Chapter 776 - 413: Revealing the Truth (Part 2)
If it weren’t for the restriction and array formation that only Li Mu had the ability to break, they would have left him behind in an instant and rushed into the Yin Sha Spirit River to seek the legendary Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion, instead of bickering with a Divinity Transformation cultivator.
Other cultivators looked at Li Mu, clearly unwilling to give up so easily.
Unlike Li Mu, who has the backing of a major sect and possesses a Saint Tier inheritance and superb Hundred Arts Skills, they are all Loose Cultivators, risking their lives for the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in exchange for some cultivation resources, living hand to mouth. Each cultivation resource is earned through risking their lives, so encountering such an opportunity as the Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion, they are all willing to take a life-threatening gamble.
Li Mu glanced around, taking in the expressions of everyone present, understanding their thoughts, and taking a deep breath, he said solemnly, "Everyone, I understand your desire for the ’Daoist Monarch’s Cave Mansion,’ but the restriction within the Yin Sha Spirit River is truly beyond my capability. I hope everyone can handle this rationally and not lose their lives to momentary greed."
"Moreover, the grand array and restriction here might have an extraordinary origin." Li Mu warned with a heavy face: "If we rashly attempt to break the array, we might encounter unpredictable catastrophic consequences impacting not only our personal safety, but potentially also the entire Central State Spirit Realm, or even the entire Spirit Realm."
Li Mu’s words had just fallen when a burly, rugged-looking Divinity Transformation cultivator let out a cold snort, indicating, "Master Li, if you are afraid of risks and unwilling to take action, just say so without exaggerating to scare us. The path of cultivation inherently opposes the natural order in search of transcendence. Having embarked on this path, where is the absolute safety? If we are always worried about this or that, then why cultivate, why pursue truth?"
"Indeed!" Someone in the crowd agreed, obviously supporting the view of the Divinity Transformation cultivator.
Another cultivator stood up, looking at Li Mu with a determined tone, and said, "Master Li, if there’s truly a chance to achieve Dao here, I, Chen, would fight to the death without hesitance. Dying without regrets!"
...
Everyone was in an uproar, each sticking to their opinions and resenting Li Mu’s excuses for refusal.
"Outrageous, how dare you speak to Master Li like that! Apologize to Master Li immediately!" Qian Wantong suddenly shouted angrily, his gaze sternly directed at those disrespectful cultivators.
"You have some nerve to squeeze Master Li; if you’re so capable, why don’t you go ahead! Stop speaking so cynically!" Wan Shaoming followed up with a scolding.
Those few cultivators wilted under Qian Wantong and Wan Shaoming’s rebuke, realizing their hope to break the restriction still lay with Li Mu, they quickly lowered their stance and apologized to Li Mu.
The burly Divinity Transformation cultivator first broke the deadlock, scratching his head, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Master Li, my apologies, our words were too harsh earlier, please forgive us."
The other cultivators also expressed their apologies, indicating their willingness to follow Li Mu’s arrangements.
Li Mu glanced at Qian Wantong and Wan Shaoming, immediately understanding that they were playing good cop. Their purpose was still to rely on his power to break the restriction here.
Qian Wantong turned to Li Mu, a smile of apology on his face, suggesting, "Master Li, they didn’t understand; don’t take it to heart. We all know you have our best interests at heart and have great foresight. I am willing to heed your advice and consider this matter carefully!"
"Master Li, from your words, it seems you know the origin of this restriction!" Wan Shaoming looked at Li Mu and asked with concern.
Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Li Mu took a deep breath, furrowed his brows, and decided to frankly introduce, "Everyone, if my guess is correct, the restriction ahead is actually the Extreme Yin Array, set up by the Extreme Yin Daoist Monarch from ancient times."
Li Mu looked around, seeing surprise and curiosity mixing on everyone’s faces, and continued, "The purpose of this array isn’t to protect any treasure or secret realm, but to resonate with other Extreme Dao Arrays set by Daoist Monarchs, collectively forming a larger, more complex Chaos Sealing Array. The true role of this Chaos Array is to seal the Two Realms Passage between the Spirit Realm and the Demon Abyss."
As soon as Li Mu’s words fell, there was an uproar among the crowd.
"What! Master Li, is this true?!" A Divinity Transformation cultivator asked incredulously.
"Master Li, how did you come to know this?" Another Divinity Transformation cultivator urgently followed up, clearly shaken by this news.
"Boundary Sealing Array... this, this can’t be true?!" Someone murmured, seemingly unable to accept this shocking fact.
...
Everyone was in an uproar, shocked by Li Mu’s revelation of this news. They never expected that the ruins they long sought were actually the Sealed Land of the Two Realms Passage.
"Master Li, how can we verify your guess?" Qian Wantong stared at Li Mu, his tone filled with concern and expectation.
Qian Wantong’s question was like a stone dropped into a pond, stirring ripples in everyone’s hearts. They all turned their eyes to Li Mu, with lights of yearning for a definitive answer. After all, they didn’t hope to abandon the legendary Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion so easily based on just one remark from Li Mu.
Li Mu gazed deeply at Qian Wantong, pondered for a moment, and looked at everyone as he asked, "Just now, that Integration Realm Demon Cultivator who attempted to break the array, can anyone discern his origin?"
This question plunged everyone present into deep thought, looking at each other, frowning in thought.
"That Integration Realm Demon Cultivator is indeed extremely peculiar; he is clearly a Blood Cultivator, and also concurrently practices Body Cultivation. I have never seen the Blood Techniques he unleashed, truly mystical and unfathomable." Void Refining Body Cultivator - Pang Long first broke the silence, his tone full of dread.
"Indeed! Being able to cultivate to the Integration Realm with Blood Techniques, who knows how many living beings he sacrificed, truly chilling." Void Refining Insect Cultivator - Xiao Xiangyun knitted his brows, showing a deep look of fear, following up with his sentiment.
"Indeed! Who knows what great figure he is!"
"Master Li, do you know his origin?"
...
The Integration Realm Demon Cultivator left all the cultivators deeply apprehensive, leading to a flurry of discussions about this demon cultivator’s true identity and origin.
Meanwhile, Li Mu’s question heightened their awareness of the dangers in this exploration of the Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion, making them all feel terrified. The intervention of an Integration Realm powerhouse implied that exploring the Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion harbored even more terrifying risks, akin to dancing on a knife-edge, with the potential to plunge into irreversible calamity at any moment.
"Master Li, are you suggesting that this Integration Realm Demon Cultivator is related to this grand array?" Wan Shaoming roughly guessed at Li Mu’s implication and asked concernedly.
"I do know his origin; he is from the Demon Abyss - Domain Master of the Blood Demon Race - Dana. The obliteration of the indigenous powers in the Sea of Ten Thousand Stars was thanks to him. Behind him are several Void Refining Demon Cultivators from the Nine Demons Sect; the fall of the South Wilderness Spirit Realm was also their doing!" Li Mu looked at everyone and elaborated in detail.
Upon hearing this, the cultivators collectively inhaled sharply, never expecting that they were followed by such a fearsome group. Had Li Mu not taken action to successfully block them with array formation, they might already have become the souls under those demon cultivators’ hands.
"The Blood Demon Lord - Dana, and the Nine Demons Sect behind him have always tried to break the passage seal between the Spirit Realm and the Demon Abyss, to enable a larger scale invasion by the Demon Abyss Army. If my suspicion is correct, this mission’s purpose of theirs is precisely the Extreme Yin Seal Extinction Array set by the Extreme Yin Daoist Monarch." With a steady and powerful voice, Li Mu continued, "Otherwise, why else would they take the enormous risk of being discovered by the Profound Celestial Sword Sect to sneak into the Central State Spirit Realm and blend into the Treasure Hunting Team here?"
Li Mu’s words landed like a heavy hammer striking their hearts, causing the cultivators’ expressions to change drastically, a mix of terror and disbelief appearing on their faces. Initially assuming the opposition came to explore the Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion, they hadn’t anticipated such an earth-shattering secret behind it.
The intelligence Li Mu provided strongly corroborated his hypothesis, making it certain that the Daoist Monarch’s cave mansion ahead was none other than the Sealing Array of the Two Realms Passage.