The Geared Immortal

Chapter 548

(Unedited)

…

Thick poisonous green mists are all over the place as the scenery in front of Shin Jiao suddenly changes upon entering the portal that the Hermit opened.

He didn't know why he trusted the hermit that much but deep inside his heart there is something that is telling him to trust the old man. Hence he followed the advice but still holds his guards up until the very end.

This attitude from Shin Jiao also gained the old man's admiration. He saw that no matter how he shows generosity and kindness, the young man though, showing respect, didn't put his guard down and show no opening at all.

After Shin Jiao's figure disappears, the old man closes his eyes and continues cultivating.

Thick dark green foliage covers the central part of the valley. Shin Jiao can feel that deep within it there is a strong pressure emanating which seems to deter all the beasts from entering the place. As he continues walking deeper, he notices some beast remains on the ground with their bones already green as the poison miasma has already seeped inside it.

Although the miasma in this place is dangerous, Shin Jiao didn't mind as he is immune to such poisons. Even those that can corrode human flesh are a welcome sight for him as it could make his poison essence grow stronger. So, he just greedily absorbs the poison in the air and refines the excess essence to be absorbed into his dantian.

As he walked deeper, he can feel his sphere slowly being filled with refined Qi.

Thought the pill that the old man gave him recovered some of his energy, it was not enough to fill all the spheres in his dantian due to the amount of energy needed to fill them. Hence this large amount of miasma is like free energy for Shin Jiao.

Not long later, he arrives near the clearing where the old man told him to find. And saw the large boulders with strange patterns.

Upon arriving, Shin Jiao can now feel the strong and oppressive aura covering the place. He immediately knew that the Being that is staying in this place is far stronger than he thought. When he felt that oppressive aura his will almost crumble under its might.

"Hihi… Welcome… welcome!" an eerie voice which seems to belong not from a single person but a collective individual greeted Shin Jiao.

This made his body unconsciously shiver in fear. He knew that he is going to face such a powerful enemy. However, though he fears that enemy, he would never back down just to be able to save Susan Tang.

So he took a step forward and shows himself.

Shin Jiao has already seen that ghostly figure floating in the air. It's just a visage of a person without a face. When his absolute sense scanned that being, he felt like looking deep into a black hole. It was like the whole being at the front is the void, vast, and endless.

"So you are the Shadow Legion, the demon from the abyss…" Shin Jiao said with a serious expression on his face.

He dare not face this opponent nonchalantly as he can feel its power even with the distance between them.

"Hehe… Yes, I am that being… I am a personification of a deity. I am a true god, worship me… mortal."

Shin Jiao didn't reply as he just stood on his place while observing the being floating above the rocks.

"You are a god? But why are you trapped in this place?" Shin Jiao suddenly said after observing for a while.

After the shadow being heard Shin Jiao's words, its glowing eyes suddenly express surprise, and then it turned into slits as a smile crept into its mouth.

"Hihi… interesting… very interesting… You are the first mortal that lived in this world that is able to recognize me from just one look. Hahaha…" said the shadow being as it laughed maniacally in the air.

"I was afraid for nothing… this thing can only bluff. Luckily I was able to learn divine runes, through that book, if not I could not have deduced that those symbols are divine arrays not from this world. Haha… eternal divine imprisonment?… Who would have guessed that this thing could not escape this land no matter how hard it would wait or try?" Shin Jiao chuckled deep in his heart.

This is because he has already deciphered the rune on the rocks.

But what excites Shin Jiao right at this moment are those rocks. They are actually not just simple boulders. But boulders made of the rare black stone. The strongest material he has ever encountered so far.

Though his heart wanted to be greedy and obtain such a boon, he is not that stupid unless he knew that he can defeat this shadow being.

"You said you are a god? But how come you are imprisoned in this place?" Shin Jiao asked with a curious look on his face.

"Haha… before you came here I already knew who you are… young Shin Jiao. I heard that you were a hero that died in battle, but then after a few years came back alive and well… what an interesting story. I am interested in your strength… I guess you wanted more power than what you have now, right? I can give you that." said the shadow being with a smile on its visage.

Shin Jiao didn't react but just squinted his eyes while looking at the floating black figure.

"Hmm… not power, eh. Then… What about…information?" the shadow being said with a grin.

The expression on Shin Jiao's face suddenly changed upon hearing these words. And the Shadow Being saw these changes and a grin appear on its face.

"Hihi… Information… let's trade. I will give you information on what you seek, while you… you give me something in exchange."

Shin Jiao hesitated for a bit but still asked.

"What kind of exchange?"

"Haha… straightforward eh, I like that. As a good gesture of my sincerity, let me show you something that you truly desperately wanted to obtain…" the shadow being said as it waves its hands in the air and a small mirror-like ripple appears.

Then in that ripple, a few images began to show.

When Shin Jiao saw the images, his eyes went wide in disbelief.

This is because he saw himself… no… that was not him. It is the man he has been looking for. That man is currently walking deep in a forest with a frantic voice.

"No… no… this can't be. This can't be happening. I won't let you die just like this…" Shin Jiao's voice said as he wades through the thick plants.

It looks like he is currently descending down a mountain while looking at the seemingly bottomless cliff.

Shin Jiao who is watching the scene can vaguely see something in the direction that the person in the image is looking at.

"I need to move faster…" his voice echoed.

Then the man suddenly flew up in the air and suddenly jumps from where he stood. When that person jumps, Shin Jiao can now see that full view of what that man is seeing down below.

He can vaguely see a broken carriage down on the ground.

When Shin Jiao saw this a bad premonition suddenly enters his heart, as he clenched his fist. Right now, he is praying dearly in his heart that what he is thinking will not come true. He didn't want his conjecture to be true, because if it is, then…

Shin Jiao's breathing began to hasten, and his composure suddenly crumbles.

When the shadow figure saw this, it immediately smiles thinking that it has already won the bet. It has hit a string that triggered this mere mortal to now lower his guard.

"What a foolish fellow. How can a mere mortal trick someone like me who has lived for many millennia? Haha… you are still weak, and young. The tricks you have learned are not enough to protect you from me, the shadow legion… Hihi…"

As a being that has lived and consumed countless souls from thousands of different worlds in the universe, the shadow legion which was stuck in a single deity soul knew far too many things. Hence it is confident that it could cajole the human into submission.

Right now, it could not wait to devour the soul of this young lad and invade his strong body. The Shadow Being knew that if only one of the many souls inside him could escape and possess the body of this young man, then it might find a way to escape this eternal prison that the deity has put unto this soul.

"Young man, I knew you are in a desperate struggle right now. I can help you go to that place in an instant. But there is a price…"

"What… what is your price?"

"Hihi… I know that you are searching for the woman you love. As for my price, we can talk about that after you agree…" the shadow being said.

Shin Jiao became silent, but his troubled expression betrayed him.

"Can you take me there? I will… agree… your condition is…"

Upon hearing Shin Jiao's words, the Shadow Being became impatient as it now knew that the human is already roped in. With impatience in its expression, it threw Shin Jiao a small stone slab.

"Haha… alright, then it is settled then. Sign your blood in that stone slab. If you lie, then your soul would be imprisoned in that stone." the shadow being said with a wide grin.

Shin Jiao didn't hesitate and immediately cut his hand and touch the stone. Determination can be seen in his eyes, and the expression of the shadow being is now filled with glee.

"Hihi… What a foolish mortal… this blood… Ah… such strong essence… this body… this body is already in the divinity stage… What a waste… he should have already ascended to the immortal plane… Well, no worries, I will just use this body to go back then… Hihi… Deities… wait for my return. I will wreak havoc once again. Hihi.... Hahaha…" the shadow being laughed in its heart in jubilation.