyes flashed blood red, and he let out a terrifying roar. His long sword slashed towards Wang Kuang's neck like lightning. Wang Kuang's face suddenly changed. Although he was full of strength, facing Lin Xiao's violent attack, his defense gradually lost its advantage.

A sword cut through Wang Kuang's defenses, the sword flashed, and blood splattered. A trace of fear flashed in Wang Kuang's eyes. He wanted to fight back, but Lin Xiao's sword force had already overwhelmed him like a torrent.

In the end, Wang Kuang's neck was pierced by the sword energy. He stopped screaming before he could even utter a scream. His body fell to the ground and he died.

Lin Xiao stood there, his eyes still blazing with rage. He stared intently at Shangguan Qingqing. She had collapsed, her injuries looking extremely serious. Blood was pouring out, her face was as pale as paper, and it seemed she was struggling to hold on to even her last breath.

"Gently..." Lin Xiao felt a sharp pain in his heart, and the scene in front of him seemed to become blurred. He forced himself to suppress the emotions in his heart, quickly rushed to her side and picked her up.

"Can you hear me?" Lin Xiao's voice trembled, but he still tried to remain calm. He nervously checked Shangguan Qingqing's injuries, trying his best to stabilize her condition.

However, Shangguan Qingqing only opened her eyes slightly, looked at Lin Xiao, and raised a bitter smile at the corner of her mouth: "I... am fine, just... a little tired." Her voice was already very weak, as if it would disappear in this vast world in the next moment.

"No...you can't die, Qingqing!" Lin Xiao held her hand tightly, his voice a little hoarse, "I will definitely save you and will never let you die."

However, Shangguan Qingqing seemed to have no strength to respond to her. She just closed her eyes gently, and her face became paler.

A flash of despair flashed across Lin Xiao's eyes, but then his gaze regained its determination. He slapped his forehead hard and whispered, "Qingqing, I will definitely bring you back to life!"

He pulled out several precious elixirs from his pocket and force-fed them into Shangguan Qingqing's mouth. Then, he closed his eyes, mobilized his inner Qi, and began to perform a secret technique—the "Art of the Underworld." This was a secret technique once seen in ancient texts, which could temporarily delay the victim's death, giving them a chance to live.

As Lin Xiao operated, spiritual energy quickly gathered, slowly suppressing Shangguan Qingqing's injuries. However, he knew in his heart that this was only a means to delay her death, and true treatment would require more time and strength.

He couldn't let her die! Absolutely not!

"Xiaoyao Sect!" A crazy light flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes, "You killed her, so you should pay the price!"

Lin Xiao hugged Shangguan Qingqing, anger and determination intertwined in his heart. He knew that this time, he must destroy the Xiaoyao Sect and avenge this heavy hatred!

Lin Xiao held Shangguan Qingqing's body, his eyes blazing with unquenchable rage. At this moment, he had completely let go of the past, his entire inner emotions focused on one goal: destroy the Xiaoyao Sect and make all those who had harmed him pay the price.

He took another deep breath, channeling all his energy into Shangguan Qingqing's body. Although her injuries were beyond repair, he refused to give up. His internal energy surged into her like a tide, desperately trying to maintain her vital signs. However, time waited for no one. Even with his current breakthrough to the fifth realm of Jiachen, he found it extremely strenuous.

"Shangguan Qingqing, wake up!" Lin Xiao's voice was deep and firm, filled with pleading and helplessness. He didn't want to see her die like this. He hugged her tightly and began to practice the long-sealed forbidden technique - the "Secret Codex of the Underworld". This was a secret technique he had accidentally discovered in an ancient tomb. It could temporarily resurrect the dead, but each use came at a great cost.

"Soul returns to its origin, the underworld god descends." Lin Xiao whispered, his eyes becoming increasingly fierce. With a low incantation, the spiritual energy in his body began to surge wildly, and his entire body exuded a powerful aura.

However, this aura wasn't a healing light, but rather a dark aura filled with death. The air around them grew incredibly heavy, as if the light between heaven and earth had been partially swallowed up. A trace of pain and determination flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. He knew that unleashing this secret technique would not only be a tremendous strain on his body, but also a devastating blow to his soul.

"Please... you must live." Lin Xiao murmured to himself. The energy in his body had reached its limit and he almost collapsed in intense pain.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment, and the pressure in the air grew heavier. Only the faint breath mixed with Lin Xiao's painful spell, forming a terrifying sense of oppression. Just when Lin Xiao could hardly hold on any longer, suddenly, a powerful energy wave emanated from Shangguan Qingqing's body, and Lin Xiao was stunned.

That power, like a ray of light, penetrated the dark cage and brought a hint of life to her body. Shangguan Qingqing's eyes trembled slightly, and she seemed to have regained some consciousness. Her weak voice rang in Lin Xiao's ears: "I... I'm still alive?"

Lin Xiao stared at her blankly, the surprise and ecstasy in his eyes almost making him speechless. A tear fell from the corner of his eye: "Qingqing, are you okay? Are you really okay?"

Shangguan nodded weakly, a hint of a smile on her lips. However, her face was still pale and her breath was weak, clearly not yet fully recovered. "Thank you, Lin Xiao..." Her voice was weak, yet it was filled with deep gratitude and tenderness. "You saved me..."

Lin Xiao's heart was filled with a mixture of joy and endless exhaustion. He looked down at Shangguan Qingqing and said softly, "I promised you I would never let you die." He hugged her tightly, his eyes seeming to see the warm figure that had always existed in his heart.

However, their brief reunion didn't last long. Lin Xiao hadn't forgotten the danger before him; the Xiaoyao Sect's pursuers were still searching for them. His body was already at its limit; forcibly using the Dark Mystic Codex to revive Shangguan Qingqing had nearly exhausted all his spiritual energy.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard in the distance. Lin Xiao was instantly alert. Looking up, he saw several men in black robes approaching from the distant hilltop. The leading man had a cold smile on his face. He was Wang Haohao, the deputy leader of the Xiaoyao Sect.

Wang Haohao held a long sword in his hand and looked at Lin Xiao and Shangguan Qingqing coldly: "Lin Xiao, do you think you can escape? Today, you will die!"

"Escape?" Lin Xiao's lips curled up slightly with a cold smile, "If you want to kill us, I'm afraid you will have to pay the price."

Wang Haohao's eyes turned cold as he swung his sword. Suddenly, the air around him became tense due to the approaching sword energy. He approached step by step, as fast as lightning, and rushed in front of Lin Xiao almost instantly.

Lin Xiao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he moved abruptly, facing Wang Haohao's attack. The little energy left in his body instantly exploded, and the sword light rained down on Wang Haohao like a torrential rain. The force and speed almost made Wang Haohao feel a little threatened.

"Is this the power you want to rely on?" Wang Haohao sneered, not afraid at all. The long sword in his hand changed rapidly, and he launched a set of fast and sharp sword techniques.

The two men's swords clashed, their energy collided, and a deafening sound was heard. Although Lin Xiao was exhausted, he still relied on his powerful fighting instincts and determination to fight a life-and-death battle with Wang Haohao.

However, he knew in his heart that he had reached his limit. If he couldn't resolve this situation quickly, he might not be able to save himself.

"Your time of death has come!" Wang Haohao sneered, raising his sword high, ready to give Lin Xiao a fatal blow.

Lin Xiao's eyes darkened as a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He knew that if he continued to confront her head-on, not only would Shangguan Qingqing die, but he himself would also be unable to escape the disaster. So, he abruptly turned around and unleashed his "Dragon Swimming Across the Seas" technique, using that instant's speed to abruptly escape Wang Haohao's attack range.

"Want to escape?" Wang Haohao snorted coldly and chased after him like a ghost.

A flicker of determination flashed across Lin Xiao's eyes. He turned to look at the still unconscious Shangguan Qingqing and silently said in his heart: "No matter what, I will protect her!"