Deep in the Netherworld Cave, the scent of blood filled the air, screams rising one after another.
Yuyi crouched in a dark corner, his body trembling uncontrollably. Through a crack in the stone, he looked out to see righteous cultivators scattering in all directions with nowhere to run. The glowing moss on the cave walls was stained red with blood, and the remains of cultivators lay scattered across the ground.
A figure in blood-red robes stood like a demon god in the center of the cave, holding a blood-colored long blade, terrifying spiritual energy fluctuations flowing along the weapon.
That was the number one expert of Xuesha Sect—Xuesha Ren.
"Another one." Xuesha Ren's cold voice rang out as his blade swept, a blood-colored blade light cutting through the air. A Tianjian Sect disciple screamed as his body was cleaved in two, blood gushing forth.
Yuyi held his breath, daring not make a sound. He could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from Xuesha Ren—that was the aura of a Foundation Building expert. And he was merely at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, insignificant as an ant before the other.
The slaughter in the cave continued. Xuesha Ren kept harvesting the lives of righteous cultivators. Whether disciples of Tianjian Sect, Emei Sect, or Xuantian Sect, all were like grass before his blade.
"Please, spare me!" An Emei Sect female cultivator fell to her knees, begging desperately.
Xuesha Ren didn't even look at her. His blade descended, and her voice abruptly ceased.
Yuyi closed his eyes, fear rising in his heart. He knew he couldn't escape either—sooner or later Xuesha Ren would find him. Better to die with dignity than wait in fear. For cultivators, falling was common—but how one fell reflected a cultivator's dignity.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. The ordinary iron sword in his hand trembled slightly—not from fear, but from tension. He would wait for an opportunity, a chance to ambush.
Just then, two Tianjian Sect disciples attacked Xuesha Ren together. One used a sword, one used palm techniques, spiritual energy surging. Xuesha Ren sneered, his blade turning as blade force surged like a tide, instantly sending both flying.
Now!
Yuyi burst from his corner, circulating the Fast Sword Art. His ordinary iron sword became a streak of sword light, thrusting toward Xuesha Ren's back. His speed was extremely fast—this was his only advantage.
However, Xuesha Ren's reaction was faster.
As if he had eyes in his back, Xuesha Ren swept his blade behind him. A blood-colored blade light met Yuyi's sword light. The two forces collided with an ear-piercing metallic sound. Yuyi felt an immense force transmitted to him—his ordinary iron sword instantly flew from his grip, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string.
"Overestimating yourself." Xuesha Ren turned, looking coldly at Yuyi. "Qi Refining fifth layer, and you dare ambush me?"
Yuyi crashed heavily to the ground, his qi and blood churning, blood spraying from his mouth. He struggled to stand, but his body wouldn't obey.
Xuesha Ren walked over, looking down at Yuyi, his blade slowly rising.
"Remember—the one who killed you is Xuesha Ren." Xuesha Ren said indifferently as his blade descended.
Yuyi felt everything go black, his consciousness sinking into endless darkness.
...
After an unknown time, Yuyi slowly opened his eyes.
Before him was an unfamiliar formation, its patterns flowing with faint spiritual light. He sat up to find himself lying in the center of the formation, his injuries healed, but his cultivation had regressed—from the fifth layer of Qi Refining to the fourth.
This was the Rebirth Formation.
Yuyi clenched his fists, anger and unwillingness rising in his heart. He had fallen—his first fall. His cultivation had regressed, his dharma artifacts lost—everything had returned to the starting point.
"Damn it!" Yuyi gritted his teeth. "Xuesha Ren, I will make you pay!"
But after his anger passed, Yuyi forced himself to calm down. He remembered his dharma artifacts were still in the Netherworld Cave—that ordinary iron sword he had exchanged for with spirit stones. If he didn't retrieve it, he would have no way to protect himself in the cave.
Yuyi took a deep breath, making a risky decision. He would return to the Netherworld Cave to retrieve his dharma artifacts.
He carefully made his way toward the Netherworld Cave, avoiding all demonic beasts and cultivators along the way. As he approached the depths of the cave, he heard intense spiritual energy clashes.
Yuyi hid behind a massive boulder, quietly peeking out. In the center of the Netherworld Cave, Xuesha Ren was battling a young man in green daoist robes. The young man held a longsword gleaming with cold light, sword energy crisscrossing, matching Xuesha Ren's blade force.
That was Duanchang Jian—Heartbreak Sword—a Tianjian Sect expert at Foundation Building level. And the sword in his hand was the legendary divine weapon Longyuan Sword, a Heaven-grade dharma artifact.
"Xuesha Ren, you've killed so many righteous cultivators today—aren't you afraid of provoking public outrage?" Duanchang Jian said coldly, his Longyuan Sword sweeping, a sword strike cutting toward Xuesha Ren.
Xuesha Ren swung his blade, the blade light colliding with the sword energy with a deafening boom. "Duanchang Jian, stop pretending to be righteous. I killed your Tianjian Sect people too—why haven't I seen you avenge them?"
"Those trash died, so they died." Duanchang Jian said proudly. "But Bingxin is here—you won't hurt her."
Yuyi followed Duanchang Jian's gaze to see a woman in white dharma robes standing by the cave wall. She was stunningly beautiful, with a proud temperament, untainted by dust like a celestial being. That was Bingxin—the number one expert of Emei Sect, at Foundation Building level.
Bingxin watched the battle coldly, no fluctuation in her eyes, as if everything before her had nothing to do with her.
Yuyi took the opportunity to quietly move toward where his dharma artifact had fallen. He saw the ordinary iron sword lying in a pool of blood not far away, with several cultivator remains beside it.
Just as Yuyi was about to reach the sword, Bingxin's gaze suddenly swept over.
Yuyi's heart tightened, his body freezing. But Bingxin only glanced at him indifferently before moving her gaze away, as if he were just a stone by the road, not worth her attention.
Yuyi let out a breath of relief, quickly grabbed the ordinary iron sword, then quietly retreated behind the boulder.
The battle in the cave continued. Xuesha Ren and Duanchang Jian were evenly matched, unable to determine a victor. Xuesha Ren's blade force was domineering and fierce, each strike carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth. Duanchang Jian's sword technique was sharp and precise, the Longyuan Sword like a living thing in his hands, sword energy crisscrossing, each move lethal.
"Enough." Bingxin suddenly spoke, her voice cold. "How long do you two plan to keep fighting?"
Xuesha Ren and Duanchang Jian simultaneously stopped, looking at Bingxin.
Bingxin looked at them indifferently, speaking calmly, "I reject both of your pursuits. I, Bingxin, need no one's protection, nor anyone's company. You may leave."
Xuesha Ren frowned, about to say something, but was stopped by Bingxin's cold gaze. He snorted coldly, put away his blade, and turned to leave.
Duanchang Jian was unwilling. He walked up to Bingxin, saying proudly, "Bingxin, I am Duanchang Jian, the number one expert of Tianjian Sect, wielding the divine weapon Longyuan Sword. On what grounds do you reject me?"
Bingxin didn't even look at him, saying coldly, "You're too weak."
Duanchang Jian's expression changed, anger flashing in his eyes. But he knew Bingxin spoke the truth—among Foundation Building experts, her strength was indeed above his.
"Fine, very well." Duanchang Jian sneered, turning to walk out of the cave.
As he passed the boulder where Yuyi was hiding, he suddenly stopped.
Yuyi's heart tightened—he knew he had been discovered.
Duanchang Jian turned his head, looking coldly at Yuyi, disdain flashing in his eyes. "A trash from Xuantian Sect?"
Yuyi stood up, gripping his ordinary iron sword tightly, watching Duanchang Jian warily.
Duanchang Jian smiled contemptuously. "The trash who ambushed Xuesha Ren earlier was you, wasn't it? Overestimating yourself."
Yuyi didn't speak, only gripping his sword hilt tighter.
Duanchang Jian shook his head. "Xuantian Sect really is getting more and more pathetic, accepting such garbage. Since you're also from Xuantian Sect, die for your sect."
Before his words fell, Duanchang Jian's Longyuan Sword swept, a sword strike cutting toward Yuyi.
Yuyi tried to dodge, but the sword strike was too fast—he couldn't react in time. The sword energy swept across his body, and he felt a chill in his chest, followed by intense pain.
Yuyi looked down to see a deep wound on his chest, blood gushing out.
"Remember—the one who killed you is Duanchang Jian." Duanchang Jian said coldly, then turned to leave.
Yuyi's body slowly fell, his consciousness sinking into darkness again. His heart was filled with hatred and humiliation. He swore that if he had the chance, he would make Duanchang Jian pay blood for blood.
Bingxin glanced indifferently at Yuyi's remains, then turned to leave as if nothing had happened.
In the Netherworld Cave, only the scent of blood and silence remained.