Chapter 555: Exchange and Encounter with the Netherworld

Chapter 555: Exchange and Encounter with the Netherworld

"Ming Yu, the array formation within this array plate is too profound. Without my explanation, you won't be able to comprehend it. Are you interested in making a trade?"

Xu Yan held the array plate and smiled at Ming Yu, who had just snapped out of her daze.

"A trade?"

Ming Yu pondered, "What kind of trade? What would we trade?"

"I'll explain the array formation on this plate to you, and in exchange, you'll explain your unique set of laws to me. What do you say?"

Xu Yan believed that understanding Ming Yu's laws could greatly aid him in his quest to break through the Grand Completion of the Dao Establishment.

Ming Yu's power was extraordinary, and she herself was a unique being.

"My laws?"

Ming Yu fell into deep thought, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. She remained silent for a long time, as if her thoughts had stalled once again.

Xu Yan was patient and quietly waited for Ming Yu to recover her train of thought.

"Alright, let's give it a try!"

Ming Yu nodded in agreement.

"Then let's begin."

Xu Yan was overjoyed.

With a wave of his hand, he produced two sheets of paper, but they were not ordinary pieces of paper. They were specially crafted to capture and illustrate laws.

Xu Yan drew a few array formation patterns on one of the sheets and said, "This is a component of an array formation."

He gestured for Ming Yu to do the same and illustrate a part of her laws.

Silver-white light flickered in Ming Yu's eyes as she raised her hand and drew several law patterns on the other sheet of paper. With just a glance, Xu Yan knew that these were some of the laws within Ming Yu's body.

If he could get her to draw out all the laws she possessed, he would be able to confirm his suspicions.

During their journey, Xu Yan would draw a portion of the array formation patterns and explain them to Ming Yu, and then Ming Yu would do the same with her laws.

Back and forth, they worked until a complete array formation was drawn on the paper.

Xu Yan handed the array formation drawing to Ming Yu, while he kept the sheet with her laws on it. He took out two more sheets of paper, and they continued their exchange.

The array formation on the plate was not a simple one, and there were many array formations to learn. It was an extremely worthwhile trade—exchanging just two or three array formation patterns for all of Ming Yu's laws.

"Let's continue. This next array formation is more core and relatively more complex."

Xu Yan took out two more sheets of paper and said with a smile.

Ming Yu blinked and stared at him for a long time, as if pondering something.

"It seems I'm getting the short end of the stick here."

Xu Yan's smile widened. "How so? Ming Yu, my friend, you're the one gaining more from this exchange. In a fair trade, I'd give you one array formation in exchange for your entire set of laws. That would be equal. But I've given you explanations for three array formations and only received a part of your laws in return. By any measure, you're the one coming out ahead."

Ming Yu fell silent in thought.

Xu Yan took out several treasures and placed one of them in front of Ming Yu. "Let me analyze this for you."

He held a treasure in his hand and placed it before Ming Yu. "In a typical exchange, if I give you an item, you should also give me one in return. But you've only given me a part of your laws."

He then broke off a piece of the treasure in front of Ming Yu and placed it before himself. He took another treasure and placed it before her.

"If I give you another treasure, what you're offering in exchange is still just a fraction of your laws."

He broke off another piece of Ming Yu's treasure and kept it for himself. "Look, you now have two complete treasures from me, but I've only received fragments of your treasure. Wouldn't you agree that you're the one gaining more from this exchange?"

Ming Yu blinked, looking at the two intact treasures before her, while the treasure in front of Xu Yan was incomplete and fragmented.

Indeed, it seemed that she was the one profiting from this deal.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

Ming Yu was puzzled.

"When people meet, it's because of a shared destiny. I, Xu Yan, value sincerity in my friendships. I have a good understanding of array formations, so it's only right that I share some of my knowledge with you, especially since we're friends."

Xu Yan spoke with earnestness.

"Friends?"

A smile appeared on Ming Yu's face. "Thank you, Xu Yan. You're indeed a friend worth cultivating a deep relationship with!"

"So, shall we continue?"

Xu Yan smiled gently.

"Yes, let's continue!"

Ming Yu nodded.

And so, the two continued their exchange.

Finally, Xu Yan managed to trade the five array formations from the array plate for Ming Yu's laws. However, he was a little surprised to find that Ming Yu's laws seemed incomplete.

"Ming Yu, did you forget to draw some of your laws?"

"No, I've drawn and explained all the laws within my body."

Ming Yu raised her hand and gestured from her neck downward, indicating that she had already illustrated all the laws within her body.

Xu Yan's gaze shifted to Ming Yu's head.

He finally understood why her laws seemed incomplete.

"What about the laws in your head?"

Xu Yan pointed to his head to emphasize his question.

"My head?"

Ming Yu fell into thought. "How do I draw the laws in my head?"

Xu Yan was taken aback for a moment before guiding her, "It's simple. Just use your soul to depict them."

"What's happening?"

Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat as Ming Yu seemed to descend into a state of chaos. He was perplexed as to why the mere mention of the divine soul would trigger such a reaction.

"Something's amiss!"

Xu Yan's brows furrowed, and he activated the Heavenly Eye of Minor Perfection, but all he could discern was the pristine radiance within her eyes, obscuring the root of the issue.

"Ming Yu?"

Xu Yan called out to her.

Ming Yu seemed to be in a mental deadlock, remaining unresponsive for a long while. Just as Xu Yan was contemplating whether to intervene, Ming Yu finally spoke.

"Bamboo!"

Xu Yan produced the Qingling Yuzu and placed it in Ming Yu's hand. The bamboo emanated a vibrant vitality, its surface adorned with intricate and profound patterns.

These were the patterns of heavenly laws, taming the violent and unrefined qi of heaven and earth, infusing the bamboo with a gentle and thriving energy.

A faint green light emanated from the bamboo, enveloping Ming Yu. In that moment, she seemed more alive, more akin to a flesh-and-blood human.

High up in the mountains, a figure clad in dark robes abruptly opened their eyes, gazing toward a distant location.

"The aura of the Qingling Yuzu."

In the blink of an eye, the figure vanished from their spot.

Xu Yan observed Ming Yu, who was slowly regaining her composure with the help of the vibrant bamboo in her hand. He couldn't help but ponder the peculiarities of this woman.

Under the influence of the bamboo's vibrant vitality, Ming Yu seemed to have come to life, despite already being a living person. Yet, at that moment, she appeared more alive than ever.

It was as if the Ming Yu before had not been truly alive.

Xu Yan's curiosity grew, finding Ming Yu's behavior increasingly bizarre. Her descent into chaos seemed linked to his mention of the divine soul, as if the very concept had thrown her thoughts into disarray.

And the Qingling Yuzu was what brought her back.

Perhaps it was because Ming Yu always carried the bamboo with her.

Ming Yu blinked, almost back to her usual self. Xu Yan hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Miss Ming Yu, use the power of your divine soul to depict your heavenly laws or observe your divine soul to depict the laws within."

"Divine soul?"

Ming Yu fell into contemplation once more, only to seem stuck again. The bamboo in her hand glowed with vibrant life force, accompanied by a faint green radiance.

Xu Yan watched her intently. After a long while, with the bamboo's aid, Ming Yu gradually returned to her senses, blinking as if she had forgotten what Xu Yan had said earlier.

"This is the divine soul. Ming Yu, separate a strand of your divine soul and imprint it on the paper, and the laws will form naturally."

This time, Xu Yan not only mentioned the divine soul but also separated a strand of his own soul.

This strand of his soul imprinted itself on a sheet of paper, bringing it to life. On the paper, one could see a human figure.

Moreover, the soul on the paper spoke, "Just like me."

Ming Yu stared at Xu Yan's soul, her black pupils gradually turning jade-white, radiating a silvery radiance.

A similar soul-like fluctuation appeared above her head, and she murmured, "Divine soul?"

Ming Yu's train of thought seemed to stall once more, her mind seemingly crashing this time. Even with the vitality of the bamboo, she took a long time to recover.

It appeared that the very act of contemplating the divine soul or attempting to emulate Xu Yan by separating a strand of her soul had led her mind into an incomprehensible state, trapped in a mental dead end from which she couldn't escape.

"Ming Yu?"

Xu Yan called out gently, but she showed no response. He even noticed her jade-white eyes, the silvery radiance swirling as if she were dazed.

"Could it truly be as I suspect?"

Xu Yan was astonished.

Ming Yu's current state was unlike anything he had seen in a person with normal cognitive functions, and it only reinforced his suspicions.

"What if she can't recover?"

Xu Yan's gaze remained fixed on Ming Yu's eyes, where the silvery radiance continued to swirl, indicating a complete mental deadlock with no way out.

Even with the assistance of the Qingling Yuzu, there seemed to be little effect.

"If she truly can't recover, things will become troublesome."

Xu Yan ran his fingers through his hair. If Ming Yu didn't regain her senses, how would he escort her back when he didn't even know their destination?

Without being able to send Ming Yu back, he wouldn't be able to uncover the origins of the Qingling Yuzu.

"Let's wait a little longer. If she truly can't recover, I'll have no choice but to try something."

Xu Yan pondered anxiously.

Xu Yan immediately moved, retracting the flying boat and using his power to envelop Ming Yu. In an instant, they were far away, creating distance between them and the incoming figure.

"Hmm?"

Meng You's expression turned strange as he asked, "Who are you?"

His gaze fell on the bamboo in Ming Yu's hand, and the familiar aura that emanated from it. This aura belonged to the main body of Qingyu—the bamboo!

"Yu Ting?"

Meng You frowned as he looked at Ming Yu again. Could it be that Qingyu was really saved by someone from Yu Ting?

Or perhaps, her remains were taken by them?

"And who are you?"

Xu Yan's face was filled with caution, but he showed no fear. He had his suspicions.

"Temple, Blood Prison Guardian!"

Meng You said coldly.

"Which one of the Seven Great Lands of Taicang are you from?"

Xu Yan, as a creature of the heavens, was not from Yu Ting. Yet, he was currently with someone from there, which made Meng You suspect that Taicang might have formed an alliance with Yu Ting.

Or perhaps, Taicang had sought refuge with Yu Ting, hoping for their protection against the Unchanging Temple.

"If Taicang has sought refuge with Yu Ting, why haven't I received any news of it?"

Meng You wondered.

With the capabilities of the Unchanging Temple, if the strong from Yu Ting approached Taicang, they would surely have known. The possibility of Taicang secretly submitting to Yu Ting without their knowledge was extremely low.

"Taicang is dead. There is no longer a Taicang in this world. I am Xu Yan, the Great Wilderness Sword God!"

Xu Yan replied calmly.

In this situation, he had actually encountered Meng You, one of the former Seven Great Lords of the Heavens!

"Great Wilderness?"

Meng You's eyebrows furrowed. Taicang had actually changed its name. Could it be that there was a new Lord of the Heavens?

"Whether it's Taicang or Great Wilderness, leave her and I'll pretend I didn't see you."

Meng You pointed at Ming Yu.

Xu Yan smiled faintly and said, "You are a Lord of the Heavens, but wanting to keep me here is overly confident. I, Xu Yan, have never been threatened by anyone, and you, Meng You, are no exception."

Meng You smiled, "Arrogant enough. Taicang, when did you produce such an arrogant young man? You're even more arrogant than Xiao Yao back then."

"I, Xu Yan, am not arrogant. I speak only with my true strength."

Xu Yan maintained a distance from Meng You, neither letting him approach nor immediately fleeing.

"Speaking of strength, let me test the strength of you, a junior."

Meng You chuckled and reached out, grabbing towards Xu Yan.

Whoosh!

In an instant, a blood-red light emerged from the hazy and unchanging land, like a blood prison descending. A nearby mountain instantly turned to dust.

The blood prison instantly blocked most of Xu Yan's escape routes. If it completely enveloped him, he would be trapped in Meng You's blood prison.

Whoosh!

Xu Yan's eyebrows furrowed. As expected of Meng You, one of the former Seven Great Lords of the Heavens, his strength was far beyond that of an ordinary Lord of the Heavens like Mu Zhu.

With a mere wave of his hand, he could turn this unchanging land into a prison, controlling life and death within it. Unless one could break free of his prison, they would be at his mercy.

Xu Yan felt that with his current strength, he couldn't break through the blood prison. Unless he achieved great success in his cultivation, he would have to rely on his master's jade talisman to escape if he were trapped.

However, although Meng You's attack was swift and the blood prison appeared in an instant, it would still take some time to completely transform this unchanging land into a blood prison.

For other minor Lords of the Heavens, it would be nearly impossible to escape during this brief moment. But for Xu Yan, it wasn't too difficult.

Thus, in the instant the blood prison appeared, Xu Yan vanished from his original spot and escaped through the gaps in the prison before it could fully envelop him.

Meng You was surprised. "Such quick speed. No wonder you're so confident!"

As he took a step forward, he pointed, and the blood prison transformed into a blood-red light, chasing after Xu Yan. Before it could reach him, the light turned into countless blood-colored threads, like a spider web trying to bind Xu Yan.

Whoosh!

Xu Yan left behind an afterimage and narrowly escaped once again through the gaps in the blood-colored threads.

"Excellent speed. With your speed and agility, you're nearly invincible among the minor Lords of the Heavens."

Meng You praised, but he remained calm and unhurried. As he took a step, he pointed again, and a blood-red light shone from all directions.

Xu Yan was within this circle of light, and the radiance grew brighter, illuminating him from all sides. The blood light connected, leaving no gaps.

"Let's see how you escape this time!"

Meng You said indifferently.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end