When the group led by Leidong set off toward their destination,

a vast crimson-yellow river yawned miles away in the abyssal depths of Youmu. This churning waterway stretched endlessly through the void like a tether suspended in midair. No one knew where it flowed to—just that it swallowed every living being who dared cross its path. Legends claimed this Netherworld River was among the most perilous places in all existence, for no soul could resist its pull.

The river's width varied from tens of thousands to millions of miles, and its waters teemed with unknown horrors capable of tearing through even gods. Yet the true terror lay in the crimson mist that hovered kilometers above—thick clouds said to be condensedfrom centuries of trapped souls and toxic vapors. This haze stretched for dozens of times the river's width, forcing travelers to navigate beneath it like shadows in a nightmare realm.

The crimson mists were no ordinary poison. A single breath could reduce even an immortal's body and soul to dust. Worse still, strange creatures thrived within these clouds—beasts twisted by eons of adaptation to darkness and death. Even experts who reached the Netherworld rarely dared venture through such a killing ground unless survival left them no choice.

Yet at this very moment, two opposing groups moved cautiously beneath the mists.

The first formation consisted entirely of lithe black-armored women. Their leader stood statuesque with ivory skin and a face that could pierce heaven itself—except for those eyes perpetually closed like twin coffins sealing away secrets. Seven other beauties encircled her in a protective half-moon, their dark robes exuding oppressive energy strong enough to repel the crimson haze fifty paces away. Each was an intermediate-stage Immortal Core cultivation expert, but none dared speculate about their leader's true power—only that she radiated an aura heavy with ancient authority.

The second group numbered only three. Cloaked in black robes so deep they seemed to swallow light itself, these figures were barely distinguishable from the mists surrounding them. A putrid stench clung to them worse than the natural rot of the clouds. The tallest among them was monstrous—over ten feet high with limbs obscured by his robe—but what made every woman involuntarily recoil was not just his size. It was the suffocating terror that radiated from him like a living curse.

"Lord Wormemperor," the round-faced woman snapped, "my mistress demands to know if you're certain this area contains fragments of the Netherworld Temple ruins?"

The closed-eyed leader remained silent as usual, ignoring her own name being used in question form.

In any other realm, such indifference would have been met with rage—but not when addressing Wormemperor. As ruler of the Corpse Worm Clan, one of Youmu's four dominant species, he commanded respect despite his people's reviled status. The Corpse Worms had evolved from grotesque insects into sentient beings, surviving through telepathic mastery rather than brute strength. While their numbers remained small, they thrived where no others could—transforming the malarial wastelands of Youmu into a breeding ground for their endless legions.

"Wormemperor," the woman continued, "my mistress has already examined the fragments you provided. We trust your word... this time."

The Corpse Worm leader's voice rasped like dry bones grinding together. "And I trust your clan will uphold our pact when we find the final piece. You know what happens if you renege on a promise to me."

The tension crackled as both sides prepared for a silent battle of wills...

Meanwhile, Leidong's group had reached the crimson mists' edge aboard their floating vessel *Palace of the Harem*. The ship shuddered to a stop above an abyssal swamp below. Only a narrow corridor between the red clouds and black void offered passage forward.

"Master," Xiao You warned solemnly, "Father said these mists are too dangerous for flying vessels. The terrain is unpredictable—any sudden vortex could tear us apart." She hesitated before adding, "But Father found an underground cave along this route years ago. Without it, we'd be hopelessly lost in this cursed red sea."