Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 444 - 438: Crossing One

Chapter 444: Chapter 438: Crossing One

Standing at the bow, Lin Xin faced the wind and gazed towards the increasingly visible pitch-black fissure in the distance, which resembled a place where the sea and sky converge. The flat and gargantuan fissure constantly spewed countless black fogs, like the gaping maw of the Abyss, incessantly pulling and devouring massive amounts of clouds from the sea of clouds.

"Your physical body is very strong," Hongye’s voice echoed in his mind. "That’s why we’ve run into some trouble."

"What do you mean?" Lin Xin, having frequently communicated with Hongye these days, seemed to realize that it was a critical moment for the incision of the Underworld’s power.

"The Underworld seems to have taken a liking to you, so it does not want to let go. Not long ago, you happened to kill two Nascent Soul Soul Domain cultivators, their souls and wills merged with Essence Qi, were integrated into your body by the will of the Underworld, transforming into the mark of a Lord," Hongye explained indifferently. Despite such a significant turn of events, he maintained a calm tone.

"The mark of a Lord?" Lin Xin had long felt that something was amiss with this aura. He was surprised to hear this.

"But don’t worry, this thing is beneficial and harmless to you," continued Hongye. "Your physical body seems to have a special bloodline strength, a high resistance, and can resist the erosion of the Lord’s mark to some extent. At one of the places you’re headed to in the Outer Regions, there’s something I left there twenty thousand years ago. It’s a fusion of the will and Essence Qi you need. If you get it, it should strengthen and restore your body to a point where it can temporarily withstand the mark of a Lord."

A chill ran through Lin Xin’s heart. His greatest secret was his ability to transform Attributes, being able to absorb fusions of will and Essence Qi to strengthen himself—this was his true reliance for moving unhindered through the Underworld. Hongye seemed to mistake it as some ancient bloodline.

However, this was just as well.

"What is it?" he asked.

"If you can get it, you’ll know," Hongye replied lightly. "Also, remember to protect Zhao Ke, the Demon Embryo he carries is very helpful to you."

"Demon Embryo..." Lin Xin discerned something from Hongye’s words.

The Void Ship slowly approached the massive pitch-black fissure.

All aboard were on edge, with no one knowing if the ship’s protective Barrier could withstand the rift’s tearing forces. If it couldn’t hold, it was likely that at least half of those present would die or be injured.

Yet Lin Xin just calmly looked at the fissure, his gaze aloof, seemingly lost in thought.

The wind grew stronger.

The ship drew closer.

Great swathes of tentacle-like black smoke flailed wildly, reaching towards the hull.

Boom!!

The entire Void Ship shuddered violently, seized by tendrils of black smoke and quickly dragged towards the fissure.

With a crisp gurgle, as if swallowed by some giant beast, the forefront of the Void Ship was enveloped in darkness and seemed to plunge into a bottomless Abyss.

The people on board couldn’t help but let out cries of alarm.

Zhao Ke quickly scrambled out and returned to Lin Xin’s side, his gaze also intensely focused on the surrounding blackness.

"Brother, where are we now? Have we reached the Outer Regions?"

"Not yet," Lin Xin shook his head. "This is a special isolation layer en route to the Outer Regions, akin to a buffer zone. Although there is also a threat from monsters and the like, it is much safer than the true Outer Regions."

Before he finished speaking, everyone saw a sudden rush of white light ahead.

The entire Void Ship, as if swallowed by something, surged into that radiance, and suddenly the view ahead became startlingly clear.

The sky ahead was grey-white, the land barren and desolate, with ruined stone buildings and dead black trees everywhere.

In some places, there were writhing black things, puffing out pale yellow smoke from their maws.

But what shocked everyone the most was not these, but that the entire world was tilted.

"We’ve arrived... this is the place," Old Zhao from the crew narrowed his murky eyes further, as if recalling a scene he had experienced many years ago.

"This place is...?" Captain Zhou Aifa’s dry pipe rolled on the deck, ignored by everyone while he just stared blankly at the sky, at the sloping land below.

"The Inclined Between," Old Zhao said gravely.

No one among the crew spoke; such a bizarre spectacle would strike awe into anyone seeing it for the first time.

From above, Lin Xin surveyed everything below; the grey-black land was high on the left and low on the right, and with it, the entire sky was also higher on the left and lower on the right.

The entire Void Ship seemed to be flying in a skewed space, creating a very odd sensation.

"Between the Outer Regions and the sunny membrane, a naturally inclined spatial area forms, this is what’s known as the Inclined Between. The threats here are roughly only about half of the real Outer Regions, so it’s relatively safe.

At the same time, you can encounter monks who come out to hunt or undergo trials," explained Lin Xin softly to Zhao Ke and the others.

The Void Ship continued to fly forward slowly, while the sky around was not empty—large blotches like ink squirmed and floated high in the air, uncertain of their purpose. These black blotches, resembling dark clouds, seemed to be living things, occasionally moving a short distance.

"So where are we headed now?" Zhao Ke quickly asked.

Lin Xin double-checked his location; he faintly felt that his perception and physique seemed to have undergone subtle changes, presumably brought about by the mark of a Lord.

As the Secret Technique’s sensitivity unfolded, his eyes slowly lit up with specks of red fluorescence.

The world before him suddenly turned pitch black.

The only light in the surroundings came from the previously squirming black spots, with red halos dancing about like flames.

"What is this...?" Lin Xin furrowed his brows slightly, "My Secret Technique sensitivity was originally only able to sense Demon Talisman Seeds that are useful to me, but now... what’s going on?"

He could clearly feel that the large patches of darkness floating in the sky around him were inexplicably attracting him, as if they were some kind of edible food, emitting an enticing scent.

"The Lord’s imprint is just so," came a voice different from Hongye’s, an entirely unfamiliar voice that drilled into his mind.

"Who are you?" asked Lin Xin lightly.

"Lord Hongye instructed me to specifically address your concerns in all aspects. You may call me Duan Wei," the man’s low voice said.

"We specially crafted a giant Magic Artifact using special craftsmanship, which can connect to your mental senses from a great distance. From now on, you can communicate with me anytime, anywhere. As long as I know and can answer, I will certainly hold nothing back," the man sincerely stated.

"Duan Wei?"

Lin Xin remained composed.

"You mentioned that the Lord’s imprint is just so, what do you mean by that?"

A light chuckle came from the other end.

"Lord Hongye is unaware, but the Lord’s imprint is higher-ranking than the Son of Underworld’s imprint, possessing more authority and abilities in the Underworld. The main one of which is to devour all things. To be precise, to devour things from the Myriad Realms, then serve as a bridge to channel them into the Underworld. As a reward, the will of the Underworld will feedback pure Lord’s Power to enhance the Lord’s strength. Compared to the Son of Underworld who can only hunt those with higher cultivation than themselves, a Lord is undoubtedly much stronger."

"And from ancient times to the present, there have not been more than a hundred beings in the entire Underworld with Lord-level authorization. This time, the will of the Underworld was pressured by the Sword Masters, which is why it instinctively gave out the imprint."

"What does this mean?" Lin Xin’s gaze swept around him, but his attention was increasingly focused on the conversation with Duan Wei.

"What you don’t know, my Lord, is that the Lord’s imprint has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is naturally that there are no conditions like those for the Son of Underworld. It also enhances strength much faster. Although there are still many difficulties and hardships, this has also created the terrifying existence of Underworld’s Sword Master level."

Duan Wei sincerely sighed.

"The downside, however, is equally due to the increased authority of the powers, which become stronger as well."

"What disadvantages?" Lin Xin’s heart tightened.

Duan Wei let out a long sigh.

"The first trouble is the overwhelming and powerful desire to devour. This devouring can indeed bring about rapid enhancement of strength, but if what is devoured cannot be channeled into the Underworld at the quickest speed, then the Lords will die from over-consumption, without leaving the slightest leftovers of their souls."

Lin Xin’s pupils shrank slightly. He suddenly understood the intention of the Underworld.

"It seems the Underworld’s will intentionally gave higher authority to prevent me from getting away."

"Your guess is very correct, it is the result of the power struggle between the Sword Masters and the will of the Underworld," Duan Wei said respectfully.

"If the Sword Masters completely sever your connection with the Underworld, then the authority you possess will cause you to accumulate more and more devoured substances, until you are completely destroyed with no remains."

Lin Xin took a deep breath, and as he looked at the red flames tainted with the desire to feast, he suddenly lost any desire to take action.

He felt like a chess piece in the game between Hongye and the Underworld, at their mercy, with his life hanging by a thread, in danger of dying without a place to bury him.

"However, you need not worry, the Sword Masters already have strategies in place, and in due time, will give you something to completely suppress and resolve this issue.

You have ten days, in which time the Sword Masters will completely sever your ties with the Underworld. My Lord, the forcing out of the Lord’s imprint meant that the Sword Masters had no choice but to act sooner. I would also like to remind you," Duan Wei’s tone slowly became more solemn.

"The second trouble with the Lord’s imprint is the extremely potent side effects, which are far stronger than those from the time of the Son of Underworld. If you cannot withstand them, you will also become a walking corpse with your soul and will completely extinguished. So, you must be careful..."

Lin Xin nodded slightly, feeling Duan Wei’s voice gradually fade away, until that faint mental connection disappeared completely. He then dispelled the Secret Technique.

"Big brother! Big brother?? What’s wrong with you?" Zhao Ke’s voice rang out beside his ear, sounding somewhat anxious.

"It’s nothing, I just lost myself in thought," Lin Xin returned to his senses and smiled faintly.

The Lord’s imprint...

He had an indescribable feeling.

He seemed to be entering the easiest phase to enhance his strength in history. As long as he slaughtered, indiscriminate slaughter, he could enhance his own strength.

This was perhaps the so-called ability of the Lord’s imprint. It seemed to hide many powers that Duan Wei hadn’t mentioned.

This imprint was not as simple as he had said.