The Demon Slayer Martial Saint Begins with Insect Refining

Chapter 436 River of the Dead

Of the nine, seven were young, all of them sharp and imposing.

One of them, dressed in a long white dress, stood amidst the yellow sand, which was so dense that it could not get close to her, like a white flower in the sandstorm.

"Dongxian Island Stone Phoenix"

Su Yan recognized the person and also saw Shi Fengyi's cultivation level: Golden Body at the third level, with profound and mysterious true essence, like an endless sea reaching the sky. She was truly a powerful figure.

The second was a young man with a long sword, sharp eyes, and a chiseled face. He exuded brilliance, his true essence condensing into sword energy, shattering the nearby yellow sand. At this moment, his cultivation level was also clearly at the Golden Body Realm.

"Swallows roam freely in the Pavilion of Longevity"

The third place went to Bai Nian, a Daoist disciple of the Dayan Daoist Sect, dressed in a Daoist robe. His long hair was tied behind his back, and he had a handsome and kind face with a faint smile on his face. However, he also exuded the aura of the Golden Body Realm.

The battle-hardened Hai, whose bloodline of the Blood Ember Dragon is fully revealed; Ye Qingmei, who wields green leaves as swords; Xiao Wujiu, who roars with a hundred ghosts...

The seven young martial artists, including Su Yan, were all renowned figures on the Dragon Gate Ranking. Moreover, having entered the Corpse Desert, it was impossible for them not to obtain any opportunities given their abilities.

It was precisely for this reason that they achieved breakthroughs one after another, entering the ranks of the Golden Body Realm.

It was only by crossing the Golden Body Realm and joining forces with each other, or by relying on the power of other martial artists, that they obtained the Yellow Springs Token.

There may not be ten guardians, but those who are favored by the Yellow Springs Token must have undergone extraordinary trials, and its owner must have the ability to advance to the next test.

Aside from a few young martial artists, the old man with snow-white hair and sharp, piercing eyes, Huanglong, and the one-eyed man beside him completely shrouded in black robes, were all people who had obtained the Yellow Springs Token.

At this moment, the yellow sand of bones was constantly collapsing, actually accompanied by the appearance of a huge vortex in the sky. The environment here was undergoing a devastating change, with the edge of the yellow sand constantly being destroyed, and the boundary of the desert of bones was already clearly visible.

Immediately afterwards, a dizzying sensation suddenly struck, and the nine figures were instantly swept into a huge vortex in the sky. The yellow sand disappeared, and the nine people fell like shooting stars into an even stranger space.

The space here was pitch black, as if the entire sky had been soaked in black ink.

There were no stars, sun, or moon in the sky, and no source of light, yet Su Yan and his companions could see without any obstruction.

As everyone gazed into the distance, all they saw was endless darkness. The gruesome white bones on the ground had become mere background. The real protagonist was the long, icy river that flowed across the gray-black Gobi Desert.

The Yellow Springs water surged continuously, flowing into the distance, its source ending at the feet of Su Yan and his group of nine.

"Those who possess the Yellow Springs Token may enter the Yellow Springs; those who cannot withstand it may crush the Yellow Springs Token and exit the secret realm."

A majestic voice rang out above the nine people, and everyone's expressions tightened, immediately realizing that this was the rule for the second trial.

The crowd stared solemnly at the Yellow Spring Water before them. Their martial arts instincts told them that the Yellow Spring Water contained a power that instilled fear in them.

Going to the underworld is probably not a good idea.

"Fellow Daoists, has anyone heard of the Yellow Springs Water?"

Bai Nian of the Dayan Dao Sect asked the crowd with a smile, as if they were friends who had come together to explore rather than competitors.

"White Fox"

Yan Heng glanced at Bai Nian out of the corner of his eye, and couldn't help but think of Bai Nian's past appearance. She was indeed kind, but she was also full of holes in her heart.

The old man Huanglong said, "I've heard that the two leaders of the Nine Nether Sect received part of the Yama King's inheritance. I wonder if my disciple knows anything about the Yellow Springs?"

Xiao Wujiu stared coldly at the old man Huanglong. Asking him at this moment was clearly ill-intentioned, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"Huanglong, if you have any questions, why don't you ask my master?"

Although the old man Huanglong had a full head of white hair and looked old and frail, his cultivation was probably the strongest among the nine people present—the ninth level of the Golden Body Realm.

However, his cultivation level was far inferior to that of the two leaders of the Nine Nether Sect, Gu You and Gu Li, who were both Martial Saints.

If he dared to ask, he would probably be shot dead on the spot in the next second.

The old man Huanglong's eyes were deep and mysterious: "You've misunderstood, my son. I'm not curious about the inheritance of the two sect leaders. It's just that for this second test, the more information we have, the more confident we will be."

The old man Huanglong spoke in a grand and righteous manner, but since everyone was originally a competitor, even if Xiao Wujiu knew this, why would he tell everyone?
"Huang Long, if you want to take action, just say so."

Xiao Wujiu unleashed his full power. Although he was only at the first level of the Golden Body Realm, the aura he exuded made everyone shudder.

Su Yan's senses became even sharper, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. Xiao Wujiu had probably obtained a new opportunity here. Not only had he broken through, but he had also refined the remnant soul of the Martial Saint into the main soul of his Myriad Soul Banner.

The so-called Emperor's Banner is now a mid-grade fifth-order Dao weapon, and its potential is far from exhausted.

Xiao Wujiu's assertiveness caused Old Man Huanglong's face to darken. He had originally wanted to extract information from him, but now things had turned out this way.

'What's this kid relying on?'

On the surface, Xiao Wujiu is not considered powerful, and his ranking on the Dragon Gate List is relatively low, but his current demeanor has left Huang Long puzzled.

He was of course unaware that Xiao Wujiu's reliance was not only on the Emperor's Banner, but also on Su Yan.

Given their past friendship, if they were to actually fight, it's hard to say what others might think, but the two of them could definitely join forces.

With Su Yan's methods, it doesn't matter if he hasn't broken through yet, because his ferocious insects are not to be trifled with.

"I have heard that the Yellow Springs Water is a terrifying thing that can destroy bones and corrode flesh. Even a Golden Body Realm martial artist who has trained in external martial arts cannot withstand the corrosive effects of the Yellow Springs Water. Once you enter the Yellow Springs, your skin and flesh will be gone, and you will be in hell."

A red light flashed in the single eye of the sinister, mysterious man as he swept his gaze over the crowd.

"Ghost Eye Du Zhe, you actually managed to stay. It seems the outsiders underestimated you."

Yan Heng pointed out the person's name. Although his eyes still revealed arrogance, a closer look would reveal a hint of apprehension in them.

"I am grateful that Fellow Daoist Yan remembers me, but I dare not compare myself to you geniuses."

The Yellow Springs Water is a secret substance from the hell realm. Although there are rumors about it, no one knows whether it is true or not.

At this moment, Shi Fengyi took a step forward and entered the Yellow Springs River. The Yellow Springs Token in her hand turned into a thin layer of light to cover her body and briefly blocked the Yellow Springs water.

But only a moment later, the Yellow Spring Token transformed into a fluorescent light, no longer obstructing the flow. The eerie Yellow Spring water directly contacted Shi Fengyi's skin. Her protective robe failed to block it in the slightest, as if it were nothing, allowing the Yellow Spring water to corrode her skin. A sizzling sound immediately followed, and Shi Fengyi's fair skin instantly ulcerated. Her golden body appeared, and her Dharma form merged with her, but this only slightly slowed down the corrosion.

True essence was completely ineffective at this moment, and the boiling Yellow Spring water was directly targeting the physical body.

Shi Fengyi's expression changed slightly, but she steadied herself in the next moment, her physical body resisting the erosion of the Yellow Spring water. Her blood and qi surged, and she walked step by step into the Yellow Spring River towards a more distant place.

Everyone was astonished. Suddenly, Xiao Wujiu's secret voice rang out. Su Yan's expression changed slightly, and he immediately heard: "The Yellow Springs River erodes the physical body, but the soul does not die. As long as you can withstand the pain of bone-destroying and flesh-eroding, you can be reborn. The farther you go, the more benefits you will receive."

Xiao Wujiu indeed knew about the Yellow Springs River, and even Gu Li and Gu You from back then probably stumbled into the Yellow Springs River's trials by accident.

After Xiao Wujiu finished speaking, he plunged into the Yellow Springs River. He concentrated his true essence and his physical body came into direct contact with the Yellow Springs River. His slightly pale skin was instantly eroded by a thin layer of flesh, turning it crimson.

Xiao Wujiu's actions surprised everyone, and Yan Heng's eyes lit up: "So that's how it is."

His senses were incredibly sharp. He could sense a faint increase in the aura emanating from Shi Fengyi, whose flesh and blood were being constantly eroded. The Yellow Springs Water was a test, but also a reward.

He sheathed his longsword and, like himself, entered the underworld. His expression suddenly changed, and a feeling of pain instantly spread throughout his body, as if countless knives had turned into molten iron, slicing across his body.

With these three as examples, Li Zhanhai, Bai Nian, and Ye Qingmei all went to the Yellow Springs.

Old Man Huanglong and Ghost Eye Du Zhe were also worried about falling behind, so they flew into the Yellow Springs. Pain swept over their entire bodies, but as their flesh was being eroded, a wisp of Yellow Springs power also surged into their souls and merged into their bones.

Su Yan was the last to enter the Yellow Springs. By the time he stepped in, Shi Fengyi, who was the first to enter the Yellow Springs, had already walked a hundred meters away.

The Yellow Spring water soaked through his body, and the pain came instantly, as if he were immersed in magma with a strong corrosive effect. The burning, stinging, and piercing pain was enough to make him go into shock.

Su Yan subconsciously tried to use his true essence, but found that it was completely sealed in his dantian and meridians and could not be mobilized at all.

Only the physical body can resist the erosion of the Yellow Springs Water. The more it resists, the more it can draw upon the transformative power from the Yellow Springs Water.

"Relying solely on physical strength?"

Su Yan smiled, and his insect-bone armor body instantly covered his entire body. In the Ferocious Insect Technique, the body-refining technique of the Ferocious Insect was directly activated, and the wounds that had been eroded were now healing rapidly. His figure instantly stabilized, and he was still in the form of an insect-bone armor body.

Once he steadied himself, Su Yan continued to resist the corrosive effects of the Yellow Spring Water, walking step by step towards a more distant place.

With each step forward, the intensity of the erosion increases, and the excruciating pain is enough to drive a Golden Body Realm martial artist mad.

will!

Su Yan felt intense pain, and also sensed that in the constant struggle, wisps of Yellow Spring power were flowing into his body, and the further he went, the stronger this power became.

At the same time, he realized that the Yellow Springs River was not only a test of physical strength, but also a tempering of will. Two steps away, it felt as if he had been cut into a thousand pieces and then doused with a basin of sulfuric acid. The pain was extreme and completely focused on his soul, making it impossible to isolate the pain.

Even Su Yan couldn't help but feel his soul waver slightly.

But it only wavered slightly, because Su Yan's soul was far more resolute than that of an ordinary martial artist.

Under such immense pressure and pain, Su Yan took several steps forward in a short period of time. The intensity and pressure of the erosion suddenly increased, but his speed remained unchanged.

In just a few breaths, Su Yan actually passed by Ghost Eye Du Zhe and Old Man Huanglong.

"How can it be?!"

The two stared in disbelief at Su Yan, who had suddenly overtaken them. He was shrouded in dark gold and covered with a hard, black insect armor. Although it was becoming pitted and uneven due to corrosion, a powerful force was visible within Su Yan, gradually repairing his insect armor.

Within this hundred-step distance, the erosion was completely unable to stop Su Yan.

The two were filled with shock and doubt, almost grinding their teeth to powder. By this time, their skin had already been eroded, and their blood-red muscles were completely exposed, and the muscles were also being eroded.

"Damn my innate martial physique, and damn my external martial arts training!"

A sinister glint flashed in Du Zhe's eyes. He had never heard of Hong Wuji being a master of external martial arts. Where did Su Yan get such a strong physical body?
They naturally didn't know that, in addition to his insect-bone-armored body, Su Yan also possessed the ferocious insect characteristic of an indestructible core, as well as the cultivation technique and supernatural power of a flesh-and-blood demonic embryo.

The three combined are practically immortal.

Not to mention, in Su Yan's Ferocious Insect Technique, the Ferocious Insect Body Refining Part incorporates the Rock Undying Body technique of the Rock Martial Saint, as well as the Tiger Subduing King Body, Poison Dragon Profound Skill, Five Poisons Body Forging Scripture, and other body-strengthening techniques from the Beast King Sect.

In fact, the body-refining part of Su Yan's body from the ferocious insects can be called the Undying Body of the Ferocious Insects.

His physical strength is unmatched by ordinary martial artists.

With his incredibly strong physical body, Su Yan advanced step by step, and the terrifying corrosive power and pressure of the Yellow Spring Water were instead countered by his powerful physique.

One hundred meters away, Ye Qingmei's skin was corroded, her flesh was pierced, and she became extremely ugly, like a skeleton covered in blood and flesh. Her eyes flickered with the fire of her soul, and her gaze was as firm as an unyielding blade of grass, as she moved forward step by step.

When Su Yan passed by her, her insect-bone armor had already been corroded away. Although it was still recovering, the erosion of the Yellow Spring Water had eventually reached her body, and her skin began to be slowly corroded away.

At 150 meters, Xiao Wujiu's condition was slightly worse than Ye Qingmei's, but his soul was stronger. Beneath his bones, his soul was like a resilient giant tree.

Su Yan only took a few breaths to surpass Xiao Wujiu.

Two hundred meters away, Li Zhanhai fully activated his physical body. The Blood Ember Dragon Body gave him a powerful physique, preventing the Yellow Spring Water from completely eroding his flesh and blood, and he walked with firm steps.

He was only truly frightened when he saw Su Yan's back as he passed him.

Bai Nian, who was 220 meters away, and Yan Heng, who was 250 meters away... Although they were a bit far apart, compared to Su Yan, who came from behind, they could only grit their teeth in frustration.

The person furthest away, Shi Fengyi, was stronger than Su Yan had expected. Despite the terrifying pressure from Huang Quan, she had actually walked step by step to a distance of four hundred meters.

The Yellow Springs surged, and Shi Fengyi's flesh and blood were completely eroded, leaving only a pale skeleton, which walked forward step by step.

This sight was truly shocking and terrifying, because at a distance of four hundred meters, the intense pain brought by that terrifying power was enough to drive a Golden Body Realm cultivator insane.

Xiao Wujiu was the most shocked, because the distance that Gu You had walked back then was only 367 meters, nothing more.

If he continued down this path, the intense pain would be enough to destroy his soul.

(End of this chapter)