037 Turbulence Once More (1)

Nuoluo gazed at the King of the Underworld before her. In the fathomless depths of his eyes, she saw the commanding aura of one who knew all—he seemed to hold absolute mastery over every matter. She thought of her right hand, now numb, and the Sacred Earthfire burning in her palm. Deep within, she felt the searing heat and imagined the radiant flames blazing once more in the mortal realm. Now, she had reached the final destination of her journey.

The King of the Underworld looked at Nuoluo, recalling their first meeting on Sunset Mountain and everything that had transpired since she entered the Underworld. Along the way, she had braved every obstacle he had meticulously set, trespassing into the Hall of the Underworld King as if no one could stop her.

“If you desire the Netherfire, you must obtain it by your own strength. Come with me!” With these words, the King turned and strode forward. Nuoluo followed cautiously behind.

The silent Hall of the Underworld King echoed only with their soft footfalls. Nuoluo eyed the King ahead, puzzled: had everything suddenly become this simple? Could she truly attain the Netherfire she so longed for without any trial?

She followed him carefully down a long passage, stopping before an immense door. The space within the Hall surpassed her wildest imagination. This stretch of road felt as if she had traversed an entire cycle of existence. Through that lengthy and seemingly peaceful walk, neither spoke; they simply pressed on in silence.

The King offered no words, only calmly leading her down what he knew was no ordinary path.

“This is the heart of the temple. Beyond this door, you will find the Netherfire,” he announced, stepping aside to let her pass.

Nuoluo stood before the door, craning her neck upward—she could barely see its summit, so lofty it seemed to pierce the clouds. She glanced back at the King, now standing behind her, uncertainty stirring in her heart. Was it truly this easy, or was there some hidden plot here?

“You need have no doubts,” the King said coldly. “All I can do is guide you this far. The rest is up to you. But remember this: if the Netherfire does not choose you, you will never be able to leave.” With that, he turned and walked away.

Nuoluo watched his departing figure, countless questions on her lips. But his back was resolute, making it clear he had no intention of explaining anything.

The door before her exuded a fatal allure like a black hole, drawing all her attention. She had finally arrived at the last station. Advancing might bring hope, but to retreat now would mean leaving empty-handed. Besides, as the King of the Underworld, surely he would not deceive her—if he said the Netherfire lay within, then it must be so.

The moment her fingers touched the door, a powerful force swept her away to an unfamiliar place.

Once again, Nuoluo rose awkwardly to her feet. She had entered this unknown realm in just the same graceless fashion as before—thrown to the ground, unprepared. She brushed the dust from her clothes, trying to ease her discomfort with the gesture.

She realized that ever since entering the Underworld, every arrival in a new place had been marked by some utter loss of composure, always when she was least ready. Thankfully, Niaoniao was not here to see her in such a state—otherwise, that annoying creature would have mocked her endlessly. The thought of Niaoniao brought a pang of sorrow: she wondered how it was faring, if it had awakened yet. But now she had no energy to worry about her companion, and could only tuck that concern away in her heart. She had to focus all her strength on the challenge before her.

A bone-chilling wind swept in from afar, tangling her hair, which whipped about wildly. The cold stung her cheeks like needles, the pain pulling at her most sensitive nerves. Would the Netherfire truly grow in such an icy place?

Everything here reminded her of Sunset Mountain, where the Sacred Earthfire had burned quietly amid searing heat that could melt all things. Was the extreme cold here an omen of the Netherfire's nature?

A sudden question arose: how had her mother obtained the Netherfire all those years ago? She remembered the price paid for the Sacred Earthfire atop Sunset Mountain, and feared things could turn out even worse here.

The first time, in pursuit of the Sacred Earthfire, her entire clan had been nearly wiped out. That quest led to the decline and almost total extinction of the Earth God’s lineage. She herself had sacrificed her right hand.

What price would she pay this time?

In the empty space, she was still alone—no sign of life anywhere. Faintly, she glimpsed something ahead, perhaps an entrance. She approached; below lay blackness so deep she could make out nothing.

An entrance—a passageway leading downward. Where did it go?

The Sacred Earthfire grew atop Sunset Mountain; did the Netherfire dwell in the frozen depths below?

It was as though everything had been inverted from Sunset Mountain: two extremes, standing on opposing ends.

Cold air kept pouring from the dark entrance, seeping into her flesh and bones, leaving her engulfed by an icy chill.

Nuoluo slowly activated her protective barrier. After enduring the trials of the Underworld King's barriers, she took extra care with every step. She even sensed an unseen force in the Underworld repelling her. If she recklessly deployed her barrier in a new illusion, she might trigger unknown dangers.

Her protective shield gradually formed around her, its strength growing little by little. Fortunately, nothing untoward happened.

Nuoluo stared at the entrance before her, sighed at the dangers to come, and finally stepped inside.

As she descended, the cold intensified, rendering her barrier almost useless—the invisible chill still seeped in, stabbing at her like needles.

A long stairway stretched downward, vanishing into darkness, everything shrouded in black mist. The faint light distorted the atmosphere, making shadows flicker eerily in the haze.

Alone, Nuoluo made her way down the steps. With each descent, the cold pressed heavier upon her. Her figure was cast in ghostly relief against the icy walls—so insubstantial, so ethereal.

She was like the loneliest starlight beneath the night sky, struggling to emit its last weak glimmer, yet under the cloak of night, all its radiance seemed so frail. The darkness grew, its influence expanding. At any moment, the feeble light might be swallowed by shadow. Yet that tiny glow clung to hope, its shine dimming but refusing to yield, burning its last strength as long as any chance remained.

Nuoluo thought of herself as that lone starlight, struggling in the darkness, unwilling to give up, all for the sake of a faint hope.

The path stretched deeper, her steps growing heavier, the cold ever more intense.

Still, Nuoluo pressed on, descending step by careful step. The staircase narrowed, and she had to take each movement with extreme caution—one misstep, and she could plunge into unfathomable depths. She had no idea what lay on either side of the stairs.

The dim light always limited her vision; beyond a few steps, she could see nothing.

She moved forward alone, exploring, unaware that behind her, things were quietly changing. If she looked back, she would be shocked: the path was vanishing, leaving no trace that it had ever existed. It was as though she walked on air—every step forward erased a step behind.

At last, Nuoluo sensed something was wrong. It was too quiet—so quiet it was frightening. If she continued downward, would she truly find the Netherfire at the end? Could things really go so smoothly?

Feeling uneasy, she wanted to look back and see how far she had come. It felt as though she had been walking for an eternity, time itself nearly stilled.

But the moment she turned, she gasped. She saw it!

There was no way back—no entrance, no trace of the path she had taken. How had it come to this? How had she failed to notice?

A vast shadow seemed to devour everything, echoing with mocking laughter in the cold wind—a jeer at this reckless soul who had plunged in without thought.

For a heartbeat, Nuoluo’s breath stopped. She truly heard the laughter—a chilling, grating sound that made her heart tremble.

She steadied herself, took a deep breath, and regained her composure. She should have known things would not be so easy; now, faced with the truth, she grew calm.

If she could obtain the Netherfire so easily, that would be the true anomaly.

Since the path had once existed, had truly appeared beneath her feet, then it would surely appear again. No matter what happened, some traces could never be so easily erased.

Nuoluo looked once more at the vanished steps, at the emptiness behind her. Now was not the time to retreat; only at the very last would she consider turning back. For now, she had to press forward.

She did not believe the King of the Underworld would deceive her. If the Netherfire truly lay ahead, and this was the only path, she had no reason to turn back.

So she turned away and continued forward.