Chapter 1689: Chapter 513 Netherworld Channel

Leonard Churchill and his companions watched as the death-laden tree roots were thrown into the Elemental Spring, and in a blink of an eye, the entire Secret Realm transformed into a world of roots.

Everyone seemed like worms underground, trapped within the densely intertwined tree roots.

It was only then that Leonard Churchill realized that from the beginning, the Sun Sect and the Crimson Sect’s goal was this [Moon Well].

After all, all spells and magic required energy consumption, and the energy needed to recall the Golden Dragon God Marlodis from the Underworld was unimaginable; this was definitely not something that two guerrilla Outer God Sects could manage.

Thus, their initial plan was to draw Elemental Energy from the [Moon Well].

Only the Elemental Energy accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years in this Secret Realm could support the spread of the World Tree’s roots from the Plane of Life to the Underworld.

The reason they acted now was because the two heretical sects had always been under close watch by the main forces of the Holy Tribunal, which prevented any overt actions. By having Madam Mister’s team explore through that ancient map, they were able to do so secretly and safely.

Just like now.

“Old Bible” used Madam Mister’s location to pinpoint the Moon Spring.

Their arrival achieved their goal, and the forces of the Holy Tribunal had no way to stop them.

From a certain perspective, Leonard Churchill and his companions even inadvertently aided the two sects.

But that was no longer important.

What was important was that the World Tree’s roots had suddenly spread throughout the entire Secret Realm, blocking even the secret passage they had come from with omnipresent roots.

The scale of the roots here was countless times larger than those in the Mirror Secret Realm.

They had planned to escape if things went south, but now, it seemed that the entire Death Domain was covered by the World Tree’s roots.

And that was not the worst part.

As the World Tree’s roots spread, a special muddy, fishy smell permeated the entire space.

The air also filled with a layer of hazy fog, which mixed with a strong sense of death and a cold, dark atmosphere.

It was as if a deep well had been uncovered, releasing some dangerous air from underground, growing increasingly intense.

Seeing this, a heavy feeling surged uncontrollably in Leonard Churchill’s heart: “The Air of the Dead? Has the Netherworld Channel been completely opened…?”

The reason he was so sure, aside from knowing Old Bible’s goal, was because he had witnessed it once before.

Back then, at the Upper State Prison, the New King of Orlan had summoned The Gate of the Underworld, and the sensation was extremely similar.

…

“Old Bible” and the Cloaked Figure had disappeared, and the white crows in the sky had also vanished.

In an instant, the fog had become so dense that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

However, as Leonard observed the surrounding fog, he surprisingly found that the fog contained a weak trace of Extraordinary Traits, similar to Elemental Power.

[Using Feast Devour, unknown Dark Elemental Affinity +0.001]

[Using Feast Devour, unknown Dark Elemental Affinity +0.002]

[…]

Though weak, the absorbed element was that “unknown element”.

“What’s going on?”

Leonard Churchill felt that something was off.

The natural Elemental Powers in the air had completely vanished, replaced by this Dark Element.

Sophia Jones also sensed something and turned her head, whispering, “Something is wrong with the environment!”

She too realized that it was impossible to draw Elemental Power from the surroundings, yet she couldn’t pinpoint the exact issue.

The Nether Peacock, however, saw through it and plainly stated, “This is the air of the Netherworld…”

Leonard Churchill of course knew it was the air of the Netherworld.

But logically, even if these roots connected to the Netherworld, it shouldn’t result in a total absence of normal elements around.

He had originally thought the greatest danger would be the “white crow,” but instead of the crow harming anyone, the environment itself had suddenly become unfamiliar.

However, before they could understand what exactly had happened, Leonard Churchill felt Elder Clinton, who was on his shoulder, move slightly.

Leonard quickly put him down and asked, “Elder, are you awake?”

Just a moment ago, he still felt a persistent sense of fatal crisis, but seeing Elder Clinton suddenly waking up, that sense of crisis strangely wasn’t as strong anymore.

The anchor of life was back.

“Oh my… What happened to me…”

Elder Clinton appeared as if he had drunk himself into memory loss, rubbing his groggy head as he woke up.

As he observed the three pairs of eyes staring at him, he touched the back of his head and displayed his characteristically sleazy smile: “Leonard lad, what are you lot looking at me for?”

Seeing his expression, Leonard knew he hadn’t assumed his Other Identity, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he also said, “Elder, you were reading the [Forbidden Ruins Stele] and then you fainted…”

He knew the old man probably forgot, and wanted to help jog his memory, maybe to glean some useful clues.

Perhaps what content he saw that caused him to faint.

But before he could finish, Elder Clinton noticed the fog around them, shivered suddenly, and cried out: “Oh no! How did you guys end up in the Netherworld?”

As he spoke, the old man showed a sleazy, regretful expression: “This is bad, this is bad… I’m not ready to die yet, how did I end up here so confusedly.”

Leonard Churchill: “…”

Sophia Jones: “…”

Although the Peacock didn’t understand their conversation, Elder Clinton’s expression of clinging to life didn’t seem like a good sign.

Leonard Churchill caught onto something and, with a slightly uncertain tone, asked, “Elder, is this the Netherworld?”

They were just in the Death Domain, how did they end up in the Netherworld?

He would rather doubt his own senses than question the judgment of this esteemed elder.

Sophia Jones also looked puzzled.

Listening to the inquiry, Elder Clinton took a closer look around and then seemed to relax a bit: “Oh no, it’s not the Netherworld yet… Someone has opened The Gate of the Underworld, did you guys run into the Dead Passage?”