Embers of Sword

Chapter 490 Sun
"Will we...die?"

A treasure ship sails alone on the lake.

After entering the secret tomb, there was still an endless expanse of water, the sky was dark, and the surroundings seemed to be immersed in chaos, with no light in sight.

A faint primordial light burned on the large ship, barely illuminating an extremely narrow patch of light.

The Bingyou ship, crammed with wounded, now drifts alone like a leaf on the vast, desolate lake... Just half an hour ago, everything was different. A dozen or so large treasure ships surrounded the Martial Sect's main ship, heading towards the main gate of the Bai Ze Mausoleum. But the moment they passed the gate, everything changed. The vital energy and flames extinguished, night fell, and miasma descended. Even two treasure ships only a few dozen feet apart lost contact. All sound and light vanished, because the people gathered together by the "Mountain Moving Technique" were mercilessly stripped away the moment they entered the Bai Ze Mausoleum. The only saving grace was that at least the treasure ship hadn't been dismantled or shattered.

A disciple of the Longevity Sect, an envoy of the Weapon Refining Department, and a rogue cultivator temporarily recruited by the Suspended Cone Mountain.

They were all crammed under this faint primordial fire shield.

The Great Chu Treasure Ship was able to travel tens of thousands of miles from the Imperial City to the Southern Frontier, carrying a considerable amount of Yuan Stones. However, at this moment, all the Yuan Stones on the treasure ship had been extracted and drained, turning it into waste... This great ship was no different from the great ships in the mortal world. It could not take off, nor could it even sail on its own. At this moment, it could only be drifted by the undercurrents at the bottom of the lake, and no one knew where the Bingyou Ship's destination was.

Falling into the abyss is not actually that scary.

What's terrifying is dying alone like that.

The Bingyou Ship is currently in a very bad state. The Bai Ze Secret Tomb is constantly absorbing vital energy... This place is full of wounded people after the great battle, but the spiritual treasures and talismans that should have been used to heal the wounded have had their vital energy drained by the secret tomb.

"Don't give up."

A disciple of the Longevity Sect comforted them, saying, "Chief Qin... Uncle Qianlian... and Ancestor Ye... they will definitely come back to save us."

The primordial flames burned above the mast.

Everyone contributed a wisp of their energy...

In dire straits, such words can warm people's hearts, but they cannot change the cruel reality.

The vitality of the Bingyou year cannot last much longer.

A strong wind suddenly arose.

The flaming candles hanging on the mast were violently shaken by the wind.

In an instant, the gathered light and fire seemed to be blown away like rain, scattering and splashing everywhere.

Rumble!
The treasure ship seemed to have struck something, emitting a low, piercing roar. It appeared to be a reef. The envoy from the Refining Department, who was leaning against the railing, summoned his astronomical observation artifact and, with the aid of his divine sense, looked over...

At the end of the dark abyss, the outline of a colossal palace could be faintly seen.

"Front……"

Someone murmured, their voice filled with shock and disbelief.

"It looks like the shore?"

……

……

"Master Uncle Qianlian."

The main ship of Xuanzhui Mountain drifted alone in the middle of the lake.

After entering the secret mausoleum.

The main ship lost contact with the other treasure ships. The young Taoist Su Hong nervously gripped his uncle's sleeve and asked in a low voice, "Won't something happen to the Bingyou ship?"

"..."

Qin Qianlian pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Things have come to this point, there's no point in thinking about it anymore."

Enter the abyss, proceed to the secret tomb.

Everything that is happening now is beyond anyone's control.

"You mean, what happened after entering the abyss wasn't also part of Lu Yuzhen's scheme?" Su Hong asked nervously.

"impossible."

Qin Baihuang spoke.

He spoke with great certainty: "The Bai Ze Secret Tomb requires a large amount of spiritual energy to open... The secret tomb is hidden in the abyss of the southern border, and has absorbed the essence of heaven and earth for nearly a thousand years, yet it has not been opened. Where will Lu Yuzhen fill the secret tomb? To put it another way, if he really has the ability to open the secret tomb by himself, why would he provoke Da Chu? Nor would he need to use the poisonous plot tonight."

Making a fortune quietly is the best choice.

The young Taoist priest seemed to be deep in thought.

"So... we opened the secret tomb, and we were the first cultivators to step into it?"

"At the moment, that's the case."

Qian San calmly said, "Let's just say it's... a blessing in disguise. However, those evil cultivators will catch up soon. They'll have the upper hand in fighting here."

Due to the characteristics of the Abyss, it is only accessible to Yin God Venerables who have comprehended the Dao Realm and martial arts practitioners who refine their bodies.

The vast majority of cultivators on Da Chu's side are finding it difficult to unleash their full combat potential...

The Bai Ze Secret Tomb is constantly absorbing vital energy.

The three major sects' evil cultivators were used to it. The southern border was desolate, and it was precisely because they lacked vital energy that they turned to evil paths. Fighting in the abyss was like a fish in water for them.

While talking.

The ship's hull made a thud.

"Have we reached the shore?"

Qin Baihuang frowned. His divine sense had been controlling the treasure ship, and he could clearly sense a solid piece of land ahead.

Qin Qianlian gently clenched her fist and punched forward.

Thunder roared.

A bolt of lightning struck, instantly swallowed by the black mist, but its burst of light was enough to illuminate the magnificent palace in front of it.

"We really have reached the shore."

Qin Baihuang took a deep breath and issued a command.

The Yin Gods on the main ship of Suspended Cone Mountain were on high alert, and the disciples of the Northern County families were lined up in groups of three. Although they had experienced a fierce battle, the main ship had retained a great deal of strength. In addition, with Qin Qianlian, there were nearly a hundred cultivators lined up in high alert.

"I'm preparing to leave the ship with my men. As for Changshengzhai..."

Qin Baihuang looked at Qin Qianlian.

"Just give the order."

Qin Qianlian said calmly, "Of course I'll get off the boat too. Do you expect me to just keep drifting on this ghost lake forever?"

"it is good!"

Qin Baihuang nodded and said in a deep voice, "Hanging monks of Xuanzhui Mountain, listen to my command—follow me off the ship!"

At his command, over a hundred voices emanating from the Qi were like sharp blades being drawn from their sheaths, echoing around the dark abyss.

Qin Baihuang rose and took flight, glancing down at the treasure ship with a look of emotion and wistfulness in his eyes.

This was one of the most precious treasures he had ever crafted, but now, drained of its vital energy by the Bai Ze Secret Tomb, it had been completely reduced to scrap metal...

"stop looking."

Qian San rushed to Qin Baihuang's side and calmly said, "The treasures in the secret tomb are a hundred times more precious than this treasure ship."

Nearly a hundred figures moved along the ground, riding their qi, creating a magnificent scene. Unfortunately, this grand procession did not last long. Soon, the young disciples suffered damage to their vital energy, and even after consuming pills, they could not maintain their qi control... The secret tomb seemed to be shrouded in a "Qi-Sucking Array." Even the Yin God Venerable felt a sense of oppression.

However, Qin Baihuang felt good. His cultivation level was low, and he relied on his armor to fly.

The original black armor was made with Yuan Stone as its core.

However, after Qin Qianlian slapped it to pieces, Qin Baihuang reforged a new one. The new armor was ingenious; it could be driven by spirit stones or divine sense, and it also had a self-repairing function. At this moment, this armor allowed him to travel over the Abyss without much effort.

The young cultivators of Suspended Cone Mountain were not up to the task.

The main force gradually landed as well.

At this moment, they were already more than ten miles away from the lakeside. Qin Qianlian once again unleashed his lightning magic, and when everyone looked up, they could see the clear outline of the dark palace.

"We...we'll probably be the first to arrive."

A look of joy appeared in Venerable Baocheng's eyes.

The Bai Ze Secret Tomb, separating everyone, may be a bad thing... but whoever enters the secret tomb first will have the opportunity to seize the secret treasure first.

The first to arrive.

He was the first to receive this blessing!

This statement came out.

Everyone quickened their pace and arrived at the palace in less than half an incense stick's time.

Even the most seasoned Yin Gods couldn't help but sigh with emotion at this moment.

Is this the Great Sage's Secret Realm from a thousand years ago?

As they walked, the palace was pitch black. But as they got closer, light gradually appeared. It turned out that above this magnificent palace hung a dim sun, just like the two characters "Bai Ze" at the entrance to the secret tomb. This sun enveloped the palace, forming a perfect and immaculate barrier. Standing outside the barrier and looking into the distance, one could only see pitch blackness.

Upon entering the palace grounds, one can feel the darkness dissipate, and a sacred and solemn aura cascades down like a waterfall, enveloping everyone.

This palace is quite similar to the entrance to the Bai Ze Secret Mausoleum. Dozens of magnificent domed pillars support the ceiling, and in front of each domed pillar stands a dark stone sculpture of an armored giant.

"Dragon Heart Fruit!"

Venerable Bao Cheng's voice trembled.

He transformed into lightning, swiftly rushing towards the southeast side of the palace, where he saw a plump, blood-red fruit suspended in mid-air beneath the massive dome.

This is a treasure that cannot be found anywhere within the territory of the Da Chu Dynasty.

It is said that the "Dragon Heart Fruit" only grows in the extremely cold regions of the Demon Kingdom. It takes thirty years to flower and thirty years to bear fruit, and it takes sixty years to wait for it to ripen... However, the "Dragon Heart Fruit" of the first sixty years is only the size of a thumb, and then it grows larger every sixty years thereafter. At this moment, the "Dragon Heart Fruit" floating under the southeast pillar of the main hall is the size of a fist.

How many years must it have taken to grow?
Dragon Heart Fruit can enhance qi and blood, making it a top-tier bounty for martial artists seeking to strengthen their bodies.

If only I could eat one of these.

Even an ordinary mortal who is completely ignorant should be able to instantly achieve "golden body", right?

Blood sandalwood!

On the west side of the main hall, some people also exclaimed in disbelief.

"My God...it's a Bodhi seed! A thousand-year-old Bodhi seed!"

"Top-grade ambergris!"

Exclamations of surprise echoed throughout the hall.

Qin Baihuang watched this scene with a complicated expression.

There are twelve domed pillars in total around the perimeter.

Before each of the domed pillars and the armored giant, a "treasure" floated. These treasures were nowhere to be found in the Great Chu territory, yet they hung there "undefended" in the air within the Bai Ze Secret Mausoleum... How many more palaces like this were there? How many more treasures like this were there? Qin Baihuang couldn't imagine.

"Do not move!"

Just as everyone was immersed in shock and ecstasy.

Qian San's voice suddenly rang out.

The voice contained divine power, directly waking up the young disciples present. Some of them had been trying to take down the "treasure" in front of the dome, but they were suddenly brought back to their senses by this stern shout.

"The blessings from Bai Ze's secret tomb... are they really that easy to obtain?"

Qian San rebuked him in a deep voice, reciting the last words of the Great Sage Bai Ze: "If one's luck is insufficient, even if one finds the tomb, one will not receive 'good fortune'!"

This remark was like a wake-up call, bringing many young people back to their senses.

They originally intended to escape from southern Xinjiang, but by chance, they came to this secret tomb.

They knew what they were seeing.

This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity...

Such great fortune and destiny are rare and hard to come by. Even obtaining just one treasure would be enough to change their fate.

But Qian San's voice carried the power of the Dao realm.

Unable to take off, they could only watch helplessly as their fate unfolded before them.

but.

However, other Yin God Realm cultivators made their move.

Venerable Bao Cheng stared blankly at the Dragon Heart Fruit, his eyes gradually burning with fervor. He had cultivated for countless years, encountering a bottleneck at the tenth realm of Yin Spirit, unable to break through for a long time. This might be the end of his life… but if he could swallow this Dragon Heart Fruit, perhaps he could forge a "golden body" and forge a second path!

After he saw the Dragon Heart Fruit, the clamor in the entire hall vanished. This world.

It seems that there is only one thing: "Dragon Heart Fruit".

Even Qian San's shouts could not bring him to his senses. The dazed and confused Venerable Bao Cheng, as if possessed, stretched out his palm and plucked the "Dragon Heart Fruit" from the air.

"Qiang!"

next moment.

A sharp gust of wind rose from the southeast side of the main hall.

Qian San was stunned, turning around abruptly. He never expected that after entering the secret tomb, a Yin God Venerable would make such a "low-level" mistake. Just as Venerable Bao Cheng reached out his palm to touch the Dragon Heart Fruit, the solemnly standing armored giant suddenly moved. The giant, over twenty feet tall, seemed to come alive, a dark, blazing light igniting from the fine cracks in its helmet. The iron hand gripping the massive stone sword abruptly drew it from its sheath, unleashing a tornado of powerful sword energy—

"Boom!"

Venerable Bao Cheng's pupils contracted as he stared at the scene in disbelief.

His raised arm was completely engulfed by the sword energy, shattering instantly into a ferocious cloud of blood mist. The powerful sword energy swept past, and only after a breath did the intense pain surge into his heart.

"Ahhhhh!!"

Venerable Bao Cheng spat out a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper. He clutched his severed arm and collapsed heavily to the ground, staring in terror at the towering giant who had drawn his sword. At that moment, his divine sea suddenly cleared.

What just happened?
What are you doing?
No time to think.

The second sword energy followed immediately, welcoming the resurrected armored giant, who swung his sword and slashed, unleashing a massive gale that engulfed Venerable Treasure Presented like a tsunami.

Qian San flashed past, grabbed Venerable Bao Cheng's collar, and threw him away, narrowly avoiding the second strike. Even though this Yin God of the Eighteenth Realm was injured by Qing Xiao, he still displayed extremely powerful suppression. Qian San took Venerable Bao Cheng's place in the direction of the sword strike. After throwing Venerable Bao Cheng away, he put his hands together, formed a hand seal, and a small bronze seal flew out from the cave between his eyebrows. It swelled in the wind and instantly transformed into a small mountain, which withstood the sword strike and then smashed into the chest of the armored giant.

With a loud bang, the ancient bronze seal landed on the chest of the armored giant, smashing a dent into it.

The armored giant was knocked backward, falling backward and causing the entire dome to collapse and crumble.

A look of helplessness appeared in Qian San's eyes. He did not want to trigger the restrictions of this hall, but the change had already occurred. There was no turning back once the arrow was released. After knocking down the armored giant, he immediately teleported to the front of the collapsed dome, and with lightning speed, grabbed the "Dragon Heart Fruit" into his palm, and then swallowed it without hesitation.

It's not that I'm greedy for this good fortune.

Rather, he was seriously injured in his previous battle with Qingxiao, and his physical body has not yet recovered.

Swallow this Dragon Heart Fruit and your injuries will heal quickly!

"Kakaka..."

A violent roar resounded from the ceiling. After one of the domed pillars collapsed, the entire hall began to tremble. The remaining eleven domed pillars and the eleven armored giants gradually regained their "consciousness".

"Run! Get out of here!"

Qian San roared again, but this time his roar had little effect.

The Suspended Cone Mountain was originally cobbled together by Qin Baihuang through the temporary recruitment of "rogue cultivators" and "retainers". The reason they participated in this southward expedition to exorcise demons was to obtain the reward from the Weapon Refining Department. Now that a greater opportunity is before them, how could they stop there?

Qian San refined the Dragon Heart Fruit.

In an instant, many figures rushed forward against the wind, trying to seize the opportunity before the armored giant had fully recovered.

At this moment, the only ones who restrained their desires and chose to obey orders were a few members of the Longevity Hall, the Weapon Refining Division, and the disciples of the Northern County.

"……Do not!"

Qian San gasped in shock upon seeing this, his eyes filled with unbearable sorrow.

Even Venerable Bao Cheng couldn't dodge the armored giant's attack.

These people are only at the Qi Control Realm and the Cave Heaven Realm...

Taking action now will almost certainly result in only one outcome.

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang -"

A series of loud explosions erupted, and puffs of blood mist exploded in the air above the main hall.

This scene was too bloody.

A deluge of blood rained down from the sky above the main hall.

Qin Baihuang was pale as he watched this scene, and a strong sense of unease surged from his stomach.

"escape!"

In an instant, Qian San appeared in front of Qin Baihuang. He didn't care about anything else and grabbed Qin Baihuang, trying to leave. This tragedy was not his intention. He had already done enough, but he still couldn't stop people from wanting to die. Now, the only thing he could do was save Qin Baihuang, the person his master had instructed him to protect at all costs.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Qianlian's voice rang out.

"Brother Qian, haven't you noticed that this main hall has been sealed off?"

Qian San paused for a moment, his expression turning extremely gloomy.

His divine sense swept out, but it seemed to have touched an iron wall and was bounced back in an instant. Clearly, there was no such barrier before. When did this begin?

“The main hall has been sealed off from the moment you refined the ‘Dragon Heart Fruit’.”

Qin Qianlian, dressed in white, remained calm until this moment.

He raised his head, looking at the torrential rain of blood, and said softly, "Perhaps the treasures in this Bai Ze Secret Tomb can only be seen, not touched... Anyone who tries to take the 'Dragon Heart Fruit' will have their arm cut off, and anyone who tries to steal the Great Sage's treasures will be executed."

Qian San's face was grim, and he gritted his teeth as he said, "I just checked, and the array in this main hall isn't too sturdy. If we work together, we might have a chance to break it."

Perhaps the treasures in this hall are not worthy of the Great Sage Bai Ze's attention.

Therefore, the restrictions on this main hall are not very strong.

If two powerful individuals at the Yin God Realm 15 or above join forces, they will definitely have a chance to break through their realm and leave.

"Brother Qian..."

Qin Qianlian did not respond, but stared intently at the ceiling. After the dense, torrential rain of blood subsided, his gaze remained fixed on the top of the main hall.

Qin Qianlian gazed at the sun and spoke softly.

"Don't you think there's something wrong with this 'sun'?"

……

……

There's something wrong with this 'sun'.

Xie Xuanyi stood in a gap in the torrent.

He looked up at the two characters "Bai Ze" hanging high like the sun, and a strange premonition rose in his heart.

Some doubts need no reason.

He vaguely felt that the two characters "Bai Ze" hanging in the center above the secret tomb were like some kind of deliberate act of charity. The faint fluorescent light shining on him made him feel a little uncomfortable, but this feeling quickly disappeared on its own.

Xie Xuanyi shook his head, suppressing the thought, and stepped into the giant gate.

"A major formation has been activated."

The moment I entered the classroom.

His divine senses, which he had spread around, "dispersed" at an extremely fast speed... The abyss lake in front of him had not changed, but Xie Xuanyi knew that the space he was in was being "cut" by the formation. If the Great Chu Treasure Ships really gathered together to enter this giant gate, then there was a very high probability that they would be separated. Xie Xuanyi was no stranger to this feeling. The "Thirty-Three Cave Heavens" on the back mountain of Jade Screen Peak of the Great Sui Sword Palace were isolated by such a formation.

He waded through the lake water, heading towards the dark end.

The Dao of Annihilation solidified into solid ice, forming a dark and narrow path behind him.

Bai Ze's secret tomb devoured vital energy.

If this were his first life, Xie Xuanyi would be extremely cautious when entering this place.

But in this life.

The abyss of Bai Ze's secret tomb seems to have been created for him. The Undying Spring can produce vital energy at all times. If that were all, it would be fine. He could simply walk freely without fear of the abyss's "vital energy absorption"... But the "Undying Spring" that Xie Xuanyi carries is quite special.

Although Xie Xuanyi's number of Undying Fountains is much smaller compared to Lu Yu's true Undying Fountain.

But his Fountain of Immortality is a "spring" that can regenerate.

Whenever the water vapor decreases to a certain level...

The spring will then accelerate the generation of water vapor.

In this way, the "absorption" of this secret tomb actually benefited him. Xie Xuanyi walked on the dark lake with a strange expression, feeling the "abyss" being absorbed. The Undying Spring was gradually growing as it was being consumed, which was truly an incredible thing. Although the speed was very slow, it was indeed a breakthrough.

The world is full of absurdities.

I had painstakingly searched for the path to immortality here, and unexpectedly found an almost perfect answer.

The fewer the fountains of immortality, the more fountains of immortality there are?

"laugh."

As the tide rose, Xie Xuanyi lit a lantern filled with sword energy and hung it in front of him.

He frowned.

Before him lay what appeared to be the shore, the end of the great lake. He could vaguely make out the outline of a treasure ship moored at the shore... Xie Xuanyi quickened his pace, but the scene that followed chilled his heart.

The Great Lake of the Abyss was divided into countless independent areas by the Secret Tomb Formation.

I don't know which area this is...

However, Xie Xuanyi recognized the treasure ship docked at the shore. It was the "Bingyou" ship under Qin Baihuang's Xuanzhui Mountain command, which was responsible for treating the wounded. Even before getting close to the treasure ship, he could smell the strong stench of blood. Xie Xuanyi boarded the ship with a grim expression. The mast on the ship had been broken, and there were corpses everywhere. A faint stench lingered in the air.

This was a scent that Xie Xuanyi would never forget for the rest of his life.

He came late.

After the Great Chu cultivator entered the secret realm, the evil cultivators from the three major sects followed closely behind... The evil cultivators from Yinshan and Bingyou entered the same lake and landed together.

What happened next.

There was no suspense then.

However, it seems that these evil cultivators from Yinshan did not refine the living soul. They must have been eyeing the treasures in the Bai Ze Secret Tomb. After they pierced through Bingyou and slaughtered everyone, they left in a hurry.

Xie Xuanyi silently released his divine sense.

He had given up hope.

Unexpectedly, at the bottom of the broken mast, there was a disciple of the Longevity Sect whose life force was still intact.

This disciple of the Longevity Sect had his heart pierced; he was already beyond saving…

If it were under normal circumstances...

He will be refined into the Soul Banner.

However, those evil cultivators were busy entering the tomb to seize treasures and did not waste time here.

Xie Xuanyi quickly crouched down and used his sword energy to cut the mast open.

He reached out his hands, wanting to help the Changshengzhai disciple, whose life force was almost gone, turn around, but the next moment, their eyes met.

"Thank you, Zhen..."

The Changshengzhai disciples, trembling all over, stared at Xie Xuanyi's face with disbelief in their eyes.

Then he let out a shrill, trembling cry.

"You wicked person!"

"...?"

Xie Xuanyi was taken aback.

The next moment, flames suddenly ignited, and this disciple of Changshengzhai, who was on the verge of death, resolutely ignited his soul and chose to end his life by self-destruction.

boom!
This is a disciple at the Qi Control Realm.

Even if Xie Xuanyi were to be left with only a breath of life, and were not injured, a full-force self-destruction would not harm him in the slightest.

The dazzling fireworks display burned out in an instant on the large ship.

The "Martial Arts Divine Embryo" that appeared on its own blocked all the flames from the self-destruction.

The large ship was set on fire.

The sea of ​​fire surged, like a sun in the dark and gloomy abyss.

"..."

Xie Xuanyi slowly stood up, looking thoughtfully at the ashes in his arms.

(End of this chapter)