Chapter 1066: Never Broken Past Thirty-Five

After a good while, Sun Yiqiu finally sighed in relief, patted his chest, and asked the ferryman, "Ferryman, what was that just now?"

"Who knows?" the ferryman replied, seemingly uninterested, as he continued to pole and scull the boat. But after the boat had traveled for a while, Sun Yiqiu suddenly felt a searing heat in his chest, followed by a surge of power within him that propelled him forward.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

Sun Yiqiu abruptly lunged towards the edge of the boat. A few nearby spirits tried to grab him, but before they could reach him, Sun Yiqiu plunged into the water with a splash.

Only then did the ferryman swing his long pole to try and stop him, but it was too late.

"Ferryman, save me, save me!" Sun Yiqiu cried out as countless hands appeared in the surrounding water, all reaching for him. Laughter, wails, and screams filled the air. Sun Yiqiu was immediately dragged away from the ferry and slowly pulled into the deeper water.

"Save me!"

On the ferry, the ferryman merely sighed and made no further move. The spirits on board huddled together, watching the water in terror. Sun Yiqiu's struggle lasted only a few breaths before he was dragged by countless ghostly hands into the water and quickly ceased to move.

"Alright, everyone pay attention."

The ferry departed.

Meanwhile, Sun Yiqiu was being dragged by countless ghostly hands into the unfathomable Underworld River, but a faint silver glow, like a thin film, covered his body. Innumerable pale or grotesque hands tried to tear at Sun Yiqiu but couldn't penetrate this film. Horrifying, mournful faces flickered before his eyes, yet none could truly seize him.

Sun Yiqiu was utterly terrified, cowering in the water, afraid to move. He didn't need to breathe and dared not make any sudden movements, allowing the current to carry him forward. He was like a ball continuously buffeted by the water and the spirits.

"Sun Yiqiu... Sun Yiqiu..."

That voice reappeared. It didn't sound very close, but definitely not far either. Sun Yiqiu wasn't unintelligent; even in this moment of fear, he retained a sliver of calmness. He realized that no matter who or what the owner of that voice was, it had clearly come back for him.

Sun Yiqiu continued to move forward underwater, and the voice grew more distant. However, he couldn't escape the Underworld River, nor could he float to the surface, as there were always spirits trying to grab him, preventing him from breaking free.

It was bone-chillingly cold and endlessly vast. Vengeful spirits, malevolent ghosts, demons, monsters, and intense feelings of resentment and negativity filled the space. It was as if, because Sun Yiqiu was a distinctly special spirit, all the creatures beneath the Underworld River were greedily trying to keep him and replace him. Although protected by a talisman, he didn't know how long it would last. This situation filled Sun Yiqiu's already uneasy heart with even greater dread.

"Who will save me? Who will save me?"

He didn't know how much time had passed, but just as Sun Yiqiu felt his spirit-body becoming cold and rigid, a slightly anxious voice seemed to drift from a very distant place.

"Young Master Sun, Young Master Sun..."

Sun Yiqiu's consciousness was hazy. He barely managed to shake his head. Such a familiar voice. Was he dreaming? It must be a dream; everything would be fine when he woke up!

She Ji searched along the vast Underworld River. Compared to Mi Huang, she was less certain of Sun Yiqiu's exact location, but she followed an instinct in her heart. The longer time passed, the more anxious she became, not only because Sun Yiqiu would be in increasing danger but also because her own power was being rapidly depleted.

She Ji didn't call out loudly. Instead, she used a telepathic connection, a subtle bond cultivated between her and Sun Yiqiu from their dreams, to seek a response. Yet, it consistently felt futile.

At a wide confluence of several Underworld River tributaries, She Ji was forced to descend. She couldn't simply cross the river to her desired location.

The moment she landed, She Ji's steps faltered slightly. She breathed in the Yin energy of the Underworld. After a moment of composure, she gazed at the perpetually silent Underworld River, where countless spirits struggled and wailed, their clamor disrupting her telepathic attempts within the river's currents.

She felt anxious, mournful, and somewhat lost.

After standing still for a moment, She Ji couldn't help but gather her energy. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted towards the surging Underworld River, "Sun Yiqiu!"

Deep beneath the distant Underworld River, Sun Yiqiu suddenly awoke. His previously rigid and cold spirit-body began to struggle violently again. Regardless of whether the other party could hear him, he screamed continuously, "I'm here! I'm here!"

As Sun Yiqiu struggled fiercely, the Yunshan Monastery talisman on his body began to emit a faint glow.

On the bank, She Ji immediately felt this resonance and then saw a faint light on the distant Underworld River surface, unlike anything else there.

"There!" She Ji instantly leaped forward. While still in mid-air, she flung her long silk sash towards a spot on the Underworld River's surface. The long, flowing sash shot straight and resiliently into the water, reaching Sun Yiqiu underwater and wrapping around his waist.

Sun Yiqiu felt a faint warmth emanating from the sash, unlike the bone-chilling water of the Underworld River. His talisman did not repel it either.

She Ji grabbed the sash on the bank, but when she pulled it back, she found it wouldn't budge. It even emitted a creaking sound, like a rope being strained. She Ji channeled her demonic power and pulled with all her might.

"Come up!" The shouts of countless spirits erupted into a cacophony. The sash pulled Sun Yiqiu, but Sun Yiqiu's body and the sash itself were covered with vengeful spirits, malevolent ghosts, and grotesque monsters from the Underworld River.

"Don't go!" "Take me with you!"

"Why should he be allowed to leave?" "Stay here!"

"Take me!" "Wuwuwuwu..." "Hahahahaha..."

Spirit clung to spirit, monster clutched monster, forming a dense, continuous mass. Even She Ji, a demonic cultivator with centuries of practice, felt her scalp tingle. But when she saw Sun Yiqiu, 'enveloped' amidst the spirits at the end of the sash, she cast aside all hesitation.

*I will save you!*

"Sun Yiqiu!" She Ji exerted a sudden burst of power, her demonic energy gathering around her, forming a stream of colorful aura in the sky.

"Hmph!" Tearing and scraping sounds of fingernails echoed from the sash. No matter how She Ji swung the sash, she couldn't dislodge the other spirits. They clung on desperately, willing to be shattered themselves rather than let go of the sash.

Sun Yiqiu wasn't pulled out yet, and She Ji could no longer pull him. Moreover, the spirits began to struggle and climb upwards relentlessly.

The commotion here was significant, danger surrounded them, and time was short. She Ji abandoned all hesitation. With a flick of her hand, she secured one end of the sash to a massive Underworld rock on the bank. Then she leaped, landing on the taut sash. Using both hands and feet, she struck down all spirits that approached her. As she neared Sun Yiqiu, her fists and palms became blurs.

In an instant, many spirits were sent flying or dispersed by She Ji's attacks. Then she grabbed the pale Sun Yiqiu and, stepping back along the sash, landed on the bank.

"Hmph, hmph, hmph..." She Ji was panting, while Sun Yiqiu beside her shivered continuously, white vapor constantly rising from his body.

"Young Master Sun!"

"M-Miss, it's really you!" Though his lips trembled, Sun Yiqiu looked at She Ji with overwhelming excitement.

She Ji nodded, then abruptly unleashed several beams of spiritual light towards the sash. The sash could no longer be retrieved.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

"No!" "Don't!"

"Help!" "Pull me up!"

The nearby Underworld River seemed to boil. Countless spirits desperately climbed upwards, and some larger spirits, already halfway up, tore at those around them, using their bodies, or even their own, to block She Ji's attacks.

She Ji launched over a dozen beams of spiritual light. Already somewhat weakened, she had to temporarily stop, but the sash was now completely covered in spirits.

"Miss, this..." Sun Yiqiu, who had just calmed down, was about to speak when the talisman on his body suddenly emitted a faint glow again.

"This is bad. We can't linger here; we must leave quickly!" She Ji's expression changed. She grabbed Sun Yiqiu and leaped into the air. As she ascended, she slammed her chest, spitting a stream of blood towards the sash. The blood didn't even touch the sash itself; it merely touched the spirits, instantly igniting into fierce flames that incinerated them, causing them to emit endless, bloodcurdling screams.

Then, a flash of colorful light appeared behind She Ji. A phantom palm materialized and slammed fiercely into the large black rock, shattering it with a loud 'boom,' along with the spirits that had climbed onto it.

"Let's go!" Without further delay, She Ji dared not linger, taking Sun Yiqiu and flying away.

On the bank of the Underworld River, countless spirits watched the burning sash, still taut and stretching into the water, and let out mournful roars of rage. However, a few spirits had already climbed ashore before this. But before they could escape, they were seized by the spirits in the water. Countless spirits grabbed onto each other, those on the bank struggling desperately not to be pulled back, while a continuous stream of spirits from the water clawed and climbed.

At this section of the Underworld River bank, like a chain reaction, a continuously writhing bridge of spirits gradually formed. Vengeful souls, malevolent ghosts, and chilling monsters swarmed densely, squirming hideously. More and more spirits escaped across this 'bridge.'

Such a massive disturbance could not possibly go unnoticed!

In the grand halls deep within the Underworld, figures on high thrones roared in anger.

"How dare they!"

"Wretched beings!"

"You scoundrels!"

And in the profound great hall of the nearest cycle of reincarnation, a colossal figure in black imperial robes also glanced sideways, the fringe of his crown trembling slightly. He raised a hand and slammed it heavily onto the armrest of his throne.

In an instant, thunder rumbled through the Underworld; it was as if the entire realm trembled subtly.

Deep within the Underworld, in a small Buddhist shrine, the Buddha's light shone eternally. An aged monk opened his eyes from meditation.

"Alas, alas!"