Chapter 776 Ill Intentions

"Please wait a moment, Senior. I’ll see if I can get you out. As long as it’s within my power, I won’t hesitate."

Now that he knew the black skeleton’s identity, Ye Xuan let his guard down.

Although he didn’t know what kind of person Xiao Chuhe truly was, with so many legends about him circulating throughout the continent, such a reputation couldn’t have been earned by a hypocrite.

Besides, he could sense that Xiao Chuhe’s soul was indeed incredibly weak, making a possession attempt nearly impossible.

Ye Xuan immediately headed deeper into the Jueyin River. He was still a hundred meters away from Xiao Chuhe’s skeletal remains.

A depth of 3,600 meters was already his limit. With every step, Ye Xuan endured a terrifying chill, causing the Endless Molten Flame inside him to shrink further.

After another fifty meters, he felt his head grow faint and his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He also noticed that the water in the Jueyin River grew colder the closer he got to Xiao Chuhe, as if the skeleton itself radiated an icy aura.

Ye Xuan hastily stopped. He was still about fifty meters away from the black skeleton.

"Senior, I can’t get any closer," Ye Xuan said, frustrated. "The cold from you is too intense."

He wanted to help Xiao Chuhe, but only if it was within his power. Right now, he was truly helpless. If he took even one more step forward, he might not be able to guarantee his own survival.

"Perhaps the aura of the Yin-Transforming Grass on my body has intensified the yin energy in this water," Xiao Chuhe said, puzzled. "But you have a Celestial Fire, so you should be able to approach me. The Yin-Transforming Grass is only a Tier Ten Spirit Medicine, after all. And your Celestial Fire is the Endless Molten Flame—ranked third among all Celestial Fires. It should suppress all things yin and cold. It’s impossible that it can’t withstand the chill of the Jueyin River’s water."

’Ye Xuan was stunned. How did Xiao Chuhe know his Celestial Fire was the Endless Molten Flame?’

He wasn’t surprised that the man could sense his Celestial Fire; after all, he’d been constantly releasing its aura. But for him to identify it as the Endless Molten Flame in an instant... that was truly unbelievable.

As far as he knew, Xiao Chuhe wasn’t an Alchemist. If a Ninth Grade Medicine Emperor had identified the Endless Molten Flame, that would have been plausible. But from what he understood, aside from being a top-tier expert, Xiao Chuhe’s only other skill was some proficiency with Arrays...

’Arrays?’

’Wait, no!’

A sudden shock ran through Ye Xuan.

On the stone platform in front of Xiao Chuhe were rows of faint lines.

He had been too far from Xiao Chuhe to see them before. Only as he drew closer did he vaguely make them out.

Previously, Ye Xuan had paid them no mind, assuming they were just marks left by the river’s current. But now, with the thought of an Array in his mind, he was suddenly alarmed.

Upon closer inspection, the lines actually resembled an Array.

As a Ninth-level Array Master, Ye Xuan’s expertise was terrifying. Combined with the many miraculous Restrictions and Arrays he had encountered since his rebirth, his current mastery of Arrays was at least twice as great as in his past life.

The markings on the stone platform beneath the black skeleton were incredibly faint—hidden in the darkness, stained by the river, and faded by age. He could only see a blurry outline, but he could still make out its general shape: a hexagonal Array, ancient and exceedingly complex.

’What kind of Array has a shape like this? And one that requires no array flags, only being carved into a stone platform?’

’A seal?’

A flash of insight struck Ye Xuan. He came to a sudden realization: the Array beneath Xiao Chuhe was a seal.

’If it’s a seal, then what is it sealing?’

’Xiao Chuhe himself was an Array Master. Why would he seal himself away?’

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Ye Xuan’s back.

Even an idiot would have realized something was wrong by now.

Xiao Chuhe had definitely been lying to him. As for why, Ye Xuan didn’t need to guess. The man had his own agenda, and it was undoubtedly a malicious one.

’That old bastard.’

Ye Xuan cursed inwardly. ’Thank goodness this river’s water was too cold and I stopped in time. If I’d actually gotten close to that black skeleton, who knows what would have happened.’

Ye Xuan now had zero intention of saving the black skeleton. It wasn’t just that he couldn’t; even if he could, he wouldn’t take another step forward.

Ye Xuan immediately released a wisp of the Endless Molten Flame’s aura. "Senior, my Endless Molten Flame is only in its nascent stage," he said. "It truly cannot withstand the power of the river’s water. Please be patient. Once my strength has increased, or when my Celestial Fire has matured, I will return to get you out. Rest assured, I will come back as soon as I can."

Having said his piece, Ye Xuan prepared to turn and leave. He didn’t want to stay a moment longer; Xiao Chuhe’s intentions were definitely malicious.

"So it really is a nascent Celestial Fire." Xiao Chuhe fell silent for a moment. Seeing that Ye Xuan intended to leave, he quickly said, "A nascent Celestial Fire would indeed struggle to completely block the river’s cold power. But don’t be in such a hurry to leave. I have another way to get you over here."

"What way?" Ye Xuan could only stop and ask.

Though he was desperate to leave, he knew he couldn’t show any panic. If Xiao Chuhe saw through him, it would be dangerous.

Since Xiao Chuhe could project his voice directly into his mind, Ye Xuan couldn’t be sure if the man had other ways of dealing with him.

"My Storage Ring contains a Flame Marrow Crystal from the planet’s core, which would be enough to cause your Endless Molten Flame to evolve. Unfortunately, I can’t retrieve it at the moment. But no matter. I will teach you a Technique that will allow you to absorb the water of this river and adapt to its chill. Then you’ll be able to cross."

"What? Absorb the water of the Jueyin River?"

Although Ye Xuan had already decided to feign inability no matter what Xiao Chuhe suggested, he was still stunned by the man’s words.

"That’s right. A method to absorb the water of the Jueyin River. For thousands of years, I have been trapped in this river, its water endlessly corroding my body. I wracked my brain and finally created a way to absorb it, allowing me to survive to this day. Now, I will pass this Technique on to you."

Before Ye Xuan could respond, a frigid power descended upon him, and a strange, obscure Cultivation Technique materialized in his mind.

’A chill went through Ye Xuan. He can project a Cultivation Technique directly into my mind? That’s terrifying. If so, wouldn’t it be just as easy for him to attack me?’

What shocked Ye Xuan even more was that this frigid power felt remarkably similar to the Evil Qi and Demon Stones from the Ancient Demon Land.

’Could it be that Xiao Chuhe, like those experts from the Ancient Demon Land, has been enslaved by the Spirit Demon Race?’

Ye Xuan couldn’t help but wonder. The Celestial Yin Valley and the Ancient Demon Land were very similar. Furthermore, the portal to the Ancient Demon Land had appeared within the Celestial Yin Valley. This forced him to entertain certain suspicions.

"You’ve reached the Tier Eight Martial Emperor Realm at such a young age," Xiao Chuhe said confidently. "My Technique may be difficult and obscure, but with your talent, you should be able to learn it."

By now, Ye Xuan had completely calmed himself.

’No matter how incredible or powerful Xiao Chuhe was, he was currently trapped within a seal. A seal that was still active. If it were broken, he wouldn’t be wasting so much time on me; he would have just come out and killed me himself.’

Whatever Xiao Chuhe’s goal was, all his efforts so far had been to get him to come to this stone platform.

’That means this Cultivation Technique is probably real and effective.’

Ye Xuan immediately began to analyze the Cultivation Technique.

After just fifteen minutes, Ye Xuan had finished analyzing the entire Technique, his face a mask of shock.

’To think such a terrifying Technique exists in this world.’

The Technique Xiao Chuhe had given him was simply terrifying. In terms of rank, it was at least a top-tier King Grade Cultivation Technique.

What astonished him even more was that if he cultivated according to this Technique, he might actually be able to absorb the river’s water into his body.

Under Xiao Chuhe’s watchful gaze, Ye Xuan began to attempt the cultivation. Fifteen minutes later, a faint trickle of the river’s water actually entered his body and began to merge with it.

With the help of the mysterious Technique, the river water inside him didn’t conflict with his body in the slightest.

"This..."

Ye Xuan had considered absorbing the river’s water before, but he never thought it would actually become a reality.

"Senior, I’ve really absorbed the river’s water!" Ye Xuan exclaimed in feigned delight. But before his words could even fade...

PFFT.

Ye Xuan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, his face deathly pale as he swayed, on the verge of collapse.

"What happened?" the black skeleton asked, its voice tight with tension.

Ye Xuan’s face was grim. "Senior, the Celestial Fire in my body is clashing with the river’s water. It has injured my Profound Veins."

As he spoke, he coughed up another mouthful of blood. The Profound Energy in his body fell into chaos, and the aura of his Celestial Fire began to fluctuate wildly.

"It’s no use, Senior! I have to fall back a little! I’ll come back after I’ve healed my injuries!"

Ye Xuan said frantically, already backing away in a hurry.

"How can this be?" The black skeleton’s voice turned harsh. "Don’t panic! I have a way to heal your injuries!"

"I can’t! My Celestial Fire is about to give out! The water here is too terrifying! I have to fall back!"

Ye Xuan paid the black skeleton no mind. He had already retreated over a hundred meters. Only an idiot would turn back now.