Chapter 668 - 615: Kunxi Divine Palace
On the outer plaza of the Kunxi Divine Palace, clouds floated around like fog after rain, illuminated by the evening glow into a spectrum of colors, exuding immaterial Immortal Qi.
Shen Mingjing was heavily thrown to the edge of the plaza by Xiong Yanhong, the force from the Divinity Transformation Cultivator causing him to stagger back two steps before he could stand firm.
"I warn you, don’t play any tricks!" Xiong Yanhong, dressed in black with a black mask, had a fierce look in his eyes.
Shen Mingjing’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, he appeared completely unperturbed, and calmly said, "Your brother treated me with kindness and courtesy; why are you being so rude? We are partners, not master and servant."
Xiong Yanhong sneered, with an absolute suppression in cultivation, he didn’t fear Shen Mingjing in the slightest.
"It’s good that you know I’m different from Xiong Yanqing. Now that I’ve brought you to the entrance of the Divine Palace as promised, and have also captured Zhuge Ziyin, you’d better really have a way to enter the Divine Palace, or I’ll show you the consequences of deceit!"
A barely detectable coldness flashed in Shen Mingjing’s eyes as he moved his gaze around.
This place looked almost identical to the Immortal Palace of Immortal Monarch Chongmin outside, which showed that Immortal Monarch Chongmin had constructed his residence in imitation of the Kunxi Divine Palace.
Xiong Yanhong had been here before and carried the aura of the Gatekeeper Black Qilin, so he didn’t need to take the original hidden and dangerous path and could go directly to the entrance of the Divine Palace.
This was why Shen Mingjing initially wanted to cooperate with the Xiong Family, to minimize the risks he might encounter.
However, looking at it now, although risks were reduced, his mood wasn’t very pleasant.
He raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, "Forgive me for speaking again, the Kunxi Divine Palace has numerous restrictions surrounding the Kunpeng’s Treasure in the Inner Hall. One person, one lifetime, only has one chance to take one item. Even Immortal Monarch Chongmin, up to now, has not been able to break this rule. Don’t let greed bring you a bloody disaster."
Xiong Yanhong was disdainful, "I have my own judgment!"
Shen Mingjing glanced deeply at Xiong Yanhong, smirked, and asked, "Where is Zhuge Ziyin?"
Xiong Yanhong stood with hands behind his back and pointed his chin in a direction, Shen Mingjing turned to look, the clouds parted, revealing Zhuge Ziyin unconscious, leaning on a pillar carved with a Water Qilin pattern at the edge of the plaza.
Beside were four Nascent Soul cultivators from the Heavenly Star Sect and Xiong Family present.
Shen Mingjing knew what Xiong Yanhong was up to, but could only mourn for this group of people.
The restriction at the entrance of the Divine Palace was extremely complex and difficult to break and bore the power of Xuanming True Water, one of the ten ancient divine waters.
This water discarded the softness of water and the life-giving force of water, retaining only the ultimate destructive power, able to freeze a thousand miles, a water of astounding offensive strength.
Normally entering the Divine Palace requires an understanding of the Water Path to the degree accepted by the palace, naturally allowing Xuanming True Water to do no harm to the body.
But currently, the only ones who might meet this condition are Immortal Monarch Chongmin himself and his Immortal Servant Wen Su.
So they must find another way, starting with the restriction itself.
To break the restriction without alarming the Xuanming True Water requires a Divine Sense invisible and unnoticed, yet strong and deft, as if an extension of their own limb.
And the only one capable of this is a cultivator of the Yin Yang Family’s Human Control Technique mastering the Yang Vein, which is why they captured Zhuge Ziyin.
Next, Shen Mingjing needed to put in some effort to properly persuade Zhuge Ziyin to cooperate, allowing Xiong Yanhong to get his wish and enter the Divine Palace to receive a grand gift!
*
Beside Xuexian Lake.
Lu Nanzhi rushed to Jiang Yuebai’s side, "Why not give chase?"
Jiang Yuebai’s brows were tightly furrowed, standing in mid-air looking at the gradually calming lake surface.
"Shen Mingjing just sent me a message, telling me to look down."
There was movement from the dense forest behind, Lu Nanzhi and Jiang Yuebai exchanged a glance and immediately chose to temporarily avoid.
A moment later, a female cultivator in purple rushed to the lakeside, the same female demon cultivator Jiang Yuebai had encountered when she came out from the Yin Side.
After she arrived at the lakeside, she looked confusedly at the lake surface and then up at the Divine Palace above, after a moment of thought, she touched the Immortal Palace Token in her sleeve and then rushed towards the sky.
Jiang Yuebai and Lu Nanzhi hid atop a centennial tree, watching as the female cultivator’s Tunneling Light crashed into the clouds, the Divine Palace above like a mirage, no matter how she collided, she couldn’t touch anything real.
Yet just moments ago, Xiong Yanhong’s Tunneling Light vanished into the clouds.
Why could he get in?
Jiang Yuebai thought, perhaps it was related to him having entered once before.
Jiang Yuebai suddenly recalled what Shen Mingjing had said before, that mountains that seem close can wear horses out, and the Divine Palace above may seem near, but is actually far out of reach.
After attempting for a while, the female demon cultivator returned to the lakeside, stared at the lake surface for a long while, then steeled her heart and plunged directly into the lake.
Jiang Yuebai sent a message to Lu Nanzhi, "What Shen Mingjing just mentioned, to look down, likely means the entrance is at the lake bottom."
Lu Nanzhi focused on the lake surface, sensing danger lurking beneath, "Let’s wait and see."
Jiang Yuebai nodded, and patiently waited with Lu Nanzhi.
Feeling bored, Jiang Yuebai habitually took out a Jade Scroll to read, the very one Shen Mingjing had given her earlier. On the way, she had skimmed through it, just reaching the part about nurturing the Blood Jade Meat Mushroom to make it grow larger.
Seeing this, Lu Nanzhi chuckled and shook her head. Fortunately, she was okay with it and used to it; if it were Xie Jingshan here, he would probably be grinding his teeth comparing himself with Jiang Yuebai.
During this time, two more groups arrived at the lake; like the previous female demon cultivator, they all rushed into the air, found no palace, and returned to the lakeside. One group hesitated then left, while two from the other group followed the female demon cultivator’s example and entered the lake.
After waiting for more than half an hour, the female demon cultivator who went down first did not emerge, but of the two male cultivators who went down next, only one frantically escaped the lake.
It was unclear what he encountered; that Late-Stage Nascent Soul male cultivator was missing an arm, his clothes tattered and covered in blood, he hastily escaped while remaining alert to his surroundings.
Jiang Yuebai put away the Jade Scroll and exchanged a glance with Lu Nanzhi.
Lu Nanzhi showed no fear or willingness to retreat, Jiang Yuebai tilted her head, "Let’s go, any further delay and I fear Zhuge Ziyin’s life will be in danger."
Knowing the danger below, both heightened their vigilance. Before diving into the lake, Jiang Yuebai specifically retrieved several palm-sized spider puppets from her storage ring, infusing them with several strands of Divine Thought, and left them in the grass by the lake.
As swift as lightning, the little spiders vanished in the blink of an eye.
Diving into the lake with Lu Nanzhi, Jiang Yuebai immediately began to uncontrollably sink, feeling as though every drop of water weighed a thousand pounds, pressing down on her like a mountain, making it difficult to struggle.
The Immortal Palace Token was already useless here, Jiang Yuebai had to exert all her energy to circulate her Spiritual Energy to resist that gravity.
With such consumption, encountering any danger would make it difficult to counterattack with full strength.
"It’s the power of One Yuan Heavy Water, grab my hand."
Lu Nanzhi swam to Jiang Yuebai’s side and extended her hand, her eyes clear and bright, as if she were a nimble fish, her black hair drifting gently like seaweed, not suppressed by the forces within the water in the slightest.
Jiang Yuebai took Lu Nanzhi’s hand and immediately felt a gentle force flowing through her body, like warm water in a winter bath, providing comfort throughout and dispelling the gravity that had been weighing her down.
"It’s due to my Spiritual Body, and a fortunate encounter later on, most Spiritual Water True Water in this world has greatly reduced effectiveness on me."
Lu Nanzhi explained via message, kicking her legs, pulling Jiang Yuebai swiftly towards the lake bottom.
"It’s lucky to have you."
Jiang Yuebai sent back, as Lu Nanzhi turned to smile at her.
Both shifted their focus back to the lake bottom; it was very deep, with no fish present.
As they continued downward, the light was swallowed by darkness, even their Divine Sense had difficulty penetrating, affected by the One Yuan Heavy Water.
"The power of One Yuan Heavy Water is increasing; there seems to be something below, many things, be cautious."