“Who do you think laid the Heavenly Dao Killing Formation?” Xiao Chen asked Sang softly.
With a shrug, Sang retorted, “How could I possibly know? Slowly figure it out yourself.”
As the two chatted, Grandpa Seven walked over with a wide grin. This was the first time Xiao Chen saw him so happy.
“This is?”
Grandpa Seven felt slightly surprised to see Sang.
Xiao Chen introduced, “This is my friend, Sang. Without his help earlier, I would not have been able to draw out this springwater.”
“Many thanks, many thanks.”
Sang nodded and replied, “You are too polite.”
Xiao Chen thought for a while before saying, “Grandpa Seven, what other ingredients do you need? I’ll go get them for you.”
“Right, right. I made a list. Take a look and see if you can get them.”
“Don’t worry. Leave it all to me.”
Heart Burn, a fine wine of the Dragon Race, was not only the best wine in the world but could also raise one’s cultivation. Even after reaching Sovereign Personage, one could still benefit from it. Naturally, Xiao Chen would put in his full effort to obtain it.
Three days later, the spewing springwater slowly settled.
The Cold Yin Spring returned to its normal level in the ancient well. Xiao Chen worked hard to get all the materials Grandpa Seven required, running all over the place.
When Xiao Chen had some free time, he read the diary that Grandpa Seven’s grandfather left behind.
“Today, that Dragon Race brother went into the ancient well. The ancestors warned us never to do that. The brother was gone for a long time. I heard strange cries coming from the ancient well at night. Feeling worried, I went to take a look. Aside from the blood moon looking exceptionally bright in the reflection, there was nothing strange. On the second day, that brother came out looking excited. He told me that he found an incredible secret in the well, that he found out where the dragon head was…”
On reaching this page, Xiao Chen showed a stunned expression. Then, he flipped quickly to the next page. However, the second page spoke of other matters and not what he was looking for.
That Heavenly Dragon went into the well and got even farther than I did?
He even discovered the secret in the ancient well? Xiao Chen gazed at the diary with a grave expression, then continued reading.
“That brother went to the azure mountain again. Every time he went to the azure mountain, his expression would turn quite unsightly. I am afraid. The ancestors said never to go to the azure mountain. One would be cursed if one went there. However, even when I told him, that brother would not listen. I could only let him be.”
“I am afraid and on edge every night, fearing that the Desolate Slaves will come. Since that brother came, the Desolate Slaves seem to pay special attention to our village. Fortunately, that brother is here. Even the Desolate Slaves cannot kill him. I wonder how strong that brother is?”
“Winter is here. A thick layer of snow covers the ground. That brother has not left yet. With him around, the villagers do not have to worry about food. This is a fortunate thing. This winter is not harsh for us.”
“Scary! Too scary! I don’t know what that brother did, but the mountains thousands of kilometers away seemed to be howling in rage. Several beams of light shot towards the azure mountain and entered it. That azure mountain trembled and flickered with flowing light that looked like blood flowing in veins. It seemed like it came to life. Everyone in the village was frightened silly. We all trembled in fear, not daring to come out. However, that brother did not stop. He flew above the azure mountain, and I saw the moon and sun appear at the same time. Several scary people charged over, and that brother seemed injured. I peered through the window and saw that brother luring all of them into the ancient well…”
“Three days passed. That brother did not come out. Those scary people did not come out, either.”
“It has been several months. I know that brother is definitely fine. However, I’m sure he will not come again. The village is finally peaceful again.”
“That brother really stopped coming…”
“Pa!”
Xiao Chen closed the diary and walked over to the ancient well, feeling an impulse to jump in.
It turned out that that Heavenly Dragon brought those people down. He lured all those Sovereign Personages—even a Sovereign Emperor—to their deaths.
He is indeed a ruthless person.
The village chief was right. The azure mountain is indeed cursed. That Heavenly Dragon ended up in a miserable state.
I cannot casually go to the azure mountain.
However, what did that Heavenly Dragon do to make the blood moon and humongous sun appear in the Desolate Sea’s night sky? What did he discover?
Does he know how the Azure Dragons got destroyed? Does he know who laid the formation? Was this why he got locked up in the Starry Heavens Dragon Prison, tortured every day?
Xiao Chen suddenly felt terrified at where his reasoning led him.
If that Heavenly Dragon got locked up in the Starry Heavens Dragon Prison because he discovered a shocking secret rather than the incident of him mocking the Purple Gold Dragon Emperor, who did he offend? Who could be more horrifying than the Purple Gold Dragon Emperor?
As Xiao Chen looked at the ancient well, he calmed down, and the impulse to explore it disappeared.
Xiao Chen did not have the cultivation of that Heavenly Dragon. If he went down, it would be hard to say whether he could survive.
“Big Brother, what are you looking at?”
Xiao Chen turned his head back. It was Qing Chen. He had not seen this little girl for several days already.
Qing Chen was no longer like when Xiao Chen first saw her, crying and sobbing. Now that she was back in the village, she could take care of her brother. She was already satisfied with that.
Although Qing Chen said that she would not return, she felt reluctant in her heart.
“I want to see too…”
Qing Chen bounded over vivaciously. Then, she leaned over and looked into the well. Xiao Chen turned around quickly, worried that the little girl would fall in.
“Strange, why is there a moon in the water? Isn’t it daytime now?”
There’s a moon?
Xiao Chen went over and looked. However, he discovered nothing strange. Just as he was about to say something, Qing Chen said, “The moon disappeared.”
Xiao Chen laughed hoarsely. Then, he pulled Qing Chen aside and warned her, “Don’t come here again. This well is very deep. If you fall in, you will die.”
“Right, I’ll listen to Big Brother.”
Xiao Chen patted Qing Chen’s head and said, “Go back, then. Take good care of your younger brother.”
As Xiao Chen watched Qing Chen leave, he smiled, then raised his head and looked into the distance at the azure mountain.
The lone mountain peak was barren, with no plants on it. Standing on the vast land, it received the worship of all the villagers around it since time immemorial.
I still have to go and see how the azure mountain and the ancient well are connected. I can only clear that up by making a trip there.
Xiao Chen gently pushed off with his feet and flew towards that azure mountain.
You want to go there? That mountain is cursed and will bring bad luck, Sang reminded Xiao Chen from the Divine Universe Stele.
“How could cultivators believe in this? If there is a curse, I’ll just get rid of it.”
The Great Thousand Realms had no lack of Secret Techniques that could lay curses. To cultivators, curses were nothing mysterious.
After Xiao Chen set off for the seemingly close azure mountain, he realized that it was still quite a distance away.
In reality, the azure mountain was a long way from the village. Soon, he left the village far behind.
By the time Xiao Chen neared the azure mountain, the sky had started to darken. The incredibly huge sun slowly set in the distance, half of it already below the horizon.
Every time one saw the setting sun of the Desolate Sea, one would feel deeply moved by its vastness and majesty.
On the other hand, the Desolate Sea’s blood moon chilled one, an eerie and sinister feeling. These were two complete extremes.
“Have you sensed anything?” Sang asked as he appeared beside Xiao Chen.
The two were still ten kilometers away from the azure mountain. Remaining at this distance, Xiao Chen sent in his Spiritual Sense to investigate.
Xiao Chen did indeed sense something extraordinary. The space around the azure mountain felt exceptionally cold and sinister. His Spiritual Sense picked up an invisible resentment permeating it.
Ordinary people could not get near this place. If they did, the negative emotions would drive them crazy.
However, aside from all that, Xiao Chen also felt a sense of familiarity, as though a voice was calling to him from inside his heart.
“Don’t move first. I’ll go over and take a look.”
Xiao Chen continued alone, walking towards the azure mountain step by step. Countless negative emotions immediately assaulted him.
Pain, dissatisfaction, rage, and other negative emotions swamped his mind, trying to drive him crazy.
Xiao Chen maintained his calm, slowly approaching the azure mountain. Usually, he only needed a few steps to cross ten kilometers.
However, these few steps were not easy to take.
It was like walking on thin ice; every step felt precarious. By the time Xiao Chen reached the foot of the mountain and looked up at it, he felt an incredibly intimate connection with it.
However, just as Xiao Chen stretched his hand out to touch the azure mountain, the Demonic Cloud Heaven Swallowing Art in his body instantly suppressed the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation.
The Demonic Cloud Heaven Swallowing Art circulated wildly, and Demonic Qi flowed throughout Xiao Chen’s body. The entire azure mountain released strands of black aura.
Xiao Chen quickly retracted his hand and took a step back. Sweat poured off his forehead like rain.
Sang rushed over to Xiao Chen. Then, he asked worriedly, “What happened to you earlier? You scared me to death. You stood still for a total of four hours!”
Four hours?!
It felt like just an instant. Xiao Chen felt quite startled. When he looked at his surroundings, he noticed that night had fallen already.
The blood moon now hung high in the night sky.
Four hours had really passed. Xiao Chen was shocked. What happened earlier?
“I’ll go up and take a look. This azure mountain is somewhat strange. I have to figure it out.”
Xiao Chen gently pushed off the ground. Then, he turned into a lightning bolt and shot up.
He streaked around the tall, lone peak. After a while, he revealed his true form and landed on the chopped-off top of the mountain.
The moment Xiao Chen’s feet touched the ground, boundless Demonic Qi surged into his body.
Sang, who was below, felt shocked. Xiao Chen’s long hair and white robes fluttered wildly under the huge blood moon, and his eyes turned completely bloodshot.
Xiao Chen seemed to be standing on the blood moon as he stood on top of the azure mountain, looking extremely strange.
“Scatter!” Xiao Chen shouted and expelled the Demonic Qi throughout his body. The Purple Thunder Divine Incantation circulated at full speed and suppressed the Demonic Cloud Heaven Swallowing Art.
The redness in Xiao Chen’s eyes slowly faded. He recovered his calm, although some fear lingered.
Just then, he looked into the distance as he stood on the summit. Then, he suddenly frowned.