Chapter 876
The Deal, The Black Tomb
Chapter 876 The Deal, The Black Tomb
"So, what's the purpose of bringing me here?"
Lu Qing looked at Qiu Ruofeng, his expression calm.
In fact, he already had a guess in his heart.
The fact that Qiu Ruofeng revealed these secrets one by one and then solemnly invited him to this Dark Abyss clearly showed his intentions.
Sure enough, Qiu Ruofeng's next words confirmed his thoughts.
"I would like to ask for your help, fellow Daoist, to explore the location of the Xuanhua Great Power's inheritance." Qiu Ruofeng took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
He looked at Lu Qing, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Fellow Daoist is an unprecedented cultivator who has achieved the Dao Integration Realm through the Nine Great Daos."
Among these nine Great Daos, there is one spatial Great Dao that no one has ever successfully merged with through divine sense.
It can be said that in this era where Dao-transforming immortals are rarely seen, your attainments in the Dao of Space are arguably unparalleled in the starry sky.
Qiu Ruofeng's tone became increasingly solemn.
"In this dark abyss, under the shroud of that strange dark power, the laws of space have also become extremely chaotic."
Even a Dao Integration Realm expert will have their senses blocked and find it difficult to discern directions if they go too deep.
Deep within this abyss, there are numerous spatial vortexes that are difficult to detect. These vortexes may seem ordinary, but they lead to extremely dangerous locations.
One wrong move and you'll be swept away, never to recover.
He paused, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.
"To be honest, fellow Daoist, over the years, our Netherworld Palace has lost several Supreme Elders in our efforts to explore this Demon Abyss."
Two of them perished instantly because they misjudged the direction and were swept away by a sudden spatial vortex.
We watched helplessly as nothing happened.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the figures in black robes all darkened.
Although those few Supreme Elders only perished in their physical bodies, they were later resurrected through the divine thoughts they had left behind, and their bodies and souls did not completely perish.
However, with the death of the main body, all the cultivation accumulated over the years was exhausted, and it is unknown when it will be possible to recover.
This is also a great loss for their Netherworld Palace.
Qiu Ruofeng continued, "I'm afraid only someone like you, a powerful cultivator who has achieved the Dao of Space, can avoid losing his way and evading those spatial vortexes in this Dark Abyss."
Therefore, I have taken the liberty of inviting you, fellow Daoist, hoping that you can lend us a helping hand.
After he finished speaking, he and the other men in black robes stared intently at Lu Qing, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Lu Qing remained expressionless, neither confirming nor denying.
He didn't speak, he just quietly looked at Qiu Ruofeng.
These words sound nice, like "the first person in the starry sky" and "unprecedented," but they are only Qiu Ruofeng's side of the story.
How could he possibly believe it just because he heard it?
Although he had reached a certain level of expertise and attainments in divination, he could vaguely sense that what Qiu Ruofeng said was probably true.
Those prophecies, that catastrophe, that profound inheritance—they must not have been fabricated.
But this doesn't mean he completely believes what the other person says.
Who knows what the Netherworld Palace is up to?
What lies deep within this Demon Abyss? And what unknown dangers lurk behind the Xuanhua inheritance?
He wasn't some greenhorn who would get carried away by a few compliments and agree to anything.
So, facing the expectant gazes of Qiu Ruofeng and the other men in black robes, Lu Qing simply said, "What does what Fellow Daoist Qiu is saying have to do with the disappearance of those ancient Dao Transformation Immortals?"
Qiu Ruofeng was slightly taken aback.
He hadn't expected that after all he had said, Lu Qing would still bring the topic back to the original question.
This fellow Daoist Lu is truly impervious to reason.
He smiled bitterly to himself, but he was even more convinced that the person in front of him was no ordinary person.
To maintain such a clear mind in the face of flattery from a Dao Integration Realm expert and the temptation of a possible inheritance above the Dao Transformation Realm is truly rare.
Seeing that Lu Qing remained unmoved, Qiu Ruofeng realized that it would be impossible to get his help with words alone.
He remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed.
"Fellow Daoist has keen insight, I admire you greatly." He raised his head and looked at Lu Qing, his expression becoming solemn. "In that case, I will make a deal with you."
"What kind of deal?" Lu Qing asked.
Qiu Ruofeng said, word by word, "I will tell you all the whereabouts of those ancient Dao Transformation Immortals. In exchange, you must take us to explore the place where the Xuanhua Great Power inherits his legacy."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Lu Qing quietly, waiting for his reply.
Lu Qing didn't speak, but just pondered.
The whereabouts of the ancient immortals who had attained enlightenment was the thing he most wanted to know on this trip.
Judging from the information Qiu Ruofeng just revealed, the ancestors of the Netherworld Palace produced a Dao Transformation Immortal and possessed that prophecy, so they obviously know a lot of secrets.
The "whereabouts" they mentioned likely contain a great secret.
He was indeed quite curious about the place of the mysterious inheritance.
The great battle I witnessed deep within the origin of the world, the white figure treading on galaxies, shattering stars with every gesture—what kind of being was that powerful being known as "Xuanhua"?
Did he really perish in this dark abyss?
What secrets are hidden in that so-called land of the fallen on the map?
These are also things he wants to know.
Moreover, after listening to Qiu Ruofeng's words, Lu Qing recalled the emotional turmoil he had felt not long ago.
Then, considering that he deduced from that tremor of his heart that the source came from the black-and-white worldview.
This gave him a vague feeling that the calamity Qiu Ruofeng spoke of might also be related to the concept of black and white.
However, these thoughts only lingered in Lu Qing's mind; he did not voice them.
After all, he didn't trust Qiu Ruofeng and his ilk at all.
Who knows what they might do at a crucial moment?
Fortunately, what he brought this time was only a divine thought clone.
Even if something unexpected happens and one perishes in this demonic abyss, it would only be the loss of a clone, with negligible impact on the main body.
With this in mind, Lu Qing made a decision.
He looked at Qiu Ruofeng and slowly nodded: "Okay, I promise you."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Ruofeng's face immediately lit up with joy.
The men in black robes breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes filled with excitement.
"Thank you, fellow Daoist!" Qiu Ruofeng quickly expressed his gratitude. "Fellow Daoist, rest assured. We will follow your lead on this trip and obey your orders. If we encounter any danger, please act according to your own will and do not worry about us."
Lu Qing nodded and added, "However, I need to clarify that I will only go there with this divine thought avatar. My main body has other important matters to attend to and will not come."
Qiu Ruofeng waved his hands repeatedly: "It's alright, it's alright! This clone of yours is more powerful than our true bodies, it's enough!"
His words were not a compliment.
When Lu Qing was angry just now, his aura made even these old monsters in the Dao Integration Realm tremble.
If they were to actually fight, even all of them combined would probably be no match for this clone.
With such a strong companion by my side, the chances of success on this trip are greatly increased.
Without further delay, the group set off immediately.
Leaving the floating rock suspended in the darkness, the group once again ventured into the depths of the Demon Abyss.
Apart from Lu Qing, Qiu Ruofeng and the others all went in person.
It's not that they didn't want to explore the Demon Abyss using only their divine sense clones, like Lu Qing did.
Rather, given their strength, their divine sense clones simply could not survive in the depths of the Demon Abyss.
The omnipresent power of darkness alone was enough to annihilate their clones.
Only the main body can barely resist the erosion of that dark power.
As soon as they left the area of the floating stone, the dense demonic energy surged back, like an invisible tide, surrounding them.
The surrounding darkness was so thick it was almost impenetrable, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Only the spiritual energy emanating from the group illuminated an area of several feet in radius.
Lu Qing hovered in the darkness, quietly sensing everything around him.
This place is much deeper than when he came in, and the concentration of demonic energy has at least doubled.
The corrosive force became increasingly apparent, constantly impacting the protective shields created by everyone's magical artifacts, emitting a faint hissing sound.
With a thought, Lu Qing slightly circulated his magical power, thus isolating the demonic energy from the outside.
"Let's go." He said calmly and flew forward first.
Qiu Ruofeng and the others quickly followed.
The group traveled through the endless darkness, surrounded by deathly silence, with only occasional spatial fluctuations reminding them that this was no ordinary place.
However, as they ventured deeper into the chaotic spatial laws, they lost all sense of direction.
They couldn't even find the way they came.
Therefore, they could only follow Lu Qing closely. If they lost him here, their original bodies would likely perish here as well.
Fortunately, Lu Qing was indeed a top expert who achieved the Dao of Integration through the Great Dao of Space. The chaotic spatial rules did not seem to confuse his perception.
Seeing Lu Qing fly forward without hesitation, Qiu Ruofeng and the others felt a little more at ease.
After flying for about half an hour, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared ahead.
It was a ball of flame.
The flames hovered in the darkness, appearing eerily black, burning silently.
The black flames emitted a faint glow, illuminating an area of several feet around, but instead of warmth, they exuded a bone-chilling cold.
Lu Qing glanced at the ball of flame but paid it no mind and continued on his way.
Qiu Ruofeng and the others became more serious, and they all avoided the ball of flame, not daring to get close.
Lu Qing noticed their movements and asked, "Is this demonic flame dangerous?"
Qiu Ruofeng nodded and explained, "This thing looks inconspicuous, but when it burns on the body, it can even ignite magical power."
Although we are not afraid, being tainted by it is still troublesome, requiring a considerable amount of magical power to remove. It's best to avoid it if possible. These demonic flames also appeared when we were exploring the outer reaches of the Demon Abyss, and they caused us considerable suffering back then.”
Lu Qing nodded without asking any further questions.
The group continued deeper into the area.
As they continued forward, the surrounding demonic flames grew increasingly dense.
Some are only the size of a fist, floating silently, while others are several meters in size, like a burning cloud.
Some of them gathered together, forming patches of black fire that completely blocked the way.
Qiu Ruofeng and the others were experienced and led Lu Qing around the area, avoiding most of the demonic flames.
If it was unavoidable, they would work together to erect a protective barrier and force their way through.
Lu Qing discovered that although these demonic flames were strange, they would not attack unless actively touched.
They simply burned silently, as if it had been so since time immemorial.
However, after flying for another half an hour, the situation began to change.
Suddenly, a strange noise came from ahead.
It was a series of low, hissing roars coming from the darkness, growing clearer and clearer as they approached.
Qiu Ruofeng's expression changed, and he whispered, "Be careful, something's coming!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than several dark figures suddenly rushed out of the darkness.
The shadowy figures were of various shapes; some resembled humans, some beasts, and some were completely indistinguishable.
Their bodies were composed entirely of black demonic flames, exuding a violent aura. Their eyes were devoid of any intelligence, filled only with a pure desire for slaughter.
"They're demonic fire monsters!" a black-robed figure exclaimed in surprise. "So many of them!"
Lu Qing glanced at it.
There are at least thirty of these monsters.
Upon spotting the group, they immediately pounced on them with astonishing speed.
Qiu Ruofeng snorted coldly and waved his hand.
A streak of dark light flew out from his sleeve, instantly piercing through the monsters charging at the forefront.
The monsters let out a shrill roar, their bodies exploding into countless sparks that vanished into the darkness.
Nothing was left behind.
The men in black robes also made their moves.
They were clearly experienced, having spent a long time in this abyss, and knew how to deal with these monsters.
Various magical artifacts flew out and fought against the monsters, killing most of them in the blink of an eye.
Lu Qing still did not make a move.
He watched the monsters quietly, observing their every move.
Although these monsters look fierce, their attack methods are extremely simple; they only know how to charge around recklessly and have no skills whatsoever.
They seem to have no mind at all, killing purely out of instinct.
Moreover, after being killed, they completely disappear without leaving a trace.
It's as if it never existed.
"Where did these things come from?" Lu Qing asked.
While killing the monster, Qiu Ruofeng replied, "I don't know. Some say it was formed from demonic energy, while others say it was formed from the demonic energy that corrupted the cultivators who perished here."
But no one can say for sure; they're everywhere in this abyss, and you can't kill them all.
There were quite a few on the outskirts of the Demon Abyss back then, but we cleared them all out.
Lu Qing nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Soon, the thirty-odd monsters were all eliminated.
The group continued on their way.
But not long after they left, another group of monsters appeared.
This time, there were even more, over a hundred of them. They swarmed in from all directions, surrounding the group and attacking them frantically.
The group made their move again.
This time, the monsters seemed even more ferocious, charging forward wave after wave without fear of death.
Several monsters broke through the defenses and rushed towards a man in black robes, opening their mouths to bite.
The black-robed man roared, and the magic weapon in his hand shone brightly, blasting the monsters into pieces. However, his body was also stained with a few wisps of demonic flames, which were burning with a hissing sound.
The man in black robes' expression changed, and he quickly circulated his magic power to force the few wisps of demonic flames out of his body.
Because of this delay, even more monsters surged up.
Lu Qing still did not make a move.
He was just observing.
He noticed that although these monsters were numerous, their targets were extremely dispersed.
They don't seem to be targeting any one person specifically, but rather attacking anyone they see without any rhyme or reason.
Moreover, no matter how many are killed, they will not back down.
In this endless darkness, it seems that countless monsters are lurking, waiting for their prey to arrive.
"Speed up!" Qiu Ruofeng shouted, "Don't linger!"
The group charged forward while killing monsters.
The journey that followed became exceptionally difficult.
Those fiery monsters seemed endless, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't kill them all.
Sometimes there are only a dozen or so, sometimes hundreds or thousands, wave after wave, making it difficult to cope.
The men in black robes all began to show signs of injury.
Although none of them were heavy, their accumulated effects caused their aura to decrease considerably.
Qiu Ruofeng's expression grew increasingly serious.
“Something’s not right,” he said in a deep voice. “There are far more monsters than usual today. It’s like something is driving them away.”
A man in black robes said, "Could it be that the Black and White Temple is making some moves?"
Qiu Ruofeng shook his head: "I don't know, but in any case, we have to speed up. If we continue like this, we'll be worn out here before we even reach our destination."
The group gritted their teeth and sped up, rushing forward.
Lu Qing still did not make a move.
He was constantly observing and sensing.
He could sense that these monsters, though ferocious, had no intelligence and acted solely on instinct.
Their appearance seems to be related to some kind of pattern, rather than being completely random.
But he needs more time to observe the specific patterns.
After flying for an unknown amount of time, some changes suddenly appeared in the darkness ahead.
The darkness, which had been so thick it seemed impossible to penetrate, began to thin out.
The concentration of demonic energy in the surrounding area was also gradually decreasing.
The number of those constantly surging demonic fire monsters began to decrease, and finally they disappeared completely.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and stopped to adjust their breathing.
"We're finally out," a man in black robes said, still shaken. "We've fought our way here, encountering at least a thousand monsters along the way."
“If it weren’t for Fellow Daoist Lu’s company, we probably wouldn’t have made it this far,” said another man in black robes, his gaze towards Lu Qing filled with gratitude.
Qiu Ruofeng also looked at Lu Qing, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
He noticed that Lu Qing hadn't made a move the whole way; he had simply followed them quietly.
Strangely, the monsters seemed to avoid him intentionally or unintentionally, and none of them attacked him.
"Fellow Daoist is indeed extraordinary," Qiu Ruofeng exclaimed. "Those monsters dared not approach you."
Lu Qing smiled faintly and offered no explanation.
After resting for a while, the group continued their journey.
The darkness ahead gradually faded, and finally a hazy, gray light appeared.
The light was faint and eerie, yet it stood out starkly in the endless darkness.
The group sped up and flew toward the light.
Finally, as they passed through the last layer of darkness, the sight before them made everyone stop involuntarily.
Ahead lay a vast mountain range.
The mountain range was entirely black, stretching across the darkness, with no end in sight.
There was no vegetation on the mountain, only jagged rocks and black demonic flames everywhere.
Demonic flames burned in the mountains, illuminating the entire mountain like a ghostly realm.
Deep within the mountains, a massive building can be vaguely seen.
The building was half-hidden in the demonic flames, its entire body pitch black, exuding an ancient and desolate aura.
The building's shape resembles both a palace and a tomb, making it difficult to discern its true form.
"We've arrived." Qiu Ruofeng looked at the building, his voice tinged with excitement. "That's where the Xuanhua Grandmaster fell."
Lu Qing gazed silently at the building, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
He could sense that an extremely powerful aura was hidden within the building.
The aura was ancient and distant, as if it had existed for countless years, yet it also gave people a strange sense of oppression.
"Let's go," he said calmly, and flew towards the mountain range first.
The others quickly followed.
(End of this chapter)