Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

"How dare you oppose me!" the leader of the mysterious organization roared defiantly even after being subdued. "Do you know the immense power behind me? You will surely regret this!"

Ying Zheng coldly glanced at them: "We only know that you are committing heinous acts, therefore we must stop you." He then turned to the crowd, "Take him back to Heaven and hand him over to the Jade Emperor for judgment."

Everyone agreed. So they took the leader of the mysterious organization back to the Heavenly Realm and handed him over to the Jade Emperor for punishment. The Jade Emperor once again praised Ying Zheng and his companions for their courage and wisdom, and bestowed upon them even more elixirs and magical treasures as a reward.

After returning to the mortal realm, Ying Zheng and his companions continued to protect the Nine-Tailed Fox and other rare divine beasts. They understood that although they had successfully defeated the leader of the mysterious organization, they would inevitably face more challenges and dangers in the future. Therefore, they must continuously improve their strength in order to better protect the rare divine beasts and meet the trials ahead.

Time flowed by peacefully until one day, a new challenger quietly appeared.
This newly emerged challenger was unlike any they had encountered before. A figure clad in a long, dark robe stood in the shadows, his face unfathomable, his eyes gleaming with an eerie light. He called himself the "Messenger of the Underworld," sent by the ruler of the underworld to seize the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"A messenger from the underworld?" Ying Zheng frowned. "We have no connection with the underworld, so why would we want to seize the Nine-Tailed Fox?"

The messenger of the underworld let out a chilling laugh: "The nine-tailed spirit fox is a rare beast of heaven and earth, possessing wondrous power. Lord Hades needs to use its abilities to open a passage to the human realm, allowing the underworld army to advance unimpeded."

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng and his entourage were shaken. They never expected the Netherworld messenger to harbor such sinister intentions. The human realm and the underworld had always kept to themselves; if the underworld army were to invade the human realm, it would surely bring about a catastrophe.

"We will never let you succeed!" A resolute flame ignited in Ying Zheng's eyes.

The Netherworld Messenger scoffed contemptuously, "You think you can stop me with your meager skills? You're truly overestimating yourselves."

Before he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves, and instantly a thick, dark fog filled the surrounding area. Countless ghostly figures vaguely emerged from the fog, emitting mournful howls as they pounced towards Ying Zheng and his companions.

The group immediately drew their swords to meet the attack. However, these spirits were impervious to the blades, remaining unharmed no matter how they slashed. Instead, the moment they made contact, they possessed the spirits and began to drain their yang energy.

A bone-chilling cold swept over them, and everyone felt their strength rapidly draining away. In desperation, the nine-tailed spirit fox suddenly let out a clear, long cry. A powerful aura erupted from its body, instantly scattering the surrounding ghosts. Then, it transformed into a white rainbow and charged straight at the Netherworld Messenger.

The Netherworld Messenger, caught off guard by the fox's power, hastily raised his hand to block. But the white fox moved with lightning speed, swiftly bypassing his defense, its sharp teeth precisely biting his throat.

"Ugh!" The Netherworld Messenger screamed and collapsed to the ground, his black robe torn to reveal stark white bones. It turned out this so-called messenger was actually a skeleton!
Taking advantage of the momentum, Ying Zheng and his men launched a fierce attack, finally subduing the Netherworld Messenger. However, they knew this was merely a test from the Underworld, and even more intense attacks were yet to come. They needed to quickly improve their cultivation to prepare for the coming crisis.

So the group began searching far and wide for methods and treasures to enhance their strength. They traversed mountains and rivers, visited countless reclusive masters, and finally obtained an important clue.

A hermit revealed: "On the shores of the East Sea lies Lingxiao Peak, upon which grows a divine peach tree. Eating its fruit can grant a rapid advancement in cultivation."

Upon receiving this news, the group immediately set off for Lingxiao Peak. However, upon arrival, they discovered the mountain had been occupied by demonic beasts. These beasts were exceptionally ferocious, launching fierce attacks on anyone they encountered.

Undeterred, the group fought bravely and, through their wisdom and courage, finally defeated all the monsters and found the Peach Tree.

The trees were laden with peaches, their fragrance filling the air. The group picked and tasted the fruit; the sweet juice entered their throats, and they immediately felt a warm current flowing through their bodies, their cultivation levels rising steadily, as if they had been reborn.

After their strength increased significantly, the group immediately returned to the mortal realm to protect the divine beast. However, they were shocked to find that the Nine-Tailed Fox had disappeared! It turned out that while they were away, the Netherworld Messenger had sent people to kidnap the fox.

Filled with anger and regret, the group immediately set off for the underworld to rescue them. In the eerie and terrifying underworld, they overcame numerous obstacles and finally arrived at the palace of the King of the Underworld.

Hades glared at him coldly: "How dare you trespass into the Underworld? You're utterly courting death!" Ying Zheng remained fearless: "We're only here to rescue the Nine-Tailed Fox. If you know what's good for you, hand it over immediately, or don't blame us for showing no mercy!"

Hades roared in fury: "Arrogant fool! Seize him!"

In an instant, the underworld soldiers surged forth like a tidal wave. The crowd rose up to fight, and with the help of the celestial immortals, broke through the encirclement and rushed into the main hall.

The nine-tailed fox was imprisoned in an iron cage, but its eyes lit up with hope when it saw the group. Just as they were about to rescue the fox, Hades suddenly appeared and blocked their way.

"Since you've chosen your own path to death, then I'll show you the power of the Lord of the Underworld!"

With a wave of his hand, Hades unleashed a devastating dark energy, causing everyone to feel an immense pressure. They hurriedly formed a protective array to shield the spirit fox, channeling all their divine power to resist. After a fierce battle, they finally repelled the dark energy and severely injured Hades.

"I never expected you all to have such abilities." Hades looked at the crowd in disbelief.

Ying Zheng said sternly, "We only wish to rescue the Nine-Tailed Fox and do not wish to cause any more trouble. If you are wise, you should release her immediately!"

Hades, knowing he was no match, sighed and opened the iron cage. The nine-tailed fox leaped out gracefully, nuzzled affectionately against the crowd, and then transformed into light and vanished into the sky.

Just when everyone thought the dust had settled, Hades suddenly struggled to his feet, letting out a sinister laugh: "You thought this was over? How naive!"

Ying Zheng turned and stared intently: "Now that the Nine-Tailed Fox has been returned, what else do you intend to do?"

Hades laughed maniacally: "The spirit fox is merely a pretext. My true target has always been you!"

An even more terrifying dark energy swept in, threatening to engulf the entire hall. At the critical moment, golden holy light descended from the sky, dispelling the darkness. A divine general clad in golden armor appeared proudly.

"Erlang Zhenjun!" The crowd was overjoyed.

Erlang Shen smiled and nodded: "You have all performed admirably. Now, I will deal with this Lord of the Underworld."

Seeing this, Hades roared, "Erlang Shen! This is my underworld territory, how dare you act so presumptuously!"

"So what if it's the underworld? Today I'll show you the might of Heaven!"

The golden sword was drawn, and the two figures clashed fiercely. Darkness and golden light collided violently, shaking the palace to the point of collapse. Under Erlang Shen's fierce offensive, Hades gradually showed signs of defeat and was finally subdued by a single sword strike.

"I concede," Hades said, head bowed in defeat. "I relinquish control of the Underworld and vow never to invade the Heavenly Realm again."

Erlang Shen sheathed his sword and stood there: "I hope you will keep your promise."

Turning to Ying Zheng and the others, he said, "The rescue of the Spirit Fox was entirely due to your concerted efforts. Now that the threat from the Underworld has been eliminated, you can all return in peace." (End of Chapter)