Soul Land: Legend of Saint Seiya

Chapter 207: The Ferryman of the Styx

At the entrance to the Underworld, several rivers flowed turbulently through the shadowy expanse.

Based on Xiao Yu's recollection, the river before them should be the Acheron, also known as the River of Woe or the River of Lamentation. It was a necessary crossing point to enter the Underworld.

The river was said to possess a unique property: its water density was significantly lighter than the rivers of the living world, earning it the nickname "Feather Sinking River." Even a feather dropped into its waters would immediately sink. Without a proper Underworld vessel, crossing it in a mortal body was almost impossible.

To confirm this, Xiao Yu took out a thin sheet of paper from his treasure pouch and gently tossed it into the river.

As expected, the paper sank instantly, disappearing into the depths.

"This..."

Ye Lingling gasped, covering her mouth in shock. If even a piece of paper met such a fate, how could they, as living beings, possibly cross?

Though no one knew what lay beneath the river, it was certain to be nothing good.

"What's there to be afraid of? Can't we just fly across?"

Huo Wu waved her hand dismissively, turning toward Xiao Yu with a playful grin. As the only one in the group unable to fly, she naturally sought the chance for some close contact with him.

Xiao Yu shook his head helplessly. "This river stretches endlessly. Who knows how far we'd have to fly? If we run out of soul power halfway, we'd be doomed."

"Besides, there seems to be a restriction here preventing flight altogether!"

Qian Renxue, who had quietly released her martial soul, glanced coldly at Huo Wu and added, "I already tried. The moment I attempted to take off, a mysterious force suppressed me, leaving me unable to move."

"What do we do, then?"

Huo Wu's confidence wavered, and she turned to Xiao Yu for guidance. After all, he was the most familiar with the situation.

Xiao Yu gently patted Huo Wu's head. "Let's follow the river downstream. There must be a way across."

The system's design, inspired by the Underworld of Saint Seiya, likely included a ferryman akin to the one in the original series, Charon of the Heavenly Star. Xiao Yu only hoped this ferryman wasn't as greedy as Charon.

The group began walking along the riverbank, and before long, they spotted a small boat docked at the shore. Sitting atop a large rock near the boat was a figure clad in a black cloak and straw raincoat, facing the river with their back to the group.

"There's a boat!"

Excited, Qian Renxue and the other two women rushed forward. "Hello, can you take us across the river?"

"You wish to cross?"

The cloaked figure's voice was raspy and unsettling. As they stood and turned, the three women instinctively stepped back several paces, startled by the sight.

The ferryman's face was grotesquely twisted as if molded by a demon. Scars crisscrossed the skin, which was riddled with decaying patches, and his deeply sunken eyes resembled two black holes, exuding a chilling sense of dread.

Even the powerful Qian Renxue felt her heart skip a beat at the sight.

"What lovely young ladies!"

The ferryman's eyes lit up as he saw the three women. He grinned, revealing a set of jagged yellow teeth streaked with black, and saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth.

Disgusted, the women felt a wave of nausea, barely restraining the urge to retch.

"Eugh!"

Suddenly, the ferryman's expression shifted. His tone grew stern as he exclaimed, "Wait, you're alive! This is the Acheron's shore, a place for the dead. Who are you?"

Whoosh!

Before the ferryman could act further, a coin pouch flew through the air toward him. With quick reflexes, he caught it effortlessly.

"If I'm not mistaken," Xiao Yu said calmly, "you're the ferryman of the Styx."

Xiao Yu stepped forward calmly, positioning himself in front of the three women to shield them from the ferryman. With a composed demeanor, he said, "Your duty is to ferry the souls of the dead across the river. As for the living, isn't it true that as long as they pay, you can ferry them too?"

"You seem to know quite a lot about the rules of the Underworld," the ferryman replied, tossing the coin pouch into the air and feeling its weight. His eyes narrowed slightly in satisfaction. "But, young man, what you know is incomplete. It's true that payment is enough for me, but I am merely a servant following orders. If you want to cross the river, you must obtain my master's permission!"

"How can we obtain your master's permission?"

Qian Renxue asked impatiently, clearly unwilling to waste time on such trivial matters.

"That's simple!"

The ferryman's face twisted into a lecherous grin as he looked past Xiao Yu and examined the three women. "My master has a particular fondness for the bodies and souls of young, beautiful women. If one of you stays behind, the others may cross."

"Dream on!"

Both Xiao Yu and the three women's faces darkened with anger. Even Qian Renxue and Huo Wu, who rarely saw eye to eye, stood united—there was no way they would leave one of their own behind.

"Then it seems you've chosen the path of death!"

The ferryman's expression turned sinister as he suddenly pulled out a talisman. He muttered an incantation under his breath, and within seconds, the talisman burned to ashes.

"Awoooo!"

A deep, ferocious growl echoed from behind the rocks, making it clear the ferryman had used a summoning talisman.

Hearing the sound, the ferryman smirked smugly. "You only needed to sacrifice one, but now all of you will die. So much for your so-called trust in each other. Foolish humans!"

"Shut up!"

Qian Renxue snapped, glaring at the ferryman. She waved her hand, and a burst of divine angelic power struck him.

The ferryman, who had admitted to being a mere servant, had little strength to resist. He was knocked to the ground, trembling and too terrified to speak further.

Bang!

At that moment, the summoned creature finally revealed itself. It was a leopard, its body emanating a faint green glow.

"That's it?"

The three women exchanged amused looks. They could clearly sense the leopard's strength, roughly equivalent to a spirit beast with 10,000 to 20,000 years of cultivation.

"I thought it would be something more formidable. Just this?"

Huo Wu scoffed, stepping forward boldly. "Xiao Yu, and whoever else—leave this little leopard to me. I'll use it for practice!"

(End of Chapter)

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