Chapter 185 Thunderous Hell

Qiantiao's appearance instantly decapitated the Ghost King [Hundred-Faced Hair Ghost], leaving Soren and Miko dumbfounded.

Having crossed the "Sword Saint" threshold, it's no exaggeration to say her combat power more than doubled.

Even more obvious, Qiantiao wielded the "Onimaru Hyakumei Tadamasa" with increasing ease. At this moment, the demon blade was finally displaying its true Hell Realm demonic might in her hands. The sword qi was condensed and unyielding, gathering on the incomparably sharp blade, slicing through armored ghost soldiers like chopping melons. Each strike drew forth violet-red lightning, like a prison of thunder, causing countless ghosts within to wail in agony.

This was the true spectacle of the "Rumbling Thunder Hell."

Without lingering, Qiantiao, having slain the [Hair Ghost], immediately charged towards the [Ghost Champion, Toyotomi Hideyoshi], who was engaged in combat with Soren.

Both were swordsmen, and their blades clashed, sending sparks flying.

However, Qiantiao clearly had the upper hand, each strike imbued with the force of thunder, domineering and unparalleled, forcing the Ghost King to retreat.

Soren seized the opportunity to disengage, canceling the Four-Stage Hormone Burst technique, gasping for breath.

This time, because he hadn't fought desperately, the timing was perfect. Although his muscles were burning hot, with steam rising from his body, he hadn't sustained injuries like last time, where he couldn't even walk.

He approached and shielded Miko, then devoured the "ash-mist" on the scorched ground.

Unfortunately, after the thunderous barrage, most of the souls and demonic qi had been incinerated, so Soren didn't reap many fragments.

But it was better than nothing.

Qiantiao's entry instantly shifted the balance of power.

Soren controlled the puppets to slay the lesser monsters and clear away the "materials" left on the battlefield, quite leisurely.

Before long, the battle ended, leaving the ground littered with the corpses of ghosts.

Soren went over to harvest [Toyotomi Hideyoshi]'s soul, gaining a wealth of ancient military tactics. The corpse's demonic qi also greatly increased his Grim Reaper phantom's "experience."

News of the ambush had already spread among the monsters. The trio didn't dare linger near Mount Kura, choosing a direction and breaking through the encirclement.

...

Soon, at an unnamed mountain stream with flowing water.

Soren, Qiantiao, and Miko walked along the rocky shore.

They had traveled, killing a minor Ghost King, and finally successfully broke through.

There were no more signs of monsters for miles around.

Because they had been moving quickly earlier, Soren had been holding Miko. Now that the situation seemed less critical, he put her down.

Now that they had some downtime, the three of them had a chance to chat.

Soren, curious about Qiantiao's current realm, asked, "Qiantiao-jie, have you advanced to 'Sword Saint'?"

Qiantiao, in a good mood, wore a smug smile, "Of course."

She paused, then said, "Before, I always felt like something was missing. When I saw the [Takemikazuchi] statue in the underground palace, I gained insight into a wisp of high-level lightning sword intent, and suddenly understood. I also triggered the sword intent of past sword masters within the demon blade, which made me think of the lightning-filled scenery of Hell. That's how I figured out this 'Rumbling Thunder Hell'."

Hearing this, Soren was happy for her, "That's good."

He estimated that even if they encountered a Great Ghost King like [Shuten-doji] again, they might not be able to defeat him, but at least they could protect themselves with ease.

With sword intent transformed into qi, Qiantiao finally had the ability to truly break through protective qi.

As she spoke, Qiantiao played with the Bodhi pendant hanging from her waist and said, "I'm also grateful for this [Bodhi Seed]. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to comprehend that faint trace of divinity."

Soren was curious and asked, "What does enlightenment feel like?"

Qiantiao recalled, "It's amazing. It's like suddenly gaining insight, grasping something that you couldn't grasp before, like sand flowing through your fingers."

Miko blinked and asked apologetically, "Qiantiao-jie, did we interrupt your enlightenment?"

She naturally knew that if Soren hadn't been burdened with her as a "burden," Qiantiao wouldn't have rushed out.

"Ah... interrupt? No way."

Qiantiao wore an indifferent expression.

Then, a mischievous look flashed across her face, "Actually, I advanced yesterday. I figured you guys hadn't contacted each other, so I let you guys deepen your relationship. I also took the opportunity to consolidate my realm and accumulate sword qi."

Hearing this, Miko was stunned.

Soren, however, had expected this and rolled his eyes.

It would be strange if this gambling addict didn't try to tease them.

Qiantiao looked at their expressions and suddenly put her arm around Soren's shoulder, with a mysterious and mischievous smile, "By the way, Soren-xiaodi. Have you tried the surprise I told you about?"

"..."

Hearing this, Soren rolled his eyes and didn't bother to respond.

Although she deliberately lowered her voice, the content of her words was clearly audible to Miko.

Qiantiao grabbed Miko, saying, "Oh dear, what a pity if we can't get out of here without trying?"

Hearing this blatant tease, Miko gave her a helpless look.

...

Over the next few days, Soren and the others spent their time ambushing various ghosts and monsters.

Miko's "Tang Sanzang meat" effect was indeed good. The monsters could find them from miles away.

Qiantiao's combat power was now absurd. Although she was only in the fifth rank, she had mastered the "Overbearing Might" that only sixth-rank professionals could skillfully use. This gave her sword qi a super armor-breaking effect, making her extremely effective at slaying spirit and elemental monsters.

Moreover, the compatibility between the "Rumbling Thunder Hell" sword intent she had comprehended and the demon blade was extremely high, allowing her to unleash the full power of the "Tadamasa" Hell Realm demon blade. Originally, the demonic qi was too exaggerated, and misusing the demon blade's power could even lead to possession. But with the Buddhist Dharma suppression of the [Bodhi Seed], the most critical link was completed.

Now, Qiantiao, wielding the demon blade, was like holding a "sealed item" that wouldn't curse her, allowing her to slash recklessly.

Even Soren couldn't accurately assess her combat power.

He estimated that as long as she didn't encounter a counter, she could fight a sixth-rank professional.

The trio worked together seamlessly, ambushing monsters in various wildernesses.

Miko acted as bait, sensing the monsters, while Qiantiao and Soren were responsible for killing them.

In just a few days, they had ambushed and killed more than a dozen Ghost Kings and thousands of ghosts around the Ghost City.

As a result, Soren stripped away a large amount of demonic qi, and his Law of Death surged several times over.

This made him vaguely sense that the Yellow Springs world in this book seemed to be different.

However, the ghosts and monsters weren't stupid. No matter how tempting Miko's aura was, their own lives were more important.

Gradually, the efficiency of the ambushes decreased.

Soren had harvested a lot of information about the Yellow Springs Kingdom, and he knew almost everything about the monsters here. Especially those with great reputations, he knew their abilities inside and out. If they encountered someone they couldn't defeat, they would take a roundabout approach to whittle them down. If they could defeat them, they would annihilate them.

Just as Soren and the others ambushed a large group from the Ghost City, led by the zombie monster [Blood Drought Demon], one of the "Eight Great Demon Kings of the Yellow Springs," who shared the same status as [Shuten-doji], they completely ran out of "business."

Even with various means of provocation and enticement, the Ghost Kings wouldn't be stupid enough to come looking for them again. Occasionally, they could kill a few minor ghosts who hadn't heard of their "vicious reputation," but it wasn't enough to fill their teeth.

...

Unknowingly, Soren and the others had been in the Yellow Springs Kingdom for more than twenty days.

The sky of the Yellow Springs Kingdom was forever hung with that dim, cold, gray moon.

It was dinner time, in a dilapidated small temple.

Having wandered around for most of the day without any gains, the trio decided to spend the night here.

Originally, Soren planned to wait until the effects of the [Beggar God Mud Pill] wore off after thirty days before finding a way to get out.

But now it seemed that whether their aura was leaked or not made no difference.

The monsters weren't coming to their door anymore, and there didn't seem to be any life-threatening dangers outside the city.

But after all, it wasn't possible to stay in this cursed space forever. The All-Seeing Eye showed that even though they were absorbing dark spiritual power through combat, the Yellow Springs qi was still contaminating their bodies through breathing.

So, a few days sooner or later didn't make much of a difference.

They planned to contact Izanami, the Lord of the Yellow Springs Kingdom, tomorrow.

Soren set up the tent, took out the cooking pot, and brought out a pile of food.

Miko was helping to clean up. Having never cooked before, this princess was learning, and she was doing quite well.

Although it was fast food, this meal was unusually rich. There was dried fish, dried meat, canned fruit, and dehydrated vegetables.

After heating, the aroma was enticing.

The three of them gathered around the steaming stew, eating with relish.

Not having monsters to fight wasn't entirely bad.

The good thing was that they no longer had to hide and could sleep soundly and eat something peacefully.

Qiantiao's posture was full of rascality. She held her sword even while eating, complaining, "Aiya, this life is impossible. Now these monsters have learned to be smart and aren't coming to die..."

Hell Realm swordsmen cultivate through slaughter. They aren't afraid of fighting, but they are afraid of not having fights.

Not encountering a monster that could make her use a second strike for so long naturally made her feel a bit bored.

Hearing this, a smile appeared on Soren's face, but a solemn expression appeared in his eyes, "Qiantiao-jie, rest well today. If there are no accidents, tomorrow's matter won't be so smooth."

Hearing this, Qiantiao shrugged indifferently.

Thinking about it, she asked, "Soren, you've collected so much intelligence these days. What do you think the Lord of the Yellow Springs is like?"

Soren showed a thoughtful look and said, "That Lord is very mysterious. All the ghosts and monsters in this Yellow Springs Kingdom have a kind of almost incomprehensible fanatical worship for Her. Naturally, there are no records of any battles."

After thinking for a moment, he changed the subject and analyzed, "However, Her strength isn't impossible to estimate. 'Normally speaking,' cursed spaces are restricted by the laws of the world, and the power of individual entities within the space won't be too high. I think... She should be a seventh-rank professional who has mastered some special abilities."

This was the most reasonable judgment.

Their Alchemy world's laws were broken, and the upper limit was locked at the "Demigod rank."

This was still the upper limit.

Under normal circumstances, even cursed spaces formed after the death of a Demigod would only be at the seventh or eighth rank at most. Over time, they would also be affected by the environment and energy.

These days, Soren had almost figured out the entire Yellow Springs Ghost City. [Shuten-doji], with his sixth-rank professional combat power, was already one of the top Great Monsters in the Yellow Springs Kingdom.

There were still a few legendary Great Ghost Kings hidden in the city, but he estimated that it would be difficult for their combat power to exceed the seventh rank.

They were said to be powerful mostly because they had some special abilities.

After all, Soren had really seen a God-rank being.

He didn't think that this "Izanami" would be infinitely strong.

Whether it was the "Fallen Angel" or the Daru tribe's "God of Nature," these were real living deities.

As for the gods of Hidden Mountain, perhaps they were truly high-ranking deities in ancient times. But if there were no accidents, they should have almost all fallen in that "Great Collapse."

Otherwise, they wouldn't have never descended.

Now, the many gods of Hidden Mountain are actually just the personification of a collective of faith, belonging to the level of "false gods" or "outer gods."

To put it simply, they are very powerful "Great Monsters."

Hearing this analysis, Qiantiao frowned tightly.

After pondering for a moment, she said, "Even if She is a seventh-rank, we have no chance of winning in a head-on collision. I hope She has no malice..."

Soren wasn't optimistic and nodded, "Yes. We should think more about how to respond to unexpected situations... Moreover, I always feel like something is wrong."

After the Law of Death had been comprehended more fully, this feeling became stronger and stronger.

Qiantiao: "..."

As the two of them talked,

Miko didn't say a word the whole time.

After all, believers cannot presumptuously discuss gods. Even here, she adhered to her faith.

...

After finishing their meal, the three of them cleaned up and prepared to rest.

The snowflakes in the sky were falling more and more densely, quickly covering the threshold of the dilapidated temple in a thick layer. The cold moonlight shone on the snow, reflecting a layer of eerie, hazy cyan light.

Perhaps because tomorrow was the day of destiny, the three of them relaxed instead.

Soren held the notebook with the information he had collected these days, checking it like he was reviewing an exam paper before handing it in, wanting to find any possible "errors" in the plan.

Miko was preparing for tomorrow's ritual and was getting ready to rest.

Next to her, Qiantiao was lying there with her legs crossed, wearing a large kimono, as lazy as ever.

Qiantiao looked at the serious Soren, patted the spot next to her, and invited, "Soren-xiaodi, come over and rest. We've done all we can do."

Hearing this, the wrinkles on Soren's brow relaxed, and he raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Yeah."

That's right, they had done all they could do.

If it was truly irresistible, no amount of planning could change it.

He walked to the edge of the tent.

Miko, on the inside, made room, and Qiantiao also shifted, leaving him a place to lie down.

Soren didn't stand on ceremony and lay down next to Qiantiao.

The three of them lay back on the mat, and from this angle, they could see the snow scene outside through the gate of the dilapidated temple.

For a moment, no one spoke, and the three of them lay there quietly.

They weren't sleepy, and the desolate, beautiful snow scene of the Yellow Springs Kingdom was reflected in their eyes.

Suddenly, Qiantiao opened her mouth and asked, "Soren, if we really can't get out, what regrets do you have?"

Soren replied easily, "There are many regrets. There's so much of this wonderful world that I haven't seen..."

As he spoke, he ticked off his fingers, saying, "For example, I haven't stood at the peak of the alchemy field and seen the scenery, I haven't seen the bustling capitals of the two great empires, I haven't seen other worlds. Um... also, I won't be able to see so many friends I've made, that's the biggest regret."

Hearing this, Qiantiao sighed slightly and said, "Aiya, we were supposed to be pirates and adventurers together, but I didn't expect to be unsuccessful. You know what, I'm increasingly admiring adventurers like 'Fujiwara Hayato' and 'Pirate King Black Sam.' Exploring the world and discovering the unknown is really great."

Soren said with a smile, "Yeah, I also think the adventurer profession is good."

The tone of the two was inexplicably pessimistic.

And that was the reality.

Even now, Soren wasn't at all confident that he could get out alive.

Since Mitegami Yoru had chosen to use this [Death Novel], she must have wanted to trap all outsiders here, and it wouldn't be easy to break free.

Moreover, this was a "T-grade" space judged by the All-Seeing Eye. He could never leave without finding that one-in-ten-thousand chance.

Tomorrow's situation,

Was ominous.

Soren asked, "What about you, Qiantiao-jie?"

"Me? I'm fine..."

Qiantiao was very open-minded and said, "I've already entered the 'Sword Saint Realm' and glimpsed the highest realm of the sword, so I've fulfilled my wish. If I can have another hearty battle, that would be even better."

At this time, she thought of something and asked Miko, who was on her right, "Miko-san, what about you?"

Miko's personality was gentle and quiet, and when she didn't speak, her presence was very low.

Even when the three of them were together, most of the time, she quietly listened on the sidelines.

Hearing the question, she replied in a very calm tone, "The process of death, for us from the Shinto line, is just waiting for the next reincarnation."

As she spoke, she took a deep breath, and the plain white lapel on her chest rose and fell visibly.

She didn't care about her own life or death, but she was very sorry for dragging down her friends.

Miko said sadly, "I'm sorry. I've implicated Soren-sensei and Qiantiao-jie. If it weren't for..."

Hearing this, Qiantiao hugged Miko without letting her finish and said unhappily, "Hey, hey, hey... Miko, saying such things is too much of an outsider."

Miko's head was pressed against Qiantiao's chest, full of oppression, unable to struggle.

She could only beg for mercy, "Qiantiao-jie, I can't breathe..."

Only then did Qiantiao release her with a smile.

...

The three of them chatted for a while and gradually fell silent.

The light of the magic lamp was turned off, and it became dim all around.

Only the sound of even breathing remained in the tent.

Soren wasn't sleepy and lay on the mat, thinking in his mind, and the strange premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He felt like he vaguely thought of something key, but it was like looking at flowers in the fog, and he couldn't see it clearly.

Qiantiao was sleeping next to him, and the two were very close. Their skin was touching a lot, but neither of them felt uncomfortable. In recent days, such intimate behavior had become commonplace.

Neither of them was asleep.

Suddenly, Qiantiao turned to her side.

Soren felt his arm sink into a heavy softness.

Qiantiao put her face to his ear and said softly, "Soren, if you have a chance to live, live well."

Before, in Edo, the blind musician with the [All-Seeing Eye] talent had foreseen her death.

Since fate couldn't be changed, if she could, she didn't want to implicate Soren.

Hearing this, Soren didn't respond to her.

The tacit understanding between the two allowed him to immediately know what she wanted to express.

Would Qiantiao-jie die?

But going up, that prophecy should be fulfilled here.

This was a thorn in Soren's heart.

For a time, he was even more melancholy.

...

Originally, this was a very sad atmosphere, but at this time, Qiantiao suddenly rolled over, and her whole body rolled directly over Soren.

"Switch places!"

She unceremoniously pushed Soren to the middle to sleep.

"Give me your hand."

"???"

"How does it feel?"

"..."

Soren guessed that Qiantiao probably had some bad taste again.

But unexpectedly, after switching places, she held his arm and slept quietly.

On one side was Qiantiao, and on the other was Miko.

And what surprised Soren slightly was that Miko didn't avoid it either. She turned slightly and leaned on Soren's upper arm, and her breathing gradually calmed down...