Another Cliché Cultivation Story

Chapter 108

“General Fuhai, Lord Di Han— it has been a while,” Di Han greeted them with a warm smile.

His appearance didn’t garner much of a reaction from the Grahas, but they all recognized him. A Nether turned Graha, his name and talent were widely known, just like all those similar to him. Yet, they were not impressed. He was part of the handful from the Upper World who were sent down here along with the first princess to aid in the task of taking over the Mortal Desolate World, as well as to find the predecessor’s legacy— to which he had failed both. Thus, they had no respect to give him, only their disdain instead. On the other hand, members of the Nether race looked at him with slight envy. Ignoring his failure, becoming a Graha was many of their wishes.

Fuhai was likewise indifferent, “Di Wentian? So you’re still alive. Where is the first princess?”

“I do not know,” Di Wentian shook his head. Though he felt their unhappiness, a smile still played on his lips.

He explained, “When the Chaos Tunnels were sealed with the Three Tongue Gist, we were all trapped here. To avoid being hunted, we decided to go our separate ways for a chance at survival. I have not seen the first princess since, and have been only waiting for your return.”

“…”

Fuhai quietly listened, barely registering his words as he inspected this man before him. He had a strange feeling. Having spent so much of his life on the battlefield and fighting, his experience told him Di Wentian was dangerous, but he wasn’t sure why.

This Di Wentian was the top genius of the Nether race and belonged to the same generation as the first princess. Back then, he was trailing behind her by a considerable amount, so why is it now I’m getting a hint of dread from him?

If Fuhai was in the Upper World, then naturally, he had nothing to fear. However, it was as Hong Tian once said— here, in the Lower World, everyone was on an even playing field. Death was entirely possible, even for someone like him.

Fuhai kept his guard up before following up with another question, “Why did you attack the Fey princess earlier? What were you trying to do?”

“Fey?” Di Wentian looked surprised. “I had just arrived. Thinking she was a native of this world, I thought I’d get rid of her for you, General Fuhai. I didn’t know she was a Fey princess.”

“Is that so…?” Fuhai’s face was unreadable, yet inwardly, he was skeptical. He recalled the conversation he had with Di Han earlier— regarding the Nether’s rebelliousness and he examined his expression.

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Di Han doesn’t seem to be planning anything. As for him…

“Di Wentian,” Di Han suddenly spoke out. “What was that soul attack earlier? It is different from the others of our kind.”

Fuhai raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

Soul attack? I was too distracted earlier to notice. What was different about Di Wentian’s soul attack?

Di Wentian smiled mysteriously, “How observant of you, Lord Di Han. That was something I created upon stumbling on some inspiration here in the Mortal Desolate World. All these years, I have not been idle, having improved myself. If you would like, my Lord, I could teach it to you and all those of the Nether race. With it, I believe we will be strong enough.”

Di Han had a complicated expression.

Why is everyone speaking so cryptically? First, General Fuhai and now, Di Wentian. What are they trying to say? The former seemed to be warning me while the latter, hinting at something.

“What are you even saying?” Di Han asked, his brows knitting tightly. “I felt the power of the nether water within that soul attack, something that should’ve been impossible. You know as well as I do that nether water, by its nature, is ineffective against the Graha. And beyond that, our Eighteen Cyclic Hell cultivation method is fundamentally incompatible with the Soul Essence Vessel the Graha uses. Ours relies on true essence, theirs on soul essence— they cannot be combined.”

He paused, remembering the strangeness of the attack, “And there was more,” he murmured, as his mind returned to the black and red beam of fog. The black hue was unmistakably nether water… but the red? What exactly was it?

“You mentioned stumbling on some inspiration, what did you discover?”

“Believe it or not,” Di Wentian grinned, “It was from something Han Lan left behind.”

“What?”

Di Han and Fuhai, who had been listening intently, felt a chill on their skin. For Fuhai, he felt the strings tightening on his arms and legs.

“You… used something that belonged to Han Lan? Are you an idiot?” Fuhai questioned as his fist tightened with displeasure.

Di Wentian was confused, but the confidence on his face didn’t fade.

Di Han glared at him, “Are you not aware that the Empress is a Seer?”

“Did you not think for a moment that the things she left behind were deliberate? Have you been stuck down here for so long that you have forgotten the things she’d done above? Since when are any of her actions without reason?”

“I am very well aware of what that woman is capable of,” Di Wentian replied calmly. “That’s why I have never used that item personally, only from the hands of others. I—“

Before Di Wentian could finish speaking, Fuhai appeared in front of him in a flash, a terrible screech filling the air as his grip tightened around Di Wentian’s neck.

“Foolish!” He roared. “Do you think of yourself clever? Hundreds of years ago before we sent you here, we had warned every one of you to be cautious. The goal was simple, annihilate and attain. Nothing more! The greater the time you spend here, the more opportunities for the Empress to slowly gain influence on you. Now, after so many years have passed, it appears that she had you in her grasp. Graha you may be, but a Nether you still are— worthless!”

“…”

Di Wentian held his silence, his emerald eyes locked on Fuhai, devoid of emotions. But hidden deep within them, an intense hatred simmered. Blackened water, tinged with a hint of red, began to seep out from the skin of his hand, casting a dark aura on his arm, just as he was prepared to act— to kill, a massive shadow approached from the distance and captured their attention.