Chapter 198: "Chen Qiu's Death, A Grand Funeral in the World."

Chapter 198: "Chen Qiu's Death, A Grand Funeral in the World."

".”

Deep within the underground cavern, Chen Qiu used the Transformation Token to take on the appearance of a Dwarf Divine Transformer, quietly blending in with the injured crowd and heading deeper into the cavern.

He didn't kill another Dwarf Divine Transformer on the ground.

He was worried that if a Dwarf Divine Transformer died, they might actually be able to reincarnate, which would expose him.

Just then—

"Hey."

A Dwarf Divine Transformer suddenly strode up behind him, patted his shoulder, and examined him suspiciously, "You don't have any injuries, why are you among the injured?"

".”

Chen Qiu glanced at the Dwarf Divine Transformer who had patted his shoulder, his eyes blank and dazed. After half a day, he pointed to his head and said, "Divine Soul..."

"Oh, I see."

The Dwarf Divine Transformer suddenly realized, and then his tone carried a hint of regret, "So your divine soul is damaged. It's not easy to heal a damaged divine soul. It would have been better if you had damaged your divine soul earlier."

"Recently, there was a heavenly anomaly that could heal all injuries."

"But it's fine."

"Soon, we'll enter the Soul Revival Gate. Even if the damaged divine soul can't be fully repaired, it should be almost done by then."

"Follow me."

"I was wondering why a Divine Transformer like you was hanging out with these youngsters. It turns out your divine soul is damaged, and you can't find your way back."

With that!

The Dwarf Divine Transformer didn't wait for Chen Qiu's refusal. He grabbed Chen Qiu's shoulder, transformed into a streak of light, and shot towards the depths of the cavern, leaving the group.

Chen Qiu didn't say anything. He quietly followed this kind person, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Soul Revival Gate?"

From the sound of it, this Dwarf really had the means to revive the dead?

This three-day chaotic opportunity only increased cultivation progress when killing cultivators of the same level from other races. He really wanted to try it.

He wondered if he would increase his cultivation progress by transforming into a Dwarf through the Transformation Token and then killing a Dwarf Divine Transformer.

But after careful thought.

He guessed that the chances were slim.

After all, he was still human in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, even though he had transformed into a Dwarf in appearance, aura, and everything else.

With the kind person leading the way.

Their progress was much faster. After leaving the injured group, there was no need to move slowly. They proceeded at full speed.

The Dwarf Divine Transformer beside him had visibly lost a third of his body, with the right half completely reduced to dust. However, the Dwarf showed no worry, implying that the Dwarves indeed possessed some sort of life-reviving method.

After thousands of breaths.

After passing through a narrow tunnel like a birth canal, the space suddenly opened up, revealing a vast underground plaza.

A deep fissure in the earth.

In this vast plaza, countless buildings were scattered, and countless Dwarves were bustling about. It was clear that this was the Dwarves' headquarters, or one of several.

The surrounding materials were a dazzling black, impenetrable to spiritual sense.

Chen Qiu surveyed the surroundings, guessing they were about a few thousand zhang deep, but it was just a guess without a precise concept.

The tunnel they had traveled.

Wasn't entirely descending.

Occasionally, it would rise a little.

It was quite winding, making it difficult to gauge the depth.

At that moment, the Dwarf Divine Transformer led him through the crowd to the edge of the building complex, where a well was located. Injured Dwarves were lining up to jump into it one by one.

After one person jumped.

The next person waited for three breaths before jumping in.

No sound of splashing water could be heard.

The well seemed to never fill up. In just a short while, dozens of Dwarves had jumped in, but there was no sign of overflow.

"We're here."

The guiding Dwarf Divine Transformer stopped and patiently waited, casually saying, "I'll go down first, then you follow me. Don't get lost."

He glanced at Chen Qiu and saw his dazed expression.

Smiling, he said.

"Your divine soul seems severely damaged. You've even forgotten where we are. This is the Dwarves' Soul Revival Gate."

"It's also the entrance to the Netherworld."

"The Netherworld is another world. After death, if one doesn't become a vengeful spirit, they will go to the Netherworld seven days later to live and retain their memories."

"However, the living and the dead are separated, and there's no longer any connection with the living world."

"As the saying goes, the love between the living and the dead remains unfulfilled, and so it is."

The Dwarf Divine Transformer sighed, "I've been reading a lot of human books lately, and they often talk about the unfulfilled love between the living and the dead. It's quite touching."

"I know you. You're from the Seventh Clan, and I'm from the Ninth Clan."

"Logically speaking—"

"The living world and the Netherworld are absolutely separated. However, a hundred years ago, a Dwarf Divine Transformer discovered this entrance to the Netherworld, which was revealed by the world."

"That was when the sky collapsed in Quzhou. When the sky fell in Quzhou, the ground on our side also collapsed, and later we found that this collapse led to the Netherworld."

"This well is the entrance to the Netherworld. Of course, only the dead can enter. So, when you enter the Netherworld, you're considered dead."

"Usually, the wandering souls that enter the Netherworld are in a ghostly state. You'll need to recreate your body in the Netherworld, which is a simple process that doesn't consume any heavenly treasures."

"This process can completely heal all your injuries, and then you can return to the living world."

"This is the fastest and most efficient way to heal all your injuries."

"This is also the Dwarves' greatest confidence in their future domination of the entire Xuantian Continent.

"The Dwarf Divine Transformer's eyes flashed with a hint of fanaticism, 'And even if a member of the Dwarf Race dies, their Yin Soul will return to the Netherworld after seven days. After their body is recreated, they can return to the mortal realm once more!'"

"It's a continuous cycle of life and death. The Dwarves will never truly die out and will eventually dominate the entire Xuantian Continent!"

"Of course, since your divine soul is damaged, you might need to spend more time in the Netherworld to gather the necessary heavenly treasures to heal it."

Chen Qiu narrowed his eyes without saying a word. Indeed, his inner suspicions were correct—the Dwarf Race possessed the ability to travel back and forth between the Netherworld and the mortal realm, achieving a state akin to immortality.

Just then—

The Dwarf Divine Transformer turned his head towards him, a hint of pride in his eyes as he smiled, "After entering the Netherworld, if you have over 1,000 virtue points, you can automatically condense a virtue body."

"The stronger your virtue points, the stronger the condensed body will be."

"I have over 3,000 virtue points. Once I go down, I won't need to gather materials to create a body; it will automatically condense."

"The virtue body doesn't consume your virtue points. The more virtue points you have before death, the stronger your virtue body will be. Virtue points are useless in the Netherworld; you can't use them, and you can't earn more there."

"However, for most people, going to the Netherworld means they can't return. Even if virtue points aren't consumed, it's meaningless. But this is beneficial for us Dwarves. As long as we Dwarves have the ability to travel freely between the mortal realm and the Netherworld, we can dominate the entire Xuantian Continent!"

"In just three breaths, they can return to the mortal realm without a scratch."

"How many virtue points do you have?"

". . ."

Chen Qiu's eyes widened, and he blinked, not speaking. A strand of drool trickled from the corner of his mouth to his chin, clearly showing signs of a severely damaged divine soul and a confused state of mind.

Suddenly, he felt that he had a knack for playing the fool.

And being a fool seemed quite happy.

No need to think, no need to speak, and no need for facial expressions; he only needed to maintain this otherworldly look.

"Forget it."

Seeing Chen Qiu's state, the Dwarf Divine Transformer didn't say much. He patted Chen Qiu's shoulder meaningfully and laughed, "It seems you've truly forgotten a lot."

"Don't worry, follow me."

The two headed straight for the well. As a Divine Transformer, he was already one of the strongest warriors among the Dwarves and naturally had the right to cut in line.

The Dwarf Divine Transformer jumped into the dry well right in front of him.

After waiting for a breath at the well's entrance, Chen Qiu looked around and then jumped in as well.

After falling for about three breaths—

He felt like he was falling into an extremely viscous liquid. Everything was pitch-black, and his spiritual sense couldn't reach out. After another three breaths—

The sticky sensation around him instantly disappeared.

A refreshing feeling washed over him.

Chen Qiu's vision also completely revealed a new world. Brown land, littered with clumps of dirt, and a hazy sky without the sun, making the light dim.

He looked down at his body.

It was semi-transparent, in the so-called Yin Soul state.

"Is this... death?"

Chen Qiu calmly looked at his right hand. He couldn't see veins or bones, and he could even see the clumps of dirt on the ground through his arm.

His entire body felt weightless.

Light as a feather.

Just then—

A sinister laugh suddenly rang in his ear, "I never thought this day would come. I've finally gotten my chance. We've been enemies for so many years, and it's time to settle this here and now!"

"Who made you so bold as to damage my divine soul that even I don't recognize you!"

"This is the Netherworld. Even if I kill you, the clan leader won't know. If I kill you here, you'll be completely erased from the mortal realm!"

As soon as he finished speaking—

He felt a strand of spiritual attack pierce his sea of consciousness, but it had no effect on him, like being bitten by a mosquito.

". . ."

Chen Qiu turned to look at the Dwarf Divine Transformer who had been leading the way, now standing behind him with a sinister smile, his eyes filled with the thrill of revenge!

"You—"

Seeing that Chen Qiu wasn't turning into ashes as he had expected, the Dwarf Divine Transformer, also in the Yin Soul state, froze in place. Then, subconsciously, he sent several spiritual attacks towards Chen Qiu.

But there was no response, like throwing stones into the ocean.

Instead, the dazed look in Chen Qiu's eyes vanished, and he appeared calm and unaffected by the damaged divine soul, simply staring at him.

"You fucking liar!"

"Your divine soul wasn't damaged at all!"

The Dwarf Divine Transformer quickly realized this and a shadow passed through his eyes. He immediately tried to run away, preparing to break through the surrounding barrier.

However—

Chen Qiu was faster. A "Piercing Heart Thorn" instantly entered the Dwarf Divine Transformer's body, and his Yin Soul instantly turned into a wisp of blue smoke, dissipating in the air.

". . ."

After a while, Chen Qiu looked at his cultivation progress and laughed. He raised his head and whispered to his surroundings, "It seems I've come to the right place."

-

"Cultivation": First Rank Divine Transformation (70%).

-

Two points.

The first point: Even though he used the transformation token to become a Dwarf, the Dwarf Race was still considered a foreign race to him. Killing a foreign race Divine Transformer also increased his cultivation progress by 10%.

The second point: In the Netherworld, the chaotic world opportunity was still effective.

The Netherworld should have accumulated many foreign race Divine Transformers over the years, and they were all substantial supplements to greatly enhance his strength.

There were only two of them here.

After the Dwarf Divine Transformer turned into a wisp of blue smoke and disappeared, only Chen Qiu remained. He looked around and saw a milky white dome covering this area.

It wasn't very big, with a diameter of about ten zhang.

According to the Dwarf Clan's explanation, in the Netherworld, if one has virtue points, they will automatically condense into a physical body. However, he remains in the state of a Yin soul.

From this perspective, the area inside the dome should be a transit station of sorts, and only by leaving this dome will one truly enter the Netherworld.

There were quite a few Dwarves who jumped into the well just now.

But here, only he and the Dwarf Divine Transformer are present; the others have disappeared without a trace.

Chen Qiu waved his right arm in the air.

His Heavenly Path Ring and other items were all on his Yin soul body, but he couldn't use any of them. He couldn't even establish a connection with his own ring.

He couldn't even activate his Soul Transformation Realm.

It was unclear if there would be any changes once he condensed into a physical body.

He surveyed his surroundings; it was a desolate wasteland with nothing special. He chose a direction at random and started walking.

The journey through the Netherworld had officially begun!

But Chen Qiu wasn't sure about this.

The moment he jumped into the entrance and entered the Netherworld, an ancient and ethereal Heavenly Edict resounded across the vast Xuantian Continent—

"Heavenly Edict: The Heavenly Dao has sensed that the Human Cultivator, the Sect Leader of the Heaven-defying Sect, the Heavenly Sage, the Heavenly Villain, the Protector of Humans, and the Supreme Celestial Prodigy, Chen Qiu, should be remembered for eternity. However, Heaven was envious of his talent and at the Hour of the Snake, his body and soul were completely destroyed, returning to the Dao of Heaven."

With the passing of such a Celestial Prodigy, all beings mourn, and Heaven and Earth hold a grand funeral.

Immediately following this—

An unprecedented heavenly omen enveloped the entire Xuantian Continent.

It was the season of spring, a time of rebirth for all things.

Yet, a blanket of white snow covered the entire continent, falling on every corner, with the sound of suona horns echoing in the ears of all living beings.

As the snow fell to the ground, it transformed into bright red rose flowers, like fresh blood.

Countless red roses scattered on the ground, and at a glance, it seemed as if Heaven had shed tears of blood for Chen Qiu's departure.

This heavenly omen lasted for an entire hour.

Only then did it slowly fade away.

This Heavenly Edict was more shocking than any other, and almost every living being on the Xuantian Continent held their breath unconsciously upon hearing it. Each person's mind was filled with disbelief.

How... How could this be possible!

How could Chen Qiu possibly be dead! He was a Supreme Celestial Prodigy with a Twelfth Rank Nascent Soul and a Twelfth Stage Soul Transformation Realm!

But—

The grand funeral of Heaven and Earth!

This couldn't be fake; heavenly omens never lie, and neither do Heavenly Edicts. Until the heavenly omen gradually dissipated—

Some people slowly reacted, feeling excitement, sorrow, confusion, or disbelief, regardless of what they were thinking.

But one thing was certain.

Chen Qiu was truly dead; he had truly perished.

At that moment—

Ao Tian, standing at the entrance to the underground cavern, froze in place upon hearing the Heavenly Edict. After a long moment, he turned his head towards the entrance in disbelief.

Is Chen Qiu dead?

Impossible!

He couldn't believe that anyone in this world could kill Chen Qiu, but the appearance of this Heavenly Edict forced him to accept it. However, with Chen Qiu's abilities, he had reached the peak of Divine Transformation as soon as he entered that stage. How could he possibly die here!

Just then—

Fatty Dragon, standing nearby, suddenly had red eyes and transformed into a streak of light, shooting towards the entrance of the underground cavern with incredible speed, leaving the others unable to react.

Except for Ao Tian.

"Come back."

Ao Tian's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a mighty surge of spiritual energy pulled Fatty Dragon back. Seeing Fatty Dragon about to roar, Ao Tian immediately used his spiritual energy to block Fatty Dragon's mouth, his expression serious as he said, "Fatty Dragon, calm down, don't be hasty."

"I know what you're thinking, but now is not the time for revenge. For the Dragon Clan, you are indeed very important, but I'm not stopping you out of fear for your life."

"But think carefully, do you really believe Chen Qiu is dead?"

As soon as he finished speaking—

The scholar standing with a sword in his arms showed no trace of sorrow on his face. He shook his head calmly and said, "No, if anyone in this world has died, Brother Qiu wouldn't have either."

"With Brother Qiu's abilities, to kill him, one must be a Condensation Void Realm cultivator. But even if a Condensation Void Realm cultivator could kill Brother Qiu, they wouldn't get away unscathed."

He knew that Brother Qiu had a self-destruct clause, and in a life-threatening situation, he could detonate all his clauses, and few could withstand that.

Rather than believing that Brother Qiu was dead—

He believed that Brother Qiu had issued this Heavenly Edict himself.

"That's right."

Ao Tian nodded seriously, then turned to Fatty Dragon again and said in a low voice, "The Dragon Clan is not ungrateful. Since the Dwarf Clan has signed a Ten Thousand Year Blood Pact with the Dragon Clan, if Chen Qiu truly died at the hands of the Dwarf Clan, the Dragon Clan will have no hesitation. We will slaughter the Dwarf Clan together to avenge Chen Qiu."

"But now—"

"We need to first confirm if Chen Qiu is truly dead, to avoid making hasty decisions that might affect Chen Qiu's plan."

He had a vague idea about Chen Qiu's intentions when Chen Qiu insisted on going down himself, but he wasn't entirely sure.

After calming Fatty Dragon down, Ao Tian turned to the Demon Clan leader standing beside him and said in a low voice, "Can you ask a Noble Condensation Void Realm expert to investigate?"

"If my brother truly died at the hands of the Dwarf Clan, it must have been a Condensation Void Realm expert who did it, and that expert wouldn't have escaped unscathed. We just need to find out if the Dwarf Clan's Condensation Void Realm cultivator is injured to uncover the truth."

"Agreed!"

The Demon Clan leader's expression turned solemn, setting aside his usual lighthearted demeanor. He said, "I'll ask the Demon Clan Patriarch to come out of seclusion."

If Chen Qiu truly died at the hands of the Dwarf Clan, it would be a serious problem.

No Condensation Void Realm cultivator could do it.

Even the Demon Clan couldn't handle Chen Qiu, so how could the Dwarf Clan have the ability to kill Chen Qiu without a Condensation Void Realm cultivator?

There must be some secret trump card that the Demon Race is unaware of, so even if Ao Tian doesn't speak, he intends to ask the Patriarch to emerge from seclusion and investigate the truth.

Let's see what the situation is.

To be honest, he doesn't believe that Chen Qiu could have died at the hands of the Dwarf Race, a filthy and despicable clan. Although they are not of the same race, Chen Qiu's achievements along the way have earned his admiration, and he refuses to believe that such a figure could be killed by the Dwarves.

But the Heavenly Path Edict cannot be falsified.

Nor can the heavenly earth omens be faked.

Moreover, on the Xuantian Continent's Virtue Points Rankings, Sin Points Rankings, and Nascent Soul Battle Power Rankings, Chen Qiu's name has already disappeared.

Chen Qiu's death, a grand funeral for the world.

This heavenly earth omen, like a spring rain, has suddenly brought numerous top-tier powers to the Central Province of the Xuantian Continent. Those reclusive top-tier powers of the Central Province are now resurfacing one after another.

They are announcing to the world that they have emerged from seclusion and are joining the world of conflict.

In no time—

Message after message, like flying feathers, radiated out from the Central Province to the surrounding areas.

-

The Profound Heaven Sect of the Central Province announces the end of its seclusion, officially emerging and joining the world of conflict!

The Qi Family of the Central Province announces the end of its seclusion, officially emerging and joining the world of conflict!

The Falling Petal Valley of the Central Province announces the end of its seclusion, officially emerging and joining the world of conflict!

In the Upper Nine Provinces, the Crystal Palace of Ji Province announces the end of its seclusion, officially emerging and joining the world of conflict!

In the Lower Nine Provinces, Yi Zhou—

"They've finally come out."

At the Profound Heaven Sect in the Central Province, which had been abandoned for a long time due to its seclusion, numerous sect disciples are now bustling about, cleaning up the mountain. They have officially emerged from their Mini Universe.

The second elder of the Profound Heaven Sect stands with his hands on his hips, his face full of excitement as he closes his eyes and sniffs the air, murmuring, "The air of the Xuantian Continent is sweet."

"It was too oppressive in the Mini Universe, I couldn't bear it."

"Now that Chen Qiu is finally dead, the Profound Heaven Sect no longer needs to seclude itself. Just in time to join this world of conflict, there are many opportunities for the sect to seize."

The other elders nearby are also smiling.

"It seems that the ancestral teachings aren't always right. They said that when the Mock Heaven Sect emerged, only seclusion could save us from a calamity. But now it seems that the Mock Heaven Sect isn't as strong as our ancestors said. They had their moment of glory, but it didn't last long before they died."

"I've wanted to say this for a long time. Tens of thousands of years ago, the Mock Heaven Sect had millions of Sword Cultivators. Now, the Mock Heaven Sect only has Chen Qiu, and the rest of the disciples are a bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled. How can they compare to the past?"

"It's just that the Sect Leader is too cautious. Otherwise, I think we have nothing to fear from Chen Qiu."

"Who can argue with that? By secluding ourselves, we've missed out on many opportunities. Recently, there have been many Heavenly Dao Secret Realms descending, and the Grand Array sealing the Mini Universe has wasted countless Heavenly Materials."

Unlike the many Profound Heaven Sect elders on this side who are smiling and celebrating Chen Qiu's death and the opportunity to join the world of conflict, at the peak of the Profound Heaven Sect, the sect leader stands with a neutral expression, hands behind his back, gazing at the distant clouds. He speaks softly, "Only you have had close contact with Chen Qiu. Do you really think he's dead?"

". . ."

The Profound Heaven Sect's first elder, standing beside him, remains silent for a long time before speaking softly, "I don't think Chen Qiu is dead. Only those who have seen him in person can sense his strength and that... conviction."

"A person like Chen Qiu, even if he dies, wouldn't pass away so quietly."

"We don't even know where or how Chen Qiu died."

"With Chen Qiu's strength, only a Soul Refinement Stage expert could kill him."

"But..."

"No matter which Soul Refinement Stage expert killed Chen Qiu, their followers would definitely come forward and boast about it. It's something worth boasting about, after all, as Chen Qiu was the most prominent Celestial Prodigy on the Xuantian Continent."

"The strange thing is that, up until now, not a single person has come forward to claim they killed Chen Qiu. As for dying in a Heavenly Dao Secret Realm, that's like a fairy tale."

"I'd rather believe Chen Qiu committed suicide than believe he died so easily."

After a long while, the sect leader of the Profound Heaven Sect sighs and says softly, "I agree with you, but the Heavenly Path Edict and the heavenly earth omens cannot be deceived."

"The Profound Heaven Sect isn't just one person."

"The elders and disciples all want to come out after hearing of Chen Qiu's death. There's no stopping them."

"I've sent someone to the Dao Gua Sect. Let's see if they have any information."

The Dao Gua Sect is the most powerful Divination Cultivator sect in the Central Province, and all its members are Divination Cultivators.

When the top-tier powers of the Central Province went into seclusion, the Dao Gua Sect was the first to choose seclusion. If the Dao Gua Sect also confirms Chen Qiu's death, then this matter can be considered settled.

On the Xuantian Continent, in the Central Province, at the Dao Gua Sect.

Inside the Dao Gua Sect, which has also emerged from seclusion, a disciple looks at the dozens of visiting sect elders and speaks calmly, "Please be patient, elders. Our sect leader is personally divining the omens. We will inform you as soon as we have news."

Not only the Profound Heaven Sect, but also many of the top-tier powers of the Central Province have sent people to inquire about the news.

At the back mountain of the Dao Gua Sect, the sect leader sits atop a peak, activating the First Rank Divine Transformation Realm 'Divination Heaven Earth'. He gazes calmly at the divination stone in his hand.

'Divination Heaven Earth'.

A Divine Transformation Realm suitable for Divination Cultivators.

Many divination methods of Divination Cultivators require the consumption of their own lifespan as a cost.

If one possesses this Divine Transformation Realm, it will first consume the lifespan of the beings within the realm who are in a bound state, including Spirit Herbs, Spirit Trees, and Spirit Beasts.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end