City of Death

Near the coast, the air was moist and warm.

Although it was early autumn, the plants by the sea were still lush.

The magic flying vessel was very stable. Lu Xuan turned around and suddenly said, "Fellow Daoist Cheng, I heard that the saintesses of your sect only enter the mortal world after the Mahayana stage. Why did you leave the mountain so early?"

In his impression, the cultivation method of the Dushi Sword House was very unique.

At a certain period of the peak of the Mahayana stage, one would enter an extraordinary state, and one's cultivation would be greatly weakened, falling to the Golden Core stage.

At this time, they would need to go down the mountain and experience the mortal world. Only after enlightenment could they enter the Transcendence stage.

Only saintesses would have such a strange state, and it seemed to be related to some kind of physique.

When the ancestor stole the immortal scripture, it happened that the Saintess had just finished her enlightenment and was at her peak.

The first battle to consolidate her stage was to beat up the Dao Evolution Sect's Ancestral Master.

Lu Xuan had the means to identify the Saintess in front of him. Her age and cultivation were the same as the identity token. It was impossible for her to be fake.

Unless she was like him, a Nascent Soul cultivator who could run away, the person standing in front of him was a genuine Golden Core cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you sure are very knowledgeable."

A hint of surprise flashed through Cheng Lingzhu's eyes.

She pondered for a moment and explained, "Thousands of years ago, our Dushi Sword House cooperated with the Pure Dreamland and developed a special secret technique.

"The Saintess of the sect left the mountain at the Golden Core stage and preserved her insights. When the Mortal Tribulation arrived, she would reenact the dream. When she woke up, she would enter the Tribulation realm, which would be better for her cultivation than before."

"I see."

Lu Xuan understood.

The method of cultivation had been progressing and developing. Compared to the previous Mahayana stage when he had left the mountain to experience, this "dream tribulation" method was much more advanced.

For example, if one left the mountain when they were young and their minds were not mature, after living for more than a thousand years, they would be able to gain a lot of enlightenment by revisiting their experiences.

At the same time, because it was a dream, he could make up for his regrets in the dream and make his cultivation more complete.

'A cultivator who can think of such a method might have some regrets in his heart…' Lu Xuan thought.

...

On the spirit vessel, Cheng Lingzhu reminded him, "Fellow Daoist Lu, the City of Death is located in front of us. When cultivators enter a radius of 50 kilometers, they will feel an obvious sense of discomfort."

The two of them had already entered the area affected by the aura of the City of Death.

Lu Xuan looked at the ground. The plants did not seem to have changed. They were still green and lush.

However, the feeling it gave him was very different from before.

He circulated a spell, and a dim light flashed in his eyes.

Everything below the flying vessel became clear.

The seemingly round leaves had many tiny sharp teeth growing out of the edges, and they were pressed together in uneven layers. The originally smooth and straight branches became twisted and curved in a spiral shape, and they were filled with bloody tumor-like stem nodes. Under the shadow, purple-black veins wound around the bottom of the leaves. Around these veins, there were thorns tearing the surface of the leaves, crawling out ferociously and biting into everything around them.

Lu Xuan knew that the plants along the coast shouldn't have such a shape.

In the distance, the outline of the City of Death was gradually becoming clearer.

Cheng Lingzhu frowned, and her Daoist robe glowed slightly to resist the discomfort around her.

However, Lu Xuan did not feel anything. It was as if the aura from the City of Death had lost its effect on him.

Cheng Lingzhu glanced at him and saw that he was as calm as ever. It was unknown if he was holding on or if he had a secret treasure on him.

The closer they got to the

The moon was dark and the wind was strong.

Two Ghost Dao cultivators rode a human skin magic treasure and flew in the night.

Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu hid their auras and followed behind them.

"As a Nascent Soul cultivator, when you descend upon a mortal country, you have to disguise yourself and secretly capture people and steal their treasures."

Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu communicated telepathically.

Thinking of their injuries, it was easy to deduce that there was another force chasing after them, so the two of them did not dare to make a big fuss.

"These two people's auras are superficial and their mana is impure. They aren't disciples of a large sect."

Cheng Lingzhu said.

Lu Xuan looked at the backs of the two weak Nascent Soul cultivators and nodded in agreement.

There were still differences in combat strength between cultivators of the same realm.

Due to the influence of the cultivation technique, the quality of the magic power of a top-notch immortal sect disciple could be said to be worlds apart from that of an itinerant cultivator.

This was not counting the assistance of cultivation resources such as heavenly and earthly treasures and rare medicines.

Otherwise, the Dao Evolution Sect's founder would not have racked his brains to secretly learn from the various large sects.

After the time for an incense stick to burn.

The human skin magic treasure slowed down and landed near a cliff.

Two men in black jumped down from the magic weapon. One of them was carrying Chu Han, the prince of Dong Ping, who had already been knocked unconscious.

The other person looked around vigilantly. After confirming that no one was following him, he took out a token.

There was a cave in front of the cliff. There was a formation inside that sealed off the aura. The Nascent Soul cultivators used their tokens to open it and enter one after another.

After a while.

The air distorted slightly as Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu appeared.

The entrance of the cave was gray, as if it was covered with a layer of fog. This was the array shield here.

Lu Xuan extended his hand and pointed. A clear light lit up from his fingertip and the shield melted quietly.

"Let's go."

Lu Xuan waved his hand.

Cheng Lingzhu nodded and followed him into the cave.

...

The cave was narrow and could only accommodate one person.

He walked another ten miles and suddenly saw the light.

The exit of the cave was located in a huge valley.

At the center of the valley was a black circular altar.

The altar was more than a thousand feet in diameter, and there were many black-robed men standing around it. There were thousands of them, and all of them had cultivation.

Twelve temples were piled up on the altar, all built with human heads, with a square altar in the center.

Three men in black stood in front of the altar, facing the crowd of men in black.

The two on the left and right were the Nascent Soul ghost cultivators who had kidnapped Chu Han tonight. The person standing in the middle seemed to be the leader of this group.

"The Ancestral Sorcerer Bone Slab has been gathered. Tonight is the time for my Witchcraft Ghost Sect to rise!"

The leader's voice was deep and his mana was deep. He was a late-Nascent Soul cultivator.

He held a bone plate in his hand, which seemed to be made of several pieces of broken bones.

The Wugui Sect's sect master respectfully placed the bone plate in the center of the altar. Then, the three Nascent Soul cultivators took out daggers and cut their wrists without hesitation.

Fresh blood flowed down and sprinkled on the square altar, soaking the black bone plate and flowing down the groove of the altar.

The surface of the circular altar was also engraved with blood grooves, outlining fine patterns. These were the array runes on the altar.

Blood flowed out and filled the grooves of the array patterns. Only when the blood patterns connected the twelve temples to the central altar did the three black-robed men stop. Their faces were pale.

What they put in was not ordinary blood, but the blood essence of cultivators. It contained the origin, and even Nascent Soul realm cultivators could not withstand it.

However, their faces were filled with fanaticism.

The Grandmaster of the Witch Ghost Sect knelt on the ground and chanted a strange prayer.

The others also knelt down and followed the sect master of the Witch Ghost Sect, making obscure and awkward sacrificial sounds.

The blood on the altar squirmed, and wisps of blood Qi were emitted from the twelve temples. They flowed into the square altar, and the black bone plate wrapped in blood floated up.

A strong wind suddenly blew inside the sacrificial altar. The Grandmaster of the Witchcraft Ghost Sect shouted in a low voice. Streams of blood and Qi emerged from the disciples below and surged towards the black bone plate.

The bone plate of the Ancestral Magus shone, and a faint consciousness was born from the bone plate, gradually growing stronger.

As soon as this consciousness appeared, an extremely desolate aura spread out. It was as if some existence had crossed a long time and came from the ancient times.

The blood Qi of thousands of Wugui Sect disciples gathered into a blood mist giant. Its body was huge, as if it could support the heavens and the earth.

The sect master of the Witch Ghost Sect could not help but tremble. A fanatical expression appeared on his face, mixed with uncontrollable joy.

"Quick, quick, bring that mortal prince up!"

A figure was thrown in front of the altar. It was Chu Han, the Crown Prince of Dong Ping.

Chu Han had already woken up. When he opened his eyes, he saw the scene of such a barbaric sacrifice. He was instantly scared out of his wits.

This was different from the immortal cultivation he had imagined!

What happened to cultivating one's heart and mind and being at ease?

Chu Han closed his eyes in despair, ready to accept the arrival of death.

Who knew that the blood mist giant did not even look at him. It stretched out its huge palm and grabbed the sect master of the Witchcraft Ghost Sect in its hand.

"Ancestral Magus, Ancestral Magus!"

The sect master of the Witchcraft Ghost Sect realized that something was wrong and hurriedly shouted, trying to communicate with the blood mist giant.

Unfortunately, such a move was useless. The existence known as the " Ancestor of Sorcery " threw the sect master of the Witch Ghost Sect into his mouth as if he was eating candy.

How could the flesh and blood of an ordinary mortal be comparable to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator?

The remaining two Wugui Sect cultivators turned pale with fright. They urged their magic power and were about to fly away when the blood mist giant reached out and grabbed them. It did the same thing and swallowed the two of them.

After the three Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators entered his stomach, the blood mist giant's body became more solid. He stepped forward and opened his mouth to roar.

The bodies of thousands of Wugui Sect cultivators exploded and turned into a blood mist. Strands of blood Qi gathered and surged towards the giant.

However, this Vitality was still too little.

The blood mist giant desperately needed more blood food. He looked into the distance, where there was a big city. He sensed the abundant flesh and blood power in it and was about to step forward.

However, two figures stood in front of him.

Lu Xuan's Taoist Sword hung at his waist, and he stood there with his legs apart.

Cheng Lingzhu followed beside him, her aura a little weak.

She had been forcefully dragged over by Lu Xuan.

The cooldown of the Ancestral Master's Spirit Descent was still not over, so Cheng Lingzhu felt that they should retreat first.

However, Lu Xuan said that he could win.

This confused Cheng Lingzhu.

In the city of death, Lu Xuan said he could fight.

In Yanshui City, Lu Xuan also said that he could fight.

Now that he had encountered the powerful existence sacrificed by the Witch Ghost Sect, Lu Xuan could still say that he could fight.

What kind of secret treasure was he carrying? Why did it seem like it could not be used up?

Wasn't this man a little too persistent?

Lu Xuan calmly raised his hand, gesturing for Cheng Lingzhu to hide behind him.

However, he was very emotional in his heart.

Many years ago, when he was with his master, he was the one who hugged Cheng Hongtan's thigh.

The current him had already grown into a towering tree that could shelter him from the wind and rain.

, the darker the sky became.

When they were within ten kilometers of the City of Death, the sky was already covered by dark clouds. It was pitch-black like ink, looking extremely dark.

Patter.

A soft sound rang out.

Rain fell from the sky.

Cheng Lingzhu extended her hand, and a drop of rain fell from her fingertips, but this raindrop was black.

The raindrops emitted a decaying aura as they fell on the ground. They squirmed like living creatures and drilled into the ground.

Rumble!

Thunder rumbled in the sky.

Cheng Lingzhu looked up and saw a black bolt of lightning.

A downpour was coming.

Cheng Lingzhu raised her hand and was about to catch another drop of rain, but after a few breaths, her palm was dry as usual.

She turned around and saw Lu Xuan holding an umbrella behind her.

It was a very beautiful oil-paper umbrella that the two of them could share.

If one person was willing to snuggle in the other person's arms, the umbrella was just enough to cover both of them.

"There's something wrong with this rain."

Cheng Lingzhu retracted her hand.

Not far away was the city. The city walls were pitch-black and thick. They were three hundred meters tall, looming cold and silent.

"Do you still want to go inside?" She looked up at Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan held the umbrella and looked at the City of Death. He said the words that his master hated the most, "Well, we're already here."

Cheng Lingzhu took a few deep breaths, her chest heaving up and down.

"Don't stray too far away from me after we enter."

...

"The people of the Heavenly Water Temple opened this gate?"

Standing in front of the City of Death, Lu Xuan looked at the huge chains on the city gate, his dark eyes slightly darkening.

There were a total of nine chains, and they looked like black dragons coiling around each other.

However, now, seven of the nine chains had been broken.

The originally closed city gate also opened a gap, allowing several people to pass through.

Cheng Lingzhu didn't think that this was a good thing. Just standing in front of the City of Death made her feel heavy pressure.

The opened city gate was like an evil beast in the dark night, quietly lying dormant, choosing its prey.

"No."

She shook her head.

"I asked the disciples of the Heavenly Water Temple. When this City of Death appeared, its gate was like this."

Before coming to the City of Death, Cheng Lingzhu had gone to the Heavenly Water Temple.

As the successor of the Dushi Sword House, the elders and disciples of the Heavenly Water Temple dared not hide anything from her.

Lu Xuan nodded. He thought so too.

With the strength of the cultivators of the Heavenly Water Temple, they shouldn't have been able to break the chains.

"The disciples of the Heavenly Water Temple said that it rained heavily the night the City of Death appeared."

Lu Xuan stretched out his hand and pressed it on the city gate.

A cold and smooth feeling came from his palm as if he were touching the body of a giant snake.

There were many fine patterns carved on the city gate. The carvings were light but very clear to the touch.

The wall of the City of Death was hundreds of meters tall, and the city gate was also extremely tall. At a height of a hundred meters from the ground, the city gate had been deformed. There were messy claw marks deeply imprinted on it.

Lu Xuan could imagine what kind of scene must have happened.

On the same stormy night, something escaped from the City of Death. It wriggled its body, twisting and struggling to get out of the city. The chains were broken, and the city gate was torn and deformed, leaving its traces on it.

Lu Xuan exhaled slowly, and his breath turned into a foot-long white mist that was like a sharp sword aura.

"How many days has it been since the City of Death appeared?" 

Cheng Lingzhu thought for a moment.

"33 days."

Lu Xuan nodded slightly and did not say anything.

Behind him was the black rain, and in front of him was the decaying City of Death.

He put away the umbrella and walked into the city.

...

Inside the City of Death, it was also pitch black.

The surroundings were deathly silent, and Cheng Lingzhu's heartbeat quickened.

With her eyesight, she could only see things within 30 meters.

The architectural style of the City of Death was completely different from that of the Archean Eon World. The houses were densely packed, narrow, and low.

Lu Xuan paused and walked towards the nearest house.

Just as he was about to open the door, a fair hand reached out and blocked his way.

Cheng Lingzhu said, "Follow behind me, and don't act rashly. This City of Death is even stranger than I imagined…"

Lu Xuan had no choice but to give up. He turned to the side and made a gesture to indicate for her to go ahead.

In Lu Xuan's memories, when he went into dungeons in the past, there were often big shots that brought him along.

He did not expect that after so many years, there would still be a Golden Core big shot with a secret treasure who was willing to take him.

Cheng Lingzhu took a step forward, and just as she was about to open the door, she turned around and instructed, "After entering…remember to be careful. There might be danger inside."

Even Cheng Lingzhu felt that this advice was unnecessary.

After she finished speaking, she immediately pursed her lips.

She had only known Lu Xuan for less than an hour, so it was not an exaggeration to call him a stranger.

As the Saintess of the Dushi Sword School, it was obvious that she was getting too close to be saying such words to someone she had just met. She was not his master.

Cheng Lingzhu shook her head slightly. She didn't know why either.

For some reason, she felt a sense of familiarity when she saw Lu Xuan.

Just like when they first met, she expressed without hesitation that she was willing to introduce him to other sects.

She was clearly not someone who liked to meddle in other people's business.