Chapter 1690: Chapter 513: Netherworld Channel_2

Leonard Churchill asked again, “What is the Dead Passage?”

Elder Clinton did not drop the ball this time and explained directly, “Hmm… You can think of it as… a void space. It is a type of space that cannot be defined as space, a special passage for living creatures to travel to the Underworld.”

“???”

The description was a bit hard to follow, and neither Leonard Churchill nor Sophia Jones understood it.

However, seeing the indifferent expressions on their faces, Elder Clinton said impatiently, “Leonard Churchill, can you still laugh? Appearing here means you two are already dead!”

“Ah?”

Leonard Churchill’s eyes widened as his thoughts seemed unable to accept the information in that statement, and he asked, “We’re already dead?”

Upon hearing this, both he and Sophia Jones were genuinely surprised.

Weren’t they alive and well? How could they have died?

Elder Clinton explained with an anxious and trembling voice, “The ‘Dead Passage’ is the final journey for the souls of the living after death. For the living, being in this passage means they are already dead!”

“…”

Leonard Churchill still looked puzzled.

Pinching his own flesh, it didn’t feel like he was dead at all.

He exchanged glances with Sophia Jones again.

She felt the same.

“Aiyo, I can’t explain it clearly to you!”

Elder Clinton slapped his thigh sharply.

It was unclear whether he had truly forgotten or simply did not know.

The Old Man did not say more, muttering to himself words like “It’s over” and “It’s over.”

If someone else were to say such far-fetched things, Leonard Churchill and Sophia Jones would definitely not believe it.

But when Elder Clinton said it, they both believed without a doubt.

But… were they really dead?

They felt a sense of unreality that seemed absurd.

However, for some reason, Leonard Churchill felt that he should take it seriously, yet he couldn’t muster much sense of crisis.

He suddenly thought of Tracy Garcia, that girl, and asked, “Ah… but senior, I have a friend who can go to the Underworld, and it seems like there’s nothing wrong with her?”

Although he only knew that the Smith Family people had this special ability, it was, after all, an exception.

This gave Leonard Churchill the illusion as if the Underworld was just a special Plane.

That one could come and go.

Seeing his unconcerned expression, Elder Clinton said irritably, “Are you talking about the Angel Envoy who travels between the Life Spirit Realm and the Underworld? That is a capability only Spirit Communicators with special physiques possess. Moreover, it must be the envoy of some entity of the Underworld, or someone who has a Supreme treasure such as the Book of the Undead to return… otherwise, do you think anyone could?”

“…”

After hearing this, Leonard Churchill realized there might indeed be trouble.

But his thoughts quickly shifted, catching a detail: “Does that mean we’re actually not dead yet?”

Since living people could go to the Underworld, of course, they weren’t dead yet.

Elder Clinton rolled his eyes, “No, but it’s almost the same as being dead. If you can’t leave this passage within seven days, you’re certainly dead.”

Finally, the senior had described it accurately.

Did this mean they were currently in a state between ‘dead’ and ‘not dead’?

Leonard Churchill didn’t worry upon hearing this; instead, there was a hint of hope in his eyes.

Moreover, did they not have seven days to find a way back?

Since it was not a guaranteed death, for someone like Leonard Churchill, it wasn’t that urgent.

Indeed, having this senior by his side, there always seemed to be a glimmer of hope for survival.

With this thought, Leonard Churchill became more optimistic.

Elder Clinton saw this expression and said with a strange look, “You don’t really think you can find a way back in seven days, do you?”

Leonard Churchill and Sophia Jones looked back, questioning: Can’t we?

Elder Clinton said solemnly, “Even though your consciousness is still intact now, it won’t be long before it gets contaminated and dissipated by this Death Air… When that time comes, you’ll forget everything from your life.”

Speaking, his dark, jerky looking face was full of sorrow, and he added, “Also, the roots of this World Tree are the guide banishing people to the Underworld. Now that our souls are bound by the roots, it’s impossible to break free… This is why I told you earlier not to touch these World Tree roots!”

Upon hearing that consciousness would dissipate, Leonard Churchill and Sophia Jones suddenly understood how Emperor Lanlingster had banished the Golden Dragon God Marlodis to the Underworld ten millennia ago.

They began to realize the gravity of the situation.

If their consciousness dissipated, no matter the condition of their bodies, wouldn’t that be death?

Leonard Churchill looked around at the mist, not feeling that “sense of memory loss,” and a thought suddenly popped into his head: Could that “unknown energy” devoured by the Feast be the Contamination Source?

With that thought, Leonard Churchill utilized the Feast, starting to devour all the Extraordinary Traits nearby.

Whether it was the source of contamination or not, he decided to try it out first.

“Senior, is there anything else we need to pay attention to in this Netherworld Channel…”

“How would I know? I’ve only heard it from others. Otherwise, do you think this place is meant for the living?”

“Who did you hear it from? Emperor Lanlingster?”

“Emperor who?”

“…”

After a few more questions to Elder Clinton, Leonard Churchill did not receive any more information.

The Old Man was off-duty and habitually unreliable.

Leonard Churchill then discussed their situation with the Nether Peacock.

Expecting that this Mythical Creature of Hellish Breed would know some information, he was surprised to get another result.

After the exchange, Leonard Churchill found out that the ‘Hell’ he previously perceived wasn’t part of the Underworld, but rather some special Planes.

Only after crossing the River of the Underworld would one reach the true Underworld–a place from which even the Gods cannot return.

Leonard Churchill was truly confused.

Just like an insect inside a glass dome, completely incapable of understanding the world beyond the glass.