Chapter Sixteen: The Netherworld

Looking down at the dim waters beneath his feet, Nuotian felt as if he had returned to a place that should have been profoundly familiar. The world was silent, devoid of any sound. Suddenly, a beam of light emerged from the tranquil depths, and a graceful figure appeared before him. She wore elegant, understated attire—a long black dress, a round face, crescent-shaped eyebrows, bright eyes, slender lashes, skin as white as snow, and jet-black hair cascading to her waist. Every detail proclaimed her a peerless beauty.

"Jiuyou greets her master," the maiden said, kneeling before him. Nuotian felt a strange sensation in his heart, as if he should know this woman intimately, yet he could not recall her.

"Rise. Who are you? What is your connection to me?" Nuotian asked curiously.

The woman slowly stood, her beautiful eyes fixed upon him. "I am Jiuyou, your attendant."

"Master? Am I your master?" These words bewildered Nuotian, yet deep within, he accepted the reality, as though it had always been his fate. He harbored the same question as his two elder sisters: where did he truly come from? The woman seemed to know his origins, and Nuotian felt a flicker of anticipation. "Since you address me as master, you must know who I am?" His tone was calm, though his heart was not.

Jiuyou displayed utmost respect as she stood before him. "Master, you hail from the Nether Sea," she replied with a hint of pride.

"The Nether Sea? What is this place, and how could I come from there?" Nuotian pressed on.

Sensing her master's uncertainty, Jiuyou replied gently, "Do not be anxious, master. Allow me to explain. The place where you appeared is called the Sea of the Dead." Nuotian nodded in acknowledgment.

"The Nether Sea lies at the deepest heart of the Sea of the Dead. You came to protect your people."

"My people? What people? I have no subjects," Nuotian said, puzzled.

"The Nether Sea is the heart of the Sea of the Dead. Long ago, our Sea of the Dead encompassed all of time and space; its waters covered every corner. Yet, with the emergence of new beings—especially humans and demons—they gradually seized lands that once belonged to us. In the beginning, these outsiders feared our power and dared not invade, but as their strength grew, they ruthlessly massacred our kin and claimed more territories. Though the Sea of the Dead remains vast, many clans have been exterminated." Jiuyou paused, anger flashing across her face.

"A million years ago, among the invaders, the human race created spatial teleportation arrays, accelerating their encroachment. At that time, the most powerful outsiders joined forces to assault the heart of the Sea of the Dead, intent on eradicating us. They knew that if the heart fell, our clans would lose their destiny, and all would be destroyed or enslaved. Fortunately, our strongest defenders united for a great battle. Though the invaders suffered defeat, we also paid a heavy price—the clash disrupted the heavens and space, evaporating countless waters and granting the outsiders vast lands to inhabit."

Nuotian furrowed his brow, absorbing the torrent of information.

"The outsiders possess an inherent advantage: rapid reproduction. Whether human or demon, they flourish quickly, while our kind requires tens of thousands, even a hundred thousand years, to mature. The humans, in particular, can reach power comparable to ours in just a few centuries if talented. The elders of our clans recognized this problem. Even if we repel them now, in a hundred or ten thousand years, they may return stronger. Thus, to protect the Sea of the Dead, the elders used supreme powers to hide its heart, safeguarding our foundation."

As Nuotian listened earnestly, Jiuyou felt relieved that their meeting was going smoothly and that her master did not seem estranged from her. Her mission to guide him was immense.

Nuotian looked at her and asked, "You still haven't told me who I truly am."

"After the heart was concealed, none—even our own kin—were permitted to approach. Yet one day, all the elders sensed a call from the heart and went to investigate. There, they discovered it had nurtured a new life," Jiuyou said, pausing to gaze at Nuotian.

"I am that life, born of the heart of the Sea of the Dead?" Nuotian asked.

"Yes, master. You are the one nurtured by the heart," Jiuyou answered with certainty.

Nuotian slowly digested the revelation, then continued, "If I was born this way, why was I placed on a small island at the edge of the Sea of the Dead, left to be found and adopted by humans?"

Jiuyou replied respectfully, "The heart of the Sea of the Dead is our origin, full of mysteries even the elders do not comprehend. Since you were nurtured by the heart, you are extraordinary. With the threat from outsiders looming, the elders devised a plan: to overcome them, we must infiltrate their ranks and uncover their secrets, so we may eliminate future dangers. At this time, they turned to you—you had been nurtured for a hundred thousand years, yet had not emerged. The elders decided to shape you in human form, with human features, and proclaimed you as king of the Sea of the Dead, hoping you would lead us out of our plight. All clans performed a blood sacrifice to the heart, expressing their will, and astonishingly, the heart consented. Thus, you came into this world bearing the hopes of all our people."

Seeing Jiuyou's sincere expression, Nuotian hesitated before asking, "I have several questions."

"Please ask, master. Jiuyou is eager to help you."

"If the Sea of the Dead could defeat the united humans and demons, why did you not destroy them, instead allowing them to remain?"

"When humans and demons appeared, the Nethermother advised us to yield some lands for their survival. She is ever a merciful mother, so our clans obeyed. Later, in battles with them, we suffered greatly, and Nethermother granted them another chance. Who could have foreseen that this would accelerate their growth? After a million years, they became strong enough to rival us. The elders performed another blood sacrifice to inform Nethermother of the situation, and she agreed to shape you in human form," Jiuyou explained.

"Why was I sent to the Wild God Continent?" Nuotian asked.

"A million years ago, the Wild God was one of the most powerful among humans, and the Wild God Continent is the realm he created. The Wild God vanished one hundred thousand years ago, leaving no trace here, so it is the safest place. Though your origin is extraordinary, your strength is as ordinary as any human's. In the lands of humans and demons, there are beings far mightier than those here, and you would not survive among them."

"What places are more advanced than the Wild God Continent?" Nuotian inquired.

"The lands of humans and demons are divided into three levels. The first is postnatal realms, like the Wild God Continent, created by powerful beings similar to the Wild God—there are millions of such realms within the Sea of the Dead. The second level is called innate realms, of which there are only a hundred. These are the earliest domains of the outsiders. The third is the Divine Realm, of which there is only one, where humans and demons coexist. It was formed after the great war against us and now houses their greatest powers. Your ultimate destiny is to journey to the Divine Realm and fulfill your fate. No matter where they live, all their realms are surrounded by the Sea of the Dead, which divides them into countless smaller seas," Jiuyou explained.

"What is the Demon Domain?" Nuotian asked, intrigued.

"The Demon Domain is merely a collective term for several innate realms. That is why, to this day, we have not launched another war against the outsiders. Though their growth is rapid, they are innately contentious—not only do they fight us, but now their internal conflicts are even fiercer," Jiuyou spoke with a hint of disdain.

Nuotian nodded in understanding. No race is perfect; there is always a flaw, and such flaws can restrain their progress. He faintly sensed that this might be the rule of heaven.

"If you expect me to accomplish this nearly impossible mission, is there nothing else to aid me?" Nuotian asked directly. Since he was so extraordinary, he must possess unique gifts. Surely, they were not limited to innate divine power or an exceptional dantian. If that were all, he might never complete such an absurdly difficult task.

"Do not forget, you were birthed by the Nethermother. I do not know all your gifts, but I do know you possess the most powerful physique of the Sea of the Dead—the Nether Battle Body," Jiuyou answered with confidence.

"The Nether Battle Body?"

"It is the most formidable constitution in the Sea of the Dead. Countless clans dream of possessing it, but none ever have. Its greatest strengths are rapid recovery, supreme harmony with the world, and the ability to nurture Nether Blood. Nether Blood allows all corrupted life to obey your command."