https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-432-Close-Cooperation-Unknown-Fear-Part-1-/12968710/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-433-Monster-Lin-Fan-Steps-In-and-Suppresses-Part-1-/12968713/
Chapter 432: Close Cooperation, Unknown Fear! (Part 2)
Chapter 432: Close Cooperation, Unknown Fear! (Part 2)
······
"It begins."
Lin Fan observed the situation from a distance.
Even with the Sky Gazing Mirror in hand, he didn't rely on it excessively.
After all, no one knew who could sense the Mirror's prying, or if there were those with even more incredible vision than the Mirror.
Therefore, he chose to stay a safe distance from everyone, only allowing the edge of the Mirror's vision range to cover a person or two. He kept an eye on their movements while constantly adjusting his position and direction.
This way, there would only be one or two people within the Mirror's vision range, and the possibility of them sensing the Mirror's prying would naturally be greatly reduced.
This would make his situation much safer.
"This is really messed up."
"I thought it would be a thrilling escape across the Multiverse, but in the end, it seems like only I'm running for my life, while everyone else is teaming up to kill me?"
He was speechless.
To be honest, he never thought he'd have to fight for the World Heart.
But now that he was here, due to a series of unfortunate events, the situation had become what it was today.
If he were to give up on the World Heart and run, that wouldn't be a problem.
But the situation hadn't reached that point yet.
Moreover... since they were already here.
Not to mention, they had already obtained what they came for; it was impossible to just give up now.
"Let's see..."
"I wonder if I can make it to the end."
"Are you suggesting we team up?"
"Now, it's time for you all to pay the price."
Lin Fan muttered under his breath.
At this moment, a sudden scream echoed.
A Seventh Tribulation Scatter Immortal, for some unknown reason, started wailing uncontrollably. Before his teammates could check on him, boom!
He was suddenly engulfed by the ever-present Black Flame within the Flame Mountain, but to everyone's surprise, this wasn't due to his defensive measures failing and being burned by the Black Flame.
Instead, it was as if these flames had erupted from within his body.
With his seven orifices spewing out, the Black Flame, both internal and external, dealt him a severe blow.
"Don't touch him!"
His teammate wanted to save him but was stopped by someone.
Just as he was about to lose his temper, he saw the person turn into a dry corpse right before his eyes within a single breath.
Then, even the shriveled corpse couldn't be preserved and turned to ashes under the burning of the Black Flame.
Only his treasures remained, lying on the ground, flickering with an uncertain light.
"What?!!!"
His two teammates' expressions changed dramatically, and they immediately collected the remains, their faces grim.
"Who did this?!"
"Ridiculous!"
Someone sneered, "This is a dangerous place, and the Black Flame is everywhere here. He was burned by the Black Flame, and it came from within him. How can you blame this on us?"
"It's just a matter of insufficient strength, being careless, and not paying attention to your surroundings. That's why he was burned to death by the Black Flame. Don't try to blame us."
"Pfft!"
The mocking laughter continued.
Someone died?
Apart from the dead teammate, no one else cared, let alone feel sad.
Some even wanted to burst into laughter.
And their teammate's rage and desire to blame someone else made it even harder for others to hold back their laughter.
"You!!!"
The dead teammate's teammate gritted his teeth but was pulled back by another teammate, who shook his head at him.
He forced himself to calm down, lowering his head and suppressing his anger. He continued searching.
At this moment...
Lin Zixiao and Star Mother Gu naturally joined the search team.
After all, only by doing so would it seem the most reasonable.
As for the person burned to death by the Black Flame, no one paid it any mind.
After all, he was just a Seventh Tribulation Loose Immortal, not the weakest among them, but still one of the lowest-ranked in terms of strength.
For someone of his strength to be killed by the Black Flame, it was due to his own inadequacy.
But to kill himself...
How easy could that be?
They all had a mysterious confidence.
After all, at least up till now, no stronger cultivator had died, right? But soon, problems arose one after another.
The Black Flame suddenly erupted within people, and the number of those burned to death increased. In just half an incense stick's time, it had already reached eight people!
The cultivation levels of these people were also vastly different.
There were Apex Cultivators, Sixth and Seventh Tribulation Loose Immortals, and even a Tenth Tribulation Loose Immortal had died in this manner!
The death of the Tenth Tribulation Loose Immortal shocked everyone, leaving them feeling incredulous.
"This Black Flame..."
"It can silently kill even a Tenth Tribulation Loose Immortal... This!!!"
They were surprised and found it hard to believe.
This was beyond their imagination!
Even if some could withstand it, or if the longer one stayed, shouldn't it start with those of lower cultivation?
Why were even Tenth Tribulation Loose Immortals suddenly dying from this?!!
"Something's not right!"
"Could it be unrelated to strength?!"
"If it's not about strength, I fear... it might be related to soul strength."
"Perhaps, the things in the Nine Realm Abyss are too bizarre, and they originate from the Multiverse. Many things are different from our understanding, as they are not from the same world. It's normal for us not to recognize or understand them, and this Black Flame is probably one of them!"
"It probably has a method we can't sense or comprehend, silently targeting the soul. Those with insufficient soul strength will be the first to suffer."
"For example... it can silently influence others' will through their souls, making them unknowingly remove their defenses, or even if it's just for a moment, allowing it to succeed?"
"..."
They were all veterans, experienced and knowledgeable.
Even though they hadn't encountered this bizarre Black Flame before, they still pieced together the most likely outcome within a few words.
"If that's the case, those with insufficient Divine Soul Strength should leave as soon as possible."
"Indeed, return the way you came as soon as you can, or you might end up losing both your life and your wealth here."
"The World Heart is undoubtedly important, but to die without even a glimpse of it due to such a bizarre method would be too much of a waste."
"..."
The 'majors' were trying to persuade others.
Especially those who were confident in their own Divine Soul Strength, believing they would not be affected so quickly.
In their view, if everyone's guesses were correct, they could at least hold out until the final stage and be one of the ultimate victors.
As for persuading others to leave... naturally, they believed the stinky rat was nearby, and the more people who left, the fewer competitors they would have.
Why not?
"..."
"I'm done with this!"
"Damn it, this place is too bizarre!"
"You have a point. The World Heart is important, but if it means certain death..."
"Hmph!"
"..."
They knew their own capabilities.
Although they were the 'peaks' of their respective worlds, they were not all-around experts, and their Divine Soul Strength varied, with some being higher and others lower.
While there was no specific numerical value to give them a direct sense, they were still very clear about it.
As a result, nearly fifty people decided to retreat within a short time.
Star Mother Gu and Xu Wei Yi exchanged a glance. Xu Wei Yi wanted Gu Xinglian to leave as well.
But Gu Xinglian shook her head slowly: "I can't leave."
"In their eyes, I am the guiding beacon. If I leave, they will surely assume I have discovered other traces. Even if not everyone follows me, at least some will leave."
"If that happens..."
"Wouldn't our plan be in vain?"
Xu Wei Yi: "..."
She wanted to persuade her, but seeing Gu Xinglian's determined attitude, she could only sigh softly.
"Be careful."
That was all she could say.
...
"Ha ha ha!"
Seeing no one else leaving, an Eleventh Tribulation Scatter Immortal laughed heartily: "A bunch of ants, you should have left long ago!"
"Just a bunch of ants, they think they can touch the World Heart? They don't deserve it!"
"Now, let's see who among us will be the one to laugh last, hehehe~!"
"This person... is so arrogant," Lin Zi Xiao muttered.
This was heard by someone nearby, who sighed: "Indeed, he is very arrogant, but he has the right to be. I know him; he calls himself the Man-Eating Demon Lord, and he lives up to his name."
"He 'eats' people, but not with his mouth. His cultivation technique is special, requiring him to 'eat' others, forcibly absorbing their flesh and Divine Souls to integrate them into himself, thereby enhancing himself comprehensively."
"Ten thousand years ago, he came in once, and many people died at his hands back then."
"I thought he had already ascended after ten thousand years, but it turns out he has been suppressing his realm all along, even going so far as to actively undergo the trials to become a Scatter Immortal. Now, he is an Eleventh Tribulation Scatter Immortal."
"Among those present..."
"In terms of Divine Soul Strength, few can match him."
"If nothing goes wrong, he will indeed be one of the few who can hold out until the end."
Man-Eating Cultivation Technique!
Lin Zi Xiao's eyebrows shot up.
The Man-Eating Cultivation Technique, while not uncommon among Demon Cultivators, is a particularly extreme form of Demon Cultivation.
Some of the more powerful ones can even directly acquire part of the attributes and skills of those they 'eat.'
If this person is not lying, then the Divine Soul Strength of this Man-Eating Demon Lord is indeed quite astonishing.
Just as everyone was harboring their own thoughts and preparing to continue exploring...
T
Even someone as powerful as the Man-Eating Demon Lord, an Eleventh Tribulation Scatter Immortal who had entered the Multiverse Abyss more than once...
At this moment, he had no resistance at all.
Once it erupted, it was almost 'instant death.'
"Ah!!!"
People were shocked, and cries of surprise echoed.
"How can this be?!"
"Even he...?"
"His Divine Soul Strength should be in the top five, right? How could this happen?!"
"Could our previous speculation be wrong? This black flame isn't affecting the Divine Soul at all?"
Someone even cursed: "Who cares what it affects? This damn thing is too evil, I'll destroy it!"
He then attacked, trying various methods to extinguish the black flames.
At first, he used hand seals to summon a torrential rain...
However, the water and fire, which should have been incompatible, did not affect each other at all, as if they existed in two different worlds, burning and raining without interference.
Then, he tried various other methods.
But none of them worked.
Whether it was rain, wind, earth techniques to bury it, or the most direct physical and magical attacks, nothing was effective!
Even if it occasionally went out a little, it would come back even stronger the next second.
Some suspected it was something strange underground.
They bombarded the ground directly, creating a massive pit several miles deep.
But it still didn't help.
The black flames continued to burn fiercely, omnipresent.
"???"
They were stunned.
Some people even mocked them: "Stupid."
"If it could be solved, would we have waited for you to try?"
"We've already tried everything!"
"Besides, even if it could be solved, it wouldn't be with such ordinary methods."
"If you're afraid of dying, then leave now."
"Now, it's not just about having a strong enough Divine Soul to survive."
At this moment, everyone felt a sense of unease.
The source of their fear was the unknown! For these top cultivators from various worlds, they often aren't afraid of so-called 'powerful beings'. No matter how strong an opponent may be, there is always a pattern to their strength.
Even if they can't win, they can still save themselves.
But if they can't even save themselves..."
"Then, can we still escape?"
As a last resort, they could always choose to kneel and beg for mercy.
However, at this moment, facing the mysterious and terrifying black flame, everyone felt uneasy.
Most of them, however, were still unwilling to give up.
After all, the reward was so close; it was almost within their grasp! Even Lin Zixiao felt a bit apprehensive.
With so many people around, she couldn't take out the Sky Gazing Mirror for a detailed analysis, but she was constantly communicating with Wu Jie Jie through her Divine Perception, trying to understand the situation.
Similarly,
Lin Fan also felt a chill down his spine.
"What the hell is this thing?"
"Is it that unknown and peculiar creature causing trouble?"
"Or is it a problem with the black flame itself?"
"I've been considering that too," Wu Jie Jie mused. "Since we arrived, I've been trying to analyze the composition of the black flame."
"But..."
"Up until now, I still can't figure out what this black flame is."
"It resembles a flame, but it lacks the characteristics of one."
"At first glance, it seems to have devouring power, but even that description isn't accurate."
"In fact, the more I look at it, the more it appears to possess the characteristics of a living being."
"..."
"A living being?"
The speaker didn't realize the impact of their words.
Lin Fan's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you saying that there's a possibility that all this black flame is actually a part of that unknown living being?"
"..." Wu Jie Jie was stunned.
"That's just too bizarre."
Wu Jie Jie replied, "If that's truly the case, it's just too massive!"
The Flame Mountain, though called a mountain, is actually an extremely vast entity.
Although they had only explored a small part of it, based on their previous experiences, they could guess that this entire 'Flame Mountain' was likely a world-sized being before it arrived in the Multiverse Abyss.
In other words...
It's almost like a living being the size of a world.
But is it still a living being?
"In the Multiverse, there's nothing strange that doesn't exist. Perhaps?"
However, Lin Fan had a different opinion.
It's indeed incredibly large.
But who says there can't be a living being of this size? Many times, we can't judge everything based on our own experiences.
After all, everyone's understanding is shaped by the knowledge they have access to.
But for things beyond their reach... Who knows?
In the previous world of Earth, only carbon-based lifeforms existed. But who's to say that in the entire universe, or even the Multiverse, there aren't other forms of life?
"Moreover, if we consider this as a living being, many previously incomprehensible problems seem to be easily solved."
"However..."
"This is just a guess, and I still can't figure out what methods it's using or how it's 'selecting' its targets."
"Wu Jie Jie, please keep an eye on me. If anything approaches, regardless of what it is, alert me immediately!"
Lin Fan didn't want to end up like those who turned to ash and then directly became dust. I appreciate it!"
Wu Jie Jie readily agreed, but Lin Fan still couldn't relax even a little.
At the same time, he furrowed his brows in thought. "Regardless of cultivation level or Divine Soul strength..."
"..."
"Either this suspected living being is randomly selecting targets, or..."
"Everyone within its range of attack is constantly under assault, but the 'attribute' of the attack is still unclear."
"And when this 'attribute' exceeds a person's attribute limit, it erupts, causing the black flame to burst from within, turning them into ashes within a short time..."
"Wu Jie Jie, let's take a risk and get closer to observe a few more people, especially those who will soon turn to ashes. Let's compare and analyze."
"Be careful," Wu Jie Jie warned.
Lin Fan slowly moved closer.
Sure enough, not long after, another person turned to ashes, one after another.
The situation was unsettling, and about a dozen people didn't dare to stay any longer. They chose to retreat the way they came.
During this process, Lin Fan and the Sky Gazing Mirror observed the situation closely.
"These people..."
"Indeed, their strength, Divine Soul strength, and the circumstances of their deaths seem random, but in reality, there is a pattern."
"Up to now, the deaths of these people seem to be related to their inner darkness, or perhaps their negative emotions. Most of them are Demon Cultivators!"
"So, describing it as their 'heart' isn't accurate."
"It should be..."
"The darkness in their hearts, or..."
"If that's the case, then in a short time, I won't have to worry about Star Mother Gu and Lin Zixiao's safety."
Lin Fan wasn't the only one to notice the pattern.
After all, it was quite obvious.
Most of those who died were Demon Cultivators, which was enough to scare the remaining Demon Cultivators out of their wits.
They no longer cared about the World Heart; they fled as fast as they could, just trying to save themselves for now.
As for the World Heart...
If they had to, they could figure out a solution once they were outside.
But with this turn of events, some died, some fled, and some gave up...
Their formation was already in disarray, and continuing the sweeping search was no longer possible.
Swish!
After a moment of thought, someone suddenly turned around, their eyes fixed on Star Mother Gu...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
