He pondered for a moment, then said, “Could it be that Brother Ma knows?”
“I do indeed know, but the walls have ears, so I still cannot announce it verbally,” Ma Duo Bao said seriously.
Walls, where were the walls? And where would the ears be?
Ling Han did not understand, and merely continued to look at Ma Duo Bao.
Ma Duo Bao raised a single finger and pointed straight up at the skies.
“The Eye of Heavenly Dao?” Ling Han asked in shock.
Ma Duo Bao shook his head, and raised his finger higher.
Ling Han stared blankly for a moment before he instantly came to a realization. The Eye of Heavenly Dao was merely the guardian of this realm and was high above them; then what was even higher than that? The realm of immortals?
The realm of immortals was monitoring this realm? In addition, the enemies that Zi Xue Xian encountered were her clansmen from the realm of immortals. Those people had mentioned the subject of destruction of the human race, and seemed to be the culprits behind that great disaster ten thousand years ago.
What Ling Han did not understand was, wouldn’t it be a very simple thing if the realm of immortals wanted to destroy the lower realm? Even if immortals would be suppressed and weakened upon their descent into the lower realm, wouldn’t it be fine if a few more came? After all, there were only a few Shattering Void Tier cultivators in this world, but how many immortals were there in the realm of immortals?
“My tanned brother, ten thousand years is a cycle. After a hundred years, or perhaps there may only be a few dozen years left, another calamity will befall the world. If we don’t think of something, then the tragedy that happened ten thousand years ago would repeat itself,” Ma Duo Bao said.
“That can’t be, right?” Zhu Xuan Er had been listening quietly from the side, but she finally gasped out in spite of herself. This topic was really too astonishing.
Helian Xun Xue and Hu Niu, on the other hand, were completely indifferent. One of them had lost her memories, whereas the other was a child, so they had completely no concept of world destruction.
Ling Han asked, “Does Brother Ma know the source of all this?”
“I can’t say.” Ma Duo Bao shook his head, his finger pointing straight up at the skies.
Ling Han was astonished, and asked, “Could it be that announcing it verbally would lead to a great disaster?”
“Hehe, if the whole world consisted of dumb commoners, they would naturally be easy to rule over,” Ma Duo Bao said with a smile. “Thus, smart people would also have to pretend to be foolish. My tanned brother, your talent is shockingly high, and in the future, you will definitely become someone important, but you must remember: there are too many strong elites in this world. Before you have enough power to protect yourself, you must remember to conceal your strength and bide your time.”
Ling Han nodded, and said, “Thanks for the advice.”
“Then, my tanned brother, would you be interested to cooperate with me on this righteous undertaking?” Ma Duo Bao asked.
“Hehe, my current power is still too low. Let’s see after I reach the Heaven Tier,” Ling Han said in refusal. It was naturally not possible that just because Ma Duo Bao had sketched out a grand plan and outlined a grand ambition, Ling Han would simply join his banner without any care.
Ma Duo Bao made no more attempts at persuasion. He merely clapped Ling Han’s shoulder and said, “My tanned brother, I trust that you will definitely make the right choice. That’s right, it hasn’t been too peaceful recently, so you had better stay inside the city. Also, take this Spirit Talisman. Use it at the most dangerous moment as it will be able to save your life.”
He threw a Spirit Talisman at Ling Han. Then, without waiting for Ling Han to ask him further questions, he left swiftly.
Ling Han and Zhu Xuan Er, meanwhile, were still savoring his last words; what did he mean?
“Damn fatty, Niu’s meat!” Yet Hu Niu released a pitiful cry. Ma Duo Bao had left, but he had actually stolen all the meat skewers that had been on the barbeque grill. How could she not feel heartache at that?
Ling Han comforted her, and drew out some more meat to barbeque.
He and Zhu Xuan Er exchanged a look. Both of them felt much worry; Ma Duo Bao’s words had revealed a shocking piece of information, and it seemed that the catastrophe that had almost destroyed the world ten thousand years ago could possibly happen again.
“Also, that fatty said not to leave the city, as it is not very peaceful outside. What does that mean?” Ling Han rubbed his chin, and felt that that damn fatty was really independable. He had merely revealed half the information in all that he said, and wanted Ling Han to guess the rest.
Zhu Xuan Er was also baffled. Only Hu Niu and Helian Xun Xue were completely carefree, continuing to barbeque the meat at one side elatedly as they eyed the food greedily.
Chapter 554
Translator: Reverie_ Editor: Kurisu
A night passed as Ling Han and the three girls returned to Spirit Treasures Pavilion.
Although Xuanyuan Zi Guang said he would kill Ling Han if the latter came out, Xuanyuan Zi Guang wasn’t that unoccupied to keep an eye on Ling Han for an entire day; otherwise, a great battle would be inevitable.
When it was afternoon, Yin Hong ran over hastily.
“What happened for you to be in such a desperate rush?” Ling Han said with a smile.
“Pah, this old lady is still a virtuous lady, how could you use desperate to describe me?” Yin Hong said, displeased.
“A virtuous lady that has the words this old lady on the tip of her tongue, you’re truly the first I’ve seen,” Ling Han said, smiling.
“Now you’ve seen it for yourself,” Yin Hong said unabashedly. “Oh, right. There’s a great matter I need you to know.”
“What matter?” Ling Han asked thoughtlessly.
“In the recent days, there hasn’t been anyone entering the city,” Yin Hong said.
“This counts as a great matter?”
“How does it not? You know that what kind of a place Milion Treasures City is and how many people come and go every day? Millions! However, now there are only people going out, and no one is coming in. The entire city’s much more desolate. Go to the great pavilion and see how many few customers there are!” Yin Hong said in one breath.
Ling Han thought all of a sudden that Ma Duo Bao said the previous day it wasn’t peaceful outside recently and that it was best to stay inside Milion Treasures City due to that. Could it be that this damned fatso knew the reason and that’s why he intentionally warmed him?
“Do you know the reason?”
Yin Hong shook her head, and said, “Sent out a few groups of people to investigate the situation, but they also left without returning.” She paused, and then said, “Perhaps Milion Treasures has been targeted by some force, which set up blockades on the major roads so that people can only leave and not enter.”
Ling Han knocked on the table, and said, “What force would do such a thing, and what merits does it have for them?”
Spirit Treasures Pavilion did business, while the Alchemist Society refined pills. The two united could make medicinal pills circulate throughout the entire world; for martial artists, this was a beneficial thing, so who would destroy it?
Even if the Heaven’s Sword Sect, the Cloud Phoenix Sect, and the other ancient sects had their own alchemists, they didn’t need to do such a thing, right?
“That’s why we have to get to the bottom of it,” Yin Hong said.
Ling Han glared at her, and said, “You’re thinking of using me?”
“Don’t you want to know who did it?” Yin Hong said with a snicker.
“When the sky falls down, there’ll be an able person there to hold it. I’m merely in the Flower Blossom Tier, its none of my business,” Ling Han said, not at all concerned.
Yin Hong no longer laughed, but said, “This situation is truly somewhat unusual. The transmission stone al
ready lost contact with the outside, and now people can only leave and not enter. It’s as if Million Treasures City has become an abandoned city, not knowing what’s happening outside.”
“Aren’t there Heaven Tier elites, just let them go have a look,” Ling Han said.
“Someone conjectured that this could be a great conspiracy. Even if Heaven Tier elites appeared, they might be targeted. Million Treasures City’s defensive formation is first-rate; as long as it has the support of a sufficient amount of Origin Crystals, even a Shattering Void Tier can’t break in,” Yin Hong said.
Ling Han laughed loudly, and said, “So, Heaven Tier cultivators are scared of dying, making Flower Blossom Tier juniors give up their lives?”
“That’s not so. Although Flower Blossom Tier warriors are weak, the elites instead do not care, and it might not be as dangerous.” Yin Hong revealed a worried look. “Mainly, Million Treasures City has become blind and deaf, and doesn’t know at all what it’ll face next. It has to get help from the outside.”
Ling Han sighed. Why was it unpeaceful everywhere he went?
“Does this count as being dragged down by you?” he said, smiling.
“Haha, once aboard this old lady’s pirate ship, just accept your fate,” Coordinating with him, Yin Hong laughed maniacally.
However, this truly wasn’t good news.
After a few days, the situation became less and less reassuring because as people raised their heads, the entire sky couldn’t be seen; what replaced it was a black-colored mist that covered the sky.
Now, everyone felt uneasy. The city instantly was full of fear and anxiety.
Ling Han took out the spirit talisman Ma Duo Ba gave him. He couldn’t help but think that this damned fatso already knew that this would happen, telling him not to leave the city in the near future. Apparently, this wasn’t the end, and something even more dangerous would happen.
This spirit talisman could save his life.
Ling Han laughed. Ma Duo Bao obviously didn’t know he possessed the Black Tower, which was his greatest life-saving trump card. However, this spirit talisman shouldn’t be wasted, because the things Ma Duo Ba had were definitely remarkable.
“This should be an Instant Teleportation talisman,” he speculated. He was, after all, a Heaven Tier elite in the previous life, and could guess it from the vein-like patterns on the spirit talisman. “Instant Teleportation Talisman… although I’ve tricked many people into thinking that I possess Instant Teleportation Talismans and not the Black Tower, I never wouldn’t thought I would actually receive one.
“This thing, even I didn’t know how to create in the previous life. It’s said that one must be a Shattering Void Tier elite, having clear knowledge of the secrets of the void, to refine it.
“Ma Duo Bao really has many treasures. Did this guy obtain an ancient treasure-trove… his possessions are truly surprising.
“His strength is unfathomable, and who knows where he’s run off to now.”
Ling Han decided to leave the city to have a look as sitting still to await death wasn’t his style. He had the Black Tower and could avert disaster in a hopeless situation. Moreover, he was also very curious. This was Million Treasures City, with Heaven Tier elites keeping watch, yet someone dared to conspire against it… Just how powerful was this force?
He had the three girls enter the Black Tower. If an incident happened in Million Treasures City once he’d left and they were exposed, it would be too late for regrets.
However, the problem was that only Zhu Xuan Er would listen obediently. Unfortunately, to Ling Han’s worry, Helian Xun Xue couldn’t be stored into the Black Tower. Hu Niu wasn’t willing to enter the Black Tower, either, nagging him to let her stay with him.
It couldn’t be helped; they’d go together. Hu Niu could enter the Black Tower at a dangerous time anyway. Helian Xun Xue was a Heaven Tier elite and might be able to trigger her instincts at a moment of life and death, recovering her terrifying strength.
The city’s formation was already activated to fend against unknown dangers. However, going out was a piece of cake—everyone hoped for someone to go out to see the situation, and worried about there being no volunteers.
The three successfully left the city. Black mist filled the air, impending their sight.
Ling Han activated the Eye of Truth, but it was useless. The mist was so thick that even it couldn’t see through it. It wasn’t that the Eye of Truth wasn’t powerful enough, but that Ling Han’s tier was a bit too low, influencing its effects.
“Be careful,” Ling Han said, letting Zhu Xuan Er out; storing people into the Black Tower was the matter of a thought anyway.
The four walked forwards, and soon the black mist revolved and surrounded them. Their visibility instantly decreased yet again. They were barely able to see things a meter away.
Ling Han was slightly better, seeing twice as far.
“What formation is this?” Zhu Xuan Er asked. Amongst the three girls, she was slightly more reliable. Helian Xun Xue’s intelligence was worrying, and Hu Niu was just a child.
Ling Han’s expression was grave as he said, “If my guess isn’t wrong, this is the Fourth Killing Formation!”
Chapter 555
Translator: Reverie_ Editor: Kurisu
“The Fourth Killing Formation?” Zhu Xuan Er asked in astonishment.
“According to the legends, there are spirits in heaven and earth that form ten natural killing formations,” Ling explained. “The ten killing formations are all extremely terrifying. The Second Killing Formation to the Tenth Killing Formation can even wipe out Shattering Void Tiers.”
“Then what about the First Killing Formation?” Zhu Xuan Er couldn’t help but ask.
“The First Killing Formation…?” Ling Han paused. “It’s also known as God Killing Formation!”
“Could it really kill gods?” Zhu Xuan Er cried out.
“That’s right.” Ling Han nodded. “The First Killing Formation can erase even gods—the world’s greatest killing formation. However, knowledge of formations was lost, so who could set up such a killing formation now?”
The Fourth Killing Formation could even wipe out high-level Shattering Void Tier elites, yet someone could actually set it up at this day and age. Not to mention whether such a grand formation master existed, the materials used to set up the formation alone were something extremely extravagant.
“Then aren’t we in extreme danger?” Zhu Xuan Er said.
Ling Han nodded, and said, “No idea which force actually trapped Million Treasures City with the Fourth Killing Formation. Are they trying to turn the entire city into a land of the dead? But, Million Treasures City is middle state’s financial center; its value consists in Spirit Treasures Pavilion and the Alchemist Society. If everyone dies, how would it benefit them?”
If it were to take over a favorable location, that would be understandable, but Million Treasures City wasn’t some holy land for cultivation and had no worldy treasures; was it really necessary to unleash the Fourth Killing Formation?
Truly strange.
Ling Han shook his head, and said, “We can’t possibly break through this formation, and even if a Shattering Void Tier elite came, they’d have to be at least in the ninth layer to qualify to break past it; otherwise, even if a dozen came, they’d still fail.”
Zhu Xuan Er obviously agreed. How many Shattering Void Tier cultivators were there in the vast lands? No one knew, but at most several dozen. Even if all of them came, they might not even be able to resolve this formation.
They retreated slowly for fear that the formation would react, killing them on spot.
Fortunately, the Fourth Killing Formation which could kill Shattering Void Tier elites didn’t seem to care much about nobodies like them. The formation was stagnant and had no reaction. On the other hand, it was also because they didn’t go deep. The killing formation was a killing formation, after all, and wouldn’t miss a small fish because its net was big.
They retreated out of the formation, and Million Treasures City appeared before them. In reality, this was the entire killing formation’s core, but since Spirit Treasure Pavilion also activated a formation to resist, this became a relatively safe area.
“Han Lin!” With a sneer, an imposing and domineering figure appeared before them.
Xuanyuan Zi Guang.
He stared at Ling Han, and his killing intent circulated. This wasn’t in front of the Spirit Treasures Pavilion, and was even outside of Milion Treasures City; no one could stop him from murder here.
Ling Han waved his hand, and said, “You guys go into the city first. I’ll take on this guy.”
“Be careful!”
Zhu Xuan Er was kind and caring…
“Beat him up!”
…While Hu Niu waved her small fists.
“Beat him!” Helian Xunxue was now leaning towards Hu Niu because she obviously wouldn’t trust Zhu Xuan Er after Liu Yu Tong and Li Si Chan’s brainwashing, leaving her only mimicking Hu Niu.
Two grown-ups and a child returned to the city, while Ling Han and Xuanyuan Zi Guang faced off.
Ling Han didn’t dare to take things lightly. Battling at the same tier, he had the confidence not to lose to anyone. However, Xuanyuan Zi Guang was not only much higher in tier, he also had superb battle prowess; in reality, Ling Han was in a disadvantageous position.
Xuanyuan Zi Guang cut the superfluous words and attacked with a palm from afar. Hong , a sea of fire spread out, spiraling fiercely towards Ling Han.
Ling Han carried out Demon Fairy Step, charging towards his opponent. There was too great of a difference in tier between him and his opponent, and it would be too stupid of him to fire against each other at a distance. In battle, one obviously should play to one’s forte. To greet an opponent with one’s weakness would be too unwise.
“Hmph, dream on!” Xuanyuan Zi Guang snorted. He also carried out a movement art and pulled apart the distance between them while unleashing powerful attacks, taking the absolute initiative.
Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao c1-1294 Page 291