The Ferryman rowed the small boat away from the island, leaving Lu Yu alone to follow the black skeleton toward the island's center.
On the stone-brick road leading from the dock to the center of the island, on either side of Lu Yu, he saw densely packed, neatly arranged unmarked tombstones, as though the entire island was surrounded by them.
"Where are you taking ?" Lu Yu glanced around, then turned to look at the black skeleton and asked.
The black skeleton did not speak, seemingly ignoring his question.
Seeing that he was unwilling to answer, Lu Yu didn't press further. So far, neither the Ferryman nor the black skeleton had shown any hostility toward him.
If the Ferryman's lack of hostility could be attributed to his personality, then for the black skeleton, there was only one reason—his right hand.
Upon closer inspection, Lu Yu discovered that the black skeleton's bones were very similar to his own right hand bones.
The only difference was that his right hand bones were covered with dense, flowing black runes, whereas the black skeleton had no sign of runes.
The farther they walked, the more sparse the unmarked tombstones beca. It wasn't long before Lu Yu saw a cave, its interior pitch-black and devoid of light.
Standing outside, Lu Yu couldn't see anything inside clearly.
This was yet another special place, much like the Ferryman's courtyard; while he could see the courtyard, until he entered, he couldn't discern anything happening inside.
The black skeleton stopped at the entrance of the cave, turned slightly, extended a hand, and said, "Please, co in."
Lu Yu detected a tone of respect in the black skeleton's voice, an odd feeling stirring within him as he walked into the cave.
The black skeleton's strength was unknown, but judging from the Ferryman's attitude toward the black skeleton, it was evident that the black skeleton's strength was equal to, if not greater than, the Ferryman's.
The Ferryman was undoubtedly stronger than Lu Yu.
At present, a creature stronger than himself was showing him respect, causing Lu Yu to ponder.
Thus, Lu Yu further confird that the black skeleton would not harm him, and proceeded into the cave.
As he entered the cave, his vision briefly went dark, then as if a light had turned on within the room, he instantly perceived the scene inside the cave.
A vast cave, with a fire pit in the center where faint flas burned slowly.
Around the cave were several pits, with just a few occupied by black skeletons, the majority empty.
The black skeleton entered the cave and headed to the pit closest to the entrance, sitting cross-legged inside as if turning into a statue.
As it settled in the pit, Lu Yu seed to notice the fla in the fire pit flicker, as though kindled by added wood, growing slightly larger.
The cave was silent, Lu Yu could clearly hear his own heartbeat, the fla seed like an ethereal light, burning without any sound.
Just as Lu Yu was about to voice a question, the black skeleton seated in the largest, innermost pit spoke, bewildering Lu Yu with its opening words.
"Has the Great Sage found a way?"
Found what way? Lu Yu wondered, who was the Great Sage?
Lu Yu had not yet comprehended the aning of that question when the speaking black skeleton continued, its voice low, "Was it a failure? Is this world without hope?"
Upon hearing those words, Lu Yu's mind raced, his imagination swiftly connecting the dots to devise a story about a Great Sage on a world-saving mission.
The sage referred to by the skeleton was likely the owner of the ancient black bone finger Lu Yu had obtained.
This Great Sage had left the Netherworld to reach the Divine Weapon Pavilion in order to find a solution to save the Netherworld, but for unknown reasons, t an untily death in the Divine Weapon Pavilion.
The finger, containing the Great Sage's power, ended up in the hands of a Divine Weapon Pavilion disciple, and through a trade, ca into Lu Yu's possession, leading him to inadvertently activate its power.
"If the world cannot be saved, why not leave this place?" Lu Yu countered.
The black skeleton gave him a look but didn't explain why they didn't leave the place.
"Besides, hasn't the Netherworld already found a way? You've erected high walls to keep the mist outside," Lu Yu said.
The black skeleton silently chuckled and asked, "Have you seen the true Netherworld?"
"The true Netherworld?" Lu Yu was puzzled, was everything he saw rely an illusion?
A glimr of light flashed in the black skeleton's eyes, and Lu Yu felt his consciousness rapidly elevate, passing through earth and sky, ascending to view a never-ending river and a mist-shrouded land.
Aside from the river in the sky, nearly everywhere else was shrouded in gray-white mist, occasionally revealing high walls dotted through the mist.
"This is a world devoid of hope." A voice ca from beside him, Lu Yu turned to see, surprisingly, a vibrant, white-haired elder.
With a look of astonishnt, he asked, "Are you the skeleton who spoke just now?"
The elder smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes."
Speaking thus, Lu Yu and the elder's consciousness swiftly moved, flying toward a Netherworld settlent.
From high above, Lu Yu could see, within the vast mist, a massive figure silently appearing and disappearing.
The appearance and disappearance were utterly without trace, leading Lu Yu to suspect he had seen wrong.
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