Chapter 1556-1560
Immortal and Martial Dual Cultivation
Chapter 1556 (Raw 1538):
Xiao Chen already guessed who snatched Leng Yue away—or, more accurately, who saved Leng Yue.
Naturally, only Chu Chaoyun, who was on good terms with Leng Yue, enough to risk his life for her, could do this in the middle of a large army without anyone realizing it.
Aside from Chu Chaoyun, who else could it be?!
However, this was a good thing. Leng Yue should be alive. With this, Xiao Chen no longer had any regrets.
He had already put in his best effort to kill the Demonic God, and most of the Dragon's Gate's people were still alive. This was a great consolation.
"Ao Jiao, get some rest first. I'm making a trip to the Azure Dragon Palace," Xiao Chen said softly.
Ao Jiao nodded and turned into a beam of light entering the Immortal Spirit Ring.
---
Inside the Azure Dragon Palace, the old Dragon Horse and the others had already been biding for a long time, respectfully awaiting Xiao Chen.
"Young Master, congratulations on killing the Demonic God and eradicating a calamity for the Kunlun Realm. This will definitely hurt the Dark Church's bottom line. If the outer realm faction wants to target the Kunlun Realm again, they will need tens of thousands of years of preparations again," Hong Xue said the moment Xiao Chen entered the Azure Dragon Palace.
"Young Master, it looks like your cultivation is even more stable. You even learned a Soul Dao Martial Technique. You must have met the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor," the old Dragon Horse said with a smile.
"Young Master, tell us what this Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor is like. There are many legends about him in the Dragon Race." The others all bombarded Xiao Chen with questions.
Xiao Chen nodded slightly and answered some of the questions. However, he had no way of describing the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor in simple words.
Like Xiao Chen, the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor also wore white. His face appeared sinister. He looked like he was smiling, but no one would ever connect the cold killing Qi in the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's eyes with that expression.
The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's character was also quite unusual. At first, he showed extreme disdain for Xiao Chen. Then, he shared with him all the details about the Soul Dao Martial Technique.
What kind of character was that? Unfriendly and blunt, but warm and tender inside?
These people probably would not be able to accept that the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor, praised as legendary, was such a strange person.
Xiao Chen smiled and said, "The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor is very strong. I did not interact with him for long, so I can't really tell you what he is like."
"These are just minor details. Young Master, when do you intend to leave this abandoned land?" the old Dragon Horse asked very straightforwardly.
Xiao Chen gave this deep thought before saying, "I still have some things to do in the Kunlun Realm. Furthermore, I'm not ready yet. I will not be able to leave for a while."
The old Dragon Horse nodded. It showed a grave expression and said, "It does not matter when you go. However, there is one thing you need to do."
"Big Brother Dragon, please speak."
"You need to leave an Azure Dragon Totem in the re-established Dragon's Gate. People need to worship it and present offerings."
Xiao Chen entered deep thought. "Why is that?"
"Do you know why no one managed to obtain an Azure Dragon Martial Spirit after the Dragon's Gate was destroyed? It is because the Azure Dragon Totem was no longer around. As long as the totem receives sufficient worship and there are Dragon's Gate disciples who signed a contract with the totem, there will always be someone who will awaken the Azure Dragon Martial Spirit.
"After that, they can come to our Azure Dragon Palace and take the test. As long as they clear the trials, we will help them awaken the Azure Dragon bloodline. As long as the sect flourishes, the Azure Dragon bloodline will always gain new blood."
The old Horse Horse paused when it reached this point. Then, it continued, "Of course, there is a condition to this."
"What condition?"
"The condition is that you can become the Dragon Emperor!" the old Dragon Horse said, emphasizing every word.
The other Item Spirits of the Azure Dragon Palace said, "Young Master, this is a duty that is unavoidable for the master of the Azure Dragon Palace. I hope you can understand. Our Azure Dragon bloodline is already extirpated in the outer realm, but we never gave up, never despaired. Now, we pin all our hopes on you."
"Young Master, you definitely can do it. Even the strongest, the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor, chose you!"
Xiao Chen could make out fervor, pride, and honor in the tones of the Item Spirits.
"Since I chose the Azure Dragon Palace, I will definitely not give it up. However, I have one question. Big Brother Dragon, earlier, you said that the Dragon's Gate's totem is no longer around; hence, we could not obtain an Azure Dragon Martial Spirit. Why did I?"
"This…"
The Dragon Horse and the other Item Spirits exchanged looks, not knowing how to answer.
Finally, the Dragon Horse said, "Young Master, actually, we have discovered many secrets in your body. It is not as simple as we think. You can only unravel all these yourself.
"I have never seen such an exquisite Cultivation Technique like your Purple Thunder Divine Incantation even in the outer realm. To think that it actually allows one to dual-cultivate Immortal Cultivation and Martial Cultivation, cultivating Magic Energy and Essence at the same time!
"I think that back then, the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor noticed your secret. That was why he risked passing you a Soul Dao Martial Technique. It is because your Soul Energy is extremely strong."
Hong Xue continued, "Actually, I know the Dragon Blood Soul Breaking Finger as well. However, it is hardly as powerful as Young Master's. Furthermore, this is only Young Master's first time cultivating it. This power is very abnormal."
Xiao Chen noticed the group's serious expressions. These were major characters who were much stronger than him in cultivation. "That incredible?"
Everyone nodded at the same same. "Extremely terrifying!"
Xiao Chen smiled and did not say anything more on this topic. He could guess that some of the secrets of his body had something to do with the Sky Dome Immortal Lord. However, it was not time to tell anyone yet.
"Big Brother Dragon, I have a question. Did you manage to figure out the origins of that Dark Church?"
The old Dragon Horse thought for a while before answering, "It's the Black Lotus Church. It is an evil religious group that was born of the Buddhist sect. However, the Buddhist sect never managed to eradicate it, which proves that this Black Lotus Church has some accumulations."
Xiao Chen's expression appeared stunned. Then, he said seriously, "Big Brother Dragon, please check if there is anything wrong with my body."
"Let me take a look."
Hong Xue suddenly opened her eyes wide, and stars flickered in them as if she was paying rapt attention to everything in the world.
Xiao Chen only felt some energy moving around in his body. However, he could not figure out where this energy was going or what it was doing.
This was…Soul Energy!
For this girl to be able to use Soul Energy so flexibly, this seemingly weak woman had to be at least two cultivation realms higher than him.
"What's that?!" the azure-clad man exclaimed, squinting and pointing at indistinct black Qi on Xiao Chen's chest.
"A lotus flower mark!"
Upon closer examination, there really was a vague outline of a black lotus. However, it was too vague and hard to make out.
"Hong Xue, take a look. See if you can help him get rid of it. This should be something planted when the Demonic God fought with him."
Xiao Chen thought back. He had fought with the Demonic God for a long time. There were too many occasions when they made contact.
He simply could not pinpoint when the Demonic God planted this mark on him.
Hong Xue nodded and focused her Soul Energy on Xiao Chen's chest. However, after several attempts, she still could not get rid of the black lotus mark. Every time she removed it, it immediately reappeared.
"There is no danger in this lotus flower. It should not cause any damage to the body. However, it has merged with Young Master's flesh and soul. It cannot be removed unless Young Master's body and soul get destroyed once," Hong Xue said helplessly after withdrawing her Soul Energy.
Xiao Chen's heart sank. No wonder before the Thunder Sovereign's soul disappeared, the Thunder Sovereign said that Xiao Chen would not be able to avoid death unless he did not leave the Kunlun Realm; it would just be a matter of time.
The old Dragon Horse investigated for a moment before meeting Xiao Chen's gaze. "It looks like there is really no way to remove this black lotus mark. This mark is probably used for tracking people. However, I'm curious. Why did the Black Lotus Church put in so much effort to track you?
"Previously, I felt that the Black Lotus Church was too reluctant to expend much resources to snatch away a piece of the Rock of Origin. I felt that they were seeking something else. Perhaps, the problem lies in you."
Hong Xue looked at the old Dragon Horse. "Big Brother Dragon, what should we do? With Xiao Chen's current strength, not to mention being a match for the Black Lotus Church's Church Master, even his subordinates would be able to capture Xiao Chen."
The old Dragon Horse replied calmly, "There is no need to be too anxious. I have ways to deal with this. Xiao Chen, I should be able to figure something out by the time you finally decide to leave."
"In that case, many thanks to Big Brother Dragon in advance."
"Young Master, you are too polite. Pass me the Emperor Dragon Ring in your hand. I'll go get the divine materials for forging the Azure Dragon Totem."
Emperor Dragon Ring?
What Emperor Dragon Ring? Xiao Chen hesitated for a while before realizing that the old Dragon Horse was referring to the ring that his father gave him.
"It is said that this ring was obtained by the Dragon God during the Great Desolate Eon. It was originally a piece of special divine material. Even the Dragon God could not figure out the mysteries behind it. He only forged it into a ring and passed it down through the generations. It became the sign of the Dragon Emperor."
"Then?"
"Haha! When it came to the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's generation, he took it as the personal property of the Azure Dragon bloodline's Clan Head and passed it down through the generations."
"No one complained about this?"
"What complaint? The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor was someone who rendered outstanding services. Without him, how could the Dragon Race have its current glory? It would have gone into decline long ago," Hong Xue said disapprovingly.
The old Dragon Horse smiled and said, "Actually, the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor felt that there were more mysteries to this Emperor Dragon Ring, that it was a great fortuitous encounter. Although he could not figure it out, that did not mean that the Azure Dragon descendants could not. It could be counted as caring for his bloodline. Although the other bloodlines were not happy about this, this ring was normally just a symbol, so they let the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor do as he pleased."
When Xiao Chen heard this, he was speechless. This Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor was truly tyrannical. No wonder he could get the respect of the Azure Dragon's later generations.
Chapter 1557 (Raw 1539):
After Xiao Chen walked out of the Azure Dragon Palace, he continued looking at the Emperor Dragon Ring in his hand.
Unexpectedly, this small ring has such a great origin. To think that it dated from the Dragon God's time!
The Dragon God was the father of the three Ancestor Dragons. He already existed before the world existed, when the universe was just primal chaos. He was a Primal Chaos God Demon.
Even during the Mythological Eon, the Dragon God was a famous being.
After the Mythological Eon ended, the God Demons all sealed themselves.
However, these God Demons left behind descendants. The three Ancestor Dragons were descendants of the Dragon God. They represented the Dragon God's will, fighting against the ten thousand races during the Great Desolate Eon.
Xiao Chen pondered the ring. The Dragon God had already known that the material of this Emperor Dragon Ring contained mysteries.
Otherwise, the Dragon God would not have forged it into a ring and passed it down through the generations. Unfortunately, no one in the later generations of the Dragon Race could figure it out.
As for Xiao Chen, he just looked at it. Since generations of Dragon Emperors could not understand it, all he could do was look at it.
In the Azure Dragon Palace, the Dragon Horse had given him a piece of Azure Dragon Divine Wood and a book, Divine Knife Skills Record.
Knife skills did not apply to the saber of a bladesman but the carving knife of a sculptor. Xiao Chen needed to carve the Azure Dragon Totem himself.
[TL Note: The Chinese use the same word for knife and saber. They are differentiated by their contextual usage.]
At first, Xiao Chen thought that it would be a simple task. After all, in the past, for the sake of practicing the Life Bestowal Spell, he had studied sculpting for a period of time.
He only realized how vast this project was after he listened to what exactly it entailed.
The Azure Dragon Divine Wood was one kilometer tall. He needed to carve an Azure Dragon spiraling around it, which would probably end up several kilometers long.
After the tens of thousands of dragon scales were carved, they needed to look like a wave of ripples. There could not be a single blemish. Otherwise, it would affect the spirituality of the totem, preventing it from achieving its intended effects.
There were also the dragon claws, the dragon tail, the dragon horns, the dragon head, the dragon eyes, and all sorts of other requirements.
This was also why the Dragon Horse gave the Divine Knife Skills Record to Xiao Chen. Without this Divine Knife Skills Record and just Xiao Chen's carving skills, he would have immense difficulty completing the Azure Dragon Totem.
Xiao Chen took it as cultivating his mind. His cultivation could not improve further. He could only remain in the late Veritable Essence Stage while in the Kunlun Realm.
For the next cultivation grade, the Yin Essence Stage, Xiao Chen needed to absorb the Baleful Yin Energy of the world. Although the Kunlun Realm had Baleful Yin Energy, its quality was too low. The old Dragon Horse suggested that Xiao Chen not absorb this Baleful Yin Energy. More importantly, Xiao Chen's cultivation had already reached the peak of what the Kunlun Realm would accept.
Now, Heavenly Star Island was already soaring in the clouds, flying towards the Heavenly Starry Ocean.
After the epic battle, Xiao Chen's mind finally reached a true calm. Now, all he waited for was the fight with Chu Chaoyun.
One more problem remained. The Dragon Horse still did not have a method to deal with the black lotus mark in his body.
Xiao Chen carefully thought about what the Thunder Sovereign had said. Back then, the Thunder Sovereign said that he wanted to kill Xiao Chen before Xiao Chen grew up, to eradicate a potential disaster. However, for some reason, he never made a move.
The Black Lotus Church was an evil religious group that broke off from the Buddhist sect. Why were they looking for trouble with Xiao Chen?
Xiao Chen, speaking of the Buddhist sect, aren't you forgetting something? Ao Jiao prompted suddenly from the Immortal Spirit Ring.
"What did I forget?
"The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva!"
Xiao Chen's footsteps stopped. He had actually forgotten the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. All along, he had been busy dealing with the Demonic Calamity. Now, the battle had just ended. If not for Ao Jiao's reminder, he would have completely forgotten about this person.
Xiao Chen had still to refine the Heavenly Flame's Origin Flame.
The refinement of the Heavenly Flame's Origin Flame needed time and some special method. Xiao Chen had not found the method yet, so he could only put it aside for now.
First, Xiao Chen had been busy with the Heavenly Starry Ocean, fighting with the Treasure Master and saving the various sects, then came the Demonic Calamity.
There was simply no time to rest. Right now, he needed to carve the Azure Dragon Totem. He had too many things to do.
Where could the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva be?
Meteor Trail City! He must be at Meteor Trail City. He must be using this opportunity to absorb the sins in the sky above Meteor Trail City!
Xiao Chen's face sank. Without even a word to the people of the Dragon's Gate, he leaped off Heavenly Star Island and rushed towards the Tianwu Domain's Meteor Trail City.
He unfurled the Azure Dragon Divine Wings and flew extremely rapidly. In less than eight minutes, he arrived in Meteor Trail City.
Then, he withdrew the wings, landed, and looked up.
As Xiao Chen expected, the scarlet sin clouds in the skies of Meteor Trail City were mostly gone; only a small patch remained.
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was currently absorbing the last patch of blood clouds in the sky.
Layers of auspicious Buddhist light came from behind the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. Amid the bright Buddhist light, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva looked dignified and solemn, inspiring worship.
When the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva saw Xiao Chen arrive, the golden Dharmic Incarnation opened its mouth and sucked, drawing in the last patch of scarlet sin clouds.
"Benefactor Xiao Chen, you are late!"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva put on a benevolent expression, revealing a smile. Then, he withdrew his Dharmic Incarnation and quickly fled into the distance.
"It is not that easy to run."
How could Xiao Chen let the other party leave that easily? He gently pushed off the ground and soared into the air, giving chase.
"For every cause, there is an effect. Everything was destined by fate. These sins are mine in the first place. Back then, the Azure Emperor took them away to cultivate the Good and Evil Beneficence Art. Today, you returned them to me, completing the cycle of karma. Benefactor Xiao Chen, why the need to try so hard to stop me?"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's true body sat on a golden lotus flower platform as he looked at Xiao Chen. However, he still continued to flee.
The flashing Buddhist light under the lotus flower platform considerably amplified the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's speed.
At this moment, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, who was seated on the lotus flower platform, appeared to be at ease, even capable of distraction while refining the last bits of sin.
"Stop trying to twist the facts. All of you people of the Buddhist sect speak nice words, possessing glib tongues. However, your nature is dishonorable. If you become a Buddha, why would you truly let me off?"
Xiao Chen had always been very straightforward. The other party's absorption of the sins had nothing to do with him.
Xiao Chen also did not care about the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's ambitions or whether the old man managed to become a Buddha or not.
However, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva already formed a grudge with him very early on. Now that the other party was stronger, he posed a danger to Xiao Chen and might even harm Xiao Chen's friends and families.
Xiao Chen wanted to nip this problem in the bud.
Back then, while in the Heavenly Starry Ocean, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's method of absorbing the power of faith had been extremely malicious, totally disregarding the believers' lives and deaths.
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva smiled and said, "Benefactor truly understands me. The karma that started between us long ago is over already. After this bodhisattva becomes a Buddha, I will have to cut off this segment of karma. Otherwise, it will become a barrier.
"Unfortunately, you are already unable to hurt me. It is too late. May the Lord Buddha preserve us!"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva formed a hand seal with one hand, and his figure suddenly vanished from Xiao Chen's sight.
"Whoosh!"
Xiao Chen stopped in midair, checking the surroundings with his Spiritual Sense. He discovered that the other party seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
Where did he go?
"Xiao Chen."
Just as Xiao Chen was at his wit's end, someone suddenly called out his name from the sky.
When Xiao Chen looked up, he saw a palanquin quickly moving towards him.
"The Eight Ghost Palanquin! It's Qing Cheng!"
The new arrival was the Ghost Race's Qing Cheng, the Ghost Empress Xi Xun's disciple. This was a person who had interacted with Xiao Chen many times before, a friend who had experienced difficulties with him.
Qing Cheng floated down from the palanquin. She appeared like before, possessing a pretty face with such a pale complexion that she looked like she was drained of blood.
As Qing Cheng looked at Xiao Chen, she smiled and landed beside him.
"Qing Cheng, why are you here?"
When Qing Cheng heard this, she laughed while covering her mouth with her hand. "Me? This is the Ghost Domain. If I don't return here after the war, where should I go?"
The Ghost Domain?
An idea flashed in Xiao Chen's mind. He thought of something. The Yellow Springs Road. The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva must have gone to the Yellow Springs Road.
No wonder the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva vanished without a trace. The Yellow Springs Road is his den.
"Sorry, I still have something urgent at hand and cannot chat." Xiao Chen quickly performed a cupped-fist salute, preparing to rush to the Yellow Springs Road.
Qing Cheng hastily stopped Xiao Chen, saying, "Wait, wait. Tell me first, where are you going?"
"The Yellow Springs Road."
Qing Cheng's expression flickered. She said sullenly, "It's best not to go there yet. When my master comes back, we'll bring you there. How about that?"
Xiao Chen was startled. "What's wrong? We once went to the Yellow Springs Road before. With our current strength, would there be any problems?"
Shaking her head, Qing Cheng commented, "You don't know about it. The current Yellow Springs Road is really different from the past.
"Why do you think the Ghost Domain did not immediately join up with you at Kunlun Mountain after the Ghost Monarch died?"
"Why? Could it be because of this Yellow Springs Road?"
"That's right. It is because of the Yellow Springs Road. Before the Ghost Monarch died, he frequently went to the Yellow Springs Road, which was extremely strange. Furthermore, he sealed the entrance to the Nine Layers of Purgatory and prevented others from entering."
Qing Cheng continued explaining, "Furthermore, his many descendants and faction members are all in the Yellow Springs Road and have not been killed yet. My master tried to charge in several times to figure out what was going on but failed."
Xiao Chen thought to himself, This is rather strange.
However, this proved all the more that the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was in the Yellow Springs Road.
Chapter 1558 (Raw 1540):
After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Alright. I'll listen to you. When the time comes, I'll go with your master."
Qing Cheng smiled and said, "I'll let my master know now."
"Let's go to the Yellow Springs Road first and wait for your master there."
The Yellow Springs Road was one of the famous forbidden lands of the Kunlun Realm. Its fame was comparable to the Savage Battlefield's.
During the Immortal Epoch, before the six paths of reincarnation broke, this was the netherworld. It managed the three realms and six paths of reincarnation, governing the reincarnation of all living beings.
[TL Note: The "three realms" here does not refer to a specific place like the Kunlun Realm. Instead, it refers to heaven, hell, and the mortal plane.]
During that epoch, if one did not become immortal, they would end up in the cycle of reincarnation forever. They would be judged based on their deeds—good and evil—and be reincarnated accordingly.
Those who were evil became animals, pigs, dogs, or other wild beasts lacking intelligence, unable to escape the fate of being slaughtered. Those who were extremely vicious and evil ended up in hell, sinking into that place forever and enduring all sorts of cruel torture, a sight that was too cruel to witness.
Those who were good would reincarnate as humans, possibly becoming wealthy or nobles. Those who were very virtuous could even end up in heaven, reborn as spiritual beings and nourished by nature; they would become heavenly soldiers.
However, the Immortal Dao shattered. The cycle no longer continued; hell no longer existed. Only the Nine Layers of Purgatory remained.
The facts of the past became legends. Then, they later became myths.
In the current epoch, the cycle no longer continued. There was no one immortal in the world. Everyone would be able to live only one lifetime. No one believed in accruing virtue.
Who could have known that there was a bodhisattva from the previous epoch hidden in the Nine Layers of Purgatory who announced a great ambition—he swore not to become a Buddha if hell was not empty? This wait ended up being millions of years.
Such determination and a heart for Buddhism were terrifying.
However, it was exactly such a person who was extremely ambitious, resorting to all sorts of methods to meet his goals. He saw the believers as cattle, only taking and not giving.
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was an extremely scary existence. When properly calculated, his influence was even greater than that of the Thunder Sovereign and the Demonic God.
After half a day, Xiao Chen and Qing Cheng arrived at Mount Tai, which towered over the Nine Layers of Purgatory.
Mount Tai looked like it did in the past. The fifty kilometers surrounding the mountain were gloomy and sinister. Wandering spirits and feral ghosts roamed the place, making occasional appearances.
A large turbid river gushed down from the top of the mountain, flowing all the way to its foot, and surged to the land. This river was the famous Underworld River. It was also known as the River of Death, the Yellow Springs, or the River of Helplessness.
However, it had not been entire for millennia. When the cycle broke, the same naturally happened to the Underworld River, just like the Profound River, which had fragmented into many segments.
All sorts of strange powers were lost. If one walked downstream, one would reach the Nine Layers of Purgatory.
"Xiao Chen, do you remember this river?" Qing Cheng asked, recalling the matters of the past.
"Naturally, I remember."
Xiao Chen looked at the surroundings, indulging in some reminiscences. He recalled that the last time he came here, many cultivators were gathering at the riverside.
This time, all he could hear was the sound of gushing water. The surroundings were empty.
At that time, when Xiao Chen crossed the river, some interesting things happened. Back then, Qing Cheng pretended to be the boatman.
She nearly stranded Xiao Chen, Xiao Bai, and the others.
Xiao Chen stopped the recollection here. If he continued, it would become somewhat awkward.
"Hehe! It seems like at that time, someone even wanted to strip me."
Xiao Chen was not willing to recall that, but Qing Cheng took the initiative to mention it, glancing mischievously at Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen smiled in embarrassment. Just as he was at a loss as to how to reply to this, a figure descended from the sky.
It was the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun. Qing Cheng's smile immediately disappeared, her expression turning serious.
"Azure Dragon King, sorry for the long wait," the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, said courteously, strangely respectful to Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen replied calmly with a smile, "Ghost Empress, you are too polite. I would like to know, what is special about the Nine Layers of Purgatory now?"
The Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, nodded and explained, "The entrance to the Nine Layers of Purgatory from the Underworld River is blocked by a Buddhist statue. That Buddhist statue seems to be able to draw strength from the Underworld River. It is very difficult to deal with. Even after gathering a few people and working together, we could not break it. As for what the Yellow Springs Road is like now, I do not know much."
Xiao Chen entered deep thought. It looked like the Ghost Empress did not have much information, either.
"Come, follow me and take a look."
Most people could not fly above the Underworld River. However, this restriction, naturally, did not apply to the current Xiao Chen.
Between Qing Cheng and the Ghost Empress, one was a Greater Heavenly Martial Emperor and the other was of the Holy-Master-level, so they had no difficulty flying over the river.
While flying over the Underworld River, Xiao Chen kept feeling a force trying to pull him down.
Having already skimmed the surface of Soul Dao Martial Techniques, he realized that this was the work of the Soul Energy in the Underworld River.
Although Martial Emperors and below could not cultivate Soul Energy, their Soul Energy still grew with their strength. It was just that they could not use it.
The pull of the Underworld River was already ineffective on the Soul Energy of someone of the Martial-Emperor level.
As the three flew over the Underworld River and gradually descended, they soon arrived on the other side.
Xiao Chen saw the Buddhist statue that the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, mentioned. It was a one-kilometer-tall Buddhist statue radiating golden light from its entire body as it sat in the Underworld River.
The Buddhist statue's gargantuan body made the underground space look very small.
"This is the depths of hell. Mortals should not come here. Quickly return!"
Suddenly, the Buddhist statue opened its eyes, and the golden light from its body flared. The Buddhist Might made the water of the Underworld River churn restlessly.
"What a strong Buddhist Might!" Qing Cheng said with a sigh and a slight frown.
The Ghost Empress said, "There are many arhats arranged in a formation behind the Buddhist statue. This allows the Buddhist statue's strength to rise infinitely."
"Mortal? Are you not a mortal yourself?"
Smiling coldly, Xiao Chen immediately threw a punch after stepping forward.
"Rumble…!"
The water of the Underworld River soared up and covered the Buddhist statue, making it look like it was covered in gold paint.
Then, the Buddhist statue formed a hand seal with one hand and blocked Xiao Chen's punch. Its golden body did not budge, and the Buddhist light intensified.
"Interesting, but unfortunately, I do not have time to continue playing with you."
Xiao Chen roared. Ten thousand Dragon Force gathered into a dragon cauldron, and he burst out with one Cauldron Force.
This punch was fast and ruthless. Before the Buddhist statue could react, Xiao Chen struck its chest.
Cracks quickly spread through the Buddhist statue like a spiderweb.
Just when the Buddhist statue looked like it was about to shatter, solemn chanting of Buddhist scriptures rang out behind it.
The water of the Underworld River churned continuously. The cracked Buddhist statue healed quickly, returning to normal.
"That's how it was. We could not kill this Buddhist statue at all. We already tried several times," the Ghost Empress Xi Xun said softly. This was not her first time seeing this scene.
Xiao Chen looked at the Buddhist statue carefully, and after a while, he understood.
"I thought there was a trick behind this. It is merely using the Soul Energy in the Underworld River to recover. Acting all mysterious. Today, I will scatter your soul!"
After he shouted, Dao Might came from his body. A disk of faint light appeared behind him.
The appearance of the Dao Might immediately and completely suppressed the Buddhist Might of the other party.
Xiao Chen stretched out his hand, and his strong Veritable Essence Energy formed a whirlpool in his palm.
"Hu ci! Hu ci!"
A strong suction pulled the water of the Underworld River into the whirlpool.
Qing Cheng was stunned at this sight. She had never imagined that a person could pull over the waters of the Underworld River.
When the Buddhist statue saw this scene, it formed hand seals with both hands, bombarding Xiao Chen with a barrage of attacks without pause.
However, the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, blocked them all, not letting Xiao Chen come to any harm.
In reality, Xiao Chen did not need the Ghost Empress Xi Xun's help to remain safe. However, her aid made it easier to focus.
Soon, the water level of the Underworld River fell by about thirty centimeters, leaving the body of the Buddhist statue high and dry.
"Now!"
Xiao Chen punched. This time, after the cracks spread out, no matter how loud the scripture chanting was, the Buddhist statue could not recover.
When the Buddhist statue shattered, a figure flew out from it.
It turned out that this Buddhist statue was the Dharmic Incarnation of a Buddhist cultivator. The destruction of the Dharmic Incarnation exposed his true body.
The instant the Buddhist statue shattered, the arhats chanting behind it fled in all directions.
"Xie Zixuan!" Qing Cheng exclaimed when she saw this person's appearance.
This person was the Ghost Monarch's disciple, Xie Zixuan. It was hard to imagine that this person ended up following the Buddhist Dao.
"Don't call me Xie Zixuan. Now, my Buddhist name is Dao Xuan. How dare you mortals barge into Master Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's rite?! You will not have a good end."
Qing Cheng was shocked. She could not imagine how a person like him suddenly turned this strange.
"Don't feel that it's strange. He was purified, something akin to being brainwashed. He is now the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's slave. If we follow him, we will find the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva."
Unsurprised by this turn of events, Xiao Chen immediately set out in pursuit. The Ghost Empress Xi Xun and Qing Cheng quickly followed.
Chapter 1559 (Raw 1541):
Xiao Chen's group of three trailed behind Xie Zixuan from a distance. Along the way, they found the various hells changed.
The sinister and gloomy atmosphere was gone. Instead, it was peaceful and auspicious. Even the sky was clear.
Everywhere they went, they did not see a single wandering spirit or feral ghost. What was more, there were no scary, aggrieved spirits and malicious ghosts.
Xiao Chen felt startled. Could it be that the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva had purified all of the aggrieved spirits of hell?
He had sworn not to become a Buddha if hell was not empty!
The sins in Xiao Chen's body were once a part of hell. Back then, the Azure Emperor snatched them over.
Now, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva had already purified all of the sins the Azure Emperor had taken. Then, he also purified all of the aggrieved spirits of hell.
Does this mean that the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva already accomplished his great ambition?
With this thought, Xiao Chen stopped. Then, he raised his head and looked coldly at Xie Zixuan's figure in the distance.
"Azure Dragon King, what's wrong?" the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, asked as she stepped forward, feeling confused.
Qing Cheng, who was at the side, also did not know why Xiao Chen suddenly stopped.
Xiao Chen muttered, "We might be entering a trap. The other party is probably luring us over."
The Ghost Empress and Qing Cheng exchanged looks, feeling extremely shocked.
What kind of enemy could this be for the Azure Dragon King, an existence who defeated the Demonic God, to find it difficult to deal with?
However, the two quickly discovered that they had misunderstood Xiao Chen.
"On the other hand, this is fine as well. This saves me some effort. We'll just wait here for him," Xiao Chen said softly, smiling faintly.
Qing Cheng thought to herself, The current Xiao Chen is really confident.
Indeed. After a while, a patch of Buddhist light emerged before them.
Amid Buddhist chanting, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva appeared, sitting on a lotus flower platform, in the sky with a group of arhats.
Two novice Buddhist monks flanked the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, holding up a canopy over his head.
There were eight hundred arhats dressed in kasayas, all of them clutching Buddhist prayer beads in one hand and forming hand seals with the other, radiating rings of Buddhist light.
Like stars around a moon, they praised the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, glorifying him. He seemed benevolent, his eyes narrowed as he spoke.
"You are indeed the Azure Emperor's descendant. You are very intelligent and quick-witted. You should just follow this bodhisattva and join the Buddhist sect. With me caring for you in the outer realm, you are guaranteed a rapid rise."
"You already purified all of the aggrieved spirits of hell?"
Xiao Chen frowned slightly. As he looked over, he found that the other party appeared somewhat unfathomable.
"Benefactor Xiao, your guess is right. I left a clone here and purified the aggrieved spirits of hell. Now, my main body and my clone have merged back together and already purified all of the aggrieved spirits of hell. My Ancient Buddha Qi has already spread throughout the Kunlun Realm. Once the Buddhist sect holy land in the outer realm notices my Qi, the high-ranking monks of the Buddhist sect will immediately come and receive me.
"As long as you are willing, you can achieve salvation the moment you turn away from evil. With the Buddhist sect powerhouses making a move, you can easily leave this abandoned land with me," the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva said. His Dharmic Incarnation appeared solemn and dignified. When he spoke, his words sounded like some kind of great principle, inspiring respect and submission from others.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly and retorted, "What if I'm not willing?"
"May the Lord Buddha preserve us! In that case, this old monk can only forcibly purify you and wash you of your sins."
The many arhats leaped out and gazed at Xiao Chen with sinister expressions. The Buddhist prayer beads in their hands shone with bright light as they sent out the Buddhist swastika mark.
When eight hundred arhats attacked en masse, they looked very mighty. However, Xiao Chen was someone who had experienced an epic war with Demons.
This was nothing next to that. Eight hundred arhats would just be like eight hundred Martial Emperors.
An ordinary Prime would probably fear this. After all, the destructive power of eight hundred Martial Emperors attacking together was extremely terrifying.
However, Xiao Chen was different. His Azure Dragon War Body gave him a physical defense that surpassed that of the Heaven Punishing Corpse God.
His Veritable Essence Energy was an energy that surpassed Primordial Energy. Furthermore, the fight with the Demonic God had led to many comprehensions.
Xiao Chen's cultivation had grown considerably, but the improvement of his combat prowess was even more remarkable.
"Sharp Spirit Finger, break!"
Xiao Chen could not be bothered with wasting time. Against the simultaneous attacks of the eight hundred arhats, he directly executed the Sharp Spirit Finger.
"Crack." The countless swastika symbols instantly shattered, and the bodies of the eight hundred arhats exploded into a pool of blood, dying on the spot.
"You…"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's expression changed drastically. He had not expected the eight hundred to be killed instantly by Xiao Chen when they attacked together.
Xiao Chen asked indifferently, "Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, did you not see my fight with the Demonic God? Are you still not clear on my strength? To think you tried to set a trap for me. Don't you know that is exactly what I wanted?"
The moment Xiao Chen said that, he glared. Blood surged in his eyes, and Dragon Might gathered. His eyes suddenly turned dazzlingly golden.
These were the Great Desolate Divine Eyes that the members of the Great Desolate Hundred Races had.
Under the strong pressure, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's Buddhist light withdrew entirely into his body, firmly suppressed and unable to unleash any Buddhist Might at all.
"Damn it! How are you so strong? Even the Azure Emperor back then was not at this level!"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva panicked. In his original expectations, even if Xiao Chen became strong, he would only be as strong as the Azure Emperor back then.
How could the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva have anticipated that Xiao Chen's strength would surpass the Azure Emperor's?
This was far from what the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, who just recovered some of his true strength, could handle.
Damn it! The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva wished that he could slap himself heavily. To think he thought himself clever and lured the other party over to the Nine Layers of Purgatory!
If the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva had known, he would have just found a place to hide while waiting for the Buddhist sect powerhouse to receive him and take him away from the abandoned land.
The lotus flower platform immediately sped off, carrying the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva away in retreat towards the Yellow Springs Road.
"Wait for me for a while."
Xiao Chen left this instruction and set out in pursuit alone. One fled and one chased. Soon, they passed the Gates of Hell and entered the Yellow Springs Road, where the world was only black and white.
Yellow Springs Road, Yellow Springs Road. Never, ever look back.
Xiao Chen remembered that back then, he had been very wary when he walked this Yellow Springs Road, feeling very nervous. Now that he came to this place again, he was chasing the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, who was fleeing in a panic.
The matters of the world toyed with men.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Xiao Chen sent out strands of saber light towards the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva in front.
Everywhere the strands of saber light appeared, this black-and-white world gained color, looking brighter.
Now, Xiao Chen could do what the Azure Emperor could do back then. Due to his comprehension of the Saber Dao, it was even easier for him.
Speaking of which, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was truly unfortunate. Ten thousand years ago, he ran into the Azure Emperor, who used the Demonic Dao to gain the Dao.
Ten thousand years later, after making a comeback with much difficulty, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva ran into Xiao Chen, who was even scarier than the Azure Emperor.
This showed that heaven did not permit such an evil bodhisattva to bring disaster to the world.
While this looked like a coincidence, the cause and effect had already been put into place. It would be difficult to go against karma.
"Damn it! Why are the major characters of the outer realm's Buddhist sect not making a move yet? Could it be that after all my schemes and my bitter vigil in hell for so many years, I am fated to end up with nothing?"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva continued to dodge the saber lights, no longer putting on airs like he had earlier. Now, he was panicking and in a sorry state.
"Puc ci!"
A strand of saber light struck the lotus flower platform, which immediately disappeared. Caught off guard, he immediately fell.
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva fell into the sea of bitterness below, kicking up a large splash. After he climbed back up, he continued running forward.
In front was where the six paths of reincarnation were. If he kept running, he would run out of space to flee.
"Lord Buddha, could it be that I, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, have reached the end of my road?!"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva turned around with some despair. As he looked at Xiao Chen, his eyes filled with rage.
Xiao Chen said indifferently, "Might I ask this bodhisattva if he still wants to take me in?"
"Your Dragon Race is truly hateful. If not for the Daoist sect making a move back then, the Buddhist sect would have purified them and turned all of you into our guard dogs. To think that I, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, a legendary character, would fall at the hands of you, a dog!" the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva shouted furiously, unable to contain his rage.
Xiao Chen had heard the old Dragon Horse mention this before. There was a time when the Buddhist sect nearly drove the Dragon Race to extinction. Many of the Dragon Race members had been purified and turned into guardian Divine Beasts for the Buddhist sect.
After that, the Buddhist and Daoist sects fought each other, which gave the Dragon Race a chance to survive and gradually increase in number. The Dragon Race had rerisen only after the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor.
Just at this moment, a beam of light suddenly descended and encased the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.
This light illuminated the entire Yellow Springs Road. Xiao Chen felt a slightly piercing pain in his eyes and moved back a few steps.
"Rapture light? Hahaha! There are no dead ends in the world! Xiao Chen, our matter will definitely not end so easily. When I cultivate my Buddhist Golden Body, no matter where in the world you hide, I will find you and end this karma!"
[TL Note: The literal translation for what I called "rapture light" is actually "receiving light." It is basically the Buddhist concept of being received into the pure land or holy land. However, "receiving light" did not make that much sense in English; since the concept shares some similarities with the rapture, I went with "rapture light."]
Being rescued from an impossible situation, the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva laughed maniacally in great joy.
Xiao Chen was somewhat stunned. Was Liu Ruyue summoned like this as well?
However, it was not that simple for the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva to leave!
"Dragon Blood Soul Breaking Finger!"
Suddenly, a horrific aura erupted from Xiao Chen's body. A certain will burst forth from him, merging with the world.
The glistening might and pressure dimmed that rapture light somewhat.
Once Xiao Chen sent out the finger attack, sin poured out of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's body continuously in beams of scarlet light.
"Ah!"
The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's face twisted in pain from the rebound of sin. He wanted to say something, but before he could, the rapture light took him away.
Xiao Chen stood upright with his hands clasped behind his back as he contemplated whether the other party had died or not.
However, even if the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva had not died, he would not be in good condition anyway. Although he left the abandoned land, he would likely end up a cripple.
Xiao Chen collected his thoughts and looked at the six paths of reincarnation before him.
Chapter 1560 (Raw 1542):
The six paths of reincarnation…
I'm back here again. Back then, Xiao Chen saw his past in the Three Life Mirror.
The Azure Emperor appeared here and took the human path of reincarnation, going to Earth.
Earth was where the Immortals had taken refuge. It was where the Sky Dome Immortal Lord had lived alone until the end, personally burying the various Immortals as they died, and finally met the Azure Emperor, Xiao Teng.
As for the remaining scene, the Sky Dome Immortal Lord had blocked it, preventing Xiao Chen from seeing it.
Xiao Chen did not know what the two had said when they met or what had happened.
He stepped forward, arriving before the six paths of reincarnation—Hell, Hungry Ghost, Animal, Human, Asura, God. All these paths were already shattered.
However, Xiao Chen recalled getting the impression that the human path of reincarnation was not completely shattered.
He waited here, staring at the human path of reincarnation without looking away, waiting to see if it would mend.
However, despite him waiting for a long time, the broken human path of reincarnation did not show any signs of mending.
Xiao Chen felt somewhat doubtful. Could it be that it is already completely broken?
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Just at this moment, the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun, and Qing Cheng appeared behind Xiao Chen.
"Master saw that you had not returned after a long time, so she got worried and came over," Qing Cheng whispered.
The Ghost Empress smiled and did not deny that. However, in reality, it was Qing Cheng who had pleaded with her several times until the Ghost Empress finally relented.
When one reached the Ghost Empress's level of cultivation, one would be able to appreciate the horror of Xiao Chen's strength. Nothing in the Kunlun Realm could pose a threat to him.
However, the Ghost Empress could not persuade Qing Cheng of that, so they came over.
Xiao Chen turned his head back and smiled. "It's fine. I've already dealt with the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva."
"It's good that you've dealt with him already. Why are you looking at the six paths of reincarnation?" Qing Cheng asked, blinking in confusion.
"Nothing much. I was just curious. Let's go."
Right now, Xiao Chen was not strong enough. It was not yet time to unravel the secrets of the Sky Dome Immortal Lord. There was no telling what dangers lay hidden.
Sky Dome Immortal Lord, what were you trying to do?
Entertaining some suspicions, Xiao Chen left the Yellow Springs Road together with Qing Cheng and the Ghost Empress, Xi Xun.
The instant Xiao Chen turned around, the broken human path of reincarnation suddenly mended, forming a complete path.
Did Xiao Chen see it?
Naturally, he did. He kept his Spiritual Sense out in the surrounding five thousand kilometers. He could clearly see the movement of every blade of grass, every gust of wind.
However, he did not turn around. When the group was about to leave, the human path of reincarnation shattered once again.
It was not time yet. The Azure Emperor only dared to gamble on this right before his death.
Xiao Chen's battle with Chu Chaoyun had yet to happen. If he left, what would the Kunlun Realm do?
------
Seven days later, Xiao Chen was calmly carving the Azure Dragon Divine Wood on one of the Dragon's Gate's back mountains on Heavenly Star Island when Mo Chen came over and interrupted him with a piece of news.
"Big Brother Xiao, the Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign and the other Primes sent word saying there is something urgent that needs you to make a trip to Kunlun Mountain," Mo Chen said, as she looked Xiao Chen, who was currently focused on carving the Azure Dragon Divine Wood.
The Azure Dragon Divine Wood was one kilometer tall. Xiao Chen hovered in the air with a carving knife in hand. His movements were slow but steady and smooth.
He was like a calm river slowly pushing the sand and silt at the bottom of the river.
Under the calm exterior was surging, gushing energy flowing in the depths, hidden.
When Xiao Chen heard what she said, his expression remained calm. What's to come has finally come. He already guessed what this was about.
Xiao Chen put down the carving knife and landed firmly. Then, he looked at Mo Chen and said, "Mo Chen, take a look, how's my carving?"
Mo Chen looked at the Azure Dragon Divine Wood and saw that the rough figure of the Azure Dragon was already carved.
Although it was just a simple outline, it looked very imposing and tyrannical already.
The most important thing was the spirit it contained. Just looking at the outline would immediately bring to mind a nimble, lively Azure Dragon.
"Very exquisite. Unexpectedly, Big Brother Xiao's knife work is so charming. Although I only have a shallow understanding of carving, I can tell that Big Brother Xiao's carving skills are extraordinary," Mo Chen said with certainty.
Carving was like calligraphy, which spoke with the strength and sharpness of the strokes and the spirit behind it.
The strokes had to be heavy like a mountain, the outline sharp, the words displaying a tyrannical aura. Carving followed the same principle except that the carver's brush was the knife in his hand.
As for the spirit behind it, that was something of a higher level, which Mo Chen did not really understand.
Xiao Chen said, "This is the Azure Dragon Totem. When the totem is finished, I probably will have to leave."
When Mo Chen heard that, her heart felt like it had emptied. However, she realized that Xiao Chen would have to leave sooner or later.
Since ancient times, the powerful outstanding talents capable of leaving the Kunlun Realm would do so to pursue a higher peak of the Martial Dao.
Mo Chen smiled and said, "I guessed it. I have been recording your name in books every day, now."
At first, Xiao Chen was surprised. Then, he understood. Everyone who walked out of the Kunlun Realm would have all traces of them in the Kunlun Realm erased by the Heavenly Dao.
Speaking of which, he recalled that when the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was taken away, Qing Cheng and the Ghost Empress had not forgotten about him.
"Do you still remember the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva?" he asked.
Mo Chen quickly answered, "Of course I do. We discussed him before."
Xiao Chen smiled and said, "If you remember the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, then you probably won't forget me."
He thought of a possibility. The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva was a person of the Immortal Epoch in the first place. Hence, the Heavenly Dao of this abandoned land had not erased all memories of him.
Then, as the reincarnation of the Sky Dome Immortal Lord, the last Immortal, the Heavenly Dao probably would not erase memories of him.
"Why?"
Naturally, Xiao Chen could not tell Mo Chen the reason. He smiled and said, "I'll tell you in the future. I'll definitely return to the Kunlun Realm. I have to go to Kunlun Mountain first."
---
Before night fell, Xiao Chen arrived at Kunlun Mountain.
The Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign, Ying Zongtian, the Ghost Empress, the Heaven Punishing Corpse God, and the Spirit Fox King were all there.
These people showed bitter and worried expressions on their faces.
"Xiao Chen, there's a problem. The lower realms that our factions control have been wrested from us. The experts we sent out could not return. Not even Sovereign Martial Emperors managed to return alive."
An impetuous person, the Heaven Punishing Corpse God quickly spoke even before Xiao Chen found his footing.
Indeed, it was as expected; those Immortal residences from the Immortal Epoch were in the control of these factions.
All along, these lower realms had been seen as exclusive properties that they did not permit others to encroach on.
Now, a mysterious faction snatched all these away. Furthermore, they did not even know where the other faction came from. Naturally, they could not help worrying.
Their factions had all suffered heavy losses from the Demonic Calamity. No one could withstand another epic battle.
"We suspect that someone incredible appeared in the Demonic World. Now that the Demonic God is dead, this person immediately occupied the Demonic God's position, then launched this attack." The Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign voiced his guesses as he looked at Xiao Chen.
Ying Zongtian added, "Furthermore, this person hid himself well, playing the long game. While we were at war with the Demonic World, he hid his strength and bided his time."
"However, when you think about it, his strength should not be too horrifying. Otherwise, he would have immediately attacked the Kunlun Realm after the Demonic Calamity," the Spirit Fox King calmly analyzed.
The Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign said, "We are not afraid of him. The main thing is that we cannot figure him out, and we would like to ask you to help us check it out."
Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "There's no need. I know who it is. The situation is actually worse than you think. If you let him have what he wants, the Kunlun Realm will end up worse than the territory that the Demonic World occupies."
"What?!"
The Primes showed shocked expressions, not daring to believe him.
In reality, Xiao Chen's words were not false at all. Chu Chaoyun's target was to merge the three thousand lower realms and swallow up the Kunlun Realm, taking away the entire Kunlun Realm's Luck.
After that, this abandoned land would turn into a wasteland, all for the sake of his future alone.
At that time, the entire Kunlun Realm would probably crumble. All living things would find it hard to escape death.
"Xiao Chen, you know him?" Ying Zongtian asked.
"I know him. He came from the Sky Dome Realm, like me. However, back then, I went to the Kunlun Realm, while he went to the Demonic World," Xiao Chen answered with a calm expression, but he found it hard to suppress the ripples appearing in his heart.
The inevitable battle destined by fate had finally come.