Chapter 2770: Divine Army
A Dao field left by a Heavenly-level figure—ordinary gods simply dare not set foot there. Even God-Venerable-level beings, with their vast divine powers, must proceed with extreme caution, for forcing their way in might destroy the items within the Dao field. Thus, my master was unable to enter."
Then, Sea Water added: "My master went deep into the Abyss of Darkness, leaving the Arhat White Pearl with me for protection, and told me to wait for him in the Dao field. Today, I had just returned above the ice layer to investigate when I encountered these cultivators from the Yama Clan."
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his Dao Domain, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings of the stone temple, eventually locking onto the two stone doors on the cliff face.
Yan Wushen walked over, glanced at Sea Water, smiled and nodded, then used his mental power to transmit a message to Zhang Ruochen: "Well, did you get the truth out of her?"
"I did. She is undoubtedly a disciple of the Western Buddha Realm."
How could Zhang Ruochen be truly certain? After all, everything so far was merely Sea Water's one-sided account.
However, his Heart of Truth had not detected any flaw.
If Sea Water's cultivation was truly high enough to deceive Zhang Ruochen's perception, then hearing their telepathic conversation would be a trivial matter, demanding even greater caution. Thus, many thoughts had to be kept hidden, unspoken to anyone.
Zhang Ruochen continued: "She came here together with Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha of the Western Buddha Realm."
Yan Wushen's expression turned solemn. "If Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha has truly come to the Abyss of Darkness, then this little master cannot be touched for now."
Yan Wushen did not ask why Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha had come to the Abyss of Darkness, for the Abyss itself harbored countless secrets. God-Venerable-level experts from the Heavenly Court side had entered it to investigate more than once.
What a God-Venerable intended to do was not something their current cultivation could fathom.
Blood Butcher asked: "Senior Brother, this little nun was born with a demonic bone—a red-faced temptress. Though she cultivates Buddhism, it cannot hide her seductive aura. Be careful not to be deceived by her."
Zhang Ruochen ignored him and said: "This place is the Dao field left by the Heavenly-level figure Yinxue Tian from ancient times. It is not a place to linger. If everyone's injuries are manageable, we should set out immediately."
Upon hearing the name "Yinxue Tian," the crowd was shaken, and murmurs arose.
After all, those three words carried extraordinary significance, representing the most brilliant and unparalleled powerhouse of the Underworld Clan since ancient times. Some even called her the strongest in the Hell Realm over the past several dozen eons.
"Since this is Yinxue Tian's Dao field, why leave? Anything taken from here would be priceless. Senior Brother, didn't we enter the Abyss of Darkness to seek opportunities? Yinxue Tian's fortune is a once-in-a-lifetime chance."
Blood Butcher's eyes gleamed, and he no longer wanted to leave.
"Is that so?"
Zhang Ruochen picked up a pebble from the ground.
With a flick of his finger, the pebble shot out and struck a nearby stone cauldron.
"Clang!"
An ancient divine pattern on the cauldron was activated, transforming into a dazzling bolt of lightning that pierced heaven and earth, stretching ten thousand miles vertically, unleashing overwhelming divine might.
Blood Butcher was suffocated by the power unleashed by that divine pattern, tense to the extreme. Gritting his teeth, he rasped: "Senior Brother, what... what are you doing?"
Moments later, the divine pattern faded, and the power dissipated.
The cultivators of the Yama Clan finally breathed a sigh of relief, having been badly frightened.
Fortunately, the divine pattern had run vertically.
If it had run horizontally, charging at them, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Zhang Ruochen said: "This is a divine pattern left by a Heavenly-level figure. Even after several eons, the power it can unleash is still terrifying."
"That was just one pattern being activated. This place is dense with heavenly patterns; one wrong move could bring destruction."
"You should know that the stronger the force used to attack a heavenly pattern, the stronger the backlash. I only struck it with a pebble."
"A Dao field of a Heavenly-level powerhouse—do you dare to covet it? How many lives do you have?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on Blood Butcher, a warning in his eyes.
A great world that had produced a Heavenly-level powerhouse was hard to destroy, largely because heavenly patterns were inevitably laid around it. Ordinary gods who approached would die without a burial place.
The defensive power of an eternal, undying great world was even more terrifying. Back then, the Hell Realm had paid an enormous price to breach the Kunlun Realm.
Suddenly, Sea Water said: "Actually, this is just a temporary Dao field. It might be dangerous inside, but the heavenly patterns outside may not be that numerous. If we can avoid them, we should be able to enter the stone temple."
Everyone's gaze turned to Zhang Ruochen.
The fact that Zhang Ruochen could activate a heavenly pattern with a pebble showed he could sense the patterns' locations.
This was an ability even true gods lacked.
A great opportunity lay before them. Blood Butcher seemed utterly fearless, saying: "Senior Brother, how about we give it a try? A Heavenly-level Dao field—even taking out the smallest thing would make all gods envious. How about... just opening the stone door and taking a look? Standing at the entrance, not going in."
"Just a look?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Blood Butcher said: "Isn't Senior Brother curious why Yinxue Tian left a Dao field here? What could be inside this stone temple?"
How could Zhang Ruochen not be interested in Yinxue Tian's Dao field?
Among those present, he was the most eager to enter.
To break the Severing Dao Curse, he needed to understand everything about Yinxue Tian.
But reason told him this place was extremely dangerous and not to be entered rashly.
Sea Water said: "The heavenly patterns here are Buddhist patterns. If one could use the power of a Buddha to clear the way, perhaps the patterns would automatically recede."
Yan Wushen laughed: "Little master, your knowledge is impressive. You even understand the power of a Heavenly-level figure."
Sea Water pressed her palms together before her chest, her face as bright as the moon, and said: "The Buddhist scriptures say: When a Buddha appears, ten thousand Buddhas pay homage, and heaven and earth revere. If ten thousand Buddhas must bow, how much more so Buddhist patterns?"
Blood Butcher said: "Little nun, aren't you just spouting nonsense? If this emperor had the power of a Buddha, I would have already suppressed all gods and dominated the universe. How could I have been chased away in panic by just three false gods of the Darkness Temple?"
Sea Water looked at Zhang Ruochen, her eyes sparkling.
Yan Wushen seemed to think of something too, and said: "It is said that the Buddhist path of the Kunlun Realm found the relic left behind after the passing of Xumi Saint Monk. That relic radiates Buddha light for ten thousand miles, turning ordinary mountains into Buddha lands, containing the great power of a Buddha. That is why the Buddhist path of the Kunlun Realm honors Xumi Saint Monk as the Seventh Patriarch. This Buddha relic left by Xumi Saint Monk should be connected to Brother Ruochen, right?"
The Hell Realm knew that Zhang Ruochen had spent the thousand years of his disappearance cultivating in Xumi Temple.
With Zhang Ruochen's reappearance after a millennium, the Buddha relic had also emerged. How could there be no connection between the two?
Sea Water said: "The Arhat White Pearl would attack the Undying Blood Clan, but it did not attack Benefactor Ruochen. This shows that Benefactor Ruochen must possess a very pure Buddha power."
Blood Butcher's Adam's apple bobbed. He craned his neck, looking at Zhang Ruochen, and asked: "Senior Brother, do you still have the Buddha relic on you?"
The Buddha relic was an extraordinary treasure.
Each one was a supreme Buddhist artifact. Not only for true Buddhas, but for other gods as well, it held immense value for contemplation and enlightenment.
Zhang Ruochen had hidden it before, not daring to reveal it.
But under these circumstances, how could he continue to conceal it?
After Xumi Saint Monk's golden body had dissolved, eight relics had been left behind. At the time, Zhang Ruochen had only given one to Master Indra.
Slowly, Zhang Ruochen took out a Buddha relic and held it in his palm. Instantly, pure and flawless Buddha light, like a bright lamp, dispelled the surrounding darkness, illuminating the world beneath the ice.
Zhang Ruochen used his Dao Domain to suppress the Buddha light.
Otherwise, the entire dark space continent would have become bright, turning into a Buddha land.
Under the illumination of the Buddha relic, the stone temple's otherwise plain surfaces immediately revealed golden patterns.
But for Blood Butcher and the Yama Clan cultivators, the radiance of the Buddha relic was unbearable, burning their skin. Once their sacred energy leaked from their bodies, it was purified by the Buddha light and ignited.
It seemed even more terrifying than the Arhat White Pearl.
Holding the Buddha relic, Zhang Ruochen walked toward the stone temple, holding his breath and carefully sensing the changes in the heavenly patterns.
Indeed, the patterns showed signs of retreating.
Zhang Ruochen said: "Even with the Buddha relic clearing the way, it is still very dangerous. If you wish to enter the stone temple, it is best to follow me closely and not take a single wrong step."
"Understood, Senior Brother. I will follow your steps exactly."
Blood Butcher pushed Sea Water aside and rushed to be the first behind Zhang Ruochen.
Not all of the Yama Clan entered the stone temple—only Yan Wushen and Yan Ting followed.
Along the way, they encountered stone pagodas, stone beasts, stone pillars, stone halls... but no one dared to touch them, all going around.
Blood Butcher said: "It's very strange, Senior Brother. Why would a powerhouse like Yinxue Tian build a Dao field on the periphery of the Abyss of Darkness? If she really had something important she didn't dare to take deep into the Abyss, why not store it directly in the Nether Hall? If I were her, I would have fought my way straight into the Abyss. Could mere strange beasts stop her? Why stop here?"
"There is only one possibility."
Zhang Ruochen said: "Yinxue Tian encountered something extremely terrifying after arriving at the Abyss of Darkness, something that made her realize that if she went deep into the Abyss, she might never come out. So she built this Dao field here and stored some important things."
Blood Butcher didn't believe it, saying: "A Heavenly-level figure is the strongest in the world. What could scare her? Do you believe there is anything in this world that could frighten Fengdu Dadi and the others?"
As they spoke, they arrived beneath the two stone doors.
The doors were carved into the cliff face, four zhang high, with no carvings or patterns, appearing simple and unadorned.
Zhang Ruochen raised the Buddha relic, illuminating the heavenly patterns on the doors and making them recede.
Yan Wushen and Blood Butcher stepped forward, each placing a hand on one door. They pushed inward with all their strength. With their cultivation, even two stars weighing billions of jin could be moved.
But even with their utmost effort, they only managed to push the doors open by a finger's width.
Suddenly, a spine-chilling roar came from within the doors.
The sound was like a beast, like a human, like a ghost, like a demon imprisoned for hundreds of thousands of years. Hearing it, even Yan Wushen and Zhang Ruochen felt a chill run through their bodies, their scalps tingling.
Blood Butcher's fingers pressed against the stone door, and he dared not move.
Though the temperature in the air hadn't changed, he felt as if the blood in his veins had frozen solid.
After a long while, the sound from within did not continue. Yan Wushen slowly withdrew his hand from the stone door and asked: "Did you all hear that?"
Blood Butcher nodded vigorously and whispered: "Don't speak first. Let's leave this place."
Zhang Ruochen did not move. Instead, he used the Buddha light to peer through the crack in the door. Perhaps due to the heavenly patterns inside, he could see nothing.
"Hold this for me."
Zhang Ruochen handed the Buddha relic to Sea Water behind him.
A flicker of surprise crossed Sea Water's eyes, then she extended a pair of snow-white jade hands, taking the relic with a devout expression.
From start to finish, Zhang Ruochen observed Sea Water but saw nothing unusual.
Could it be that he was overthinking?
The Buddha relic was not something any cultivator could touch. Those with evil hearts, those who practiced evil techniques, and cultivators of the Hell Realm would surely suffer calamity if they touched it.
Unless their cultivation was strong enough to resist the power of the Buddha relic.
But even then, there should have been some reaction.
These thoughts flashed through his mind as Zhang Ruochen placed his hands on the stone doors.
"What are you doing? Senior Brother, what are you doing? We agreed to just look from the doorway, not go in!" Blood Butcher's voice was hoarse as he hurriedly tried to stop Zhang Ruochen, his heart racing with anxiety.
This was a matter of life and death!
"What's there to fear? It's been hundreds of thousands of years. If some evil creature was truly sealed inside, it would either be dead by now, or if it were still alive, its cultivation would be so terrifying that it would have already broken out and escaped."
Zhang Ruochen was decisive. He channeled power into his arms, and golden burial divine patterns appeared on his limbs, slowly pushing the two stone doors open.
Such boldness earned the admiration of Yan Ting, who stood nearby, pale with fear.
This was not something any cultivator dared to do!
The stone doors opened to a width of three feet, just enough for one person to pass through.
The strange sound came again from within, clearer and more piercing.
It could even shake one's sacred soul and produce hallucinations.
Fortunately, the chanting of sutras came from the Buddha relic, snapping them back to clarity.
Zhang Ruochen took the Buddha relic back from Sea Water.
Sea Water smiled faintly and said: "Benefactor Ruochen is indeed a true heir of the Seventh Patriarch, unmatched in mind and courage. In truth, these sounds were likely left behind hundreds of thousands of years ago, sealed by the power of the heavenly patterns. When the patterns on the stone doors dispersed, the sounds burst forth."
"Little nun, I don't think you're right... Look, what is that?"
Blood Butcher's whole body tensed as he pointed into the stone doors.
Everyone's gaze followed.
The Buddha light only illuminated a corner of the interior, but it was already deeply shocking and eerie.
Inside, white silk threads were densely woven. On the stone walls hung huge white cocoons. The cocoons were semi-transparent, each containing a humanoid creature of varying sizes, in great numbers.
Those humanoid creatures were not dead, emitting faint, dark divine light.
They rose and fell slowly, as if breathing.
This time, even Zhang Ruochen's heart trembled, a chill running down his spine. After hundreds of thousands of years, why were so many strange creatures still alive inside the stone temple?
What were they?
"They emit divine light. Could they all be gods?" Blood Butcher's voice grew even hoarser.
Zhang Ruochen was the first to step inside, followed closely by Yan Wushen and Sea Water.
Yan Wushen reached out two fingers to touch one of the white threads. Instantly, a layer of ice crystals formed on his finger, spreading up his arm and body. In that moment, half of Yan Wushen's body went numb and frozen, unable to mobilize his internal power.
Zhang Ruochen quickly brought the Buddha relic closer, and the ice crystals on Yan Wushen's finger dissipated.
Yan Wushen circulated his technique once, restoring feeling to his numb body. With a hint of wariness in his voice, he said: "These are threads spun by an adult Time Ice Silkworm. This creature is as terrifying as the Space Chaos Worm, and even rarer. It is said that Yinxue Tian lived for fifteen eons and retained her youthful appearance, all thanks to the Time Ice Silkworm."
Sea Water's gaze had been fixed on the human cocoons on the wall. She said: "These beings sealed in Time Ice Silkworm silk are likely the Snow Domain Star Sea Divine Army under Yinxue Tian's command. In the history of the Hell Realm, this was the last divine army ever recorded."
Yan Wushen's eyes blazed with light as he stared at the wall covered in human cocoons. He said: "Legend has it that Yinxue Tian's cultivation was unparalleled in her time, so much so that even the Heavenly Venerable of that era had to be wary of her. She spent countless years traveling across the Yellow Spring Star River and the myriad realms, offending countless great powers and stirring up widespread resentment. She dug up three thousand divine corpses and used supreme secret arts to make those corpses develop intelligence."
"These divine corpses, when alive, were extremely powerful—ancestor-level existences of various major forces. Under Yinxue Tian's nurturing, they first became Corpse Clan with intelligence, then transformed into Underworld Clan."
"It is said that even the weakest among them possessed combat power at the level of false gods. Because of the powerful divine sources within their bodies, they were not comparable to ordinary false gods."
"No one knows why Yinxue Tian, with her peerless cultivation, would bother to forge a divine army. Unexpected, truly unexpected—this legendary army actually exists. Yinxue Tian was truly all-powerful back then."
Zhang Ruochen was naturally deeply shaken as well. He asked: "Why forge a divine army? Was she trying to sweep the universe single-handedly? Or suppress the Heavenly Venerable?"
(Chapter End)