Chapter 30 - Rakshasa
"Ha..."
In terms of the result, even a ghost creature refined from Incarnation Bones still could not shake Gu Jing and the majestic light of the Autumn Maiden Sword in her hand.
But Gu Jing at this moment was clearly not faring well either.
During the battle just now, death qi had already entered her body; the death qi was severely obstructing the circulation of spiritual energy within her body, and she couldn't expel it for the moment.
And excessive consumption had exacerbated this symptom; now, her complexion was slightly pale, and her speed of advance was also far from being as fast as before.
That mountain of flesh had been thoroughly slashed by Gu Jing; the Master of the Netherworld, for a moment, would probably also find it difficult to make any major moves.
But if things continued like this, it definitely wouldn't do.
The bronze road beneath their feet no longer had flowing blood, but was a stretch of dry, dark red.
This indicated they were advancing towards an even deeper place.
If they stopped and used their remaining spiritual energy to defend to the death, considering the profound sword intent of the two Tianchen Seven Swords, they could somehow hold on.
But doing so would also be in line with Huoxin's intentions.
"Ghost cultivators…"
Luo Hongyu murmured.
Although they said they wanted to get out, rushing about like headless flies like this was no solution.
Wasn't there anything that could be used to indicate direction…
Just as Luo Hongyu was thinking this, a wave of warmth suddenly came from her waist.
This is…
Under Luo Hongyu's slightly surprised gaze, that red jade, as if freshly infused with blood, became smooth, bright, and translucent.
"Luo He..."
Gu Jing stared blankly at the red jade and murmured, and the Autumn Maiden Sword in her hand also hummed in response.
Not only that, the red jade actually broke free from the cord at Luo Hongyu's waist, floated in mid-air, and slowly drifted towards a certain direction.
This red jade seemed to be guiding them.
"Let's follow it, Senior Sister Gu."
"...Mm."
The red jade's radiance ahead seemed exceptionally bright. Luo Hongyu followed behind it, the enigmas in her heart all tangled together.
If it was said that the red jade and Luo He had some kind of connection.
Its earlier dimness represented the critical state of Luo He's situation; then now that it was like this, did it mean Luo He's situation had taken a turn for the better?
Or perhaps, it had some other meaning.
And also, why in this place did it abnormally begin to move on its own, advancing in a certain direction.
It, or rather, he...
What on earth did it represent...
Along the way, there were constant harassments from ghouls and monsters. But the two, now having a direction, moved much faster, escaping time and again from the Master of the Netherworld's ghost tide.
"What is that, to actually be able to lead the way in my Netherworld... Leave it behind for me...!"
During one instance, a withered hand reached out from the darkness, wanting to snatch away this red jade.
In the instant that even Luo Hongyu hadn't yet reacted, Gu Jing had already slashed out with her sword, leaving a severed arm that turned into black mist on the ground.
Looking at Gu Jing's bloodshot-eyed appearance, Luo Hongyu lowered her gaze and didn't say much.
Not knowing how far they had walked, Luo Hongyu and Gu Jing stopped.
Along with them, the red jade also floated quietly in the air, no longer moving forward.
Because they both now had a feeling that if they went further forward, they would step into a completely different place.
And it was true; ahead, there was no road.
The bronze road surface ended here. Further ahead, beneath their feet was an unfathomable abyss.
"Hehe..."
The voice of the Master of the Netherworld sounded again from the darkness.
"I didn't expect this thing would actually bring you here... It seems it wasn't saving your lives after all, hehe..."
"I might as well tell you, ahead is the Netherworld's true forbidden land for the living. In the past, any living person who managed to survive in my domain would eventually die in there."
"If you walk further ahead, it will be the same result."
"What is in there?"
Luo Hongyu, holding her Lu Lan Sword, asked calmly.
"What's in there? Hehe, a true, true evil ghost, an evil ghost that devours its own kind and has no humanity."
"Then what's the difference between it and you?"
"I..."
"It sounds like you're actually quite afraid of it."
"This title of yours, Master of the Netherworld... is rather pathetic."
"Hahaha..."
Hearing Luo Hongyu's mockery, he laughed instead of getting angry and said maliciously:
"So what? What choice do you have? Anyway, for the time being, I don't have any way to deal with you."
"But if you stay here and are slowly invaded by ghostly qi, you will become a meal on my plate; after you die, there's still a chance your souls might remain."
"But if you are discovered by the thing ahead, then it will be true annihilation of soul and spirit."
"You choose, ah. Do you want to die slowly and live a little longer, or die early?"
"......"
Luo Hongyu paid no heed to that voice, but just quietly looked at the red jade.
After the red jade trembled for a moment, it moved downwards.
Luo Hongyu glanced at Gu Jing, and the two of them immediately followed and jumped down.
"Mad... Mad!"
From above, the Master of the Netherworld's flustered and exasperated voice could still be faintly heard.
...
Drip, drip...
Luo Hongyu woke up.
She slowly got up and found she seemed to be lying in a river; the water in this river glowed with a diffuse blue, eerie light.
"Senior Sister Gu..."
"Young Master, I am here.”
Gu Jing's voice came from the side. After jumping down from above, she had woken up earlier than Luo Hongyu; at this moment, she was guarding by Luo Hongyu's side, observing the surroundings.
"This place is..."
"Young Master, look there."
"......"
In the direction Gu Jing pointed, a colossal bronze gate with countless relief sculptures and countless incomprehensible languages stood coldly not far away.
On the gate was a pair of ring-holding beast-face knockers; the aura of suppression and resistance emanating from them was as distinct as a needle prick to them.
And this river beneath them actually flowed straight from under that bronze gate to the outside.
"The jade... That's right, my jade..."
Luo Hongyu fumbled for a moment and finally felt that familiar touch at her waist; only then did she feel relieved.
At this moment, the red jade had returned to its most ordinary appearance from the past several decades: bright red and lustrously warm, slightly warm to the touch.
But now, the way Luo Hongyu looked at it had changed tremendously.
Luo Hongyu stood up, intending to walk towards the gate, but was grabbed by Gu Jing.
"Young Master, stay away from that gate."
"Why?"
"Here... there is a gatekeeper."
Gu Jing's voice had just fallen when Luo Hongyu suddenly felt an extremely ice-cold touch by her ear.
She hurriedly pulled away from her position and looked intently; she saw a black long saber, as tall as a person, had appeared beside her at some unknown time.
At the same time, the water in this river also began to churn and boil; on the previously calm surface of the river, a huge vortex opening appeared.
A slender figure, as if walking up steps, slowly walked out from this vortex opening.
From her physique, it could be judged that this figure seemed to be female.
But her entire body was encased in a set of old, rusty armor tinged with blood-red. Even the helmet was airtight, and only through a single slit, two deep, phantom-blue pupils glinted.
Under Luo Hongyu's wary gaze, she unhurriedly walked to the side of the long saber, pulled it out with one motion, and secured it on her back.
Afterwards, she extended her hand towards Luo Hongyu.
What she was pointing to was the red jade at Luo Hongyu's waist.