048 Turbulence of the Barrier (1)

The silent wind tousled Nuoluo’s hair, sending golden strands flying in the breeze, embodying the fierce aura unique to the lineage of the Earth Deity. Though she stood before him, her figure petite, she was not to be underestimated.

Nuoluo did not retreat. Though she yearned for his approval, she hoped even more to win her chance by her own strength. Should he refuse her, she would risk everything without hesitation.

The tiny spark beneath her foot remained silent, as if it too held its breath. Even now, she could not truly understand what it was—a spirit of the dead, a vengeful wraith, or perhaps a god? Or something entirely unknown. Entering the Underworld, she had encountered countless unimaginable beings, including the mysterious figure before her whose identity remained uncertain.

“Forgive me, may I know who you are?” Nuoluo asked, curiosity flickering in her gaze. She had met the Hidden Guardians of the Underworld beyond the barrier, so he could be…

“I…” He seemed lost in thought. Time had changed much; years had gone by since he last spoke his name. After a pause, he said, “I am the guardian of the Netherfire Barrier. You may call me Guardian.”

Another mysterious being—Guardian. In the subterranean world beneath the Temple of the Underworld King, she had encountered so many enigmatic presences. The Guardian of the Netherfire Barrier, his strength surely rivaled that of the Underworld King. One could sense the hidden power within the barrier itself.

“Earth Goddess, what is Lingji to you?” the Guardian asked. He had felt a familiar aura from her earlier, and Nuoluo’s appearance closely resembled the figure etched in his memories.

“Lingji is my mother.” Every time Nuoluo spoke her mother’s name, a vague sadness welled within her.

Now it was the Guardian’s turn to be stunned. He had not expected a descendant of the Earth Deity to survive. Before him now stood perhaps the sole heir of that lineage. Should she stay, or should she leave?

He remembered the events of years past, the brutal scenes still vivid in his mind. No wonder, since the moment she entered the barrier, an eerily familiar presence had stirred within him.

“Leave this place. For the sake of my connection with the Earth Deity’s line, since you are Lingji’s daughter, I will not trouble you. Depart now, and I will pretend nothing ever happened,” the Guardian said.

Leave, as if nothing had occurred? How could nothing have happened after so many trials, after all she had endured to reach this place? To give up now would be to waste every effort. And if she returned to the mortal realm, how could she face the hopeful eyes awaiting her? Generations of sacrifice by the Earth Deity’s line would be for naught.

Nuoluo shook her head. She did not retreat—indeed, she had no option to retreat. Before her lay only one path: to press forward and overcome every obstacle.

The Guardian watched her, saw how her image merged with the one in his mind, and recalled the past. The Earth Deity’s lineage, indeed, never abandoned their chosen goal, no matter the cost.

“If I am not mistaken, you are now the only heir left. If you do not wish the Earth Deity’s line to end here, leave at once. Otherwise…”

His gaze sharpened. He saw Nuoluo’s resolve, but could not help but test her further, though there was something he did not say.

Nuoluo had reached this place by her own strength, braving countless dangers, and even passed through the illusion of Farewell Song. Her current power had reached the peak of the Earth Deity’s lineage. If conflict broke out, it would be a fierce battle. The strong deserved respect and choice; though his suggestion might have the opposite effect, out of respect for her lineage, he did not wish to see its legacy end here.

Extinction—the word chilled Nuoluo. The Earth Deity’s line had indeed faded, leaving only herself. Much had happened, and she had never received clear answers; many truths had been deliberately erased.

At Sunset Mountain, she learned some of the truth, but refused to believe there were no hidden forces within her clan. Why had her lineage declined so swiftly, so suddenly? Sooner or later, she would uncover the answer.

“To obtain the Netherfire, I am willing to risk the destruction of my soul. The duty of the Earth Deity’s line compels me to choose this path. I beg your permission.” Nuoluo did not forget proper courtesy, still grasping for a slim chance.

“In that case, there is nothing more to say. If you wish to claim the Netherfire, take it yourself.” As the Guardian finished, deadly intent surged.

He waved his hand and vanished before Nuoluo, leaving no trace. The tiny spark disappeared with him—so strange, could it be the Netherfire?

The realization startled Nuoluo. Was the Netherfire truly like that? She had no time to ponder. As the Guardian vanished, the barrier transformed completely: the desolate earth became a hellish realm, the sparks gone, replaced by countless swords.

Sharp blades aimed directly at Nuoluo, howling with murderous intent.

As sword energy struck her protective barrier, it emitted a shrill sound, carving deep cracks into it.

A bone-chilling cold radiated from the sword tips, breaking through the protective barrier and seeping into Nuoluo’s body, an icy sensation more intense than anything she had faced in the River of Three Ways.

The cold slowly froze her, as if blades were slicing through her divine soul. She had never faced such a situation, never encountered such a formidable foe. The Guardian was the strongest being she had ever met.

He had spoken truly: intruders would have their divine souls destroyed. The divine soul is the foundation of a god’s existence; if hers shattered, she would vanish, and the fragments would likely be devoured by the ravenous spirits beyond the barrier. The thought of her soul being consumed by those vile spirits filled her with dread.

Outside her protective barrier, the swords continued their relentless assault. Were these swords real, or mere illusions? If illusions, how could she break them? If real, what could she do?

Nuoluo felt her barrier could no longer withstand the forceful attack; it began to fracture. The cold invaded even more fiercely.

The flames of the swords, born of fire spirit energy, grew faint; one had already extinguished, and the others flickered weaker and weaker, their brilliance fading. It was clear that soon, all would be snuffed out.

The enormous hexagonal snowflake shattered, dissolving into flakes that vanished as they touched the ground.

Nuoluo truly felt fear. She called desperately on the powers of ice and fire, but the giant snowflakes shattered instantly upon appearing, and the flaming swords gradually went out. They could not withstand the barrier’s attack. Her strength was drained bit by bit, while the barrier’s power grew ever stronger. What could she do?

Never before had her powers of ice and fire suffered such a defeat. Since she could remember, reaching the sixth tier meant invincibility. Now, both her powers had achieved the sixth layer, their combined strength far surpassing what could be achieved separately. Before meeting the Guardian, she rejoiced at her growing strength, breaking through again and again. But now, the true challenge had only begun; she had lost, utterly and completely.

The swords gradually sliced her protective barrier to pieces. At last, what she once believed invincible crumbled under this overwhelming assault, falling like shattered beads and vanishing as they touched the earth.

Nuoluo could no longer summon the protective barrier, nor call upon her spirit powers. She was left without any defenses.

The swords seized the opportunity, instantly piercing her body and leaving countless holes. The cold flowed through these wounds.

As the first wave of swords passed, a second wave struck, this time as if they had eyes—attacking not only the untouched parts of her body, but spinning ceaselessly.

“Ah…” No words could describe Nuoluo’s agony. Power that seemed to tear open the heavens, forces that could destroy the world, spun within her body; with each turn, she became more shattered. In her despair, she let out a cry of deepest pain.

She felt her strength fading, yet the intense pain kept her cruelly awake. She longed for sleep to escape the torment, but the blades’ sharpness denied even the solace of dying in her dreams.

So this is what it feels like for the heart to be pierced, for the divine soul to break in despair. She remembered the broken souls of her ancestors atop Sunset Mountain—their shattered lives had once endured such terrible scenes.

Thinking of her mother experiencing the same, “Mother, tell me, what should I do? How can I escape this predicament?” In her despair, Nuoluo recalled her mother’s gentle hands, her warm embrace, the fragile shoulder that always gave her strength.

Nuoluo collapsed helplessly onto the barren earth. Once, she was the Earth Goddess, able to draw power from any land; once, she believed she could face any challenge; once, she believed she could save the mortal realm. But reality shattered all her pride. The Guardian’s strength showed her what true power meant.

She watched the sky grow ever more blurred, the swords ever closer, the shadow of death creeping nearer. Resigned, she closed her eyes.

——— Afterword ———

Wishing everyone a happy New Year and swift success! May fortune come quickly!