Evan Chu checked the storage ring again, but didn’t find any energy body like a Starstone that Roxy had mentioned. He knew that Netherviolet Orchids were getting harder and harder to obtain—most of these Saint Martial experts were well over a hundred years old, and getting one now would take a stroke of luck.
"Roxy, you’re the one I worry about most. Why don’t you just come with me? That way I can look after you!" Evan Chu said.
"Lin Feng, I’m the Vermilion Bird Saintess—you shouldn’t underestimate me. Honestly, I’ve learned disguise techniques from Serena Dream, so it’s super easy for me to turn myself into an ugly woman. You don’t have to worry about me." Roxy said confidently, her eyes full of self-assurance.
"Alright, I think it’s about time we all split up. Good luck, everyone. I hope we can meet again in Shadowlin City in two and a half years!" Ethan Fenn, the Soaring Feather Young Lord, stood up and said.
"Shut your jinx mouth! We’ll all be fine. This time, let’s see whose results stand out the most, and who breaks through the fastest—how about it?" Ryan Ouyang said.
"That’s a great idea. It’ll keep us motivated! Take care, everyone—let’s hope this Netherworld trip goes smoothly and we complete our mission!" Evan Chu said.
After that, everyone took another look at the Netherworld regional map, memorized their destinations, and then left the cave.
Ethan Fenn and Ryan Ouyang flew off first, leaving Roxy and Evan Chu alone. "Roxy, I really don’t want you to leave me—you know how hard it was for us to finally be together. Why do you have to follow their example?"
"Lin Feng, since we’re Divine Beast inheritors, we have our own missions. I’m the Vermilion Bird Saintess, and I need to revive my Vermilion Bird Clan. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me—after all, I still owe you children!" Roxy laughed.
Evan Chu glanced at her, then couldn’t help but pull her into his arms. "Do you have enough Starstones? This place isn’t like the Azure Tide Ruins—the energy in Netherstones is definitely worse than Starstones. Let me give you some more!"
"My storage ring is basically full of Starstones. I’ve been prepared for this for a long time, so don’t worry about me. I just hope you can get a Netherviolet Orchid soon and break through your realm. If you miss me, just come find me in Nine-Shade City." Roxy finished speaking and gently pushed Evan Chu away.
Seeing how determined Roxy was, Evan Chu forced a bitter smile and said, "If that’s how it is, then I’ll leave first. Just remember to be careful, and never show your true face!"
After saying that, Evan Chu teleported away, leaving Roxy behind with tears streaming down her face. "Lin Feng, do you really think I don’t want to be with you? Entering the Netherworld has been the Vermilion Bird Clan’s wish for tens of thousands of years—because our clan’s sacred relic is here, and I have to find it. The relic is hidden in Nine-Shade City. This is my biggest secret. Please forgive my selfishness."
Afterward, Roxy took out her disguise tools from her storage ring and, in no time, had turned herself into someone else. Even if Evan Chu was standing right in front of her, he wouldn’t recognize her—because now she looked like a handsome young man, her chest tightly bound with bandages, not a single flaw left.
Evan Chu, after several consecutive teleports, arrived atop a mountain. Parting from Roxy left him feeling a bit empty inside, but mostly he was worried about her safety. The mountain wind brushed against his face, making everything feel bleak.
"Lin Feng, are you really planning to check out the Ghost Clan? That’s the scariest place in the Netherworld—the Ghost Clan is mostly made up of soul bodies, and anyone with a physical body there is insanely strong. You need to think this through," Luna, the Sword Spirit, said.
"The more dangerous it is, the more I have to go. Right now, the most important thing is to get a Netherviolet Orchid. Luna, you won’t blame me for this choice, right?" Evan Chu asked.
"Why would I blame you? The five Netherworld races have always been fighting, and even if it looks peaceful on the surface, as soon as something big happens, it’ll be a fight to the death. You’re the most likely person to set off that kind of event, and only then can you sit back and reap the rewards," Luna said.
Evan Chu understood Luna’s words clearly. If the five Netherworld races didn’t each have Venerable Martial Realm experts, they’d probably have been swallowed up by the others long ago. No one wants to help anyone else, so if a powerhouse shows up and helps out just one side, that race could easily wipe out another.
And the Ghost Clan is the strongest of all, the most likely to stir up trouble first. Evan Chu’s choice to go for the Ghost Clan was the most straightforward decision.
"The Ghost Clan is vicious—they love drinking human blood. You need to watch out for that. Even though your defenses are strong enough that you won’t be in real danger, it’ll be easy to expose your true strength. So you’ll need to create a Ghost Clan identity," Luna said seriously.
"That sounds pretty tough. I’ve got a human body—how am I supposed to turn into a soul form? Unless you’ve got some trick?" Evan Chu knew Luna must have a way, so he asked eagerly.
"It’s actually simple. All you need to do is wrap yourself in dense ghostly qi, and it’s best to wear a black robe so no one can see your body clearly. As long as you don’t run into a true apex powerhouse, nobody will notice. And even if you meet a Ghost King, it’s no big deal—with your speed, you can escape easily," Luna said.
"Once someone reaches the Venerable Martial Realm, won’t they be able to use spatial bans? Back when I was just in the Earth Martial Realm, I suffered plenty because of those. If I get locked down, no matter how fast I am, it won’t help," Evan Chu suddenly thought of this and asked.
"Usually that won’t happen. Don’t forget—you’ve got treasures that can restrict others too. Your Wind-Binding Pearl’s artifact spirit is seriously powerful. If you run into trouble, she can help you out. So don’t worry about it. Now, let me teach you how to absorb ghostly qi and attach it to your body," Luna said.
Immediately, a series of profound runes appeared in Evan Chu’s mind and slowly faded away. He didn’t recognize the characters, but somehow he understood their meaning perfectly—he knew Luna was helping him.
The method Luna taught Evan Chu had a refined name: the Star-Siphon Method. It could absorb a person’s essence and qi into the user’s body as energy. Of course, that energy had to be slowly refined before it could be used, but compared to absorbing Stellar Power, this energy was much more potent.
If Evan Chu’s Chaos Dragon Force ever dropped to just ten percent, he could drain a few Saint Martial experts and restore himself completely within an hour. This was a truly evil martial art—anyone drained by it would die instantly and become a dried-up corpse.
But Luna had modified the Star-Siphon Method so Evan Chu could only absorb a tiny portion of energy—about the same as what he’d get from a Starstone. The key was that the ghostly qi could remain attached to his body instead of vanishing, which was exactly why Luna wanted him to absorb ghostly qi...