Chapter 189 Misty Rain Pavilion (Seventeen)
Wei Feng seemed to know nothing about this.
Perhaps he had already sensed something. After emerging from the illusion of memory, he transformed into mist and clung tightly to Jiang Gu, refusing to stray even a step away.
They were now in a dead end. Jiang Gu tried to find the key to the problem amidst the myriad of clues, but then he heard someone around him exclaim in a fit of anger, "This mist is absorbing my cultivation! My water elemental root is showing signs of depletion!"
Upon hearing this, everyone examined their own spiritual roots in their sea of consciousness, and all of them turned ashen-faced.
"My cultivation level has almost dropped by one minor realm."
"My water elemental root..."
"What exactly is this fog?"
"Everyone, try holding your breath! Make sure you don't let the mist touch you!"
Those whose spiritual roots were depleted were almost all cultivators from the Water Pavilion. While the spiritual roots of cultivators from other pavilions were still intact, their cultivation levels had plummeted even more. In particular, the four people led by Wu Yi who had previously activated the divine artifact had each fallen by almost a major realm, their century of hard work vanishing in an instant.
What's even more terrifying is that even when they held their breath and concentrated, and even used magical artifacts to protect themselves, they still couldn't stop the invasion of this mist.
“We’re already inside the formation. Whether we use divine artifacts or spiritual power, it’s all just a waste of time in this refining formation.” Lu Liyu withdrew her spiritual power and let the mist approach her. “The more spiritual power we expend, the more cultivation we’ll lose. We might as well take a break, use our brains, and figure out a way to get out.”
Jiang Xiangyun and Yao Li exchanged a glance and followed suit, withdrawing their spiritual power. Lin Feibai, Hu Jingchen, and the others followed suit. Naturally, some of the Eight Pavilion cultivators were arrogant and didn't believe in such things. Sure enough, their cultivation levels dropped even faster, and they eventually had to stop and observe.
Jiang Gu was enveloped in a thin mist created by Wei Feng, which was airtight and gave the damp fog no chance. His cultivation level did not decline, but this was not a long-term solution.
"Has your cultivation been affected?" Jiang Gu asked Wei Feng in a low voice.
Wei Feng said with a hint of smugness, "They can't absorb my cultivation."
Jiang Gu summoned a bone eye, a flash of white light appearing in its pale pupil. He glanced at the cultivators around him who were discussing how to escape. Sure enough, their primordial spirits were gradually being eroded by the damp mist. The mist shone black in the bone eye, making their already turbid primordial spirits even more viscous. The sacrificial array beneath their feet was like a muddy swamp, and they were already deeply trapped in it. Their primordial spirits were being torn apart, entangled, and absorbed into the array, sooner or later becoming one with it.
"Waiting like this any longer won't solve anything!" A leading cultivator in the Golden Pavilion shouted, "Gentlemen, delaying will only lead to our deaths sooner or later. We might as well fight to the death for a chance to survive!"
"Jin Shiwu, do you have a plan?" Wu Yi asked him.
Jin Shiwu was the one who spoke earlier. He had a long face, square lips, and a goatee, and looked quite dignified. “Every formation has a core. If we find that core and break it together, even if we exhaust our cultivation, we can at least save our lives. As long as we are alive, we can always fight again. If we drag this out any longer, we may not even be able to grasp this sliver of hope!”
After a moment of silence in the hall, someone cursed, "It's better than waiting to die! Let's find them!"
More than a dozen people chimed in, and Jin Shiwu and his group of more than ten began to search for the array's core. Most of them had relatively high cultivation levels, while the remaining dozen or so were vaguely led by Wu Yi. They did not want to take too much risk and came up with other, more secure ways to break the array and escape.
Jiang Xiangyun took a few steps back and walked to Jiang Gu's side. Yao Li, Lu Liyu, Lin Feibai, and Hu Jingchen also followed.
"Seventh Brother, what do you think we should do now?" Jiang Xiangyun asked Jiang Gu with a smile.
Jiang Gu shook his head.
Jiang Xiangyun hissed, "Are we all going to perish in this sacrificial array today?"
Jiang Gu remained silent, while the cultivators led by Jin Shiwu seemed to have made progress. "Come quickly and take a look! There's a strange array within an array here!"
"Why are there two such large mirrors inside...? Who is the figure in the flower bushes?"
“This formation seems to connect two extremely powerful water-based secret realms, which should be the land of the dragon’s fall,” Jin Shiwu said. “This place is very likely the core of the formation. Even if it isn’t, we might be able to break the refining formation by using the power of those two water-based secret realms.”
They used several dazzling magical artifacts, presumably to confirm something, and quickly reached an agreement. However, they would not leave any hidden dangers for themselves. They kept Wu Yi and the others who were unwilling to fight around. If they broke the formation, they would lose all their cultivation and could very likely be killed by this group of people who had not consumed their cultivation.
"Now you only have two choices," Jin Shiwu said, staring at Wu Yi, Jiang Xiangyun, and the others. "Either break the formation with us, or we'll deal with you now."
Jin Shiwu and his group outnumbered the rest of the group in both numbers and cultivation level, and they arbitrarily decided the fate of the others.
They had no other choice.
Jiang Gu and his group fell to the very back. Jiang Xiangyun, unwilling to give up, asked him, "Seventh Brother, is there really no other way?"
"Let's wait and see," Jiang Gu finally replied.
Jiang Xiangyun felt a little relieved. As long as Jiang Gu spoke, he had probably thought of a way to save his life, but it was hard to say whether he could save his life or only half of it.
The heart inside the black jade bracelet beat more and more rapidly, as if it wanted to break free of its shackles and return to its original form. Wei Feng, who had been lying low and quiet, also became somewhat restless and tried to get closer to the black jade bracelet, but Jiang Gu blocked him without leaving a trace.
Just as everyone joined forces to attack the formation beneath the merman statue, a blinding white light suddenly shone from within the formation. The surging and powerful spiritual energy, mixed with a trace of divine power, repelled everyone. Immediately afterward, the hunched figure of the old man appeared in the void, but his form was blurry, and it was immediately recognizable as just a phantom.
His gaze swept over everyone present, his cloudy eyes gleaming with a sharp light. "I advise you not to waste your energy. You are the most suitable spiritual roots selected from the Eight Pavilions. Even if you manage to escape by sheer luck, you will still die."
As he finished speaking, he stepped aside, revealing dozens of Eight Pavilion flying boats hovering in the air behind him. On the flying boats were Eight Pavilion cultivators who were on high alert, holding various magical treasures and forming a large array outside the temple, obviously preparing for the possibility of failure in suppressing the enemy.
The old man quickly withdrew his illusory form. Looking at the Floating Spring Ancient Temple surrounded by flying boats, he said in a daze, "I never thought that after a thousand years, this suppression formation would actually be used. The Master of the Platform is indeed a master strategist."
“Elder Nie, this is a bit too much.” Xiao Qingyan stood beside him, suppressing her unease. “Jiang Gu—I mean, the jade steps are still inside.”
Elder Nie chuckled: "A Jade-rank primordial spirit is not so easily refined. If he is truly transformed by the refining array, it only proves that he is not of the Jade rank. Young Master, please do not worry too much."
“If it’s true, as Father said, that this monster’s primordial spirit is immortal, and it was already so troublesome a thousand years ago, wouldn’t using an array from a thousand years ago now…” Xiao Qingyan felt a faint pain in the scar on his arm, and he frowned, “It’s not safe.”
"Young Master, rest assured, the center of the Floating Spring Ancient Temple connects to the Dragonfall Land, the continent with the strongest water-based spiritual power between Pingze and Chenyao. The Floating Spring Ancient God is also the Water Lord, which is the best counter to that monster's fire attribute. Moreover—" A knowing glint flashed in Elder Nie's eyes, "The Mirror Flower Scroll contains the evil that Wangyue has accumulated over tens of thousands of years and cannot wash away. It has long been integrated with the monster's heart. Even if we fail to suppress it, as long as its heart returns to its original form, the Heavenly Dao will not allow it to exist in the world without us having to lift a finger."
Xiao Qingyan murmured, "The sins that Wang Yue cannot wash away..."
Old Master Nie gave a meaningful smile. "Young Master, heaven, earth, and hell are all the same. Only the strong have the right to set the rules. At that time, these so-called evils will not need to be cleansed."
“Look, even the so-called immortals are now trapped in our hands, like ants.” Elder Nie lowered his eyes and looked at the ancient temple beneath his feet. “With the Tribulation Jade here, no matter which way he goes, he will die. Only by abandoning the Tribulation Jade can he survive on this jade staircase.”
"Once he survives, the rest is out of his hands."
Inside the Floating Spring Temple.
Everyone was injured to varying degrees. Even Jin Shiwu, who started it all, was dejectedly healing himself. Several seriously injured cultivators were powerless to resist the mist. Their primordial spirits and bodies were being refined little by little, and their heart-wrenching screams were terrifying.
Jiang Gu lowered his eyes to look at the black jade bracelet on his wrist. Wei Feng was already pressed tightly against it, silently urging him to take back his heart, but Jiang Gu hesitated to release the restriction and let him in.
"Master, my heart feels like it's going to explode." Wei Feng, who had transformed into mist, affectionately wrapped around his arm. "Put me in there, and let me smell it."
Jiang Gu coldly rejected him, and slowly spoke through the soundproof barrier, "You have a heart problem. Your impatience is probably due to the influence of that remnant spirit and the red shadow. Bear with it."
Wei Feng felt he was on the verge of collapse. He felt as if thousands of ants were gnawing at his chest, the dense pain making it difficult to even breathe. His mind was a chaotic mess. If he weren't pressed against Jiang Gu, smelling his favorite scent, he would have wanted to devour every living creature present, chew up the black jade bracelet, and swallow the heart inside. Jiang Gu and the heart were like two extremely delicious delicacies to him, while he was a starving ghost who hadn't eaten a full meal in thousands of years. He wished he could gnaw, lick, chew, and swallow them all, savoring the aroma on his lips and teeth.
He was hidden in the mist, his eyes gleaming with a fierce light. The red and black ghost patterns on his face were ready to spring, and his fangs were almost grinding sparks. Yet, his words were soft as if he were whining, "Master, I can't, I just can't help it. Either you lick me, or you lick my heart."
"Has your brain been swallowed by a remnant spirit?" Jiang Gu was so angry that he laughed.
Wei Feng swallowed hard. "Anyway, with me protecting you, this fog won't hurt you in the slightest. Let's just keep going with them. Who cares what their schemes are? I'll devour all the people and artifacts here first, then I'll have a spiritual connection with Master and we'll cultivate together. At that time, Master, you can break through to a higher realm and summon tribulation lightning to strike them dead. No one will survive."
He was probably really obsessed with that heart, daring to say all sorts of outrageous things. He even put his arm around Jiang Gu's neck, leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth, and said smugly, "Master, am I smart?"
A moist, warm mist gently touched the corner of his mouth, even lingering between his lips. Jiang Gu seemed to sense something and raised his eyes. "What are you doing?"
"I didn't do anything," Wei Feng said matter-of-factly. "I helped you dispel the dirty mist that was draining people's cultivation."
Jiang Gu didn't have time to argue with him about such trivial matters. He said in a deep voice, "I suspect that the entire Fuquan Ancient Temple has been converted into a suppression array. The sacrificial array we are in now should be the second layer of the suppression array. The first layer should be the double mirror array under the mermaid statue. Those two strange mirrors may be the array eyes, but Jin Shiwu and the others tried to forcefully break through the array eyes, and it didn't work."
Wei Feng forced himself to regain his composure and tried to listen to every word he was saying.
“The most powerful suppression formations usually use the key to the object being suppressed as the formation eye, supplemented by opposing magical treasures and formations. Floating Spring is the god of water, and this great formation directly uses the Floating Spring Ancient God Temple and the two dragon-fallen lands as opposing elements, yet it also uses four fire-type divine artifacts as the catalyst and the primordial spirits of seven spiritual root cultivators as support. This is probably to prepare for any eventuality, to increase the attributes of the suppressed object, and to make the formation even more powerful.” Jiang Gu said, “The formation eye should be your heart in the black jade bracelet. Once you merge with it, you will become part of the suppression formation, trapped underground in the Floating Spring God Temple for all eternity… Or perhaps, they have some hidden trump card, in case they can't suppress you, they can still ensure that you disappear from the world.”
Wei Feng rarely heard Jiang Gu speak so much, but for some reason he recognized every single word, yet the words together left him completely bewildered. He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said in a dry voice, "So if I stay here, I will be suppressed, or I will really die?"
"Hmm." Jiang Gu said in a low voice, "Although it's just my guess, Xiao Dan's plan is probably more meticulous, and the outcome might be more tragic."
Wei Feng was stunned for a moment, "So, as long as I'm suppressed, Master, you'll be able to escape successfully?"
Jiang Gu remained silent for a moment, and just as Wei Feng felt a chill in his heart and his face began to contort, he calmly said, "I will take you out."
Wei Feng was afraid of the dark and pain. If he were really suppressed in the dark and damp underground of this ancient temple, the tears he shed would probably flood the entire Wangyue.
"How do we get out?" Wei Feng's fierce aura vanished instantly. He always admired and trusted Jiang Gu unconditionally. As long as Jiang Gu said he could get out, he definitely could. He even rubbed his hands together, thinking about how to devour Wang Yue and his gang of beasts.
Jiang Gu said, "You just need to stay by my side obediently."
After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Jiang Xiangyun, who was not far away.
Jiang, who was arguing with Lu Liyu, caught his gaze and his eyes lit up. He immediately sent a telepathic message, "Seventh Brother, do you have a plan?"
"Let's make a deal," Jiang Gu said coldly.
"Go ahead," Jiang Xiangyun said with a smile.
“I have a way to get you, Lu Liyu, and Yao Li out,” Jiang Gu said. “The condition is that you give me half of the Netherworld Bone and half of the Trial Realm, and the spirit stones I owe you before will be wiped clean.”
Jiang Xiangyun's smile froze slightly, and he forced a dry laugh, "Seventh brother, your eldest brother here—"
"Using these things to buy three of your lives isn't much," Jiang Gu coldly rejected his attempt to get closer.
Jiang Xiangyun sighed softly, then gritted his teeth and smiled, "Deal."
Seeing his discomfitured expression, Lu Liyu raised an eyebrow curiously. "Oh, Young Master Jiang, who offended you?"
Jiang Xiangyun gave him a disapproving look. "Those brainless people don't deserve to speak. They can't even think of a way to escape."
"I--"
"Shut up."
The threads formed from the Fire Rope silently entangled Jiang Xiangyun and the other two.
Jiang Gu stood up, his wide sleeves slipping down to cover his slender wrists and the dark jade bracelet on them. A bright red heart pounded rapidly in the space. Wei Feng transformed into a thin layer of white mist that enveloped his clothes, not even sparing a single hair. He took off the dark jade bracelet, his fingertips slowly caressing the warm surface of the bracelet, and his gaze fell on the double mirror formation.
He manipulated his primordial spirit to sink into the space of the black jade bracelet, grasped the beating heart, and then slowly raised his hand, placing it on his chest. His five fingers slowly sank into his primordial spirit, tightly gripping the most important heart within it. The unbearable pain made him furrow his brow slightly, but his hand did not stop moving at all. The golden primordial spirit seemed unable to withstand such great damage, and pale golden spiritual power began to dissipate near the wound in an attempt to save itself.
A heart appeared in Jiang Gu's palm.
He had never seen his heart from this perspective before, and even raised an eyebrow with a sense of pleasure. It turned out that his heart was not really as cold and hard as stone, but was warm and vibrant, just like Wei Feng's.
Two hearts floated inside the black jade bracelet, their beating frequencies gradually becoming synchronized.
Wei Feng, who was blocked outside the space of the Jade Bracelet, was anxiously pacing around. Jiang Gu suddenly entered the Jade Bracelet without saying a word and used a restriction to block him outside. He desperately wanted to go in, but Jiang Gu knew him too well and the restriction was set up in an extremely complicated way. He had to use all his strength to break through the restriction. "Master!"
Jiang Gu slowly straightened his clothes, lifted his eyelids to look at him, and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I...I came in to see you." Wei Feng stared intently at him, his nose twitching slightly, and said with some puzzlement, "The taste of my heart has disappeared."
"He's hiding." Jiang Gu glanced at him indifferently. "Come here."
With the heart condition gone, Wei Feng's mind calmed down considerably. He looked at Jiang Gu warily, but his body moved over to him on its own.
"Lower your head."
Wei Feng had no choice but to obediently lower his head, his eyes involuntarily falling on his lips, and he asked sincerely, "Master, do you need me to transfer your qi?"
Before he could finish speaking, a sword struck him on the back, causing him to grimace and howl in pain. Suddenly, he felt a cool sensation on his forehead, as if something had been placed on it. He raised his hand to touch it and found it to be a strangely shaped small stone.
"No matter what happens, you must not take it off, understand?" Jiang Gu added several more seals to him.
Wei Feng nodded, then couldn't help touching the forehead pendant. Suddenly, he leaned close to Jiang Gu, staring into his eyes, and asked with a smile, "Master, is it pretty?"
He saw the pendant on his forehead reflected in Jiang Gu's eyes; its brilliant gold color was exactly the same as Jiang Gu's primordial spirit, incredibly beautiful.
Jiang Gu impatiently pushed his face away. "Let's go."
Wei Feng followed along, beaming with delight.
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