"Grandpa, who is he? Why did you bring him back?" Kelly Qin suddenly asked.
"Kelly, he’s just come from the Azure Tide Ruins. Didn’t you always ask me what it’s like there? He’ll take you back someday. The Netherworld is full of danger right now, so I brought him here first to protect him, and also so you’d have some company. That way, you two can cultivate together and won’t be lonely." said the Mysterious Human Elder.
At those words, Kelly Qin’s face instantly flushed red. "Grandpa, what are you talking about? I don’t need any company—honestly, you’ll be the death of me." With that, she deliberately turned her face away, refusing to look at Ryan Ouyang.
Ryan Ouyang’s heart skipped a beat. Kelly Qin’s beauty was in no way inferior to Roxanne Lin’s—if he really could end up with her, it’d be perfect. But he knew these things had to happen naturally; trying to force it would only backfire.
"Alright, let’s eat. Afterward, I’ll explain in detail what you two need to do next," said the elder.
Ryan Ouyang didn’t stand on ceremony. After so many days in the Netherworld, he hadn’t had a proper meal. The food on the table might not be rare delicacies, but to him it tasted better than any feast. He wolfed down three bowls before finally stopping.
Afterward, the elder led Ryan Ouyang into the inner hall of the house. "Your name is Ryan Ouyang, right? From now on, I’ll just call you Hong’er. And stop calling me ‘senior’—just call me Grandpa from now on!"
Ryan couldn’t help but find this funny. Given his actual age, he could easily call the elder ‘ancestor,’ but of course he wouldn’t go against the old man’s wishes. He promptly said, "Hong’er greets Grandpa!"
The elder smiled in satisfaction. "In the Netherworld, without Stellar Power, you can only rely on absorbing Netherstone energy. Here are some insights I’ve gained from cultivating with Netherstones over the years—take a look. Also, I’ll pass down this Heaven-Blade Six Forms to you. I know the White Tiger Clan specializes in blade techniques."
As he spoke, two manuals appeared in the elder’s hand. Ryan Ouyang immediately knelt and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll give it my all—and when the time comes, I’ll definitely bring Miss Kelly back to the Azure Tide Ruins."
“See that raised button on the wall? That’s the trigger for the secret chamber. Inside, there’s all sorts of cultivation resources you’ll need. In a couple days, you and Kelly Qin should go in there for closed-door training. I’ll be heading out myself—to check on that Azure Frost reincarnator you mentioned.” The elder said.
Ryan Ouyang was by far the luckiest—he didn’t just get top-tier martial arts, but also had a beauty for company. Choosing Beast King City was absolutely the right move.
But Roxanne Lin, heading for Shade Clan territory, wasn’t nearly as fortunate. It took her four whole days to reach Nine-Shade City, and she ran into plenty of humans and other races along the way.
Luckily, her disguise was plain and she kept her face veiled, so the journey was uneventful. But now, trying to enter Nine-Shade City, she was stopped at the gate.
The Shade Clan actually resembled the Ghost Clan in some ways—over half their members were pure soul forms, some were made of energy, and a rare few were formed from resentment and killing intent. Those rare few held the highest status; the lord of Nine-Shade City was a shade born of pure murderous intent.
Nine-Shade City had a strict rule: anyone entering needed an entry pass. With one, you could come and go freely, no Netherstones needed. Without a pass, you had to pay a hefty fee—at least a thousand Netherstones for a single entry.
Roxanne Lin was stopped because she didn’t have an entry pass. The Shade Clan guards demanded a thousand Netherstones, but she couldn’t bear to part with them. For a moment, she was truly stuck.
If she could pay with Starstones, she’d hand over a thousand without hesitation. But Evan Chu had warned her that Starstones were extremely precious in the Netherworld—showing them off could bring disaster. Even Roxanne understood the rule: never flaunt your wealth.
After asking around, she learned the entry pass cost the same—one thousand Netherstones—but it let you enter and leave forever. Without it, each entry cost the same. The difference was honestly ridiculous.
She only had a bit over a thousand Netherstones left. If she paid, she’d struggle to afford food and shelter in the future. Just as Roxanne was at her wits’ end, a luxurious carriage rolled down the road. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a horse-drawn carriage—the beasts pulling it were several times larger than horses, called Nether War-Elephants. These creatures were immensely strong but gentle, and the rich and powerful loved using them to show off their status.
“Look! That’s Princess Ivy’s carriage from Nine-Shade City. She’s definitely inside. Rumor says she’s already reached Saint Martial Realm ninth layer—a total monster. Things are about to get lively.” someone whispered in the crowd, and Roxanne Lin, standing right beside them, heard it all.
“Princess Ivy is a rare beauty, but she’s also a master of disguise. She shows up in all kinds of forms—sometimes even as an old lady. If you see a granny by her side, don’t be surprised, it might be her in disguise,” another person said.
“You’re not wrong. She’s caught troublemakers in the city and left them half-dead—her methods are vicious. We should clear out fast; block her path and you’re asking to get beaten.” the first person added.
Roxanne Lin was busy scheming how to get inside Nine-Shade City. If she could get to know Princess Ivy, everything would be easier. If they became friends, she’d have free rein in the city.
Maybe she was too deep in thought, because the carriage came speeding straight toward her. Suddenly, someone behind her shoved her—maybe on purpose, maybe not—and she staggered right into the path of the carriage.
The coachman was a middle-aged man, but his body was oddly blurred—you couldn’t see his feet at all. Roxanne snapped back to her senses and dodged backward, barely avoiding a collision with the Nether War-Elephant. The beast stopped abruptly, shaking the carriage and kicking up a cloud of dust.
“How dare you! Blocking Princess Ivy’s carriage—are you tired of living?” The coachman roared, his body flashing like lightning as he appeared right in front of Roxanne.
A pale, powerful hand clamped down on Roxanne’s shoulder, locking her in place so she couldn’t move.
Just then, the carriage curtain lifted. A young woman in a red dress and white veil stepped down, coming right up to Roxanne.
She looked Roxanne up and down, then asked coldly, “Why did you block my carriage? Don’t you know the rules of Nine-Shade City? Anyone who gets in my way is treated as an assassin. Pick your method of death.”
Her voice was icy, like winter frost. Roxanne’s heart skipped—she’d barely arrived in Nine-Shade City and was already in deep trouble. Getting out of this mess in one piece was going to be tough.
Roxanne was busy thinking how to defuse the crisis and didn’t answer right away. The coachman’s grip tightened, sending a spike of pain through her shoulder—felt like he was crushing her scapula.
“How dare you ignore the princess’s question! Are you looking to die?” the coachman snarled at Roxanne, then glanced at Princess Ivy. “Princess, this human is just a clown—let’s just kill her and be done with it!”
Princess Ivy gave Roxanne a look and found her utterly ordinary—nothing special at all. “Take her back to the royal compound for now. She’s a woman, so maybe we’ll spare her,” the princess said, turning to re-enter the carriage.
“Wait!” Roxanne couldn’t just sit and wait for death—she gritted her teeth through the pain and spoke up.
Princess Ivy stopped, smiling faintly. “I thought you were mute. Good, answer my question—if your answer satisfies me, maybe I’ll let you go.”
Roxanne knew her only hope was herself. She decided to gamble—if the princess really was as proud and independent as the rumors said, maybe she’d survive. If not, she’d just have to hope to be Evan Chu’s woman in her next life.
“I was just standing by the roadside when someone shoved me, that’s why I ended up in front of your carriage. I didn’t know it was yours! Even if you’re the princess, you can’t be so unreasonable. I may be human, but I haven’t broken any Nine-Shade City rule. If you kill me for this, I won’t accept it!” Roxanne said.
Princess Ivy laughed, “You’ve got guts. No one’s ever talked to me like that before. Harris Xu, let her go—I want to see what she means by ‘won’t accept it.’”
Harris Xu let go. A bloody mark appeared on Roxanne’s shoulder—he’d gripped her hard, and wasn’t gentle about it.
“I’ll say it again—if you give me a reason that satisfies me, I’ll let you go. Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of your days in the city dungeon. And trust me, there are plenty of women like you in Nine-Shade City’s dungeons.” Princess Ivy said coldly.
“I’d heard Princess Ivy was beautiful, generous, and understanding, but today it looks like you’re living off a false reputation. ‘Cruel, vicious, and blind to right and wrong’ fits you better.” Roxanne retorted.
She hadn’t even finished when Harris Xu exploded, “How dare you insult the princess! You must be tired of living!” He struck out with a palm at Roxanne.
Roxanne knew she couldn’t beat Harris Xu, but she refused to back down. As Evan Chu’s woman, there was no way she’d bow to a petty, snobbish bully. Gritting her teeth through the pain, she struck back with a palm of her own.
Harris Xu was knocked back several steps, but Roxanne was sent flying several meters, blood surging in her chest until she couldn’t help but spit up a mouthful.
Her defiance, strength, and sharp tongue at Nine-Shade City’s gate instantly captured Princess Ivy’s full attention, setting the stage for a showdown that could turn into disaster—or the powerful connection Roxanne was hoping for.