by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
The vice sect master pressed the dot and formed a seal with his other hand. The map disappeared, revealing a figure.
“It’s her?”
That image was of a peerless beauty. With a wave of her hand, a spiritual arrow shot out, killing all the densely packed spiritual beasts in front of her. That power was absolutely shocking, but she accomplished it so easily.
This woman was naturally Meng Qi. As soon as she had figured out the situation with the Nine Netherworld Path, she had begun a slaughter of the spiritual beasts here.
Although her spiritual seed had come from Long Chen, absorbing this Spiritual Strength would greatly strengthen her spiritual sea. She was like a fish in water here.
After that, a few other dots rapidly brightened as well. Those people were the Four Heavenly Geniuses, and surprisingly, the fifth person wasn’t Long Chen, but Tang Wan-er.
“What is Long Chen doing?” The monastery heads were all dumbfounded. It couldn’t be that he was goofing off, right?
Chapter 725 Future Lake
“Damnit, how did I end up circling back here?”
Long Chen was gloomy. He didn’t know how many spiritual beasts he had killed as he had rushed along. But after countless forks in the road, he had returned to his original location.
“Continuing like this is out of the question. I have to think of something.” This time, he left behind a mark at the fork before continuing. He found that not long after, he appeared on a completely foreign path.
“Fuck this. I’m not playing this game,” cursed Long Chen. He directly closed his eyes and tried to sense the general direction of the thing he needed. This maze had continuously blocked him, and now, he was out of patience.
“It’s in that direction.”
Long Chen began to walk in a direction that had no path and was full of mist. Long Chen suddenly took out a saber.
The last Enchanted saber he had used had exploded after he had used the second form of Split the Heavens. He could only replace it with another. But this was a pole saber, a yanyuedao[1]. Two-thirds of it was the handle, while the blade only took up a third. There was a huge difference compared to the normal sabers he used. However, he had no better weapons now, so he could only use it.
After traveling an hour through the mist, a path appeared in front of him. But Long Chen didn’t follow that path. Instead, he continued in a straight line toward the thing that he sensed.
He didn’t know how far that thing was. What he wanted to find was the thing the vice sect master had mentioned at the end.
Suddenly, he heard some sounds. Long Chen rushed in that direction. A small path appeared in front of him, and there was a woman lying on the ground, her expression pale and twisted, as if she was undergoing a painful struggle.
Long Chen immediately went up to her and pressed a hand on her forehead. His powerful Spiritual Strength surged into her mind-sea. She was currently being attacked by a foreign Spiritual Strength, but Long Chen’s Spiritual Strength destroyed it.
“Many thanks, senior apprentice-brother!” She opened her eyes and looked at him gratefully.
Just now, she had been attacked by several powerful spiritual beasts. Although she had done her best to kill them, one of them had managed to invade her mind-sea, almost exterminating her soul.
With her soul being attacked, she had no time to crush the jade tablet. Just thinking about it filled her with terror.
“You’re welcome. Do you know where the place you can see your future is?” asked Long Chen.
“Senior apprentice-brother Long Chen!” she gasped.
“I just want to gain some experience. I have no other intentions. Have you run into it?”
“I didn’t, but I ran into a senior apprentice-sister from the seventeenth supermonastery who said she ran into Future Lake. That Future Lake actually took the initiative to ask her if she wanted to see her future. She was so terrified that she fled,” she said.
“Future Lake? That name does sound pretty magical. Do you know its general direction?” asked Long Chen.
“Senior apprentice-brother Long Chen, are you really planning on going there? The vice sect master said…”
“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do something as stupid as trying to divine my future. That would just destroy a person’s Dao-heart. I just want to gain experience.”
Only after hearing this did she say, “I remember the location. That senior apprentice-sister was very nice and she told me not to go in that direction. If you want to go there to gain experience, I can bring you there.”
She led Long Chen in a certain direction. After a few dozen turns, even Long Chen was shocked by her amazing memory. It seemed that anyone who could attend this trial was truly extraordinary.
“We’ve arrived.”
Long Chen looked around and saw mist everywhere. He couldn’t see anything. He was just about to ask her about this when she said, “This is the fork. If you go left, you’ll reach Future Lake. I… I don’t dare to go. According to that senior apprentice-sister, that place is too strange.”
“Then thank you. I’ll go take a look. With how terrifying you make it sound, even I’m getting nervous,” laughed Long Chen.
“Then you really shouldn’t go.”
“But, how can you allow yourself to be defeated by fear? Since I’ve decided to look, then I’m going to take a look!”
Without another word, Long Chen walked off. The mist completely blocked his vision after just a few steps, and he wasn’t even able to see her anymore. He quickened his footsteps.
After over two hours, Long Chen still didn’t see any lake. He even suspected that she had tricked him. But there was no reason for her to trick him, and after all, he had just saved her.
The strange thing was that there were no spiritual beasts on this path. There were also no forks in the road. He could only continue onward.
Finally, after six hours, the path came to a dead end.
“What the fuck? She really did trick me?!” Long Chen couldn’t help being enraged.
“Do you want to know your future?”
Suddenly, a spiritual fluctuation appeared. The mist in front of him slowly dissipated, revealing a lake. The lake’s surface was as flat as a mirror, and the mist around it made it appear extremely mysterious.
Long Chen was stunned. Was this lake alive? It was actually able to talk through spiritual fluctuations.
“I do, but does it cost money?” asked Long Chen.
The lake was silent for a moment before a figure slowly rose out of the water. That figure was lithe and graceful. It seemed like a woman, but it was impossible to see any clear details.
“It doesn’t cost money. But I’ll need you to help me,” said that figure.
“Help you with what?” Long Chen was on guard.
“Bring me out of this place.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Let me enter your spiritual space and bring me out. I’ll not only let you see your future, but I’ll also raise you into this world’s strongest expert,” it enticed.
Damn, why does that sound so familiar? It’s just like what that old ghost, Gui Sha, wanted.
Long Chen suddenly smiled coldly. “If my guess isn’t wrong, you should be a powerful figure from the Corrupt path. Despite your soul already being destroyed, you were still able to reform it. It seems you were truly an amazing person when you were alive.”
That figure didn’t reply. After a moment of silence, it said, “You’re smart. That guess of yours is correct. Although I died countless years ago, just my name is enough to strike terror into the hearts of countless Righteous experts. How does it sound? Little fellow, cooperate with me. Bring me out of here and back to the Corrupt path, and then I will give you anything you want!”
It would be strange if anyone believed such a thing, thought Long Chen to himself. His head was rapidly working. Most likely, this soul was relying on the lake to survive and couldn’t leave or attack, which is why
it would try to entice him.
He shook his head and said, “The vice sect master told me that if someone wanted to tell my future here, I was to ignore them. That person is a trickster who will take your life.”
“That’s pure nonsense. I have to rely on this lake to live. How could I ever take other people’s lives? Those people wanted to see their futures, and all I did was help them.”
“Oh, I understand. You intentionally allowed them to see their future. But you changed the future they saw, making them see themselves dying tragically in order to destroy their Dao-hearts,” said Long Chen.
“Wrong. This Future Lake is actually a projection of the Xuantian Dao Sect’s priceless treasure, the Reincarnation Mirror. That Reincarnation Mirror is on the same level as my Corrupt path’s Corrupt God Divine Skull. How could I have the strength to change what it shows?”
Long Chen’s heart shook. He hadn’t expected there to be such a huge secret behind the Nine Netherworld Path. He hastily asked, “Then can this Future Lake really tell a person’s future?”
“Of course. But I’d advise you not to do that. The future it shows you is true, but it is also false. Divining the future invokes karma, and the Reincarnation Mirror will not allow that karma to affect it. It will make the asking person bear that karma.”
“Then isn’t the Dao Sect harming their own disciples? Why would they put such a thing here?” asked Long Chen.
“This Nine Netherworld Path is actually a huge formation made from condensed Spiritual Strength. Without the Reincarnation Mirror’s projection, it would be impossible to control such a huge formation.”
Only then did Long Chen understand. This terrifying existence was most likely something that even the vice sect master wasn’t aware of. Just now, he had stealthily used his Spiritual Strength to probe behind him, only to find that his retreat path had been cut off.
It seemed that now that this existence had exposed itself, then whether or not he agreed, it wouldn't allow him to leave. But he wasn’t afraid. “Then can senior help me with something? Can you use Future Lake’s power to help me divine the origin of something I have?”
“That’s no problem. I can help you do that, but have you agreed to what I’ve asked of you?”
“No problem. In any case, I’ve had enough of the Righteous path. Throwing myself to the Corrupt path is also fine. However, in that case, I need your help to bring one of my companions over,” said Long Chen.
“Who?”
“It should be the woman whose Spiritual Strength is the greatest of everyone here except me,” said Long Chen.
“Her?”
A figure suddenly appeared on the lake. That figure was Meng Qi. She had just killed another batch of spiritual beasts and was refining their soul energy.
Long Chen was shocked. Or was this to be expected of an existence that could divine the future? He nodded. “Senior, please lead her over here. She has something I need.”
“Ah!”
A startled cry rang out and Meng Qi suddenly appeared beside Long Chen. She panicked as she had no idea what was going on. But Long Chen said, “Meng Qi, lend me the Soul Calming Jade.”
Previously, Long Chen had given the nine-line Soul Calming Jade to Meng Qi, as it was extremely helpful for her.
Meng Qi didn’t quite understand what was happening, but she took off the pendant from her neck. Long Chen then threw it to that illusory figure.
“Thank you for your trouble, senior.”
When Meng Qi saw the figure he was talking to, her pupils shrunk. Then looking at the lake water, she immediately understood something: Long Chen was about to do something exceedingly crazy.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guandao
Chapter 726 Warmth, Then Blood
“Nine-line Soul Calming Jade?!”
That illusory figure was surprised by this jade.
“Does senior know the origin of this jade pendant?” asked Long Chen.
The figure didn’t reply to him. It was silent for a while, as if it was trying to gather its determination. “You want to use Future Lake to divine this thing’s origin?”
“Can it do that?” Long Chen was delighted. He had thought that Future Lake would only be able to divine the future. Now that he knew it could divine the past, he could no longer remain calm.
“You don’t even know the origin of this jade, so you definitely don’t know the things related to it. I’ve watched over Future Lake for countless years, and I’ve managed to find out a few secrets about it. Activating the lake in one way will divine the future, while activating it the other way will divine the past. Do you want to know this thing’s future or past?”
“Can I first see its future and then see its past?” asked Long Chen.
“No.” The illusory figure gave him a direct reply. This soul was a monster who could shock both the Righteous and Corrupt paths. Even with its soul shattered, it had managed to gather again in the Nine Netherworld Path. That was enough to prove what a terrifying existence it had been.
The other souls were all turned into spiritual beasts in the Nine Netherworld Path. The strength of the spiritual beast was based on the strength of the soul back when it had been alive. But no matter how strong the soul had been, once it was transformed into a spiritual beast, it had no true consciousness. It could only attack the disciples instinctively.
But this person was completely different. It was far too powerful. It had recalled some of its memories and was even planning on using Long Chen to escape this place.
It had noticed that Long Chen’s Spiritual Strength was incredibly powerful. Only such a person could leave this place with it without being immediately noticed. This was the only chance it had run into in countless years, so it had to make a deal with him.
It had advised Long Chen not to look at his future because it was worried that he would see the scene of himself dying.
The final scene that Future Lake showed people was the end of their life. Any genius who saw the scene of their demise would become dejected, and their Dao-heart would receive a huge blow. Perhaps their martial heart would be instantly destroyed.
This was also why the vice sect master had so solemnly warned everyone not to go see their future.
Future Lake was the core of the Nine Netherworld Path. It was something that controlled the entire trial, so there was no way to seal it. He could only ask the disciples not to go there. And even if they were to go there, they shouldn’t get close to the lake.
When a person’s reflection appeared on Future Lake, it would automatically show them their future. But Long Chen didn’t need to see his future. What he wanted was to know his past.
And that required this mysterious existence’s help. Having relied on Future Lake to survive for all these years, it had definitely figured out a few ways to use it.
“Then just the past,” said Long Chen.
Meng Qi saw that Long Chen was involuntarily trembling. Even in the midst of battle, Long Chen had never been this nervous. She gently held one of his hands and found that it was covered in sweat.
That figure placed the jade into the lake. Ripples immediately began to emanate from it.
Those ripples eventually stopped, returning the lake to calm. A scene appeared on the mirror-like surface.
The jade pendant was in a large hand. A brush left behind two bold and powerful lines.
“Hahaha, The Dragon roars at the Heavens, Looking down arrogantly on the mortal world of dust. My son Long Chen possesses a special Spirit Root, a divine Spirit Bone, and supreme Spirit Blood. He’ll definitely become a peak figure above the nine heavens, one who will arrogantly look down on all else! Hahaha…”
It was impossible to see the owner of that hand, but it was possible to hear his domineering and happy laugh.
“Don’t be so loud. Chen-er is still sleeping. Furthermore, Chen-er is also my son, and I don’t want him to be fighting all day.”
That was a woman’s voice. That voice was full
of warmth and pampering. A pair of jade hands took the pendant and brush. After a moment’s thought, she left behind some graceful words: Live peacefully and happily, Never to be parted.
That man grumbled, “Ningshuang, look at how domineering my lines were! Don’t you think your lines are a bit out of place?”
“Hm? He’s my son too, and I don’t want him to become some hero. I just want him to be able to live happily. And let me warn you, don’t treat our son as a tool to fulfill your dreams,” she said.
“Fine, fine. I’ll listen to you.” The man didn’t argue. Threading a red string through the pendant, he gently placed it over a sleeping baby.
A pair of jade hands and a large, coarse hand gently rubbed the baby’s cheeks. Those soft actions made it seem like they didn’t even dare to touch the baby’s skin, as if they were afraid of harming him.
Long Chen couldn’t hold back his tears. Those were his parents. He felt like he had once heard those words before. Hearing them again, a sour feeling filled him.
That scene suddenly disappeared to be replaced with a new one. The baby was still there, and so was the jade. But those tender hands had disappeared.
A pair of slender hands appeared and they could only be described as extremely beautiful. One particular finger wore a ring that had been carved into the shape of a dragon.
But these beautiful hands were carrying a sharp knife which cut open the baby’s stomach, causing blood to spurt. The baby let out a wail.
“Ah!” Meng Qi let out a startled cry. She had never seen such a cruel scene. Who could do such a thing to a baby?
The hands didn’t stop because of the baby’s cry. They cut out a soybean-sized bone from the baby’s stomach.
That bone was very small, but somehow, it wasn’t tainted by the slightest bit of blood. It shone brilliantly and even possessed some sparkling natural lines.
Following that, a bottle appeared in one of the hands, and swiftly, a small ball of gas was sealed inside it. That ball of gas was the baby’s Spirit Root, the foundation of a cultivator.