Chapter 354: Earth Origin Essence Liquid
Chapter 354: Earth Origin Essence Liquid
Unbeknownst to Chen Mu, Luan Qiumei and Xia Yuye were startled.
If Chen Mu had been present at the scene and witnessed Xia Yuye's 'Reverse Yin-Yang' technique, he would have been equally astonished and would have tried to learn a thing or two, as the Yin-Yang Domain could reverse the changes of heaven and earth within a certain range. Thus, his Heaven and Earth Principle could also 'Turn the World Upside Down', allowing him to learn any technique under the heavens.
As for Xia Yuye and the others only being aware of Ji Yuanshan's death but not certain that he was killed by Chen Mu, this was also something he wouldn't bother with. Even if he knew, it wouldn't matter, for killing Ji Yuanshan was nothing to him now, and there was no room for reconciliation between him and the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion.
After killing Ji Yuanshan and the other two, Chen Mu only gained three Spirit Armaments.
After all, they had just entered the Earth Abyss and hadn't yet gathered any treasures. However, these three Spirit Armaments were still a decent haul. Aside from Fu Jingyuan and the Blood Concealment Grandmaster, Ji Yuanshan's Spring-Autumn Sword was an exceptional Spirit Armament of considerable value.
The only trouble was that he had just entered the Earth Abyss and now had three additional Spirit Armaments to carry. Fortunately, both the Spring-Autumn Sword and Fu Jingyuan's Spirit Armament were of a type that was relatively easy to carry. The same went for the Blood Concealment Grandmaster's Spirit Armament, which was a three-inch-long flying needle, insidious and extreme, but even more convenient to bring along.
After ensuring no one was following him.
Chen Mu ventured into the Earth Abyss alone, gradually exploring deeper and deeper.
The more he explored, the more amazed Chen Mu was at the vastness of the Earth Abyss. Just this top layer was almost as large as the entire Frost County on the surface, lacking only the mountainous terrain.
And this layer was merely the surface; the depth below was truly infinite. From ancient times to the present, no one had ever been able to determine the true size of the Earth Abyss, nor had anyone ever reached the very bottom of the Spring-Autumn Abyss.
Not long after.
Chen Mu discovered a cave leading to a deeper layer. After a brief contemplation, he stepped inside.
The topmost layer of the Earth Abyss was the least dangerous. The Seven-Stage Ancient Demon from before was likely drawn by the commotion caused by the opening of the Earth Abyss. The creatures that usually hovered around the surface were at most on par with the Wolf Demon. However, resources on the surface were also scarce. At the very least, Chen Mu had wandered for half a day, covering hundreds of miles, yet found nothing.
As Chen Mu ventured deeper into the cave, descending about two hundred zhang, he reached a deeper layer of the Earth Abyss. Here, he felt a stronger sense of oppression, causing him to proceed with even greater caution.
Not long after.
Bang!
Suddenly, in the silent wasteland, the ground ruptured, and a pair of sharp, scythe-like giant fangs lunged towards Chen Mu, aiming to tear him apart at the waist and sever him in two. From the broken ground below, a giant Taotie mouth appeared.
Chen Mu's expression remained calm and unchanging, and his figure hovered in the air before abruptly shifting sideways, moving away from the giant fangs' point of attack. Then, he raised his fist and struck it heavily upon the half-broken fangs.
Crack!
This nearly ten-foot-long fang, under Chen Mu's punch, cracked and broke apart at the waist, and the half-broken fang flew sideways.
"Gah..."
A painful howl echoed from beneath the wasteland.
Only then did Chen Mu look down and see that the attacker was a bizarre giant bug, ten zhang long, with a black carapace covering its body, and emitting a surging Demon Energy. Although he couldn't identify the creature, its aura was undoubtedly that of a Seven-Stage being.
This Bug King failed to attack Chen Mu, and after having its fangs broken by a single strike, it howled in pain and decided to retreat. The lower half of its body suddenly exerted force, trying to curl back into the depths of the earth to escape.
However, Chen Mu's gaze turned cold, and he didn't let it go.
His figure hovered in the air, and in a flash, he appeared above the giant bug's head. With one hand, he grabbed another protruding fang and pulled with all his might.
Boom!!!
The wasteland ruptured and shattered, and Chen Mu forcibly pulled the nearly ten-zhang-long body of the giant bug out of the earth. Then, holding its fang with his left hand, he struck it with a palm print from his right hand.
A cracking sound was heard, and the carapace on its head shattered under Chen Mu's palm, and its insides were turned into a pulp.
However.
Even with this fatal strike, the giant bug didn't die immediately. Instead, it started writhing and rolling around frantically.
Seeing this, Chen Mu didn't want to cause too much of a commotion. He struck it with two more palm prints, straightening its body, and then he slammed it to the ground, gradually losing its vitality.
"Indeed, there are many nameless Seven-Stage Demon Kings in this Earth Abyss."
Chen Mu glanced at the giant bug's corpse.
On the ground, any Demon King above the Seven-Stage was typically recorded in the Great Xuan Demon Record, each with its unique title, like the Black Flood Dragon. However, in the Earth Abyss, there were numerous types of Seven-Stage Demons, most without specific names. This bizarre giant bug, resembling a centipede, was not documented in any of the records Chen Mu had seen.
But whether or not it was recorded didn't concern Chen Mu. At that moment, he descended from the air and landed next to the giant bug's corpse. With his right hand, he tore apart the carapace, releasing a stream of Essence Energy, and after seizing its body for a moment, he quickly extracted a small clump of dark blood.
Although Seven-Stage beings were treasures in themselves, for the current Chen Mu, most were not worth his attention, nor was it worth the effort to carry them. The only thing that barely met his standards was the 'Heart Blood'.
"If only there were a storage treasure..."
Chen Mu sighed inwardly, longing once again for a Spirit Armament like the 'Heaven and Earth Flask', which had an internal Cavern. Having one would be incredibly convenient for him.
Chen Mu stored the small clump of bluish-purple Demon King's essence blood into a jade vessel he always carried with him, but his thoughts turned to the demon skin map he had obtained earlier.
After studying the simplified map from the Qi Xuan Sect, he had been trying to recall and decipher the contents of the demon skin map. By comparing the two, he had a rough understanding and realized that the demon skin map seemed to record a specific location within the Earth Abyss.
If his judgment was correct, that place was quite deep, at least in the third layer or even further down.
To reach that location, he would need to descend at least one more layer and then attempt to find its position according to the map.
"Let's take it slow," Chen Mu thought after a brief contemplation.
On one hand, the location was too deep, making it not easy to find. On the other hand, the area recorded on the map might not necessarily contain any treasures, or it could be something that couldn't be taken away. Moreover, it had been over a hundred years since the last time the Earth Abyss in Ice Province had opened, and there had been significant changes within the Earth Abyss. Even if he searched along the way, he might not be able to find that place.
At least, during Chen Mu's previous exploration in the upper layers, he had noticed that a large part of the terrain was quite different from what was recorded on the Qi Xuan Sect's map. The map indicated two passages leading to a deeper layer of the Earth Abyss, but when he went there, they didn't exist.
Perhaps they had existed a hundred years ago, but after a hundred years of changes in the earth's meridians, they had likely been sealed off.
Chen Mu continued his exploration, moving forward through the rugged Earth Abyss.
This second layer of the Earth Abyss was darker and more dimly lit than the layer above, and the height was also lower. The highest places were only seven or eight zhang tall, and the shortest areas were only a few zhang high. It could be considered a cave without any issues.
Chen Mu restrained his aura and fully opened his senses, maintaining a quick pace as he moved forward.
At this moment, he was still exploring according to the Qi Xuan Sect's map. The map had the most detailed information about the first layer, and there was also some information about the second layer. It recorded many passages leading to the third layer, but Chen Mu wasn't sure how many of these passages still existed. However, he decided to check each one, as it was better than flying around aimlessly.
And so, he continued in a certain direction, traveling several hundred li deeper into the Earth Abyss.
Chen Mu arrived at the nearest cave entrance recorded on the Qi Xuan Sect's map, but the terrain here had already undergone significant changes. The map indicated a valley, but now it was completely flat, and no caves were visible.
"It seems to be sealed off," Chen Mu thought after carefully sensing the area. He shook his head slightly and then headed towards another location.
The next location was much further away, over a thousand li distant. Although for Chen Mu, with his movement techniques, a thousand li was nothing, but that was on the ground.
The Earth Abyss exerted a strong oppressive force on everyone, hindering their movements. Additionally, to avoid potential crises, one had to remain vigilant and constantly sense the surrounding environment. Chen Mu was always cautious, especially since this was his first time entering an unfamiliar Earth Abyss. He was unaware of the situation here and would not act recklessly.
And so, Chen Mu followed the annotations on the map, heading towards the location of the next cave. He traveled nearly six hundred li, and during this journey, he encountered two more attacks. However, these were not Seventh Rank Demon Kings but merely two Sixth Rank Great Demons.
It was clear that even in the second layer of the Earth Abyss, Seventh Rank Demon Kings were not common.
"Hmm?"
Just as Chen Mu continued his exploration for another hundred li, he suddenly furrowed his brows slightly, sensing a faintly different fluctuation. He turned his gaze towards another direction in the front left.
After exploring the Earth Abyss for several days, Chen Mu had become quite familiar with its environment. With his current sensory abilities, he could keenly detect even the slightest abnormal fluctuations.
After a brief contemplation, Chen Mu changed direction and headed towards the area where the fluctuations were felt.
As he drew closer, he sensed the distinct aura of vitality, a rich and vibrant life force that filled the air. After moving forward a bit further, he finally saw it—a valley that stretched for several hundred li, sunken downwards.
At the bottom of the valley, there was a small spring about a foot in diameter. The spring water wasn't turbulent or clear; instead, it resembled a spiritual paste, thick and white, emanating an irresistible aura of life.
"Earth Origin Essence Liquid," Chen Mu recognized it at a glance.
While the Earth Origin Essence Liquid wasn't extremely rare, its value depended on the quantity. It was a 'hard currency' among Grandmasters, just like Yuan Stones, and could be used to trade for various treasures in place of 'gold.'
A small amount, like a half-pot or a full pot, wasn't worth much, but this spring seemed to be about a foot in diameter, and its depth seemed considerable. Such a quantity would be quite valuable.
However, faced with this resource, Chen Mu's brows furrowed in concern.
The reason was simple.
Just like the Bug King he had killed earlier, the quantity was slightly larger, making it inconvenient to carry.
After a moment's hesitation, Chen Mu reluctantly shook his head. Encountering something he couldn't ignore, he stepped forward and approached the pool of Earth Origin Essence Liquid.
Just as he was about to reach the ten-zhu range, a faint glow flashed in the dim valley, and a sharp light suddenly shot out from Chen Mu's left side, attacking his face!
Despite the sudden and swift attack, Chen Mu had anticipated it and could even see its full form.
It was a small snake-like demon, about a chi long, with four wings on its back. It moved with incredible speed, reaching his face in the blink of an eye.
Although small in size, its explosive speed and concentrated demonic power were far more formidable than the bug demon Chen Mu had encountered earlier. After all, it was a demon capable of occupying such a source of Earth Origin Essence Liquid, and it was indeed recorded in the Demon Turmoil Records, allowing Chen Mu to identify its name.
A Whistling Snake!
Its four wings indicated that it had reached the eighth rank!
An eighth-rank Whistling Snake, occupying the advantage of the Earth Abyss, could launch a surprise attack that even a top-tier Grandmaster might not be able to defend against. However, for Chen Mu, the gap was too wide.
Even though the Whistling Snake attacked as fast as lightning, Chen Mu still managed to raise his right hand before it reached his face, grabbing its body and squeezing it tightly in his palm.
"Hiss..."
The Whistling Snake, held by Chen Mu, didn't struggle immediately. It flicked its tongue and opened its mouth, but instead of spitting out venom, it emitted a deep, bell-like hum! The sound exploded right in front of Chen Mu without any diffusion, directly impacting his body.
This sound was powerful enough to shatter a Grandmaster's eardrums and rupture their body, but it only caused Chen Mu's hair to stand on end slightly. He maintained his composure throughout.
The Whistling Snake's attack was ineffective, and its snake eyes finally revealed a human-like look of fear. It tried to retreat, but as it was already held by Chen Mu, its attempt was futile.
Crack!
Chen Mu exerted a little force with his fingers, and the snake's head snapped.
The Whistling Snake struggled frantically in Chen Mu's palm, its vast demonic power erupting in waves, but it was forcibly suppressed by the Primordial Essence True Force gathered in Chen Mu's hand, unable to break free. After several breaths of intense conflict, the snake's demonic power finally dissipated, and its broken head drooped as its life force gradually faded.
Chen Mu observed the dead snake in his palm, sensing its life force for a moment before confirming its demise. He then collected the body, placed it in his bag, and approached the pool of Earth Origin Essence Liquid.
Up close, he could sense the vibrant life force within the pool, a true essence extracted from the earth, deserving of its name. Such a substance could only exist in the Earth Abyss and was not found on the surface.
This entire pool of Earth Origin Essence Liquid was connected to the earth's meridians, nourished and accumulated by their power. Chen Mu stood beside it, carefully sensing the earth's energy below.
A rough estimate:
The depth was about three chi, and the width was about one chi. It was indeed a substantial amount, making it somewhat cumbersome to carry.
After a brief consideration, Chen Mu shook his head slightly. He extended his hand, and with a burst of Primordial Essence True Force, he caused the entire pool of Earth Origin Essence Liquid to vibrate violently, ripples forming on its viscous surface.
The Earth Origin Essence Liquid's connection to the earth's meridians created a more ferocious power than in other places. Even a Blood Transformation Realm expert would find it extremely difficult to move underground here, let alone delve deeper into the Earth Abyss.
However, Chen Mu only needed to sever the connection between the pool and the earth's meridians, which wasn't as challenging.
With a loud rumble, the connected earth's meridians finally broke apart, and the entire pool of liquid was forcibly lifted by Chen Mu, floating slowly into the air.
Chen Mu's eyes flashed, and he stomped on the ground, shattering countless mud and stones. Then, with a flick of his finger, these stones flew towards a central point, encapsulating the pool of liquid and transforming into a complete stone jade. It became a three-chi-long and one-chi-wide boulder, which Chen Mu then held in his hand.
Chen Mu weighed the stone, which was quite heavy due to the Earth Origin Essence Liquid. It was manageable on the ground but more cumbersome underground. Nevertheless, its value justified the effort required to carry it.
"Let's take a look at that entrance again."
Carrying the stone containing the Earth Origin Essence Liquid on his back, Chen Mu checked the direction once more.
The cave entrance leading to the third layer, as marked on the map, was not far away, just over a hundred li away. He decided to check it out, and if the entrance was sealed, he would return to the surface with the Earth Origin Essence Liquid and find a place to store it. If it wasn't sealed, he would observe if there were any other developments.
With this thought in mind, Chen Mu quickly disappeared into the dimness of the Earth Abyss, carrying the stone on his back.
(End of Chapter)
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