Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 515 - 509 Desolate Vault 2

Chapter 515: Chapter 509 Desolate Vault 2

Packing away the Shadow-Capturing Stone, Duan Chizi also hesitated about whether to show this recording to her teacher, feeling a vague worry about her teacher’s reaction. She had thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion, but now the scales seemed to be subtly tipping in favor of Junior Brother Red Flower.

"Something’s wrong with the teacher!"

Suddenly, Nan Shunqing’s voice cried out in the great hall.

Duan Chizi quickly snapped to alertness and looked at Nan Shunqing with tense expressions, carefully turning their gaze to Lin Xin.

The Second Overseer and others were originally planning to approach, but when they heard the voice, they promptly stopped, looking at Lin Xin with some confusion.

Lin Xin stood in place, his hair as red as if it was drenched in thick, congealed blood plasma, incredibly unsettling.

He held the sword upside down, and the blades of the other three behind him were faintly emitting fluorescent light, buzzing with noise.

A surge of brutal, ruthless, murderous intent kept rolling around him.

At his stage, even a flicker of thought could trigger natural phenomena in the outside world and cause continuous changes in his soul domain.

That was what was happening now.

His body emanated a brutal murderous intent, drawing chaos into the surrounding space— madness, slaughter, and blood filled the air.

But unlike what the others felt, Nan Shunqing and Duan Chizi sensed that the most prevalent in Lin Xin’s murderous intent was not brutality or madness, but pain!

"Teacher...?" Nan Shunqing called out cautiously.

"I’m fine."

Lin Xin’s calm voice came from behind them.

"Just a bit too emotional."

The blood-like murderous intent was quickly retracted, Lin Xin let go of the sword handle, and the blood-colored longsword shot back into its sheath on his back, lining up with the other three swords.

With a ringing sound, a clear note of the sword echoed.

His hair quickly faded from blood-red back to black.

Everything swiftly calmed down.

Lin Xin himself knew his condition all too well.

His strength had indeed greatly advanced in these past ten years.

Although it was the Seventh Layer of the Yuan Dou Demonic Technique, because of his prowess with Formation Talismans, and the Red Flower Sword Path he created which absorbed the essence of numerous Divine Techniques Secret Skills, he had successively created many unique techniques.

His actual combat power had become extremely formidable. Even facing a True Monarch of the Eighth Layer like Huang Yuan, from the Heavenly List, he was not the least bit afraid.

However, the significant increase in strength brought about a new challenge.

That was the radicalization of his emotions.

Years of relentless torture by endless pain caused his oppressed psyche to become extremely polarized. Usually, it was fine if he did not act, but once he acted and saw blood, it was as if heaven and earth were shattering—years of accumulated pain, suppression, and endurance catalyzed the negative emotions that would then erupt into brutal murderous intent.

Sometimes even Mingxin True Monarch would choose not to engage with Lin Xin for practice at night.

Even though he wielded the Sixth Grade Tong Tian Pine Patterned Sword, faced with Lin Xin’s state of brutal murderous intent, he too would have to stay at arm’s length.

In the previous instances when he was not aware, had it not been for Lin Xin’s mercy, remembering some kindness, Mingxin True Monarch would likely have sustained even more severe injuries, and recovering completely would be out of the question.

"I’m fine..." Lin Xin repeated.

Indeed, not a hint of his aura leaked out.

Only then did he slowly turn around, his face wearing a gentle smile.

The others hurried to greet him, with Nan Shunqing looking at him with some concern.

"What was that just now...?"

"Don’t worry, it’s just that for some reason, my murderous intent was a bit heavy," Lin Xin said with a smile.

"It’s fine as long as there’s nothing wrong. The disciple was worried," Nan Shunqing said in a low voice.

"It’s good that you passed the test," Duan Chizi came over. She stared at Lin Xin cautiously, seeming to notice something amiss. "If Junior Brother needs any calming medicine, you can find some in my palace. I have recently refined a batch of Outer Region Snow Divine Paste, which is very effective for calming the mind."

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Lin Xin nodded.

"Next, let’s go directly to another underground city."

Since he had already begun the trial, to completely take over the Yuan Dou Demon Sect and gain the support of everyone, he might as well go through the process according to the rules.

Besides, after this trial, Lin Xin was quite interested in the things encountered during the trial.

He had also taken the opportunity just now to collect some of the divine warriors’ hair and tissue for research.

This hair had an interesting intrinsic structure, containing many natural Formation Talisman systems that represent power. If its structure could be replicated elsewhere experimentally, it would definitely greatly enhance the power of his Mystic Heaven Formless Golden Light Formation.

And that’s why only Lin Xin could carefully study the mystery within it—nowadays, the entire Central Prefecture would find it hard to come up with a Fifth Grade Formation Talisman Dao Grandmaster as efficient as him.

It had been many years since a Grandmaster Level Formation Master had appeared. Many sects’ Mountain Protection Arrays are mostly inscriptions passed down by Formation Talisman Dao Grandmasters achieved in the past. As for Ancient Formations,

even the current Fifth Grade Masters could only repair them. Arranging them was completely out of the question, as setting up higher-level Fifth Grade formations required an expenditure of energy, spiritual energy, and time that was counted in decades.

This was also the reason why the Formation Path was not held in high regard in the Underworld.

"That’s fine, the other trial can be accessed through Rotating Wheel City. We can go directly and then return to the Mount of Aimlessness later," Lin Xin said.

Duan Chizi also nodded in agreement.

The Second Overseer and the others certainly had no objections.

The group quickly left the Bronze Hall, but everyone felt some regret about the Divine Power Guard’s hair being chopped into countless pieces.

Having witnessed Lin Xin’s terrifying side, everyone held him in awe, cautious and careful, for fear of accidentally offending him.

Fortunately, under normal circumstances, Lin Xin was still approachable and mild-mannered, without any abnormal behavior.

Without further delay in Rotating Wheel City, the Deputy City Lord and others, before the Sect Master position was settled, did not dare to get too close to Lin Xin and his party. Wishing to resolve matters quickly to avoid complications, they swiftly activated the Teleportation Formation, sending Lin Xin and his group directly to another Underground City—Thousand Prison City.

************************

In some unknown underground space.

A purple-black square Giant City sat squarely on a pitch-dark land.

Above it hung a large purple-red Treasure Bead, constantly emitting a soft yellow light, like the sun, brightly illuminating the whole Giant City as if it were daytime.

At the city gate’s edge, surrounded by chains, was a Sixteen-pointed Star Formation.

The area was already surrounded by numerous waiting figures, all high-status magicians dressed in splendid attire.

The news from Rotating Wheel City had already been relayed here.

Upon receiving the shocking and startling news, all the high-ranked officials of Thousand Prison City had been notified overnight and had respectfully hurried to the edge of the Teleportation Formation to welcome them.

Leading them, Deputy City Lord Ye Zifeng’s gaze flickered as he stood at the front of the line, head bowed, contemplating something.

Behind him were various magic practitioners and commanders of the city, all excitedly discussing the trial from Rotating Wheel City.

Amidst a flash of black light, Lin Xin and his group appeared in the center of the Formation.

"Greetings, Crown Prince, Second Princess, Second Supervisor."

Under Ye Zifeng’s lead, the group collectively bowed and paid their respects.

"Dispense with the formalities, sirs, lead the way to the Trial Point," Duan Chizi, knowing Lin Xin did not want to waste time, went straight to the point.

"Understood!" Ye Zifeng nodded emphatically.

Under the guidance of Ye Zifeng and others, Lin Xin made his way through the heavily guarded black stone streets.

This place was unlike Rotating Wheel City, with all the massive buildings made of black stone and a distinct military style.

There were not many shops on the streets, mostly equipment and Talisman Paper stores. In the distance, the onlooking populace mostly carried a fierce aura, and each person seemed practiced in martial arts.

Duan Chizi walked alongside him, silent.

It was the Second Supervisor who quietly explained to Lin Xin and his companion.

"This Thousand Prison City, overseen by the reclusive Elder City Lord Yin Pengzi, is unlike Rotating Wheel City, as it’s strictly guarded. Most of the residents are practitioners from our Demon Sect and their families. Many practitioners live here, and with their families under protection, they need not worry about involving kin in matters outside; it’s somewhat of an idyllic haven."

"Why is it called Thousand Prison City?" Nan Shunqing inquired in a low voice.

The Second Supervisor smiled, knowing Nan Shunqing was Lin Xin’s disciple, albeit one who had not yet practiced Demonic Arts. Therefore, he too was quite congenial towards him.

"Little do you know, Master Qing, this is the most dangerous place of our Yuan Dou Demon Sect."

"The most dangerous place?"

"Indeed," the Second Supervisor slightly composed himself before continuing. "The reason why it’s called Thousand Prison is that it incarcerates the heinous criminals and major felons captured by the Yuan Dou Demon Sect over thousands of years. Those imprisoned here have at least Golden Core Realm cultivation."

"Golden Core!?" Nan Shunqing was astonished.

Even Lin Xin was slightly shocked.

"Thousands of years? How many are imprisoned here?"

"I do not know," the Second Supervisor shook his head, "Nobody knows exactly how many are imprisoned here, but there are at least several hundred, if not a thousand. After all, over thousands of years, some would succumb to the end of their lifespans. Though new prisoners are continuously added, no one has ever dared to go in for a detailed count."

"Why is that?" Nan Shunqing pressed.

"That’s because, among those imprisoned, the most significant is a sleeping Demon God from the Ancient Era," the one speaking was not someone else but the acting City Lord Ye Zifeng himself.

He had long resolved to endeavor to establish a good relationship with Lin Xin, and at this moment, he had intentionally moved closer to take over the conversation.

"A Demon God!!??"

Aside from Duan Chizi, even the Second Supervisor was surprised and, just like Lin Xin and the others, shaken.

Ye Zifeng nodded, with a trace of pride, and continued to explain with a smile. "The serious offenders imprisoned in Thousand Prison City are not only monk humans from the Underworld, but also many peculiar races and terrifying beings from the Outer Regions. Many of them are comparable to the Yuan Jing Layer. Those caught by our Sect’s teachers and leaders, who aren’t deserving of death, who cannot be slain, or who have some value, are all thrown into the Thousand Prison."

"Are they truly confined here, Demon Gods and so many formidable beings?" Lin Xin asked gravely, his interest piqued.

"With the City Ancient Formation passed down from Primordial Ancient Times, whose might is boundless, it’s truly formidable. In actuality, the formation here was established by the first-generation founder of our Yuan Dou Demon Sect. Back in Primordial Ancient Times, our sect was already founded, albeit not under this name.

At that time, our founder set up the Thousand Prison Great Formation, gravely injured the Demon God, threw it inside, causing it to sleep, and continually extracting a wisp of its power, which is infused into the formation. The stronger the Evil God, the more power it leaks, and after absorption, the stronger the formation’s power grows. It’s a continuous cycle."

Lin Xin was silent, his mind in shock at the mention of such a formation, unheard of even in the scriptures, something utterly terrifying.

The founding ancestor...

In reality, the identity of the Yuan Dou Demon Sect’s founding ancestor is a mystery, with no one aware of the extent of their strength.

But according to the Sect’s scriptures, many predecessors speculated that the founding ancestor might well be a true Desolate Vault Demon God, who established the Yuan Dou Demon Sect to pass down their own bloodline legacy.

The group ceased further discussion, each lost in their thoughts, and they soon reached the entrance to the Trial Ground.