Cataclysm King

Chapter 514 Passage to the Underworld
Ji Xun and his companions watched as the piece of lifeless tree root was thrown into the spring of elements, and then in the blink of an eye the entire secret realm turned into a world of roots.

Everyone was like ants underground, trapped by the dense roots of a big tree.

The roots of the tree are the world.

Ji Xun then understood that one of the goals of the Sun Sect and the Scarlet Sect from the very beginning was this [Moon Well].

After all, any spell or magic requires energy consumption.

The energy required to recall the Golden Dragon God Malodius from the underworld is unimaginable. This is definitely not something that two guerrilla Outer God sects can raise.

Therefore, their original intention was to absorb the elemental energy from the Moon Well.

Only the elemental energy accumulated in this secret realm for hundreds of thousands of years can support the spread of the roots of the world tree from the plane of life to the underworld.

The reason why they took action now was that the two heretical sects had been watched by the main forces of the Holy See. If they were to come directly, they would definitely be stopped; and secretly letting Mrs. Mist and her team explore through the ancient map was a secret and safe method.

Just like now.

"Old Xie" successfully located the Moon Spring through Mrs. Mist's location in advance.

The goal was achieved as soon as it arrived, and the people of the Holy See had no way to stop it.

From a certain perspective, Ji Xun and his team also helped the two sects.

But that doesn't matter anymore.

What’s more important is that the roots of the World Tree suddenly covered the entire secret realm, and even the secret passage behind them was blocked by the ubiquitous roots.

This is countless times larger than the scale of the tree roots in the previous mirror secret realm, and it is still expanding.

Originally, Ji Xun and his companions had planned to escape if the situation got bad.

Judging from the current situation, the entire dead zone should be covered by the roots of the world tree.

And that’s not even the worst of it.

To make matters worse, the environment has changed.

When the roots of the World Tree spread upwards, a peculiar muddy smell filled the entire space.

A layer of gray mist also floated in the air.

The fog was mixed with a thick and cold smell of death and darkness.

It was like a deep well was opened up, and some dangerous aura from underground leaked out, becoming increasingly strong.

Seeing this, Ji Xun felt an irresistible solemnity in his heart: "The spirit of the dead? Is the passage to the underworld completely opened?"

The reason why he was so sure was not only because he knew Lao Xie's purpose, but also because he had seen it once.

Back in Shangbang Prison, the new King of Orlan summoned the gate to the underworld once, and the feeling was extremely similar to now.

"Old Xie" and the man in the cloak disappeared, and the white crows in the sky also disappeared.

In a blink of an eye, the fog had become so thick that you couldn't see your hand in front of you.

However, looking at the fog around him, Ji Xun actually discovered that the fog was like elemental power, containing faint supernatural properties.

"Use Feast Devour, unknown dark element affinity +0.001"

"Use Feast Devour, unknown dark element affinity +0.002"

"."

Although it was weak, what was absorbed was actually the "unknown element".

"what's the situation?"

Ji Xun always felt that something was wrong.

The power of natural elements in the air gradually disappeared and turned into this dark element.

Qin Rushi, who was standing by, also sensed something, tilted her head to look over, and whispered, "The environment is wrong!"

She also discovered that she was unable to absorb elemental power from her surroundings, but she didn't know what was wrong.

Dark Peacock saw it and said bluntly: "This is the breath of the underworld."

Of course Ji Xun knew that it was the breath of the underworld.

But it stands to reason that even if these tree roots are connected to the underworld, there shouldn't be no normal elements around them.

I originally thought that the biggest danger would be the "white crow".

But unexpectedly, the crow did not hurt anyone, and the environment suddenly became strange and dangerous.

Before they could figure out what was going on, Ji Xun suddenly felt Old Man Xu on his shoulder move.

Ji Xun quickly put it down and asked, "Senior, are you awake?"

The anchor of life woke up.

Just now I felt a sense of fatal crisis lingering in my heart, but when I saw Old Man Xu suddenly waking up, that sense of crisis inexplicably became less strong.

"Oh my. What happened to me?"

Old man Xu seemed to have lost his memory due to being drunk, and woke up while rubbing his dizzy head.

He looked at the three pairs of eyes staring at him, touched the back of his head, and grinned with his signature lewd smile: "Ji Xun boy, why are you looking at me?"

Ji Xun saw this expression and knew that he didn't get a big bowel movement. A hint of pity flashed across his eyes, but he also said: "Senior, you read the [Forbidden Ruins Stele] before and then fell into a coma."

He knew that the old man had probably forgotten, so he wanted to help him recall, perhaps he could get some useful clues.

For example, what exactly did you see that caused you to faint?

But before he could finish, Old Man Xu saw the fog around him, and he shuddered all over and shouted, "Ouch! Why did you guys come to the underworld?"

As he said this, the old man had a look of regret on his face: "It's over, it's over. I haven't lived enough, why did I die in such a confused state?"

Ji Xun: "."

Qin Ru said: "."

Although Peacock didn't understand their conversation, the cowardly expression on Old Man Xu's face made him look like someone who didn't look like a good person.

Ji Xun keenly grasped something, and asked in a slightly unbelievable tone: "Senior, is this the underworld?"

You were in the dead zone just now, how did you end up in the underworld?
He would rather doubt his own perception than doubt the judgment of this old senior.

Qin Rushi also looked suspicious.

Old Man Xu listened to the question and looked around carefully. He finally confirmed something and seemed to be relieved: "Oh, no, we haven't reached the underworld yet. Someone has opened the door to the underworld. Are you here for the Passage of the Dead?"

Ji Xun asked again: "What is the Passage of the Dead?"

Old Man Xu didn't let the cat out of the bag this time and explained directly: "Well, you can think of it as a void space. It is a special space that cannot be defined as space. It is the passage for living beings to the underworld."

"???"

This expression was a bit difficult to understand, and neither Ji Xun nor Qin Rushi understood it.

However, looking at the indifferent expressions of the two, Old Man Xu said unhappily: "Ji Xun, you still can laugh? Appearing here means we are dead!"

"what?"

Ji Xun's eyes widened, as if his mind couldn't accept the message in that sentence, and he asked back: "Are we dead?"

Hearing this, he and Qin Ru were really surprised.

Weren't they alive and well? Why did they die?
Old Man Xu explained anxiously and fearfully, "The 'Passage of the Dead' is the way for the dead to return. For the living, appearing in this passage means they are already dead!"

"."

Ji Xun still looked puzzled.

I pinched my flesh and blood, but it didn't look like I was dead at all.

He looked at Qin Ru again.

She felt the same way.

"Oh, I can't explain it to you!"

Old man Xu slapped his thigh violently.

I don’t know if I really forgot or I just don’t know.

The old man didn't say anything more, just kept muttering "it's over" and "it's over".

Ji Xun and Qin Rushi would definitely not believe such irrelevant words from others.

But when Old Man Xu said it, both of them believed it without a doubt.

But. Is he really dead?

I always feel a sense of absurdity and unreality.

But for some reason, Ji Xun felt that he should take it seriously, but he didn't have much sense of crisis in his heart.

He suddenly thought of the girl Nan Jing, and asked again: "Ah, but Senior. I have a friend who can go to the underworld, and it seems that nothing is wrong?"

Although he only knew that the Nan family had this special ability, it was an exception after all.

This gave Ji Xun an illusion that the underworld was a special dimension.

You can come and go.

Seeing his nonchalant expression, Old Man Xu said unhappily, "Are you talking about the apostles who travel between the spirit world and the underworld? That is an ability that only certain psychics with special physiques have. And they must be apostles from the underworld, or have a treasure like the Book of the Dead to travel to the underworld. Otherwise, do you think anyone can do it?"

"."

When Ji Xun heard this, he realized that the problem seemed to be indeed serious.

But his thoughts turned and he caught another detail in the conversation: "In other words, we are not dead yet?"

Since living people can go to the underworld, they are definitely not dead.

Old Man Xu rolled his eyes and said, "No. But it's almost the same as death. If I can't leave this passage within seven days, I'm dead."

The old man finally described it accurately.

In other words, they are now in a state between 'dead' and 'not dead'?
"Oh?"

Ji Xun was not worried at all when he heard this. Instead, there was a glint of something strange in his eyes.

In other words, there are still seven days to find the way back?

Since it is not certain to die, it does not seem so urgent for Ji Xun.

Sure enough, with this old senior by my side, I can always find a glimmer of hope.

Thinking of this, Ji Xun became optimistic instead.

Old Man Xu understood his expression and said with a strange look, "You don't think you can find the way back in seven days, do you?"

Ji Xun and Qin Rushi looked at him in question: Is it not possible?
Old Man Xu said dimly, "Don't think that your consciousness is still intact now. But it won't be long before it is polluted and corroded by the aura of the dead, and you will gradually forget everything in your life."

As he spoke, his old face, which was as dark as bacon, was full of sorrow. He added, "Also, the roots of the World Tree are the guide for exiling people to the underworld. Now our souls have been imprisoned by the roots of the tree. No matter which direction we go, it is impossible to escape. This is why I told you before, don't touch the roots of the World Tree!"

"." Ji Xun and Qin Rushi suddenly understood how Emperor Lanlingster exiled the Golden Dragon God Marodis to the underworld tens of thousands of years ago.

When they heard that consciousness would dissipate, they realized the seriousness of the problem.

If consciousness really disappears, doesn’t that mean death?

However, when Ji Xun looked at the fog around him, he didn't know why he didn't feel the "feeling of amnesia".

A thought suddenly popped into his mind: Could the "unknown energy" that was swallowed by the feast be the source of pollution?
Thinking of this, Ji Xun continued to use the feast to devour all the extraordinary characteristics of the people around him.

Whether it is or not, try it first.

"Senior, is there anything else I need to pay attention to in this passage to the underworld?"

"How should I know? I just heard it from others. Do you think this is a place where living people can come?"

"Who told you that? King Lanlingster?"

"Who is Lanlingster?"

"."

After asking Old Man Xu a few more questions, Ji Xun didn't get any more information.

The old man didn't have a big bowel movement and was intermittently unreliable.

Ji Xun had already gotten used to it.

He told Ming Kongque about his current situation.

I originally thought that this mythical creature from hell might know some information, but I unexpectedly got another result.

After some communication, Ji Xun realized that the "hell" he had previously known was not a part of the underworld, but some special planes.

Only after crossing the river of Hades can one reach the real underworld, a place where even gods go and never return.

Ji Xun was really confused.

It's like a bug in a glass cover, completely unable to understand the world outside the glass cover.

The four people and the peacock kept walking along the tree roots.

Originally, I wanted to avoid the roots of the world tree, but no matter which direction I went, there was only vast fog and endless tree roots.

Looking at it this way, it seems impossible to find the way back within seven days.

Old man Xu was as depressed and pessimistic as ever, and from time to time he played the role of the "negative emotion maker" in the team, chattering incessantly.

Peacock was also influenced by the old man and looked quite solemn.

In comparison, Ji Xun and Qin Rushi have a pretty good mentality.

They all have a calm attitude towards death.

Besides, they knew what was special about Old Man Xu.

Following this old man, you will always have a better chance of survival than others.

Moreover, if only a few of them came to this "Passage of the Dead", Ji Xun would really have to worry about how to find the way out.

But now, people from the three major foreign god sects have come.

This matter is by no means desperate.

At least the Golden Dragon God Marodis is going back to the Card Master plane, so there is always a glimmer of hope.

We had to avoid the battlefield before, but now it seems we have to find a way to find where the people from the three major sects are.

But before that, Ji Xun and his team still had to find a few people.

Just now, Qin Rushi received a signal for help from Bonnie and others.

Bonnie and her companions who left early were also unable to escape from the dead zone and were also trapped in it.

Each member of the revolutionary army has a device that can locate each other.

Ji Xun and the other three followed the direction and quickly moved through the gaps between the tree roots.

I don’t know if it was because Old Man Xu was in the team or if it was just good luck, but we had a smooth journey.

However, they were doing well, but Bonnie and the others were not so successful.

About half an hour later, Ji Xun and his companions were walking when they suddenly heard the sound of fierce fighting coming from deep among the tree roots.

Qin Rushi sensed something and shouted, "Bonnie and the others are in danger!"

Before she finished her words, she had already rushed into the depths of darkness.

Ji Xun originally wanted to follow and take a look, but suddenly a strong aura of death surged around him.

In the blink of an eye, a group of tattered skeleton monsters emerged from the tree roots.

These skeleton monsters have empty eyes, with two balls of dark green phosphorous burning in them.

The armor on his body had long been rusted, but it still looked strong, as if it was forged from an immortal soul.

The skeletons hold various weapons, such as rusty swords or dead wood staffs, and there are knights riding skeleton horses.
[Skeleton Warrior], [Ghost Knight], [Skeleton Mage], [Headless Horseman], [Fallen Ghost].
What meets the eye is densely packed and countless.

Ji Xun frowned as he looked at her.

I don't know why so many skeleton monsters suddenly appeared.

However, when Old Man Xu saw this scene, he was so frightened that his soul flew away. He stammered, "This is the Undead Army! Oh no, we might have entered the territory of a certain Undead Lord!"

As soon as he finished speaking, at the end of his sight, he saw a group of people rushing towards him anxiously.

Qin Ru was covering the rear, and the people in front were actually the cadres of the revolutionary army.

Bonnie, the "Deadly Poison Doctor", Sam, the "Sacred Hammer", Lawson, the "Demolition Master", Shan Dong, the "Sick Tiger", and Chen Jianwuliu.
Although everyone was injured to varying degrees, fortunately there were no casualties.

The leader was Sam, who rushed forward with a heavy shield in hand. He looked at Ji Xun and shouted anxiously, "Brother Ji Xun, run quickly and don't think about fighting! These monsters can be resurrected infinitely and cannot be killed at all!"

One sentence revealed the source of the trouble.

What is scary is not the monsters, but the "unkillable".

Ji Xun also realized that the crisis was serious and thought about leaving first.

But even if we delay for a moment, the road we came from is already densely packed with skeleton monsters. In an instant, the skeleton knights launched a charge, the skeleton warriors rushed up waving their corroded weapons, and the skeleton wizards also released black light magic.
Fortunately, the grade of the skeleton monsters is not too high, and there are levels from one to six.

Most of them are low-level skeletons.

Ji Xun didn't give them a chance to surround him, and punched them: "Ba Quan·Tiger Run!"

A punch was thrown out, like a tiger roaring through the wind, and the force of the punch was like a mountain torrent.

There was a crackling sound of bones breaking, and a road of several hundred meters was cleared in front of us in an instant.

The skull shattered into pieces.

However, before Ji Xun could breathe a sigh of relief, a horrifying scene unfolded.

A thick aura of death lingered all around, and one could hear the sound of bones joining together. The skull that had been broken into pieces actually stood up intact!
"Huh, it's recovered perfectly?"

Ji Xun looked at him in surprise and confusion.

Not only the shattered ones, but even the skeletons that had turned into bags of bone powder were restored.

In other words, the punch he just threw had absolutely no effect at all.

No wonder the cadres of the revolutionary army were in a panic.

These monsters are immortal and indestructible, so we will lose if we fight them for a long time.

It was clearly a critical moment, but when Ji Xun saw this scene, his expression became strange.

Because he felt strangely familiar.

He once encountered endless skeleton monsters in "The Great Cemetery Maze" when he was still an apprentice card master.

At that time, he found a good way to deal with the skeleton monsters. Skeletons have no flesh and blood or brains, so their perception system has problems.

They can only sense human mental fluctuations, such as "excitement", "bravery", and "fear".
In other words, controlling certain violent mental fluctuations can prevent being captured by monsters to a certain extent.

However, the skeletons in the maze were all low-level skeletons, so this idea is feasible.

Ji Xun didn't know whether it would be useful to these high-level skeletons.

However, when he turned around, he saw that Old Man Xu had already demonstrated the correct method. His eyes froze instantly, and the old man seemed to have turned into a dummy in a wax museum.

At the same time, he also reminded him anxiously: "Ji Xun, play dead!"

Ji Xun smiled.

It turns out that the old man is reliable at critical moments.

Thinking of giving it a try, he gathered his thoughts and tried his best to suppress all mental fluctuations.

This attempt was indeed effective.

The hatred from the skeletons that were glaring at him just now almost left his body and turned towards the cadres who were running wildly.

Ji Xun looked at this scene and knew that he had to find a way to fight.

He and Old Man Xu can perfectly control their mental fluctuations, but others may not be able to do so.

Moreover, those skeleton monsters above level five seem to have intelligence.

Playing dead is not an option.

Thinking of this, Ji Xun quietly used a flying knife to pierce the phosphorescent fire inside the skulls of several skeletons around him.

"Crash!" The bones collapsed into a pile.

However, just as this pile of bones was struggling to recover with a creaking sound, a black devouring force enveloped Ji Xun.

He used his feast ability to directly devour the dissipating supernatural properties.

"Use Feast Devour, toughness +0.05, unknown dark element affinity +0.001"

"Use Feast Devour, toughness +0.017, undead affinity +0.003"

"use."

"Hehe, it's true."

Ji Xun looked at the two skeleton monsters that had not recovered, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

In "I am the world", everything has cause and effect.

So when he saw the monster resurrecting infinitely, the first thing he thought about was the principle of resurrection.

When Ji Xun saw the phosphorous fire of the skeleton monster that he had killed before dissipate in an instant and turn into a free state that could be swallowed, he guessed this possibility.

When he discovered that [Feast] could devour these monsters, these monsters became a completely extraordinary experience for him.

(End of this chapter)