Chapter 838 - 102: Demon of the Abyss (2)

"Strange!"

"There’s something off about this place!"

The first was said by Lin Chen, the second by Yin Yue.

The tall and the short looked at each other, and Lin Chen spoke first: "The Innate Power in my body is inexplicably draining away."

Yin Yue’s delicate head dipped slightly: "The power of my clan is sealed here as well."

"The power of your clan?"

"We are an ancient Remnant Race. Since we can be called a clan, naturally there is a reason for it."

Yin Yue did not explain to Lin Chen what exactly this so‑called "power of my clan" was. She only stared solemnly at the yellow sand beneath their feet and stretching into the distance, and said seriously: "Lin Chen, this place is absolutely not ordinary. Your Canglan Island should be far more than just some random little offshore island. There are secrets hidden on the island."

"If I told you there’s also a Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse on Canglan Island, would you be even more surprised?"

Since he’d brought Yin Yue along to the Western Border, Lin Chen had never planned to hide the existence of the Martial Garden Master from her. Although Yin Yue’s strength had yet to reach the Innate Realm, her insight and vision were extremely sharp. As long as she met the Martial Garden Master, she would be able to see quite a few clues.

"A Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse?"

Yin Yue’s little mouth parted slightly, true surprise flashing across her face, but she quickly regained her calm.

"Are you... perhaps... someone this Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse has been secretly nurturing, which is why you’ve reached such a Realm at this age?"

Seeing the look of sudden realization in Yin Yue’s eyes, Lin Chen knew the girl was thinking along the wrong lines, assuming that the reason he had his current strength was because a Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse was backing him.

From Yin Yue’s perspective, that was indeed what she was thinking at the moment. Lin Chen, a youth from a desolate island impoverished in the Martial Path, had all the way defeated the genius disciples of the various Super Sects of the Flame Dynasty, ascended to the summit of Martial Arts Mountain, and shook the entire Flame Dynasty.

And more than half of that shock stemmed from Lin Chen’s background.

If Lin Chen, like Sima Kong or others, had been born and raised within the Flame Dynasty, then even if he took first on Martial Arts Mountain, at most he’d just make some waves among Martial Artists of his generation, not enough to draw the gaze of those true powerhouses.

This was proven even before Lin Chen challenged Sima Kong. Sima Kong had already held first place on Martial Arts Mountain for quite a while, yet his fame only spread within a small circle.

The clan’s external contacts, who sent back news every few months, had never mentioned the name of the Martial Arts Mountain’s number one genius. It was like this when Sima Kong was first, and the several terms before were the same. Only when Lin Chen took the top did they write a few lines about it. Besides it being because the Canglan Sect and the Eight Desolates Sect went to war and Lin Chen was a disciple of the Canglan Sect, it was also because they were shaken by Lin Chen’s origins.

But if Lin Chen had a Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse behind him, then it would all make sense.

Although Lin Chen came from a desolate offshore island, if a Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse were to groom him with all their might, then location would no longer matter. Lin Chen having his current level of strength would just make him another Sima Kong, no different from the usual geniuses who had climbed to the peak of Martial Arts Mountain.

"I only found out on this return that there was a Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse on Canglan Island." Lin Chen explained, "This time, it’s also that Myriad Phenomena Realm powerhouse who asked me to come here."

The reason he explained was not because Lin Chen cared about face or feared being misunderstood, but because he wanted to borrow Yin Yue’s knowledge to analyze the current situation.

Many times, people standing at different heights will reach different conclusions when looking at the same matter.

If you stand at the foot of the mountain or within it and have never been to the summit, you cannot see the whole picture.

He himself was someone at the foot or on the slopes, but given Yin Yue’s identity, even if she hadn’t climbed the peak, she should at least have seen the outline of the mountain range from afar.

"I can’t give you an answer. I can only say that your Canglan Island is not simple."

Yin Yue understood the purpose behind Lin Chen telling her all this, yet she could not give him a definitive answer.

"Then let’s keep going."

With his Innate Power constantly draining, Lin Chen chose to land back on the ground, relying purely on his physical body to travel. Once his feet were on the earth, the Innate Power in his body stopped leaking away.

A day later!

Lin Chen saw a military camp, and also saw, standing to one side of the camp, an enormous tomb.

The Grand Ancestor’s tomb!

[After the Grand Ancestor Emperor of Liang died, he did not enter the Imperial Mausoleum. His body was divided into four parts: his head was buried in the Northern Border icefield, his body was buried on the East Sea Coast and at the Western Border Abyss.]

Lin Chen murmured softly. These were the words Lord Su, the County Magistrate of Poyang County, had told him back when he first learned of the existence of Demon Beasts.

"Who goes there!"

Just as Lin Chen led Yin Yue toward the Grand Ancestor Emperor’s tomb, a group of Martial Artists came whistling through the air.

The leader was a middle‑aged man. On seeing Lin Chen and Yin Yue, his brows knit slightly, doubt flickering in his eyes.

The Western Border was a desolate place, with very few Martial Artists ever coming here.

"Lin Chen!"

Lin Chen gave his name. Hearing it, the middle‑aged man’s pupils contracted sharply as he asked, "Which Lin Chen?"

"Lin Chen from Linhu Village in Poyang County!"

Once he received confirmation, excitement appeared on the middle‑aged man’s face: "Zhang Hai, Ten Thousand Soldiers of Liang’s Dingxi Army, pays his respects to Lord Lin."

The Dingxi Army rarely saw outside Martial Artists, but the supply convoys arranged periodically by the Imperial Court, besides bringing them living necessities, also carried some news from the outside world.

The name Lin Chen was also known to the soldiers of the Dingxi Army.

Very soon, the others in the camp were also alarmed. Duke Dingxi led a group of generals out to personally welcome Lin Chen. However, Lin Chen did not stay long in the camp. Accompanied by Duke Dingxi and the others, he worshipped the Grand Ancestor before that massive Grand Ancestor Emperor’s tomb, then continued westward.

"Liang’s founding Emperor really was quite a unique man."

After Lin Chen finished his worship, Yin Yue spoke up. She hadn’t participated in the ritual, watching from the side from beginning to end, yet she could sense the respect these soldiers held for the Grand Ancestor Emperor.

The state of Liang, placed within the Flame Dynasty, was nothing more than a minuscule kingdom; within the Canglan Domain it wouldn’t even rank in the top hundred. In such kingdoms, neither ministers nor commoners feel much respect for the Royal Family. Some dynasties get overturned in just a few years; the longer ones last only decades or a few hundred years.

A founding Emperor who’s been dead for three hundred years—by what right does he still command such respect from these soldiers?

"The Grand Ancestor Emperor is the most revered figure among all the people of Liang. Even after three hundred years, that hasn’t changed. In this world, what other founding Emperor would have his body divided after death, buried along the borders of his territory, solely to stir the resolve of the entire nation to guard its lands?"

Lin Chen explained with a smile. Unless one day the various countries on Canglan Island merge into one, and then hundreds more years pass, only then will the Grand Ancestor Emperor’s prestige begin to fade.

"Lord Lin, have you come to the Western Border this time to go to that Abyss?"

Duke Dingxi, who had just finished presiding over the ceremony, walked over. Compared to the Southern Garrison Duke, Duke Dingxi was much younger, just over fifty this year.

"Mm."

Lin Chen nodded. By now he could be certain that the location the Martial Garden Master had given him was that mysterious Abyss in the Western Border.

"Lord Lin, ever since Innate Powerhouses began arriving on the island, quite a few of them have come here, all heading for the Abyss. Of those this duke knows of, there were seven. In the end, only five returned; the remaining two have never appeared again on Canglan Island."

Duke Dingxi explained the situation to Lin Chen. If Innate Powerhouses truly chose to fly overhead without announcing themselves, the Dingxi Army wouldn’t even notice. Those seven Innate Powerhouses had first come to the camp to inquire about conditions before heading out. Of them, five returned to the camp, but they were tight‑lipped about what lay beyond the Abyss.

The other two never came back to the camp. Duke Dingxi had even specially written to the Imperial Court, and the reply he received was that those two Innate Powerhouses had not appeared anywhere else on Canglan Island either.

"You mean those two encountered danger?"

"There’s a very high chance. That Abyss is extremely dangerous. Even the frontier we of the Dingxi Army guard is still a hundred li away from it."

Lin Chen pondered for a moment: "Marquis, the Dingxi Army is stationed here to guard against that ’Demon’—what exactly is it?"

At Lin Chen’s words, Duke Dingxi’s expression turned grave: "Lord Lin, we in fact don’t know what the Demon truly is."

PS: I saw the childcare subsidy policy today and noticed many people online couldn’t work the numbers, so I did the math for everyone. If the child is born before January 2025 and is still a few months short of three years old by January 2025, you can get subsidies for those few months, three hundred a month. Those born after January 2025 can receive the full three years. For specific details, follow your local government announcements. As for me, Nine Lamps, I can get fifteen thousand out of it, which is about equal to a month of writing income—an unexpected pleasant surprise. There’ll be another Chapter tonight.