After practicing Qi for a thousand years, one can finally become a god!

Chapter 185 An Eternal Darkness [Requesting Double Monthly Tickets!]

Upon hearing the commotion, Qi Sheng said to Ming Xuzi and the other three, "You all should rest peacefully in this cave. I'll go and find out what's going on here."

Lai Wen and the others knew that they would be a burden if they went along, so they instructed, "Be sure to be careful."

Qi Sheng smiled and said, "I understand."

Then he made a hand seal and a spell, performing a perfect "cloud-climbing technique." He leaped up, did a series of somersaults, and jumped five or six zhang off the ground, ascending on the clouds and returning about seven or eight li away, towering above all the peaks.

After traveling at breakneck speed for about a hundred miles in the direction from which the roaring sound came, they suddenly saw a vast lake in front of them, with islands scattered in the center, vaguely forming the shape of an eagle. The shimmering water reflected off the rocks, giving off bursts of golden light, so they tentatively called it 'Golden Eagle Lake'.

From about ten miles away, Qi Sheng looked down and saw a red mist covering the sky above Golden Eagle Lake, which looked like the miasma of the mountains in the Wild Frontier and the Prison Dragon Abyss. Dozens of golden lights would occasionally dart around.

To the average person, it appears as if the mountaintop is covered in dense clouds but no rain, with only flashes of lightning and no thunder.

When Qi Sheng got closer, he saw that the mountains stood tall between the islands in the lake, and the upper half of the mountains were completely blocked by thick clouds. The Big and Small Dragon Pools were only half-exposed, like two jade dragons hanging upside down, diving straight into the sea of ​​clouds below.

The rest of the scenery was hidden below the clouds.

Only atop Golden Eagle Lake, amidst the rosy clouds and countless golden rays, flashed wildly like dragons and snakes.

Qi Sheng didn't go down first. He saw that the lake was shrouded in mist and glow, and was about to carefully observe what it was when suddenly a red light shot up from under his feet, revealing a pillar of light tens of feet high.

Qi Sheng looked down and saw a rock formation in the light below, in which sat a one-armed old Taoist priest, who was controlling his sword with one hand in a hand seal. The sword light was incredibly fast.

One of those dozens of beams of light was the old Taoist's sword light.

Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the man's sword light was extremely fast, yet he was surrounded and attacked by dozens of other beams of light. Only two other beams of light attempted to come to his rescue, but they were unable to break through and achieve effective relief.

Seeing that the old Taoist priest was on the verge of death, he let out a mournful cry: "Old Taoist priest Feng Xingzi, your life is over!"

Qi Shengren, who was watching the battle from the sky, was taken aback upon hearing this.

One-armed!

Old man!

Popular!

Swift sword!

This, this, this—

"Could it be him?"

Qi Sheng, certain of his fate, dared not hesitate and quickly descended. The moment he landed, a deafening roar erupted, followed by complete silence.

The old Taoist priest made a hand seal, and with a quick release, a huge thunderbolt struck into the misty light. Immediately, the mist vanished, revealing the lake surface, where they could see that their hiding place was at the head of the Eagle Islands.

Let's look at other locations—

Tail.

Eagle claws.

Two wings.

On each island, cultivators sat in meditation, unleashing flying swords or magical artifacts to besiege the old Taoist.

Qi Sheng lowered his hand and summoned the Sorrowful Cloud Sword. The sword light split and fought against dozens of beams of light, greatly relieving the old Taoist's predicament and easing the pressure considerably.

The poor old Taoist priest had already given up hope, but unexpectedly, he was saved from his predicament.

The old Taoist was overjoyed: "Thank you for your help, fellow Daoist!"

The fierce battle raged for half a day, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Qi Sheng, unable to speak, unleashed the ultimate technique of "Sword Light Splitting," which was none other than the "Fourth Form of the Eight Forms of Sorrowful Clouds: Turning Clouds and Overturning Rain."

This is the sword technique that the Han family patriarch relied on to roam the barbarian lands, and many people have witnessed it.

now.

On that island in Eagle's Claw, an old woman asked in a deep, forceful voice, "What is your relationship with the Chang Wei and Han families? Quickly state your name!"

Qi Sheng had not yet spoken.

Suddenly at this moment.

Waves swirled and rolled across the lake, a torrent hundreds of feet high receding rapidly towards the bottom. A strangely shaped object appeared faintly in the mist before disappearing into the lake in an instant.

Qi Sheng then realized that the dozens of beams of light that attacked the old Taoist were merely incidental; in reality, they formed a light barrier that, along with the monster's retreat, remained close to the water's surface.

In addition to the surrounding mountains still being shrouded in dense rosy clouds, the entire lake scenery is clearly visible.

With the monster no longer holding them back, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes toward Qi Sheng.

The old Taoist priest sheathed his flying sword, stood up, and said, "Old Taoist Feng Xingzi, thank you for saving me. May I ask your esteemed name, my benefactor?"

Qi Sheng hurriedly said, "I dare not accept such a title of benefactor. I am a junior from the Western Region named Qi Sheng. I have some personal connections with your esteemed alliance members Lai Wen and Changsun Bing. I often hear my fourth brother and sister-in-law mention Daoist Feng Xingzi, praising his swordsmanship as deadly and truly the fastest swordsman in the world. Seeing it today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved."

It turned out that this person was none other than the second leader of the Righteous Alliance, known as the "Soul-Chasing and Life-Taking First Fastest Sword," Master Feng Xingzi.

Lai Wen and Changsun Bing once said that their second brother had not come out since entering the Prison Dragon Abyss thirty or forty years ago. The couple came here this time not only to repay Ming Xuzi for saving Lai Wen's life and passing on his teachings, but also to look for any news about Feng Xingzi.

I never expected to meet you here.

Qi Sheng told Feng Xingzi that he, Lai Wen, and Changsun Bing were also there. Feng Xingzi was both surprised and delighted: "Fourth brother and sister-in-law actually came too!"

He was overjoyed for a moment, then cried out in despair, "It's my fault!"

Qi Sheng comforted him, saying, "Although Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law were injured, they were ultimately safe and sound. Daoist Master, there is no need to blame yourself."

But Feng Xingzi said sadly, "Young friend, you don't know this. You all came in from the Cold Wind Cave, but I didn't. I came in from a deep abyss. Many other people here came in from different places, but they all have one thing in common: they can't get out."

Feng Xingzi looked sorrowful and pointed to himself: "This old Taoist has been trapped in this place for thirty-six years and cannot get out."

He then pointed to the old woman who had just questioned Qi Sheng about his origins: "That is the 'Three Flower Goddess' of the Demon Sect, also known as the Flower Goddess. She was the first to enter the sect and is said to have been trapped here for over 180 years."

"..."

Qi Sheng gasped.

Can only get in, but not out?
Even Feng Xingzi, the second-in-command of the Righteous Alliance, was trapped for thirty-six years?
That so-called Three Flower Goddess was trapped for nearly two hundred years.
Qi Sheng exclaimed in surprise, "Where exactly is this place?"

……

When Qi Sheng inquired, Feng Xingzi did not hide anything and said, "This is a forbidden area with its own cave. The Dragon Imprisoning Abyss may not imprison a dragon, but this small cave truly imprisons a vicious Gun."

As Feng Xingzi explained, Qi Sheng realized that a divine beast, Gun, was lurking in the red ravine at the bottom of Golden Eagle Lake. It was probably a creature with thousands of years of cultivation and extremely powerful.

Evil Gun was also trapped here and could not get out.

It then occupied the great lake and, through the intricate network of underground currents connected to the lake, built a demon palace, commanding many demons and seizing all the immortal elixirs born within this grotto.

Feng Xingzi said, "Besides the evil Gun, there is another treasure at the bottom of that lake. It is one of the eighteen treasures used by the five ancestors of the barbarian lands to control the water. It is called the 'Ze Ding'. It can refine the Gui water essence in the lake, nourish the body and prolong life. One dose of Gui water essence can extend the life of us cultivators by ten years. Although it is not as effective as the elixir of immortality, it has the advantage of continuous production."

As he spoke, Feng Xingzi flipped his hand and took out an octahedral-shaped water droplet, about the size of an infant's fist, crystal clear and very tempting.

This is the 'Kui Water Essence'.

The old Taoist smiled bitterly: "The attack we were just attacked was caused by it. People like the Three Flower Goddess have little lifespan left and urgently need 'Kui Water Essence' to prolong their lives. They have to do their best to obtain every single one that is born. But I am not an immortal celestial being. I can never have too many of these life-extending treasures. Now that I have them, how can I give them up?"

And so, a fierce struggle ensued, initially just a contest, but gradually escalating into a full-blown conflict. Until Qi Sheng arrived.

Until the evil Gun returned.

These experts from all sides finally stopped.

Qi Sheng suddenly realized: "So that's how it is!"

He could understand that for those who had been trapped here for decades or even centuries, without ever seeing the light of day, the despair they felt was beyond what outsiders could comprehend.

Perhaps some monks could not bear the despair and loneliness, and died of old age, in battle, or by seeking death.

But those who survived were all those who didn't want to die.

They still held onto hope that one day they would find a way out, but they feared that their lifespan would not be long enough to see that day. Thus, the "Gui Water Essence" produced by the "Zeding" in Golden Eagle Lake became their only hope.

The elixir of immortality is extremely rare and hard to find.

However, there is a lot of 'Gui Water Essence'. As long as the evil Gun is urged more, whether it takes three to five years, one or two years, or even three or two months, the time is uncertain, but essence will be produced.

Feng Xingzi sighed, “There is a lot of Yuan Jing, but there are even more cultivators here. There are forty-four cultivators left, and more than ten of them, including the Three Flower Goddess, are on the verge of death. There is far from enough Yuan Jing. In recent years, the competition for Yuan Jing has become increasingly fierce every time it appears.”

He pointed to the bottom of the lake and said helplessly, "That beast is trapped here. It possesses the 'Ze Ding' and has consumed countless 'Gui Shui Yuan Jing' (essence of Gui water). It is also a naturally formed beast with an almost endless lifespan. Since it cannot get out, it is happy to take out some 'Gui Shui Yuan Jing' and deliberately make us fight and kill each other for its own amusement."

It's a tragic story.

Like the wind.

Like the Three-Flower Goddess.

Each of them would be a renowned figure outside, at least a top-notch expert, but here, they were being completely outmaneuvered and amused by a beast.

One batch after another.

In the past thirty-six years alone, Feng Xingzi has witnessed: "More than ten people died in battle, and more than ten people died of old age."

On average, one person dies every year.

This is not the ordinary life of birth, aging, sickness, and death; those who die are all extraordinary figures.

If someone like Mingxuzi were to die, the entire Mingxu Sect would decline, and might even face annihilation.

This shows just how dangerous the Golden Eagle Lake Cave is!

……

Feng Chenzi then spoke to Qi Sheng about how powerful the evil Gun was: "This evil Gun is truly formidable! There are twenty-four islands on Golden Eagle Lake, occupied by twenty-four top masters. Whenever the evil Gun appears, everyone casts spells together, each relying on their swordsmanship and Taoist magic. They once tried to refine it for a full one hundred and eight days, but unfortunately, their magic power was insufficient and their Taoist cultivation was inadequate, so they could not harm it in the slightest."

The body of the evil Gun is mysterious.

However, its offensive tactics are generally limited and its methods are rather simplistic.

Feng Chenzi and the others couldn't hurt it, and it also had difficulty breaking through their blockade.

While it is possible to devour a master like Feng Chenzi in a one-on-one fight, everyone knows how powerful it is, so they fight without breaking it. Once they encounter the evil Gun acting ruthlessly, they immediately unite against it. Even if they encounter the temptation of 'Gui Water Essence', sealing off the evil Gun is their top priority. Anyone who does not do so will be attacked by everyone.

Furthermore.

The demon Gun was also reluctant to part with the 'Ze Ding', so he did not risk his life to escape.

Besides, what's the point of escaping?
The cave is only so small. Over the decades or centuries, people have already explored every inch of the mountains and rivers. There's nothing new here. It's better to find some enjoyment in the lake.

To fight with others.

It's so much fun!

Feng Xingzi said, “This thing is exceptionally alert. Since I arrived here, I have not rested for a moment. If my primordial spirit relaxes even slightly, it will take advantage of my unpreparedness and rush out to devour me. Sometimes it comes up to fight, and sometimes it goes back into the ravine to exhale and gather strength, in preparation for coming again.”

"When this evil serpent does not appear, it can sometimes drain the lake of all its water, leaving only a cloud of demonic mist shrouding the bottomless red ravine where it resides."

"As soon as it emerged from the water, it brought with it a flood that was hundreds of feet high."

Feng Xingzi warned Qi Sheng to be extremely careful.

While the two were talking.

The Three-Flower Goddess stared at him, finally losing her patience: "Feng Xingzi! Are you trying to break the rules we set?"

What rules?
Qi Sheng looked at Feng Xingzi.

The old Taoist priest said, "There are a number of islands in the lake. As the saying goes, 'Those who are near the water get the moon first.' If you can occupy these islands, you will be qualified to seize the 'Kui Water Essence' at the first opportunity. After decades or even hundreds of years of fighting, everyone has reached a consensus that each island can only accommodate one person. If a newcomer wants to occupy an island, that's fine too. Just challenge any island and you will become the new island master."

Qi Sheng suddenly realized.

Feng Xingzi once said that there are forty-four top masters in this cave, but there are only twenty-four islands here, which means that there are still twenty people without a place.

"Yes!"

Qi Sheng thought of the 'Old Man of Tiantan' who had attacked Ming Xuzi and Lai Wen earlier. That old man was just wandering around outside, probably because he hadn't managed to occupy an island.

The moment Qi Sheng had this thought, a streak of light struck and landed on the island on the eagle's back.

"A struggle for control of the island?"

Qi Sheng thought he would see it soon, but he saw one streak of light fall and another streak of light fly up, without any conflict whatsoever.

Feng Xingzi said, "That island was seized by the Ghost Sect's 'Old Man Tiantan' and has been occupied for sixty years. Later, several Ghost Sect experts came and two more occupied two islands. Since then, these people have taken turns guarding the three islands. When you came, Old Man Tiantan was out for a stroll, and the person guarding the island for him was also a Ghost Sect figure, known as 'Pork Rib Immortal'."

Qi Sheng looked at the streak of light that flew out and saw it disappear, revealing a figure that was indeed a tall, thin cultivator, bony and wiry. No wonder he was called that.

Rotation?

Letting out for some fresh air?

Qi Sheng looked at the old man in the Heavenly Pool, then at the Rib Immortal, and felt that his knowledge had greatly increased.

……

Meanwhile, the old man from the pool returned and looked at where Qi Sheng was. He chuckled and said, "I was just about to tell everyone that a newcomer has arrived, but I never expected that the newcomer would take the initiative to report for duty."

He scrutinized Qi Sheng from head to toe: "He is so handsome and skilled in the 'Sword Light Splitting' technique. I wonder which family he belongs to?"

The old man spoke in a condescending tone; having been the island's owner for sixty years, he certainly had the right to do so.

Qi Sheng wasn't interested in what island lord it was, but these twenty-four islands were the most concentrated place of spiritual energy in this place. If one cultivated here, one would achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Moreover, being in the middle of the lake, this location made it convenient for him to observe the lakebed and explore its mysteries.

Therefore.

There's no time like the present, and even better than today, so let's do it right here at Tian Tan Old Man's place!

Qi Sheng immediately stepped forward and declared, "Qi Sheng, a traitor of the Netherworld Sect, requests to fight the Old Man of Tiantan!"

……

(End of this chapter)