chsdbacks Chapter 185 Departure
Chapter 185 Departure
Outside the cave, in the passage leading to the core stone chamber, the cool, ancient aura, imbued with the majestic sword intent of Bu Jingyun, had not yet completely dissipated, forming a clear dividing line with the omnipresent, violent, and scorching chaotic energy outside. Nie Lingfeng, holding Chen Duo's hand, stepped out of the stone door that opened automatically and then slowly closed, returning to the hall shrouded in dark red light and scorching in temperature.
The scene in the hall was completely different from before.
The fiery beasts that had previously swarmed every corner of the hall, radiating ferocity and destructive intent, now all seemed... bewildered. They no longer wandered aimlessly, nor did they tear each other apart, nor did they launch frenzied attacks on any "alien" aura as before. They stood or lay scattered throughout the hall, their signature, constantly twisting and leaping dark red demonic flames noticeably dimmed, their color gradually shifting from a murky dark red to a relatively pure and stable crimson.
More importantly, their eyes, which were originally only bloodshot with madness, were now, though still crimson, filled with a greatly diminished desire for pure destruction. In their place was an emptiness, a bewilderment, and even… a hint of awakening, a kind of unease and confusion characteristic of living beings. Several smaller canine-like beasts, upon seeing Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo emerge from the stone gate, instinctively took a few steps back, emitting uneasy, cub-like whimpers rather than aggressive roars.
The irritating, oppressive, chaotic, and evil energy permeating the air was slowly but perceptibly weakening and dissipating, replaced by a fire-attribute energy that, while still intensely hot, was relatively "clean," even faintly mixed with a trace of spiritual energy originating from the earth's veins.
All these changes clearly stemmed from the complete annihilation of the Fire Demon. The core carrier of the "external demon's" contamination was purified by Nie Lingfeng using the fused Qilin True Fire. With the source of contamination severed, the chaotic energy permeating the entire contaminated area lost its "source" and "command" and began to dissipate naturally. As a result, the fire beasts that were spawned by the contamination or eroded and controlled by it gradually broke free from their endless violence and madness and returned to a relatively "primitive" state.
"They..." Chen Duo looked at the fire beasts around her in surprise, which were obviously much more "docile" than before. She then looked up at Nie Lingfeng, her emerald eyes questioning. She slightly raised the peerless sword in her hand, but did not activate it, maintaining only basic vigilance.
Nie Lingfeng's gaze slowly swept across the hall. He could clearly sense the energy changes within these fire-attribute beasts, as well as the shifts in their mental states. They still possessed the ferocious aura unique to fire-attribute spirit beasts, but the corrupted, nauseating evil energy was gone. They were more like a group of "beasts" living in an extreme fire-attribute environment, newly developed in intelligence, or gradually awakening from a long nightmare, rather than the pure "demons" that only knew killing and destruction before.
"Ignore them." Nie Lingfeng spoke slowly, his voice calm and knowing. "The fire demon has dissipated, and the source of pollution has been cut off. The lingering evil energy within them is dissipating, and they will soon fully revert to their original form—just a group of somewhat special spirit beasts born from the extreme fire-attribute energy of this place. Although they are still dangerous, they will no longer indiscriminately slaughter everything like before."
He paused, then continued, "Moreover, the depths of Lingyun Cave hold many secrets. Besides the stone chamber left by Senior Bu, there may be other undiscovered locations. With these 'natives' who have regained some intelligence and are familiar with this environment, it's not necessarily a bad thing for those who come later; it's also a kind of... indirect protection. At least, they won't allow the aura of the external demons to erode this place at will."
Chen Duo nodded as if she understood, but out of her unconditional trust in Nie Lingfeng, she put down the peerless sword in her hand. However, the spiritual light of the Phoenix True Fire on her body did not completely dissipate, and she still maintained basic protection.
Nie Lingfeng's gaze finally settled on the center of the hall, on the stone door they had emerged from, and deeper inside, on the entrance to the underground chamber leading to Bu Jingyun's message room. The stone door was tightly shut, almost blending into the surrounding rock walls, making it difficult to discern without close inspection. The underground entrance, however, still faintly emitted residual, pure fire-attribute energy and a very faint, majestic aura belonging to the Qilin True Fire.
The stone chamber containing Bu Jingyun's message is the final gift and entrustment of a powerful predecessor, holding immense significance. However, the secrets within—the origins of the three divine artifacts, Bu Jingyun and Nie Feng's scheme, the truth behind the Fire Qilin's remains, and even the threat of the "Outer Demons"—are far too grave. If leaked, whether to ambitious individuals (such as the Yaoxing Society or "that person's" forces) or to other powerful figures in this world who are unaware of the truth, it could trigger unpredictable consequences, potentially even disrupting the plan Nie Feng and Bu Jingyun laid out across time and space.
This place cannot be left untouched. At least, it cannot remain here in its current "open" state.
A resolute glint flashed in Nie Lingfeng's eyes. He released Chen Duo's hand and said softly to her, "Chen Duo, step back a little and wait for me at the entrance of the passage."
Chen Duo didn't ask any more questions. She obediently hugged the peerless sword and retreated to the passageway at the entrance of the hall, but her eyes still followed Nie Lingfeng with concern.
Nie Lingfeng turned around, facing the tightly closed stone door and the cave behind it. He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers loosely clenched, as if sensing the faint, vast sword intent that belonged to Bu Jingyun that lingered in the air, and as if bidding a final farewell to that peerless senior whom he had never met but who had given him immense opportunities and responsibilities.
"Senior Bu, I will remember your gift. I will do my best to fulfill your entrustment. This place is hidden and of great importance. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, I can only... leave it to rest here for the time being. Please forgive me if I have offended you."
After muttering to himself, Nie Lingfeng's eyes narrowed, and his aura suddenly became incredibly sharp! An indescribable, terrifying pressure, a mixture of the majesty of the newborn Qilin bloodline, the immense power gained from the fusion of the three divine artifacts, and his own tempered and resilient will, erupted with a deafening roar! The fire beasts in the hall that had just regained a little intelligence were instantly terrified by this pressure, their limbs went weak, and they all collapsed to the ground, whimpering in fear, not daring to even lift their heads.
He neither drew the Snow Drinking Blade nor used the newly formed, unpredictable Qilin True Fire within his body. For this kind of "cleansing" task, the Snow Drinking Blade's icy coldness and sharpness, combined with the ultimate essence of the Six Secrets of Unyielding Cold, were more suitable.
He extended his right index and middle fingers, forming a sword-like shape. Although no blade energy condensed at his fingertips, it naturally exuded an extreme chill that could freeze the soul. His gaze locked onto the approximate location of the cave and stone chamber behind the stone door, deep within the rock strata. In his mind, the general principles and essence of the "Six Secrets of Frost" flowed through his mind, finally settling on the most decisive and unstoppable opening move.
"The First of the Six Secrets of Unyielding Cold"
Nie Lingfeng spoke softly, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to carry the law of freezing all things, echoing clearly in the scorching hall.
"A startled, chilling glimpse!"
As he uttered the last four words, he brought his sword fingers together and gently drew a line in the void ahead.
There were no earth-shattering flashes of swords, no frost storms that froze everything.
Only a single, extremely fine, almost imperceptible, ice-blue line, condensed to its extreme, shot silently from his fingertip and instantly disappeared into the rock wall in front of him.
This strike, seemingly effortless and lacking even the grandeur of any of his previous attacks, contained within it Nie Lingfeng's ultimate understanding of the true meaning of "cold." It was a manifestation of his meticulous control over power after fusing with the three divine artifacts, and more importantly, a strike that simplified complexity and returned to the essence of his swordsmanship by integrating the "Wind God's Movement" realm into his swordsmanship! All the power, all the chill, all the destructive force were compressed and condensed into that thin line, without the slightest leakage, directly targeting the core of the target.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
next moment--
"Crack...crack...boom boom boom boom—!!!!"
Centered on the point where the thin, icy blue line disappeared, a terrifying sound, like a glacier collapsing or the earth caved in, came from deep within the rock wall ahead! Immediately afterward, the entire rock wall, along with the rock strata behind it of unknown depth and breadth, began to violently shake, disintegrate, and collapse!
It wasn't an explosion, but a complete destruction and freezing of the internal structure! An extreme chill erupted from within, instantly freezing and shattering the molecular structure of the rock, while simultaneously triggering small-scale geological shifts.
"boom--!!!"
With a dull, thunderous roar, the tightly closed stone door and the large rock wall behind it collapsed inwards like building blocks struck by an invisible giant hammer! Countless huge boulders, covered in frost and emanating a chilling aura, poured in like a tidal wave, instantly burying and blocking the entrance to the cave, the passage to an unknown depth behind it, and the precious stone chamber! The collapse was well controlled, confined to that area, and did not affect other parts of the hall or the structure above.
Dust mixed with the chill of frost spread out, but was quickly dispelled by the scorching air in the hall. Where it had been, only a huge, frozen rubble-filled, wispy, collapsed area remained, as if there had never been a stone door or a cave there, only a pile of rocks naturally formed over time.
Bu Jingyun's message, the site of the Fire Qilin's remains, the legends of the three divine artifacts, the sharpness of the peerless sword, the location of the secret manuals of Sacred Heart Technique, Ten Thousand Swords Return to One, and Sword Twenty-Three… all of this is buried deep beneath the cold rocks, tens or even hundreds of meters below the surface, completely isolated from the outside world. Unless one possesses the power to move mountains and fill seas, and knows the exact location and method of entry, it is virtually impossible to discover it again.
After doing all this, Nie Lingfeng slowly lowered his hand, and the sharp pressure around him receded like a tide. He quietly looked at the newly formed pile of rocks, and remained silent for a moment, as if bidding a final farewell to that fate and inheritance that transcended worlds.
Then, he turned around and walked towards Chen Duo, who had been quietly waiting at the entrance of the passage.
"Is it resolved?" Chen Duo asked softly, glancing at the collapsed area before looking at Nie Lingfeng. She could feel the terrifying power contained in Nie Lingfeng's finger strike just now; although restrained, it had caused the Phoenix True Fire within her body to tremble slightly.
"Yes, it's resolved." Nie Lingfeng nodded, taking the Peerless Sword from her hand. It was still heavy and cold to the touch, but now, holding it in his hand, he felt an indescribable sense of harmony, as if the sword had also recognized him as its "temporary master." He carefully wrapped the Peerless Sword in a spare strip of cloth, then inserted it, along with the Snow Drinking Blade, into a specially made leather scabbard on his back, which was adorned with space-expansion runes—something he had crafted himself during his seclusion. Though crude, it was practical enough.
"Let's go, let's leave here." Nie Lingfeng took Chen Duo's hand again, and the two turned around, no longer looking at the ruins buried in ice behind them, nor at the fire beasts in the hall that were still bewildered but no longer a threat. With firm steps, they walked back the way they came and headed out of Lingyun Cave.
The way back was much smoother than the way in.
They still encountered some fiery beasts along the way, but most of them only watched the two from a distance, occasionally letting out low, threatening growls. They no longer attacked in packs, recklessly, as they had before. Clearly, with the removal of the pollution source, these creatures' "aggression" was rapidly returning to the range of normal wild animals.
Nie Lingfeng didn't bother to eliminate them further. He merely released a trace of his aura, infused with the majesty of the Qilin, which was enough to make these fire spirit beasts, who instinctively revered higher bloodlines, retreat. He and Chen Duo made their way through the intricate passageways without incident, quickly returning to the huge, scorching cave entrance hall they had initially entered.
In the hall, the beasts that Nie Lingfeng had lured away earlier had returned, but they had lost their previous frenzy and were now wandering around the open space somewhat uneasily. The bottomless pit in the center, which was spewing out dark red hot currents, now seemed to have emitted a lighter color of hot currents, and the temperature had dropped. The chaotic and evil aura contained within it had almost completely dissipated.
Nie Lingfeng didn't linger. He pulled Chen Duo along and walked directly through the hall, stepping into the upward passage shrouded in dark red light that they had come from.
The higher they went, the weaker the heat in the air became, and the thinner the remnants of that chaotic energy grew. When the two finally passed through the still dense, but no longer corrupting, gray-white mist and stepped back onto the cracked and bulging, but no longer scorching, blackened earth outside, the blinding sunlight made them both instinctively squint.
Outside, dusk had fallen. The setting sun, like blood, dyed the western sky a poignant orange-red, casting a warm hue over the distant, majestic snow-capped mountains and the desolate ground nearby. The wind still howled, but carried the chill of the snow-capped mountains, dispelling the lingering heat and sulfurous odor from the earth.
Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo stood before the enormous, menacing entrance of Lingyun Cave, looking back at the deep, dark cavern behind them, resembling the maw of a colossal beast. Within it lay secrets capable of overturning the world, the site of breathtaking battles, and unimaginable opportunities and responsibilities. Now, all was calm again; the secrets were buried, the monsters purified, and only the newly born, naive fire spirit beasts would continue to protect this ancient and unique land.
"It's over," Nie Lingfeng said in a low voice, whether to Chen Duo or to himself, it was unclear.
"Yes, it's over." Chen Duo nodded, naturally moved closer to him, and reached out to hold his hand. The wind outside was strong and cold, but his palm was warm.
The two smiled at each other, then turned around and walked side by side down the rugged mountain path towards the direction of human habitation.
The setting sun cast their shadows long, long, until they gradually blended into the vast twilight of the snow-capped mountains.
Behind them, the enormous, compassionately smiling Buddha head still stands silently amidst the collapsed mountains, overlooking the confluence of the three rivers and this land that has returned to "normal," as if nothing had ever happened.