Chapter 38 You're Not Human A feather was gently placed over your eyelids...
38
The moment the golden crow appeared, the only basis for the secret in Miao Jue's mind was confirmed.
Although he was still trapped in the Immortal Prison, his heart inexplicably relaxed.
Perhaps it was because that person had broken through the ten major seals of Langhuan on his own, or perhaps it was because he had now become everyone's support, or perhaps it was because he was the most resourceful evil villain.
Her vision blurred, and all she could see was the figure with outstretched wings, outlined by divine light.
The endless feathers are the ashes that never cease to burn; beneath the crimson sun, the candle wick burns scorching hot, as if jade and stone are being consumed together, vast and fierce, ominous and intense.
Its vast wings were like a dense shade under the moonlit night; wherever it passed, everyone stopped in astonishment.
"What...what is that?!"
"I can't see clearly, I've never seen anything like it before—"
The Golden Crow, that is the sun in the dark night.
The black spot storm burns and melts everything, enough to reduce all things in the world to ashes.
The true divine wings at their peak, streaking across the long night, like a shooting star with a burning trail, drew a brilliant dividing line between the dark sea and sky.
It points directly to the cage in mid-air.
Ling Qi chased after the shadows, and only his speed allowed him to barely make out the unhealable blood holes and dripping scars on the Golden Crow's body, scattered among its once beautiful and magnificent wings.
Gui Liu, Xian Ba, and Zhu Jiu all looked up at the same time and saw that figure they hadn't seen in a hundred years.
The ten members of the Underworld Clan are all experts in their respective fields.
Jin Shi was the last sun of the Underworld Clan, a desperate burst of heat before his long, desolate slumber.
Among the cultivators who were lying in ambush on the coast, raiding and killing in the water prison, one finally pointed to the sky and trembled as he spoke:
"That, that's the Netherworld Clan..."
"A Netherworld Clan member I've never seen before! He... he is the Tenth Netherworld Clan member—"
It was a bizarre, gigantic bird unlike any I'd ever seen before, obscuring the moon's shadow. It wasn't imposing or large, nor did it possess much beauty, but its power was all-encompassing—
With speed comparable to a divine steed and strength rivaling that of a Qilin, he is naturally invincible against all spiritual attributes, yet he is not countered by any of the Five Elements...
With a final swing of the Ancestral Stone, the power of antiquity was condensed, and the most perfect Golden Crow descended upon the world.
By the time they realized that the prison they had painstakingly built had imprisoned the wrong person, it was already too late.
Pluto is in a state of rage.
He spread his wings and roared, the surging ashes almost filling the sea, and wherever he passed, it was like a poisonous dragon landing, the scorched aura like the smell of death.
The people on the shore began to flee in panic. They just didn't want to be eaten by others; everyone wanted a share—after all, the Netherworld Clan was helpless against the Immortal Prison. But who knew that it wasn't the Netherworld Clan that was imprisoned?!
"The Mo Yao Jade Ring was already authenticated, how could there be a mistake?!"
"Gong Yuqiu isn't the one from Langhuan—her surname is Gongyu... Gongyu is impossible, right?"
Miaojue's footsteps made the Immortal Prison shake more and more. Feeling dizzy, she grabbed a stone pillar for support, thinking to herself, "Whoever believes in the male and female protagonists will not have a good ending!"
Those destined for love must sacrifice others; they don't understand this principle.
She had been pondering who the mastermind was tonight. This time, Langhuan mobilized everyone, and no one needed to worry about the covenant. Almost everyone came to participate in the siege of the Fire Qilin, and the "Bai Clan Giant Insect" was an unexpected surprise.
The ability to bring in such a large quantity of Immortal-Binding Stones in such a short time must belong to a major sect, or perhaps not even a single sect. Who has suffered the greatest losses recently? Certainly not the Central Plains Southern Flame or the Tianyan Kingdom, who were just there as filler...
Unless the combined power of the two supreme sects, Crimson Cloud and Jade Void, is gathered... and they strive for a desperate gamble, it would be more than enough for one Netherworld Ten to restore the entire sect's vitality. Even if each disciple drinks a mouthful of Netherworld blood and each high-ranking elder receives a bone, both sects could surpass their previous levels.
Who told her to call Ming Shi a giant centipede?
How many Heavenly Spirit Bones and Profound Spirit Bones can a centipede create?
Once the cage is removed, the two factions will immediately begin dividing the spoils. In fact, to make things permanent, they will not keep Ming Shi alive to await Lang Huan's pursuit, but will instead devour him entirely.
Miaojue confronted this malice head-on, and thus understood his anger perfectly.
The same rage burned within his chest; the Immortal-Binding Stone could trap the power of the Netherworld Clan, but it could not suppress their souls.
He traveled a thousand miles to get here, and it ignited instantly.
Arriving outside the cage in an instant, their speed abruptly halted in mid-air, the crimson wings of the crow enveloping the entire water prison, the moonlight impenetrable.
Miaojue couldn't see clearly what was happening outside, nor did she know who was nearby. She could only continue to fight against the Immortal-Binding Stone with all her might when she suddenly heard Bu Er's gentle and steady voice coming very close—
"Miaomiao, don't overdraw your spiritual bones."
The Immortal-Binding Stone is something from our ancestral land that has existed for thousands of years.
It was an astonishing feat for her to open a crack all by herself.
Miao Jue, assuming the one outside was Bu Er, immediately grabbed a stone pillar and shouted out, "But like the Ten Great Seals, you can't touch them directly—"
The dark, feathery creature seemed to stir, but despite being very close, it did not respond to her.
She didn't know that the precious rift she had opened with all her might was enough for him.
Otherwise, he would have directly bled the prisoners into the cell to break the balance.
Although that would be more efficient, it would inevitably be stopped by all the adults present.
She gave them all a completely new way of life.
A wisp of burning ash drifted out, nimbly piercing into the crack of the Immortal-Binding Stone Prison. The restrictions inside instantly became unbalanced, prying open an even larger crack, and the ash surged in like water.
The cage shattered into pieces and crashed into the water.
The force that Miao Jue had been resisting suddenly loosened, and he fell dizzily. Everything was still pitch black before his eyes; he couldn't see anything, only feeling himself being placed on soft sand.
Miaojue reached out and groped around, touching sharp scales and claws, which felt icy cold.
She asked instinctively, "Second Brother? Has Seventh Brother returned?"
The golden crow paused slightly with its claws, its breath still ragged from its rapid approach. It did not speak, its drooping neck resembling a bent flower stem.
Why didn't you ask me?
Miao Jue didn't receive a reply, and a sense of unease crept into his heart. Could things be bad in Beiling? Had Xiao Ma been seriously injured there? He—
But the next second, Miaojue felt a feather gently cover her eyelids.
The warm, drifting embers gently covered her eyes.
ah.
It's you.
The golden crow burns across the land, so destructive it destroys the heavens and the earth.
But a feather is like a light wisp of cotton, posing no threat whatsoever, and is easily lost.
The shadow of the golden crow, never before seen by anyone, now enveloped her. The secret technique was unseen, but its scent was perceptible. It was somewhat suppressed by the icy wind of Beiling, yet the smell of blood remained.
Miaojue parted her lips slightly: "You—"
Ling Qi's voice, mingled with the clatter of horses' hooves, came rushing over. Her ears, sharp as lightning, twitched: "Miao Miao, I'm here! I'm alright—I didn't recognize you back in Canggu Mountain, otherwise I definitely wouldn't have let Jin Shi kill you—"
Before he could finish speaking, he was lifted into the air.
The speed of the little bird after it fully matures is terrifying! Ling Qi was forbidden from mentioning anything about Canggu Mountain again, and finally kept quiet.
Xianba and the others surrounded Miaojue on all fours.
However, some people are not in a good mood.
…
The Golden Crow violently swept away all the remaining remnants of the army, its embers scorching everything in their path.
The two cultivators who had secretly transported the Immortal-Binding Stone were cornered when they suddenly spotted Gong Yuqiu holding a sword in the crowd.
The Jade Void Sect cultivator immediately grabbed Gong Yuqiu and shielded him in front of him.
Gong Yuqiu was in a state of confusion all night because she had no idea who she should fight against. She could not join the sect in vying for the Ten Netherworld Stones, nor could she join the Netherworld Clan. She could only do her best to protect the ordinary cultivators.
The one who grabbed her was a peak master of the Jade Void Sect. He was over a hundred years old, but because his spiritual bone cultivation was extremely high, he looked like a middle-aged man.
His face was now contorted with rage; he held his sword to her with a maniacal rage, shouting at the several figures floating in the sky:
"Don't move! This is someone from the Gongyu family—" The peak master wasn't addressing Jinwu, but rather precisely targeting the long-haired man with gray-gold eyes, "Ming Er, don't you recognize him? You can't bring yourself to do it, can you? Doesn't this look like your important old friend?!"
Gong Yuqiu was taken aback. What old friend? What Gong Yu family?
Wasn't she just an ordinary child who was killed by the King of Tianyan and then adopted by the Immortal Queyang?
Fuji stood atop the gray clouds, sighing softly as he raised his head.
He remained humble, handsome, and gentle, his gaze fixed on Gong Yuqiu's stunned expression.
It is indeed very similar; many years ago, he also encountered a face like this.
They stumbled in without knowing anything, interacted with each other cautiously, and even treated each other with sincerity... yet they brought about a century-long catastrophe for the Underworld.
Now, even the youngest children have to bear these responsibilities.
Standing before the endless sea, having his memories so openly evoked, Fuji felt a strange sense of melancholy. He looked around; from six to ten, they were all alive and standing before him, and a feeling of emotion welled up inside him.
The Qilin Fire surged from beneath his feet, tearing through the night sky along with the ashes.
The peak master, holding Gong Yuqiu hostage, retreated in terror.
Gong Yuqiu looked at the jet-black divine bird and suddenly understood something. Before she could even be shocked, she was knocked unconscious by the peak master behind her.
This was the only thing he could hold onto; Langhuan would not stand idly by and watch the chosen one of the Gongyu family be harmed!
But when he looked up, he was immediately suffocated—the Golden Crow spread its wings, and the Qilin's tail blazed with fire; two terrifyingly powerful Netherworld beings were simultaneously looking down at him.
The peak master's legs gave way, and he finally collapsed to the ground.
The Golden Crow Divine Bird smiled enigmatically, "If you're going to catch something, at least catch something useful."
"The most important thing is that my younger siblings are together."
Fuji murmured, the Kirin Flame reflecting the gentle look in his eyes behind his hair, "Nothing else matters anymore."
…
Beneath the night sea, all those who plundered the Ten Underworld Objects and consumed Underworld artifacts were engulfed by the scorching flames and vanished without a trace.
Snores could still be heard amidst the waves; those who were truly drunk tonight were the ones who escaped unscathed.
The enraged golden crow slowly calmed down, shaking its burning wings, which still bore several bloody holes that bled continuously. Countless scars were partially covered by its feathers, but the flesh was still exposed.
He glanced around and flew away nonchalantly.
"Oh, your injury!" Little Horse tried to call out to him, but the little bird was gone and never returned.
In a little while.
The young man in white strolled back with his hands behind his back.
He glanced discreetly at Miao Jue, who was surrounded by the crowd. The girl rubbed her eyes, looking utterly exhausted.
He coughed, his profile revealing exceptional bone structure, and straightened the clean, spotless hem of his clothes.
They look like decent human beings.
It was as if the golden crow's descent just now was merely an illusion.
But feeling inexplicably embarrassed to go closer, Chen Jinshi walked to the water prison from before and pulled a green, old safety knot from underwater with his fingertips.
With a gentle touch of the red fingertip, the delicate hairs burned and turned to ash in the blink of an eye.
He shrugged, took a couple of steps outside, and discovered several... half-human figures in the water.
He grabbed the woman by her hair and pulled her out. She was pale and had her eyes closed.
It looks somewhat familiar, but that's not important. What's important is that Chen Jinshi figured out whose handiwork it was.
...it allows one to partially return to childhood.
He couldn't help but blink. The "centipede" was truly terrifying in strength; no one in the entire Underworld Clan could rival it.
"Did she go easy on me before?" Chen Jinshi suddenly thought to himself, muttering to himself for a moment, and then became a little happy.
He threw the half-human in his hand out, and the two remaining half-humans who had eaten the Netherworld Clan were thrown even further into the water.
Then I strolled back.
Dongfang Yaotian lay on the beach blowing bubbles, while Gong Yuqiu, after being knocked unconscious, drifted back to shore with the current.
The two lay together as if by fate, enduring a perilous night. When they finally awoke, all the flying beasts and fighting sect disciples had already fallen silent.
There was only a figure in white standing in front of me.
The man had a refined and elegant figure, with captivating peach blossom eyes, and he looked down at them from his elevated position.
Chen Jinshi could tell that there was a protective array outside the water prison belonging to the Chosen Ones, carrying the aura of the Langhuan Destiny Twin Fish Seal. They were trying to protect the Mystic Technique. Langhuan Immortal Court probably never imagined that their Destiny Seal could be used to protect "Nether Ten".
Although it's not very useful.
Although Pluto is also wrong.
But Chen Jinshi raised his hand and touched the corner of his eyebrow, truly not knowing how to describe these two.
Gong Yuqiu was still lost in thought, the divine might of the Dark Night Ember Bird still vivid in her mind's eye. After a moment of stunned silence, she suddenly turned and grabbed Dongfang Yaotian: "No, that's it, that's it—"
Dongfang Yaotian's memory was still stuck on the time when she secretly let Qianqian escape. He didn't know how he suddenly fainted, so he hurriedly asked, "What was that?"
Gong Yuqiu finally said with certainty, "The divine bird that appeared tonight is Ming Shi!"
Dongfang Yaotian was taken aback, then stared arrogantly at him: "Really?"
Gong Yuqiu spoke rapidly: "I'm certain that such oppressive power is unparalleled in the world. If that power is not restrained, it could even incinerate and bury the sea! — Besides the Netherworld Clan, who else could do that?!"
"The tenth member of the Underworld Clan is not a centipede."
Dongfang Yaotian was stunned for a moment, then burst into loud laughter: "I knew Qianqian couldn't possibly be a member of the Underworld Clan! Hahaha—"
Gong Yuqiu also breathed a sigh of relief, and a sense of ease appeared in his eyes.
Dongfang Yaotian regains his faith, his sinister sword wielded with ruthless power.
"So, who is the real tenth person?"
Chen Jinshi stood calmly in front of them.
Dressed in white, he appeared otherworldly, tilting his head slightly.
Gong Yuqiu looked melancholy, pondered for a long time, and then solemnly shook his head: "It's a pity that the divine bird disappeared in an instant, transforming into countless forms, like a ghost. I was unable to find where it hid."
Dust gathers up: "?"
Dust settled: "
He strolled away again.
Is it possible that whoever has never appeared with a bird is the bird?
He thought inscrutably.
But such a brilliant idea will not appear in the mind of the chosen one.
After walking a hundred meters, the two were already immersed in their own worlds and started arguing fiercely.
"But, Dongfang Yaotian, let me ask you."
“Although Princess Dongfang is not a member of the Underworld Clan, you released her while you believed she was,” Gong Yuqiu’s voice was stern. “Yaotian, do you know what you are doing?”
Dongfang Yaotian's eyes were bloodshot. "But can you just stand by and watch Qianqian be sent to Langhuan?"
"What you're doing is irresponsible towards the common people!"
Dongfang Yaotian: "Actually, I also have a feeling that the Netherworld Clan lurking within Langhuan is extremely powerful. They are among the top three ferocious beasts in the rankings, and even you and I are not confident..."
Gong Yuqiu, however, reaffirmed his stance, "Perhaps the Netherworld Clan is indeed divided into good and bad, but if it is a Heaven-Destroying Beast, I will annihilate it even if it means my own destruction."
When Dongfang Qian was imprisoned, Gong Yuqiu hesitated greatly, but her principles were always stronger than Dongfang Yaotian's. As a result, their argument escalated to Dongfang Yaotian violating principles, lacking boundaries, and being unfaithful in their relationship.
Miao Jue heard the system notification in her mind, and she was truly impressed.
The real Netherworld race is right before their eyes, yet the two are still wholeheartedly indulging in a sadomasochistic relationship.
But it must be said that her spirit bone upgrade was entirely thanks to them.
The sounds of their argument drifted from afar: "Since that's the case, we're not on the same page, so let's separate." "Then let the marriage tree be our witness! With a swift stroke of the sword, we'll part ways amicably!"
The secret: "..."
Miaojue weakly raised her hand and was helped up by her eighth sister and the others.
As soon as he sat up straight, his gaze met that of the young man in white.
Chen Jinshi initially avoided eye contact, but his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of her slightly pale face, and he frowned as he turned back. His peach blossom eyes scanned up and down her overexerted spirit bone sapling.
Finally, his thoughtful gaze fell upon Dongfang Yaotian and the other person.
His fingertips tapped lightly, and the evil feathers trembled slightly.
For saplings to grow tall, they need plenty of water.
Miao Jue quickly called out to him, "Wait!"
Chen Jinshi's back stiffened for a moment, then he quickly turned back.
He walked up to her happily and squatted down: "You called me? Miss Insect."
Miaojue's lips twitched; he really wanted to punch him.
The elegant figure in white robes standing before me has absolutely nothing to do with the Crimson Crow.
Miao Jue thought to himself, wondering what the connection was between that crocodile-tailed, leopard-bodied, eagle-eyed monster and the person in front of him.
She said irritably, "Don't touch them yet."
She certainly wanted to break through to the Heaven-level Spirit Bone and bear more power, but after reaching the upper Earth-level, the growth of the Spirit Bone needed to be at a more important stage.
After the Fire Qilin, the male and female protagonists will soon break through the fog and enter Langhuan, confronting their true identities and encountering a truly heart-wrenching moment.
Chen Jinshi blinked and nodded obediently, "Okay."
Bu Er glanced at the little bird disapprovingly, then reached out to check her pulse and said gently, "Miao Miao, the growth of your spiritual bones is unprecedented. It can be stable at the lower levels, but the higher the power you can bear, the higher the consumption of yourself. It is not a good thing to rush to break through to the Heavenly Bone. Don't be in a hurry."
Miaojue nodded obediently and replied to her second brother, "Okay."
The smile that had been brimming in Chen Jinshi's eyes faded somewhat.
He glanced down and pursed his lips.
As the night drew to a close, the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, the deep black sea was tinged with azure, and the thick fog in the distance remained steady in place.
The snail suddenly popped out from under the sea surface with a "splash," spitting out some water.
“I asked the fish down there, and they said they can’t get through this fog either—they can go in, but they can’t come back.”
“In the past, some fishermen rowed their boats in, hoping to become immortals. They didn’t die, but it took them decades to return here again—this is what the hundred-year-old turtle below told me.”
Chen Jinshi squinted slightly.
Fuji nodded: "The only thing I anticipated was that the sea fog connects the four seas. If you go in from one end, you will come out from the other end, and you will not be able to truly reach Langhuan."
The fox transformed into human form, its alluring eyes filled with worry, "But Sister Wei and the others are all inside."
Miaojue looked at the thick fog and knew that he also had something inside it.
Her memories, the mystery of how she became a tree, and the thing she failed to take care of.
Miao Jue looked at the arguing male and female protagonists and smiled slightly: "Don't be afraid, just follow them and you can go in."
Chen Jinshi stood with his arms crossed, completely calm.
If I remember correctly, the male and female protagonists had a major ordeal before entering Langhuan and split up, which was a good opportunity for them.
There are more important things to do now than that.
While the major sects and the Netherworld Clan on the mainland could still be defeated by their superior strength, the True Immortal Langhuan was a completely different story. Their entire clan was now wounded and battered; how could they possibly resist?
The secret technique subtly froze the years on Bu Er's body. Although the fierce attack on the Immortal Imprisonment had left her somewhat exhausted, the experience of fighting the giant time entity unexpectedly made her understand even more clearly how to heal the ancient life form of the Underworld Clan.
Fuji paused slightly, then reached out to touch the top of her head: "No need—"
She was already exhausted.
But he didn't know what force to use to stop such a young girl, and an invisible flow had already occurred in the void.
Fuji's Qilin tendons, which had been broken for decades, had been mostly restored, and he could even move his legs.
The gray-gold eyes were stunned for a long time. As a parent, how could she do such hard work for her child?
He suddenly looked at the people around him and said, "Let's go quickly."
Xianba had also been cured by the magic trick, so he quickly grabbed Xiaoma, pulled Zhujiu along, and the group of them disappeared in a flash.
"Don't let her see you, or she'll know how to punish you..." Eighth Sister covered her mouth.
The brilliant idea left him speechless.
Dust settled, and he remained silent for a moment.
She left him behind because she knew she couldn't cure him, right?
After all, he had wanted to kill someone before, and that person had taken the blame for him for a night of suffering.
As dawn broke and the sea mist lingered, he lowered his eyes, reached out and took her wrist, pulling her up from the ground.
The figure beneath the white robes was incredibly agile, showing no signs of injury.
Miaojue had no choice but to turn and look at him.
The girl's eyes were clear and bright, and after a night of chaos, they finally reflected him completely.
Chen Jinshi was both happy and nervous. He straightened his back, looking tall and unruly, and quietly reached into his arms.
He brought her a gift from Beiling.
Although she had lost one before, she just hoped she wouldn't lose this one.
As he rummaged through the dust, he deliberately acted nonchalant, saying, "You're not really trying to punish me, are you? Little sapling, save your breath. Wait until you grow into a big tree, or a big bug—"
After that thing took human form, he didn't know where it had been stuffed into, so he reached for his sleeve.
The ingenuity is truly unimaginable.
The boy of yesteryear, the villain of today, the true form beneath his blood and bones.
The observing and probing gaze made the young man in white unconsciously slow down, and he began to worry that he might have exposed himself too much last night.
The girl sighed and said softly, "Chen Jinshi, you're no human being."
The smile that had been playing on the lips of the young man in white paused and crumbled slightly.
"But you are a good member of the Underworld."
Her small hand gently pressed against the long gash on his back where countless drops of blood had been drawn.
Before Chen Jinshi could even take out the bone-protecting ice armor he was carrying, he felt his flesh and blood grow back.
Even without a gift, she cared about his health.
"No, no need."
He felt something was hard to suppress, surging forth, and he struggled to retreat.
Miao Jue flicked his sleeve, revealing a section of his ghostly bone, "And this, I'll return it to you too—"
"No." Chen Jinshi's thin lips trembled, and he closed his eyes. "You keep it safe."
Please.
...
The group of people who had run far away stopped. Ling Qi turned around and gasped.
"Dragon bone protrusion? He gave this to Miaomiao!"
Zhu Jiu: "Isn't that the bone of flight?"
Xianba was also very surprised, his fox-like eyes excitedly looking back and forth between the two.
Ling Qi stamped her foot in shock: "How can he be that fast?!"
Xianba: "?" Is this the key point?
Fuji shook his head gently and helplessly, looking into the distance.
Jinshi gave something even more important than this.
Right there in the thick fog.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com