Chapter 399: A Fine Line Between Realms

Chapter 399: A Fine Line Between Realms

In the Earthly Sea, one of the Seven Plunging Abyss, the Qiangliang Abyss, was hanging upside down from the sky.

A Jin Dawu, a general of the Tang Dynasty's Shence Army, found himself within its turbulent depths.

The abyssal sea began to stir, and in a vast area, a vortex hanging upside down from the sky started to form.

Spiritual energy intertwined with an ominous miasma, emitting a powerful suction that drew in and devoured all nearby, regardless of their allegiance.

Countless human cultivators and Jiu Li folk were dragged into the vortex, where spiritual energy and ominous miasma swirled.

Jin Dawu arrived just in time and bravely faced the challenge, slashing his sword towards the center of the vortex.

The vortex distorted, and its pulling force towards the four directions momentarily stalled.

Some Tang soldiers who had been dragged into its pull managed to seize the opportunity and break free.

Jin Dawu's eyes narrowed as he saw that beneath the torn vortex, spiritual energy and ominous miasma intertwined, forming a path that extended downwards.

A blood-red path.

It seemed to exude the principles and aesthetics of the Blood River lineage of the Witch Gate, but the blood river had transformed into a blood road.

The blood road was solid, and upon closer inspection, Jin Dawu realized that this path appeared to be woven together from countless fu talismans.

The blood road plunged deep into the Qiangliang Abyss, into the abyssal sea below.

However, since the Qiangliang Abyss hung upside down in mid-air, the blood road that extended downwards also seemed like an ascending path to the heavens when viewed from a distance.

Yet, it was vastly different from the fu talisman lineage of the Daoist School that was familiar to the Tang cultivators.

It exuded a sense of contradiction and disharmony.

On that ascending blood road, there was nothing but a single person.

A youth with a slender and frail-looking build, but his thin frame seemed to contain a unique power.

"...Chen Yi?"

Jin Dawu's eyes widened as he recognized the youth's face from memory. It was the same face as the one on the wanted poster, and he identified the youth before him.

This person was a former disciple of the Heavenly Master's Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain in the Tang Dynasty.

However, after Chen Yi left Dragon Tiger Mountain, he had briefly joined the Court Guard, established by the court.

But later on, he left the Court Guard as well, and news spread that Chen Yi was associated with the Humanly Dao Country.

Thus, in the current Tang Dynasty, Chen Yi was officially a wanted criminal.

But his whereabouts were uncertain, as he had first been protected by the Cangzhou Ye Clan, who helped hide his traces.

Previously, due to conflicts between the Jiu Li and the Cangzhou Ye Clan, Chen Yi's whereabouts were exposed, and he subsequently entered the Luo Abyss.

Jin Dawu was surprised to see Chen Yi here, as the Luo Abyss had only recently reconnected with the Earthly Sea.

Chen Yi, a wanted criminal, was now threatening Jin Dawu and his soldiers.

Without hesitation, Jin Dawu slashed his sword.

The Jiu Li experts, who had been fighting the Tang soldiers earlier, were now forced to temporarily ally with Jin Dawu to destroy the sudden vortex in the Qiangliang Abyss. They needed to deal with this unexpected common enemy first to prevent Chen Yi from taking advantage of the situation.

Chen Yi stood calmly on the ascending blood road, unfazed by the sudden alliance between the Tang cultivators and the Jiu Li folk.

The straight blood road suddenly became winding and tortuous.

A vast blood energy flowed upon it.

Chen Yi made no move to resist.

But this boundless blood energy stopped Jin Dawu and the others in their tracks.

A sense of impending danger arose in Jin Dawu's mind, and without thinking further, he quickly withdrew.

The Jiu Li expert was slightly slower, and in an instant, his entire body was dyed blood-red.

On the surface of his body, sinister yet intricate fu talismans appeared.

His entire body seemed to transform into a giant fu talisman, upon which Chen Yi painted.

As the blood-red fu talismans flowed, the Jiu Li expert couldn't suppress a muffled groan, and his body staggered backwards.

What a sinister and extraordinary technique... Even Jin Dawu, who stood by, was startled by this display.

Chen Yi didn't pursue them, but instead, looked into the distance.

Far away, countless Tang cultivators and Jiu Li folk were engaged in battle, among them were top experts like Li Tianqing and Shen Quibing.

"It's roughly sufficient, no need to take further risks. If so, let's end it here."

Chen Yi didn't mind killing, he only cared about meeting his own needs.

At this point, Tang cultivators, Jiu Li folk, and even the demons of the Luo Abyss were all the same to him.

He had walked his solitary path to reach where he was today, and he had long become indifferent to all of this.

The only thing he cared about was enhancing his own power.

If it was necessary, he would kill.

If they stood in his way, he would kill.

He had persevered and insisted on walking his path, and now, he had walked a blood road to the heavens.

As for past grudges, with his enhanced power, difficult enemies, and challenges no longer existed.

What he had lost would one day be regained.

Looking at Jin Dawu, who had come from the human realm of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Yi's eyes flickered slightly, but he made no move to attack.

He would definitely return to the Tang Dynasty one day, but it wouldn't be because of the Cangzhou Ye Clan or the Humanly Dao Country. It would be for himself.

On the surface of the Qiangliang Abyss, spiritual energy and ominous miasma continued to intertwine, and amidst the rolling clouds and flowing mist, the blood road extended upwards before disappearing into the depths of the Qiangliang Abyss.

Jin Dawu, being from the Tang Shence Army, had extensive knowledge, even though he couldn't be considered a walking encyclopedia.

As an Upper Three Heavens cultivator, he vaguely sensed that Chen Yi, who walked the blood road, was seizing the opportunity of the chaotic battle in the Earthly Sea to breakthrough from the Seventh to the Eighth Upper Heaven.

According to Jin Dawu's memory, Chen Yi should be around seventy years old.

From this perspective, his cultivation speed was fast, but not exceptionally so.

However, this person had combined the Blood River lineage of the Witch Gate with the fu talisman lineage of the Daoist School, and other principles and aesthetics, gradually achieving a profound understanding and blazing a completely new cultivation path, with few precedents to reference.

Undoubtedly, the difficulty of his cultivation path was far greater than that of other cultivators.

But not only had he reached the Upper Three Heavens, he had now completed the accumulation needed to breakthrough from the Seventh to the Eighth Upper Heaven, taking a completely new step forward.

What kind of future awaited him? It was hard to predict.

Lei Jun's path of cultivation was undoubtedly a violent and sinister one.

Although Chen Yi had retreated, Jin Daohu's heart was still heavy. He quickly reminded other Great Tang cultivators to be mindful.

..............

Tian Shi Lei Jun, made a low-key return to the celestial world.

He headed east, entering Gui Cang.

And from there, he ventured into the depths of the earth sea.

Various messages from the earth sea poured in.

Upon reading the descriptions of Chen Yi by Jin Daohu and the other Great Tang soldiers, Lei Jun's expression remained unchanged, his thoughts slightly stirred.

He was already aware of the opponent's unique path of cultivation.

If not, the Wanfa Zongtan of Longhu Mountain could have remotely sealed away the various Taoist talismans that Chen Yi had mastered years ago.

Now, it seemed that Chen Yi had made further progress in his understanding of the Taoist arts.

Nevertheless, it remained uncertain how he had maintained his stance for such an extended period within Luo Yuan.

As Lei Jun pondered, he stepped into the earth sea.

Through the array of magical artifacts set up by Nie Fang, Qin Baixing, and Lin Shan, among others, the current entrance to the earth sea was relatively peaceful.

Lei Jun surveyed his surroundings, sensing the changes in the environment of the earth sea. Suddenly, a glowing sphere appeared in his mind, with characters floating within:

"A palace from the ancient court, a leaf that holds the heavens and the earth."

At this moment, a fortune-telling sphere appeared... Lei Jun was surprised yet intrigued.

The glowing sphere flickered, and three fortunes appeared:

"Upper fortune: Venture into Qiang Liang Yuan in the earth sea, a chance for a second-grade opportunity with no risks, a fortunate and worry-free choice, great auspiciousness!"

"Medium fortune: Venture into the earth sea's Sui Wei Mountain, a chance for a second-grade expandable opportunity with no risks, but possibly a huge hidden danger, exercise extreme caution, neutral."

"Medium fortune: Go to any place other than Qiang Liang Yuan and Sui Wei Mountain in the earth sea, no additional gains or losses, neutral."

As Lei Jun read the fortunes, he was once again surprised.

The appearance of an upper fortune with the possibility of obtaining a second-grade opportunity was indeed fortunate and worthy of joy.

However, what caught his attention the most was the first medium fortune.

A second-grade expandable opportunity.

Based on past experiences, this hinted at a certain possibility that the gains from this fortune could be even more substantial than the upper fortune's second-grade opportunity.

But for such substantial gains to be offered on a medium fortune, the so-called "huge hidden danger" mentioned in the fortune was indeed concerning.

Corresponding to my current cultivation and strength, the source of this hidden danger is even more concerning... Lei Jun's curiosity was piqued.

As for the locations mentioned in the upper and medium fortunes, Qiang Liang Yuan is one of the seven abyssal pits in the earth sea, while Sui Wei Mountain is one of the five great mountains.

However, according to the recent news from Jin Daohu and the other Great Tang cultivators, Chen Yi should have just left Qiang Liang Yuan not long ago.

Did he secretly turn back and sneak into Qiang Liang Yuan, or did he go somewhere else?

Which of these fortunes is related to him? Lei Jun wondered as he continued on his way, his pace steady.

Although curious about the second-grade expandable opportunity and the possible huge hidden danger mentioned in the medium fortune, Lei Jun had no intention of testing it out himself.

His eyes glimmered with the Tian Tong Di Che talismans, his pace unhurried, as he made his way to Qiang Liang Yuan, the place mentioned in the upper fortune.

..............

Chen Yi was indeed no longer in Qiang Liang Yuan at that moment.

He was currently in Qiong Qi Yuan, one of the seven abyssal pits in the earth sea, just like Qiang Liang Yuan.

In this other abyssal pit with an inverted sky, the Heavenly Blood Road reappeared, but Chen Yi's figure was temporarily absent.

Near Qiong Qi Yuan, a similar chaotic battle raged on.

The Luo Yuan was currently linked to the earth sea via a void portal floating above it.

Endless streams of demons poured in from this portal, along with cultivators from the Great Tang and the Jiuli clans, creating a three-way chaotic mess.

"Oh, so this is the Heavenly Blood Road you spoke of, created by the criminal Chen Yi?" Shen Quibi asked, his eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance.

Standing beside him, Jin Daohu's expression was grave. "It seems that his cultivation has reached a critical juncture."

Shen Quibi, a man of few words and direct actions, bluntly said, "Since he's a criminal, why wait? Let's take action now."

As he spoke, he strode forward, his fist shooting out.

The originally turbulent waters of Qiong Qi Yuan calmed at that moment, parting to reveal the straight Heavenly Blood Road beneath.

The Heavenly Blood Road twisted and turned under the might of Shen Quibi's punch, attempting to dissipate his strike.

But that seemingly ordinary punch directly wiped out the blood energy, leaving the road in pieces.

It was like an explosion of soil and rocks, as countless blood-red talismans shattered.

The Heavenly Blood Road broke apart, revealing a bone altar that seemed to be constructed from white bones.

However, Shen Quibi did not approach the altar further. Instead, he abruptly retreated.

At that moment, a massive bone claw reached out from the void portal connecting Luo Abyss and the Earth Sea, as if it could cover the skies.

But as Shen Quibi retreated, the claw grasped at nothing but air.

From the dark void portal, a colossal figure slowly emerged.

It was a bone dragon, its entire body composed of white skeletal bones.

The bone dragon's joints were of a grayish-white color, and wisps of death energy seeped out from the cracks between the bones.

Seeing this, Jin Daohu's heart skipped a beat.

In the realm of Lou Yuan, there was an extraordinarily strong demon named Gu Feng, whose power was unparalleled, and whose temperament was fiercer than any other being.

Jin Daohu had once fought a Gu Feng of the same level and possessed experience in dealing with such powerful demons.

But the sheer size and might of this bone dragon far surpassed any Gu Feng he had ever encountered.

This bone dragon was probably a sovereign amongstits kin in Lou Yuan, equivalent to a human cultivator of theNinth Heavenly Layer.

As the bone dragon emerged, its seemingly endless body coiled, its latter half still within the Luo Abyss portal, while its former half protected the bone altar at its center.

Witnessing this, Jin Daohu and the other Great Tang cultivators were taken aback.

The Nine Heavens Demon, was actually protecting Chen Yi?

What was it after? However, this did explain how Chen Yi could stay safe and sound for over a decade amidst the surrounding demons, not only avoiding death but also thriving, and even choosing to cultivate in a chaotic abyss during turbulent times.

As the Bone Flood Dragon coiled and spiraled, protecting the altar, it lashed out with its claws once more.

But Shen Quibing's figure twisted, and he evaded the massive bone claws of the Bone Flood Dragon once again.

The Bone Flood Dragon roared in frustration as its claws missed their mark again and again.

Although its appearance was to aid Chen Yi in his cultivation, the Bone Flood Dragon was now enraged.

However, before it could make any further moves, its massive body suddenly trembled!

The tremors did not come from the front half of its body that had plunged into the Earthly Sea.

Instead, they clearly originated from the back half of its body that remained in Luo Yuan.

The colossal bone dragon let out a series of low rumbling roars as its body contorted violently in mid-air.

Soon, the Bone Flood Dragon could no longer maintain its form, and as its body trembled, it surged forward, plunging entirely into the Earthly Sea.

Its body was immense, and from a distance, it exuded a sense of overwhelming pressure that instilled a sense of despair.

But as the Tang cultivators and the Jiuli people focused their gaze, they noticed something peculiar about the bone dragon's massive form.

On the latter half of its body that had remained in Luo Yuan, there appeared to be exaggerated wounds.

The Bone Flood Clan possessed formidable combat strength, and their bodies and demon souls were known for their resilience.

But at this moment, there was clearly a massive fissure on its bone tail, deep enough to almost sever it completely.

Within the Earthly Sea, both humans and demons were stunned by this unexpected turn of events.

And from the gateway of Luo Yuan, a blood-red blade light slashed forth, pursuing the Bone Flood Dragon.

The great demon could no longer persist in protecting Chen Yi, and its body writhed as it evaded the blood-red blade light that threatened to sever its escape route.

Accompanying the blood-red blade light was a figure, a tall and burly young man.

As he appeared, the upper half of his body was bare, and his skin was adorned with blood-red curse marks, giving him an extremely intimidating appearance.

The Tang cultivators were startled once more as they recognized the newcomer.

He was clearly the contemporary master of the Blood River sect of the Human Realm, Xing Feng.

The Blood River sect had gained a new Nine Heavens expert after Wei Ancheng.

The Tang cultivators were not surprised by Xing Feng's strength, but they were astonished that he had emerged from Luo Yuan.

He had first delivered a heavy strike to the Bone Flood Dragon within Luo Yuan, and then he had followed the demon's trail from Luo Yuan to the Earthly Sea.

His aura was domineering and oppressive, as if his blade could sever the very line between life and death, and in this moment, it caused the demons of Luo Yuan to tremble in fear.

Amidst these continuous surprises, the altar constructed from bones suddenly underwent a transformation.

The tall three-layered altar began to collapse in on itself.

It was not due to the damage inflicted by the intense battle earlier, but because the cultivator within had completed his cultivation and was emerging from his seclusion.

The three-layered bone altar shrunk down to a single layer.

The originally pale color had now turned pitch black.

It was a singular circular abyssal altar.

Compared to the Daoist cultivators who achieved the Eighth Heaven and formed their own three-layered divine universes, Chen Yi's sect, at the Eighth Heaven, formed a singular circular altar that differed from the norm.

From within the abyssal altar, Chen Yi emerged.

In this instant, he seemed to be enveloped by a blood-red aura.

"Thank you, Senior," Chen Yi expressed his gratitude to the Bone Flood Dragon.

In his hand appeared a bizarrely shaped longsword with a black and white contrasting blade.

At first glance, the sword's edge appeared dull and unremarkable.

But with a casual swipe, Chen Yi caused blood-qi to surge and swirl in the air.

The blood-qi coalesced and did not disperse, and the Heavenly Road manifested once more.

But the next moment, it was as if a figure had flashed through the air.

The figure was elusive, and aside from Xing Feng and the Bone Flood Dragon, the others present could barely make out his form.

This figure was faster than Chen Yi, and he had already stepped onto the blood road, causing it to shatter once more.

And then, a figure appeared abruptly before Chen Yi.

At this moment, his fist was poised to strike Chen Yi's chest.

Chen Yi rarely displayed moments of stupor, but he was stunned now.

Before him stood a tall young general clad in armor.

It was none other than Shen Quibing.

His fist struck true, connecting with Chen Yi's chest.

The black single-layered abyssal altar reacted even faster than Chen Yi himself, shrinking and transforming into a black mist that enveloped Chen Yi, shielding him from Shen Quibing's sudden strike.

As the two came into contact, a dazzling white light radiated from Shen Quibing's fist, crackling like lightning as it coursed through his arm.

His fist punched through the black veil like a spear, piercing Chen Yi's chest.

It was as if a long spear had punctured his chest, leaving a gaping hole.

Chen Yi stood dazed for a moment before spewing out a mouthful of blood.

Within the Eighth Heaven, there were still gradations of power.

Although Shen Quibing had yet to attain the Ninth Heaven, his cultivation was still superior to Chen Yi, who had just broken through to the Eighth Heaven.

Chen Yi had weathered countless trials and tribulations, but when faced with a genius like Shen Quibing, the disparity in their realms was evident.

Not to mention the gap in their current cultivations was not merely a single line.

Chen Yi had ventured far and wide, encountering and battling against innumerable foes and demons.

But he had never come across an opponent whose realm was similar to his own, yet their speed left him almost unable to react.

The speed of this young Tang general before him left Chen Yi bewildered. He had only witnessed such speed from Nine Heavens experts or great demons... No, that wasn't entirely accurate; some Nine Heavens humans or great demons couldn't even match this pace!

Chen Yi's eyes abruptly turned blood-red as his protective treasure, which had accompanied him through countless dangers, failed to provide any safeguard this time around.

His sword, with its black and white blade, swept through the air, aiming to slash Shen Quibing's head.

But his blade missed its mark as Shen Quibing withdrew his arm, vanishing from before Chen Yi in the blink of an eye.

Chen Yi's back was sent trembling once more.

As Chen Yi turned around, Shen Quibing's body moved behind him. Shen spun around and threw another elbow, hitting Chen directly in the back.

Fortunately, Chen's protective treasure reacted in time, but it was shattered by Shen.

The ferocity and explosiveness of a martial arts master were on full display at this moment. With overwhelming power and pinpoint accuracy, life and death were decided in just a few moves.

Not only were Shen's attacks incredibly fast, but they also packed a powerful and destructive punch.

As his opponent retreated, Chen didn't hesitate and, in the first moment, the wound on his chest began to writhe, and a torrent of blood erupted and suddenly transformed into a blood-red dragon head, swirling and covering the four directions.

But it was dispersed by Shen's punch.

Fortunately, the blood dragon scattered but did not disappear, and soon regrouped.

However, this momentary delay was enough for Shen to close in again and throw another punch, this time at an angle, like a whip.

Not a horse whip or a soft whip.

But like an iron whip or an iron mace.

The punch landed squarely on Chen's temple!

There was a dull thud, and Chen's head exploded.

Shen stood still and took a deep breath. His face, which had an unusual ruddy complexion, returned to normal after a single breath.

A huge bone dragon claw swept by overhead.

But the terrifying blade arrived a step earlier, and a bloody wound burst open on the grayish-white bone claw.

The Bone Flood Dragon let out a low growl and turned towards Luo Yuan to retreat.

"He truly has the best of both worlds. He looks a bit like a Blood River cultivator, and I suspect he also has the ability to die and be reborn. I've been keeping an eye out for it, and he still managed to pull it off." Shen looked at Chen's remains as they first turned into blood mist, then rose like blue smoke before disappearing.

…………………………

In another part of the Seven Abyss of the Hanging Sea, the Qiangliang Abyss.

Although there were Yaozu from Luo Yuan, cultivators from the Great Tang, and people from the Jiuli tribe nearby, the battle was not as intense as before.

Lei Jun strolled through the area.

But no one could sense his presence.

His gaze swept over the four directions.

The Jade Clarity Heaven-Encompassing Dharma Mirror was not currently being used to observe the Hanging Sea.

After the gateway from the Southern Wasteland of the Great Tang to the Hanging Sea was reopened, Lei Jun could see most of the Hanging Sea through the Dharma Mirror located in the Great Tang.

However, Lei Jun was currently using the Dharma treasure to observe the Repository of Heaven.

With Zhang Hui there, there should be no problems. But when Lei Jun previously passed through the Repository of Heaven on his way to the Hanging Sea, he vaguely felt that the world within was a bit unstable, and there might be other changes.

To get first-hand information, Lei Jun temporarily aimed the light of the Dharma Mirror in that direction.

Now that the black mist in the Hanging Sea was being suppressed, it was no longer as difficult for human cultivators to sense and explore the outside world.

Especially for Lei Jun, whose cultivation was constantly improving, the Heaven-Penetrating Earth-Piercing Dharma made his observations of the outside world even more precise and convenient.

The light of the Dharma shone in the depths of his pupils, constantly swirling.

Suddenly, the light paused for a moment.

Lei Jun turned to look.

The Qiangliang Abyss was vast and deep, its waters like a vast ocean.

But below the abyss, something was changing.

In the water, a fierce fire was burning.

Lei Jun calmly gazed at the abyss, and with the Heaven-Penetrating Earth-Piercing Dharma, he observed a relatively small boat.

The boat was white and lustrous, made entirely of jade, and even underwater, it still emitted a soft jade light.

A leaf boat of the heavens? Lei Jun wondered.

As for the ancient courtly swallow, he clearly felt a sense of familiarity and atmosphere from this burning jade boat.

It was similar to the Heaven's Mandate Tablets from long ago, or the jade seal that Lei Jun had recently obtained from Empress Zhang Wantong.

These items were all related to the legendary Heaven's Mandate, which had long since become a thing of the past.

Compared to before, Lei Jun could now clearly sense that the jade seal he currently held was resonating with the burning jade boat before him.

The flames underwater were growing more and more intense, gradually engulfing the entire boat.

"Some kind of sacrificial rebirth ritual." Lei Jun nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the scene, and he immediately understood what was happening.

This sacrificial rebirth ritual was extremely effective, and it would be incredibly difficult for outsiders to stop it.

Of course, the price was also great.

This boat, which came from the ancient Heavenly Mandate of old, was about to be destroyed and dissolved in the Qiangliang Abyss.

In a sense, the ritual's master had used this jade boat as a substitute, sacrificing it to ward off this calamity.

But the master of the ritual had not been reborn in the Qiangliang Abyss.

"So, is it related to the cinnabar gizzard mountain?" Lei Jun wondered, connecting this to the news he had heard earlier. "Is Chen Yi the one who set up the ritual?"

The other party was cautious and made preparations before attempting to break through to a higher realm. However, it seemed that he hoped the ritual would never come into effect.

"If the second-grade expandable opportunity mentioned in the cinnabar gizzard mountain's draw is indeed related to Chen Yi..."

Lei Jun thought back to what his senior martial sister, Zhang Jingzhen, had said earlier about Chen Yi's unique soul. The most mysterious and important thing about him was not half of the Heaven's Mandate Tablets, but a strange golden palace.

That palace was probably even more closely related to the ancient Heaven's Mandate.

The second-grade expandable opportunity was indeed tempting, but what kind of trouble would it bring?

As for the Qiangliang Abyss, Lei Jun patiently waited and, seeing no other changes, approached the burning jade boat.

The sacrificial rebirth ritual had already destroyed the jade boat, and once the fire started, it could not be stopped.

However, the flames themselves could not harm Lei Jun.

Lei Jun stepped into the flames, and the newly acquired jade seal also began to burn.

The burning of the jade seal was not a sign of destruction but a unique transformation brought about by the influence of the burning jade boat.

So this is the second-grade opportunity mentioned in the top draw... Lei Jun thought.

A name suddenly flashed into his mind:

【Heavenly Seal】

Lei Jun's thoughts raced, and a flash of insight appeared.

In his consciousness, a wonderful world of blue skies seemed to appear, vast and majestic, like a fairyland, but illusory and unreal.

Lei Jun had never been there, but at this moment, he was certain:

"Bilu..."

Both the jade boat and the jade seal were related to that place.

So...

"Isn't the legacy of Heaven's Mandate either in Bilu or has the deepest connection with it?" Lei Jun wondered.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end