The man lowered his head, looking at the chains on his wrists.
His master had told him to guard the Eternal Dark Abyss and never let anyone enter.
He remembered his master's command, but he couldn't remember anything else.
Who was he?
Where did he come from?
Why was he here?
He stood in a daze for a long time before turning around, dragging his chains as he walked back to the skeleton.
The man looked down at the skeleton sitting cross-legged and stared for a long while.
The skeleton wore ornate robes; though many years had passed, the fabric remained intact. A rust-covered longsword was thrust into the ground before it. Looking at the sword, the man suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
He reached out to touch it, but halfway there, he pulled his hand back.
He crouched down, looking at the skeleton and the face that was no longer recognizable.
He suddenly wanted to ask: Who are you?
But he didn't ask, because he knew the skeleton would not answer.
He fell back into a daze. After an unknown period of silence, he stood up and turned to walk back.
After a few steps, the man suddenly stopped.
He looked down at the ground. The dust beneath his feet was very, very thick. He extended a foot and slowly traced lines in the dust.
Stroke by stroke, the writing was crooked and uneven.
He wrote three words: Who am I?
Once finished, the man stared at those three words for a long time. His rotting brow furrowed slightly as if he were trying hard to recall something.
But he could remember nothing.
He stood there for a long time before suddenly remembering something. He quickly crouched down and used his sleeve to wipe the words away.
He wiped it clean, leaving no trace behind.
After finishing, he let out a sigh of relief and stood up slowly. He looked around warily, as if afraid of being discovered by someone.
Once he confirmed there was no one else, he dragged his chains along a fixed path, walking in circles step by step, as if on patrol.
Only when he reached the shattered stone door would he occasionally stop, gazing at the flickering points of light within the passage.
...
After entering the stone door, Chen Zhou and Jian Huaishuang moved quickly.
The passage was narrow, only wide enough for two or three people to walk abreast. The surrounding rock walls were covered in fine patterns that emitted a faint glow, illuminating the entire passage with a ghostly light.
Chen Zhou sensed the environment as he walked.
This place was deep, much deeper than the previous underground space, at least a thousand fathoms below the surface.
The stench of rot and blood had faded, replaced by something else—a faint trace of vitality.
Chen Zhou quickened his pace. After walking for about fifteen minutes, the passage suddenly widened, and the view opened up.
It was a massive underground space, so vast the boundaries were not visible at a glance.
Above them was a thick layer of rock covered in glowing patterns like winding rivers, lighting the entire space as if it were day.
Beneath their feet was solid ground paved with stone slabs. Though they were broken and battered, one could still see they were man-made.
In the distance were the outlines of buildings, collapsed houses, ruined city walls, and dried-up riverbeds.
There were also strange plants, resembling moss or mushrooms, growing everywhere and emitting a faint fluorescence.
Chen Zhou took a step forward, crushing a roof tile on the ground.
A crisp crack echoed far into the silent space.
He looked down. The tile was covered in thick dust, but the exquisite patterns from years past were still visible.
Jian Huaishuang walked to his side and frowned. "Lord, this place... looks like a city."
Chen Zhou nodded.
It was indeed a city.
A city built deep underground.
He looked up. The style of the buildings was very similar to the ruins of the royal capital on the surface, but these were better preserved.
Chen Zhou found it strange. True Lord of Purity and Filth had never mentioned that there was another city beneath the royal capital, and by the looks of it, it was quite old.
Chen Zhou walked forward, crossing the shattered streets. Many people must have lived here once; stone millstones, rusted iron pots, old clothes, and children's toys were scattered everywhere.
Chen Zhou picked up a small wooden horse carving and examined it.
The wood had rotted and crumbled at a light touch. There seemed to be some writing on the bottom, though it was blurred. He could only vaguely make out a few words.
【Jiao Mu Kingdom · 12th Year of Jinghe · Official Hall Manufacture】
He set the wood down and picked up several pieces of broken porcelain, flipping through them one by one.
【Jiao Mu Kingdom · 3rd Year of Yongning · Imperial Use】
【Jiao Mu Kingdom · 7th Year of Tianyou · Tribute】
【Jiao Mu Kingdom · 12th Year of Tianyou · Imperial Kiln · Crown Prince's Wedding Tribute】
Jiao Mu Kingdom?
Chen Zhou recalled the jade slip he had seen at the stone door. The signature was from thousands of years ago. Could this be an underground kingdom that disappeared about ten thousand years ago?
Chen Zhou tucked the porcelain shards into his robes, planning to ask True Lord of Purity and Filth about the history of Tianchi Province once they returned.
The two continued forward. The aura of vitality grew stronger, yet strangely, they still saw no living creatures.
Chen Zhou frowned and expanded his Ghost Domain, sensing carefully.
Still no living things. The aura of vitality was elusive and faint, as if coming from a great distance.
Chen Zhou glanced up. The auspicious cloud was still there, a faint golden mist floating above his head.
The direction it pointed was straight ahead.
Following the guidance of the auspicious cloud, Chen Zhou continued forward. After passing through a cluster of collapsed buildings, a wide street appeared.
The houses on both sides of the street were orderly. Though dilapidated, they still hinted at the prosperity of the past.
At the end of the street was a plaza.
The plaza was large, with a stone statue standing in the center.
The statue was incomplete, with only the bottom half remaining, but it clearly depicted a man with a blurred face holding a plate.
The plate was empty, though it likely held something originally.
As Chen Zhou was thinking, he suddenly heard a faint sound from the distance.
It sounded like people talking.
Chen Zhou looked toward the source of the sound.
To the east of the plaza was a narrow alleyway.
The sound was coming from there.
Chen Zhou signaled Jian Huaishuang with a glance, and the two approached silently.
Reaching the mouth of the alley, Chen Zhou looked inside. Deep in the alley, two thin little demons were crouching on the ground, fighting desperately over a glowing mushroom.
One little demon looked like a rabbit with dusty gray fur. It was skin and bones, but its eyes were large and darted around restlessly.
The other little demon looked like a gecko with a long tail and scales covering its body. It was also severely emaciated, its ribs protruding one by one.
The two were arguing until their faces were red, pushing and shoving each other.
"It's mine! I saw it first!"
"Bullshit! I smelled it first!"
"Let go, damn you!"
"You let go!"
The two little demons wrestled, rolling on the ground and trading blows.
The glowing mushroom was gripped tightly in their hands as they fought, neither willing to let go.
Chen Zhou watched for a moment before letting out a cough. The two little demons froze instantly and turned their heads at the same time.
Seeing Chen Zhou and Jian Huaishuang, they were stunned for a second before their expressions changed drastically.
"Humans!"
"Run!"
The two little demons dropped the mushroom and turned to flee.
But they were too weak. After a few steps, they were panting and stumbling.
Jian Huaishuang raised his hand, and two sheets of white paper flew out, instantly catching the little demons. The paper wrapped around them tightly, and he hoisted them back.
Wrapped in the white paper with only their heads exposed, the two little demons struggled frantically.
"Let me go!"
"Help!"
Jian Huaishuang tossed them onto the ground and looked at them expressionlessly.
The two little demons struggled for a while, but unable to break free from the paper's binding, they finally gave up. They huddled inside the paper, shivering and looking at Chen Zhou and Jian Huaishuang with terror.
Chen Zhou ignored them, bending down to pick up the glowing mushroom.
The mushroom was the size of a palm, entirely translucent white with a faint fragrance. It contained a tiny trace of energy, similar to the fruits in the Earth Dissolving Cave. It could barely be considered an ingredient.
Chen Zhou tossed the mushroom back to the two little demons.
The mushroom landed on the ground, rolled twice, and stopped in front of the gecko demon.
The gecko demon's eyes lit up, and it instinctively tried to pounce on it, but being wrapped in paper, it couldn't move. It could only stare longingly.
Chen Zhou stood up and looked at them.
The two little demons felt their skin crawl under his gaze and huddled even tighter.
Chen Zhou smiled. "Don't be nervous. I won't take your lives."
He reached out and pulled out two first-stage Flesh-Reconstitution Pills, stuffing them into the little demons' mouths.
Before they could react, the pills melted instantly, and a warm torrent of energy surged into their bodies.
They were stunned, their eyes going wide.
"This... what is this?"
The gecko demon stammered. It felt its depleted blood and qi rapidly replenishing, and even its strength was returning.
The rabbit demon was also filled with shock. It looked at Chen Zhou, then at itself, then back at Chen Zhou, opening its mouth but unable to speak.
Chen Zhou looked at them and asked, "What is this place?"
Upon hearing this, the rabbit demon immediately became guarded, closing its mouth and saying nothing.
The gecko demon hesitated for a moment before whispering, "It's... the Eternal Dark Abyss."
After saying that, it pulled its head back into the paper ball, leaving only its eyes to observe Chen Zhou cautiously.
The Eternal Dark Abyss?
Chen Zhou made a mental note of the name and pulled out a few more first-stage Flesh-Reconstitution Pills, tossing them in his hand.
Smelling the scent, the gecko demon poked its head out again, its eyes filled with longing as it stared fixedly at the pills in Chen Zhou's hand.
The rabbit demon couldn't help but steal a glance before quickly turning away, pretending not to care.
Chen Zhou smiled. "Are there other demons here?"
At these words, both little demons went silent. Though the gecko demon craved the pills, it kept its mouth shut this time, not daring to make a sound.
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow.
What did this mean?
Such high levels of wariness?
Even Flesh-Reconstitution Pills couldn't tempt them?
He shook the pills in his hand. "Whoever answers will get more of these."
The gecko demon's eyes lit up. Just as it was about to speak, the rabbit demon glared at it fiercely.
The gecko demon shrunk back, silenced by the glare.
Jian Huaishuang frowned and said, "Our Lord has no ill intent. He only wishes to understand the situation here."
The two little demons remained silent.
Chen Zhou tried tempting them with a few more pills, but no matter what, their mouths remained sealed as if sewn shut. They were incredibly stubborn.
Chen Zhou had no choice but to give up. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Just carry them along for now."
Regardless, he still had the guidance of the Auspicious Noble.
Following the auspicious cloud, Chen Zhou continued forward, passing through the plaza and crossing street after street.
As they walked, a weak voice suddenly came from behind.
"Um... it's not that way."
Chen Zhou stopped and turned around.
The rabbit demon was huddled in the white paper, looking at Chen Zhou hesitantly.
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow. "What?"
The rabbit demon swallowed and said softly, "If you're looking for the underground demon gathering place, you should go that way."
It raised a paw and pointed toward the east.
Chen Zhou looked at it calmly. "Oh?"
The rabbit demon seemed anxious and said quickly, "The Peach Clan and the Ghost Ram Clan both live over there. They are large clans with high ranks and plenty of flesh. They would definitely make better sacrifices!"
Hearing this, Chen Zhou suddenly laughed.
"When did I ever say I was looking for sacrifices?"
The rabbit demon froze.
Chen Zhou continued, "Also, why didn't you answer earlier? Why speak up now?"
The rabbit demon's expression grew tense. It opened its mouth but didn't know how to answer.
Seeing its state, Chen Zhou smiled. "It doesn't matter."
He turned and continued forward.
"I happen to want to look this way. I'll check out the place you mentioned after I'm done here."
The rabbit demon's expression changed, becoming even more frantic.
"Don't... don't go that way!"
Chen Zhou ignored it and kept walking.
The rabbit demon struggled desperately, but it couldn't break free from the paper, only able to watch as Chen Zhou walked further away.
Chen Zhou crossed several more ruined streets. As he walked, a relatively intact cluster of buildings suddenly appeared.
The houses here were also old, but there were clear signs of repair. Doors and windows were boarded up, and the roofs were covered in thick moss.
The streets were also swept clean, free of the messy rubble and tiles seen elsewhere.
Chen Zhou slowed his pace, sensing carefully through his Ghost Domain.
There were signs of life.
Many of them.
The auspicious cloud stopped here. Chen Zhou looked ahead and saw a woman in pink standing by the roadside not far away.
The woman looked young, in her early twenties, with delicate features and a gentle temperament.
She wore a pink dress that, though faded from washing, was clean and tidy.
A wooden basket was slung over her arm, filled with glowing mushrooms.
She was currently distributing the mushrooms to a group of little demons.
The little demons varied in size and shape—some like rats, some like rabbits, some like pangolins. Every one of them was skin and bones, but their eyes were filled with anticipation.
The woman in pink smiled as she handed them out one by one.
"Don't worry, don't worry. There's enough for everyone."
"This is yours, take it."
"Be careful, don't break it."
The little demons took the mushrooms with joy. Some ate them on the spot, while others carefully tucked them into their robes.
Seeing this, the rabbit demon being carried by Jian Huaishuang turned pale.
It struggled violently and shouted at the top of its lungs, "Lady Tao Tuantuan, run! Wan Xiu's lackeys have returned!"
Jian Huaishuang's face darkened. He raised his hand and punched the rabbit demon's head.
Thump!
The rabbit demon saw stars, its head lolled to the side, and it fainted.
But it was too late.
The shout had startled everyone.
The little demons around the woman in pink were terrified. They shrieked and scattered in all directions.
Some dove into cracks in the ground, some climbed onto roofs, and others vanished into the ruins. In the blink of an eye, they were all gone.
Only the woman in pink, Tao Tuantuan, remained standing there.
Her brow furrowed. She set down the wooden basket and looked up at Chen Zhou and Jian Huaishuang.
Chen Zhou looked back at her.
The auspicious cloud above him slowly drifted over, stopping directly over her head and remaining motionless.
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow.
Found her.
The person with the special destiny was her.
Tao Tuantuan looked at Chen Zhou, then at the two little demons held by Jian Huaishuang, her face expressionless.
She walked over at a steady pace, her skirt swaying gently.
Stopping ten feet away from Chen Zhou, she asked, "May I ask how you two entered the Eternal Dark Abyss?"
Her voice was light and soft, but carried a hint of detachment.
Chen Zhou looked at her, then at the auspicious cloud above her, and smiled. "We walked in."
Tao Tuantuan was slightly taken aback; the answer was clearly unexpected.
But she quickly regained her composure. Glancing at the two little demons Jian Huaishuang held, she said softly, "If you two have come for sacrifices, please release them."
"They are just minor demons with no value."
"I have a higher cultivation, at the third transformation of Eerification. I am qualified to be a sacrifice."
"If you are willing, I will go with you in exchange for their lives."
She spoke very calmly, but the two little demons Jian Huaishuang held grew frantic.
The gecko demon struggled wildly. "No! Sister Tuantuan, you can't go!"
The rabbit demon had also woken up. Ignoring its aching head, it shouted, "Sister Tuantuan, they are Wan Xiu's people! You'll die if you go!"
Tao Tuantuan ignored them, simply looking at Chen Zhou and waiting for his answer.
Chen Zhou looked at her and suddenly laughed.
"You actually know about Wan Xiu?"
Tao Tuantuan paused, her gaze toward Chen Zhou becoming more guarded.
"Who in the Eternal Dark Abyss doesn't know Wan Xiu?"
"In the past thousand years, how many demons has he sent people down to capture, only to turn them into those disgusting things?"
"Since you two are his men, why bother feigning ignorance?"
Chen Zhou didn't explain. He simply signaled Jian Huaishuang.
Jian Huaishuang understood and set the two little demons on the ground, releasing the white paper.
The two little demons were stunned for a moment before scrambling to hide behind Tao Tuantuan's skirt, looking at Chen Zhou with terror.
Tao Tuantuan was also stunned, a flash of confusion crossing her eyes.
"You two are..."
Chen Zhou waved his hand. "I have no interest in such meager flesh. Besides, I am not one of Wan Xiu's men. I am here to kill him."
Tao Tuantuan froze, her eyes showing deep thought.
She looked at Chen Zhou, remained silent for a few breaths, and then suddenly nodded.
"What you say is true."
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow. "You believe me just like that?"
Tao Tuantuan smiled. "I was born with the Word Spirit ability. I can distinguish truth from lies in speech."
"As long as someone speaks before me, I can tell at a glance if it is true or false."
"What you said just now was the truth."
That was a rare ability. Chen Zhou continued, "You said just now that you were willing to come with me in exchange for their lives?"
Tao Tuantuan nodded. "Yes."
Chen Zhou looked at her and asked, "Why?"
"They are just two minor demons. You are at the third transformation of Eerification, a master even on the outside."
"Trading yourself for them... don't you think it's a loss?"
Tao Tuantuan looked down at the two little demons hiding behind her and smiled.
"There's no loss or gain to speak of."
"Their names are Little Gecko and Little Gray. They grew up following me and call me Sister Tuantuan."
"As an older sister, isn't it only right to protect my younger brothers and sisters?"
She looked up at Chen Zhou, her gaze clear.
"Besides, if they were gone, how could I face the other little demons when I return?"
Chen Zhou listened and praised her, "Very well. Since you said it yourself, come with me. I'll take you..."
Before he could finish, a burly figure suddenly charged out from the side.
"What? Wan Xiu has come back?"
It was a muscular man, nearly ten feet tall, with a barrel chest and two curved ram horns on his head.
He wore pitch-black leather armor and gripped a large blade stained with dark red marks—it was unclear if it was blood or something else.
He rushed in front of Tao Tuantuan, shielding her behind him.
"Tuantuan, hide behind me!"
Without another word, he swung his blade toward Jian Huaishuang.
A flash of blade-light whistled through the air.
Jian Huaishuang frowned, tossed the two little demons aside, and drew his giant sword to block.
Clang!
Blade and sword collided, sending sparks flying.
The burly man was knocked back a step, but instead of retreating, he pressed forward with another strike.
Jian Huaishuang stepped aside to dodge and swept his giant sword toward the man's waist.
The man blocked with his blade and was knocked back again, but he still didn't retreat. His eyes turned red as he continued to charge.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two exchanged over a dozen moves in an instant, a blur of blade and sword light as shockwaves radiated outward.
Jian Huaishuang deliberately held back his strength, focusing on blocking and dodging rather than attacking.
However, the death qi inherent to an evil spirit inevitably spread from his sword, invading the burly man's body.
The areas of the man's body affected by the death qi began to show signs of paperization.
His skin turned pale and paper-like, but he seemed oblivious, growing even more ferocious as the fight continued.
Initially, he was only at the level of the first transformation of Eerification.
But as the battle progressed and more of his body was affected by the death qi, his battle intent grew more frenzied, and his strength began to rise steadily.
The more of his body that turned into white paper through death qi assimilation, the stronger his aura became.
Soon, he broke through to the second transformation of Eerification.
Chen Zhou watched from the side, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Interesting.
This guy gets stronger as he gets hurt?
A berserker?
Jian Huaishuang also noticed the anomaly. Frowning, he began to increase his strength.
But the burly man fought like a madman, completely ignoring defense and focusing solely on offense, putting his full weight into every strike.
Even as sword qi carved countless wounds into his body and large patches of his skin turned into white paper, he ignored it all, his eyes crimson as he charged forward.
"Dingding, stop!" Tao Tuantuan suddenly shouted.
Hearing her voice, the burly man's movements faltered for a moment.
But only for a moment.
Then he continued his frenzied attack, eyes still red with rage.
Chen Zhou glanced at Jian Huaishuang, who understood the signal. With a wave of his hand, countless sheets of white paper peeled off his paper armor and swirled around the burly man, binding him tightly.
Tao Tuantuan frowned and walked quickly to the man's side, whispering a few words into his ear.
Her voice was very soft, so quiet that even Chen Zhou couldn't hear it.
But after hearing her, the crimson in the man's eyes slowly faded back to normal.
He stopped his attack and stood in place, panting heavily.
"Huh? Why did I get like that again?"
Tao Tuantuan walked to his side and gave him a gentle pat before bowing toward Chen Zhou and Jian Huaishuang.
"Please forgive him. Dingding is just like this—he gets carried away easily when he's excited, but he means no harm."
Rate on N.U.
