89: Let's play along!
Soon, Chen Xu’s gaze fell upon a massive rock garden.
In the view of his Purple Pupils of Delusion Breaking,
the speck of light that the Shadow Cultivator transformed into, after escaping, ultimately vanished here.
A potent scent of blood and resentment continuously seeped out from beneath the rock garden.
The aura was chilling and malevolent.
Even Cultivators with firm Heart-Natures would feel discomfort in their Divine Soul and a chill in their hearts simply by approaching it.
Chen Xu’s eyes instantly turned cold.
He extended a finger and lightly tapped the rock garden.
Buzz!
The seemingly solid mountain surface rippled like water.
A pitch-black entrance, just wide enough for one person, quietly appeared.
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Xu stepped inside.
Beyond the entrance was a bottomless stone staircase, spiraling downwards.
The further down he went,
the more intense the nauseating smell of blood and resentment became.
The air seemed to echo with the silent screams and wails of countless wronged Souls.
Finally, after descending the stone steps,
the scene before him ignited a monstrous killing intent in Chen Xu’s eyes, even though his heart was as firm as a rock!
This was, unexpectedly, an enormous underground palace!
In the center of the palace was a giant blood pool, over a hundred zhang in diameter!
Dark red blood slowly churned in the pool, releasing crimson bubbles.
It emitted a suffocating stench.
And in that blood pool, hundreds of corpses of young men and women, long devoid of life, were submerged!
Their faces were twisted, and their eyes were wide open.
It was as if they had endured unimaginable pain before death.
Their skin was shriveled, like dried orange peel, clearly indicating that all their vital essence had been drained.
Streaks of crimson threads extended from their crown, ultimately converging in the center of the blood pool, upon an evil throne constructed from countless bones and flesh!
The throne resembled a giant, pulsating heart.
With each beat, it frantically devoured the vast vital essence and resentful Soul power from the blood pool.
And upon that crimson throne, an old man in blood-red robes sat cross-legged.
His eyes were tightly shut, and the aura emanating from him was extremely cold!
He was, astonishingly, a Demonic Path Cultivator at the Middle Nascent Soul Stage!
At this moment, Prince Yu, Qin Kai, the prince who had appeared so loyal, brave, and impassioned in the main hall, was now kneeling before the blood-robed old man like a dog, not even daring to raise his head.
His face, known for its virtuous reputation, was now filled with fawning and fear.
“Venerable, Venerable, please forgive me! This Junior was ineffective in his duties; the Shadow Cultivators sent out… were completely wiped out!”
Qin Kai’s voice trembled, and his body shook like a sieve.
“Useless!”
The blood-robed old man on the throne slowly opened his eyes.
“A mere state protecting celestial master who suddenly appeared caused all the Shadow Cultivators you sent out to be wiped out? Qin Kai, this Venerable truly overestimated you!”
The old man’s voice was filled with coldness.
“Venerable, please be enlightened!”
Qin Kai, terrified, kowtowed heavily.
“That Chen Xu… that Chen Xu’s strength is unfathomable!”
“The Formation he set up was unheard of; the Shadow Cultivators sent out couldn’t even touch his clothes before being instantly suppressed! Only one Golden Core Cultivator managed to escape by desperately using a blood evasion Spell!”
“According to that Cultivator’s description, this person… this person is likely an old monster of the Nascent Soul Stage!”
“Nascent Soul?”
The blood-robed old man, who Prince Yu referred to as Heavenly Corpse Venerable, let out a disdainful snort upon hearing this.
“What if he’s a Nascent Soul? No matter how strong he is, he’s just one person! Can he really contend with heaven and earth?”
A hint of madness flashed in Heavenly Corpse Venerable’s cloudy, blood-red eyes.
“No matter, the vital essence and Divine Soul of a Nascent Soul Cultivator are a great tonic for my Blood Transformation Demonic Technique! When the Holy Fetus Lord descends, this Venerable will be the first to use him as a sacrifice!”
“Your mission is not to kill him, but to stall him! Do you understand?”
Heavenly Corpse Venerable stared intently at Qin Kai, his voice sharp: “As long as the Heaven Sacrificing Ceremony can proceed smoothly, as long as we can activate the Dragon Vein Qi beneath the capital and blood-sacrifice the millions of lives in this city!”
“At that time, the Blood Sacrifice Formation here will echo the Blood River Formation above the East Sea!”
“Forming the Heaven and Earth Blood Sea Reincarnation Formation! Using the fate of a nation and millions of Souls as sacrifices, we will forcibly tear open the passage between the two realms and respectfully welcome the true body of the Holy Fetus Lord!”
“By then, let alone a mere Nascent Soul Cultivator, even if a Soul Transformation Dao Lord were to arrive, in front of the Holy Fetus Lord, they would only be turned into blood!”
“Your mission is to use your identity as a prince, use your imperial father’s trust in you, and firmly stall him! Make him rush around, make him investigate those trivial cases!”
“Make him think he has everything under control! Absolutely do not let him detect our scheme!”
“As long as you hold out until the Heaven Sacrificing Ceremony, you will be the new emperor of the Great Feng Dynasty! No, you will be the only Human King upon this demonic land! This Venerable will also help you embark on the Demonic Path, to live as long as heaven and earth!”
Heavenly Corpse Venerable’s words were full of seductive power.
Qin Kai’s terrified face gradually transformed, replaced by fanaticism and ambition.
He seemed to have already envisioned himself ruling the world, holding the power of life and death.
His breathing even became rapid.
“This Junior… this Junior understands! Please rest assured, Venerable, this Junior will do everything possible to stall that Chen Xu! I will absolutely not let him ruin the Holy Fetus Lord’s good deeds!”
“Very good.”
Heavenly Corpse Venerable nodded in satisfaction and closed his eyes again.
However!
Just as he was about to enter meditation again!
Those blood-red eyes suddenly snapped open!
His gaze shot towards the shadowy corner where Chen Xu was hiding!
“Who’s there? Get out here for this Venerable!”
Heavenly Corpse Venerable’s furious shout, like a thunderclap, resounded throughout the entire underground palace!
The terrifying Divine Sense of a Middle Nascent Soul Stage instantly locked onto that space!
He felt it!
Just now, a gaze had been peering at him!
That gaze was cold, indifferent, and full of majesty.
It made even his heart tremble!
Boom!!!
A crimson light slammed against the stone wall, erupting in a deafening roar.
The entire underground palace shook violently, andgravel flew!
However, it was empty; there was nothing there.
“Hmm?”
Heavenly Corpse Venerable frowned deeply, a hint of surprise and uncertainty on his face.
Was it an illusion?
No! Absolutely not!
His Demonic Sense, which had become incredibly acute after Cultivating the Blood Transformation Demonic Technique,
could not be wrong!
Just now, someone was definitely here!
Moreover, it was a terrifying existence whose strength surpassed his own!
To be able to retreat silently under his Divine Sense lock,
leaving no trace… a frightening thought surfaced in Heavenly Corpse Venerable’s mind.
Could it be… that Chen Xu?!
Thinking of this, a chill rose from the depths of his heart.
Meanwhile, outside Jingxin Garden,
Chen Xu’s figure had already returned to the eaves a thousand meters away.
He looked down at the courtyard, which had returned to its usual calm.
The killing intent in his eyes was almost overflowing!
Blood-sacrificing the Dragon Vein, slaughtering millions of lives in the entire city… what a grand scheme!
What a vicious plan!
“The Heaven Sacrificing Ceremony, huh…”
Chen Xu slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the night sky towards the direction of the imperial palace.
“My grand gift is ready for you all.”
“I just don’t know if you all… can receive it!”
As his voice fell, his figure once again vanished into the night.
Returning to the State Preceptor’s Residence, Chen Xu secretly pondered in his heart!
With his strength, directly attacking Jingxin Garden at this moment and reducing Heavenly Corpse Venerable and Prince Yu, Qin Kai, to ashes would be a matter of a flick of the finger.
However, he could not do that.
Heavenly Corpse Venerable was only a Middle Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, clearly just an executor.
The “Holy Fetus Lord” he spoke of, who was about to descend,
was the truly difficult problem.
But fortunately, his trip to the East Sea had thwarted the Demonic Path’s conspiracy in the East Sea.
It was no longer so easy for the Demonic Path to welcome the Holy Fetus.
Furthermore, by his reckoning, Lan Shuyao should have already begun clearing out the Demonic Path Cultivators in the East Sea.
Therefore, the Great Feng Dynasty’s situation was not yet so critical!
So… acting now would only alert the enemy.
Once the other party realized their scheme was exposed, they might, in desperation, detonate the Formation prematurely, leading to unthinkable consequences.
At that time, even if he could kill all the enemies,
the lives of the entire city would vanish before his eyes.
Chen Xu was not a savior.
But since he had encountered this matter, he would absolutely not allow it to happen!
“If you want to play, I’ll play a good game with you.”
The killing intent in Chen Xu’s eyes slowly receded.
He raised his head, his Divine Thought piercing through the wall and landing on the several busy maids outside the courtyard.
These were all spies meticulously selected and sent by Prince Yu, Qin Kai.
Since you want to watch, I’ll put on a good show for you.
Chen Xu sneered in his heart, slowly stood up, his face showing a hint of annoyance and gravity.
He summoned the graceful maid leader, who appeared respectful but whose eyes held a shrewdness deep within.
“Where’s the tea? Didn’t you see this Venerable’s tea has gone cold?!”
Chen Xu’s voice carried a trace of impatience, sounding particularly clear in the spacious hall.
“Yes, yes! This slave deserves death! This slave will immediately get the Celestial Master new tea!”
The maid leader’s heart rejoiced, but she put on an extremely frightened expression, hurriedly bowed, and then took small steps forward to collect the tea set.
She could sense… that this newly appointed state protecting celestial master seemed to have encountered trouble.
This was exactly the result Prince Yu most wanted to see!
Chen Xu no longer paid attention to her, instead pacing back and forth in the hall, his brows tightly furrowed, as if troubled by some immense difficulty.
As he walked, he muttered to himself.
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the maid leader to hear clearly.
“A bunch of rats in the gutter, they really can hide!”
“Remnants of Prince Jing… Hmph, Qin Wujie certainly cultivated a group of loyal dead soldiers!”
“The Heaven Sacrificing Ceremony is imminent; we absolutely cannot let these rebels ruin the important matter!”
“We must capture them all before the ceremony!”
Upon hearing these words, the maid leader’s hand, holding the tea tray, paused slightly.
Her heart instantly pounded wildly!
Remnants of Prince Jing!
Captured all at once!
This was a huge piece of intelligence!
She suppressed the excitement in her heart, her peripheral vision quickly glancing at Chen Xu.
She saw that as Chen Xu paced, he seemed to find a rolled animal skin map in his sleeve inconvenient, so he casually took it out.
And placed it heavily on the table.
With a “bang,” a corner of the map unfolded, revealing the imperial city map drawn upon it.
And several eye-catching marks circled in vermilion ink!
Next to each mark were small characters like 'suspected Jing Wangfu secret stake' or 'remnants' hiding place'.
After completing all of this, Chen Xu seemed to have exhausted all his patience.
He sat back in the main seat with a vexed expression, closed his eyes to rest, seemingly pondering a countermeasure.
An opportunity!
The maid leader's breathing quickened.
She carefully carried the fresh tea, taking small, lotus-like steps, and slowly walked to the table.
"Celestial Master, please have some tea."
She gently placed the teacup down, leaning slightly forward, her wide sleeve.
Just happened to cover the unfurled map.
In that instant, a water-blue light glowed on the fingertips of her right hand, hidden within her sleeve.
A copying Spell named Mirror Flower Water Moon.
Was silently cast by her.
An invisible Spiritual light, like a ripple, swept over the map, imprinting all its content onto a specially made Jade Slip.
The entire process was smooth and extremely fast.
Even the Spiritual Qi fluctuations in the air.
Were so faint they could be ignored.
"Mm."
Chen Xu, with his eyes closed, let out a single syllable from his nose.
The maid leader's heart settled, believing her small movement was flawless, and she quietly retreated.
The respectful and humble smile on her face seemed even more sincere.
"This servant takes her leave."
She bowed, carrying the old tea set.
Ready to leave the main hall.
The moment she turned, Chen Xu slowly opened his eyes... At the same time.
In Jingxin Garden, the underground blood pool palace.
At this moment, Heavenly Corpse Venerable was anxiously trying to enter meditation again.
However, the previous feeling of being spied upon.
Clung to his Heart-Nature like a maggot in the bone, refusing to leave.
That gaze was too terrifying!
Under that gaze, he felt his Middle Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, his Blood Transformation Divine Technique cultivated for hundreds of years.
All seemed so ridiculous and powerless.
He even had a misconception that if the other party wished, a single thought could make his Divine Soul perish!
"A misconception! It must be a misconception!"
Heavenly Corpse Venerable suddenly opened his blood-red eyes, filled with shock and suspicion.
"This place has layers of Demonic Formations laid by this Venerable, and the Great Feng Dynasty's Dragon Vein Qi obscures the heavenly secrets! Even if a Deity Transformation Dao Monarch were to arrive in person, it would be impossible to spy on this place without alarming this Venerable!"
He constantly reassured himself, trying to suppress the irritation in his heart.
But just then!
A death crisis a thousand times stronger than before, abruptly descended!
That was not pressure from the outside, nor was it the lock of Divine Sense.
It was as if, in the depths of the unseen, an invisible thread, transcended space, penetrated the Formation, and ignored all defenses.
Directly connected to his Divine Soul!
And at the other end of the thread, a supreme existence wielding life and death had already waved at him!
"Hmm!!!!"
Heavenly Corpse Venerable was greatly alarmed!
All the hairs on his body stood on end instantly!
...Inside the State Preceptors Residence's main hall.
Chen Xu looked at the retreating figure of the maid leader, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He recalled the Golden Core Shadow Cultivator who had blown off an arm and escaped using the Blood Escape Spell.
He remembered the wisp of Primordial Violet Qi he had left in that person's Soul Origin.
That was both a beacon and... a death warrant that could be detonated at any time.
"Since your master is so fond of spying."
"Then, I shall send him a grand gift."
Chen Xu's gaze seemed to penetrate the ground, landing on that eerie underground palace.
He slowly raised his right index finger.
At his fingertip, a wisp of purple-gold Qi slowly swirled.
Then, he gently pointed at the Void Realm.
"Thousand-mile Soul Lock, One-finger Soul Shatter."
The moment his words fell, the wisp of purple-gold Qi at his fingertip suddenly vanished.
As if it had never appeared... In the underground palace, what Heavenly Corpse Venerable felt was precisely this finger strike that traversed space and time!
This finger strike had no form, no mass.
But it was very fast!
Extremely fast!
So fast that his Divine Sense couldn't react at all!
So fast that his Nascent Soul froze!
"Roar—!!!"
Under the terror of life and death.
The Spiritual Power on Heavenly Corpse Venerable's body erupted!
He didn't even have time to think, acting purely out of instinct.
He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of Lifebound Essence Blood!
The Essence Blood instantly ignited, transforming into violent energy, appearing before him!!
Buzz~!!!
A dark-red blood curtain instantly formed, blocking his path!
This blood curtain was his Lifebound defensive Magic Treasure, the Blood River Diagram, which he had refined for hundreds of years using the Blood Transformation Divine Technique, devouring countless living Souls and spirits to condense!
However!
That formless, massless finger strike directly landed on the Blood River Diagram.
"Pfft~ !"
A soft sound rang out!
What was astonishing was!
The Blood River Diagram, which was said to be able to withstand the full-force attack of a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.
Was like a thin piece of window paper.
Pierced through instantly!
Immediately following, that destructive will fiercely struck Heavenly Corpse Venerable's glabella!
"Pfft~!"
Heavenly Corpse Venerable was struck as if by lightning, his massive body violently thrown backward by an irresistible force.
He was like a broken sack, crashing heavily against the distant stone wall.
Even the hard rock wall was dented with a huge human-shaped indentation!
He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
His face instantly turned deathly pale!
His blood-red eyes were filled with the terror of having escaped death and endless fear!
One move!
With just one move, he was defeated!
He hadn't even seen the opponent's person, yet he was struck from an unknown distance.
Severely injured to this extent!
His Lifebound Treasure, the Blood River Diagram, had lost much of its spirituality, its light dim!
His Nascent Soul was even more shaken by that terrifying will, covered in cracks.
As if it could shatter at any moment!
This... what kind of monster is this?!
Just as Heavenly Corpse Venerable's Soul was terrified and his Heart-Nature was lost.
A cold voice directly exploded in his Sea of Consciousness!
"If you dare to spy on my family again, the next finger will shatter your Nascent Soul."
Family?!
Heavenly Corpse Venerable trembled violently, completely stunned for a moment!
Did I... provoke which Soul Transformation... or Purple Mansion Dao Lord?
Damn it!
These Soul Transformation and Purple Mansion Dao Lords are too overbearing, aren't they!
Just for such a trivial matter, the other party unhesitatingly made a move, almost killing him with a single finger from ten thousand miles away?!
So overbearing! Unreasonable?
Although Heavenly Corpse Venerable was incredibly angry in his heart!
He was truly afraid.
He had Cultivated Demonic Technique for hundreds of years, killed countless people, and considered his Heart-Nature long as hard as iron.
But at this moment, in front of the owner of that voice, he felt like a baby who had just learned to walk.
And the other party was a giant holding a butcher's knife!
The two were simply not on the same level of existence!
"Venerable! Venerable, what's wrong with you?!"
Just then, a voice full of ecstasy and excitement.
Came from the passage entrance.
Prince Yu, Qin Kai rushed in, holding a Jade Slip, his face flushed with excitement, he didn't even notice Heavenly Corpse Venerable's miserable state, and eagerly began to claim credit:
"Venerable! Great news! That Chen Xu, took the bait!"
He held up the Jade Slip in his hand, excitedly saying: "This is the intelligence just sent back by the Shadow Cultivator!"
"That Chen Xu is indeed a reckless brute with courage but no strategy. He found several hiding places of the Jing Wangfu remnants and is already preparing to mobilize the Imperial Guards and personally lead a team to encircle them on the eve of the Heaven Worship Ceremony!"
"This is our heaven-sent opportunity! Once he takes people out of the Imperial City, we will immediately activate the grand Formation!"
"By then, he will be beyond reach. By the time he reacts, the Imperial City will have already turned into a sea of blood! The Holy Fetus Lord's descent will no longer have any obstacles!"
Qin Kai spoke with great animation, spitting saliva.
However, he did not receive the expected praise.
He looked up, and then was horrified to discover that the Heavenly Corpse Venerable, who was as powerful as a god or devil.
Was now slumped in the corner of the wall like a dead dog.
Covered in blood, his aura weak.
"Ve... Venerable?"
Qin Kai's smile instantly froze.
Heavenly Corpse Venerable suddenly scrambled up from the ground, grabbed Qin Kai's collar, and said: "Pass on my order! The plan... is to be moved forward!"
"The moment that Chen Xu takes people out of the Imperial City, immediately activate the blood sacrifice grand Formation! At all costs! Quick! Go quickly!"
He had been scared out of his wits by an unknown attack.
His only thought now was to complete the mission as soon as possible, welcome the Holy Fetus Lord's descent, and seek protection!
One must know, being targeted by such a mysterious mighty figure.
Eight hundred lives wouldn't be enough for him to die!
Qin Kai was startled by his frantic appearance, but upon hearing the words 'plan moved forward', the fear in his eyes was instantly replaced by fervent ambition!
"Yes! Junior obeys!"
He nodded heavily and turned to run away frantically.
There was no other way, he really wanted to be the emperor of the Great Feng Dynasty.
That was to ascend to the highest position, wielding power over all under heaven.
Watching Qin Kai's departing back, Heavenly Corpse Venerable finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then another mouthful of black blood spurted out, and he became listless.
At the same time, in his heart, he relentlessly cursed that mysterious Dao Lord.
There was no other way, he didn't dare to openly curse!
If the other party's Divine Thought hadn't left and heard his angry curses!
He would probably be a corpse in the next moment!
...State Preceptors Residence.
Chen Xu slowly withdrew his finger pointed in the Void Realm, his expression indifferent.
Through the feedback of that wisp of Divine Soul beacon, all the enemy's reactions.
Were presented in his mind.
That Demonic Path Cultivator had been scared out of his wits by his mysterious attack!
No need to think, he must be panicking now.
And once a person starts to panic, they lose their most basic judgment.
"The plan is working!"
Chen Xu stood up, hands behind his back, his gaze directed towards the depths of the imperial palace.
"The stage has been set, and the mad actors are in place."
"Now, it's time to invite out the other protagonist of this grand play."
His figure slowly faded in place, eventually disappearing.
Next target—
Great Feng Dynasty's Heavenly Prison!