New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 114 My Lord is above!

In the tunnel with faint fluorescence, Yuan Zhu chose a forked uphill road and hurried further and further away. He once again experienced the oppressive feeling at the beginning of the advent, and breathing became painful and difficult.

He understood the erosion and distortion caused by the mixture of these various pollutants. Even with the Holy Cough filtering and purifying his lungs, the dizziness from breathing toxic gases and oxygen deprivation continued to grow more intense.

He stopped, no longer moving forward, maintaining the fragile balance between the Holy Cough and the external air pollution. Then, he began to perceive his own spiritual world.

In Tiger Demon form, it is closely connected to the Shadow Dream Hole. Not only does it project shadows within its brain, allowing it to observe the inner shadow space, but it can also act as an external organ, opening and closing it at will, manipulating the direction of pollution infiltration through the shadow space's "walls" (filtering and draining, or reversely absorbing).

When he is in human form, the connection between the [Shadow Dream Hole] and himself still exists and has not disappeared. This is very different from the shadow-type [Boss Template].

After he escaped from the Tiger Demon, all his shadow-based innate magical powers entered a dormant state, unable to be used, and his minions were forcibly reclaimed by the shadows. He was now a pure and clean Holy Light Human.

The only exception is when he uses the haunted house as a base to imprison the four ghosts. In that position, the Tiger Demon temporarily separates and abandons the ghosts, throwing them into the haunted house to fend for themselves. The haunted house is like a closed fish tank, temporarily feeding the ghosts (goldfish).

Now, Yuan Zhu, in human form, has once again lost contact with the Tiger Demon. However, the projection of the Shadow Dream Hole still exists in his mind and has not disappeared.

From this, it can be determined that [Shadow Dream Hole] is extremely closely connected to the Tiger Demon that created it, but it does not belong to the [Boss Template], but to the current bubble world.

The Tiger Demon merely participated in the creation of the Shadow Dream Hole, becoming its 'creator, user, and owner.' When the Tiger Demon went offline, the Shadow Dream Hole did not disappear, but remained stored within his own shadow.

Yuan Zhu suddenly crouched down and reached into the shadow, attempting to reach the Shadow Dream Hole. However, he felt the cold, hard ground. His flesh and blood couldn't reach the shadow's interior.

The shadow of the Tiger Demon, why should you, a mere human being, touch it?
His spiritual will clearly sensed that the object was in the shadow, but he, the owner, could not touch it or take it out: "Interesting."

After a moment's thought, his uniform shifted into shadow mode, enveloping his entire right arm and weaving a black racing glove around his fingers. This time, he effortlessly sank his right arm into the shadows, then pulled a massive black disc, approximately 1.7 meters in diameter, from the ground.

Through the 'Shadow Uniform', he clearly touched the [Shadow Dream Hole]. It seemed to be an extremely solid substance, yet without thickness or weight. It was a thin layer, seemingly without thickness, but it was a perfect circle from any angle, yet it was definitely not a sphere.

It was a very conflicting feeling. My vision and sense of touch were severely disconnected, and my mind was a little confused.

The Shadow Dream Hole is also weightless and easy to lift. Once you let go, the black disc will stay in place, neither moving nor shaking, and it's quiet and stable. But once you grasp it, you can manipulate it at will.

"?"

At this moment, Yuan Zhu carefully sensed the Dream Hole in front of him and compared it with the experience of using it in Tiger Demon Form. He came to the conclusion that the [Shadow Dream Hole] was similar to his Shadow Uniform, but more advanced and deeply connected to the current Bubble World.

Both are private items that can exist independently of the [Boss Template] and can be used for one's own purposes.

However, in tiger demon form, he can precisely control the [Shadow Dream Hole] with his will, which is similar to the magic weapon in fairy tales; in human form, he can only operate it manually, which is very inconvenient.

Xiao La Tiao suddenly spoke up, "This is a good thing. The [Shadow Dream Hole] isn't a product of the [Boss Template], which is why it can exist for so long and operate autonomously. If we can truly use it as a foundation to construct a 'Tiger Domain,' then this domain can sustain itself for a long time without the [Tiger Demon] having to manage it, just like Running's Disease Garden."

Yuan Zhu also agreed with Latiao's idea: "Indeed, it's good news."

He was deeply wary of the sudden appearance of the Shadow Dream Hole. It felt like a free gift, a gift he'd received for no apparent reason. He always felt there was an unknown price to pay.

After all, the various cultivation systems of Duling were more deceptive than the other. He no longer believed that there was any "cheap" left in this world. If what Latiao said was true, he could really use the [Shadow Dream Hole] to open up the Mountain King's domain and pin him down at a certain location.

Even if there are hidden dangers in the future, the worst that can happen is that we can just run away.

The real estate would remain in the bubble world. Even if it turned into a time bomb, it wouldn't be you who would be killed. If this [Dream Shadow Hole] somehow became part of the [Boss Template] and couldn't be shaken off, that would be terrifying.

...

Touching the smooth [black disc] with his fingers, Yuan Zhu, in human form, muttered to himself, "Now, it's time to deal with the hidden dangers inside."

He touched the Dream Hole with a finger, trying to transmit his thoughts, but was met with a resounding rebuff. This ability was a privilege reserved for the Tiger Devil, a mere human...

Then he bent down and picked up a lump of mud, trying to teleport it in through the Shadow Dream Hole.

Pah! A ball of dirt mixed with traces of pollution suddenly flew onto the face of the monk who was sitting cross-legged in meditation.

"Ok?"

The cultivator, his vital energy severely depleted, cautiously opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. Within the pitch-black shadowy space, no strangers were visible. The oppressive feeling emanating from the nightmare beyond this dimension continued to weigh heavily on his mind, leaving him with a faint sense of unease.

He reached out and wiped the dirt off his cheek, rubbed it gently, and then put it to his nose and sniffed: No doubt, this is the dirt at the edge of the pollution layer! What exactly does the owner of this mysterious space want to do?
Outside, Latiao asked curiously, "Boss, how do you plan to subdue this native? Do you want me to write a letter of surrender in the local insect script and send it in?"

"No need. I have a perfect plan. First the military, then the ritual."

He looked up at the endlessly deep underground passage, then reached out and moved the [Shadow Dream Hole] in front of him, using it as a shield for defense. Then, Yuan Zhu passed one hand around the dream hole and aimed it at the pitch-black passage alone, then unleashed [Holy Light] with all his might.

A thousand-foot-long radiance exploded in the palm of his hand, and this miasma-filled underground tunnel was instantly illuminated by the [Holy Light]. The corrupt spiritual energy in the air, the roots of the fairy trees remaining in the soil, the slime mold and moss clinging to the soil... were all ignited and burnt, and the tunnel was instantly filled with a burnt stench.

Then, like igniting a methane tank, more pollution erupted within the passageway. It was then harvested and purified by a second wave of Holy Light. However, this proved inadequate. More dormant "roots of corruption" were stimulated and began to erupt, even drilling through the mud walls, frantically releasing a foul miasma...

For a time, the pollution level in the channel soared exponentially, and gradually became dominated by "corrupt miasma", which filled the underground channel and spread towards the lower levels.

After feeling that the time was right, Yuan Zhu immediately switched to the [Tiger Demon], held the [Shadow Dream Hole] in front of him to resist the whistling spiritual pollution, and opened the [Shadow Dream Hole] to activate the powerful extraction function.

Elsewhere, the cultivator in the shadowy space felt a sudden throbbing in his heart, followed by a familiar feeling, as if he had returned home. But before he could break through the [Shadow Dream Hole], he crashed headfirst into an invisible barrier.

Immediately, an endless amount of 'corrupt spiritual energy' poured into this small space.

Under the Tiger Demon's control, the permeable membrane of the shadow dimension continuously expelled air into the Nightmare Layer, trapping as much corrupted spiritual energy as possible. As a result, the "pollution concentration" within the confined space rapidly increased. As for the exit from the inside (the Shadow Dream Hole), it was blocked by a "wall" he had cut and moved. The polluted spiritual energy from the outside could only enter, but the cultivators within could not escape.

Under the terrifying osmotic pressure of the two realms, the contaminated spiritual energy within the passage was rapidly sucked away. The mushrooms and mosses burned by the holy light could no longer be regenerated, and the air quality rapidly declined. So the Tiger Demon dragged the closed [Shadow Dream Hole] once again, quickly returning the same way.

He didn't stop until he came to a passage with normal air, and then he paid attention to the monks in the space again.

The other party suffered an unforeseen disaster and had no chance to negotiate with the space master before being corroded and twisted by the high concentration of "corrupted spiritual energy." He fully unleashed his inner Qi, weaving a "Qi barrier" around him to protect himself and resist.

As the 'polluted spiritual energy' within the space slowly diluted and dissipated, the true energy within him also rapidly declined, and it seemed that he was on the verge of collapse. If the owner of the space attacked again, he would be toyed with and killed without any resistance.

The monk, unwilling to die in such an abject manner, could not help but shout loudly: "Stop! I surrender! Stop torturing me. I know you are watching me. If you really intend to kill me, I will not survive. Whatever your purpose is, I agree to it! You sneaked into Chan City before, and you must have your own purpose. I am a high-ranking guard of Chan City and know many secrets. If you spare my life, I will tell you everything! I can even help you to cooperate with the outside world!"

Feeling that the opponent's energy was almost exhausted, the Tiger Demon activated the ventilation function and discharged all the polluted spiritual energy in the space into the [Nightmare].

The cultivator collapsed to the ground, exhausted, gasping for air. He felt unprecedentedly weak. Lacking the spiritual energy to replenish his zhenqi, his mind was on the verge of collapse. He had fought in all sorts of brutal battles, even encountered the Iron Demon Disaster on the surface, but never before had he been in such a state of disarray, unable even to refine his zhenqi.

Little Latiao was very dissatisfied with the monk's performance: "He knelt a little too quickly. Do you think he was pretending?"

"No, I think he's really scared."

Latiao: "This weakling with weak will betrays the Insect City and kneels down to join you today, and will join someone else tomorrow to save his life. It's better to turn him into a loyal ghost!"

The Tiger Demon shook his head. "The IQ of the minions is too low, so they are worthless. This kind of high-end talent knows many secrets of Chan City, so their brains are worth more."

Then, the Tiger Demon began to transmit his voice. Suddenly, a strange voice rang out from within the shadow space: "Do you want to die or live?"

The other party was shocked. He had finally waited for it! So he shouted without thinking: "Want to live!"

His every move, even his resounding cries for survival, all showed his positive attitude towards surrender and his strong desire for life. He surrendered without Yuan Zhu's persuasion, he surrendered on his own initiative.

"..."

The Tiger Demon was speechless, then threw the three-piece set of ghosts in: "Release your mind and body, and implant them into your body. Insert the fruit on the top of your head, and let the roots drill into your brain. Do not resist. Contact the black crystal pillar with your spiritual will, release your mind, and let it merge into your soul. As for the last roots, let them flow through your blood vessels and take root throughout your body."

"Okay, I'll do it right away!"

The cultivator picked up two items with strong plant-like characteristics, and immediately thought of the [Nisheng Xianzong]. It must be some alienated immortal cultivator secretly spying on [Cicada City]. However, the other party's methods were very clever, completely concealing the fluctuations of spiritual energy, creating shadows to deceive people, and creating the illusion of smoke.

Following the [Immortal Sect], the future is no worse than that of [Insect City], and in fact, it is better. No wonder the other party's [Dream Hole] is so special. It seems that the Immortal Sect is indeed secretly infiltrating Insect City, even creating [Alien Dream Hole].

The monk, who imagined a lot of plots in his mind, decisively inserted the [Brain Eggplant] into the top of his head, and allowed the [Shadow Eggplant] to parasitize his flesh and blood. Finally, he absorbed the 'Shadow Memory Bar' into the spiritual level... and gave an evaluation: Weak!
The strength of these control methods is too weak. If the 'true qi' in his body had not been exhausted at this moment, he would even be confident that he could use the 'qi silk' to circulate throughout his body and kill the black leaf veins and roots that were peeling off his flesh and blood.

After completing the three-piece set, the Tiger Demon felt a significant relief. While he wasn't sure he could completely control the opponent's life or death, with his True Qi depleted, continuing to nourish the three-piece set with Shadow Pollution would further increase the suit's proportion within the opponent's flesh, blood, and soul, making it impossible for the opponent to escape.

So the Tiger Demon opened the [Shadow Dream Hole] again, escaped into it, then closed the door, removed the [Boss Template], and met the new employee as the lord.

Seeing Yuan Zhu, who was dressed in strange clothes, looked extremely young, had no true energy or magic power (from the Immortal Sect), and gave people the impression that he was "very weak", the cultivator felt that the other party was hiding very deeply.

Anyone who can manipulate the opening and closing of the Dream Hole at will is definitely not a weakling! It only means that the other party's strength has exceeded one's own cognition, so they are completely unaware.

The monk stood up and saluted Yuan Zhu. "I am a high-ranking guard from Chan City, twelfth level of the Earth Rank. Zuo Fan greets the Immortal Master."

Seeing the other party's submissive attitude, Yuan Zhu was very helpless and tore up the manuscript he had prepared in advance: "Follow me from now on, and you will have wealth and glory."

"Zuo Fan thanks the immortal for his gift. I wonder if there is anything you want to know? I will tell you everything I know." The other party looked at Yuan Zhu expectantly, as if he could not wait to tell the secret.

He suddenly thought of the child sister who had been so eager to give in and admit defeat, and the equally obedient shop owner, Lu Yan. If it weren't for his stubborn brother Jun, he would have doubted that everyone in [Chan City] was a wise man who knew the situation.

"You surrender so easily and have no integrity at all. Aren't you afraid that I won't trust you?"

Zuo Fan sighed, "Alas, Immortal Master, you don't know. We cultivators of the [Twelfth Realm of the Earth Rank] possess strength, but our status and situation in [Chan City] are low. The City Lord's lineage monopolizes control of the 'Dream Hole' and various cultivation resources, denying us the opportunity to cultivate and break through. Instead, we are exploited and treated like slaves. I have long been dissatisfied! Now that I have gained the Immortal Master's favor and have been easily subdued, I know I have no chance of turning the tables. In this case, why not follow you with all my heart and rebel against [Chan City]? I have been annoyed with these insects for a long time! If I am lucky enough to receive the Immortal Master's [Dream Hole]'s assistance, I will definitely break through to the Heaven Rank and demonstrate greater value!"

Yuan Zhu quickly grasped the key point: "The Earth-level breakthrough to the Heaven-level is related to the Dream Hole?"

Zuo Fan was stunned. You don’t even know this common sense?

"To break the mirror at the Earth level, one needs to open up the [Bridge of Heaven and Earth], absorb a kind of 'power from beyond the heavens', combine it with the true Qi, and refine the unique [Innate Qi]. Currently, the only 'heaven' that can be broken in the underground world is the [Nightmare World]. And this [Dream Hole] is the Bridge of Heaven and Earth."

Yuan Zhu: "To break through the Earth Realm, you need to open the Heaven and Earth Bridge. But since you can't open the Dream Hole, you naturally can't break through."

"That's not the case. The [Heaven-Earth Bridge] has two meanings. For Earth-level cultivators like us, opening the Heaven-Earth Bridge allows our own 'True Qi' to break through the nightmare world outside the [Dream Hole] and gain power from beyond the heavens. And for Heaven-level supreme beings, breaking through the spatial weaknesses of the underground world, opening up the [Dream Hole], and occupying it is another way to connect heaven and earth."

Yuan Zhu: "I saw that there are more than a dozen Dream Holes in Chan City. Does that mean there are more than a dozen [Heavenly Rank] people in Chan City? There are so many Dream Holes, but you guys don't have any?"

Zuo Fan: "That's right. Heavenly Rank cultivators or [Dream Holes] are the most important foundation of every insect city. [Cicada City] is one of the most powerful cities in the underground world because of the large number of Heavenly Rank cultivators. However, although there are many [Dream Holes], we are not qualified to contact them because we are not from the city master's lineage and are not trusted. The stronger we are, the greater the threat we pose."

Yuan Zhu: "If you follow me, I'll give you the opportunity to use the Dream Hole. If you use the Dream Hole as bait, are you sure you can attract more people?"

Zuo Fan spoke frankly, "It's worth a try, but a Heavenly Rank expert lacks the means to control it. Of the three techniques you used on me, only the one that penetrated my soul was worth considering."

Yuan Zhu: “…”

(End of this chapter)