Chapter 1040: Nine Nether Spirits

Wintergreen lifted Chu Feng, two dark rays shooting from her eyes as she stared at him. "I now feel it's necessary to lock you away in a prehistoric catacomb while I'm gone," she said. "You're too much trouble; isolating you from the world would prevent you from wrecking this entire area."

"No, Qingqing, sister, you can't be so cruel!" Chu Feng cried out.

"Qingqing?" The name sent shivers down Wintergreen's spine, and she immediately bared her fangs, revealing a fierce expression.

"You're asking for a beating!" she roared, her breath like thunder, almost striking Chu Feng again.

"If anyone needs to be locked up, it should be that old corpse, right, Sister Wintergreen?" Chu Feng asked cautiously, genuinely afraid of the basin-sized fist that might descend upon him.

Then, he carefully tried to persuade Wintergreen, explaining that the inheritance within the stone coffin was extraordinary.

"As if I needed you to tell me," she scoffed. "You're young, but you think a lot. Yes, our lineage and that one have some connection from prehistoric times."

Chu Feng was startled to hear it went back to prehistoric times; it was truly bizarre and frightening. He became more energized and indirectly urged Wintergreen to investigate further.

"It's useless," Wintergreen said with a serious expression. "The creature in that stone coffin has long since degenerated, and most of its methods are probably lost."

"Degenerated? Does that mean... rotted?" Chu Feng asked.

*Thump!* Wintergreen's pot-sized fist landed on his head, and a large lump immediately swelled up.

"It's a degeneration of its life essence!" Wintergreen glared at him.

The stone coffin had a strange origin and contained inexplicable secrets. Wintergreen revealed some hidden details.

When the Temple Fairy first discovered it, she confirmed that the creature inside the stone coffin was related to their lineage from the prehistoric era. However, during her investigation, she found that friendly communication was impossible.

"Why?" Chu Feng asked.

Wintergreen replied, "No matter how extraordinary it was in the past, it is no longer the same being. It originated from the Nine Hells; it resurrected and returned from the land of the dead."

In short, this creature was once a remarkable figure, but it has changed; it is no longer its former self, but rather—a Nine Hells Ghoul.

"Nine Hells" is self-explanatory, while "Ghoul" originally referred to an earth deity.

This was the first time Chu Feng had heard this term. According to Wintergreen, it was quite dreadful and horrifying.

A Nine Hells Ghoul is a creature a hundred times more terrifying than a vengeful ghost or a demon. It is a culmination of malice, hatred, and sinister intent, utterly evil.

Once this type of creature returns from the Nine Hells, all living beings within a million-mile radius will perish, leaving no survivors. It drains all lifeblood, leaving only skin and bones.

"It must have been very powerful in life," she explained, "but it willingly fell, sinking into the Nine Hells before death. Now, upon its return, it is no longer its original self."

According to Wintergreen, to become a Nine Hells Ghoul, one must have been at least a Heavenly Venerable or a powerful being in life; otherwise, there would be no chance.

Upon hearing this, Chu Feng's eyes flickered. To become a Nine Hells Ghoul was so terrifying, and its origin was astonishingly significant.

In other words, the creature in the stone coffin was at least a Heavenly Venerable in its time. With his current small stature and limited power, trying to confront this monster would be suicidal.

"Our Lady is sentimental," Wintergreen said. "She feels it's still connected to our lineage and wanted to give it a chance, so she temporarily kept it."

Chu Feng was surprised and somewhat confused. What chance could such a ferocious creature be given? It should be killed on sight; keeping it would only lead to future trouble.

"Some exceptional ones can cleanse themselves and become human again," Wintergreen explained.

"Hold on, Sister Wintergreen, 'cleanse themselves' might not be the right way to put it."

Wintergreen's eyes widened, and Chu Feng immediately lost his temper, only managing to whisper, "Such a ferocious creature is a disaster if kept."

Wintergreen said, "A select few can completely sever their own malevolent thoughts. It is rumored that a mighty being in the Yang realm was once a Nine Hells Ghoul, who ultimately transcended and became a supreme overlord."

Upon hearing this, Chu Feng felt that the most powerful evolvers in the Yang realm had terrifying origins; reincarnated beings, Nine Hells Ghouls, and others were not simple creatures.

Nine Hells Ghouls, returning from the land of the dead, prefer yin-nether energy, fear yang energy, and especially dread lightning tribulations.

Therefore, the Temple Fairy placed it on Lightning Strike Mountain to temper it, hoping to refine its malevolence and help it return to true goodness, but the effect was poor.

Once, a lightning tribulation was so immense that it shattered all the spatial formations set up near Lightning Strike Mountain, leading to Ji Hu, Fatso, and others inadvertently approaching it afterward.

"Our Lady has lost patience," Wintergreen stated. "She believes it cannot be redeemed and wants to exterminate it to prevent it from causing harm, but it's very difficult to kill."

Chu Feng was quite awestruck. The Temple Fairy was that powerful?

As he voiced his doubt, Wintergreen's eyes deepened.

"Our Lady is naturally very powerful; you simply don't understand, nor could you."

Chu Feng was speechless. How could he not know that the woman, like a Mystical Maiden of the Nine Heavens, was a reincarnated being? It would be impossible for her not to achieve great things!

Historically, such beings ultimately achieve incredible feats!

"At the same time, no matter how powerful a Nine Hells Ghoul was in life, everything is nullified after death. Upon returning from the Nine Hells, its strength depends on its achievements after recovery, unrelated to its former life, severing all connections."

"Oh, so you're saying the creature in the stone coffin isn't necessarily that strong? Can we dig it out?!" Chu Feng's spirits lifted again.

Wintergreen said coldly, "A Nine Hells Ghoul that can drain the blood of beings within a million miles—how weak do you think it can be? When we say it starts anew, it's only compared to its strength when it was alive. Our Lady hasn't opened the coffin to kill it because she worries there's another peculiarity and that it might not be completely eradicated."

Chu Feng made an estimation, feeling uneasy. It truly wasn't something to be provoked.

Wintergreen added, "Although this Nine Hells Ghoul isn't extremely powerful, its sealing within the stone coffin upon its appearance is somewhat unusual."

"Keeping it is always a hidden danger," Chu Feng said. "It should be dealt with promptly."

Wintergreen replied, "As long as you don't approach within ten feet of it, nothing will happen. Our Lady left six celestial talismans on the stone coffin!"

She added, "When Our Lady returns, if it remains stubborn, she will cast it into the Heavenly Venerable Cemetery beyond the heavens to permanently resolve the future trouble."

"Such a place exists? What's it like there?!" Chu Feng was very surprised.

"Don't speak much of matters at that level, or it will bring great disaster. You'll understand when your power reaches that stage," Wintergreen warned.

"Isn't it just a bunch of graves? What's the big deal?" Chu Feng pouted.

Wintergreen's expression was grave. "You don't understand. An ancient tomb can be a magnificent palace, its light reaching the heavens, incinerating star realms throughout eternity."

"Be more specific!" Chu Feng coaxed.

*Thump!*

He took another blow and immediately quieted down.

"Alright, I'm about to leave to see if Our Lady has any instructions. Do you have any other requests? I warn you, don't touch that stone coffin!"

Chu Feng thought for a moment. "Then take me to see the bottom of the sinkhole. I want to see that nether gourd."

As a result, he almost got another beating. Such a request, in Wintergreen's eyes, was outrageous, practically inviting death.

Wintergreen left decisively, without even looking back. Chu Feng had the strange impression that she was desperate to get rid of him, unwilling to constantly babysit him.

Just like that, she left? Chu Feng watched wistfully, certain she wouldn't be back anytime soon.

However, he still waited for most of the day, afraid Wintergreen might return.

Finally, he was convinced that Wintergreen was truly gone.

He then observed his surroundings, even using his Fiery Golden Eyes without the golden beams to detect any movement. Finally, he took out the stone jar and filled it with various profound magnetic stones and divine magnetic stones.

Shortly after, Chu Feng dove into the tall grass and decisively entered the stone box.

"What's going on?" Chu Feng gasped, drawing a sharp breath. After carefully examining the stone jar, he discovered that the profound magnetic stones from the Yang realm were almost as potent as the divine magnetic stones from the Lesser Yin realm, while the divine magnetic stones here were close to the Lesser Yin realm's magnetic marrow.

This made him ecstatic, incredibly thrilled.

No wonder Wintergreen said she had done her best when she found so many magnetic stones for him; these were true heaven-and-earth treasures.

Next, he employed his Divine King-level techniques, carving various intricate runes and imprinting them deep within the magnetic stones. He crafted them meticulously, using profound magnetic stones for half the materials and divine magnetic stones for the other half.

It was a long time before he emerged, and he was greatly startled because outside, thunder was rumbling ominously.

Only when he stood before the temple did the thunder gradually dissipate.

What was happening? Chu Feng felt uneasy because he sensed the aura of a Heavenly Tribulation!

He quickly rushed into the tribe and asked Ji Hu, Fatso, and the others, chilling him to the bone. Just a short while ago, lightning had struck from a clear sky, weaving above the small mountain, which was incredibly terrifying.

"Damn it," he thought, "even if I hide in the stone box, I can't easily use my Divine King-level power anymore, or I'll be struck by divine lightning. It's got its eyes on me."

Chu Feng's heart grew heavy. In the unseen, an unknown law hung over his head like a sharp divine sword, ready to descend and sever his head at any moment.

"I must become stronger; I cannot be threatened by it!"

Chu Feng strolled around the tribe and quietly buried some magnetic stones in an uninhabited area.

Afterward, he returned to the small mountain and looked out at the mountain range. From there, he could see a bare mountain not far away—Lightning Strike Mountain.

As soon as Wintergreen left, he wanted to go meet the Nine Hells Ghoul.

If Wintergreen knew, she would surely turn back and beat him half to death.

Chu Feng manipulated the magnetic stones, constructing a small teleportation field. Its targeting was very precise, aiming directly for Lightning Strike Mountain.

The next moment, he vanished from his spot and reappeared on a bare mountain, a considerable distance from its peak. This was due to his intentional control.

He was very interested in prehistoric Heavenly Venerables and even powerful beings, even if this one had now become a Nine Hells Ghoul.

Not far away, he saw a stone coffin lying horizontally at the mountain peak.

"Hey, brother, we're kin! I'm Gu Chenzhou, a Grand Cosmos-level evolver from the prehistoric era. I once sank into the Nine Hells, but I've broken free and begun a new life!"

Chu Feng shouted towards the mountain. Unfortunately, no matter how much he postured with his hands behind his back, it was useless. As he was less than a year old, he lacked any intimidating presence.

However, the scene did appear somewhat eerie; after all, he was just a child, and his sudden appearance naturally seemed strange.

"I, an elder, have come to enlighten you. Are you willing to follow me?!" Chu Feng called out again.

He naturally didn't expect to trick this creature into submission. Such beings were sinister and vicious, embodiments of the world's malevolence. He was merely testing it.

The place was extremely eerie: Lightning Strike Mountain was bare, and a clean-faced little child, with hands behind his back, claimed to be a senior Nine Hells Ghoul, here to gather followers.