The Legend of the Netherworld

Chapter 218 Chen Feng

Lin Xiao took a deep breath and walked out of the barren mountain. His eyes were no longer filled with pure bloodshot anger, but were instead filled with deep resolve. When he heard that the Shangguan family had suffered a tragedy for helping him, a sense of unease and guilt finally rose in his heart.

"Shangguan family, do they have to pay the price for me too?" He whispered to himself, clenching his fists.

Since he left Tianyuan City, the situation had become increasingly complicated, and it all stemmed from his previous assistance to Shangguan Qingqing. Because Shangguan Qingqing had provided shelter to Lin Xiao, the Shangguan family's whereabouts were ultimately exposed. The imperial court, and especially Chen Yi of the Nine Gates, had turned their full attention to this family.

"The Shangguan family..." Lin Xiao's eyes flickered darkly. The Shangguan family, especially Shangguan Qingqing, had never asked for anything on his behalf, but at this critical moment, he couldn't bear to see them die in vain.

So, he decided to return to Tianyuan City to find out what was going on and at the same time fight for a chance of survival for the Shangguan family.

The night in Tianyuan City was quiet, and the bustling streets were still bustling with people, but this couldn't mask the tense atmosphere within the city. Lin Xiao walked alone in the shadows, his skills concealed, and quietly approached the Tianyuan City prison.

After the Shangguan family was raided and executed, Lin Xiao learned from the news that all family members, including Shangguan Qingqing, were imprisoned in the city's most secure prison. After Li Zhenguo's death, the prefectural position became vacant, and the court appointed a new high-ranking official. Chen Yi had already left Tianyuan City. The entire city seemed to have entered a new order.

But no matter what, the Shangguan family should not have to bear all this.

Lin Xiao restrained his presence and quickly passed through the dense forest surrounding the city. He didn't dare to rush into the main city, so he first sneaked in through the side gate. As a Jiachen Fourth Realm cultivator, he was no longer afraid of ordinary difficulties, but facing the heavily guarded Tianyuan City, he knew he had to proceed with caution.

In the dead of night, Lin Xiao arrived at the southeast corner of Tianyuan City—the city's most secret prison, where all criminals and outcasts who had offended the imperial court were held. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he quickly took in his surroundings.

The high walls and heavy iron gates surrounding him made Lin Xiao's face grow solemn. He knew the difficulty of the challenge, but to rescue the Shangguan family, he had no way out.

"Now that I'm here, there's no way back." Lin Xiao muttered to himself, and with a move of his body, he disappeared into the darkness like a ghost.

Deep within the prison, in the cells, almost no one dared to make a sound. The Shangguan family members were all bound within the dark iron bars, their faces pale and emaciated. Shangguan Qingqing was among them, her eyes still cold, yet tinged with a hint of unconcealable worry.

"Qingqing..." Lin Xiao paused outside the cell. Seeing Shangguan Qingqing, his heart ached. It wasn't like she hadn't had a chance to escape, but she never did. For her family, and for the responsibility she refused to let go, she always upheld the family's beliefs.

Shangguan Qingqing raised her head slightly. When she saw Lin Xiao standing outside the prison, she was surprised at first, but then a barely perceptible smile appeared in her eyes. "Why are you here? You no longer have a safe place..."

Lin Xiao's face darkened, and he said softly, "I can't just watch you sacrifice yourself for me."

"What are you going to do?" Shangguan Qingqing's voice trembled slightly. She knew that Lin Xiao had always been very determined, but she didn't expect that he would make such a decision for her.

"Save you! Break the prison." Lin Xiao's voice was calm, yet resolute. Even if he faced an overwhelming force, he would still get the Shangguan family out.

Shangguan Qingqing's expression changed slightly. She whispered, "Lin Xiao, although you are powerful, this is not a place you can easily enter. Tianyuan City's military strength is tight. If you act rashly, there is no guarantee that there will be no accidents."

"I don't care." Lin Xiao responded calmly, his tone becoming more resolute, "Tonight, things are going to change in Tianyuan City."

As Lin Xiao finished speaking, he immediately began to unleash his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitative Shadow Moves." His spiritual energy erupted once again, and his body instantly split into several shadows, shielding him as he gradually approached the depths of the prison. Each step was cautious, and each leap was as fast as lightning.

As he dodged through the lines of guards, none of them noticed. Everywhere he touched, the air vanished silently with his movements, without even a trace of ripple.

Finally, Lin Xiao found the key to the cell door in a corner not far away. His eyes grew even more determined. The location where the Shangguan family members were being held was also marked on a map he had previously obtained. Now, all he had to do was begin the rescue operation.

"Shangguan Qingqing, it will be ready soon." Lin Xiao said in a low voice.

He turned and walked towards a door in the cell. The moment he opened the door, he heard the footsteps of several guards. A sneer appeared on Lin Xiao's face.

"Just in time."

Lin Xiao's eyes turned icy cold, and he instantly formed seals with his hands. He muttered a mental method, and the spiritual energy in his body began to surge out. In an instant, the air around him seemed to be sucked out, as if the whole world had stopped at this moment.

"Shadow Spirit Sword Stab!"

He suddenly waved his hand, and the sword light followed him like a shadow, quickly sweeping towards the oncoming guards. Before the guards could react, they were already struck by the sharp sword energy. The sharp sword light pierced through each guard's body like a shadow, disappearing in an instant, as if it had never existed.

"Silent and ghostly." Lin Xiao sneered in his heart, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

The cell door not far away had been opened by him. Shangguan Qingqing stood inside, staring at him, as if he had not yet completely believed his eyes.

"Lin Xiao..." Her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, and her eyes flashed with complex emotions.

"Let's go, hurry up." Lin Xiao reached out and grabbed her wrist, leading her into another deep passage. Along the way, Lin Xiao once again used his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitating Phantom" to create illusions in the dark prison, confusing the guards who were still searching for them.

But Lin Xiao wasn't about to escape so easily. Although he had already killed many guards, the security here was far more extensive than what he saw at first. More importantly, this prison held not only members of the Shangguan family but also some extremely dangerous individuals. Lin Xiao knew that if the other prisoners noticed him, they would become a new source of trouble.

"We have to hurry." Lin Xiao lowered his voice and took Shangguan gently through one closed iron door after another until they reached the last passage.

"This is the secret passage leading underground," Shangguan whispered softly. Her eyes swept around the dark area, and suddenly she pulled a key from her waist and quickly inserted it into the keyhole. With a "click", the lock broke and the entrance to the passage slowly opened.

"Lin Xiao, let's go." Shangguan walked forward quickly, and Lin Xiao followed closely behind.

They sped along the secret passage, and at the end of the passage was a vast underground palace. It was so secretive that outsiders would never discover this underground world. Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat, realizing that this was indeed an excellent hiding place.

However, just as he was about to stop, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from above, echoing in the dark underground palace. Lin Xiao's expression changed slightly, and he immediately grabbed Shangguan Qingqing and quickly crouched down in a corner.

"It seems that they have noticed our movements." Lin Xiao's eyes became sharp, and he listened attentively to the approaching footsteps.

Shangguan Qingqing also held her breath, her expression becoming serious. "If these were prisoners from other cells, escaping wouldn't be difficult. But if they discovered this place, I'm afraid we'd be in unprecedented trouble."

Lin Xiao nodded silently. He didn't look down on these ordinary soldiers, but he was worried about the more powerful ones. Although the Shangguan family had a place, if they really attracted the powerful people from Tianyuan City, their escape would probably become extremely difficult.

Just as they stood still with bated breath, suddenly, a dark shadow approached quietly from the corner, and then a cold voice came into their ears.

"You think you can escape like this?"

Lin Xiao and Shangguan Qingqing felt their hearts tighten. Looking up, they saw a middle-aged man in a black robe slowly walking out of the shadows, his eyes filled with cold murderous intent.

"You are..." Lin Xiao said in a deep voice.

"I am Chen Feng, the leader of the 'Black Shadow Group', a secret department in Tianyuan City!" The black-robed man sneered, "You can't escape."

Shangguan gently grasped Lin Xiao's hand and whispered, "This man is an elite from Tianyuan City, a member of the Black Shadow Group, known for his stealth assassinations. If you want to escape from him, it will probably take some effort."

Lin Xiao nodded slightly, a murderous look flashing in his eyes: "It seems that there is bound to be a bloody battle tonight."

The black-robed man Chen Feng curled his lips into a sneer, moved his body, and instantly disappeared from his original position, rushing towards Lin Xiao with a fierce murderous aura.

"Sure enough, extremely fast!" Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, and the spiritual energy in his body surged. In an instant, he unleashed his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitative Phantom Moves," splitting his body into multiple phantoms. As Chen Feng's attack missed, Lin Xiao's true form had already vanished from the spot.

"Go to hell!" Lin Xiao's voice sounded from behind. Almost at the same time, a sword-like energy force attacked violently, pointing directly at the back of Chen Feng.

The black-robed man, Chen Feng, felt a pang of anxiety and immediately turned around, blocking the attack with the dagger in his hand. But then, he felt an even more powerful force coming, which directly knocked the dagger away.

"Hehe, you really don't know how to live or die." Chen Feng's face changed, and his body suddenly stepped back, disappearing from Lin Xiao's sight in an instant.

"Want to run?" Lin Xiao sneered, and without a second thought, he activated the "Sword Qi Strike." Sword Qi burst out from his body, quickly slicing the surrounding space into countless sharp sword shadows, instantly enveloping the entire underground palace.

"Prepare to die!" Chen Feng appeared again, formed seals with his hands, and quickly released a powerful dark energy, which collided fiercely with Lin Xiao's sword energy, making a deafening explosion.

The confrontation between the two shocked the entire underground palace, and even left deep cracks on the walls.

As the sword energy and dark energy collided, the spiritual energy in the air fluctuated extremely violently, and the entire underground palace seemed to be shaking at this moment. Lin Xiao stood still, a cold light flashing in his eyes. He could feel that although Chen Feng's power was strong, it still seemed a little insufficient in front of him.

"You're truly extraordinary," Chen Feng said coldly. His figure had completely vanished from Lin Xiao's sword energy, reappearing at the other end of the palace. As he finished speaking, he formed seals with his hands, and black energy began to gather within him, seemingly devouring the surrounding air.

Lin Xiao's gaze was sharp, and the spiritual energy within him surged like a tide. He knew that Chen Feng was not only a stealthy assassin, but also a powerful warrior skilled in dark energy and aura manipulation. If he wasn't dealt with quickly, this battle would likely end in a prolonged stalemate.

"Phantom Sword Dance," Lin Xiao whispered, instantly unleashing a whirlwind of swordplay. Sword energy intertwined in the air, forming phantoms. Each move was incredibly precise, like countless razor-sharp sword beams darting toward Chen Feng. Simultaneously, his body transformed into multiple phantoms, rapidly advancing toward Chen Feng.

Chen Feng's face darkened upon seeing this scene. He knew that Lin Xiao's sword dance was like a continuous storm, not only sharp in attack but also capable of confusing the enemy's vision. With his agility, it would be difficult for him to completely avoid this series of attacks.

"Okay!" Chen Feng shouted softly, and quickly formed seals with his hands. A thick black gas instantly spread out, forming a barrier that protected him firmly.

"Black Evil Shield!" Chen Feng continued to cast the spell while cursing softly, "It seems that you are not a true genius, but have cultivated this skill through some means. No wonder you were able to defeat Li Zhenguo and Chen Yi in such a short time. It's really unacceptable."

Lin Xiao's attack failed, but he didn't stop. Instead, he attacked with even greater force. His sword energy was so sharp that it nearly tore through the air, and each ray of sword light aimed directly at Chen Feng's vital points. Every time a sword struck the black evil spirit shield, the vibrations in the air caused the entire underground palace to shake violently again.

"Go to hell!" Lin Xiao shouted coldly, crossing his hands and instantly unleashing the "Sword Qi Strike." The surging sword energy surged forward like a river bursting its banks. Countless sword energies swirled in the air, charging straight at Chen Feng, attempting to completely break him.

"Do you think that you can break through my 'black evil spirit shield' with just this one move?" Chen Feng sneered, his eyes suddenly lit up red, and his aura instantly surged, as if his entire body had merged into this black evil spirit, and the surrounding space was oppressed like a heavy boulder.

However, the murderous intent in Lin Xiao's eyes grew stronger. He did not slow down his attack, but instead increased the speed of his sword dance. The sword energy continued to gather, quickly condensing into a huge sword formation, rushing towards Chen Feng.

"Break through!" Lin Xiao muttered in his heart, and a powerful energy burst out from his body. All the sword energy instantly broke through the black evil energy shield and violently hit Chen Feng.

"Damn it!" A trace of panic flashed in Chen Feng's eyes. He hurriedly tried to mobilize the black evil spirit in his body to defend himself, but it was too late. The sword energy swept over like a storm, instantly breaking all his defenses.

Chen Feng's body suddenly retreated, his face pale, and blood gushed out of his throat. His body swayed a few times, as if he could no longer withstand the huge impact. He staggered unsteadily, his eyes filled with astonishment and unwillingness.

"You... who are you?" Chen Feng struggled to stand firm, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Impossible... you can't have reached this level in just a few months."

Lin Xiao didn't answer him, only staring at him coldly, his eyes gleaming with an icy light. Although his breathing seemed steady, the spiritual energy in his body had been completely depleted, and he was becoming somewhat fatigued. Facing such a formidable foe, if he hadn't broken through to the fourth realm of Jiachen in such a short period of time, he would have likely lost the battle.

"You have no way to escape." Lin Xiao's tone was ruthless and cold, and he looked at Chen Feng coldly.

Chen Feng gritted his teeth, the unwillingness and anger in his eyes almost bursting out, but he knew that he was at the end of his strength, and no matter how he struggled, he could not escape this disaster.

At this moment, Lin Xiao slowly pulled out the dagger, and his body suddenly shook, appearing in front of Chen Feng. He gently stabbed the dagger in his hand, and it went straight into Chen Feng's heart.

"Oh!"

A trace of shock flashed across Chen Feng's eyes for the last time, and he slowly fell down until he fell to the ground powerlessly with a sad look on his face.

Lin Xiao didn't stop, quietly watching the fallen Chen Feng, his eyes devoid of any pity. After completing all this, he took a deep breath, reached out to drape the fallen black robe over himself, and prepared to leave the battlefield.

However, at this moment, a loud sound came from the other side of the underground palace, as if someone had discovered the movement here.

Lin Xiao frowned slightly, turned around and looked into the distance, realizing that he had to leave as soon as possible, otherwise he would be in trouble again.

"Shangguan Qingqing, I'm here to save you." Lin Xiao said in a low voice, turned and walked towards the exit of the secret passage.