Chapter 32: A Gathering of Winds and Clouds!
After a long silence, Qing Ming's voice came once more. "I don't know the specifics either. However, in the direction they spoke of, there is an extremely subtle, obscure ripple—one that feels somewhat familiar to me."
"Could it be..." At this, Jiang Yun grew even more astonished. Something that could feel familiar to Qing Ming—that was no product of the Dou Qi Continent.
"No, it's not yet certain. It could also be some extraordinary heavenly treasure or earthly rarity." Qing Ming slowly shook his head. For the very first time, a trace of curiosity surfaced in his expression. That there would actually be something on this Dou Qi Continent capable of triggering a resonance in him...
At this moment, Jiang Yun still hesitated somewhat. Though the treasure there could well be an unimaginably tremendous stroke of fortune—fortune and crisis walked hand in hand. That place had already become the very eye of this storm sweeping across the Black-Corner Region. Who knew what kind of old monsters might be blown out into the open?
He and Zi Yan were still far too thin and fragile, alone.
"Over this period, I have also recovered somewhat. I can guarantee that Dou Zongs will not pose a threat to you." Perceiving Jiang Yun's hesitation, Qing Ming gave him yet another reassurance to calm his heart.
Indeed, hearing these words, Jiang Yun felt slightly more at ease. Although Dou Huangs would still need to be handled by themselves—a peak rank 5 Taixu Ancient Dragon, combined with his own hidden trump cards, was more than sufficient to ensure their safety at the Dou Huang level.
His mind made up, Jiang Yun spoke to the dejected, crestfallen Zi Yan beside him. "Zi Yan, let's also go take a look!"
Instantly, Zi Yan's eyes blazed alight. "Little Yun, you changed your mind!"
"What we'll be facing next could very well be Dou Huangs, even Dou Zongs. Aren't you afraid?"
"Don't worry, Little Yun. With me here, I'll definitely keep you safe!" Zi Yan patted her chest and declared with absolute, unwavering confidence.
"Good!" Jiang Yun nodded with a light laugh, then turned serious as he spoke to Zi Yan. "Next, Zi Yan, you'll carry me as you fly over. Remember—absolutely be careful to conceal our tracks. The strength of a Da Dou Shi is still far too small."
"Leave it to me!" Seeing Jiang Yun so solemn and grave, Zi Yan also nodded with a face full of seriousness. Her small face brimmed with resolve.
"Don't let me down, now." Giving Zi Yan a look of reassurance, Jiang Yun produced a jade bottle. The bottle still glowed with a faint fluorescence, and a peculiar, wondrous fragrance wafted from its opening. It was none other than the Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk they had just obtained.
He had originally planned to return to the Inner Academy, blend and harmonize it before using it to break through to Dou Ling. But now, there was no time to waste. He could only resort to the crudest method possible.
At this very moment, just like Zi Yan, Jiang Yun tilted back his head and downed the Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk from the jade bottle in one gulp.
Instantly, terrifying energy erupted explosively within his body. The power of the earth, condensed over countless years, now began surging toward his four limbs and hundred bones, causing Jiang Yun's entire body to feel a ticklish, numb, itching sensation—as if ants were crawling all over his skin.
Due to the sheer, overwhelming volume of energy flooding in, Jiang Yun even detected a slightly swollen, aching sensation in his skin. Yet all of this still remained within the limits of what he could endure.
Painful yet itching—that was Jiang Yun's current state. Still, these posed no major obstacle to him. Within his body, the Crimson Fire Treasure Tome spun into frenzied operation, absorbing the berserk medicinal energy rampaging within him.
As Jiang Yun activated his cultivation art and began absorbing the medicinal power, he could now divert some of his attention. He spoke to Zi Yan beside him, "Let's set out!"
"Mm!" Zi Yan nodded her head with grave seriousness. Carrying Jiang Yun, she flew with extreme caution and at top speed toward the Great Plains of the Black-Corner Region.
Rumble!
At a certain moment, a heaven-shaking boom suddenly erupted from the Great Plains of the Black-Corner Region. Countless people who had come chasing the news all looked toward the source of the sound. A pillar of light, dozens of meters wide, shot up into the sky not far away, piercing straight into the clouds.
Amid violent, wrenching distortions of space, a sound like rushing, surging water echoed out. As this sound spread, the fluctuations in that expanse of space grew increasingly violent and intense.
"It's here! The Dou Zun Secret Realm is emerging!" A figure, shrouded in a black robe, let out an excited, quivering voice, watching with tense, rapt attention.
"The Dou Zun legacy is right before our eyes! Let no one dream of obstructing this old man's path!" A great, burly man, his entire body radiating a blood-red murderous aura, cast a cold, piercing gaze over the surroundings.
Not long after, a howling gale, intermingled with energy ripples, suddenly swept down from the sky. Instantly, countless people's bodies were blown swaying and staggering by the fierce wind.
On a small, inconspicuous hillock, a small, young figure clutched an equally small figure and cursed under her breath, "Damned bastard! Even dead, he still won't let things rest in peace! And this level of spatial power manipulation—and he calls himself a Dou Zun?!"
She curled her lip with some disdain, thoroughly annoyed. After all, she was currently being blown toppled left and right by this energy storm!
The storm very quickly and gradually subsided. Looking again, the originally utterly flat plain now bore some indistinct, blurry silhouettes, like mountain ridges rising from the earth, flickering in and out of sight.
Yet upon closer inspection, the earth seemed to remain as flat as ever. Those so-called silhouettes existed in another realm, separated by an endless, boundless void. At this moment, they were merely manifesting and projecting outward.
Had Jiang Yun been awake, he would certainly have broken into a torrent of curses. What kind of fake intel was this?!
This was clearly a self-contained, independent spatial realm! And on the Dou Qi Continent, only a Dou Saint could carve out a small world within the void! This was unmistakably a Dou Saint's ruins!
Suddenly, over a dozen silhouettes appeared along the eastern horizon. Not far behind these silhouettes, some larger black dots also flickered dimly in and out of view.
"Haha! A Dou Zun's ruins—it is only fitting that my Blood Sect claims it!" The silhouettes rapidly expanded from small to large. A sinister, cold, booming laugh, carried by Dou Qi, resounded across this stretch of heaven and earth.
A dozen or so human figures, bearing a thick, dense, bloody stench, flashed and darted out abruptly. The man at their head gazed with burning, blazing eyes at the emerging spatial realm.
"That's the Blood Sect's Sect Leader, Fan Lao!" Countless people all around stared at the dozen-plus figures now appearing in the sky above them, their pupils abruptly constricting. Half a beat later, their throats rolled as they swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
"Ge ge ge— Fan Lao, this Dou Zun's ruins isn't something you can hog all for yourself!" A somewhat enchantingly seductive voice drifted over. A provocatively dressed, sensual, alluring beauty covered her mouth and giggled coquettishly toward Fan Lao.
This woman had a fiery, smoldering figure. Near her ear, along her cheek, a black, bewitching, seductive poppy flower was tattooed. Beautiful as it was, it held a lethal, deadly toxicity.
"Hmph— that is none of Sect Leader Su's concern!" Seeing the newcomer, Fan Lao's expression turned rather unsightly. She, like him, was a Dou Huang—the Sect Leader of the Black-Corner Region's Rakshasa Sect. Her strength was not to be underestimated.
And her arrival meant that those troublesome individuals would also be arriving very soon.
Su Mei's appearance drew the attention of the vast majority. The one thing the Black-Corner Region never lacked was lechers and degenerates. Su Mei was both powerful and an exceedingly seductive, alluring woman. Thus, it was perfectly understandable that the old perverts present couldn't keep their eyes in check.
"Tch—"
"Foxy seductress! What's so great about her?!"
Yet there was one exception. Zi Yan watched the scantily clad Su Mei, curled her lip in disdain, and even conveniently covered the closed eyes of the Jiang Yun she was holding.
"Heh! A Dou Zun's ruins—we two brothers also have quite a bit of interest!"
Just then, another strange, eerie laugh rang out. The space rippled and fluctuated. One golden and one silver silhouette appeared in the sky above, like drifting ghosts and phantoms.
Of the two figures, one wore golden robes, the other silver robes. Their faces were also nearly identical—both white-haired and white-bearded, their facial features seemingly stamped from the exact same mold.
"The Gold and Silver Elders!"
Seeing the newcomers, Fan Lao and Su Mei's expressions shifted. These two were not opponents they could deal with. The two were twin brothers, both peak Dou Huangs. When joining hands, even against a Dou Zong, they had a considerable chance of victory.
"We greet you, Seniors!" Facing the Gold and Silver Elders, the two dared not act presumptuously.
"Friends, since you've all arrived—show yourselves!" Yet the Gold and Silver Elders paid no attention to the two. Instead, they raised their voices and addressed the sky.
"The Dou Zun's ruins are certain to be fraught with layer upon layer of danger. It would be best for everyone to join forces!"
"Hahaha— Sirs Gold and Silver speak with reason! Everyone ought to be a bit more candid and honest, lest we damage the cordial atmosphere!"
No sooner had the Gold and Silver Elders spoken than a great, booming laugh echoed from afar. Several human figures flashed and darted over in its wake.
At their head was an old man clad in yellow robes. Upon those yellow robes, several golden giant pythons were even embroidered! Under the sunlight's rays, they reflected faint, glimmering light, as if living creatures, radiating an unusual, strange oppressive force.
The old man always wore a smiling, squinting, genial expression. Yet no one—whether out in the open or hidden in the shadows—dared to underestimate him. This man was none other than the Sect Leader of the Black Emperor Sect, Mo Tianxing.
A genuine, authentic Dou Zong expert!
This so-called Dou Zun's ruins had finally blasted the Black-Corner Region's very first Dou Zong out into the open.
The moment Mo Tianxing appeared, a considerable commotion stirred across this region. Exclamations of shock and cries of alarm rang out one after another.
"It's actually the Black Emperor Sect's Sect Leader, Mo Tianxing?!"
"I've heard that Mo Tianxing stepped into the Dou Zong tier more than a decade ago! All this time, he has been in secluded cultivation. Never imagined this Dou Zun's ruins would draw even him here!"
Mo Tianxing's words carried far greater weight than the Gold and Silver Elders'. The moment he spoke, over a dozen terrifying figures slowly revealed themselves. Among them was even another expert who also trod upon the void!
Among them were the Eight Gates Sect Leader, Yuan Yi; the Demon Flame Valley's Grand Elder, Fang Yan; the Alchemy Emperor Han Feng; Old Man Ying Shan; and other Dou Huang and Dou Zong experts.
As for the rest, there were also 'lesser,' unranked Dou Wang experts such as the three Yao brothers and the like.
"Heh heh, never imagined that this place would gather so many experts today. Truly a grand event for our Black-Corner Region! We should join hearts and work together to explore these ruins." Dressed in an alchemist's robe and wearing a gentle, genial smile, Han Feng spoke with a light chuckle.
Facing Han Feng, everyone present was willing to offer some degree of face. After all, he was the Black-Corner Region's sole tier 6 alchemist—a status extraordinarily precious and valuable.
Who knew? Someday, they might just have to beg at his doorstep!
"What the Alchemy Emperor says is absolutely correct! The Dou Zun's secret realm will certainly be perilous and danger-ridden. We must join hearts and work together in order to reap the greatest rewards!" Mo Tianxing beamed, looking at the crowd as he spoke.
"Right, right!!!"
"Sect Leader Mo speaks true!"
Toward Mo Tianxing's proposal, everyone echoed their agreement. Regardless of whatever little schemes and calculations each person harbored in their hearts, this verbal agreement, at least, was initially set in place.
"Boom—"
At the far edge of the great earth, that expanse of spatial seals grew increasingly unstable. The surrounding space began to violently churn and heave. Toward the end, it actually resembled white, surging tidal waves—roaring, crashing, surging forth in a spectacle of awesome grandeur.
The great waves towered into the heavens—a vast, white, endless stretch. Surging and heaving, crashing and roaring, they caused the entire stretch of heaven and earth to thunder and rumble. It was a violently intense, soul-shaking, awe-inspiring sight.
Fortunately, this place was located on the Great Plains of the Black-Corner Region, where black storms raged everywhere, weakening the spatial ripples. Coupled with the fact that ordinary people simply wouldn't come here, otherwise, the crowd drawn by these ruins would have been more than just this.
If that were the case, the entire northwestern continent would likely have been thrown into complete, chaotic turmoil.
But now—even if word had gotten out, there was no longer enough time to rush over.
"Rumble—"
With one final, earth-shaking boom, people suddenly discovered that heaven and earth seemed to have split apart. The vast expanse of white spatial ripples abruptly ceased. In their place was a pitch-black, rotating passageway, over a dozen meters wide.
"Is that the spatial passageway into the secret realm?!" Voices from the crowd couldn't help but cry out in shock.
Hearing these words, everyone's breathing quickened and grew ragged.
To create an independent realm—only one at the Dou Zun level at minimum could possibly accomplish such a feat! There were bound to be excellent treasures within!
"Everyone! The secret realm has opened! We brothers shall go ahead first!" The Gold and Silver Elders were the first to move. A streak of gold and a streak of silver flashed past, charging straight into the secret passageway.
Shua shua shua!
Over a dozen figures, unwilling to fall behind, followed immediately after. They had all just moments ago been the very picture of 'friendly harmony.' Yet now, every single one of them was fiercely racing and vying to be first.
Only Han Feng swayed leisurely along, trailing at the tail of the group. At the very moment he entered, he turned his head back and swept a single glance toward an inconspicuous little hillock.
"Strange..."
With a low murmur, he also plunged headfirst into the passageway.
Once all the major, prominent figures had entered, someone suddenly let out a low, guttural roar.
"Charge!"
Immediately, this stretch of heaven and earth violently erupted into motion. Countless figures could be seen blotting out the sky as they streaked across the horizon. Then, like a horde of locusts, they charged madly into that pitch-black passageway.
Behind the little hillock...
Jiang Yun pulled Zi Yan tightly into his embrace, his soul power enveloping the two of them, not letting a single sound escape.
"Whew—" Seeing Han Feng enter, Zi Yan let out a long breath. She spoke with lingering fear, "That was close! We were almost discovered!"
She turned her head and looked at Jiang Yun with a face full of joy. "Little Yun! You broke through!"
"Mm. 2-star Dou Ling. It'll suffice!" Jiang Yun released Zi Yan and nodded with a smile.
Just now, due to her anxiety, Zi Yan had let a trace of her aura slip. Fortunately, Jiang Yun had awakened just in time and concealed the two of them. Otherwise, there was no guarantee that 'Alchemy Emperor' wouldn't have discovered something.
Now was not yet the time to reveal themselves before so many eyes.
"Then let's hurry and get inside! If we're too late, all the good stuff will be snatched away by them!" Zi Yan anxiously grabbed Jiang Yun. In the blink of an eye, they had already arrived at the entrance of the passageway.
Having entered the spatial passageway, Jiang Yun only felt a wave of dizziness in his head. By the time he had adjusted and adapted, he discovered that he was already standing in an entirely different stretch of heaven and earth.
A dark, gloomy color spread out from the great earth, extending all the way to the very limit of his vision. The scene before him—it seemed as if even the sky had become extremely dark, heavy, and oppressive, inflicting an immense sense of pressure and suffocation.
This place was also a dark, barren wasteland. From the distant, far reaches of the wasteland, occasional, exceptionally piercing, ear-splitting roars would resound. Within those roars, there was not the slightest trace of life or vitality. There was only a murderous, slaughterous aura—pure, refined, and concentrated to its absolute, ultimate extreme.
"Crack—"
In this desolate, barren wasteland that had lain silent for so long, a rift suddenly tore open in the sky above. Two streaks of light shot out from within, shattering the barren silence and desolation of this realm.
"This aura here..." The moment they landed, Zi Yan lightly furrowed her brows. A flash of loathing, of revulsion, streaked through her eyes. "Such a disgusting, detestable aura!!!"
(End of Chapter)