The Legend of the Netherworld

Lin Jiao was about to continue casting a spell in mid-air, when the cobalt guard axe on the ground swung and disappeared. Suddenly, Lin Jiao felt a strong sense of crisis pressing down from above her head.

She looked up and saw that the Cobalt Guardian, who was standing on the ground the previous second, appeared above her the next second, with the giant axe in his hand raised high, smashing down at her with the momentum of destroying the world.

"So fast!" Lin Jiao was startled, and quickly flapped her flaming wings to dodge. The Cobalt Guardian's axe slammed heavily onto the ground, sending up a massive gust of wind. Lin Jiao didn't get a moment to breathe, as the Cobalt Guardian vanished again, only to reappear above her head in an instant, his axe wielding a single blow.

Lin Jiao narrowly avoided the Cobalt Guardian's attacks time and again, growing increasingly anxious. She discovered that this Jiayin Fifth Realm Cobalt Guardian was not only incredibly fast but also capable of changing positions in an instant, each attack unpredictable and precise. Lin Jiao dodged each attack by the nick of time, realizing that if she continued like this, she would eventually be trapped.

"We can't be so passive anymore!" Lin Jiao's eyes narrowed, and after thinking for a moment, she decided to fight back.

Just as Cobalt Guardian swung his axe again, Lin Jiao seized the moment, quickly forming seals and casting the Flame Cage. In an instant, a blazing circle of flames appeared around Cobalt Guardian. The flames suddenly rose, forming a huge cage that quickly trapped him.

Realizing he was trapped, the Cobalt Guardian immediately attempted to escape by taking to the air, but the flames of the flaming cage rose in tandem with his movements, locking his every move into the flames. Lin Jiao seized the opportunity, forming seals with her hands once again, and a massive flaming spear condensed above her head—the Blazing Spear.

The flame spear blazed in the air with scorching heat. Without hesitation, Lin Jiao hurled it towards the Cobalt Guardian in the circle of fire. The spear streaked through the sky like a meteor and instantly pierced the Cobalt Guardian.

Facing this fatal blow, Cobalt Guardian's eyes were icy. Without hesitation, he used his great axe to block the blow, enduring the powerful attack. The moment the flaming spear made contact with the axe, it exploded. The terrifying impact of the flames knocked Cobalt Guardian back several steps. Only after he plunged the axe into the ground did he regain his balance.

But Guardian Cobalt was clearly not defeated by this blow. He gripped his axe tightly, roared, and unleashed an Earth-Splitting Air Slash. The axe slammed into the ground, and the earth shook violently. The ground quickly rose up, forming a series of sharp spikes that attacked Lin Jiao.

Lin Jiao dodged quickly and nimbly avoided all the protruding rocks. However, the protruding spikes suddenly exploded, and the shock wave spread in all directions, almost engulfing Lin Jiao.

After Lin Jiao dodged, her expression remained unwavering. She knew she couldn't hold back against such an enemy. She took a deep breath, quickly formed seals with her hands, and finally unleashed her ultimate move—the Red Lotus Burning Heaven Formation.

At Cobalt Guardian's feet, a massive red lotus suddenly blossomed. Its petals seemed condensed from flames, emitting a terrifyingly high temperature. With the appearance of the red lotus, the surrounding air seemed to begin to distort. Then, with Cobalt Guardian as the center, eight flaming hurricanes suddenly appeared, swirling and sweeping towards him.

Cobalt Guardian found himself trapped in the center of the fire storm and tried to jump to avoid it, but no matter how he moved, the eight hurricanes were always centered on him and he could not escape.

As a last resort, Cobalt Guardian swung his giant axe, desperately trying to resist the destructive storm. However, the force of the hurricane was too strong, directly tearing his armor apart, making a series of metal-shattering sounds.

Just as the Cobalt Guardian struggled to withstand the hurricane, a thick pillar of fire suddenly erupted from the center of the red lotus, shooting straight into the sky. The scorching heat of the pillar instantly engulfed the Cobalt Guardian's figure, and the air was filled with a burning smell.

Lin Jiao, suspended in mid-air, took a deep breath as she watched the scene unfold. The moment the Cobalt Guardian was engulfed by the pillar of fire, he was reduced to ash and vanished without a trace.

Lin Xiao was stunned watching from the side, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "Wow, this is simply a scene from a cartoon!"

Lin Jiao folded her flaming wings, landed lightly on the ground, and slowly walked towards the gate. She jumped up and easily took down the sword stuck in the beam, then turned and walked towards Lin Xiao and Ye Xuan.

Lin Jiao had just concluded a thrilling battle with the Cobalt Guardian, and the surrounding monks applauded and cheered. Lin Jiao's immense strength and skill commanded their admiration. However, in the shadows in the distance, an elderly woman in a heavy robe watched quietly, a subtle sneer on her face. She held a cane, and beside her stood a little girl, her gaze clear yet cold.

The old woman whispered to the little girl, "See? That's your only future competitor in this area."

The little girl blinked and nodded silently. Without another word, the old woman slowly turned around with her, quietly leaving the crowd of spectators and disappearing into the middle layer of the ancient forest. Their departure was as silent as if they had never appeared.

At this moment, Lin Jiao handed the sword she had just taken from the gate beam to Lin Xiao and Ye Xuan. The three of them gathered around the ancient sword and examined it carefully, but they only found the word "Feng Shui" on the hilt, and no other clues. Confused, Lin Jiao asked, "Brother Lin Xiao, have you ever seen a dirty Taoist priest use this sword?"

Lin Xiao shook his head and said in a deep voice: "No, when the dirty Taoist priest fought me, he never used any weapons, always with his bare hands."

Ye Xuan interrupted, "Looks like we can only take the sword back to have it appraised by the Sect Leader. The Ancient Forest is so vast, finding someone is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

The three of them all vaguely knew that the dirty Taoist priest had most likely met with an accident, but no one said anything more. Lin Xiao took a deep breath and said calmly, "Okay, take him back first."

After that, the three of them prepared to leave. Lin Jiao and Ye Xuan turned around first, but Lin Xiao stopped where he was, staring at the gate behind the Cobalt Guardian, with mixed emotions surging in his heart. He whispered to himself, "Dirty Taoist priest, I will be back soon to avenge you."

A moment later, Lin Xiao turned and followed Lin Jiao and Ye Xuan, and the three of them quickly left the area. As the sky darkened and night fell, the three of them journeyed through the ancient forest. It wasn't until late at night that they finally returned to the Feng Shui Academy.

As soon as they returned to the academy, the three of them immediately took the sword to the main hall to meet the headmaster.

Inside the main hall, the Sect Master sat on a high throne. When Lin Xiao presented the sword, a trace of unconcealable sadness crossed the Sect Master's face. With a soft sigh, the Sect Master spoke slowly, "This sword... is exactly what Senior Brother Xuankong used to wear. It was personally bestowed upon him by the previous Sect Master."

Ye Xuan stepped forward and told the Sect Master in detail what the three of them had seen and heard in the Ancient Forest. The Sect Master was silent for a moment, then handed the sword back to Lin Xiao, saying solemnly, "This may be the last relic of Senior Brother Xuankong left in this world. Take it with you."

Lin Xiao took the sword, his expression complex and his heart heavy. The Sect Leader signaled the three of them to leave, and they all saluted and left the hall.

After exiting the hall, the three of them stood on the steps, the night breeze blowing, bringing a slight chill. Ye Xuan gently patted Lin Xiao's shoulder and left silently. Only Lin Jiao and Lin Xiao were left standing in the night.

Lin Jiao turned sideways, looked at Lin Xiao, and said softly, "Brother Lin Xiao, don't be too sad."

Lin Xiao forced a smile and shook his head, "It's okay."

Lin Jiao nodded slightly and continued, "If you ever want to go to the Ancient Forest again, remember to find me. I will accompany you."

Lin Xiao looked into the distance, his eyes firm: "Okay."

The two said goodbye briefly, and Lin Jiao left. Lin Xiao, alone, carrying the sword, quietly walked towards the back mountain. His steps were slow, yet each one felt heavy, and the fire of revenge in his heart grew ever more intense.

As daylight dawned, a dark figure appeared at the entrance to the third level of the Ancient Forest. He was thin, dressed in a Taoist robe, and possessed an extremely powerful aura. He easily defeated a Jiayin Fifth Realm Cobalt Guardian with a single blow.

The Cobalt Guardian's sturdy defenses were no match for him. Then, the Taoist raised his hand and shattered the entrance door to the core level with a single blow. The door collapsed with a bang, and the Taoist disappeared into the night, leaving only debris on the ground.

The wind blew gently, and the ancient forest returned to its dead silence.