Chapter 231: Broken Divine Spark

"This Zombie Jiao-dragon has clearly been living happily in the lake, but now there's someone who insists on hunting it. An ordinary man is guiltless; however, such treasures will be the cause of guilt. If that's the case, then I will remove that scarlet pearl and save your life!" Xiao Yu cried as he leapt. Water dragons formed from thin air and, one after another, hugged the Zombie Jiao-dragon like a robe and firmly bound it.

Xiao Yu hovered beside the Zombie Jiao-dragon, carefully stretched out his hand, and removed the scarlet pearl from the Zombie Jiao-dragon's forehead.

The Zombie Jiao-dragon's blood red body rapidly transformed back to its original form.

Xiao Yu waved his right hand and the water dragons quickly disappeared, releasing the Zombie Jiao-dragon. It fearfully eyed Xiao Yu, then dived back into the lake, not daring to snatch the scarlet pearl back from his hands.

Xiao Yu skimmed and landed on the shore. He turned towards Xiao Ning'er and said, "Ning'er, you've integrated with the Heavenly Lightning Sparrow. Although this treasured pearl isn't specially suitable for your attributes, it could still help your cultivation enormously. I'll gift it to you!"

Hearing Xiao Yu, words, Xiao Ning'er immediately shook her head and said, "Sorry, this item is too precious. I can't take it!"

She faintly understood what's going on: Xiao Yu was interested in her. However, she quickly refused as she didn't want Nie Li to misunderstand her relationship with him.

"Since Ning'er isn't willing to accept it, why don't you give it to me?" Nie Li smiled as he walked in front of Xiao Ning'er, snatching the pearl from Xiao Yu's hands.

Xiao Yu was slightly stunned and couldn't react. How could there be such a shameless person in this world? When did he say that he would give the pearl to Nie Li?

"Then it's yours," Xiao Yu played it off. Although the pearl was an uncommon treasure, Xiao Yu obviously didn't regard it with much importance.

Nie Li tucked it away and winked at Xiao Ning'er. This pearl will have enormous benefit towards Ning'er's cultivation. However, if she were to accept it, then she would owe Xiao Yu a tremendous favor. On the other hand, if Nie Li were to accept it, then there wouldn't be so many worries. Debts wouldn't give him any pressure.

"Then, I'll say my thanks," Nie Li waved his hands. In Nie Li's mind, even if he owes someone, he'll still take action against them, if necessary.

Ye Ziyun couldn't help laughing. She was used to Nie Li's shamelessness. Back when Ye Han had given her the Frozen Jade Bracelet, Nie Li had also been the one to accept it in her place. He then pushed it onto her later on, despite her unwillingness to wear it.

Seeing the expression in Nie Li's eyes, Xiao Ning'er's face turned slightly red. She lowered her head without a word.

"Let's go," said Nie Li as he prepared to look for even more Spiritual Origin Fruits. There was still some time until the selection of the Master of the Nether Realm's disciple. It should be sufficient.

"Brother Nie Li, since you've come all the way here, are you trying to become the disciple of the Master of the Nether Realm? With brother Nie Li's ability, even if you don't manage to become the disciple of the Master of the Nether Realm, you will still have an extraordinary future." Xiao Yu laughed.

"I don't care about becoming the disciple of the Master of the Nether Realm myself, but I have to help my friends plan for the future and find masters for them. To live in this world, one must have a backer. It's shadier under a large tree. There have been countless geniuses that have fallen because there was no one supporting them." Nie Li replied.

At Nie Li's words, Xiao Yu laughed involuntarily. So Nie Li brought his friends to the Master of the Nether Realm's disciple selection just to find a support?

"Brother Nie Li, why don't we discuss this little?" Xiao Yu transmitted his voice over, "If you give me Ning'er, I'll be your backer. How about that?"

Hearing Xiao Yu's words, a chilling light flashed through Nie Li's eyes. "Ning'er is not an object. She cannot be 'given'. If she likes you, I won't get in your way. However, if she doesn't like you and you can't get the hint, I might end up getting impolite."

Xiao Yu's brows slightly twitched as he laughed, "I was just joking."

Looking at Xiao Yu's expression, Nie Lie couldn't tell whether Xiao Yu was joking or being serious. Regardless, Nie Li was still very unhappy towards Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu already tried to provoke him several times. If it hadn't been for the large gap in power, Nie Li would've done something about it a while back.

Xiao Yu motioned with his hands and the hairpin returned to him.

Earlier, Xiao Yu had used this hairpin and sent Cang Ming's lightning spear flying. The workmanship of this jade hairpin was exquisite. It appeared translucent and sparkled without a single energy ripple marring its surface. However, from the workmanship of this jade hairpin, Nie Li could sense that the craftsman was definitely not an ordinary person. This small jade hairpin contained boundless artistic creativity.

Nie Li couldn't help muttering to himself, "A grown man actually used a jade hairpin as his weapon."

Nie Li looked at the fingers that Xiao Yu had used to hold the hairpin. They were long and slender. His jade white fingers looked like the fingers of a lady who had never done any chores in her entire life.

Nie Li stared at Xiao Yu for a long time and couldn't help snorting in disdain. Xiao Yu was so beautiful that he didn't look like a man at all.

Appearing to have sensed Nie Li's disdain, Xiao Yu coughed and said, "This jade hairpin was a memento from my mother."

Nie Li shrugged and said, "Why are you telling me? I never asked anything."

"You..." Xiao Yu felt indignant since Nie Li's expression had already said everything. However, after a brief moment, Xiao Yu managed to calm his heart and ceased to care about what Nie Li thought anymore.

The three of them walked with Nie Li in search of the others and more Spiritual Origin Fruits.

At the same time, in another region of the first layer of Nine-Layered Deathlands, Lu Piao, Du Ze, Duan Jian and four others walked together. Along they way, they had managed to find each other and were now in search of Nie Li, Ye Ziyun, and Xiao Ning'er, in addition to the Spiritual Origin Fruit.

"We finally found a Spiritual Origin Fruit!" Lu Piao's body was covered with wounds: signs of a battle. He snorted and said, "Idiots dared to snatch our Spiritual Origin Fruit. They were simply looking for death."

A short distance away, dozens of people were lying on the ground in a heap, all pretending to be dead.

Those people were all wallowing in misery. They were the ones who had found the Spiritual Origin Fruit first when Lu Piao happened upon them. Lu Piao had insisted on taking what was rightfully theirs, so they'd given him a nasty beating. However, Lu Piao only got pissed. When Duan Jian eventually caught up, Lu Piao got Duan Jian to return the favor to them.

Just what kind of monster was that winged guy? No matter how much they attacked, they never broke through his defenses. In addition, his strength was also very frightening and he'd nearly shattered their bones. If someone stood up, he would be beaten back down. This continued until no one dared to get up again.

"Hmph! Hmph! To have actually dared to beat me up, didn't you know I have backup?" Lu Piao snorted. However, when he looked at his bruised and swollen self, he felt gloomy all over again.

Duan Jian had exchanged several blows with his opponents, but didn't have a scratch on him. Lu Piao looked between Duan Jian's body and his own and couldn't help sighing. Comparing himself to Duan Jian was really frustrating. It seems that he'd has to work harder to strengthen his physique; otherwise, if another fight broke out, he'd just be beaten miserably. Again.

After obtaining the Spiritual Origin Fruit, the group continued their search.

Once Lu Piao and his group had walked far away, those people got up again, groaning.

"Where were those people from?"

"Which family's young master is having an outing?"

"We only wanted that Spiritual Origin Fruit. Why did we have to suffer this?" A man with a bruised and swollen face said in depressed spirits. He had been beaten the worst. He had suffered hurricanes of punches to the face until his tears almost came out.

This group of people were in an extremely miserable state. They would likely require a few months to recover from their wounds.

Lu Piao and the group continued to search for traces of Nie Li and the rest. Since they didn't know which direction they should walk in, they ended up walking straight, and gradually entered the depths of the first layer of the Deathlands. Even though the first layer was relatively safe, there were also many lurking dangers.

Occasionally, skeletons would pop up through the ground. These were the experts that had died in the Deathlands. After stewing in the saturated death aura for so long, their corpses turned into terrifying monsters.

Duan Jian took the lead and killed the skeletons along the way. The others had merged with their demon spirits and entered the battle.

At this moment, Nie Li and his group were also gradually getting deeper and deeper into the Nine-Layered Deathlands.

Suddenly, Nie Li sensed powerful auras sweeping past, stemming from a source not far away. These auras belonged to Demigod rank experts. There were dozens of them flying close to the ground, towards the depths of the first layer.

"What's going on? Why are there so many Demigod rank experts appearing here?" Nie Li asked as he glanced at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu's brows were slightly knitted. It was indeed a little strange for so many Demigod rank experts to appear in that area. It was highly likely that they'd gathered to search for something.

"Beats me," Xiao Yu shook his head.

"I thought you knew everything. So there's stuff that you're unaware of as well." Nie Li smiled.

Xiao Yu was at a loss for words for a brief moment.

"We should go take a look. You guys follow behind me, I'll guarantee your safety!" Xiao Yu said as he skimmed towards the front.

Nie Li pondered as he glanced at Ye Ziyun and Xiao Ning'er. He spoke in a soft voice, "We'll follow and have a look. But don't blindly believe his words. If the situation turns bad, we'll flee."

Hearing Nie Li's words, Ye Ziyun couldn't refrain from covering her mouth and quietly laughed. Xiao Ning'er was also smiling. Nie Li had always been sly. There were very few people that could make him suffer a loss.

Nie Li, Ye Ziyun, and Xiao Ning'er followed behind at a distance. Xiao Yu had no choice but to slow his steps, moving back together with the three of them.

Depths of the Nine-Layered Deathlands', first layer

A terrifying roar sounded throughout the first layer of the Deathlands as the entire ground trembled.

*Rumble!* *Rumble!* *Rumble!*

A huge tomb rose from the ground, accompanied by the collapse of countless skeletons. The tomb slowly rose higher and higher into the sky. On the roof of the tomb were piles of human skeletons. The walls were filled with all kinds of detailed inscription patterns, infused with a sinister and terrifying aura.

A huge figure quietly floating above the tomb. It was a huge skeleton with sharp bone spikes growing all over its entire body. The bone spikes would change into wings or armor occasionally. Endless quantities of Law Energy revolved around the creature.

About fifty to sixty Demigod rank experts stood in the sky far away, their faces were filled with ecstasy and excitement.

"It's the shattered Divine Spark of the God of Death!"

The God of Death was a Spiritual God expert who wielded the Law of Death. However, millions of years ago, he suddenly disappeared. No one knew where he had gone. Some say that the God of Death had been killed in a battle with the Master of the Nether Realm.

However, it was merely a rumor. Among the laws, the Law of Death was second to the Law of Time and Space, the Law of Nether, and a handful of others. The majority didn't believe that the God of Death had actually been destroyed.

No one thought they'd encounter the broken Divine Spark of the God of Death in a place like this!