Chapter 499 - 249: Entering the Poison Cave and Refining the Gu King

Chapter 499: Chapter 249: Entering the Poison Cave and Refining the Gu King

She was naturally wary of such venomous creatures.

"The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect has its own unique strengths; that’s the very basis of their power."

Chen Sheng smiled faintly. Sensing her nervousness, he naturally reached out and took her soft hand in his.

The warmth and firmness from his palm put Sun Yuzhi at ease. The corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously, and she turned her hand to intertwine their fingers, staying close by his side.

Hand in hand, the two ventured deeper.

The cave wasn’t a straight path; it twisted and descended.

The deeper they went, the hotter and more humid the air became. The sweet, cloying scent of the poisonous miasma grew thicker as well. Without the protective barrier of the Hundred Poison Incense, even the Protective True Essence of a Tongxuan Cultivator would likely be slowly eroded.

Faint, dark-red veins were visible in the cracks of the stone walls—traces of energy leaking from tributaries of the Earth Core Fire Vein.

The venomous insects they encountered along the way grew increasingly bizarre in form and more dazzlingly vibrant in color. The auras emanating from a few of them were even potent enough to make Chen Sheng feel a slight sense of threat.

But without exception, they all feared the smoke from the Hundred Poison Incense like the plague, not daring to cross the invisible line.

After descending roughly a thousand feet, Sun Yuzhi produced a small, creamy white jade bottle from her sleeve and uncorked it.

A clear, cool, and profound fragrance—utterly different from the cave’s foul air—instantly wafted out, quickly mingling with the smoke of the Hundred Poison Incense.

This was the Spirit-Attracting Liquid, a treasure she had specially concocted using a Secret Technique from her inheritance, designed specifically to lure out the pair of Yin-Yang Gu Kings.

Though they were only about a thousand feet deep, the Gu King’s movements were unpredictable. Setting the lure early would increase their chances of success.

Time trickled by.

They advanced another few hundred feet. Aside from the rustling of venomous insects, the occasional gurgle of bubbling magma, and their own footsteps, the cave was silent.

Sun Yuzhi’s brow gradually furrowed, and a flicker of unease shot through her.

’The inheritance said that the senior hid the Gu King in this cave decades ago.’

’So much time has passed; anything could have happened.’

’What if the Gu King was devoured by some other, more ferocious venomous creature long ago? Or if some other accident occurred...’

’If so, all this effort would have been for nothing.’

BZZZZZZ...

Just as Sun Yuzhi’s worries began to mount, a strange, vibrating cry suddenly echoed from deeper within the cave!

The sound wasn’t loud, but it possessed a strange, captivating rhythm.

At its sound, the once-ferocious and agitated venomous insects froze in unison. Then, one by one, they lowered themselves to the ground, trembling uncontrollably as if in the presence of an absolute, overwhelming power.

Even their screeches died out completely.

In an instant, the entire Poison Flame Cave plunged into a deathly stillness.

Chen Sheng and Sun Yuzhi exchanged a glance, both seeing the delight and surprise in each other’s eyes.

’There’s a response!’

Without hesitation, Sun Yuzhi poured all the Spirit-Attracting Liquid from the bottle into a shallow depression on a relatively flat rock.

The clear liquid formed a small pool, its unique fragrance growing even more potent.

In unspoken agreement, they both stepped back, holding their breath. Their eyes were locked on the dark tunnel from which the humming had come.

Whether it was their target or not would depend on the approaching creature’s interest in the Spiritual Liquid.

「A few moments later.」

A soft, golden radiance appeared in the deep darkness, drawing closer and closer.

It was a Golden Cicada, about the size of a thumb. Its entire body seemed to be carved from the finest gold and jade, suffused with a gentle, warm luster.

Its wings were impossibly thin, yet they glowed a magnificent pale gold, inscribed with naturally formed, profound, and intricate patterns. With every slight vibration, they scattered specks of fine golden dust.

Wherever it passed, imperceptible ripples spread through the surrounding poisonous mist.

Clearly, this was the source of the overwhelming presence that had forced all the other venomous creatures into submission.

"This is... the Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada!"

Sun Yuzhi’s pupils contracted. She gasped in a low voice, her face a mask of utter disbelief.

Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada.

A rare species ranked near the top of the list of Marvelous Insects of Heaven and Earth. It was born with a trace of diluted Dragon Blood, making it unbelievably wondrous!

Sun Yuzhi finally understood. The inheritance had stated that the pair of Gu Kings were fed with the essence blood of a Flood Dragon and a phoenix, which was why they were named the Yin-Yang Gu Kings.

To think that the true form of the Dragon Yang Gu King was such a peerlessly rare insect!

The Golden Cicada hovered in mid-air, its two black, jewel-like compound eyes regarding Chen Sheng and Sun Yuzhi with clear intelligence and caution.

However, the scent wafting from the pool of Spirit-Attracting Liquid in the rock below seemed to hold a fatal attraction for it.

Driven by instinct, it finally descended, extending its slender proboscis to begin sipping the Spiritual Liquid.

Sun Yuzhi immediately shot Chen Sheng a meaningful look.

Chen Sheng understood. His expression grew solemn as he suddenly raised his hands. His fingers danced like butterflies, forming a series of complex and ancient Seal Techniques.

His True Essence circulated along with the Seal Techniques, activating a hidden, long-dormant Restriction that was intrinsically linked to the Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada before them.

This was the genius of the senior who had left behind the inheritance.

Decades ago, when sealing the Gu Kings, he had placed a special Restriction upon them. Combined with a Secret Technique, it would allow his successors to one day claim them.

Otherwise, given the pride and wondrous nature of a Marvelous Insect of Heaven and Earth like this, forget about someone in the Mystic Realm—even a Golden Core Grandmaster might not be able to make it submit and accept a master.

This was precisely why Chen Sheng had been so shocked yesterday when the Celestial Book indicated that Lady Lan had already subdued the Phoenix Yin Gu King.

’Without the Secret Technique or the Restriction, what kind of incredible opportunity could she have possibly had to make the other Gu King willingly acknowledge her as its master?’

’For now, however, he could only bury this matter deep in his heart. He would have to keep it from Sun Yuzhi, at least for the time being.’

The Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada, in the middle of drinking the Spiritual Liquid, suddenly froze. It snapped its head up, its golden wings vibrating furiously as it let out a sharp, trilling cry, as if resisting the invisible force that was enveloping it.

But its body was already being affected by the activated Restriction, and its movements had become noticeably sluggish.