Chapter 3529: Returning to the Abyss of Darkness
After passing the Yin Wind Ferry, they entered the star domain ruled by the Darkness Temple, the far west of the Yellow Spring Star River.
Zhang Ruochen felt there were many possibilities.
Perhaps Wuqingzong had received news of the White Clothes Valley upheaval and believed it would be difficult for him to extricate himself and arrive in time, so they had chosen to set off early.
Furthermore, Wuqingzong traveling together with Cangjue and Xiuchen was most likely for the sake of Yan Wushen, who was cultivating in the Abyss of Darkness.
That message light talisman could also have been sent by Yan Wushen.
Without spending time on further speculation, Zhang Ruochen and Feng Tian walked across the water surface, crossing the Santu River.
After stepping ashore, they entered a pitch-black, cold star domain where almost no shining stars were visible. Even the luminous celestial bodies were either dark red giants or dark blue stars.
"Whoosh!"
Strands of dark red nebula surged like rivers, rapidly piling up before the two of them, condensing into a figure thousands of miles tall.
"Greetings, Feng Tian!"
That nebula figure made a slight bow.
Feng Tian stood with hands clasped behind her back, exuding an aura of proud dominance. Her divine voice stretched long as she asked, "Wubian, where is Jiusi Yitianhuang?"
The nebula figure replied, "The Abyss of Darkness is swarming with aberrant beasts. Although the Darkness Temple has been making every effort to exterminate them, many aberrant beasts have still escaped, causing disasters on numerous planets and in the underworld realms, with countless casualties. Three hundred years ago, my master entered the Abyss of Darkness, intending to block the aberrant beasts outside the Ancient Desolate Ruins City."
Feng Tian said, "Jiusi Yitianhuang's methods are indeed clever. He disappeared for three hundred years, yet the outside world remained completely unaware."
The nebula figure said, "My master was worried that the Quantity Organization and ancient powerhouses might take advantage of his absence to strike at the Darkness Temple, so he deliberately concealed it from the Heavens. But before Feng Tian, I can speak the truth without reservation."
"If the news leaks, it certainly won't be because of Feng Tian. But that person beside Feng Tian..."
Wubian's cold laughter rang out as he slowly spoke, "That's hard to say!"
Zhang Ruochen shrugged casually and said, "Hall Master Wubian is joking! I am the son-in-law of the Darkness Temple; how could I do anything detrimental to the temple?"
Zhang Ruochen naturally wouldn't leak the information—who knew if Wubian's words were true?
Perhaps Jiusi Yitianhuang was right there in the Darkness Temple.
Every word from these old fellows had to be carefully considered by Zhang Ruochen; otherwise, he would definitely be schemed against.
Feng Tian remained calm and composed, saying, "If Zhang Ruochen dares to divulge this secret, I will not let him off. But if you dare to deceive me, I will likewise not let you off. Gai Mie has come, hasn't he?"
This was the gap of a major realm!
Even though Wubian was the Hall Master of the Darkness Temple, their statuses were worlds apart.
The nebula figure showed no trace of anger, saying, "Gai Mie clearly intended to flee into the Abyss of Darkness, using its vast world space and the unique environment where heavenly secrets are hard to fathom, to escape."
"I led the gods of the Darkness Temple to assist Zhouqi Ghost Emperor in intercepting him, but the Life-Death Dual Coffin appeared and broke our formation. Gai Mie took advantage of the chaos to escape into the Abyss of Darkness."
Feng Tian asked, "The Life-Death Dual Coffin also entered the Abyss of Darkness?"
"Its power is formidable, perhaps having reached the Indestructible Infinite level. I was unable to stop it. But Feng Tian need not worry; my master is at the Ancient Desolate Ruins City. Their going there is nothing but seeking death," the nebula figure said.
"Shua!"
Wrapped in the light of fate, Zhang Ruochen and Feng Tian repeatedly tore through space, heading straight for the Abyss of Darkness.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Feng Tian, do you think Wubian's words can be trusted?"
"Are you doubting Jiusi Yitianhuang?"
Feng Tian's pupils were filled with a cold, ruthless expression.
Zhang Ruochen said, "As far as I know, nine is the ultimate number. Although Jiusi Yitianhuang has mastered some secret technique and lived into his ninth life, living into a tenth life is nearly impossible."
"Jiusi Yitianhuang is indeed extremely ambitious, but he certainly wouldn't deliberately let Gai Mie and Huangquan Dadi escape. Either of those two could, in a short time, skyrocket in power, reaching the Heavenly Venerable level of Hao Tian and Heavenly Mother, thereby threatening his path of cultivation," Feng Tian said, a hint of smile in her eyes as her veil fluttered.
The smile was cold, but it was a smile nonetheless.
Like a star, like a bright moon.
Zhang Ruochen gazed at her.
Feng Tian was never one to show joy or anger on her face. From the time Zhang Ruochen had known her until now, she had always been as cold as ice.
When facing ordinary Divine Kings or Divine Venerables, she wouldn't spare even a single extra word.
Feng Tian restrained her smile, returning to calmness, concealing everything, and said, "Since cultivating the auspicious and life aspects, I see heaven and earth completely differently than before! Life is everywhere, prosperity is everywhere; fate is not merely death and slaughter. This realization has already elevated me to a higher level."
"Recently, my emotional fluctuations have become increasingly unstable, which surely means I am on the verge of breaking through."
"If I can capture Gai Mie and refine a great furnace of elixirs, the middle stage of Indestructible Infinite will be within reach. That is why I must bring you along to the Abyss of Darkness!"
Whether it was self-flattery or the listener's interpretation, Zhang Ruochen felt that Feng Tian's words were explaining many previous matters to him.
Was this still Feng Tian?
In the past, Feng Tian had been cold, proud, and domineering, rarely speaking, and when she did, it was to kill.
Now, there was a faint, almost imperceptible trace of human warmth about her.
Zhang Ruochen certainly didn't want to be struck by another inexplicable palm from Feng Tian, so he quickly said, "Congratulations, Feng Tian! Rejoice, Feng Tian! No wonder Feng Tian showed a smile. To break through again in just over a thousand years is indeed a great joy. I will definitely help Feng Tian slay Gai Mie and make every effort to refine the elixir."
Hearing this, Feng Tian showed no hint of joy; instead, she let out a cold snort.
Zhang Ruochen was utterly helpless. Dealing with someone like Feng Tian was too exhausting—completely unpredictable.
...
The Abyss of Darkness was an enormous spatial hole that could suck away any light passing by it.
The hole was so vast that ten thousand stars could not fill its opening, giving a heart-stopping sense of tearing, as if it could devour all matter and energy in the world.
At the edge of the hole floated planets and cosmic rocks.
Many planets were broken, bearing sword scars thousands of miles long, or handprints half the size of a planet...
After Wuqingzong led the Yama Clan cultivators to withdraw and head to the Sword Realm, the Darkness Temple had occupied this place. Array halls were built on every planet, with cultivators as numerous as ants.
Feng Tian and Zhang Ruochen concealed their auras, not alerting them, and quietly entered the Abyss of Darkness.
Within the abyss floated countless dark continents, layered one upon another, extending downward endlessly. It was as if some unknown existence had thrown entire worlds into this great well called the Abyss of Darkness.
But strangely, every continent was eerily silent, without a single aberrant beast.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is Jiusi Yitianhuang so formidable that he has intercepted all the aberrant beasts at the Ancient Desolate Ruins City?"
Even when Heavenly Mother had been stationed at the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, many aberrant beasts had still dwelled on these dark continents. Some had even rushed out of the Abyss of Darkness.
That was why Zhang Ruochen was puzzled.
"Not necessarily Jiusi Yitianhuang."
As if sensing something, Feng Tian transformed into a beam of white light and landed on a dark continent hundreds of thousands of miles long.
At the center of the continent, amidst an unbroken chain of mountains, lay a ruined area.
A fierce battle had erupted here, with powerful divine energy fluctuations still lingering in the space.
Feng Tian picked up a piece of charred wood, which carried the aura of Blood Leaf Parasol Tree.
Zhang Ruochen flew down, landing ten steps away, and said, "It's the aura of Blood Leaf Parasol Tree, Xuqiong, and Huangquan Dadi. They clashed!"
"Shua!"
Feng Tian and Zhang Ruochen both activated their movement techniques, chasing deeper into the abyss, but found no further traces of battle.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Xuqiong's combat power is strong even among Great Unbound Infinite experts. Huangquan Dadi wouldn't have an easy time subduing it. Since we haven't found more battle traces, it means they escaped!"
"In my view, Huangquan Dadi's target should be the Yellow Spring Seal and Gai Mie. The divine souls of Blood Leaf Parasol Tree and Xuqiong aren't very attractive to him."
To Divine Kings and Divine Venerables at the Qiankun Infinite level, the remnant souls of ancient powerhouses were like divine medicine, saving tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand years of cultivation. This was because absorbing their cultivation insights could save time in one's own path of enlightenment.
The same was true for Huangquan Dadi.
Divine souls below the Indestructible Infinite level might not be worth his attention.
All the way toward the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, the entire Abyss of Darkness was eerily quiet, completely different from the heart-pounding experience of the last visit.
Such an anomaly heightened Zhang Ruochen's vigilance. On his arm, the Qilin Fist Gloves formed a fist seal, releasing strands of electric light.
Soon, the magnificent and majestic Ancient Desolate Ruins City appeared before them.
Its city walls were like mountain ranges, cutting across their field of vision, extending left and right into the infinite distance.
Legend had it that the Ancient Desolate Ruins City was even larger than the divine cities of the Ten Clans of Hell. To go around it would require traveling millions of miles, or even more.
Outside the city were piled divine corpses larger than mountains.
Feng Tian reached into the void and grabbed. Immediately, a divine corpse shaped like an ox decayed into bloody mud.
She frowned, losing interest, and withdrew her hand, saying, "This divine corpse has been here for at least thirty million years, corrupted by dark power. Its divine substance has been completely lost. It's worthless!"
Zhang Ruochen's expression was peculiar as he asked, "Is this Feng Tian's first time at the Ancient Desolate Ruins City?"
Feng Tian ignored him and walked straight toward the city gate.
Wherever she passed, black sand swirled, forming fierce storms.
With each step, she stabilized the chaotic space here, causing heaven and earth to resonate, and a rumbling sound echoed through the darkness.
(Chapter End)