In the Hell of Black Descent, three beams of light shadow relentlessly pursued each other on the tranquil Flowing Gold River, passing through the Sword Tower of the Bell Tower Church nestled by the river. The supersonic flight induced a violent cloud wave that resonated with the heavy dragon-sounding bronze bell, and the ancient and timeless bell sound spread far. However, the bell sound was soon overwhelmed by an even more surging and grand flood, shining brightly like the spear of the most noble fate judging the sinners in hell!

Ash’s mind moved, his Heart Hunting throne roared across the distance, laying seventeen rounds of ink-black sword traces ahead, waiting for the Dragon-man warrior who was chasing him to step into the center of the sword traces. He then activated the Sword Body Cage, binding and locking the Dragon-man warrior!

The seventeen rounds of ink-black sword traces simultaneously contracted, and seventeen scythes of the Death God simultaneously reaped! Even if the Dragon-man warrior could block the sword traces, each time would be equivalent to enduring Ash’s Divine Lord-level soul pressure once. Until now, Ash had seen the Forgotten Ones with the strongest soul foundation, who collapsed and self-combusted after bearing eight times!

Bang! Before the ink-black sword traces contracted, the Dragon-man warrior broke through the Sword Body Cage with astonishing speed and delivered a kick towards Ash, the space resonating like a mountain razor falling!

Ash turned and braced himself, his twin swords spinning like a windmill, divine might was counteracted in the moment of contact between sword and foot. The space-distorting clash twisted even the light, layers of Refraction Protection around Ash shattered like glass! In the blink of an eye, the two fought dozens of rounds at the blink of an eye, the precise sharp sword and the domineering fists and feet clashed in a melody of boiling blood, crashing towards the serene river surface!

Malicious flames ignited from Ash’s heart, burning him into a torch, even the Technique Spirit of the Heavenly Kingdom of Souls was ignited! Ash swung his foot to the side fiercely, kicking out with explosive air waves as he propelled himself forward using this momentum to shift his flight direction, skimming low across the river surface, continuously driving away the toxic flames from his body with Refraction Protection!

Behind the Dragon-man warrior was a small Goblin Fire Dancer. It was due to being chased by these two Forgotten Ones that Ash had no leisure to scavenge for resources. The Dragon-man warrior was proficient in close combat with space fist claw dual cultivation, while the Goblin excelled in long-range ignition with fire soul dual cultivation, both capable of attacking soul bodies directly bypassing defense barriers. Therefore, Ash dared not engage them closely—even if he could overpower this duo, his soul body would inevitably be damaged, and currently, there is no effective recovery Wonder, only time can heal soul body injuries. If it doesn’t heal, it becomes a permanent curse!

"If you continue to tangle with them, the great flood will catch up soon," Death Mad reminded beside.

"That’s why they must die now!" Ash glanced at the Forgotten Ones chasing behind, crushed two Source Crystals in his hand, and hurriedly chanted in a low voice: "Sorrowful Wind, cloudy sky, ancient lamp, melody, twenty-two echoes of the end of summer, sixty-six drifting snowflakes, I am the other side of the torrent! Rise!"

Upper Wonder, Rescue Wave!

Ash reached out and pulled, the tranquil Flowing Gold River was forced to move under his strength, like an overturning mountain sea pressing towards the Forgotten Ones behind! In a moment, the tide of offense and defense dramatically changed!

Rescue Wave Wonder was Ash’s acquisition from the Deep Blue Hell, enabling the mage to control all water currents. With Demigod strength, one could essentially lift up eighty thousand tons of seawater effortlessly. However, the Flowing Gold River, albeit a water current, inherently contains the source of time and remains in a special state of stillness, rendering most Water Magic Wonders ineffective on it.

Ash attempted it, finding Rescue Wave Wonder to have minimal effect on Flowing Gold River. Initially resigned, Death Mad advised him that he could still enhance any Wonder using Supreme Void Wings by invoking.

When earnestly chanting the names of Technique Spirits, their prowess receives temporary enhancement. If he names all Technique Spirits within a Wonder, qualitative leaps can be achieved, albeit only once. All Demigods can fortify Wonders through chanting Technique Spirit True Names using Prison Wings, while Ash possesses Supreme Void Wings, amplifying the effect significantly.

If unable to chant all Technique Spirit True Names, one can mention core Technique Spirits, encapsulating others with generic terms. As long as the respect for Technique Spirits is sincere enough, they will exert their full effort. Technique Spirits are truly the most naïve beings in the world.

Nonetheless, chanting’s biggest downside is revealing the intended Wonder to the enemy, but the Forgotten Ones only act on their combat instincts from life, utterly incapable of deciphering Ash’s true intentions!

The Dragon-man warrior was engulfed by the Flowing Gold River, vanishing completely beneath the calm river surface.

The Goblin Fire Dancer slightly further back dodged with exceptional flying skills, but upon regaining consciousness, found nothing ahead.

Cobra maneuver!

He’s behind me!

Though the Goblin Fire Dancer quickly evaded using his rich battle experience, Ash had already circled behind him, both swords pierced through its back. Even when the Goblin instantly ignited Ash’s soul body, Ash surged on like a burning locomotive, pushing him forward in relentless bursts, the Heart Hunting throne activating continuously!

By the sixth round of ink-black sword trace’s contraction, the Goblin Fire Dancer utterly extinguished into dispersion. Ash dared not rest, vigorously flapped the Void Wings across ten miles of Gold River, barely evading the impending great flood!

"How much longer until I leave hell?"

"32 minutes."

"So I still have to escape for 32 minutes under the chase of the Forgotten Ones—"

"No." Death Mad shook his head. "Within the next 25 minutes, the Black Descent Hell will be completely submerged. Black Descent Hell is a circular world, and while you see the great flood behind you, there’s actually one in front as well. Eventually, they will converge."

"Is it possible for me to endure the great flood for seven minutes?" Ash said. "A demigod soul body should withstand the ravages of time, right?"

"You won’t last even a minute," Death Mad said calmly. "The Black Descent flood is not the same as the Flowing Gold River. When the great flood fills the entire Black Descent Hell, it returns to a static state, forming a new Hidden Gold River. Flowing rivers represent the ravages of time; static rivers are time prisons. Any mage trapped in the Hidden Gold River will have their soul body neither decay nor move, but while the outside world passes a second, the consciousness experiences ten thousand years."

Ash was terrified, cold sweat seeping from every pore, instinctively flying higher to get away from the Hidden Gold River. A second as ten thousand years, yet the body cannot move, like an insect imprisoned in amber, slowly withering in prolonged serenity... In comparison, even death seems gentle.

"This is the Void Realm’s judgment on the hell demigod," Death Mad said. "One cannot survive alone."

Ash keenly sensed the implication: "Does the Black Descent demigod have a way?"

"Black Descent Council headquarters, the Necromancy Ark," Death Mad said. "’Dead nails construct the hull, dead hair weaves the sails, ribs pave the deck, skulls form the walls. When the golden sea waves engulf all, only bones can pass through the Death Veil’ — the Necromancy Ark is the only demigod stronghold that can resist the great flood. Currently, the Black Descent demigod must be holding out there, hoping the great flood can engulf The Forgotten!"

"Your only hope now is to find a way into the Necromancy Ark to survive the final few minutes, or gather four Tribulations and proceed directly to the fourth Hell... But setting aside if anyone’s collected the Tribulations, even if they have, you likely don’t have the luxury to carefully scour for resources."

Ash nodded. He didn’t know what he was thinking, but he couldn’t help a small upward curl at the corner of his mouth, though the light in his eyes dulled.

Death Mad glanced at him, fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Are you afraid?"

Ash shook his head, softly saying, "No, I just find the Necromancy Ark sounds like a necromancy wonder that would make Harvey ecstatic." Saying this made him feel somewhat childish; now was not the time for sentimentality.

Yet Death Mad said, "In fact, although difficult to trace back, there’s always been a legend in Hell that the Necromancy Ark is the legacy of the Undead King Hagen Dazs."

Ash was taken aback, asking, "Even you don’t know the origin of the Necromancy Ark? I thought you should have insights on all the secrets of the mage world..."

"If the Necromancy Ark truly dates back to Hagen Dazs’s era, it’s natural we don’t know," Death Mad said. "According to our research, during Hagen Dazs’s active period, the Void Realm hadn’t reached the sixth layer, and the Gods of Four Pillars were just three Pillar Gods... If there were even three Pillar Gods then."

"Such distant stories..." Ash sighed, "You must have lots of exciting experiences."

"You—"

"I know, I know, you must have endured many hardships too," Ash tilted his head looking at her, "But if you’d like to share some of your exciting experiences with me, I’d be happy to listen. Just like thousands of years later, people still remember Hagen Dazs, wouldn’t it be a shame if your exciting stories simply vanished?"

Death Mad glanced at him, biting her cigarette but not smoking.

"...You’re running out of time this time."

"Then save it for the next time I enter Hell."

"You’re not afraid I’ll call thousands of The Forgotten to ravage you?" Death Mad said snidely, "You want to pay for your naïveté again?"

Quite grudging... Ash found it amusing internally. He looked up to see a fortress appear on the horizon, glanced back at the great flood behind: "Do I head straight to the Necromancy Ark or roughly scour for resources?"

"Iron Furnace Fortress, I don’t recall there being any notable wonders inside, don’t stop," Death Mad said. "But I do remember further ahead the Sword Tower has swordsmanship wonders and plenty of resources. Hurry—"

"Yes, yes, I know."