Chapter 519: Human Immortal Skills

Chapter 519: Human Immortal Skills

“You? If you don’t work harder, then you’ll become Fourth Sib and Xu Qing will become Eldest Brother!” Master Seventh snorted coldly. The sound of it resounded like millions upon millions of bolts of heavenly lightning, crashing into the Captain’s mind and causing his eyes to go wide. The mere thought of something like that happening....

The Captain shivered, and his countenance became very serious. “Don’t worry, Master. I’ll definitely work very hard. Henceforth, I, Chen Erniu, will forget all about girls. I will focus solely on cultivation, and on working hard to accomplish big things!”

Pleased, Master Seventh nodded. Then he turned to look at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing blinked a few times, then plastered a look of surprise on his face as he looked at the golden power in his Master’s hand. Although his reaction came a bit too slowly, it was always better to be late than never. nove(l)bi(n.)com

Seeing Xu Qing’s attitude caused Master Seventh to look even more pleased.

“This is god vitality, Fourth Sib. I managed to extract it after studying Master Shengyun’s body, and also after gaining enlightenment from numerous gruish plants from both Emperor-Receiving Prefecture and South Phoenix. Needless to say, the techniques Torchlight have gained mastery of are shocking.

“So-called gods are really nothing more than beings who exist on the same cultivation paradigm as us. Thēy’re just on a vastly higher level, and are much stronger. What’s more, thēy’re not invincible. In fact, I have a very daring speculation that I will confirm later when I track down certain long-lost ancient records.

“What a pity that most ancient records have disappeared over the countless years that have passed. In some cases, our only hope of getting such information is finding it in the random and varied wish boxes that have been scattered through heaven and earth. In any case, once I find evidence confirming my theory, I’ll let the two of you know.”

In that moment, Master Seventh looked truly mysterious and enigmatic.

Xu Qing, moved with admiration for his Master, quickly bowed.

The Captain rushed to do the same.

Seeing his apprentices act so obediently filled Master Seventh’s heart with incomparable contentment.

“Let’s go,” he said. “We need to keep moving. I’m planning to take you to a very amazing place. You see, I had a chance to explore another of Ancient Emperor Dark Serenity’s operations palaces one time, and I happen to know that they all have this very unique place in them.”

Master Seventh led the way.

After about an hour of constant travel, they were deep within the palace complex. The palace complex was so huge that they were still within its east district. In fact, they were still in the central part of the east district. Thankfully, the place Master Seventh was leading them to was just ahead.

It was a very special palace. Although it was covered with flesh, the shape of that flesh was unique. It looked like a huge face. The face seemed neither male nor female. It had no hair, and it was magenta in color, as if it were filled with blood vessels. It pulsed with a very strong mutagen that had the power to influence emotions. Any living being who saw this face would be unable to control the emotions that rose within them. They would influence the mind and drive a person mad.

“Back up, both of you,” Master Seventh said.

Xu Qing flew backward. Then, seeing that the Captain was hesitating a bit, Xu Qing grabbed him and dragged him 300 meters back. Master Seventh approached the main door of the red temple, his expression very serious. Extending his right hand, he pushed on the door.

Rumbling echoed out as the door opened. Red light erupted from within, transforming into a huge illusory face that lunged toward Master Seventh to devour him.

Master Seventh snorted coldly, and golden light surged out from him. Pushing forward with his right hand, he hit the illusory face, which shattered into countless blood-colored butterflies. Wherever the butterflies flew, they caused corrosion to spread. The aura that reached Xu Qing and the Captain filled them with shock.

“Okay, come on over,” Master Seventh said coolly as he stepped into the temple.

Xu Qing and the Captain hurried over and entered. It was magnificent. There was an amazing statue inside. It didn’t depict Ancient Emperor Dark Serenity, but rather, some unfamiliar person, apparently someone whose name hadn’t been recorded in the annals of human history. He wore a blood-colored daoist robe, and stood with both hands raised high as if to embrace the entire temple.

Filling the rest of the temple were hundreds and hundreds of masks. There were large masks and small masks, and they depicted a wide variety of people. Old and young, men and women were all represented. And their expressions included happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy. They were affixed to the walls everywhere, and if you looked closely, you would find that they were all made from human skin.

The fact that so much skin had been used to make the masks filled the area with a very gruish atmosphere. When Master Seventh, Xu Qing, and the Captain entered, the faces all looked at them, their vacant eyes glowing with faint light.

Xu Qing’s expression flickered, and the Captain inhaled sharply.

“This place is called the Immortal Skills Hall,” Master Seventh said. “Every one of Ancient Emperor Dark Serenity’s palaces had a place like this. Stored here are large numbers of very unusual immortal skills. Immortal skills are not as wonderful as you might imagine them to be. In fact, they’re not beautiful at all. Instead, they’re terrifying.

“Each of these skin masks is an immortal skill. You don’t need to gain enlightenment or cultivate them. You just put on the mask to use it.

“Magic like this naturally comes with a price. Whenever you use an immortal skill, it absorbs some of your life force. And every time you put one of the masks on, it sticks on tighter than before, until eventually you can’t take it off. And after it’s sucked out all of your blood and life force... it turns you into a new skin mask.”

Master Seventh spoke calmly, but his words filled Xu Qing’s heart with waves of shock.

Apparently, the Captain already knew a bit about immortal skills, as he wasn’t very surprised. However, a complex look appeared briefly on his face before he suppressed it.

“There’s no need to feel nervous,” Master Seventh continued. “Generally speaking, immortal skills are all very impressive. They contain mysterious daos, so as long as you use them carefully, they can be beneficial. Any given person can only take one immortal skill. Try to take more, and you’ll be cursed. What’s more, after you take one, you can’t go to other Immortal Skill Halls to get more.” Master Seventh looked at the statue in the hall, and he seemed to sigh inwardly. “This statue is one of the human emperors who has been forgotten in the histories, who created many immortal skills in his life.

“Based on some of the clues I dug up in various ancient records, it seems that this person was stricken from the histories by Ancient Emperor Dark Serenity in an attempt to make humankind, and immortal skills, seem more palatable.

“The immortal skills were gathered and stored in his thirty-six operations palaces, where they were branded as forbidden magics. That said, the ancient records indicate that, even then, the immortal skills created by this emperor were considered a boon to humankind, and they saved countless human nations from destruction. Any species that rises to prominence will have bright aspects and dark aspects. It’s only natural.”

With that, Master Seventh turned to look meaningfully at his two apprentices, especially Xu Qing.