Archfiend

Chapter 126: The Truth (2)

“To China, all of Longsu Province isn’t much to look at. Regardless of whether it’s the cultivation world or mortal world.” Zhao Wuye clenched his teeth and said: “I mentioned our Zhao Clan of Longsu can’t be thought of as any great clan. However, our Zhao Clan has a strong point, but it’s hard to compare it with other clans…”

He paused and took a big gasp for air. Xu Yangyi smiled, and in the next second, a qi ray instantly pierced through Zhao Wuye’s arm.

“YOU!” Zhao Wuye painfully sucked in a breath of cold air. This person wasn’t normal… Ordinarily, upon encountering such a situation, it was proper to accordingly welcome the line “a strong point”, however, Xu Yangyi simply didn’t hold this plan. His actions were blunt, so frank that he disdained to speak.

Either speak or go down to the underworld below.

“The Zhao Clan… is one of China’s ten great lineages of dragon-vein seekers.” Zhao Wuye steadfastly pressed down on his arm wound, tightly pursing his lips: “Our ancestral founder was a native of Jiankang City. Regarding ancient curios and historical relics, we have our own unique understanding… Mr. Gao, perhaps you are aware… of the enormous startling changes that occurred in Longsu Province three days ago?” [1]

“It’s unlikely you’re aware…” Xu Yangyi had no intention of speak, and Zhao Wuye gritted his teeth and continued: “Because of this matter, from the beginning, all information was being intercepted by Longsu Province’s regional chancellor, the CSIB’s minister, Senior Yu Fangton, and a Featherwood Guard branch master, Senior You Song. In the cultivation world, even other Foundation Establishment cultivators don’t know!” 

“But it’s not only this.” He looked at Xu Yangyi’s gaze and said lowly: “Humanity’s five great Core Formation cultivators oversee China’s five directions. Ancestors Skybearer and Earthcleaver stand guard the central highest court. If it was just Senior Yu Fangtong and Senior You Song speaking, this matter wouldn’t have been able to be kept under wraps…”

Xu Yangyi’s expression finally turned grave. In Zhao Wuye’s eyes, his gaze faintly flickered. Zhao Wuye didn’t wish to die; he was fighting for all bargaining chips to stay alive.

“The Northwest King, ‘Flowing Light Imprisoning Shadow’ Ancestor Ancientpine, Daomaster Anicentpine, the guild master of the Featherwood Guard, personally came rushing to the scene and sealed off everything for Longsu Province’s cultivation world!”

Xu Yangyi softly exhaled, yet his heart in his chest was beating even more violently. Unexpectedly… the events had drawn the Northwest King’s personal appearance!

Flowing Light Imprisoning Shadow, Daomaster Ancientpine, his lifespan had already reached 353 years old. The true boss of the Featherwood Guard, the guild master of this generation! The overseer of the northwest! Be it branch masters of the CSIB or pavilion masters of the Bountiful Treasures Pavilion, so long as Daomaster Ancientpine said the word and wanted them to die, it would be difficult for them to stay alive.

The middle stage of Core Formation. In the period of the nation’s founding, the newly-advanced Core Formation Qing Mingzi had slayed demons at the peak of the Kunlun Mountains. This campaign had dyed the earth scarlet for five hundred kilometers.For the duration of a month, the summit of the Kunlun Mountains was devoid of stars and absent of the moon. That wasn’t to say that this month was overcast skies. On the contrary, this month was few in stars, but… at the top of the Kunlun Mountains, the sky seemed to have been wiped away into emptiness! No matter what, the night was unseen! 

At the beginning of the new republic, humanity’s seven great Core Formation masters and the demons’ three Core Formation greater demons had made the Shennong Convention and took the lead. Although the process of this oath was terribly dangerous and infinitely complicated, in the end, both sides of humans and demons reached a common understanding. Daomaster “Flowing Light Imprisoning Shadow” Ancientpine’s name had also been carved into the history of China’s cultivation world! Even Daomaster Ancientpine had personally emerged and sealed off all of Longsu Province’s information with his own hands. Longsu’s startling changes had evidently already transcended the anticipations of ordinary people!

“Continue.” Xu Yangyi raised his chin and said.

“Perhaps Fellow Daoist already has a guess in mind?” The blood of Zhao Wuye’s hand had already stopped, and he proceeded: “For we Qi Condensation cultivators, this name alone is taboo to be spoken.” Zhao Wuye’s lips moved and no words came out, but Xu Yangyi saw it crystally. 

Four words. Longsu’s Danxia Temple Colonnades!

Xu Yangyi took a long sigh. Yes… That was right, only great heaven-shocking changes occuring at one of the eight deadlands could bring the Northwest King to reveal himself! His gaze wordlessly looked towards Zhao Wuye. How was this and the latter related?

“However, Fellow Daoist might be unaware, but the earliest to discover this alarming transformations of this scene wasn’t the CSIB or even the Featherwood Guard. It was our Zhao Clan… Longsu’s Zhao Clan.” Zhao Wuye observed Xu Yangyi’s expression, and in his heart, an idea suddenly appeared.

This kid… His strength is unfathomable! At the very least, concerning the year he reached the middle stage, I’m not his opponent. He’s pretty doubtful. I wonder if the clan elder who’s at the late stage and in death seclusion right now can make this guy surrender. Furthermore… his backer is absolutely not small! The Thousand Illusions is a precious item that was only sold for one year! The reputation of a low-level cultivator whose disguised with this primary spirit artifact ain’t braggin’. How many clans are there that can’t buy this, but he can?

The others three divine abilities were above his Zhao Clan’s inheritance divine abilities! Although the rank was unclear, Zhao Wuye dared to confirm it was absolutely not common! Xu Yangyi’s strength was powerful and his back awesome. Perhaps… not even the Zhao Clan would necessarily be able to join hands with the other!

This great destiny was in no way something that a lone Zhao Clan could eat! Longsu’s Danxia Temple, one of the great eight deadlands, was outstanding in its terribleness and prestige. Just two or three cats of their Zhao Clan wouldn’t be enough to get stuck between the temple’s teeth after entry!

Without eternal foe and only eternal benefits. Once this notion emerged, he immediately became passive in initiative and began to make a precise explanation: “That day, the Zhao Clan just happened to have an elder leading a batch of new seedlings who had just started drawing qi into their bodies towards the vicinity of Danxia Temple to tell them some rules. Our Zhao Clan witnessed everything with our own eyes!”

“Several hundred mountain caverns surged out spring water. They converged into a design. As for this design…” His gaze turned firey, and he looked towards Xu Yangyi’s chest: “It’s the object that Fellow Daoist is wearing!”

Xu Yangyi’s sight flashed. “Go on.”

“There’s no rush, Fellow Daoist…” With an idea in his heart, Zhao Wuye laughed in difficulty: “The sundial that just showed up at noon. There’s a saying that a lonely sun is not for long. Perhaps to all of China, Danxia Temple is a misty expanse, but from the beginning I looked upon Fellow Daoist’s item, I knew. The place below is terribly perilous… For there to be a great flourishing of yin qi, Fellow Daoist might know… Where is a place with the most thriving yin qi?”

Not waiting for Xu Yangyi to speak, he immediately answered his own question: “A cemetary… We of the Zhao Clan are skilled in finding dragon veins. Underground… there’s quite the chance it’s some almighty graveyard!” 

“Moreover… just as this other party was on the verge of death, it took all of its servants and subjects to the grave! At the least, this is a ten-thousand-man pit!” Zhao Wuye studied Xu Yangyi’s expression, regretful since he couldn’t make anything out. He promptly supplemented: “Of course, this is only the most preliminary conjecture.”

“Fellow Daoist, if you’re to explore such a dangerous land, how many people would you have to take to fill in the numbers? I say these words not out of disrespect, but if a Core Formation master goes in, whether or not he will come out is a question. But, we of the Zhao Clan have at least some assurance.”

“In particular… among our seedlings drawing qi into their bodies this time, there’s someone named Zhao Fenglin. He was born with Netherpierce Pupils and can even see a few interesting things…” Zhao Wuye paused, looking towards Xu Yangyi with a burning gaze.

Xu Yangyi finally laughed and asked for the first time: “Such as?”

“For instance… before the strange changes, there was a thousand-meter-tall giant hacking Danxia Temple with an ax!” Zhao Wuye proceeded without hesitation: “The Zhao Clan has already verified this matter several times! It’s true!”

At the core of his heart, Xu Yangyi had already become incomparably cautious. Everyone knew that a titanic secret laid hidden within each each deadland. Nonetheless, everyone understood even more that one had to be alive to enjoy and benefit from these secrets!

A thousand-meter-tall giant, a hundred streams to form a pattern… Danxia Temple had yet to be even opened but strange occurrences had already happened repeatedly.

“You want to collaborate with me, but your qualifications are still inadequate.” After a brief moment, Xu Yangyi laughed. Zhao Wuye’s intentions were obvious. The Zhao Clan wished to cooperate with him, especially with the power behind him! A joint unearthing of Danxia Temple’s secret!

Perhaps Zhao Wuye hadn’t held such inclinations at the beginning, but between life and death, he chose to cooperate. Although he wasn’t aware of what Danxia Temple’s hundred-stream-formed pattern represented, now that a physical object had emerged, they were unwilling to relinquish it in whatever the case! 

“The first essential of cooperation.” Xu Yangyi looked at Zhao Wuye and raised a finger: “Is good faith.” He chuckled: “Your good faith is still not enough.”

Zhao Wuye wasn’t annoyed, but rather elated in his heart. There was a trick in the words that the other spoke!

“Fellow Daoist wants to know if I’m definitely hiding something.” Zhao Wuye laughed: “Fellow Daoist is also aware that the Zhao Clan is rather of mind towards relics of a kind. It just so happens that I’m the assistant moderator of the forum which Liu Shuren was fond of visiting.”

“In the first moment he posted this chest, I truly believed myself to have misinterpreted it. Afterwards, I immediately deleted the thread and blocked his IP address from logging into my forum again. I then rushed over here straightaway. Fellow Daoist, if it weren’t for your quick actions and your luck to know of this business, perhaps the person coming to find you today wouldn’t be I, a Qi Condensation cultivator.”

Xu Yangyi’s gaze flickered minutely, and he finally cupped his hands: “Fellow Daoist Zhao is of heart.”

In his mind, Zhao Wuye sighed long and deep. Perhaps outsiders couldn’t see, but just now... Xu Yangyi’s faintly discernible killing will had never faded away. Until he had modified Zhao Wuye’s title to Fellow Daoist Zhao moments ago, it was then that the stone-like murderous intent had slowly dissipated at the bottom of his heart. 

“Nonetheless, barely relying on these points still isn’t enough.”

The eyes of Zhao Wuye’s gaze linked together and sparked, and he began to laugh through gritted teeth: “Of course it’s not enough… We of the Zhao Clan also have an extremely vital piece of information to convey…” He opened his wallet and searched for an image, tossing it over to Xu Yangyi.

After Xu Yangyi took it, his hand instantly somewhat tightened by a mere glimpse! This… was a photo of the spring water being sprayed out from Danxia Temple’s countless caverns! And in this spring water… there existed two distinct things that made his entire mind grow terribly heavy at this moment!

A man-sized scale… and an immeasurable amount of lotus petals! His other hand, beared behind his back, had already clenched together in deathly tightness! This… was the lotus sea?! Presently, countless clues seemed to finally find a collective mouth to vent out of! At the Four Great Joint Pools, the sheepskin scroll which God Ming had requested Jadewave to decipher was this lotus sea.

Danxia Temple’s frightening transformations were being personally undertaken by the Northwest King. As for the endless lotus petals that followed the stream currents and the scales… this was the lotus sea!

The Animus Armament in Xu Yangyi’s hands, the location that it had first taken him to, was the lotus sea! Maybe this wasn’t the lotus sea, but be it the scales or lotus petals, regardless of whichever it was, Xu Yangyi had already come to a resolution in this instant. He HAD to clarify what on earth it was!

He shut his eyes and sucked in deeply. With great effort, he caused all the manifold and chaotic emotions in his heart settle. There was actually… a chance… that the lotus sea truly existed in the world!

The location… was situated in Longsu’s Danxia Temple Colonnades, under one of the great eight deadlands! 

There within, there was no wind, no border, no limit, and no qi… In that place, there was only the lotus sea that stretched across the end of the eye’s horizon, and… the terrible prehistoric greater demon below the water!

[1] Two things here. One: Dragon-vein seeker refers to a practice in Fengshui (geomancy). Dragon veins are said to be places of strong vitality. It had good things associated with it. Best analogy to western fiction/magic I can think of is ley lines. Second: Jiankang City is the ancient name for Nanjing in modern day China.