Embers of Sword

Chapter 482 The Abyss
"what a pity."

Lu Yuzhen lay in the crater, quietly looking at the ceiling, her expression showing no particular fluctuation.

At this moment, Ye Zu's sword shadow, suspended in the sky, multiplied from one to two, and from two to four. This was the "Flower Derivation Style" of Hundred Flowers Valley. Countless sword shadows appeared densely on the top of the sky. With the sword thought returning to one, all these sword shadows merged together and became one.

The sword hangs in the sky, then falls to the ground.

This battle was too extreme.

Both sides fought to the point of exhaustion.

Even Ye Zu was unable to unleash the "Burning Flower Style".

At this point in the battle... all three Yang Gods were exhausted, which was an extremely rare situation. Although there was a huge gap between Yang Gods and Yin Gods, even Yin Gods could change the outcome of the battle when it reached this point.

"Boom."

The resounding boom was like the beating of drums.

The entire white paper barrier has begun its final collapse.

The bleak frost and snow slapped coldly against his cheeks. Wu Zhexian should have felt joy, but as the sword energy descended, his heart felt an unprecedented chill.

He felt something was off...

The white paper barrier collapsed from the top of the sky, and billions of paper scraps fell like a massive avalanche.

Wu Zhexian slowly raised his head.

The chill from the ceiling was almost blinding. The sword shadows, arranged in a floral pattern, gradually converged, fell, and were then submerged and covered by the collapsing snow.

The snow-white waves cascaded down like a waterfall.

Wu Zetian saw countless shadows appearing and disappearing in the heavy snow...

He was a little bewildered.

This moment became extremely slow.

Countless figures flashed and disappeared in the heavy snow, leaving only a familiar, snow-white, silvery sword light, carrying a chilling and murderous intent, piercing through the massive avalanche falling from the sky.

This sword.

It was even more dazzling than the sun.

Although I can't see it clearly.

Yet it made one feel an overwhelming chill, penetrating to the very core of one's being.

……

……

Heavy rain poured down, and the world changed color.

Like a beaded curtain, the dark lines of ink stitched together the inky sky of southern Xinjiang with the miasma-shrouded mountains. A fierce wind whipped the lines outwards, creating a giant cage woven from willow branches. The earthquake surrounding Pure White Mountain lasted for half an hour; the earth collapsed, swallowing the mountains for dozens of miles around, along with the torrential rain. The so-called "mountain-moving technique" was useless at this moment; without mountains, how could one "move mountains," or "obscure the view"?
Qin Baihuang, Qin Qianlian, and all the cultivators from Xuanzhui Mountain and Qingfu Mountain were all looking at the bottom of the treasure ship, at that hideous abyss that looked like the gaping mouth of a giant beast... The "sinking" was still going on, with countless rocks collapsing in a spreading manner, and landslide rocks and mud rolling into the cracks in the ground.

This scene was truly shocking.

"Ten miles to the southwest!"

After a moment, the envoy from the Refining Department, who was responsible for assisting the helmsman and controlling the direction of the treasure ship with his divine sense, suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Many people quickly came to their senses and assumed a posture of being ready for battle.

However, no evil cultivators appeared in the ten miles to the southwest.

Two treasure ships were hanging there, coming from Yuanping Mountain on the south front, which is Zhanjiao Mountain where Yuqingzhai is located.

"...They are friendly forces."

Qin Baihuang breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"besides--"

The helmsman continued to report loudly: "Fifteen li to the north! There's another treasure ship!"

"It seems the mountain-moving technique has failed."

Qin Qianlian stood on the deck, staring coldly at the abyss.

The miasma dissipated.

The Yuanping Mountain treasure ship also noticed the commotion and immediately sent out orders.

Master Shu Ning of Yuqing Zhai, along with his disciple Shang Yi, got up from the ship, rode their swords, and quickly flew to this place.

"Fellow Daoist Baihuang, Junior Brother Qin, are you alright?"

Shu Ning landed on the boat, gave a hasty bow, and spoke with concern.

"Thank you, Senior Sister. I'm fine."

Qin Qianlian returned the greeting and asked, "How is Yuqingzhai?"

"All is well."

Despite saying that, Shu Ning's expression was not good. The attack by the three major sects tonight was completely unexpected, and almost every Zhanjiao Mountain suffered considerable losses.

She also has a very direct personality.

He personally led his men, charging out of the mountains...

The result is here.

"you……"

Shu Ning's expression was subtle, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

She knew about the conflicts within the Qin family and that Xuanzhui Mountain was preparing to leave, so logically she shouldn't have met with Qingfu Mountain.

Qin Baihuang quickly recounted the process.

After a while.

Shu Ning's expression softened, and she nodded in realization, her tone turning cold: "So that's how it is... No wonder the journey was so strange. So the person who set up the 'Mountain Moving Technique' wanted us to gather together and witness the so-called Bai Ze Secret Realm emerge?"

"..."

Shang Yi listened silently, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Everything that happened tonight was too coincidental.

The scene of the newly emerged secret realm was truly breathtaking and unforgettable.

"But... what exactly is the evil sect trying to achieve by doing this?"

Questions were raised.

The treasure ship fell into dead silence.

"Tao Monument."

Suddenly, Qian San, who had been silent all along, spoke up.

Qian San stood at the very front of the deck the whole time. He silently looked down at the abyss below and said softly, "Before we set out, the young national advisor told me... that this trip to the Southern Frontier would bring both great calamity and great fortune."

Everyone was stunned.

"Over the years, the three sect leaders have called themselves 'saints,' but in reality they are incomplete. The generation of White Ghost, Mo Daoren, and Huanxi Zen Master is already much stronger than the previous sect leaders... However, they still cannot break through to become Yang Gods."

Qian San paused for a moment, then said, "It's not because they're not strong enough, it's just that their 'Dao Stele' is incomplete. To break through to the next realm, they must find a complete 'Dao Stele.' To become a Yang God, these madmen are willing to sacrifice everything and do anything."

"and many more--"

Venerable Bao Cheng suddenly understood something, and said with a grim expression, "You mean, the three major sects never intended to cooperate with Da Chu from the beginning? What was their purpose in doing so? Could it be that they had already sided with the Paper Doll Sect?"

The treasure ship fell into dead silence.

If that's really the case... it's utterly absurd. However...

This conjecture perfectly explains tonight's attack, and everyone's expressions became strange.

"The matter concerning the 'Taoist Stele' is merely speculation."

Qian San said expressionlessly, "It's inevitable that the three major sects never intended to cooperate from the beginning. These people are despicable madmen who have reached the end of their rope; how can they be trusted? As for joining the Paper Man Sect, as long as it can make their lives better than before, these people might be willing to do it."

"This is too absurd." Another Venerable One, unwilling to believe it, said in a state of near collapse, "Could this secret realm be fake?"

"Not quite like it."

Master Shu Ning looked down at the abyss and frowned, saying, "The plaque in the Bai Ze Secret Realm has an ancient aura, and the words imprinted on it are at least a thousand years old... and that commotion just now..."

That commotion couldn't be faked.

Even a celestial being, a god of the yang realm, could not create such a breathtaking and awe-inspiring scene.

This secret realm has existed for a long time, but it has been cleverly concealed.

In fact, triggering an avalanche isn't difficult; all it takes is a shout from the summit of a snow-capped mountain. Tonight, these treasure ships of the Great Chu Dynasty were that shout that triggered the avalanche. Guided by the "Mountain-Moving Technique," these barrier-breaking ships, carrying massive amounts of primordial energy, sailed into the skies above the secret realm. The miasma obscuring the "secret realm" was swept away by the large ships. With all the right conditions—time, place, and people—the roar just now was heard. The earth collapsed, the abyss emerged, and the secret realm was born.

This statement came out.

The expressions of the people on the treasure ship changed.

The Great Sage Bai Ze is famous for his "many treasures," and for thousands of years, countless sacred sites have been searching for his relics.

Who doesn't want good fortune?

Who doesn't want a chance?

"I'm afraid the three major sects and the Paper Doll Sect are truly a den of snakes and rats."

Qin Baihuang regained his composure and slowly said, "These people led us here... probably to absorb 'vital energy'."

Southern Xinjiang is too barren and extremely lacking in vitality.

However, in order to propel the Great Chu Treasure Ship, it often carried a large amount of Yuan Stones.

From the very beginning, Qin Baihuang realized something was wrong... The Yuan Stones on the treasure ship were dimming at an extremely fast speed, and this abyss cracked open, truly forming a "giant mouth," but it was not devouring the lives of everyone, but rather the Yuan Qi emanating from the world.

It wasn't just the treasure ship.

His "vitality" was also overflowing.

"Something's wrong."

Not only Qin Baihuang, Qin Qianlian, Shu Ning, but also other Yin God Venerables noticed the anomaly.

"The Bingyou year!"

Qin Baihuang coldly said, "Set off immediately and leave this place!"

The art of moving mountains has been broken.

The miasma was also swallowed up by the abyss.

Now is a good time to leave.

No matter how much good fortune this Bai Ze Secret Realm may bring, it has nothing to do with him. He only wants to leave this place with his wounded!

"Boom!"

The treasure ship Bingyou emitted a trembling roar, but the pressure between heaven and earth was too great. The treasure ship was pressed down inch by inch, and the more it tried to get away, the faster it sank.

Qin Baihuang felt a chill run down his spine.

He stared at the abyss with a grim expression... Qin Baihuang's unease was finally realized; this was exactly the situation he feared most.

The moment the Bai Ze Secret Realm appeared, these treasure ships were no longer able to leave.

This abyss is greedily absorbing everything containing "primordial energy." The primordial stone core on the treasure ship will soon be completely drained, and everyone will be trapped in a quagmire.

The more you try to escape, the deeper you'll sink.

"……That's too late."

Qin Qianlian looked calmly at the roaring Bingyou ship.

He lowered his eyes, gazing at the dark and desolate abyss, and said softly, "Neither the treasure ship nor the cultivators can leave now. I suggest you order the Bingyou ship to extinguish the Yuan Stone Formation; that might slow the sinking."

"Hey!"

Venerable Bao Cheng strode forward, stood opposite Qin Qianlian, grabbed the white-robed young man's collar, and coldly said, "Do you know what you're saying?"

To say such a thing openly in this kind of setting—

What should the other disciples think?
"..."

Qin Qianlian neither answered Venerable Baocheng nor showed any anger, letting Venerable Baocheng angrily clutch his clothes while his gaze remained fixed on the secret cave deep within the abyss.

"Bingyou day, cease operations."

At that moment, Qin Baihuang gave the order.

The Bingyou ship gave up resistance, ceasing to burn its vital energy array and instead maintaining its levitation in a way that consumed minimal resources. This proved to be much better; the invisible ripples in the void gradually subsided, and the ship's descent slowed.

Upon seeing this scene, Venerable Baocheng was stunned.

The others on the treasure ship were also stunned.

"This is the true Bai Ze Secret Realm."

Qian San spoke softly: "A thousand years ago, before the Great Sage Bai Ze died, he left behind a will. In his will, he said that he would leave behind a tomb containing countless secrets, and that he would bury his most beloved and precious treasures in the deepest part of the tomb... Only the luckiest person will have the opportunity to obtain this treasure."

"At first, this last will and testament was taken seriously, but it did not cause a global sensation."

"Until the vitality begins to dry up."

"No one expected that the world's vital energy would suddenly begin to 'dwindle'. Even after a hundred years, it has been difficult for a great cultivator at the Celestial Realm to appear."

Qian San paused for a moment: "It wasn't until then that people remembered the last words of the Great Sage Bai Ze. They wondered what extraordinary things were left behind in this tomb. At that time, people began to frantically search for traces left by Bai Ze and his mysterious tomb. However, even now, a full thousand years later, no 'lucky one' has appeared."

"So...we're the lucky ones?"

Venerable Bao Cheng's voice was hoarse.

"maybe."

Qian San chuckled self-deprecatingly: "But I think we're more like the unlucky ones. In his last words, the Great Sage Bai Ze said not to try to find the secret tomb. Without enough luck, even if you find the tomb, you won't get any 'good results.' This Great Sage of the demon race valued 'cause and effect' extremely much. A thousand years ago, the relationship between the demon kingdom and the human race wasn't too bad. At that time, Bai Ze had a close personal relationship with several powerful figures of the human race. For the past thousand years, no one has found his tomb. Everyone thought he had hidden it in the demon kingdom. But unexpectedly, he really did hide it within human territory."

"Wait! So what exactly is going on now?"

Shu Ning's voice was heavy, and she couldn't help but interrupt.

The treasure ships used in this campaign to vanquish demons in the Southern Frontier were all provided by the Weapon Refining Division.

Divine messages also came from Yuanping Mountain, and the pressure from the top of the sky was getting stronger and stronger... The disciples of Yuqingzhai wanted to sail away, but they were instead pressed down by this huge force and could not move. Just like the Bingyou ship before, they were sinking lower and lower, as if they were sinking into a swamp.

"The situation is quite simple now."

Qian San turned around, shrugged, and said calmly, "The legendary Bai Ze Secret Realm truly exists, and it's right beneath our feet. We will all become witnesses to history. This secret realm may contain the long-lost 'Dao Stele' of the three major sects, or the legendary supreme treasure 'Dao Da Bi', or even the ultimate creation that can allow one to ascend to the Celestial Realm in the Dharma-ending Age. But before that, the secret realm needs sufficient Yuan Power to open it... If we want to witness the legends and myths, we need to offer enough sacrifices and present the ticket to enter the secret realm with both hands."

"and many more."

Qin Baihuang frowned: "Can't we just leave?"

"I'm afraid... not."

Qian San shook his head, looked down at himself, and said regretfully, "This abyss may have been opened before, but the Yuan energy was insufficient, so it closed again. Look at those old rocks in the cracks, they are historical remnants swallowed by the secret realm. Now we have found the Bai Ze Secret Realm, and the Bai Ze Secret Realm has found us... Those who fall into the abyss swamp have only two fates."

"Either witness the opening of the secret realm, or fall into eternal darkness."

(End of this chapter)