One of the Nine Cauldrons was located within this very area.
Of course, no specific boundaries were marked upon the map, but the general location could be narrowed down to this half of the Netherworld.
For Lu Yuan, this posed no great difficulty.
He had already visited the Heavenly Palace and explored everything that needed to be explored. Now, his objective was unmistakable—right within this half of the Netherworld City.
"Then we'll follow you, King Lu," Jiang Ningxian said with keen interest, eager to see the legendary Nine Cauldrons. After all, they were forged and left behind by Yu the Great himself. Huaxia was her ancestral homeland; in other words, her roots lay here. Laying eyes upon the sacred artifacts that anchored a nation's destiny held great significance for her as well.
The other four Beast Kings naturally had no objections either. First of all, the Golden-Winged Great Peng was Lu Yuan's mount, so it understood as a matter of course that Lu Yuan's orders were absolute commands to be carried out. Meanwhile, the Peacock King and the others had already joined the Heavenly Court and were now his subordinates. They, too, were stirred by the prospect.
At the same time, everyone discovered that beyond this city, the Kunlun Secret Realm contained vast expanses of mountains and mighty rivers, resembling a self-contained miniature world. In those regions, spirit fruits and exotic herbs could also be found, minor fortunes that had already been claimed by various seekers.
During their search, Lu Yuan's group crossed paths with Earth Awakened as well as extraterrestrial beings. These people were locked in combat with armies of nether soldiers. While they could gain the upper hand at first, the nether soldiers only grew stronger as time went on, until the intruders were left with no choice but to flee for their lives. There was simply no helping it; the nether soldiers could not be truly slain, and every defeat only made them more formidable. Hardly anyone could withstand such an ordeal. There were simply too many nether soldiers patrolling every corner of the city. One would run into them at every turn, and without sufficient strength, dealing with them was impossible.
Whenever Lu Yuan's group encountered Earth Awakened, they would lend a helping hand, while advising them to leave and avoid further risk. As for the extraterrestrial beings, Lu Yuan chose to ignore them, as there was no need to get involved. Given his reputation, who knew if conflict might erupt? Seeing Lu Yuan, those beings prudently stepped aside, though this was completely beneath his concern.
Eventually, they arrived at the very center of the Netherworld.
Unlike the Heavenly Palace, this place consisted only of a boundless, flat expanse.
A murky yellow river cleaved the land in two.
Spanning the waters was a wooden arched bridge steeped in the aura of bygone eras, standing who knew how many ages.
On the opposite bank bloomed an endless sea of flowers. Yet these blossoms grew in an eerie fashion, intensely crimson and wreathed in ribbons of blood-red haze, appearing profoundly bizarre. They covered the far shore as far as the eye could see. Strangest of all, upon close inspection, a silhouette could be seen standing at the center of every single flower, presenting an unsettling sight. These figures dispersed from time to time, only to coalesce once again.
"Could these be... the legendary Naihe Bridge, Yellow Springs, and Equinox Flowers?" the Nine-Tailed Fox King said, transforming into human form, her eyes wide with shock.
Standing in the Netherworld and witnessing such a spectacle, it was hard not to draw that connection. Jiang Ningxian also knitted her brows, observing the scene intently.
At that moment, Jiang Ningxian, knowing far more about ancient lore, offered an explanation. "This shouldn't be the true Netherworld or Heavenly Palace. It is likely an imitation fashioned by someone in the past."
"In that case, does the Netherworld truly exist?" Seizing upon the core of her statement, Lu Yuan could not help but ask.
Jiang Ningxian nodded. "In this world, countless great wars once erupted. Blood flowed like rivers, and corpses carpeted the earth. The ancient sages of the human race felt a deep sense of guilt and refused to see the innocent perish in vain. Ultimately, they wielded supreme divine arts to establish the Netherworld, hoping that those who died might reincarnate and return."
This was recorded within the archives of the Jiang clan. Regardless of whether it was entirely true, its credibility was exceptionally high. At the very least, many myths and legends possessed real historical prototypes; the Heavenly Court and the Netherworld were both rooted in actual events.
Yet Jiang Ningxian did not elaborate further, simply saying, "Come, let us cross to the other side."
Lu Yuan wondered who could have left behind this Kunlun Secret Realm. Why recreate a Heavenly Palace and Netherworld? Moreover, judging by appearances, neither seemed to have ever reached completion. Still, he kept silent and simply turned to look at Jiang Ningxian beside him, wanting to gauge her reaction.
Catching his gaze, Jiang Ningxian was slightly taken aback. She turned her head, and their eyes met. Through this journey together, the two had come to understand each other much better. Although the four Beast Kings still did not know Jiang Ningxian's true origins, they knew she was far from ordinary, so they respectfully addressed her as Fairy Jiang, speaking with none of their earlier reserve.
Without lingering in thought, Lu Yuan spoke up and prepared to cross to the other side to search for the Yongzhou Cauldron, one of the Nine Cauldrons.
Soon, the group stepped onto the Naihe Bridge, crossed the Yellow Springs, and arrived at the land where the Equinox Flowers bloomed. Once they reached the far bank, that eerie aura vanished entirely, replaced by an extraordinary serenity.
Lu Yuan observed the flowers closely. What resided within them were not souls, but the lingering wills left behind by the deceased. In that respect, they appeared remarkably similar to the heavenly soldiers and nether soldiers.
'Could Ancestral Dragon's army have truly perished on their path of conquest?' he mused inwardly. Recalling his conversation with Ancestral Dragon, he pieced together many clues, just as he had back at Mount Kongtong and within the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum.
Right then, the Spirit Monkey's voice called out from nearby.
"King Lu, Fairy Jiang, come over here and take a look!"
Hearing this, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian walked over without hesitation. They discovered an elevated mound in this area where no Equinox Flowers grew, and the soil was entirely different in color from the surrounding ground.
The four Beast Kings looked on in confusion, but none spoke, quietly watching from not far away.
"Lu Yuan, where is that small cauldron of yours?" Jiang Ningxian asked.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan naturally knew she must be referring to the small bronze cauldron. Both were exceptionally clever and possessed some understanding of the Nine-Color Altar.
After a brief thought, he turned his hand slightly, and the small cauldron materialized. It remained just as before, unadorned yet carrying an enigmatic mystique. He then gestured for the others to step back as streams of power began to gather in his hands.
The earth was turned over, laying bare what lay beneath the mound.
It was an altar—not very tall, yet bearing the unmistakable mark of immense antiquity. It had been constructed from nine distinct colors of soil.
"This is..." Lu Yuan's heart tightened the moment he saw it, his expression turning solemn.
Another Nine-Color Altar? First Shennongjia, then the summit of Mount Tai, and now Mount Kunlun. He realized this was already the third time he had encountered one.
Sitting down cross-legged, he drew the Daluo Sword Embryo and sliced his palm.
As his blood poured in, the small cauldron released wisps of gentle radiance. The Nine-Color Altar before him resonated in response, surging with vibrant multi-colored light.
Buzz! Buzz!
The altar trembled.
Beneath the intertwining radiance of both artifacts, a thunderous boom erupted. A pillar of light shot directly upward, piercing through the firmament, and from within that radiant column, something seemed poised to emerge.
Chapter 188