Chapter 20 So close, his compass slowly reversed ten times...
20
All the dust had settled, leaving only the top of the head above the water's surface. Even the silver fox with eight whiskers was stunned.
She looked at the little girl in front of her, a hint of amusement in her fox-like eyes: "Little sister, what did he do to you?"
Eighth Sister's voice is exactly the same as it was back then. Miao Jue missed the male and female protagonists more than once during the years when the tree was cut down.
I don't know what happened in Changming Village after she left, why she and Chen Jinshi both ran away, and why Chen Jinshi has become like this over the years.
She had many questions, but now that she was Dongfang Qian, she couldn't ask them.
Looking into her eyes, which were exactly the same as those in his memory, and recalling the aggressive ashes behind him just now, Miao Jue replied, "He wanted to kill me."
Xianba raised an eyebrow. She observed that the young girl before her was graceful and had not eaten any of them. Therefore, she reasoned that he would not harm this girl.
There are still many people to kill within this silvery mist.
She smiled, ready to let her go, but the other person suddenly grabbed her hand, their almond-shaped eyes sincere.
"He might kill you too! He's dangerous, run!"
Xianba was truly stunned this time.
She had been trapped in the deepest part of the Crimson Cloud Sect's Imprisoning Platform for many years, feared, coveted, and treated like fish on a chopping block. This was the first time she had heard such advice—did she even know herself?
The Netherworld Clan possesses the ability to discern bones and the five senses to detect enemies from a hundred miles away. The body before her was indeed not anyone she knew.
The clear kindness in the girl's eyes reminded Xianba of the time when she was not yet a poisonous woman.
Unfortunately, she's here today to play the role of a wicked woman.
Xianba laughed, his fox-like eyes curving into hooks, the silver mist and ash behind him faintly sweeping into three trailing shadows. "But little sister, what if I'm in danger too?"
Miaojue blinked, thinking, "How could that be?"
You sewed all my underwear when I was a child.
When she first arrived in Changming Village, she was completely clueless.
It was a very secluded place, far from human habitation. From the time she appeared by chance until she turned into a tree, Miaojue had only ever seen those villagers. Some of them were burly and irritable, while others were gentle and elderly. Men, women, and children were scattered here and there, all ordinary, honest people.
Because these villagers were honest farmers, Miaojue was unaware for a long time that this was a fantasy continent where one could cultivate immortality.
Eighth Sister said that they were all born into this world without parents, and they raised each other, with the older ones taking care of the younger ones.
So even though Miaojue was a little girl of unknown origin, they accepted her.
Because she was the youngest, the person responsible for raising her was that boy—the one with a grumpy face, an unhappy expression, and a terrible temper.
My eighth sister said that everyone here spends their entire life raising the person who will be their next generation.
The next generation, having gathered all the dust, had no one left.
It was the appearance of Miaojue that filled his void, so Miaojue followed him around for several years.
…
Now, this person emerges from the water, face up and expressionless.
His captivating peach blossom eyes were both wicked and complex, carrying many inexplicable profound meanings.
She didn't answer his question directly, but judging from Xianba's expression, he didn't recognize Dongfang Qian. If she really was that person... Xianba was already happily wagging his tail.
Even after the dust settles, anxiety still lingers in my heart.
So why would she have such goodwill towards Xianba for no apparent reason?
Miaojue couldn't help but keep giving his eighth sister meaningful glances, saying, "Look at how wicked he looks now!"
Dust settled in his long, dark eyes. In just a few short seconds, time had been altered dozens of times by her. This was the first time in his life that he had been attacked to the point of being powerless to fight back.
The man in white slowly rose from the water, the ashes like surging waves parting the surrounding poisonous springs, leaving him completely untouched; the scene of him emerging from the water was nothing short of sacred.
But as soon as he emerged, he was grabbed by a pale-faced man below, who looked like a water ghost.
Dongfang Yaotian excitedly grabbed his clothes, coughing up water as he said, "Brother Jinshi, there's an antidote spring down here! Come down and drink some!"
"..." Chen Jinshi said, "...Don't pull me."
How could Dongfang Yaotian leave without curing the poison? He used the last of his strength after being poisoned to grab him and dragged him down into the lake like a boulder being thrown into a lake with his full weight.
And so the villain slowly sank to the bottom again.
Miaojue breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this; otherwise, the villains would have little chance of winning in a one-on-one fight and wouldn't have been able to protect Eighth Sister.
Outside the poisonous spring, the entire Thousand Swamp Wetland was completely enveloped by the silvery mist of the Netherworld Clan. Miao Jue knew that this was a bewitching illusion that would amplify all desires of the cultivators within it, and most importantly... it would cause them to kill each other.
This setting is actually the same logic as the logic of the Netherworld Clan's flesh and blood being plundered. In a sense, the appearance of that Netherworld Clan member today is actually a form of resistance in kind.
Fire kills fire, water kills water.
This inadvertently adds a very effective challenge to the tragic love story between the male and female protagonists.
When Chen Jinshi emerged from the water with a calm expression, Dongfang Yaotian, whose complexion had returned to normal, followed behind. However, Gong Yuqiu, who had also fallen into the water, did not appear.
Dongfang Yaotian stared anxiously at the water: "Brother Jinshi, did you see that woman just now? She saved me, I can't let anything happen to her!"
Clearly, the protagonist's brain took away most of the water here.
Dust settled beneath her slightly damp hair as she slowly raised a pair of surprised, long eyes, shimmering with admiration: "That woman—she should be nearby."
As he finished speaking, a female cultivator slowly emerged from the mist, dressed in the same cultivator's robes and wearing a mask as Gong Yuqiu from before. Upon closer inspection, her figure was not exactly the same, but more importantly...
She is also a rare Heavenly-level Water Spirit Bone.
Despite knowing about this plot point, Miao Jue still had a hunch. Mei Zichen had mentioned before that there weren't many registered Heavenly-level Water Spirit Bones, so where did the villain come from that conveniently chosen one?
Upon seeing the woman, Dongfang Yaotian immediately stepped forward with a wicked smile. "Just now, I almost died under the poisonous spring. It was you who brought me to the spring. Even though you were in so much pain, you still let me detoxify first! If it weren't for you, I, Dongfang Yaotian, would have already perished here. May I ask your name?"
The plot, the righteousness, the saintly spirit.
Gong Yuqiu, I know you're nearby. Go to the toilet and talk.
Upon hearing this, the female cultivator slowly removed her mask, revealing an unfamiliar face, and looked at Dongfang Yaotian with slight embarrassment.
That one glance caused Dongfang Yaotian's pupils to dilate. This was a chivalrous woman he had unexpectedly met at Liuyun Tower last night; he hadn't expected her to be such a kind and gentle woman!
The female cultivator lowered her eyes and put her mask back on, but Dongfang Yaotian had already decided that she was his savior.
System: "The heartbreaking moment has arrived! The female lead risked her own life to save the male lead from the poisonous spring, but afterwards someone else took the credit for it, and the male lead mistook her for another woman, causing the female lead to be heartbroken on the spot."
A cool, grassy scent brushed against the back of Miaojue's neck, and the villain's smiling voice was very close: "This isn't my fault, is it?"
Dongfang Yaotian's thought process is a complete mess.
Miao Jue ignored him. This point of torment was actually not difficult to resolve. In the end, all that was needed was to bring Gong Yuqiu out for a confrontation. But what Miao Jue cared about more was how this spirit bone, which had the same level and attributes as the female lead, had coincidentally appeared here and become part of the torturous love story.
Or rather, how did she happen to reach this level?
She suddenly looked at the clean, frosty white cuffs of the sleeves, and saw the Netherworld Winnowing Fish... it was a water-based Netherworld creature.
Could it be one of his detached fish scales?
Chen Jinshi seemed to understand her gaze, and nodded with great interest, "Yes, yes."
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Miaojue suddenly felt a tingling sensation in her fingertips.
It's just a small fish scale... If one's aptitude isn't bad, can one upgrade their spirit bone to the Heavenly level with just a little bit of Netherworld flesh and blood?
...Wouldn't that just be a frenzy of looting?
Xianba, with its fox-like eyes gleaming, watched for a long time.
She gradually came to understand how much Jin Shi had done outside over the years.
The Nether Bone Blade that fell to the ground didn't contain the fourth brother's tiger bones, but rather Jin Shi's own bones. Therefore, all the warning signals were actually controlled by him alone, and at this moment, they couldn't be seen by her at all.
He seems to have done this more than once, dissecting flesh and blood. Over the years, he has firmly locked himself into the destiny of Langhuan.
There are two people here who carry the aura of the Langhuan Destiny Seal. They must be the chosen ones selected by the Dongfang family and the Gongyu family. After completing their tribulations, they will have a pair of Destiny Pearls in perfect form.
When the Yin-Yang Destiny Pearl is combined, it can fulfill all worldly desires.
His wishes have always been very simple.
Xianba's gaze inexplicably swept across this world; they were truly... too familiar with everything about the Langhuan Immortal Court.
After all, Langhuan wasn't always called Langhuan.
At this moment, the atmosphere within the silver mist had begun to change noticeably. Those fellow disciples who had entered the secret realm together, and teammates who had joined them along the way, now spoke in a cacophony of voices, filled with the sounds of swords clashing and astonishment.
Why did you hit me?!
"Look carefully, I'm your junior brother!"
"I'm going to kill you—"
Silvery mist seeps into the nasal cavity, turning into tiny particles that invade the brain and penetrate the lungs. The hazy vision begins to distort, and each person's eyes are filled only with spirits of the same nature as themselves, filled with resentment towards those stronger than themselves, a sense of superiority over those weaker than themselves, lust for the beautiful, and fear of the powerful.
Those belonging to the same element will fight, gluttonize, quarrel, and resent each other.
This was everything that Xianba had grown accustomed to during the years he was trapped under the chains of the Crimson Cloud Sect.
The more greedy a person is, the faster and more intensely they will be affected by this Silver Fox Illusion.
Her figure disappeared into the air, and the tail hairs several meters behind her slowly took shape, outlining a fluffy shadow in the mist, and rising into an attack posture.
He picked up the dust and nodded slightly.
Since he severed the chains binding Xianba, there have been four active members of the Underworld Clan in this world. Gui Liu, Ling Qi, Xianba, and—
Chen Jinshi raised his head and looked at the sky that did not exist above the secret realm.
Hidden beneath the veil of destiny and karmic tribulation, everything unfolded silently. By the time Langhuan's giant bell rang again, nearly half of the Netherworld race was already out in the world.
That would change everything.
Xianba took one last look at Miaojue. Although the child was completely unfamiliar from head to toe, she had one very special quality.
Unfortunately, today is not a good time, otherwise Xianba would have thoroughly investigated where she came from and why she was associated with the cause and effect of "the only one".
That was the first of the ten members of the Underworld Clan, and the only one who remained forever.
"You should be careful of all people with the wood element."
With her foxy eyes gleaming, she offered a clever tip before disappearing into the fog.
…
Miao Jue stood slenderly amidst the velvety mist, and after a long while, her face was filled with emotion.
She knew that her eighth sister was a very kind person! She herself had ventured into such a dangerous place and even reminded her to guard against infighting among her own kind. She hadn't expected her to know even that; it seemed she had come prepared.
After she left, a strong stench of blood and the smoke of internal strife filled the mist. The Netherworld Clan, hiding within the territory of the Crimson Cloud Sect, had begun indiscriminately reaping heads, and the main storyline of the male and female protagonists' slaughter of the Netherworld was just around the corner.
Dongfang Yaotian stiffened and picked up the Nether Bone Blade from the ground.
He looked at the mist with a handsome yet resolute gaze: "Everyone, don't panic! I am Dongfang Yaotian, and the Netherbone Blade is in my hand. It can guide you to the location of the Netherworld Clan! Let's all work together and not fight amongst ourselves—"
But before he could finish speaking, the female cultivator who had just saved him suddenly drew her sword and, without warning, slashed at a figure beside a tree.
—This is the villain's goal; when the two fight, one of them will inevitably suffer.
Clearly, the female cultivator who had consumed the fish scales had already fallen under the spell of the illusion. Her eyes slowly narrowed into fox-like vertical pupils, and a sharp whistling sound that did not belong to her emerged from her throat. She revealed a greedy desire for more flesh and blood to devour the spirit bone of the same element.
The person who was struck immediately turned around to block, drawing his sword to counter.
During the fight, both of their masks were swept off by the sword energy, finally revealing Gong Yuqiu's pale, heartbroken face.
Underwater, her poisoning was even more severe, yet she still forced herself to let Dongfang Yaotian detoxify her first. Once she climbed ashore, she immediately hid to the side to regulate her breathing and suppress her symptoms, but Dongfang Yaotian had already mistaken her for someone else.
Now, he has to stop her because of other people.
"Qiu'er?!"
Dongfang Yaotian cried out in alarm, "Don't hurt her! This woman saved me—"
The female protagonist was terrified; her heart was dead.
They've arrived, and all around them, demons are running rampant. The main plot of this world is that the female lead is mute, the male lead has a brain fart, and there are villains fanning the flames from the sidelines.
Chen Jinshi clapped applause admiringly: "Dongfang Yaotian is truly a man of great loyalty and righteousness."
The trick: "..." You'll say anything to create a sadomasochistic relationship!
Gong Yuqiu, overwhelmed by excruciating heart pain, simply gave up the attack. Would Yaotian be happy if she died?
The system shouted to Miao Jue: "Right now, open the female lead's eyelids and let the male lead see that she is still suffering from the spring poison and that she risked her life to save him!"
The clever trick: "Then Dongfang Yaotian will say, 'How could I possibly mistake you for someone else? Do you really think I'm such an ignorant person? Qiu'er, can't you even accept the person who saved my life?'"
Then cut down trees, cut down trees, cut down trees.
system:"."
She's been through it; there's nothing she can do about it.
System: "Then what should we do?"
Gong Yuqiu was filled with suicidal thoughts when the female cultivator grazed her arm with her sword, and blood gushed out immediately.
Dongfang Yaotian's eyes immediately turned bloodshot.
He swore to the heavens that with him around, Qiu'er would not suffer the slightest harm!
But the other person is his savior. What if he forgets his kindness and goes against his principles? What if he does that?!
As Chen Jinshi watched the compass increase its calamity by several circles, his anxiety eased slightly, so he crossed his arms and watched the secret manual from the side.
I'd like to see how she solves this.
The brilliant idea: "Wouldn't it be fine as long as the female cultivator isn't the male protagonist's savior?"
Let him die; there's no need for gratitude. Then there's no need to dwell on it.
System: "???" What a forward-thinking idea.
The battle between the two Heavenly-level Water Spirit Bone experts intensified. Just then, the spring poison that had just been neutralized in Dongfang Yaotian's lungs suddenly relapsed.
Dongfang Yaotian's face turned deathly pale, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He knelt on one knee and hurriedly took out a water pouch from his sleeve. To help the other poisoned disciples, he had deliberately drawn extra water from the spring.
Dongfang Yaotian drank the antidote and shouted, "Stop fighting!" but his face turned pale again and he spat out blood. He continued to drink the antidote, and then spat out blood again.
What's going on? Why can't his poison be cured?!
Dongfang Yaotian: "Pfft pfft pfft pfft—"
Chen Jinshi looked at Miaojue expressionlessly.
Dongfang Yaotian was completely poisoned by the spring and collapsed, convulsing. Gong Yuqiu finally couldn't bear it and quickly jumped to his side to help him up, saying anxiously, "How could this be? He clearly drank the spring water, so why is it still not working? I saw the fish and insects swimming freely under the spring, so I dared to be sure that it could cure the poison!"
Dongfang Yaotian struggled to open his scarlet eyes: "Qiu'er, it was you..."
The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with a thousand emotions, which finally culminated in a tight clasp of hands.
Miao Jue clapped: "Ah, what a moving and touching love story!"
The female cultivator was about to strike Gong Yuqiu again when Dongfang Yaotian shielded her, unleashing his Wind Spirit Stream to send her flying. After thoroughly tormenting the female lead, he exclaimed with unparalleled dominance, "I'll see who dares to hurt her!"
"." Miao Jue heard the click sound of the system's judgment passing smoothly. She looked at her slowly growing spirit bone sapling. Now she could withstand half an hour of rewind time, a quarter of an hour. What did this mean?
She glanced at the villain out of the corner of her eye and smiled peacefully.
Villain, what do you have to compare with me? What do you have to offer?
Chen Jinshi picked up something and placed it in her hand.
It seemed to be a very small and light piece, but when it landed in her palm, a golden light suddenly exploded, and the intricate patterns and ancient characters transformed into a circle of stars, carrying an extremely powerful force, and were completely and firmly bound to her palm.
This is?
"What is your relationship with Xianba?" This question had been weighing on his mind for a long time.
The sound of Dust Gathering was both cool and scorching, as if this answer was extremely important, concerning the life or death of the secret technique.
Miao Jue stared in shock at the object in her hand, then looked up at him: "Who is Xian Ba? What does he have to do with me—what is this you've put here?"
It's okay...
The man's usually radiant face gradually lost its smile, and he slowly lowered his head, revealing a section of pale neck bone behind his collar, like a male bird stretching its neck, looking as if he were heartbroken.
What is there for him to be sad about?
Miao Jue held the light object in his palm, not daring to touch it or see it clearly. It seemed to be something that ordinary eyes could not see directly. It was very light, yet it felt as heavy as Mount Tai when he held it.
Until the light on the Netherbone Blade suddenly rang out.
The male and female protagonists, carrying knives, chase and kill the Netherworld Clan members in the secret realm.
The sounds around her, amidst the silvery mist, suddenly ceased, and the air shifted as if countless faces were turning towards her simultaneously.
Miaojue shuddered, suddenly realizing what it was.
Dust settled, and she placed a piece of the Netherworld Bone in her hand?!
Her pupils contracted sharply, and she tried to break free but was firmly held captive.
Is he crazy? Is he mentally ill? Where did he get it from? No, why is he giving it to her?
"—You can have some."
Chen Jinshi's face was pale, but his expression was very gentle. He smiled and lowered his head, telling her softly, "After you eat this, the spiritual bone you've worked so hard to grow will immediately become a Xuan-level one."
Mysterious-grade spiritual bone.
Even the chosen ones like the male and female protagonists are nothing more than Heavenly Spirit Bones.
I have never encountered a true Xuanling Bone on this continent; it is a legendary existence found only in the Langhuan Immortal Court overseas.
If it becomes a Xuan-level spiritual bone, how immense will the power of retrospection be that it can bear?
Can a century of vicissitudes change in the blink of an eye? If so, she would almost become the controller of the world, a being comparable to a god.
She will never be felled by anyone again. She can traverse thousands of miles of time.
Chen Jinshi watched as her clear almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly. In the Silver Fox's illusion, everyone's desires would be amplified infinitely.
This bone, which countless people have gone mad for, is now in her palm, within easy reach.
He wouldn't stop her if she ate it.
However, he would make her wish she were dead.
Miao Jue's mind drifted into a hazy, transcendent state of mind. The Nether Bone in her hand seemed to be silently tempting her, telling her that becoming a Xuan-level talent was comparable to ascension, with no more obstacles in the world. She would no longer be a tree, a person, or a mortal. ...
But.
Why?
There's nothing wrong with being a steadfast, towering tree or a person who grows up smoothly.
The hazy mist that had been hanging over my eyes receded like the tide, and what remained before me were those deep, dark, peach-blossom eyes.
"No, thank you."
Miaojue said to him reservedly, "I don't have the habit of eating raw food."
The villain fell silent.
The villain remained silent for a long time.
Then he suddenly laughed, leaping into the air. The endless ashes transformed into a hurricane, gathering and dispersing behind his tall, elegant figure in flowing white robes, faintly transforming into two enormous, outstretched, burning wings.
His hair was whipped about by the wind, and for a moment his face smiled beautifully.
"Then I'll treat you to a good show."
"Take this, and a layer of Netherworld Bone Realm will surround you. As long as you don't reach out, no one can come in."
"Whoever touches you will crash into you and die right there. Isn't that fun?"
Miao Jue's hand was being controlled by that piece of Ming Gu Sheng, and she glared at him with undisguised anger, thinking to herself, "What a joke!"
Only those who desperately crave the flesh and blood of the Netherworld race will flock here madly at the scent.
“Then, bang—” Chen Jinshi smiled and winked, “vanished into thin air.”
The villain left a meaningful look before disappearing into the silver mist in an instant.
Miao Jue looked down at the dark golden halo in her hand, which was too bright to look at directly, as if she could already sense something rapidly approaching from her surroundings. She couldn't help but feel a little nervous, and subconsciously focused her attention on her terminal bud.
In short, in any crisis situation, we can simply go back in time.
But when I saw it, my heart sank.
Damn it, the villain didn't tell her that she had no spiritual power left even though she possessed the Nether Bone!
Having learned from the previous killing formation, the power of retrospection cannot be used without spiritual power. Furthermore, trees are scarce in this Thousand Swamp Wetland, and the surrounding area is filled with golden spiritual energy, making it difficult to draw upon any power.
If it weren't for that moment when Chen Jin had a change of heart and cast a layer of Netherworld on her, she would be a human-shaped sieve right now, a Tang Monk among monsters, a living person among zombies.
I'm going to kill you, my friend.
But what is he trying to do by controlling her spiritual power?
…
Dust settled slowly as it moved through the undulating mist, with ashes rising behind it.
Each time the compass reverses, the future self is retrieved, using the pervasive ashes as the medium.
Today, if we can trap someone's spiritual power, he can bring his future self to life.
The dust settled and it leisurely flew over the secret realm.
Overlooking the entire Thousand Swamp Illusion, it is actually laid out in the same dimensions as the Crimson Cloud Sect's terrain, like a miniature version of the Four Symbols on a giant rock, surrounded by four circles, higher in the west and lower in the east. The towering stone walls are steep and hard, interspersed with all kinds of strange wetlands and springs, with gold as the base color, which is most advantageous for those with gold spirit bones.
But now, all of that is covered in dust.
Silvery fur was everywhere, as if it had clothed a beast in its coat.
These disciples from aristocratic families and sects are tearing each other apart, plundering each other, and invading each other, looking more like beasts than beasts themselves.
And then the broken bone in the girl's hand appeared.
The wind direction throughout the entire secret realm changed once again.
Several disciples of the Crimson Cloud Sect were fighting amongst themselves when Gao Jinyuan suddenly sensed something.
That's... that's the same aura as that thing that was heavily protected on the Immortal Confinement Platform of the Crimson Cloud Sect!
The addiction was like a leech, instantly and intensely arousing them. The forces within their flesh and blood that did not belong to them were writhing wildly, and they needed to take the next bite to quell the hunger that was ingrained in their bones.
Isn't this what each of them came for?
The tenth bone of the Underworld Clan can cover any attribute and can create an immortal body for any person.
Gao Jinyuan kicked aside his fellow disciple and turned to run towards the ball of light, only to be blocked by a woman who walked gracefully on tiptoe.
Gao Jinyuan was completely drained by that addiction. He impatiently wanted to cut her aside, but when he met her eyes, he suddenly stopped and instinctively took a few steps back.
Those fox-like eyes had appeared countless times at their Crimson Cloud Sect's internal banquets. Only, they were much more sinister then than they were now.
What happened to her? What happened to her?! ...
"What, don't you recognize me?" Xianba asked with a smile.
As Gao Jinyuan reached into his sleeve, he was bewitched by the savagery and sense of superiority surging within him. "Maintaining a human skin, you really think you're a human being? You vixen, don't think I don't know how ugly your true form is!"
Gao Jinyuan was the nephew of Wen Changshan, the sect leader of the Chixia Sect. He had access to the most luxurious and exclusive pleasures of the sect. He had seen the thin silver fox lying on the ground countless times, but because of his uncle's kindness, he never damaged her rare fox fur.
How dare she run away like that?!
Xianba looked at the faces before him, utterly bewildered. But they were human too.
Many years ago, they got along so well with the human girl, and Miaomiao liked each and every one of them.
Gao Jinyuan's eyes were bloodshot as he repeatedly scratched the back of his hands and laughed loudly, "My uncle has already entered the secret realm. Do you think you still have a chance to survive?"
The Silver Fox, the eighth-ranked member of the Underworld Clan, had been bled dry for years and was already crippled. How could a mere beast possibly stand against the entire Crimson Cloud Sect? Once she was captured and brought back, she would truly face being torn to pieces. Gao Jinyuan laughed wildly, but at that moment, a shadow slowly descended upon his head.
The surroundings were already very dark under the shroud of mist, so how could there be shadows?
He slowly looked up and met a pair of round, black fish eyes.
The fox-like creature with eight whiskers smiled. "What if there's more than one Netherworld Clan member here?"
The long-tailed snail swam slowly from the silver mist. Its short fins, like wings, powerfully propelled the air as it extended its huge, mottled head toward him. Its long tail could strangle him the moment it touched the ground.
The drastic difference in species and size caused Gao Jinyuan's legs to buckle, and he collapsed to the ground, somewhat sobering up from his frenzied addiction.
Two...two...
His voice caught in his throat: How could there be two Netherworld Clan members?!
Gao Jinyuan's hands began to tremble. He tried to control himself and quickly reached into his sleeve pocket, but before he could take out the invitation to the Immortal Competition distributed by the Crimson Cloud Sect, the gold-embossed paper suddenly turned to ashes and vanished in his hand.
Then, between the towering, ghostly snipe and the silver fox with its silvery laughter—
A young man in white walked out with a slight smile.
"Brother, brother!" Gao Jinyuan saw him as if he had seen a savior. He had seen this person when he entered the secret realm!
"Which sect are you from? I am Gao Jinyuan, the nephew of the Crimson Cloud Sect Master. Give me your invitation, and I'll give you whatever you want after we leave!"
The young man had a handsome face, with refined features that exuded indescribable beauty. He bowed slightly and said, "Take a look and see which sect I belong to."
Gao Jinyuan stared blankly at him, then saw behind him... the endless ashes that transformed into constantly burning wings.
His legs really started to tremble violently.
Three, three Netherworld Clan members... There are three damn Netherworld Clan members!
Since a century ago, there has never been a situation where three normally powerful members of the Underworld race appeared at the same time!
"Help...help me..." Gao Jinyuan cried out hoarsely.
Chen Jinshi lowered his eyes and sized up this ordinary disciple of the Crimson Cloud Sect. "How many of your materials did you consume to go from a third-level Human-grade Earth Spirit Bone to a Heaven-grade one?"
"I, I didn't... I was forced, they were all eating... I, I also..."
"If you're going to look for someone, look for my uncle! He's the one who gave me all of these! He's the one!"
Xianba nodded: "I know, I won't let him go, don't worry."
Gao Jinyuan only fully regained consciousness when he felt the excruciating pain coming on.
Deaths and injuries are common in the secret realms of the Ten Thousand Immortals Competition. The Red Cloud Sect's consistent principle is that since everyone has been provided with first aid invitations, they will not be responsible for any accidents.
Furthermore, since the secret realm is a small world, it is also not subject to the constraints of the Langhuan Covenant.
They deliberately chose this day.
These beasts have been waiting for a long time in cages, in the shadows, and in the mud, ready to kill everyone who came here for that piece of the Nether Bone!
The screams were silent.
…
Miao Jue held the Nether Bone in her hand and clearly saw someone rushing towards her.
Although she already knew the truth about the consumption of the Netherworld Bones on this continent, Miao Jue had always only ever seen people.
Everyone was impeccably dressed, chatting and laughing, hiding their scarlet lips and tongues between grand agreements and glorious facades.
But now, the thing lunging at the Nether Bone in her hand doesn't seem to be human at all.
Those controlled by the addiction to flesh and blood drooled, their eyes narrowed into vertical pupils, and a shrill, bell-like screech seemed to emanate from their throats. The original addiction was amplified further by the Silver Fox illusion, causing them—
They've all gone mad.
The first male cultivator to rush towards the secret technique was a man with a disheveled hair and beard, who charged forward like a monster, causing the earth to shake and the mountains to tremble.
In the blink of an eye, that gaping maw leaped above her head, its gaze fixed on the broken bone she was holding in her palm. If it were to bite down directly, it would probably tear off half of her arm, flesh and bone.
Just before his foul teeth touched her fingertips, a solitary cry echoed through the vast sky, and then a dazzling brilliance, like feathers, fell from her head to the ground, covering her entire body.
Then, a chilling explosion rang out.
The man before her was instantly shredded into countless pieces of fireworks.
Before her, they fluttered and swirled.
This is the first time Miaojue has come into such close and direct contact with death.
Her hand holding the Nether Bone trembled slightly, then she gripped it tightly again.
Then she saw groups of two or three people, some tearing at each other and rushing forward, others looking around and launching their own attacks.
Among them were men and women, young and old, and without exception, all of them possessed extraordinary talent and spiritual qualities.
Without exception, they all exploded into ashes.
At first, Miaojue's pupils would shrink slightly when she saw the headshot, but by the end she was numb.
What appeared in the giant forest last time was just the tip of the iceberg. How many people in this world tacitly agree to build a ladder to heaven with the flesh and blood of the Netherworld Clan?
Miao Jue could hardly imagine how much the various sects and families had exploited during the century that the Underworld Clan was slaughtered.
All she knew was that she wasn't afraid of the silver fox hiding behind the illusion mirror, but rather terrified of the swarming humans.
When the last earth spirit bone exploded and disappeared outside the Netherworld Bone Realm, all was completely quiet.
Miao Jue finally looked down and examined the broken bone in her hand carefully. Although the vast divine power on it made it difficult for her to see clearly, she could vaguely see the bone spurs on the edge, as if it had been broken and shattered by someone.
In the storyline of the Ten Thousand Immortals Competition, the female protagonist, for the sake of her master's wish, does everything in her power to win the championship and claim the Langhuan reward.
And the reward was also a piece of bone like that.
Miao Jue clenched her fist. Regardless of the relationship between the Magpie Yang Immortal and her body, she had no intention of letting him obtain this bone.
Since the dust has been given to her, she has the right to dispose of it.
The Nether Bone should only belong to the Netherworld Clan.
If she could even find this Netherworld creature with broken bones, she could use the power of reversal to help him rebuild his flesh and blood.
This incident quietly planted a seed in Miaojue's heart.
…
Dust Gathering never appeared. Miao Jue was pondering where to find fire-resistant cloth to wrap the broken bone when suddenly, the tight binding force on the broken bone dissipated.
Immediately afterwards, the spiritual power within her body also revived.
I wasn't able to use the power of rewind for half a day, but fortunately nothing unexpected happened.
At this moment, a powerful spiritual force tore open the secret realm above their heads. Clearly, the people of the Crimson Cloud Sect had discovered the Netherworld Clan's invasion of the Immortal Competition, and the first trial had ended prematurely!
Miaojue quickly wrapped the broken bone in a handkerchief and hid it in her bosom.
The male and female protagonists, having just reached the final moment in their fierce battle against the Underworld Clan, instantly become the heroes who slay the Underworld in this secret realm challenge. According to the plot, they will also be the two most outstanding in the second round of competition, inevitably leading to a fierce rivalry and a heart-wrenching love story.
Wait a minute, Miaojue suddenly remembered something.
This secret realm is filled with numerous strange and monstrous beasts to increase the difficulty of passing the level, with the aim of physically selecting the most elite disciples before the second round of competition.
After passing through the secret realm, all disciples will have their damage collected in a sequence of invitations and under the calculation of a specific magic array. In other words, whether they killed a beast or defeated an opponent in the secret realm, it will eventually be converted into personal attack attributes and assigned to all members.
The person with the strongest attack will be the focus of all the contestants in the second round of the competition—like the male and female protagonists who besieged the Underworld Clan.
But now? All the beasts that should have appeared seem to have been frightened by something, all retreating to their nests. Miao Jue hasn't seen a single one along the way. This means that the statistics will primarily refer to the damage inflicted on the opponent.
Miao Jue recalled the countless fireworks that had exploded when he held the Nether Bone in his hand.
"?" No way, bro.
"You're the strongest now—"
The ghostly, ashen figure appeared close to her, speaking in a friendly and congratulatory tone, "You're amazing! You've killed more than those two from the Underworld Clan!"
Miao Jue fell silent.
The villain was still happily telling her, "Now they're all asking about your name, and they're coming to beat you up in the second round."
The secret is that your fist becomes hard, truly hard.
So why did you put the ghost bone in my hands? Are you sick?
Miao Jue turned around angrily, wanting to fight to the death with the other party, but found that Chen Jinshi's face was unusually pale. Under his skin, which was so white that it was almost transparent, you could almost see the blue veins of blood flowing through it. Even the hair on his temples was wet, like a wet spring bird.
What did he do that suddenly depleted so much of his power?
For some reason, Miaojue suddenly had a bad feeling.
This premonition reached its peak when he saw his extremely pale lips still panting and smiling.
Then she finally caught a glimpse of the magnetic needle on the jade compass spinning rapidly under his fingertips, which bore the red birthmark.
Within the wondrous sea of consciousness, the terminal buds on the annual rings are also flowing backward in sync.
So he gave her the Nether Bone on purpose, wanting to sever her spiritual power!
He's going to lure out a world-destroying villain from ten years in the future!
The villains are already so formidable; if he gains ten years' worth of memories, she'll be truly finished!
Dust settled, and laughter made his spine tremble.
...He had figured it out. The reason why his future self wanted to chase after her from ten years in the future must be because he could find her if he went back ten years.
In his current time, everything is still in its bud. When he finds her, she will have experienced nothing, suffered nothing, and everything will be as it was before.
He can retrieve what he left with her. ...
That's very important; it's the most important thing in the life of a member of the Underworld Clan.
Chen Jinshi's fingertips trembled slightly as he felt a terrifying power descend upon them along unseen veins.
At the same moment, beyond the vast, endless sea, the giant bell of the Celestial Court's Jade Ring Zero resounded loudly.
His jade compass spun around one last time in his hand.
Only one mark remains.
Dust settled, all expectations exhausted, and I opened my eyes, burning with desire.
But what I saw was the girl's smiling almond-shaped eyes.
The secret: "Bye-bye."
The clock hands snapped back to their starting position.
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