The news of a mysterious Grand Canyon appearing in the uninhabited area had long since spread out.
It was Mu Can, preoccupied with his Cultivation, who was the last to learn of this matter.
"Why does this place look so sinister?"
Having just descended to the bottom of the canyon, Mu Can found that underneath it seemed hidden another world.
The chilly wind blew in gusts as if ghosts were whispering in one’s ear, with black fog shrouding the sunlight.
Bones of unfamiliar creatures were everywhere, piling up into mountains of stark white.
"Is there really a natural treasure here that can heal my body?"
Looking at the scene before him, akin to an entrance to Hell, how could there possibly be any natural treasures?
"Let’s look around. I think the old master mentioned a place ."
Mu Can, accompanied by Wang Cai, began their search, but unfortunately, besides bones, not even a shadow of a person was to be found.
Even those who had previously entered this place had left no trace.
Three days later, Mu Can and Wang Cai heard the sound of flowing water.
They discovered a tumultuous river in the depths of the canyon, an extraordinary world akin to a Divine Artifact.
The river was like the legendary Yellow Springs, churning with yellow frothy waves.
Mu Can took out a Longsword and dipped the blade into the river. In a moment, it was corroded until only the hilt remained.
"Come look, there’s a stela here." Wang Cai found a stela buried and hidden away.
The two of them used hands and feet to dig the stela out, only to realize that this river was truly the legendary Yellow Springs.
The words Yellow Springs were written as if in fresh blood, with a discernible stench of blood.
On the lower side of Yellow Springs, there was a line of smaller characters.
"The sea of bitterness is boundless, turning back is the shore."
"What is this place? What happened to the others who came in?" As Mu Can read these words, he felt a chill run through him.
At that moment, a sound akin to chanting came from the river.
A skiff slowly glided towards Mu Can’s side.
Mu Can and Wang Cai had not yet reacted when they found themselves appearing on the small boat.
Cold sweat drenched them in an instant.
Looking towards the Boatman, they could only see a figure with a huge hood, making it impossible to see the face clearly.
"Who are you?" Mu Can asked.
The Boatman turned to look at Mu Can and gave both him and Wang Cai a fright.
This Boatman was none other than a skeleton, with eerie green flames flickering in its empty eye sockets.
"Who am I? I have forgotten myself. I have been ferrying here for nearly ten thousand years, transporting countless people. You can just call me Wu Ming, the Boatman."
Though the skeleton spoke, there was no sound, yet Mu Can and Wang Cai understood the Boatman’s words.
"This old fellow is no ordinary being. Probably someone from the previous era," communicated Wang Cai within the Sea of Consciousness to Mu Can.
"No need to guess anymore, I myself do not know if I am from the previous era. However, many from that era have taken my boat. That you can board is also a form of destiny."
With a single statement from the Boatman, Wang Cai shivered violently. Could this Boatman already be capable of hearing the Divine Sense communication between others?
"May I ask, senior, where does this boat go?" Mu Can asked.
Since he’s already aboard the thief’s ship, there’s no going back now. With the Underworld River’s deadly touch, he doesn’t dare to jump into the water.
"Since this is the Underworld River, naturally, after the ferry, it’s the Other Shore," the skull Boatman nodded his head, seeming quite satisfied with Mu Can’s behavior.
"Does the Other Shore connect to Hell?" Mu Can could now confirm that beneath that canyon was definitely an Array connecting to this place.
Otherwise, such a long stretch of the Underworld River couldn’t possibly exist beneath just the canyon alone.
"Hell? That place is Heaven. Otherwise, why would so many people cry and scream about wanting to go there?" the skull Boatman laughed heartily.
"Heaven? Could it be, senior, that you’ve ferried many people over there?" Mu Can was now urgently trying to clarify one thing.
He felt it was very likely that a major secret about the uninhabited regions was hidden here, a secret that might even be significant for the future rescue of the Supreme Interface.
"I got it, could it be that those who are nearing the end of their lifespan from the All Things Realm come here seeking an opportunity for a breakthrough before death?" Wang Cai followed with a question.
He suddenly thought of something—if it’s really as the skull Boatman said, this place must not be a simple one.
"Little black dog is quite smart, eh!" Wu Ming Taoist praised.
"Hold tight, here they come!" Wu Ming interrupted Mu Can just as he was about to ask a question.
The boatman’s scull instantly grew larger, he powerfully slapped it to the side, fiercely swatting back into the water something that had attempted to surface.
"Humph, to think you dare to harm others despite being dead for endless years."
His scull, like a knife, drew numerous afterimages in the air, batting back every thing trying to jump out of the water’s surface.
Mu Can felt a surge of fear upon seeing the things beneath the water’s surface.
Evidently, there were heads with connected flesh and blood, with faces too unclear to discern.
"Senior, what are these things? Why do they look so terrifying?" Mu Can asked.
"Just a bunch of restive fellows even after death, drawn by the scent of your flesh and blood. Don’t worry, now that you’re on the boat, I’ll ensure your safety," the Taoist Wu Ming chuckled, explaining.
As if provoked by Wu Ming Taoist’s words, a storm surge suddenly arose from within the Underworld River.
A Giant Dragon, thousands of feet in length, flew out from the Underworld River in an instant.
The flesh on the Giant Dragon’s body was eroded by the water of the Underworld River, making it look almost indistinguishable from a Bone Dragon.
"Wu Ming, old thief, you’d better clear off and not delay the path of my rebirth."
The Giant Dragon looked coldly towards the Taoist, its colossal jaws opening and closing as a powerful surge of Divine Sense rushed towards Mu Can and the others.
The small boat underneath started to make a ticking noise, producing a layer of transparent waves, dispelling that surge into nothingness.
Otherwise, the boat would have been capsized in an instant.
Mu Can and Wang Cai immediately felt completely powerless; facing such an entity, all they could do was leave it to fate and hope that Taoist Wu Ming could make the Bone Dragon back down.
"Humph, if you wish to be reborn, be reborn, but if you target my passengers, aren’t you afraid I’ll obliterate you completely?" Taoist Wu Ming stood at the bow, his body swelling against the wind, instantly becoming the same size as the Bone Dragon.
"Humph, it’s all the same in death. Since you insist on blocking our way, don’t blame us for dealing with you together; brothers, take down Wu Ming the old thief and let’s all move on to rebirth," the Giant Dragon shouted, knowing alone it was no match for the Taoist.
In an instant, it shouted out loud.
In a moment, the waters of the Underworld River became tumultuous and surged as boiling water.