25: Chapter 25 Spiritual Silk Fishing for Treasure, Fiendish Sword Terrifying Soul

Investigating Chen Mo might mean facing a powerful enemy directly; at the Second Level of Qi Refining, that is no different from throwing an egg against a rock.

Leaving immediately would avoid the risk for now, but it would also mean giving up the last possible chance to "pick up scraps" in front of the Inner Chamber.

Then why not try a safer, more ingenious method?

Use the bone ring to perceive the weak points of the Restriction, combine it with his own newly improved control over his spiritual sense, and the icy Qi properties of the Ice Soul Sword Art (which might be able to simulate some of the Restriction's aura) to perform a delicate "remote fishing" operation.

Target: Small items that might have been left behind near the two kneeling figures in the Inner Chamber, which have not been completely eroded by the Evil Qi.

The risk is that any improper operation could once again disturb the evil sword behind the door or trigger a backlash from the Restriction.

But the potential reward could be a new key.

Lin Ye did not leave the bank of the Ice Eye. The icy Qi here is pure, which helps him maintain his calmness and the purity of his Qi.

He first consumed the last bigu pill, then took out a Low-Grade Spirit Stone to hold in his palm, adjusting his state to its peak.

Then, he communicated with the bone ring on his left hand and slowly extended his spiritual sense toward the gate of the Inner Chamber at the end of the corridor.

The light blue runic Restriction flowed slowly in his perception; its light was much dimmer than in its prime, its overall strength had decreased, and there were many subtle "ripples" and "nodes" where energy flow was obstructed.

One of these nodes was near the small hole that had previously been eroded by Evil Qi, spewing out Sword Qi and the ancient ring yuan sha; although it had been repaired, its structure was the most fragile.

"This is it." Lin Ye locked onto the target.

He needed to craft a "fishing line" and a "fishing hook."

The fishing line would be based on his own pure icy Qi, mixed with a trace of the Ice Eye's cold power drawn by the bone ring, and then infused with a wisp of his most subtle spiritual sense, condensing into a nearly invisible, light blue, translucent "spirit thread."

This thread had to be tough enough to penetrate the gaps in the Restriction; "cold" enough to simulate the ice-attribute aura of the Restriction itself to reduce repulsion; and flexible enough to allow for precise control.

For the fishing hook, he would use the short blade of the black evil sword. He suspended the short blade in front of him, repeatedly washing and soaking it with the Qi of the Ice Soul Sword Art, trying his best to wipe away its original Evil Qi and personal marks, covering its surface with a thin layer of frost, also to reduce conflict with the Restriction.

Preparations were complete.

Lin Ye took a deep breath, concentrating fully.

Go!

The light blue spirit thread, like a living spirit snake, shot quietly from his fingertips, moving along the corridor floor, hugging the shadows of the walls, silently swimming toward the stone gate, and finally, precisely touching the most fragile node of the Restriction.

The tip of the thread gently touched the runes.

"Hum..."

The Restriction fluctuated slightly, sending a feeling of repulsion, but it was not strong. Lin Ye carefully adjusted the frequency of the thread's Qi to make it synchronize as much as possible with the rhythm of the surrounding Restriction.

Gradually, the feeling of repulsion weakened.

Now! The tip of the thread suddenly "drilled" in, like mercury pouring onto the ground, forcibly "squeezing" through the extremely tiny structural gap of that node!

Success! The "fishing line" had passed through the outer layer of the Restriction!

Lin Ye's spirits lifted, but he dared not slacken in the slightest. His spiritual sense extended along the thread, carefully "looking" inside the door.

The image was clearer than the sensing through the door before.

It was still the dilapidated hall, with a central high platform where a skeleton held a sword. The evil sword was still trembling slightly, exuding a fierce might, but because of its previous eruption, it had consumed a lot and was relatively "calm" at the moment.

Eight chains, three of which were broken, with the remaining five glowing dimly.

Below the high platform, on the side close to the gate, there were indeed two kneeling figures. They had long since turned into bones, dressed in tattered clothes, maintaining postures of worship or repentance.

Between the finger bones of one skeleton, there seemed to be a dull jade pendant; hanging from the waist of the other skeleton was a palm-sized, equally dim gray leather pouch (similar to a Storage Pouch, but simpler).

That's them!

Lin Ye controlled the spirit thread like the most nimble finger, slowly reaching toward the jade pendant.

The moment the thread touched the jade pendant—a sudden change occurred!

That dull jade pendant suddenly lit up with a faint blood-red light! A remnant thought filled with resentment, unwillingness, and a strange sense of relief rushed back along the thread!

"Revered Master... this Disciple was wrong... Chen Mo... deceived me..."

It was the remnant thought of that kneeling figure! He really was a Disciple of Master Xuanyuan, deceived by Chen Mo into participating in destroying the grand formation?!

This remnant thought's impact was not great, but it made Lin Ye's mind sway slightly, and the spirit thread he was controlling fluctuated as well.

It was this tiny fluctuation that seemed to trigger the "calm" evil sword on the high platform!

"Hum!!!"

The evil sword shook violently! A needle-like ray of dark red Evil Qi, smaller than before but more condensed and faster, shot out from the cracks in the sword body like an enraged poisonous bee, stabbing straight at the spirit thread!

More accurately, it followed the thread and stabbed toward the "fishing hook" at the end of the thread—the frost-covered short blade!

It was too fast! Too sudden!

Lin Ye had no time to retract the thread at all!

"Pfft!"

The Evil Qi needle struck the short blade accurately!

"Crack!" The short blade was instantly covered in cracks and then turned into countless fragments! Most of the fragments were eroded by the Evil Qi and turned into black ash. However, one fragment the size of a fingernail, located at the thickest part of the blade spine, was not completely eroded due to the frost cover and its own material; instead, it was violently "blasted" out of the gap in the Restriction by the force of the impact!

"Swish!"

This metal fragment, stained with faint dark red Evil Qi, passed through the gap in the Restriction and shot toward Lin Ye's face with a shrill whistle!

At the same time, the Evil Qi needle did not dissipate after shattering the short blade; it actually followed the spirit thread and eroded back at an even faster speed! The thread was instantly dyed dark red and spread toward Lin Ye's body at an alarming speed!

Attacks from inside and outside! Backlash of Evil Qi!

Lin Ye's pupils constricted sharply!

He made a decisive decision and abruptly cut off the connection with the spirit thread! The thread disintegrated in the corridor, turning into specks of ice-blue spirit light.

But it was useless.

The Evil Qi-stained metal fragment was already in front of him! Although the Evil Qi needle had lost the guidance of the thread, the fierce intent it contained had already locked onto him, turning into an invisible Evil Qi shock that rushed straight into his Sea of Consciousness!

There was no way to dodge!

A ruthless look flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. His left hand suddenly raised, not to block, but to open his palm directly, grabbing at the metal fragment that was shooting toward him!

"Pfft!"

As the fragment entered his hand, its sharp edge instantly cut his palm, and the dark red Evil Qi surged in crazily along the wound!

And that invisible Evil Qi intent shock also collided with his Sea of Consciousness at the same time!

"Hmph!" Lin Ye let out a muffled groan, his body shook violently, and blood spilled from his seven orifices again.

But this time, he was prepared!

The ancient ring yuan sha on his left hand erupted with a strong devouring power the moment the fragment was in his hand and the Evil Qi invaded! Like a hungry glutton, it crazily absorbed the Evil Qi carried by the fragment and the Evil Qi surging into his palm!

The bone ring on his right hand also shone brightly, drawing the cold power of the Ice Eye to form an ice-blue light shield, protecting his Sea of Consciousness, resisting and grinding away the shock of the Evil Qi intent!

The dual rings linked up and activated again!

However, this fragment and this intent shock seemed different from the ownerless Sword Qi from before... They seemed to carry some kind of "mark" or "information"?

In the process of the ancient ring devouring the Evil Qi and the bone ring protecting the Sea of Consciousness, some more fragmented but clearly directed images and thoughts were forcibly surfaced:

Image: A white-clad youth with feminine features and greedy eyes (Chen Mo!) handed a blood-colored jade pendant to a youth in a black robe who was kneeling on the ground with a struggling expression (one of the kneeling figures), whispering seductively: "...With this jade pendant, you can temporarily block the Restriction's perception... Take the bone ring key, release the divine sword, and you and I will share its power..."

Thought: "...The jade pendant is fake... The Restriction's backlash... Revered Master... Chen Mo... You will die a horrible death..."

Immediately after, there was a vague thought about the gray leather pouch: "...'gui water escape talisman'... the only one... escape..."

The amount of information was huge!

Chen Mo had indeed deceived the Disciple of Master Xuanyuan (possibly more than one), using a fake jade pendant to try to steal the bone ring key (the core that controls the entire Immortal Cave) to release the evil sword!

And in that gray leather pouch, there was likely a precious "gui water escape talisman" that could allow one to escape and save their life in a water vein environment!

Lin Ye endured the dual erosion of Evil Qi and the impact of the intent, and his right hand suddenly grabbed into the void—not for a physical object, but through the spiritual sense connection he had just cut but still had a residual sensation of, as well as the bone ring's control over the weak points of the Restriction, he made a "pulling" thought toward the position of the gray leather pouch inside the door!

He didn't know if this would work; it was purely an instinctive attempt.

Inside the door, it seemed that because of the previous eruption of the Evil Qi needle and the impact of the short blade fragments, the Restriction had experienced a momentary disorder.

The gray leather pouch was actually pulled by this chaotic Restriction energy and the faint intent, wobbling slightly, sliding from the waist of the skeleton, and rolling to a position closer to the gate's Restriction!

But that was all. The pouch was not "pulled" out.

Just then.

Deep in the Inner Chamber, the evil sword seemed to be completely enraged because it had been "disturbed" twice in a row!

A more terrifying, silent roar that seemed to tear the world apart, accompanied by a monstrous amount of dark red Evil Qi, surged up from the high platform like a volcanic eruption!

The entire Inner Chamber hall was shaking violently!

The remaining five light blue chains made a "creaking" sound of being unable to bear the load!

The Restriction runes on the Inner Chamber gate flickered wildly, their light fading rapidly!

The passage was about to collapse completely?! The evil sword was about to break out of its seal?!