Chapter 204: Young Hero Zhang, I truly am sorry for your kindness, I still

Everyone watched the yellow-clad youth easily destroy five magical artifacts, leaving them even more speechless.

It's unimaginable how he, under twenty years old, possesses a profound cultivation that usually takes several centuries to attain.

Next, under someone's guidance, they entered a narrow path, then turned into a wide, straight passage, and at the end suddenly discovered a huge space a hundred zhang high.

They also saw a huge stone illuminating the entire space, carved with the three large characters "Dead Spirit Abyss."

Behind the stone lay a vast yawning abyss; beneath it was lifeless, sinister, and eerie darkness, making one instinctively want to retreat.

Qi Hao furrowed his brows and said:

"This place is called the Dead Spirit Abyss; it must be a gathering spot for yin spirits."

Dharma Appearance let out a soft sigh:

"In life, aging and death are inevitable; only the soul is indestructible. When a lifetime ends, the soul leaves the body to seek rebirth, life after life, reincarnation endless."

"Yet due to the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion, they cling to the mortal world, look back on past dust, unwilling to reincarnate as resentful spirits,"

"If the Dead Spirit Abyss is indeed a gathering place for yin spirits, they are likely vicious resentful spirits that crave flesh and blood essence."

Li Xun's expression turned solemn:

"Eight hundred years ago this place was occupied by demonic sect evildoers, plus a great battle back then where the demonic sect suffered countless casualties; over all these years, the number of resentful spirits beneath the abyss has likely become incalculable."

"Now the remnants of the demonic sect have been slain by Zhang Shidi's peerless Daoist true law; inside the Myriad Bat Ancient Cave, aside from the Dead Spirit Abyss, everything has been burned to a blank white expanse, so the so-called treasure-hidden caves are mostly nonsense."

"We have fulfilled our merit; we can return to the sect to report."

"A few senior brothers and sisters, go back first." Zhuang Buran lowered his gaze:

"I intend to find a way to eradicate this evil place, lest resentful spirits emerge and bring suffering to the mortal world."

"Such a deed of accumulating virtue and merit—" Dharma Appearance hadn't finished speaking when the yellow-clad youth gave him a sideways glance:

"If you stay, do you think you're helping, or just dragging us down?"

Others had originally considered staying to help, but hearing this, they couldn't help but wryly smile.

Everyone present had been favored by their teachers since childhood, their cultivation standing tops among peers, yet now they've become disliked outcasts.

"Alright, I'm heading down first; you all go back and report."

The yellow-clad youth, with an air of skill and boldness, leapt into the bottomless, dark abyss.

"Senior Brother Qi, Senior Brother Ceng, I possess the Heavenly Cliff Divine Sword, specially adept at countering the most vicious yin things; I can certainly assist Zhang Shidi—you all go back first."

Lu Xueqi, not knowing what came over her, summoned the Heavenly Cliff and flew her sword down into the abyss.

Ceng Shushu stroked his chin:

"I wouldn't have guessed Junior Sister Lu is actually cold outside but warm inside."

"Just relying on the power of a divine object."

Yan Hong curled the corner of his mouth:

"If I had such a divine object, I would have long since entered the Dead Spirit Abyss with Zhang Shidi to eradicate this evil place for the people of the Central Plains."

Everyone remained silent and turned to leave.

At the bottom of the Dead Spirit Abyss, a white light spread like thin smoke.

Within the faint white light, countless faces appeared—male or female, old or young—looking extraordinarily sinister and terrifying.

A flash of light on a thin thread turned into a short rod over two feet long, suddenly revealing a strange devouring power, then whipping up a tornado that devours everything.

Only at the spot where the short rod stood did the vortex it formed become the eye of the storm that swallowed all the light smoke.

The yellow-clad youth suddenly glanced sideways and saw Lu Xueqi stepping on the Heavenly Cliff.

"Senior Sister Lu, I said I don't need help."

"If it weren't for you in the Martial Arts Grand Examination, I'd likely have died already in the Divine Sword Thunder Control True Scripture."

Lu Xueqi said lightly:

"You may not say it, but I can't pretend not to know; when something happens, I help if I can."

The yellow-clad youth asked with a smile:

"Do you think there's any need for you to lend a hand now?"

Lu Xueqi looked at the scene of the short rod devouring countless resentful spirits, her eyes widening:

"What kind of magical artifact is this?"

"The Long Rainbow Sword's main body, the Soul-Capturing Rod, excels at dealing with malevolent ghostly qi." Zhuang Buran said lazily:

"My Yellow Turban Warriors are forged from yin spirits and fierce souls; thus, for me, the Dead Spirit Abyss is actually an excellent place for crafting artifacts."

"Once I obtain thousands of Yellow Turban Warriors, the yin spirits here will no longer be able to wreak havoc on the world."

Lu Xueqi gazed deeply at the yellow-clad youth:

"It seems I've once again overestimated myself and underestimated you."

"How could I blame Senior Sister Lu? I can only blame myself for hiding too deeply, causing you to misjudge."

Zhuang Buran said this, then suddenly flicked his sleeve, a flame appeared in the dim space, and a piercing wail erupted.

Lu Xueqi heard the sound and looked over, seeing a monster with a pig's head and dog's body, long sharp fangs, and a wholly crimson-black form, its screams unceasing as it burned in the flames.

"This place not only harbors yin spirits, but also hides bloodthirsty monsters."

The yellow-clad youth said gently:

"Senior Sister Lu, I'll probably need several days' effort to leave the Dead Spirit Abyss; you'd better hurry off and catch up with Senior Brother Ceng and Senior Brother Qi."

Lu Xueqi also knew staying would be useless, so she bluntly said:

"Take care of yourself."

Having said that, she flew her sword away from the Dead Spirit Abyss.

The yellow-clad youth let out a hollow laugh, letting the short rod devour yin spirits as he wandered the Dead Spirit Abyss at will; seeing a large tree that had grown by drawing resentful spirit and monster energy from the yin-corrupted ground, he hurled it straight into the tornado.

With a thought, the devouring power emanating from the short rod seemed to instantly peak, swallowing all yin spirits in an instant; with a flash of light it turned back into a thin thread, falling down just as it had once been wrapped around his waist.

Immediately, the yellow-shirted youth arrived before a silent sea.

What a youth that makes me feel pity.

In the darkness, a girl in water-green clothes suddenly appeared; she had lovely features, fine brows, snow-white skin, and a pair of bright, large eyes that were extremely lively, her gaze like water.

Miss, I am Zhang Xiaofan of the Qing Yun Sect; this place is gloomy and vicious, do not venture lightly, please leave quickly.

The green-shirted girl, hearing the yellow-shirted youth's gentle words, couldn't help but startle, seeming somewhat caught off guard, and she spoke with a slightly strange expression:

So you are a senior disciple of the Qing Yun Sect; we meet in this place of eerie ghostly aura—aren't you afraid I might be some demonic sect temptress?

Hearing your words, I feel even more that you are not a person of the Demonic Sect." the yellow-shirted youth said solemnly:

Normally, members of the Demonic Sect would not call themselves demonic; they claim to be disciples of the Holy Sect, and they deem the so-called righteous great sects of the Central Plains utterly false, thus being the true demonic sect hiding behind the banner of righteousness.

The green-shirted girl let out a laugh like silver bells:

If I hadn't heard you say at the start that you were a Qing Yun Sect disciple, just from your words just now I would almost have thought you were a demonic sect disciple.

Miss, you jest; since ancient times righteousness and wickedness cannot coexist—I am the seventh disciple under Chief Seat Tian Buyi of the Great Bamboo Peak of the Qing Yun Sect; how could I be a demonic sect disciple?

The yellow-shirted youth gazed toward the silent sea and said:

I sense that the depths of this sea are extremely perilous and unpredictable; if you stay longer, you may endanger your life.

The green-shirted girl's clear eyes flowed, and she walked forward elegantly and calmly:

Since there is danger, why do you not leave?

As a disciple of the Qing Yun Sect, I naturally bear the duty to defend the righteous path of the Central Plains; this place is dangerous, others may retreat, but I cannot retreat—I must find a way to destroy this evil place, so as not to betray my lifelong learning and my teachers' teachings.

After the yellow-shirted youth finished speaking, a strange fragrance suddenly assailed his nose; a white light appeared in his vision, and he saw a small white flower instantly split into fragments, falling onto his shoulders, back, and arms.

As expected of a Qing Yun Sect disciple; the strange fragrance emitted by my Heartbreak Flower can pierce straight to the heart, causing one to instantly go limp and collapse, yet you remain standing.

Seeing the yellow-shirted youth's incredulous gaze, the green-shirted girl chuckled:

Young Hero Zhang, I truly feel sorry for your good intentions, but I am indeed a demonic sect temptress.

(End of chapter)