Chapter 186: Return

Seven days later, at the top of the Netherworld Peak, the main members of the Black Phoenix Clan gathered there. A stir arose as the crowd parted to make way for a girl dressed in fiery red clothes, who slowly stepped forward to the peak. Despite the scorching heat that would kill an ordinary person, she showed no signs of discomfort!

“Little girl, are you really sure? It’s not too late to change your mind!” The elders asked one last time, making a final effort.

“I’m sure. Please take care of Brother Rod for me while I’m away. I’ll be back!” Without hesitation, the girl nodded firmly.

“Very well. In five minutes, you may enter. We old men will protect you. All the others must leave immediately. No one is allowed to enter here for seven days, or they will be killed without mercy!” The old man, standing at the forefront with a sudden change in demeanor, declared loudly to the members of the Black Phoenix Clan.

Upon receiving the order, the younger members looked at the girl in admiration, filled with respect and affection. This goddess-like woman was about to undertake a task that no one in their clan had accomplished in thousands of years. They knew that when this goddess reappeared, the Black Phoenix Clan would soar high. There was no need for further words. All of them silently withdrew, offering their final blessings.

“Alright, go and get ready. Enter exactly when I say—neither early nor late, understand?” The old man handed her everything she needed and gave her strict instructions.

Holding the items, Lucy slowly stepped forward under everyone’s gaze. When she reached the edge of the magma pool, a fierce wave of heat hit her, making it hard for her to endure. She forced herself to look down. Below, a thick, eerie dark green liquid flowed and surged like a river, each wave sending out a terrifying, suffocating heat wave!

It wasn’t ordinary red—it was dark green. This was the characteristic of the Netherworld Hellfire, a fire said to burn souls to ashes! It was terrifying, and this was exactly what Lucy and the others were about to enter.

“Brother, wait for me. I’ll be back soon! Wait for me. By then, Lucy won’t need your protection anymore. I’ll be able to fight alongside you, and no one will be able to threaten or hunt you!” With a determined gaze, Lucy turned slightly toward the direction of Dark Moon City and spoke softly but firmly.

“The Black Phoenix Clan, wait for me. When I return, our clan will no longer stay low-key. Thousands of years of secrecy have already made the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles ambitious—how can we continue to hide?” He then turned around, letting out a cold sneer as he muttered to himself.

Indeed, although Rod was the main reason for his trip this time, there was another hidden reason: his family. Even if she had no intention of entering this place for Rod now, once she had cultivated for decades and reached the upper stage of the divine realm, possessing the ability to protect herself, she would still enter—her family needed her growth and strength. Otherwise, another group of Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles would emerge. Such ambition had to be eliminated.

It was just that for Rod’s sake, she was entering decades earlier, taking risks to do so.

“Go!” A loud roar came from behind, startling Lucy and snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Big brother, wait for me! Please wait for me!” With her lips slightly parted, Lucy muttered those words before firmly closing her eyes and diving inward. As she fell, she took out a deep red pill and stuffed it into her mouth. It was a substance crafted by her clan over a hundred years by gathering rare herbs, which could help her.

“Lucy…” Seeing her leap down resolutely, the group of elders and key members of the Black Phoenix Clan behind her couldn’t help but worry. They rushed forward but could no longer see Lucy’s figure.

“Send people to protect Rod. No one is allowed to enter this area for seven days. Five elders will stay here day and night to guard it, and all members must be ready to respond at any time! If things stabilize after seven days, this place can be reopened!” The ageless elder with a solemn expression gave orders to everyone around him.

From that day on, the Black Phoenix Clan rarely recalled its members outside and focused on defending Mount Netherworld, leaving those who learned of this decision deeply puzzled.

…

From afar, Rod, who was outside Dark Moon City, had no intention of returning immediately. He knew that yesterday’s events would surely provoke a major conflict between the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash Clan. Going back now wouldn’t yield any benefits. Since he couldn’t continue his actions in the short term even if he returned, it was better to stay here and cultivate for a while.

Although this forest wasn’t large, it should be sufficient for training. There were several auras that still made Rod feel uneasy—probably those of hidden strongmen. He resolved in his heart that once he broke through the initial stage of the divine realm and reached the middle stage, he would definitely investigate them thoroughly.

Over the course of a few days, Rod led a rather leisurely life. However, this forest had recently been plagued by misfortune—filled with powerful magical beasts. He had encountered two of the lower-tier godly beasts, and over a dozen near-godly ones. These beasts did not belong to any particular faction; they were rather recluses who preferred to stay out of conflicts. Now, they had become Rod’s practice targets. The two lower-tier godly beasts could even take human form—a characteristic of mid- to high-tier magical beasts. Unlike clans with ancient bloodlines such as the dragons or Black Phoenixes, whose requirements for transforming were lower.

Rod didn’t seek to kill them outright; he always stopped at a certain point, neither killing them nor revealing his identity. After being injured, several of these beasts learned of this formidable figure and fled in terror, never daring to challenge him again. Strength determined everything—this was the rule: the strong ruled, the weak were victims. The world was pragmatic and unforgiving.

After a full week, Rod had gained quite a reputation in this forest. He had faced a mid-tier godly beast in a fierce battle that was nearly fatal to him. In the end, it ended in a draw, but it taught him a great deal. He seemed to be growing fond of this way of training.

Fighting against magical beasts involved no emotions. Though he didn’t harbor murderous intent, his opponents didn’t see it that way. Thus, Rod had to give his all in every battle, which inadvertently led to further improvement.

Subtly, he felt he had taken another step closer to the mid-tier godly level. After all, continuous intense battles had greatly increased his experience, and his combat energy had also been compressed further without him even realizing it.

Of course, after some time, the powerful magical beasts in the area also became aware of this battle-obsessed man!

The magical beasts at this level weren’t fools. If they had been, they would have died long ago and wouldn’t be alive today. After learning about what had happened, they roughly guessed this guy’s intentions.

So gradually, some powerful and aggressive magical beasts began to come after him. Every battle was chaotic and intense. Though dangerous everywhere, it was also exhilarating.

Another week passed, and Rod was immersed in fighting twice a day. He defeated almost all the magical beasts in the forest, aside from those few terrifying entities, achieving remarkable results—21 wins and 5 losses in two weeks. The last two losses were to the same guy, a human in the form of an adult Black Demon Tiger, whose strength reached the mid-stage divine level. There were also three losses to mysterious strongmen whose true abilities were unknown; they were incredibly powerful, outpacing Rod in speed and every other aspect, leaving Rod utterly defeated in each of those three encounters over three days.

If the battle against the Black Demon Tiger was closely contested, with Rod ultimately losing due to the other guy’s abnormal strength, then against these mysterious strongmen, he had no chance to fight back at all—decisions were often made within just a dozen moves. After those three battles, the mysterious man simply said, “You’re very weak now!” before leaving.

This man deeply wounded Rod’s self-perception of his own strength, leaving him depressed for days. Eventually, after the last battle, he accepted the words left by that guy and decided it was time to leave the forest. The battles here no longer satisfied his needs; he saw no reason to fight ordinary opponents anymore. As for those terrifying entities, Rod wasn’t ready to confront them yet. So, finding a new place was the best choice.

The man suggested the Battlefield of Demons and Gods to Rod—a deadly battlefield full of dangers, perfect for a madman like him! This suggestion truly touched Rod’s heart, and he resolved to make one last trip to Dark Moon City to spend some time in that battlefield! With just over two months left before the three-month deadline, he could train there for at least a month. Success or failure hinged on this move, and there was no time to lose.

That night, it started pouring heavily. The downpour was so intense it made it hard to keep one’s eyes open, and as the rain hit the lake surface, it created beautiful ripples. “I should bring that little girl Lucy here to see the rain someday,” Rod thought to himself.

The rainy night added a gloomy and eerie atmosphere. Perhaps the merchants were cursing the weather, but Rod was different—such conditions provided him with an excellent opportunity!

“Heaven helps me!” After packing up all his things, taking advantage of the darkness and heavy rain, Rod dressed in black clothes, blending in with the surroundings, and headed off into the distance. Dark Moon City—how has it been in half a month? Now that Rod has returned, let me dedicate a song of farewell to you all on this rainy night.

In just a short distance, it didn’t take much time for Rod to stand outside Dark Moon City. Under the heavy rain, the atmosphere felt dull and somewhat empty.