Chapter 597: The River of Forgetfulness

Sun Lingtong charged headfirst towards the paper general, but it was like hitting a solid wall. He was so dizzy his eyes swam, and his soul shook.

“Ow, ow, ow!”

Sun Lingtong winced in pain, his teeth bared. It took a while for his soul to stabilize, and his face returned to its lifelike state.

“What’s going on?” Sun Lingtong suddenly felt a great sense of foreboding.

He carefully stretched out his arm, which looked like a lotus root, and pressed it against the paper general’s chest. It felt like pressing against a mountain.

Ning Zhuo, whose life was tied to Sun Lingtong’s, saw everything and said, “Boss, take it easy. This isn’t about the formation. It’s probably that your soul cultivation isn’t high enough. You’re not a soul cultivator. Alas, if I had known this earlier, I should have given you some underworld food to eat.”

Sun Lingtong also guessed this was the reason and couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “It’s not that I didn’t want to eat it! Last time I cultivated my physical body, it greatly increased its foundation. If I ate underworld food this time and my soul also grew, how would I cross the stage of transforming the virtual into the real?”

Originally, Sun Lingtong had already reached the final stage of the Foundation Building period. As long as he crossed it, he would obtain a Golden Core.

However, this stage was related to a cultivator’s foundation.

A Golden Core had to be transformed from the virtual to the real, and it had to be complete.

If a cultivator’s physical body, soul, and other foundations kept growing one after another, they could never reach completeness, and naturally, they couldn’t form a real core.

Sun Lingtong’s cultivation had already reached this stage. But before, for Ning Zhuo, he had figured out a convenient use for the Fetal Breath Spirit Boat, and combined with the considerable external pressure, it had led to a significant increase in his physical body cultivation.

This undoubtedly set back the progress of his virtual core transforming into a real one.

The war between the two countries in Qianfeng Forest made Sun Lingtong more eager about his own cultivation.

Therefore, this time in White Paper City, he clearly had a good opportunity for soul cultivation, but he didn’t take it. He held back, wanting to wait until he formally advanced to a Golden Core cultivator.

After advancing to the Golden Core stage, he could then enhance his physical body and soul foundations, which would be the same.

This was all because Sun Lingtong’s main cultivation technique was the Boy Skill, which specialized in cultivating the Divine Sea. He had already thoroughly and completely understood it.

The main cultivation technique was a cultivator’s true foundation. If it wasn’t cultivated enough, for example, if the real core was formed at ninety percent, the core quality would be lower, and the foundation wouldn’t be stable.

For Sun Lingtong, cultivating his physical body early or late was fine; it wouldn't affect his foundation.

His plan was perfect, but who would have thought such a situation would arise?

Now, precisely because his own soul foundation was insufficient, Sun Lingtong could only stare wide-eyed at the Nascent Soul paper general in front of him, simply unable to enter.

He was so angry that his entire soul body seemed to "fatten" up a bit.

“This is too frustrating!” After trying several times and failing each time, Sun Lingtong resentfully turned his gaze to the other paper figures.

He brushed his small hand over the paper deities on the war chariot. These deity paper figures were all at the Golden Core level of combat power. The result was that he felt like he was pressing on leather armor; there was no way to enter.

Sun Lingtong became even angrier and could only turn his gaze towards other objects.

He scanned the area, his sight passing over the spearmen, the crossbow paper figures, and finally settling on the ox cavalry.

He climbed onto one of the oxen and touched the cavalry paper figure with both hands. This time, it was like pressing on a layer of window paper. With a little force, he “poked through” and his entire soul body intruded inside.

The paper cavalry suddenly "came alive," and its entire form changed.

Within a few breaths, it was no longer a paper figure made of white paper and a wooden frame, but had become a living underworld soldier.

The underworld soldier was big and burly, but its eyeballs darted around, possessing a lively cunning that was very different from its body type.

Sun Lingtong felt like he had put on a layer of wide cotton clothing; it was very uncomfortable.

He was disappointed to find that he could only control the cavalry; the mount beneath him was still made of paper.

He then jumped down from the ox’s back, landing at a much shorter height than before, as his body size had become very tall and large.

Sun Lingtong shook his shoulders slightly. His earlier disappointment and anger had come quickly and gone just as quickly, replaced by curiosity and eagerness to try.

“Woohoo! Underworld, here I come!” Under Ning Zhuo’s watchful eye, Sun Lingtong was about to set off.

“Boss, wait a moment. I’ll use the Qianmo Lamp to transmit you out. This place is very secret. If you run out directly, you’ll leave traces,” Ning Zhuo’s heart suddenly moved, and he reminded him in time.

Sun Lingtong had no objection.

Ning Zhuo then activated the palace lamp. The next moment, Sun Lingtong was transmitted ten *li* away.

The underworld was barren.

Sun Lingtong felt like he was trekking in the Gobi.

The unchanging scenery significantly reduced Sun Lingtong’s interest.

“What’s that sound?” He perked up his ears slightly and heard the sound of water.

He immediately decided to approach in the direction of the water sound; it was better than wandering aimlessly now.

Halfway there, black snow suddenly began to fall from the sky.

Sun Lingtong tried to catch it with his hand and found that it was all paper ash burned to ashes.

The paper ash permeated his paper body, actually adding a thread of strength to him.

Startled by this black snow, large numbers of underworld creatures emerged from who knows where.

There were underworld dogs, ghost heads, and even ghosts with human bodies and ox heads…

“Here it comes again, here it comes again!”

“Prefecture Lord Wang He has done a great good deed! He conducts such a big sacrifice, and we have a harvest every day.”

“Mine, this is mine.”

The black snow didn’t fall for long. Soon, these underworld creatures began to fight among themselves.

A group of green corpse wolves surrounded many ghosts. The leader of the green corpse wolves was even bigger than an elephant, at the Golden Core level: “Hand over the black snow, or you’ll become our belly meal.”

The leader of the green corpse wolves bared its teeth and issued a warning, directly robbing them.

This immediately ignited the other ghosts in the field. They all took action and engaged the wolf pack.

Sun Lingtong was also caught in the middle and had to participate in the battle.

The scene was chaotic.

Three green corpse wolves of the Refining Qi period surrounded him in a pincer formation. Along the path they ran, they left scattered miserable green phosphorus fire.

Sun Lingtong bared his mouth and revealed a hint of a smile, watching the green corpse wolves rush towards him.

When they engaged, he put down his technique and no longer restrained his breath.

The three green corpse wolves had no emotions. Seeing their prey suddenly increase from the Refining Qi period to the Foundation Building period, they didn’t panic and continued their fierce attack.

Sun Lingtong clenched his fists. First, he dodged the frontal pounce of the green corpse wolf, then opened his arms left and right, hitting the wolf heads of two green corpse wolves with one punch each, directly exploding them.

Subsequently, he suddenly stepped forward, extended his large foot, and directly stepped on the waist and back of another green corpse wolf.

The green corpse wolf whined a bit and was directly stepped into two sections by Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong’s eyes lit up as he looked at his fists. After just one round of engagement, he already understood that the quality of this paper body was absolutely superior, possessing the combat power of the Foundation Building peak!

Seeing Sun Lingtong kill three Refining Qi level green corpse wolves simply and neatly, a Foundation Building level leader in the wolf pack immediately charged towards Sun Lingtong.

The Foundation Building level green corpse wolf leader was the size of a calf. With a wolf howl, it displayed a ghost technique, its speed suddenly increased, leaving a path of black shadow behind it.

It fiercely pounced on Sun Lingtong.

“Good timing!” Sun Lingtong originally had the ability to dodge, but his interest was piqued. He didn’t dodge or evade, setting up his arms and blocking the leader’s pounce head-on.

Sun Lingtong headbutted, directly sending the green corpse wolf leader flying backward.

The green corpse wolf leader howled in anger, opening its big mouth, wanting to devour Sun Lingtong’s head.

But it bit empty air.

Sun Lingtong had anticipated this. He directly lowered his head, his entire body suddenly shrinking. Then, he suddenly stomped his foot, his spine rising like a dragon, and a fierce uppercut directly sent the green corpse wolf leader flying out.

On the chaotic battlefield, a Foundation Building level green corpse wolf leader flew high up, then fell heavily to the ground.

This scene caused many people’s actions to slow down, and the wolf king’s gaze was also drawn over.

Soon, its gaze was fixed on Sun Lingtong.

The wolf king let out three low howls. Beside it, three leader-level green corpse wolves rushed out together, attacking Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong already felt his fists were numb and knew that he had almost tested the limit of the paper body.

He saw the three Foundation Building level green corpse wolves, and then saw the wolf king looking at him with a mournful gaze. He decisively turned around and ran!

He was very strong, but the green corpse wolves’ speed was much faster than his. Just as he rushed to the edge, he was surrounded.

Thief Technique—Penetrate Empty.

Sun Lingtong displayed his signature move, but the effect wasn’t good. It only transmitted him a hundred steps away.

The three green corpse wolf leaders were stunned for a moment, then continued to chase Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong felt a wave of dizziness. After shaking his head, he continued to flee.

By the time the green corpse wolf leaders caught up with him, he had already left the mixed battlefield.

After several rounds of engagement, Sun Lingtong seized an opportunity and again used the thief technique, rushing out of the encirclement and continuing to escape.

He fought while retreating. Ultimately, the wolf king saw the leaders chasing far away and directly raised its head and let out a long howl.

Hearing the wolf king’s howl, the three green corpse wolf leaders simultaneously turned their bodies, reluctantly giving up on chasing Sun Lingtong and merging with the main force.

Not a few others escaped like Sun Lingtong.

But more stayed in the field, falling into the mixed battle. Under the trained and disciplined surrounding attack of the wolf pack, they were inevitably in more danger than safety.

Cultivation, hunting, survival, the present and future drama, under Sun Lingtong’s surprise, was thoroughly performed for him once.

After escaping with his life, Sun Lingtong stopped at a certain place, panting laboriously for a long time.

Through this battle, he also confirmed his true combat power: after all, he wasn’t an orthodox soul cultivator, his soul foundation was limited. Although he could display thief techniques and so on, they didn’t quite match this body. Therefore, his combat power remained at the Foundation Building stage. If he truly fought one against three, facing three Foundation Building level green corpse wolf leaders, there would be a danger of annihilation.

The experience of narrowly escaping with his life stimulated Sun Lingtong’s entire body with a sour numbness, and a thrilling sensation surged from his heart, making him involuntarily indulge slightly.

“This is cultivation, this is life!” Sun Lingtong savored the aftertaste of the adventure and continued on his way.

Black snow fell from time to time in patches. Each time it lasted for a very short time, but it often triggered snatching and killing among the ghosts.

Sun Lingtong saw this more and more often, and his mood became somewhat complex: “They universally praise Prefecture Lord Wang He. Didn’t their own deaths all happen because of Prefecture Lord Wang He?”

“This lord of one country in the underworld indeed has means. He incites so many killings, yet his reputation is getting higher and higher.”

The sound of water grew louder and louder.

Ultimately, a long river appeared in Sun Lingtong’s vision.

It flowed from the northwest towards the southeast, vast and mighty, flowing continuously.

The river surface was over a hundred *li* wide. Horizontally, he couldn’t see the edge. Vertically, there was a distortion of space, making it atmospheric yet strange.

The river water was a cyan-black color, like melted cyan bronze juice. Although it was flowing, it gave people a heavy feeling.

The riverbank was made of long sections of black stone dykes. Every block of brick and stone had large numbers of tadpole symbols on it.

It was Sun Lingtong’s first time here, but seeing this long river, he immediately understood: “Wang He River?!”

He guessed right.

This was indeed the first great river in the underworld world—the Wang He River!

It was overly famous and frequently recorded in many classics of the yang world, thus Sun Lingtong had learned about it.

Sun Lingtong came to the dyke, and his pupils slightly contracted: “Someone.”

He discovered a burly ghost cultivator, just squatting on the stone dyke, fishing.

The ghost cultivator was very imposing. Even squatting, he was taller and bigger than Sun Lingtong at this moment, so one could imagine that when he truly stood up, he would definitely be a ghost giant!

The ghost cultivator’s fishing rod was very special; it was a treasure mourning stick refined from spine bones. The fishing line was spliced together from many strips of baby umbilical cords.

Hooked.

Suddenly, the fishing line was suddenly pulled.

The ghost cultivator laughed heartily, suddenly opened his sleepy eyes, and lifted the rod with all his might.

Whoosh.

The river surface slightly exploded, splashing out a wave, and then a large bowl was fished up by him.

“Nascent Soul level!” Sun Lingtong’s pupils slightly contracted, discerning the breath that the ghost cultivator leaked when he moved his hands.

If it were Ning Zhuo, he would have cautiously stayed far away long ago, but Sun Lingtong couldn’t move his feet for a moment, staring at the large bowl, looking for novelty.

“What is this bowl?”

“Little Zhuo, I’ve never seen anyone fish out a treasure before!”

“If I can figure out this kind of fishing method, fishing at the riverbank every day, wouldn’t I get rich?”

Just as he was privately exchanging with Ning Zhuo, the fishing ghost cultivator slowly turned his head and looked at Sun Lingtong: “You want it? Hehe, meeting is fate, so I’ll give it to you.”

Saying that, he handed the bowl to Sun Lingtong.

Clearly, the two sides were several hundred steps apart, but the next moment, Sun Lingtong was moved to the ghost cultivator’s front.

Sun Lingtong was greatly shocked and panicked for a moment, but his hands weren’t slow, directly taking the bowl into his hand.

It really was a treasure!

“This is the Washing Dust Cup, used to hold Meng Po Soup. There are many of these in this river. But for your level of treasure, it’s very valuable, so I’ll just give it to you.” The ghost cultivator giant was quite generous, showing good will.

Sun Lingtong was on full alert, cupping his hands in thanks.

The ghost cultivator giant said casually: “Fishing up the Washing Dust Cup doesn’t count for much. What’s truly rare is fishing for the Bone Holding Herring in the river.”

Sun Lingtong was curious and couldn’t help but blurt out: “Senior, what is a Bone Holding Herring?”

The ghost cultivator giant hummed: “You should know that although the Wang He River is big, there are extremely few creatures that can live in it.”

“The Bone Holding Herring is one of them. It is formed by the most paranoid, the most unforgettable obsessions, unwillingness, hate, expectations, and other strong memories and feelings left behind and lost in the river when endless ghosts approach the Wang He River.”

“Look inside my fish basket, there’s one just like that!”

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