Chapter 1042: Return to the Beginning

That's truly terrifying. Did the Nine Nether Fiend come from behind the stone gate at the bottom of the sinkhole?

If it's true, as it claims, and I kick it down right now, wouldn't it instantly revert to its original form and return to its starting point? Chu Feng pondered, feeling a peculiar excitement as if he were about to do something mischievous.

Chu Feng wanted to laugh. The fiend had struggled for many years to climb out from the bottom of the sinkhole, finally gaining freedom. If he sent it back to square one in an instant, the Nine Nether Fiend would probably wish it were dead.

“My second brother, you've truly suffered.” Chu Feng's small face couldn't help but crack into a smile, like a budding flower. He said, “It wasn't easy climbing out from such a deep place.”

Gu Chenhai was speechless and remained silent. It was also wondering if this brat was up to no good again. At the same time, it wanted to shout, "Second brother, my foot!"

It wanted to yell, "I'm your great-uncle!"

Chu Feng threatened, saying, “Second brother, I really don't want to kick you down. Just be quick about it and hand over the strongest breathing technique so your elder brother can try it out.”

Silence fell in the stone coffin. After a moment, a sigh emerged. It said, “Brat, stop calling me 'second brother.' It makes me nauseous, and my old skin is breaking out in goosebumps. Let's make a fair trade. I'll first teach you a Shao Yang Fist technique, and you promise to give me freedom. Deal?”

“Alright! If the fist technique is legitimate, I can swear to grant you freedom at an appropriate time. If it's the strongest breathing technique, then your release will be even sooner.” Chu Feng made the promise.

The Nine Nether Fiend was straightforward. It immediately recited a fist scripture.

Chu Feng was extremely focused, as if listening to the sound of the Great Dao. He remained motionless, carefully pondering and studying.

Soon, he closed his eyes, silently contemplating. This Shao Yang Fist technique indeed seemed related to the Small Fish Fist he had learned, though their attributes were opposite. Could he eventually manifest a 'Yang Fish' if he practiced it further?

With a whoosh, Chu Feng's entire body glowed with fire, radiating immense Yang energy. This made him feel completely comfortable and invigorated. He felt that this Shao Yang Fist technique was very much to his liking.

“What innate talent! To be able to achieve initial mastery so quickly.” An ancient voice came from the stone coffin, filled with surprise.

However, Chu Feng did not lower his guard and wasn't buying it. Although he was practicing the fist technique, he limited it to his physical body, merely sensing the scripture. He did not integrate the profound mysteries of the fist scripture into his soul light.

But suddenly, he opened his mouth and spewed out a terrifying blaze. Flames actually permeated his internal organs, threatening to incinerate them and causing him intense pain.

Then, fire erupted from Chu Feng's seven orifices. For a moment, even his soul light was about to be engulfed by the scorching flames.

“Old devil, how dare you trick me!” Chu Feng yelled.

He hurriedly stopped practicing the fist scripture, but he couldn't extinguish it immediately. It had ignited the fire within his five internal organs!

If it were in the past, Chu Feng naturally wouldn't be afraid. But his current physical body was too tender; he was still a child, with a very low evolutionary level, just starting out.

The Nine Nether Fiend said, “Well, I am old after all, and I've died once. How could I clearly remember the breathing techniques and fist scriptures from my past life? Even if there are a few memory fragments, they are incomplete techniques. Hmm, I remember now. This should be our lineage's Solar Sacrifice Body Art. I wanted to help you lay the strongest foundation first. Don't be discouraged; the longer you persist, the greater your future achievements will be. Let's see if you can break a record!”

Then, it began to instruct him from the side, adopting a posture of earnest teaching. It recited mysterious scriptures.

“Get lost!” Chu Feng would rather bash his head against something and die than believe it again. Still trying to deceive him? It was truly unbearable! He had already been very cautious and careful, practicing the fist technique but not integrating it into his soul. Yet, this prehistoric technique was so bizarre that it could still burn his internal organs.

This was a very strange fist scripture. It guided a powerful potential within him, instantly activating it and igniting his five internal organs. If used well, it was indeed an ultimate technique.

However, if someone with malicious intent used it to harm others, it would certainly be an extremely sinister cultivation method.

When Chu Feng stopped, the fire within his five internal organs was still burning. This Nine Nether Fiend was truly malicious; the special fist scripture it imparted was terrifyingly potent. It must have been a notorious and harmful secret scripture even in prehistoric times.

The Nine Nether Fiend spoke, saying, “Child, come beg me. You won't have to pay too much. Just bring some offerings, sacrifice evolutionary blood to the stone coffin, and I'll solve your problem.”

Chu Feng ignored it and quickly performed the Small Fish Fist. A chilly aura instantly surged. Around him, a light rain fell, transforming into tiny black fish that swam through the air.

At the same time, his body was nourished. The internal flames extinguished. His five internal organs were moistened by a black energy, making him feel much more comfortable and completely unharmed.

The Nine Nether Fiend in the stone coffin fell silent, its ploy foiled. It truly wanted to bite Chu Feng to death. He was actually from *that* lineage?!

“Second brother, how dare you harm your elder brother? I'll beat you to death!” After escaping the predicament, Chu Feng picked up a stone and hurled it at the stone coffin, preparing to knock it down into the sinkhole.

“Stop, let's talk this over! I've been climbing for ten thousand years, and I've only been out for a few years! Everything can be discussed!” the Nine Nether Fiend cried out.

Chu Feng stopped and stroked his chin, pondering. Was what this vicious creature said true? What if it actually liked the netherworld?

After all, this thing was afraid of lightning strikes. It wasn't a creature that favored Yang energy.

“Heh, what a small world! To actually run into this brat. He's that wild spawn picked up by the Ji family. Eighth Uncle, be careful, there's something strange about him. Last time, he caused my third brother and me a great loss.”

A young man appeared not far away, a smile on his face. He felt very surprised to see this damned kid here, yet he was also very pleased.

It was Lei Ling, the young man from the Lei tribe. Last time, he had lured Ji Hu into the forest and had his third brother, Lei Yun, attack and torment Ji Hu, even knocking out some of her teeth.

Beside him was a man, seemingly in his thirties. He had surging vitality and cold eyes. He was a full ten feet tall; people in this tribe were generally tall.

Lei Ling revealed a cold smile, glanced left and right to confirm no one was around, and said, “Eighth Uncle, just throw him to his death. I always feel there's something wrong with this brat.”

“Don't mess around, this place is very dangerous!” Chu Feng warned.

Inadvertently, he glanced at the stone coffin by the edge of the sinkhole.

As a result, both Lei Ling and the middle-aged man sneered and directly pounced forward.

Chu Feng dodged, keeping a distance of over ten yards, and fled towards the back of the stone coffin.

The next moment, something horrifying happened. As the uncle and nephew from the Lei tribe grinned ferociously and pounced like large birds, their bodies suddenly shriveled, and all their blood rushed out, pouring into the stone coffin.

They were still three yards away from the stone coffin, exceeding the one-yard danger zone mentioned by Dong Qing!

Then, after their skin and bones fell to the ground, they instantly turned to dust. In that single instant, both men were utterly dead, disappearing without a trace.

Chu Feng's scalp tingled with dread. He had finally witnessed the cruelty and horror of the Nine Nether Fiend with his own eyes. This scene before him was undoubtedly the best proof.

He felt he could no longer play with fire and needed to avoid such risks.

He quickly arranged several divine magnetic stones. They glowed, intertwined, and connected, forming a magnetic light mirror.

“Go!”

Chu Feng threw it into the sinkhole. Although he had learned about the conditions below from Dong Qing, he also wanted to use domain techniques to investigate the specific data of the depths.

After the seal at the bottom of the sinkhole was broken, it stretched tens of thousands of miles deep. The special glowing mirror-body, constructed from divine magnetic material, sank rapidly into the earth like a streak of light, reflecting some images.

A pair of ancient stone gates, grand and towering, were carved with dark ravens, seemingly ready to flap their wings and fly out.

The stone gates were immense. Even with only a crack open, it was wide enough for elephants to run through. Inside lay the Netherworld, filled with a dense aura of death.

A shriveled black gourd was seeping blood outwards. Something was sealed within it.

In fact, all of this was very blurry, not clearly visible. The magnetic light mirror's feedback was limited.

But what most disturbed Chu Feng was the boundless netherworld land itself!

Chu Feng quickly set up a domain. Using the magnetic light mirror, he calculated the specific depth, coordinates, and other values. He activated a domain, preparing to send the Nine Nether Fiend into it.

“No, let's talk!” A loud cry came from the stone coffin.

“Logically, given how scared you are, I have to wonder if you're faking it, or if this is exactly what you want. What if you actually wanted to go in there all along? However, you sly and vicious dog, you're probably just trying to confuse my thoughts.”

Chu Feng said, guessing that the fiend was using a tactic of feigning weakness where it was strong and strength where it was weak, constantly trying to interfere with his judgment.

He continued, “But what do I have to fear? Even if I throw you into a cesspit, you can't move right now. It would take you a long time to crawl even a short distance, wouldn't it? I have all the time in the world. You can just slowly crawl down there, and I'll deal with you once I figure out how to handle you!”

“Gu Chenzhou, I believe you now! You're so utterly wicked, you must be my elder brother from the prehistoric era! As the beans cooked in the pot, burned by their own stalks, and wept in the cauldron—I am your second brother!”

Before being sent away, the old fellow let out a heartbreaking shriek. He was truly terrified. The coffin clattered loudly as it was struck, and he struggled with all his might.

But Chu Feng didn't believe him now. He had nearly run into trouble just practicing a fist technique. It was truly a bit dangerous for his current small body to face this Nine Nether Fiend.

He decided he should wait until Dong Qing and the others returned, and for now, just throw it down!

The stone coffin vanished, instantly transported to the bottom of the sinkhole by a teleportation domain. It pierced through the stone gate's fissure and crashed into the netherworld!

Through the magnetic light mirror he had sent down earlier, Chu Feng saw a blurry scene.

In the netherworld soil, the stone coffin violently shook, trembling from the impact. It tried to escape the netherworld at a snail's pace.

One could almost hear the Nine Nether Fiend howling. It was in a panic, filled with boundless terror, trying to flee.

“How pathetic! What's the big deal? Didn't you crawl out from there?”

Chu Feng used another domain technique, capable of long-distance sound transmission. He could hear the roars from below.

Indeed, the Nine Nether Fiend was screaming in terror.

Chu Feng was surprised. This fellow had been terrifyingly powerful in his past life, and now that he had returned, his strength was still chilling. Yet he was so frightened?

Chu Feng said, “Reflect properly down there. Perhaps one day in the future, I'll truly come to convert you. After all, creatures as shameless, despicable, and vicious as you are rare. You might even be useful someday.”

Then, he couldn't speak any further. His hairs stood on end with a whoosh, and he felt chills from head to toe.

He saw a pale, bloodless hand extend from the netherworld soil. It then grasped a corner of the stone coffin and slowly dragged it down, submerging it into the earth.

Seeing this, Chu Feng jumped up and fled. He scampered into the forest, with his small backside wiggling. Along the way, he threw divine magnetic stones forward, set up teleportation domains, rushed into them, and made a clean getaway.

At the last moment, he heard the Nine Nether Fiend's roar: “Gu Chenzhou, you bastard! I'll be back!”

Chu Feng pondered. This fellow must have truly climbed out from here. He just didn't know if it really took ten thousand years of climbing. And just like that... he had sent it back to square one.

Who cares! Chu Feng fled. He needed to find a place to hide and observe the situation. Then he would study the special fist scripture he had obtained from the Nine Nether Fiend to see what it was truly like.

This is the only chapter for today, please don't wait. These past few days, my physical condition has been very poor; I've been coughing violently and non-stop. I recall back then, I wouldn't get sick even once in several years.