Chapter 546

"As for the direction of the earth veins..."

"Meditation" continued, taking out a special black jade slip that flickered with faint ghostly light, sticking it to his forehead, imprinting the information into it with spiritual sense, and then handing it to Chen Mu.

"This is a relatively complete earth vein map of the Nether Mountain Range known, including the periphery of the core area controlled by the Nine Nether Sect. But within a hundred miles of the secret realm, the earth veins were forcibly diverted and covered by large formations, so the map is incomplete, only a general outline. The value is ten pieces of Profound Yin Jade Marrow."

Chen Mu took the jade slip, his spiritual sense swept over, confirming that the information was vast and detailed, although core parts were missing, it was already precious enough.

He paid ten pieces of Profound Yin Jade Marrow readily.

"Finally, about the unrecorded ancient passages..."

"Meditation" paused, seemingly organizing language, and seemingly weighing risks, "There is an unverified rumor. It is said that before the Nine Nether Sect was established, deep in the Nether Mountain Range, there existed a natural waterway connecting a tributary of the underground 'Nether Yin River', known as the 'Yellow Spring Dark Flow'."

"This dark flow extends in all directions, and some tributaries may even lead to the depths of the mountain range. After the Nine Nether Sect was established, most of the known entrances were blocked or brought under control."

"But it is rumored that deep underground in the 'Black Evil Cave' assessment area, due to the mining of some kind of yin-attribute ore back then, a crack leading to a small branch of the 'Yellow Spring Dark Flow' was accidentally opened."

"This crack is extremely unstable, full of space turbulence and yin-poisonous evil energy, and the location is hidden, known to very few, perhaps not completely recorded or sealed by the Nine Nether Sect."

"But this is only a rumor, and even if the crack exists, it must be extremely dangerous, and whether it can lead to the vicinity of the secret realm is unknown."

Dark flow?

Abandoned mine crack?

Chen Mu analyzed quickly in his heart.

Black Evil Cave is exactly where Lu Changyao is about to participate in the assessment.

If this rumor is true, that crack might be an infiltration point not strictly monitored by the Nine Nether Sect.

Although dangerous, compared to breaking into the mountain gate or frontal trial, it seems to have a possibility.

"What is the value of this rumor?" Chen Mu asked.

"This rumor is ethereal, and involves sect secrets, the risk is huge."

"Meditation" said slowly, "Fifty pieces of Profound Yin Jade Marrow, plus the guest needs to swear by the inner demon, not to reveal the source of the news, and, regardless of success or failure, have no more relationship with me."

The inner demon oath has no low binding force on martial artists, especially high-level martial artists.

Chen Mu pondered for a moment, then swore according to his words.

What he lacks most now is clues, money is secondary.

Paid the remaining Profound Yin Jade Marrow, the transaction was completed.

"Guest, take care of yourself."

"Meditation" put away the treasure, his figure gradually merged into the shadow of the stone wall behind him, disappearing, actually seeming to be proficient in some high-level earth escape or shadow secret technique.

Chen Mu did not stay, quickly left the cave of "Meditation," and turned around in the dark ruins, confirming that no one was following, before returning to the ground quietly and leaving Black Nether City.

Outside the city, a desolate mountain col.

Chen Mu revealed his true appearance, holding the black jade slip recording the earth vein map, combined with the three pieces of information about the secret realm's abnormal movements provided by "Meditation," and the rumor about the "Yellow Spring Dark Flow" crack, deducing rapidly in his mind.

"Sword Soul is deep in the 'Nether Abyss Secret Realm', the possibility is very high. Recent abnormal movements may be related to Sword Soul. The Nine Nether Sect strengthening guards is both for suppression and research, and may also be exploring the root cause of the abnormal movements."

Chen Mu's gaze was sharp, "Trying to enter the dark flow from the abandoned mine crack deep underground in the Black Evil Cave might bypass some guards and approach the secret realm area. Although dangerous, it is worth a try."

"However, Black Evil Cave is the Nine Nether Sect's assessment place, and there are a large number of disciples gathered recently, and the guards are more than usual."

"Need to wait for the assessment to start, when most of the attention and manpower are attracted to the assessment itself, then sneak into the abandoned mine area..."

Chen Mu calculated the time, the assessment in Lu Changyao's memory is three days later.

At that time, the "Black Evil Cave" area of Eagle Wind Ridge will definitely be mixed with people, which is a good time to fish in troubled waters.

"Before that, need to figure out the terrain around Black Evil Cave, especially the possible location of the abandoned mine..."

Chen Mu looked at the jade slip in his hand, his spiritual sense sank into it, and began to carefully study the Nether Mountain Range, especially the earth vein trend and known mine pit distribution in the "Eagle Wind Ridge" area.

Three days passed in a flash.

Eagle Wind Ridge, located on the northeast side of the periphery of the Nether Mountain Range, is a desolate mountain ridge covered with black strange rocks and sparse, twisted ghost-crying wood.

The cold wind howls all year round, rolling up black sand and gravel on the ground, making a sound like ghost crying, hence the name.

This place has rich yin evil energy, but it is mixed and impure, and the geomagnetism is chaotic, breeding quite a few poisonous insects and exotic beasts that like yin, and it is one of the traditional trial grounds used by the Nine Nether Sect to temper outer disciples.

"Black Evil Cave" is located deep in Eagle Wind Ridge, a bottomless earth cave that constantly gushes black evil energy outward.

The cave has complex terrain and many forks, some of which go deep underground, connecting to yin veins, forming a unique sinister environment.

On this day, on the periphery of Eagle Wind Ridge, gathered no less than several hundred Nine Nether Sect outer disciples, each with a cold aura, and their expressions were either nervous, excited, or indifferent.

Several inner sect deacons and elders wearing black robes with patterns embroidered on their cuffs stood in the air, supervising the assessment matters.

There were even more Nine Nether Sect patrol teams, on alert in the surrounding area, preventing idlers from approaching, and also guarding against accidents that might occur during the assessment.

Chen Mu had long been disguised as an ordinary-looking gray-clothed loose cultivator with an aura of about Innate Sixth Layer, mixed in the shadows of the distant mountain ridge, hiding his figure and aura.

The Heavenly Palace realm spiritual sense was like an invisible spider web, quietly covering a large area of Eagle Wind Ridge, observing the progress of the assessment, while carefully scanning the abandoned yin-attribute mine pit locations marked in the earth vein map.

The assessment had begun, and the first batch of disciples entered the various entrances of Black Evil Cave under the command of the deacons.

Fighting sounds, shouting, and the roaring of exotic beasts soon came from the cave.

The deacons and patrol teams on the periphery were mostly attracted by the assessment progress and maintaining order.

Chen Mu waited patiently.

Until the sun passed noon, and the vigilance of the peripheral guards was slightly slack due to nothing happening for a long time, he quietly swept out from his hiding place like a ghost.

Following a hidden path that had been selected long ago, avoiding the main patrol routes, and covered by messy rocks and dead wood, he sneaked towards an old mine pit marked as "abandoned, risk of collapse" on the map deep in Eagle Wind Ridge.

The journey was safe and sound, avoiding two patrol teams.

Half an hour later, Chen Mu arrived at his destination.

It was a mine pit located at the bottom of a shady mountain valley, half-covered by the collapsed mine entrance and the black waste ore piled up like a mountain.

The pit entrance was deep, constantly gushing out cold air with sulfur and decay.

The surroundings were silent, only the sound of the wind sobbing.

Looking at the traces, this place had been abandoned for at least a hundred years and had long been forgotten by the Nine Nether Sect.

Chen Mu's spiritual sense probed into the mine pit, the internal structure was complex, many channels had collapsed and blocked, but there seemed to be space deep inside.

Comparing the earth vein map, carefully sensing the faint yin energy flow and spatial fluctuations coming from deep underground.

"This is it... the earth vein shows that deep below, there is indeed a faint fluctuation that is unstable and slightly different from the flow direction of the mainstream yin vein, which has some similarities with the characteristics of the 'Yellow Spring Dark Flow' described by 'Meditation'."

Chen Mu's eyes flashed with essence, turning into a faint gray shadow, submerging into the abandoned mine pit...