Chapter 87 The Abyss 2 He didn't want to die; he wanted to see her again. ...
At the foot of a mountain somewhere in the thirteenth level of the Abyss, a fierce battle is raging.
The animal hide that Shen Du used to cover his head and face had long since fallen off, revealing his scarred face, and a pair of dark eyes coldly staring at the monster in front of him.
Centipede venom is extremely corrosive. Shen Du's spiritual power is currently insufficient, with most of it concentrated in his right hand holding the Flowing Cloud Sword, making it difficult for him to dodge the venom that is splattering everywhere.
He cut off the two front legs of the two-headed centipede, and his body was riddled with holes from the centipede's legs.
Seeing the mandibles coming down hard, Chen Du rolled on the spot and plunged into the centipede's abdomen. The Flowing Cloud Sword sliced across the hard abdominal armor, sparks flying, but it failed to seriously injure the centipede.
When its first attack failed, the centipede made a strange clicking sound, as if mocking it.
Shen Du was not disappointed. He quickly looked for weaknesses on the two-headed centipede, and when it was relaxed, he leaped onto the centipede's back and plunged his sword into the gap between its scales and limbs.
The two-headed centipede thrashed about, trying to shake off the hateful human cultivator on its back, but Chen Du held firmly to the Flowing Cloud Sword, pinning himself to the centipede's back. With his left hand, he summoned the Ice Soul Ring, and the extremely cold ice blades that shot out instantly severed all the long legs on one side of the centipede's body.
The two-legged centipede was instantly enraged. Its mouthparts opened and closed, spewing out a foul-smelling venomous mist that instantly obscured Shen Du's vision. In the darkness, one of its thick, long legs found an opportunity and sank deeply into Shen Du's left arm.
With his left arm hanging limply, Shen Du flipped over to dodge the centipede's legs that continued to stab at him. He coughed up blood and barely managed to grab the flying Ice Soul Ring.
This Ice Soul Ring was one of the pair of magical artifacts that his master gave to him and Xu Xing before they went down the mountain to the demon realm. Together with the Snow Soul Ring in Xu Xing's hand, they form the Ice Crystal Twin Rings, which are extremely powerful defensive magical artifacts, and when separated, each has its own offensive power.
Originally, most of Shen Du's magical artifacts were on Xu Xing's person, but Xu Xing insisted that he keep a few for self-defense, so he picked a few.
At that time, looking at a pile of magical artifacts, each with its own unique power, he inexplicably chose the Ice Soul Ring from the Ice Crystal Double Rings.
Shen Du still remembers that Xu Xing was wondering why he didn't just take the pair of ice crystal rings. He just smiled slightly and didn't explain.
The moments I shared with my junior sister seem as vivid as if they happened just yesterday, but...
Shen Du's eyes dimmed slightly. Even if no one who entered the Abyss of Eclipse came out alive, he was unwilling to sit and wait for death. He didn't want to die; he wanted to see her again.
"Something's wrong! He seems to be getting stronger with each battle!"
Several men who had come with Yu Jiu to kill Chen Du were terrified by the fearless swordsman's fighting style. "Boss! Let's go! I have a feeling that if this continues, he might actually be able to defeat this centipede!"
Even with most of his spiritual energy absorbed by the Abyss, he could still fight on par with a fourth-tier magical beast. This sword cultivator's strength is terrifying! They are definitely no match for him!
Yu Jiu's face was gloomy. He had been observing Shen Du for several days and saw that he was quiet and did not show anything special, so he decided to kill him.
They never expected him to be so powerful. If it weren't for the two-headed centipede, none of them would have been able to escape.
Ultimately, Yu Jiu couldn't bear to part with the magical artifact in Chen Du's hand. The chilling ice ring alone was enough for him to protect himself. He gritted his teeth and said, "His left hand is already broken, and his spiritual power is about to be exhausted. Let's wait a little longer!"
Yu Jiu's sliver of hope vanished when he saw the swordsman wield the sword with ever-growing skill, even blinding all four eyes of the two-headed centipede. No magical weapon was more important than life; the centipede was no match for the swordsman, and if they didn't leave soon, they'd be next!
"Let's go..."
Before he could finish speaking, a strange wind suddenly arose from the ground.
If you look closely, you'll see that there are countless insects in the wind. As the gale whips up tree roots and blows up stones, the insects hiding in the wind devour everything they can eat, leaving nothing but barren land in their wake.
Amidst the flying sand and swirling stones, the already dim sky grew even darker.
"Oh no, the mountain wind is coming!"
"Wasn't it once every two months before? Why is it earlier?"
"Get out of the way!"
The term "Mountain-Piercing Wind" is what the cultivators who survive in the Abyss call this strange gale that blows every two months. It comes from an unknown place, yet it carries the power to destroy everything, and each time it comes, it blows away all the resources they have painstakingly accumulated.
Therefore, after understanding the pattern of the mountain-piercing winds, they chose to live in a cave on the mountain wall, far from the ground. That location not only allowed them to avoid being searched by some magical beasts, but also allowed them to preserve some items when the mountain-piercing winds struck.
Despite his injuries, Shen Du finally killed the two-headed centipede. Before he could even catch his breath, the oncoming gale nearly blinded him, and his body ached from being hit by countless dead trees and gravel in the wind. He was almost swept away by the wind.
The exposed skin throbbed with excruciating pain. Shen Du immediately sensed something in the wind. His heart sank, and without hesitation, he used his sword to tear open the centipede's mouthparts and crawled inside to escape the strange wind.
His severed left arm had long since lost all feeling. Chen Du held his breath, using the last bit of spiritual power in his body to protect his entire body.
No wonder everyone says that the Abyss of Eclipse is extremely dangerous; it is very difficult for cultivators to survive in such an environment.
There was a hidden crevice in the mountain wall, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. Yu Jiu and his brothers hid inside and blocked the crevice with animal hides to prevent the Hidden Wind Beetles from crawling in. These insects eat anything!
As the gale subsided slightly, Yu Jiu carefully lifted a corner of the animal skin to check the situation outside. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small thing that was faintly shimmering with golden light not far away, and his eyes lit up.
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Jiu decided to take the risk. He had some tricks up his sleeve to survive in the Abyss for so long.
He lifted the animal skin and took out a translucent, thin leather that emitted a strange stench from his inner pocket. He put it on, and with this, low-level demonic beasts could not detect his presence at all. The Hidden Wind Worm, which was hiding in the wind, ignored him and let Yu Jiu quietly run out and pick up the thing.
After an unknown amount of time, the mountain wind finally stopped. Chen Du waited for a while to make sure there was no movement outside before emerging from the centipede's mouth. He saw that the two-headed centipede's scales were completely devoured by insects, with no flesh or blood left. Only its head, which was too hard, remained intact.
Thinking of Tuanzi, whose safety was unknown in the cave, Chen Du was eager to return home. Without a word, he reattached his severed arm, but the place where the centipede's legs had pierced his arm had turned black and was full of dirty blood. If it wasn't treated soon, the arm would probably be ruined.
He subconsciously reached for the base of his left index finger, but didn't feel the familiar cool touch.
Shen Du suddenly looked down and saw that the storage ring his junior sister had given him was gone.
...
At this moment, in the northern ice plains, tens of thousands of miles away from the Abyss of Eclipse, a robust azure flame beast galloped by. It had concealed its azure flames and was carrying a young female cultivator on its back.
After galloping all night, the Azure Flame Beast slowed down slightly at dawn, found a sheltered rock, and the two rested for a while.
Xu Xing glanced back at the vast ice plain, her chest heaving slightly. She licked her chapped lips, thinking that at such a distance, A Yao and the others probably couldn't catch up.
Not wanting her friends to take any risks, she quietly set off last night, traveling thousands of miles overnight, and cut off all contact with the outside world. Fearing that her location would be tracked, she didn't even check any messages.
Although he knew that A Yao and Senior Brother Zuo Qiu must be extremely anxious, Xu Xing, having finished refining the tracking artifact, didn't want to wait even a moment longer.
Her senior brother was still waiting for her.
Every day he stayed in the Abyss of Eclipse increased the danger he faced.
The shortest route across the northern lands to reach the wilderness is through this endless ice field, but this route is more dangerous than other routes. The ice field has complex terrain, is teeming with monsters, and is rarely visited by humans.
Although his robes could protect him from most of the cold, the deeper he went into the icy plains, the more the biting wind cut him like a knife, forcing Xu Xing to use his Spirit Shield Beads.
Using magical artifacts before even approaching the snow-capped mountains made Xu Xing's heart sink, realizing that the hardships along the way had only just begun. She pulled her hood tighter, wrapping herself up completely, and after most of the day, she finally reached the foot of the snow-capped mountains. Before entering the mountains, Xu Xing dismounted from Qing's body.
"Master, you must not go to the Abyss."
Despite having dissuaded Xu Xing several times in her mind's eye, Yin Xue's first thought upon being summoned was still this: the danger of the Eclipse Abyss was unimaginable; a Foundation Establishment cultivator could not possibly escape unscathed. Even with her master possessing numerous magical artifacts, they would be utterly insignificant to the Eclipse Abyss.
Xu Xing tiptoed, gently stroked the silvery-white antlers, and whispered, "Thank you all for these years. I'll walk the rest of the road on my own."
Her eyes were glistening with tears, but without any hesitation, she immediately broke the beast contracts with Yin Xue, Qing, and Nan Ye.
Qing, with its most volatile temper, immediately wrapped its tail tightly around her leg. "You promised to take care of me for life, I'm not leaving! It's just the Abyss of Eclipse, who's afraid?"
Yin Xue was simply too worried about Xu Xing's safety. If she really wanted to go, it wouldn't back down. "Master, even if you break the contract with me, I will still follow you on my own."
Nan Ye bluntly stated, "The Abyss, my abilities are suitable."
Xu Xing's eyes were red. She turned her head and wiped her eyes, her voice thick with nasal tone, "It's too dangerous there. I couldn't even protect Tuanzi properly. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Master, let us stay with you."
"We will definitely find them."
"……good."
Drawing strength from the gentle comfort of his contracted beast, Xu Xing rallied his spirits and continued to advance towards the Abyss, following the guidance of the tracking artifact.
On the silvery-white ice plain, a blizzard raged, and a small shadow braved the wind and snow, leaving a deep footprint with each step.
A green flame ignited on Qing's body, trying to bring warmth to its master, but the faint flame was quickly suppressed by the wind and snow and eventually went out.
Xu Xing used his spirit shield to protect it, patted Qing Mao's thick sideburns, and said with heartache, "You don't need the Azure Flame, I have a shield, I'm not cold."
Along the way, she used various defensive magical artifacts to resist the wind and snow as if they were free, traveling slowly without sleep or rest, using lightness pills and speed talismans non-stop. Even so, it still took her five days and nights to finally cross the snow mountain and emerge from the vast ice plain.
However, just as she was beginning to glimpse the battlefield of the sealed demons, the black thread that was tracking the magical artifact snapped.
Xu Xing hurriedly used the remaining demonic energy in the Spirit-Gathering Bottle to create a guiding line again, but the black hole seemed to have vanished completely, leaving no trace. She then tried to use her senior brother's sword intent to track it, but it was useless; it couldn't indicate her senior brother's location at all.
The distant battlefield of demon sealing stretched endlessly, filled with cultivators, demonic beasts, skeletons, and a wind carrying the stench of blood…
Various things intertwine to form a picture of death.
Staring blankly at the endless abyss and the dense swarm of black demonic beasts around her, Xu Xing stared for a long time before finally collapsing to the ground in despair. She tightly hugged the Xuan Yue Sword, tears blurring her vision.
She didn't know that the Abyss was so big and so deep that she couldn't even find a trace of her senior brother's aura, so how could she find him?
"Xu Xing..."
A pair of cold hands gently lifted her from the ground, Fu Shuang wiped the dust off her face, and whispered, "I'm here."
"Master..."
Xu Xing's face was extremely pale. The arduous journey day and night had left her physically and mentally exhausted. When she saw Fu Shuang, a faint ripple finally appeared in her lifeless eyes.
A glimmer of hope ignited in Xu Xing's eyes. He gripped Fu Shuang's cold hand tightly and said urgently, "Master, you must have a way to save Senior Brother, right?"
The white silk ribbon on Fu Shuang's face was blown by the wind. She looked towards the direction of the Demon Sealing Battlefield and said in a very soft voice, "I'm sorry, I can't find him in the Abyss of Eclipse."
"The only thing that is certain is that he is not dead."
Even the all-powerful Sword Master has limitations.
For cultivators on the Spirit Martial Continent, the Abyss of Eclipse is an existence beyond their control.
"Master, I'm sorry, I've lost my senior brother."
Those golden eyes, which always held a cheerful smile, dimmed completely. Xu Xing seemed to be speaking to Fu Shuang, or perhaps he was talking to himself, "Senior Brother doesn't have any pills or magic weapons on him. They're all with me. Senior Brother must be waiting for me. I need to go find him..."
"In order to save the cultivators of the Flowing Cloud Sect, you changed the direction of the black hole's teleportation."
Instead of trying to dissuade her, Fu Shuang asked inexplicably, "Do you regret it?"
Xu Xing remained silent for a long time before saying in a hoarse voice, "No, I don't regret it."
"I only regret that I wasn't strong enough. If I could have destroyed the black hole directly or completely refined it, then none of this would have happened."
If she had picked up the black hole that had turned into a mirror, her senior brother wouldn't have been sucked in.
Along the way, Xu Xing asked himself countless times why she didn't pick it up back then.
Fu Shuang put Xu Xing down, gently stroked the corner of her eye, and her usually cold voice softened, "Very good, this is my disciple."
"But you must know that it's not that you're not strong enough. If it weren't for you, any other cultivator would have been destroyed."
“It’s not your fault that Shen Du was caught up in the Abyss of Eclipse, nor is it because of his so-called ominous constitution.”
Master is aloof and speaks even less than her senior brother, but today, she spoke so much…
Xu Xing's expression shifted slightly, as if he understood something.
“I can send you to the Abyss, but the Abyss has forty-nine levels, and each level is not connected to the others. I don’t know which level you will enter. If you are not on the same level as him, you may spend a long time without finding the entrance to other levels, or you may never find him…”
Even so, are you still going?
Xu Xing nodded firmly, "I'm going!"
Fu Shuang sighed softly, as if she had expected it. She took out a wisp of soul energy from the Soul-Crossing Lamp. The golden light was already very weak, as if it would be extinguished by a gust of wind, but it still stubbornly shone with a faint light.
“I cannot go to the Abyss, but this wisp of soul energy can lead you to him.”
“Xu Xing, if there is anyone in this world who can truly emerge from the Abyss of Eclipse, that person will definitely be you.”
Fu Shuang said meaningfully, "Only you can save him."
...
She personally escorted Xu Xing to the place closest to the Eclipse Abyss. Fu Shuang stood quietly on the mountaintop, her robes fluttering in the mountain wind.
At the foot of the mountain in front of her was the battlefield of sealing demons, and in the distance, the Abyss of Eclipse seemed to have torn a deep rift between heaven and earth.
"You actually let her go to the Abyss of Eclipse?"
A woman's voice suddenly came from behind.
"As you wished, her dragon transformation went smoothly, and only she was able to leave the Abyss."
"Just for that sword cultivator? He carries the abyssal evil energy and is destined for this calamity. What's the point of saving him? Knowing it's suicide, you still went to save him. You shouldn't have let him stay by Xu Xing's side in the first place!"
Sheng Qing's beautiful face held a mocking expression as she sneered, "You said you'd take her as your disciple and protect her, but it turns out you're nothing special."
Fu Shuang did not turn around, unmoved by Sheng Qing's mockery. "She is a living, breathing person. I cannot control her."
"A Sword Master, can't even subdue a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Tie him up, lock him up... do I have to teach you?"
Sheng Qing couldn't hide the anger in her voice. She never imagined that Fu Shuang would actually let Xu Xing go to the Abyss!
Not to mention that the Abyss of Eclipse is an inescapable place for other cultivators, even if Xu Xing has a special identity and there is a chance for her to turn things around, as long as she leaves the Abyss of Eclipse, those things will discover her existence, and all those years of hiding will become a joke.
If I had known this would happen, I would have preferred to let her stay in the Golden Snake Palace.
Seemingly guessing what Shengqing was thinking, Fushuang said calmly, "Since you're so angry, you shouldn't have abandoned her back then."
"you!"
Sheng Qing closed his eyes briefly. "Things have come to this point, I don't want to waste my breath arguing with you here."
"Do you really think they were completely unaware? If that were the case, you wouldn't have received the message from the Ruins of the Mysterious Realm that revealed Xu Xing's identity."
"You have been the Snake Queen for many years, but the snake clan is not completely impenetrable. Before you control her, you should find a way to get rid of those venomous snakes hiding in the shadows."
“I have my own plans, and I don’t need you, the Sword Master of the Jade Cloud Sect, to worry about them.”
Fu Shuang finally turned her head. "Why have you come here?"
Seeing Fu Shuang's eyes covered by white silk, Sheng Qing pursed his lips slightly and finally calmed down. "I need to go to the Underworld."
An entrance to the underworld has appeared in the desolate land. She had searched for many years to find such an entrance to the ghost realm, so naturally she wouldn't miss it.
"..."
Fu Shuang was somewhat surprised, having guessed why she went to the Ghost Realm. It turned out that Sheng Qing hadn't been unintentional. "Good luck."
Sheng Qing really hates Fu Shuang's perpetually nonchalant demeanor. It seems that Wei Sheng Yue's betrayal back then didn't have any impact on her. Would someone like this really genuinely care for Xu Xing as a disciple?
Although the two had already reached an agreement, she had never understood what Fu Shuang really wanted.
Sheng Qing's expression was strange; she seemed about to get angry but knew it wouldn't work on Fu Shuang. She held back for a while, and finally said, "I'm leaving. You'd better pray she comes out alive!"
Only after Sheng Qing vanished in a flash of white light did Fu Shuang's indifferent voice drift on the wind.
"I never pray."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you to Fengzhen, Sisi, Sleep a Little Longer, Fallen Leaves, Chronicle, One Bite of Cheese, Too Many Worms, Don't Fall into the Pit, Black and White Night Straw, Meeting You for the First Time Feels Like Returning to an Old Friend, 57811448, Rabbit Demon Osmanthus Cake, Mirror Time, Blue Feather Tears, Triangle Enclosure, Meow~, and 38341888 for the nutrient solution! Kiss my little cuties! [heart emoji]
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