âWhat the⌠the four evil coffins destroyed Witherdew Major?!â Lu Yun realized with a start after Zou Longxiuâs departure. He didnât know the exact details, but did hear from Canghai Chengkong that a terrifying storm of black lightning had slaughtered all of the immortals in Witherdew overnight.
Canghai Chengkong had remained outside the tomb all this time. With his name written in the Tome of Life and Death, he could contact Lu Yun at any time.
Three days were enough for the world of immortals to be turned completely upside down. After losing all of its immortals, Witherdew Major immediately became fruit ripe for the picking for factions all over the world.
Not only did the courts of the other eight majors, ten lands, four immortal seas, and the four oceans make their moves, but even a few reclusive clans emerged from their territories to lay claim to Witherdew Major.
An era of chaos had well and truly arrived.
Lu Yun wasnât powerful enough to protect himself under the circumstances. Heâd thought that Kui and Xing Chen would be enough to establish his footing in the world, but now he realized how very wrong he was.
Similar to the abrupt emergence of the fur seals with their complete immortal dao, even more powerful factions might suddenly appear on the morrow.
Lu Yun had committed Violetgraveâs earlier words to heart: the corpse puppet wouldnât dare run rampant even after she regained her freedom. After all, there was no shortage of people who could extinguish her in the world of immortals.
âŚâŚ
âThis thing...â Lu Yun picked up the giant water jar laying on the ground.
It was most likely the personal treasure of the demon celestial master, and thus itâd be unwise of him to send it straight to hell. The four celestial masters from the Primordial Era were the epitome of unpredictability.
With the water jar in his arms, Lu Yun took the Path of Ingress to Yuchi Tianhuang.
Bing Xuan and Bing Ling had driven the old fur seal away. When Lu Yun found his Infernum, only ten thousand of Yuâerâs army of corpse divines had survived. That awful fatality rate sent a chill down Lu Yunâs spine. Only ten thousand out of the original hundred thousand soldiers had survived a savage slaughter!
Nevertheless, he allowed the soldiers passage into hell. The power within the realm immediately transformed them into Infernum.
Yuâer, or Xuan Yu, had been the apple of the Black Tortoisesâ eye. The primordial divine tribe had been erased, though, while the tribe today had gone into hiding, away from all prying eyes.
âMilord!â Yuchi Tianhuang spoke up. âI sensed the energy of the Skyqilin and Skyturtle Pearls earlier! Both have been claimed by others.â
âI see.â Lu Yun nodded in acknowledgement.
The kunpeng, qilin, turtle, and scarlet ape nests shouldâve been destroyed when the yin and yang tombs merged. He hadnât immediately searched for them because he didnât have a clue regarding the whereabouts of the pearls, and thus he didnât know where to start.
He wasnât at all surprised to hear that the two pearls had been taken in the interim.
âWho took them?â Lu Yun asked after taking a deep breath.
âThe Skyqilin Pearl has been claimed by the Lin Clan, while the Skyturtle Pearl seems to have fallen into the hands of the Ling Clan.â Yuchi Tianhuang organized his recollections and continued in an uncertain tone, âHowever, a group of mysterious figures suddenly showed up and went on a killing spree. They were the ones who slaughtered Yuâerâs soldiers!â
Xuan Yu nodded. Sheâd had an army of nearly a million corpse divines. No matter how powerful, Ge Yanxia and her brood couldnât have rivaled their collective strength. Theyâd first lost almost all of their members to mysterious enemies before the fur seals chased after them.
âThis subordinate isnât sure if those who gained the two pearls have been killed by the mysterious figures as well.â Fear flashed through Yuchi Tianhuangâs gaze.
âTheyâre natives of the underworld,â Xuan Yu said suddenly.
âNatives?â Lu Yunâs breath hitched upon recalling the ruins heâd encountered in the underworld upon gaining entry. Thereâd once been a prosperous civilization here, but had been instantly destroyed by something. The natives were likely the survivors of that glorious age.
âCorrect!â Xuan Yu took a deep breath. Upon becoming Lu Yunâs Infernum, sheâd regained her memories and cultivation from the Primordial Era. The transformation left her no different from regular immortals.
âThe natives were extremely difficult to deal with. The immortal emperor couldnât do anything other than deploy a great number of immortal soldiers every year to man the defensive posts along the border of the underworld, preventing them from invading the world of immortals.â
Lu Yun nodded; this was new to him. Although Su Xiaoxiao was from the Primordial Era as well, she was merely a golden immortal and hadnât served the immortal court. There were many things she didnât know about geopolitical matters.
âWere there any yin spirits in the underworld back in your time?â Lu Yun asked, a theory forming in his mind.
âThere... there werenât!â Xuan Yu shook her head. âThe underworld was the underworld. Vast, but barely populated. Poor in resources, but rich in secrets. Yin spirits⌠there were never any sightings of the kind.â
âThatâll do. You may return to hell.â Many possibilities came to mind, but Lu Yun didnât know where to start.
âThis subordinate is very familiar with the celestial master tomb, sir,â Xuan Yu said hurriedly, reluctant to take her leave.
âThereâs no need. Iâm about to leave as well.â Lu Yun waved a hand dismissively. âTianhuang, teach Xuan Yu the Heavenly Formation of Black Tortoise. There is to be a difficult battle ahead of us, and the battalions of the Scaled-Dragon King and Beigong Yu wonât be enough.â
âUnderstood!â Yuchi Tianhuang tugged Xuan Yu away with him and the two returned to hell.
âThe Skyturtle and Skyqilin Pearls have been nurtured by the tomb for a long time. Theyâve probably become sentient. It wonât be that easy to acquire them.â Lu Yun inhaled deeply. âIâll leave after getting the Path of Ingress.â
He summoned his branch of the Path of Ingress and made his way to the burial chamber housing the main treasureâtherein lay Wayfarerâs flesh and blood. Yu Hengluo had volunteered to stay and guard the body.
âI have to resolve what happened to Yu Hengluo, too. She was hurt in that room, so the solution must be there as well.â His branch of the path transcended layers of space and quickly took Lu Yun to the chamber, but what he saw there made his scalp go numb.
âThere you are, Sect Head!â said a lilting voice. Yu Hengluo sat cross-legged on the ground, bamboo stick in her hand. She quickly rose to her feet when she spotted Lu Yun. The bronze lantern remained intact before the sarcophagus, faint Emerald Mistfire crackling within.
âYu Hengluo⌠Youâre alright?â Lu Yun projected his consciousness into hell, where Yu Hengluoâs body lay trembling on the ground.
etvolare's Thoughts
If they're both her... she can't be the stone statues we saw in the very first tomb...