Hundreds and thousands of voices converged, sounding like a hidden army that had been dormant underground for a millennium, finally hearing the call to charge.
Su Xue's expression shifted slightly as she felt a terrifying surge of filth energy deep underground, as if the polluted ley lines of Tianchi Province had been awakened by the cicada cries.
“Everyone, back up!”
With a low shout, she formed a hand seal, sending a pure white orchid floating above the cicadas, faintly flowing with a warm green light.
Simultaneously, the tortoise shell in Chan Yi's hands began to glow, growing brighter and more intense until it transformed into a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.
Chan Yi’s body shuddered, his face instantly turning pale.
He felt a terrifying force of backlash erupting from the depths, surging toward his divine soul.
But the tortoise shell stood firm in front of him.
The light collided with the underground filth energy, causing Chan Yi's body to tremble and blood to seep from the corner of his mouth, yet he gritted his teeth and held on.
Desperately channeling his power into the tortoise shell, the pillar of light suddenly bent, pointing directly at the ground.
Chan Yi cried out hoarsely, “It’s below! The Eternal Scars are below!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Chan Yi's body began to age rapidly. Cracks spread across his previously smooth carapace, his antennae fell off one by one, and all six of his legs trembled uncontrollably.
Chen Zhou frowned, stepped toward Chan Yi, and shoved a handful of pills into his mouth.
The high-grade Flesh-Reconstitution Pills melted instantly, sending blood energy surging through him.
Chan Yi chewed twice, his spirit revitalized, and continued to drive the tortoise shell.
The pillar of light grew brighter and thicker until it finally exploded, turning into countless specks of light that dissipated into the air.
Chan Yi collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Several cracks appeared on the tortoise shell, and its light flickered out.
Su Xue retracted her shield, her face pale and her forehead drenched in sweat.
“How is it?” she asked.
Chan Yi struggled to climb up and looked at Chen Zhou.
“Lord, the Eternal Scars are down there, right beneath our feet.”
“But they are deep—extremely deep.”
“Furthermore, something is pressing down on them; I couldn't see it clearly.”
“I could only sense that the object is massive, truly enormous... like a mountain.”
Chen Zhou nodded and looked at Wu Gou.
Understanding the look, Wu Gou formed a hand seal, and a ring of golden light appeared beneath his feet.
“Earth-tunneling technique,” he said. “This monk will take you down.”
Chen Zhou turned to Su Xue. “You stay up here and look after Nie Chaoxi and Old Man Purity and Filth.”
Su Xue nodded. “Rest assured, Lord.”
Chen Zhou then looked at Lian. “Bring Jiao Mu Jiao and follow me.”
Lian nodded quickly, letting the black Jiao shrink until it could be held in her palm, and followed behind Chen Zhou.
Wu Gou activated the Earth-tunneling technique, and the ground beneath them parted like water, revealing a pitch-black hole.
“Let’s go,” Wu Gou said, jumping in first.
Chen Zhou and Lian followed closely behind, and Chan Yi also struggled to his feet and jumped in after them.
The earth closed above their heads, and darkness swallowed everything.
Chan Yi desperately drove the tortoise shell to make the Guiding Light shine again. After a long moment, light began to flicker in the darkness, but it was very weak, as if it could go out at any time.
Wu Gou led the group through the underground rock layers. His mastery of the Earth-tunneling technique was exceptional; rocks and soil parted automatically before him and closed behind him.
Chan Yi followed closely, coughing while maintaining the light on the tortoise shell. His body continued to age, with more cracks appearing on his carapace and nearly all his antennae falling off.
Chen Zhou frowned and stuffed a few more pills into his mouth.
Chan Yi chewed them, barely catching his breath, and said hoarsely, “Don't worry, Lord. I can hold on.”
The group quickened their pace, passing through rock layers and nine levels of collapsed underground prisons before finally reaching a larger underground space.
The surrounding walls were covered in writing, but most of it was damaged, leaving only fragmented strokes.
Rocks and dust were scattered across the ground, along with some scorched marks.
Chen Zhou recognized it; this place was almost identical to the area outside the stone door where Jiao Mu Jiao had been held.
“As expected, this place is connected to the underground city.”
Wu Gou nodded and continued downward.
They passed through collapsed tunnels and bypassed shattered stone doors, heading all the way down.
The tortoise shell in Chan Yi's hands grew brighter, and the Guiding Light became stronger.
He said, “We're close. We should be very close. The Eternal Scars are nearby.”
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of fighting came from ahead.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
Dull impact sounds echoed through the tunnel, mixed with low roars and sharp screams.
Wu Gou increased his speed, leading everyone through the final layer of rock.
Before them was the interior of a small wooden building, its walls covered in cracks.
In the center of the cavern, a strong figure was locked in combat with several hundred corpse patchworks.
With two curved ram horns on his head, he was covered in blood and wounds. His left arm had been bitten off, leaving only a section of white bone exposed.
Yet, he was still fighting.
Using his remaining right arm, he gripped a stone knife and hacked frantically at the hundred corpse patchworks before him.
Nearby, a little rabbit spirit held a dying gecko, huddled in a corner and trembling.
The gecko spirit’s tail was broken, his body was covered in wounds, and his eyes were half-closed, as if he could stop breathing at any moment.
The little rabbit spirit was covered in tears, his mouth constantly murmuring, “The Lord will come... the Lord will definitely come...”
Yang Dingding hacked down another hundred corpse patchwork, but even more surged forward.
He was at his limit; the stone knife slipped from his hand, and his body swayed, nearly falling over.
A hundred corpse patchwork lunged, its rotting mouth opening to bite his throat.
Right then, a flash of transparent flame swept past, and the hundred corpse patchwork was instantly incinerated, leaving nothing behind.
The Wing-Fire Snake shot out from Chen Zhou’s wrist, transforming into a giant snake thirty meters long, and spat out a wave of white flames.
The remaining hundred corpse patchworks struggled for a few breaths in the fire before they, too, turned to ash.
Silence fell over the cavern.
Yang Dingding stood frozen in place, staring at the giant snake that had suddenly appeared, unable to react for a moment.
However, the little rabbit saw Chen Zhou behind the Bone Snake and cried out in shock and joy, “Lord?!”
His tears began to pour down as he held the little gecko and scrambled over.
“Lord! The Lord is here!”
“Lord! You really came! You really came back to save us!”
He knelt before Chen Zhou, sobbing so hard he could barely catch his breath.
“I knew it... I knew the Lord wouldn't leave us behind...”
The little gecko in the little rabbit's arms also opened his eyes. Upon seeing Chen Zhou, his eyes instantly lit up.
“See,” he said weakly. “I didn't lie to you. I knew the Lord would definitely come back...”
“The Lord definitely wouldn't leave us to fend for ourselves.”
Chen Zhou looked down at them, his brow furrowed.
He scanned the room and noticed that the number of demons here had decreased significantly.
The small demons he had brought out from the underground city previously numbered at least twenty to thirty thousand, but now only dozens remained.
Chen Zhou immediately asked, “Where is Jian Huaishuang? Where is Tao Tuantuan? Why are you the only ones left?”
The small demons looked at each other, their expressions complex.
“Lord Jian...” one small demon said softly. “Lord Jian was harmed by Tao Tuantuan...”
Chen Zhou’s gaze instantly turned cold.
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