Chapter 281: The Netherworld

Although Rod was extremely worried about Lucy’s absence, there was nothing he could do. Neither Heibin nor Heiyao had shared any news with him, seemingly having agreed not to reveal anything. One thing was certain, however—just as Sognar said, Lucy must not have encountered any trouble, at least nothing serious. Otherwise, the Black Phoenix clan would not have remained so quiet! Everything would have to wait until tomorrow to be clarified.

Heibin and Heiyao were indeed outstanding, but not to the extent that they could stand out within their clan and earn the right to enter the Netherworld. The list submitted by the Black Phoenix clan still listed Lucy’s name; without changes, no one else could take her place. So, perhaps Lucy could be seen tomorrow.

The night was cool, and as the winter atmosphere grew stronger, temperatures dropped sharply, especially in Ice City, where its characteristic coldness became evident. The cold wind blew, sweeping up the fallen leaves and casting a desolate atmosphere.

“Still up?” Rod, who had finished his training and had nothing to do, saw Ada in the small courtyard.
“Mm, can’t sleep. How about you? You’re going to the Netherworld tomorrow. Are you confident?”
“I must go!”
“Is it very important to you?”
“Extremely important!”

Their conversation was simple, and the atmosphere grew somewhat tense as they looked at each other in silence.

“Be careful. Watch out for the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the war faction!” Ada said solemnly after a pause.

People only saw the wonder and beauty of the Netherworld; how many had noticed its dangers? Who knew how much blood and lives of heroes were hidden there, or how many hopes and futures had been taken away?

“Don’t worry. There’s still a lot left to do. I must return!” Rod exhaled, creating a swirl of white mist.

Then both smiled, conveying everything without words. The night sky added a unique charm to the winter night.

“I’ll give you a big surprise when you return!” After a long while, Ada suddenly said, her tone firm, surprising Rod. Turning to look, he saw determination in her eyes.

“Hehe, I look forward to your surprise!” Though curious and puzzled, Rod didn’t press further. Leaving some mystery and room for imagination was also a good thing.

In the dead of night, the two finally parted and headed to their respective rooms. The courtyard once again fell silent. Shortly after they left, the window of another room suddenly opened, revealing Eirwen’s figure. She gazed at the empty courtyard and the starry night sky, exhaled deeply, and fell into thought—no one knew what she was thinking.

The next day, Ice City reached its peak of activity. The streets were packed with people from all directions, bustling with noise and movement. Everyone headed south toward Ice City, aiming for the Netherworld—the sacred land of the demons, a place that drove the strongest warriors of the Dark Source mad, and a place hiding countless secrets.

The Netherworld was set to open that day. Sixteen individuals from the Dark Source, representing various factions and the most elite among them, waited to step through the magical gates and enter that extraordinary world.

By the time the sun fully illuminated the land, hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in front of the pyramid-like structure directly south of Ice City, engaged in lively discussions.

“The pro-war faction has arrived!” Someone shouted this, causing an immediate uproar. Everyone turned in that direction. The second prince of the pro-war faction appeared with a few others.

There were five of them: four sent by two cities representing the pro-war faction, plus Ziyang, who had secured a spot through a competition!

More eyes were fixed on Ziyang. If anyone could enter that core area, that place dreamed of by so many, Ziyang was undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders.

“The Scorpion King’s clan has arrived too!” One after another, groups from various factions made their way there. Following closely behind the pro-war faction of the demons were members of the Scorpion King’s clan. Two burly men led the way, followed by a group of bald men—characteristic of the Scorpion King’s clan, with their rough builds and glowing foreheads.

“The Mi Jiao clan!” More exclamations arose as the Mi Jiao clan appeared before everyone. One of the four great clans, they gave off an aura of gloom and darkness.

“The Dragon clan!” A loud voice rang out, shocking everyone. The Dragon clan, the leader of the four great clans and hailed as the kings of the Dark Source, the strongest clan in existence—their arrival naturally drew countless eyes.

“Naitrod!” Rod’s appearance further heightened the excitement; those who knew him immediately called out his name. Rod, the most prominent figure over the past year, was undoubtedly the brightest new star and one of the most eye-catching participants entering the core area of the Netherworld! As they looked at Rod, many turned their attention to Zi Yang and the York family. There’s no need to explain much about Zi Yang—Rod was the direct cause of the Zi Yi Lei Eagle clan’s destruction, so the hatred between the two is evident. What kind of scene would arise when these enemies met? This was also one of the most talked-about topics this time.

Next came the York family. By now, everyone must be aware of what had happened in recent days—Rod had kidnapped the York family’s young patriarch, Jokel, and extorted one million black coins from them. What would happen when the two sides met? Could something unexpected occur?

Then the members of the opposition appeared. The twin sisters, Aida and Eileen, drew countless gasps of admiration—they were among the golden flowers of the Dark Source, with immense influence. The neutral faction followed, but their influence was much weaker; they were also the least favored group.

Finally, the Black Phoenix clan hadn’t shown up yet. The Netherworld would open at noon, and with some time left, would the Black Phoenix clan appear at the last moment? Everyone waited to see.

After arriving at the square, the various groups headed straight inside and quickly reached the central core area. Before them lay the Dark Source—a seemingly ordinary giant pyramid that was actually the Dark Source itself, with its closed doors serving as the entrance!

They stood on a platform in front of the doors, below them were hundreds of thousands of people who cheered and shouted excitedly at them.

“Brother Rod, long time no see! Your fame hasn’t diminished at all these days!” Seeing Rod, Gu Yi, the second prince of the pro-war faction, greeted him with a smile.

“Not at all. It’s you, the second prince, who still shines brightly and looks even more handsome!” Rod didn’t really hate Gu Yi, but he did hold some resentment toward him.

“Hehe, so Rod knows the Second Prince? That’s quite surprising. I, Xiao Sun Yueke, have offended many people lately; I hope Rod can forgive me!” Not only were Zi Yang and the others surprised to see Rod and Gu Yi chatting and laughing, but Merkel was even more surprised. He never expected that Gu Yi, who seemed the most likely to become the next head of the royal family, seemed to get along well with Rod.

“Please, I’ve already forgotten about it!” With a fake smile, Rod knew full well that he had been under the surveillance of the Yueke family these past few days. How could he possibly have any goodwill toward Merkel? If it weren’t for the impending opening of the Netherworld, he would have already taken action.

“That’s good. I’ve heard that Rod has been staying inside the Dragon Clan’s residence these days, avoiding contact with the outside world. If you have time, you should come and see the scenery of my Ice City. I’m not exaggerating—its beauty ranks among the top in the Dark Source.” Implicitly, he was saying, “You haven’t been out recently, haven’t you? We’ve had to wait so long.”

“The Netherworld is about to open, so I can’t afford to be negligent. I’ll definitely visit when I have time!” Rod’s implication was that he would wait until the Netherworld opened before making any decisions. Their seemingly casual words actually carried sharp undertones. Who were these people present? Couldn’t they tell something was wrong? As a result, everyone just looked at each other in silence, drawn into this conflict.

“Alright, there’s no need for formalities. Rod is my friend, and the Yueke family is a pillar of our demon race. We should get along well!” Gu Yi stepped in to defuse the situation, clearly hoping for reconciliation between the two sides.

This surprised everyone. They had thought that even if he didn’t favor Rod, he certainly wouldn’t oppose the Yueke family. His stance now was unexpected, especially for Merkel, whose expression turned even darker.

“Of course!” Though he said that, he nodded slightly at the middle-aged man behind him, seemingly conveying something. This man was one of the two representatives sent by Ice City this year.

As the conversation ended, Rod turned and followed a cold gaze—Zi Yang was looking at him coldly, as if ready to kill him, which gave Rod a headache. It seemed he had quite a few enemies. This trip to the Netherworld would be troublesome. He just hoped to get through it smoothly, without these people disrupting his plans or ruining his affairs.

Time passed by, and the atmosphere below grew increasingly tense. After Rod’s encounter with the Yueke family earlier, the mood had already become charged with hostility.

Noon was approaching, yet the Black Phoenix clan had not arrived, which was worrying. Rod looked into the distance, feeling uneasy—had something really happened?
“The Black Phoenix clan! They’ve finally arrived!” Just as Rod was anxious, a voice as melodious as music rang out, spreading throughout the square. Everyone was astonished—the Black Phoenix clan had finally appeared after being called for by millions of people, revealing their presence.