From a distance, the figures of the two battling were almost indistinguishable, visible only as a whirlwind of green and black swallowed together.
Every clash between the two was a fierce life-and-death battle, with not the slightest intention of feigning.
Yama King's immense reputation in the martial world was no fluke.
The strength he exhibited at this moment was not inferior to that of the erstwhile Lord of Shenxiao Gate, Wei Qianli. In fact, he seemed to have the upper hand.
If not for the extraordinary advancement in Pei Xuanjing's strength during this period, he would not have been able to withstand the duel for so long.
"Bai Xiaosheng's Supreme Rankings of the Martial World are definitely false. With the strength that the Yama King possesses, he definitely deserves a place on the list," Pei Xuanjing thought to himself.
In reality, it wasn't that there were errors in Bai Xiaosheng's rankings, but rather that Pei Xuanjing had overlooked one point.
The phrase 'There can't be two suns in the sky, nor two kings in a country,' explains this.
The term "Supreme" represents undisputed dominance. How could one force have two supremes? Even if another person has supreme strength, they will remain a subordinate and not ascend to the seat of the Supreme.
One should know that, without a doubt, in such great forces as the Zen Sect, Dragon Tiger Mountain, and True Martial Sect, it would be unbelievable that there is only one supreme-level expert.
As for Yama King, the wraith of Fengdu, Bai Xiaosheng knew about his extraordinary skills and supreme-level combat strength.
However, as long as the Ghost Emperor of Fengdu exists, Yama King would never make it to the list.
Besides, even though Bai Xiaosheng knew about the feud between Pei Xuanjing and the Dark Underworld, he never imagined that the two parties would confront each other so soon.
The aftereffects of the duel between the two made it unbearable for those remaining from the Underworld. Even the leaked aura from their swords and blades was immensely dreadful, forcing them to defend with all their might. Only two first-rank martial artists could withstand it with relative ease.
And because Pei Xuanjing was intentionally or unintentionally blocking the entrance to the valley, even if the people of the Underworld wanted to enter, they did not dare to act rashly, fearing that it would provoke Pei Xuanjing's destructive attack.
Those two first-rank martial artists from the Underworld watched the duel with astonished expressions that were difficult to dispel.
Even if they were martial artists of the same rank, the strength they demonstrated was of starkly different levels.
Two figures, one piercing the sky and the other digging into the earth, endlessly clashing.
A blood -red knife light sinisterly eerie and strange, and a resplendent sword light with majestic and dignified air.
One right and one wrong, one yin and one yang.
Where the two passed, the wind and thunder roared, a chilling wind kept blowing, and darkness engulfed the sky and earth.
The two first-rank martial artists from the Underworld wore expressions full of unquellable solemnity.
Being part of the Underworld, they had, to some extent, heard about the Slayer Taoist, who was famous far and wide.
One must know that the rise of the Slayer Taoist involved the defeat of many experts, much of whom were related to the Underworld in some way. It could be said that his fame was entirely built on the reputation of the Underworld.
However, being members of the Underworld and first-rank martial artists, they considered themselves to rank among the strongest within first- rank martial artists. They did not pay much heed to Pei Xuanjing.
They reasoned that even if they are not his match in a head-on duel, with the stealth attacks at their disposal, even Pei Xuanjing—despite all his fame— would die by their hands.
However, at this point, both of them no longer harbored such thoughts.
The strength that Pei Xuanjing had showcased was on par with their revered Yama King.
At this very moment, a turn in the ongoing duel occurred—the azure glow of the sword became even more brilliant while the bloody knife light faltered, as if it paused for half a breath.
The difference of a hair's breadth could decide victory and defeat in the duel of masters.
The sword's light grew stronger, emitting thunderous roars, and sent the bloody figure sweeping across.
Boom!
The black robe on the Yama King'S body was torn into pieces. Holding his red long knife, he fell from the high altitude, smashing into the ground to create a pit that was several feet deep and several yards wide.
His face was filled with deep unwillingness as he hoarsely cried out, "I don't accept this!"
The Yama King did not expect that he would lose.
He especially did not expect to lose to Pei Xuanjing, a mere youngster who had been cultivating for only a few decades.
"There's nothing to be unwilling about. You lost, and that's a fact. Numerous people who fell under your blade were unwilling as well, but it didn't change anything," Pei Xuanjing stated, holding his Shenxiao Sword as he descended from the sky.
"Lord!"
Watching all of this unfold, the two first-rank martial artists of the Underworld's expressions drastically changed, and they charged towards Pei Xuanjing.
Unconcerned, Pei Xuanjing flung his palms out.
Thud!
Struck by the heavy palm, each of them spat out a mouthful of blood in reverse before being sent flying backward.
Seeing the intense unwillingness on Yama King's face, Pei Xuanjing was indifferent. He stepped forward, swinging his sword without hesitation.
Swoosh!
The head of the Yama King flew into the sky, his eyes filled with intense sourness and resentment.
He was unwilling to die like this.
He resented the injustice of the heavens; he had cultivated bitterly for over a hundred years, only to lose to a youngster whose cultivation time was less than one-third of his.
Pei Xuanjing didn't bother to even spare him a glance. Lifting his sword, he turned around and gazed at the remaining people of Underworld.
The task of exterminating evil was not yet complete; of course, he would not show any mercy.
Because he knew that if he, one day, unfortunately fell into the hands of the Underworld, they would not be the least bit merciful either.
As Pei Xuanjing approached, wielding his sword, his face bereft of any efforts to conceal his killing intent, strong despair surfaced in the eyes of the remaining people of the Underworld.
After all, even the Yama King, who they revered as a deity, ended up dying by Pei Xuanjing's hands. What chances did they have to survive?
However, trapped beasts still fight. Nobody wished to give up their lives that easily..
A crazed look flashed through their eyes as they charged towards Pei Xuanjing.
Pei Xuanjing decisively swung his sword and struck out!
The rain grew heavier, but it failed to wash away the pervasive scent of blood in the air.
At this moment, outside the valley, all of the Yama King'S men had been killed by Pei Xuanjing, their corpses littered everywhere.
Pei Xuanjing shook off the droplets of blood from his sword and sheathed it back into its scabbard.
He then retrieved another page of the Netherworld's Book from the Yama King's person, also fashioned of the unique material, neither gold nor jade.
[Obtained Unique Item – Page of the Netherworld's Book, Refining yields 100,000 points of Taoyun.]
This prompt appeared in his mind, and a satisfied smile appeared at the corners of Pei Xuanjing's mouth.
With this page of the Netherworld's Book, even if he gained nothing else in the valley, it would not have been a wasted trip.
Next, he searched through the bodies of these people. Sadly, aside from some silver banknotes, there was little else of value, not even a few useful skills.
As for weapons, except for the blood-red long knife of the Yama King, which was of the thousand-refined grade, the weapons used by the rest were all merely indomitable grade Divine Weapons.
Pei Xuanjing picked up the Yama King's thousand -refined blood-red long knife and slowly moved into the Ancient times, until his figure was completely enveloped and disappeared in the misty air.
Awaking from an endless darkness, Pei Xuanjing opened his eyes and found himself inside an empty room.
At this moment, upon entering the valley, all information about everything was transferred into his mind.
This valley was where the page of the Netherworld's Book was located, and it was also the so-called Forbidden Place of heritage mentioned by Li Yuzhen and others.
This place was a illusion created by the page of the Netherworld's Book, this illusion recorded an unprecedented event in the martial arts world that occurred six hundred years ago.
Ancestor Sanfeng of the Taihe Mountain True Martial Sect suppressed the Imperial Court's Great Yuan Teacher with a reverse hand gesture on Taihe Mountain, thereby breaking the imperial court's suppression of the martial arts heroes, and laying the foundation for the subsequent rebel armies.
The present Number One in Central Plains Martial Arts is Ancestor Sanfeng of the True Martial Sect, who left the North Zen Sect over a hundred years ago and started the True Martial Sect on Taihe Mountain.
epoch six hundred years ago, completely imprinting the incident of the Great Yuan State Teacher's challenge to the mountain.
In order to suppress and conquer the martial arts world, the Great Yuan Empire decided to send the Great Yuan State Teacher to defeat Master Sanfeng, known as the Number One in Central Plains Martial Arts, thereby intimidating The Heroes.
Therefore, when this news was passed on, the factions of the martial arts world all sent people to gather at Taihe Mountain, ready to deal with this matter.
Unfortunately, Master Sanfeng was at a crucial point in his seclusion, requiring these people to delay enough time and hold out until Master Sanfeng emerged.
Only when those present can manage to delay until Master Sanfeng comes out and defeats the Great Yuan Teacher, can they be considered to have passed this illusion test, and all participants will receive rewards according to their respective contributions.
Of course, if someone can defeat the Great Yuan Teacher in advance, it can also be regarded as passing the test.
But if they can't hold out until Master Sanfeng comes out, and instead wait for the Great Yuan Teacher to defeat everyone, forcibly deduct points, and interrupt Master Sanfeng's seclusion, then it would be considered a test failure.
If a person possesses the Netherworld's Book, they can retain their memory. Other participants will have their memories of this time sealed, and will be expelled from the projected illusion world.
What Li Yuzhen and others referred to as the gain of inheritance, is just that some people participate in it. Although they didn't really pass the test, they made a special contribution or possessed certain treasures. Even though their memories were sealed, they still gained something to various extents.
"The current situation seems to have a hint of an infinite loop. Of course, it also feels a bit like the start of life simulation with the use of a simulator." Pei Xuanjing thought to himself.
At the same time, he also had a slight guess in his heart.
He didn't know whether the simulator was set in stone or if there would be a chance for him to experience different lives in the future.
After all, for Pei Xuanjing, the current simulator doesn't offer the same substantial benefits for increasing his power as it did before.
And since the page of the Netherworld's Book has the effect of imprinting time and projecting illusions, he wondered whether the simulator would have this feature in the future.
Setting this thought aside for now, Pei Xuanjing began to ponder the current situation.
According to the information feedback from the Netherworld's Book, he currently occupies the identity of a Taoist from the Shenxiao Sect, named Danling Zi, and is now the junior of Danyang Zi, the current head of the Shenxiao Sect.
Since the rise of Great Yuan, the Shenxiao Sect has suffered heavy losses, and is almost on the brink of closing its doors and not venturing out.
However, with the Great Yuan's aggressive intentions targeting all the martial artists in the Central Plains and the notion of "when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold", even if the Shenxiao Sect closed its doors, it would not be able to stay unscathed.
Therefore, the head of the Shenxiao Sect, along with his junior, came to Taihe Mountain to lend a hand, expressing the Shenxiao Sect's stance.
"I wonder if Li Yuzhen and the others also entered this illusion? Or do different batches of people enter different environments?" Pei Xuanjing thought as much.
While he was contemplating, footsteps came from outside the room.
The footsteps of the approaching person were leisurely, their breath long, like treading on snow without a trace, their landing silent.
This was not because the other party could conceal their movements, but because they had attained a highly advanced stage of cultivation. They were light and nimble due to the flow of True Qi within their bodies.
Generally speaking, when people reach the same realm as Pei Xuanjing, even if they specialize in physical strength, they also reach a state of lifting heavy weights as if they were light.
"Junior brother, have you gotten up?" The person's identity was self-evident from these words, naturally, it was the master of Danling Taoist – Danyang Zi – who is currently the head of the Shenxiao Sect.
Pei Xuanjing gently opened the door, a white-haired old Taoist appeared before his eyes, this was Danyang Zi. Currently over a hundred years old, he had been immersed in the first-grade realm for many years, and his Shenxiao Thunder Palm had reached its zenith.
Pei Xuanjing's current identity, Danling Zi, was only in his thirties, and there was a huge age gap between him and Danyang Zi.
Originally, when Danyang Zi saw that Pei Xuanjing was exceptionally talented, he did not directly accept him as a disciple, instead, he received him as a disciple on behalf of his master, allowing him to become his own junior brother.
But both of their master's had already passed away years ago, they are brothers in name, but they are actually master and disciple, and Danling Zits abilities were taught by Danyang Zi.
Therefore, Danling Zi greatly respected him.
"Greetings, Headmaster senior brother." Now that Pei Xuanjing is Danling Zi, all his words and actions naturally had to reflect Danling Zi's attitude and actions.
Danyang Zi nodded his head in response and said, "Since you are up, junior brother, join me to the main hall. The fellow Daoists have agreed to convene there today to discuss matters."
"Yes.."