Immortal God of War

Chapter 665 - 637: Beyond Redemption_1

Several dozen breaths later, the two groups converged.

"Hm?" Qin Feiyang’s attention was suddenly drawn to a man seated among the Yu State contingent. This was a handsome, well-built individual with long, sky-blue hair, his eyes slightly closed. His aura fluctuated, sometimes strong, sometimes weak.

The woman from Feng Province explained with a smile, "He is attempting to become a Three Star War Ancestor. We were waiting for him, which is why we haven’t proceeded to the Bridge of Helplessness yet."

Qin Feiyang’s pupils contracted. His gaze moved from the man to scan everyone from both provinces. He said with a laugh, "You’re all so strong. If we traveled with you, wouldn’t that be like consorting with wolves?"

A woman from Yu State said with a playful smile, glancing at the Divine Wolf on Qin Feiyang’s shoulder, "Brother Qin, you’re mistaken. You’re the one with a wolf, not us."

The Divine Wolf chuckled. "Little lass, you’re mistaken too. I’m no ordinary wolf. I am the one and only, peerless Divine Wolf! Quick, bow down and worship!"

PFFT!

The woman from Yu State couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, and the others were also amused.

Qin Feiyang watched the woman from Yu State. She wasn’t particularly attractive, but her aura was nearly on par with that of the woman from Feng Province.

"Brother Qin, among these two provinces, there are five one-star War Ancestors and four two-star War Ancestors. Including the blue-haired young man who hasn’t broken through yet, there are a total of four three-star War Ancestors. We mustn’t be careless," Lu Xingchen transmitted.

"Mm," Qin Feiyang acknowledged internally. Looking at the woman from Feng Province, he asked, "Have you seen Wan Chou and his group?"

"No, they should still be behind us," the woman replied, shaking her head.

Qin Feiyang frowned. "It seems they’re deliberately avoiding us."

The woman laughed. "With what little strength they have, would they dare to confront us directly?"

"Huh!"

Qin Feiyang was stunned. Wan Chou’s group was already quite strong, yet in this woman’s eyes, they were considered so insignificant. Then again, considering the overall strength of Feng Province, they certainly had the grounds for such confidence.

After a moment of thought, Qin Feiyang asked again, "Miss, have you seen anyone from Crane Province or Yun State?"

He hadn’t forgotten about Tan Wu and Mo Wushen.

"We haven’t seen anyone from Yun State, but we did encounter someone from Crane Province," the woman replied, then frowned. "Strangely, it seemed to be just one person."

The Divine Wolf sneered, "Of course, it was only one person. We killed all the others."

"Killed them all?" The woman and her companions looked visibly startled.

They had initially assumed that perhaps only one person had come from Crane Province, or that the others had perished along the way, falling prey to fierce beasts. They never imagined it was this group’s handiwork. Crane Province was truly unfortunate to have encountered these menaces.

"Keep quiet," Qin Feiyang said, shooting the Divine Wolf a glare. He then turned to the woman and asked, "When did you encounter him?"

There was no doubt; the person from Crane Province whom the woman and her group had met was Tan Wu.

"It was two days ago, right here. But he has already crossed the Bridge of Helplessness," the woman replied. She then asked with a laugh, "What is it, Brother Qin? Do you intend to hunt them down to the last one?"

Qin Feiyang smiled and then began to walk towards the Bridge of Helplessness.

"Wait!" the woman quickly called out, stopping him.

"What is it?" Qin Feiyang asked, looking puzzled.

The Divine Wolf, Lu Xingchen, and the others also grew wary.

"Don’t misunderstand, I mean no harm," the woman explained briefly. She then took out a worn dagger from her Qiankun Bag and threw it forward.

THUD!

The dagger landed on the ground beside the bridge entrance. But as it struck the ground, it splashed, sending ripples across a dark surface!

"Huh?" Qin Feiyang and the others exchanged surprised and puzzled glances.

The woman explained, "Although it seems we’re standing on solid ground, there’s actually a vast expanse of water beneath and around the Bridge of Helplessness.

"Because the water is black, similar in color to the dark soil underfoot, and perfectly still, it’s difficult to spot unless you look very closely.

"This black water possesses a terrifying corrosive power. Never mind flesh and blood; even weapons sharp enough to cut through iron like mud would dissolve in an instant if they fell in.

"That’s why I stopped you—to warn you to be careful."

Hearing this, Qin Feiyang couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat. He cupped his fists and said, "Thank you for the warning, miss."

The woman smiled. "So now, Brother Qin, can you travel with us without any worries?"

Qin Feiyang pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I can’t make this decision alone. I need to discuss it with everyone."

The woman smiled gracefully. "Of course. Mutual respect is important."

Qin Feiyang gave a faint smile and continued walking towards the stele.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that besides the large characters for "Bridge of Helplessness," there was also a line of smaller script etched into the stele. It essentially stated that once one set foot on the Bridge of Helplessness, there was no turning back.

The woman walked up beside Qin Feiyang and said with a smile, "Folklore says that Meng Po resides on the Bridge of Helplessness. But here, there’s only the bridge, which suggests this isn’t the true underworld."

"Who can say if such ethereal legends are true or false?" Qin Feiyang shook his head, then added, "But have you ever considered the significance of this Bridge of Helplessness?"

The woman replied, "I have, but I couldn’t figure it out."

Qin Feiyang sighed. "I truly hope we can successfully cross this bridge and reach the other side."

The woman said, "Reaching the other side might not be so simple.

"According to folklore, at the end of the Bridge of Helplessness lies another place called the Bitter Sea.

"Only by crossing the Bitter Sea can one truly reach the other side.

"The Ghost Gate was already so perilous; the Bitter Sea and the Bridge of Helplessness are surely no safe havens either."

Qin Feiyang nodded. He turned to look at the woman and said, "Speaking of the Ghost Gate, something just occurred to me. How did your group make it out?"

The woman recalled for a moment before saying, "I remember that just as we were about to lose our minds, the blood-red fog suddenly vanished."

Qin Feiyang said, "It was the same for us."

The woman said, "Based on our speculation, it must be related to our cultivation levels."

"How so?" Qin Feiyang asked, skeptical.

She asked, "Those of you who survived... are you all War Ancestors?"

Qin Feiyang nodded.

The woman said, "If that’s the case, our speculation was correct.

"Initially, we suspected that the Ghost Gate existed to eliminate those with weaker cultivation.

"However, we had no proof, so we couldn’t be sure.

"Now that I’ve heard what you said, I can confidently conclude that only those at the War Ancestor realm or higher can pass through the Ghost Gate.

"As for those who haven’t reached the War Ancestor realm, they would all be consumed by the blood-red fog, lose their sanity, and be eternally trapped within."

Qin Feiyang was taken aback. "It really does seem to be the case," he said in surprise.

He recalled that when Xui Yang and Wu Yan were with them, the blood-red fog had persisted. Yet, the moment he sent the two of them into the ancient castle, the fog had immediately dispersed. There had to be a connection.

"To be honest, the Nine States Grand Competition is very unfair to those at the War Emperor realm," the woman sighed, a hint of resentment in her voice. "No matter how hard they try, they can never reach the other side."

"When has there ever been true fairness in this world?" Qin Feiyang said indifferently. "Strength is paramount. If they must blame someone, they can only blame themselves for their own lack of understanding."

He found it impossible to sympathize with such people. No one had forced them to come; they had volunteered. Furthermore, before they entered the Netherworld, the leaders of the major powers had repeatedly warned that it was exceedingly dangerous and that everyone should act within their capabilities. Yet, they hadn’t listened. What could be done? Thus, regardless of whether they lived or died, they could blame no one but themselves. It was the path they had chosen.

The woman was silent for a moment, then nodded. "What you say is harsh, but it is indeed true."

Qin Feiyang smiled, turned to Dong Zhengyang and the others, and sent a voice transmission, "You all decide whether we travel with them or not."

The group immediately fell silent.

「A moment later.」

Dong Zhengyang sent a voice transmission, "Let’s go our separate ways. It’s tiring having to be constantly on guard."

Lu Xingchen transmitted, "I also think it’s better if we go separately."

"Does everyone else agree?" Qin Feiyang looked at Shen Long and the others.

Dongfang Wuheng, Murong Xiong, Shen Long, and Jian Wei all nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, we’ll do as you all wish." Qin Feiyang nodded. He turned to the woman from Feng Province and said with a smile, "We’ve discussed it and decided it’s best not to trouble your group."

"Oh, I see." A flicker of disappointment crossed the woman’s eyes, but she quickly smiled. "In that case, I won’t insist. However, you all seem to be in poor condition. I suggest you rest here and recover to your peak states before setting out."

"Thank you." Qin Feiyang cupped his fists. He then turned to Dong Zhengyang and the others. "She’s right. You all rest and recover here. The Divine Wolf and I will go to the ancient castle."

They nodded in agreement.

"Be careful," Qin Feiyang added in a low voice, then departed for the ancient castle with the Divine Wolf.

「Inside the ancient castle.」

Wu Yan and Xui Yang had regained their sanity, the blood-red veins on their faces having vanished. They were now sitting in a corner, chatting and laughing.

When Qin Feiyang appeared, neither of them stood up, maintaining an air of brazen confidence.

Wu Yan laughed. "Senior Brother Qin, we must thank you for saving our lives earlier. However, I never imagined you’d have such a... peculiar fetish."

Xui Yang chimed in, "Indeed. I’ve encountered people with all sorts of eccentricities, but this is the first time I’ve met someone who actually enjoys being cursed at."

A teasing glint danced in both their eyes.

Little did they know, disaster was about to strike!

Qin Feiyang regarded them coolly. "Are you finished?"

"We’re finished," one of them said. The other added with a laugh, "By the way, if you ever need someone to curse at you again, feel free to call on us. We might not be strong, but we’re pretty good at slinging insults!"

Qin Feiyang shook his head and sighed. "I’ve met many foolish people in my time, but those as irredeemably stupid as you two? This is a first."

As Qin Feiyang spoke, Fatty, who had been watching the spectacle, began to approach Wu Yan and Xui Yang with a lecherous smirk.

Like the Divine Wolf, he knew Qin Feiyang inside out and had long understood why Qin Feiyang had saved Wu Yan and Xui Yang. He had simply ignored them earlier, allowing them to run their mouths. After all, the more arrogant they behaved, the more satisfying it would be to teach them a lesson.

Simultaneously, Lu Hong, Lin Yiyi, and the Pangolin opened their eyes, looking at Wu Yan and Xui Yang with mocking amusement and shaking their heads.

Only Lo Qianxue seemed oblivious to the unfolding drama. Being significantly older than Lin Yiyi and the rest, her perspective was naturally different.

Meanwhile, Shen Mei, observing the expressions of Qin Feiyang’s group, also had a flash of understanding. She secretly transmitted to Ren Wushuang, "Wu Yan and Xui Yang were so convincing earlier, I almost believed Qin Feiyang actually had such a strange fetish!"

"Impossible," Ren Wushuang replied, her tone unreadable.

They had spent so much time together; how could she not understand Qin Feiyang’s character?

Shen Mei gave Ren Wushuang a thoughtful look. It seems you have no intention of saving them, she thought.

"They brought this upon themselves. It serves them right," Ren Wushuang snorted coldly and then fell silent.