Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 394 - 044: Ten Thousand Ghosts Sword Tomb

Chapter 394: Chapter 044: Ten Thousand Ghosts Sword Tomb

Feng Jiu Xian and Hou Ling’er had left one after the other.

A hundred and eight thousand genius Cultivators, aside from those who had died, now most had each entered the Ten Thousand Ghosts Sword Tomb.

Zhou Yan’s heart stirred, and the Secret Technique of the Nirvana Scripture materialized, immediately restoring his shattered palm. His already impressive recovery ability, combined with the Nirvana Scripture’s Secret Technique, made Zhou Yan’s palm appear as if it had never been injured.

His mind wasn’t focused on this minor injury.

Because he knew that all this was just the beginning.

Clearly, the Holy Daughter’s Life Soul, capable of serving as the Divine Medicine to save Gu Xi and essential for the fusion of the Thunderflame Sword Body and the Emperor Qi Sword Body, was an evidently rare divine item nurtured within the body, which would be coveted by countless geniuses.

Zhou Yan had known earlier that this item might be extraordinarily remarkable, but now, sensing Ji Wu Xuanzhe’s determined attitude, he realized that things were far more complicated than he had thought.

However, the more it was so, the more he wanted to defy the heavens, clearing the obstacles in his path.

This time, forty truly ’dangerous individuals’ were identified, including the familiar Holy Daughter, as well as Zhuge Chunqiu, Zhuge Jiayue, Jia Yongheng, and Qian Xi—four people whom Zhou Yan actually knew.

Even more strangely, there was one other person: Hongyi.

This Hongyi Xuanzhe, nearly identical in appearance and temperament to the ’Princess Hongyi’ from the Lei Yan Continent’s Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain, seemed somehow subtly different.

And what power did that ’Lei Yan Continent’ within the Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain represent?

Zhou Yan did not immediately leave because he was puzzled about this.

He vaguely felt that if he could understand this, he might unearth a tremendous secret of the Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain.

At that time, his Combat Power might not have been particularly strong, but he was able to suppress that world with the "Tao of Heaven and Earth".

Similarly, could this ability break through any spatial constraints and be used at will?

This... might be the key ability to determine whether one could survive this time.

Lost in thought, Zhou Yan glanced at Hongyi Xuanzhe, who hadn’t left yet, and walked over to ask, "Hongyi Xuanzhe, may I be so bold as to ask if you are Princess Hongyi from ’War Soul Hall’?"

"Hmm? Zhou Xuanzhe seems... to know me? I am indeed a Commandery Princess from an ancient land, known as ’Princess Hongyi’, but I have never heard of any ’War Soul Hall’."

Princess Hongyi, dressed in red, was not aloof but rather had an air of a well-bred young lady.

Her voice was soft and pleasant. However, there was an obvious note of skepticism in her tone.

"Then... perhaps I am mistaken. I have a friend who encountered a lady named ’Princess Hongyi’ in ’War Soul Hall’, with the Combat Power of the Void Realm and exceptional talent."

Zhou Yan offered an explanation, then his powerful sensing power paid close attention to this Hongyi Xuanzhe.

"That may just be a coincidence, after all, the world is so vast and full of wonders. Although my name, ’Princess Hongyi’, is hardly known to anyone, I indeed do not know of any force called ’War Soul Hall’. Hmm... However, I do know that within the ’Life and Death Netherworld Illusion Realm,’ there is a power known as ’Netherworld Palace’.

And in ancient inheritances, ’Netherworld’ is another name for ’War Soul.’"

Hongyi Xuanzhe pondered for a moment then explained gently.

"I see... thank you for clarifying, Hongyi Xuanzhe."

Zhou Yan gave a slight bow, expressing his gratitude.

Hongyi Xuanzhe returned the gesture, saying, "You are welcome, Zhou Xuanzhe... Ah, by the way, you should be very careful. The Ten Thousand Ghosts Sword Tomb is unpredictable... Also, I hope you can obtain a spot in the contest for the Holy Daughter’s hand."

"Hmm? Hongyi Xuanzhe, do you have such high regard for me, Zhou Yan?"

Zhou Yan looked at Hongyi Xuanzhe, somewhat surprised.

Hongyi Xuanzhe gave a faint smile, revealing a charming dimple, and said softly, "I cultivate the Secret Technique of the Spirit, and I can feel your affection for the Holy Daughter. As for those Mystic Level geniuses, they only have desire. Despite the cruel reality, empathetically, I still wish the Holy Daughter could find a better fate."

"Thank you, I will do my best."

"Good, we shall meet again in the future, and I hope we can converge in the Nine Origin Heavenly Capital."

"Take care."

After bidding farewell to Hongyi Xuanzhe, Zhou Yan stepped into the Transmission Array.

The interaction with Hongyi had enlightened Zhou Yan about some matters, yet more doubts enveloped his heart.

As he contemplated, space suddenly twisted around him once more, and then, a desolate, ancient, decaying, evil, and desolate breath fiercely assaulted his body and spirit.

Chaos gravity a thousandfold, ten thousandfold, or even a hundred thousandfold, a powerful magnetic energy penetrated heaven and earth, and the bone-chilling chaotic Sword Intent fluttered like the wind, traversing the cosmos.

Old Sword Tombs emitted whining lamentations, and terrifying auras, terrifying desolate lands, violently shook Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan shuddered, a very familiar feeling lingering in his heart.

Here laid the Ten Thousand Ghosts Sword Tomb, and this was his first visit!

Yet, he felt as if in this lifetime, the last lifetime, or even the next, he was destined to be buried here.

By his side stood a mottled solitary grave, isolated in this place.

Weeds overgrew the grave, utter desolation abounded.

In the distance, it seemed there were the black waters of the Yellow Springs, falling from the sky like a waterfall.

The stench and the Blood Qi blanketed the sky and the earth, swirling chaotically, making it intolerable to look directly.

This world was in complete chaos, filled with unknown dangers that lurked at every moment.

Farther away, Yin Spirits and Evil Spirits carrying eight-carried sedan chairs wreaked havoc.

In such a place of death and desolation, Zhou Yan felt an inexplicable sense of belonging, as if he had come home.

He stood dazed for a moment, then let out an inexplicable sigh, coming back to his senses, and struggled to overcome gravity that was tens of thousands of times stronger than normal. He lifted his leg, ready to adapt to the gravity here, ready to leave this place to go forward and take a look.

But as he turned around, his body suddenly froze.

Because, in front of him, the lonely grave with a decaying stele tilting onto it had an indistinct name carved into it.

The ancient runes were engraved with sharp Sword Intent, exuding a terrifying dignity.

"Lee Ran’s Tomb—Dao Sheng Yi."

"Lee Ran—Erected."

"Lost the Supreme Soul, led to the sorrow of the Ten Thousand Ghosts."

"Ten Thousand Ghosts Sword Tomb, the heart’s desolate land."

"The journey is long and arduous ahead."

"Thousands of miles of lonely graves, nowhere to speak of desolation."

On the fragmented, mottled tombstone, there were lines of runes inscribed deeply or faintly.

The words, lined up in a row, chronicled the life of a powerful individual.

The grieving wind sounded like the wailing of ghosts and the mournful cries.

And this strong individual, the totem branded on the tombstone, was the combined pattern of the Twelve Sword Spirits.

And the appearance of this strong individual, through the weathering of wind and rain, was still relatively clear—it was exactly like Zhou Yan’s current visage.

Zhou Yan trembled, his memories exploding like detonation; in an instant, he remembered everything about his Master.

"Lee Ran..."

"My Master’s name is ’Lee Ran’."

"Did my Master erect this monument for ’me’?!!"

"The tombstone has already decayed? How many years have passed?"

"What... what is my real name? Lee... What exactly is that word, eroded by time?"

Zhou Yan reached out and fiercely wiped the speckled tombstone.

But with his wiping, the etched words on it crumbled away bit by bit.

Zhou Yan shivered all over; suddenly, he inexplicably adapted to the gravity and the environment here.

He began to dig up this lone grave with his hands frantically, as if mad.

His body, comparable to a Soul Device, but as he dug into this black soil, his fingers broke.

The ground was extremely hard, comparable to the material of Soul Device.

Still, Zhou Yan crazily uncovered the solitary grave.

Inside the grave, there was a crystal coffin.

In the crystal coffin lay a handsome young man.

This young man had a Thunder Seal in the center of his brows, and his features were almost identical to Zhou Yan.

But on his chest, there was a terrifying, bowl-sized hollow.

Inside the hollow, all internal organs had disappeared, as if some horrifying claw had scooped out and hollowed his heart.

Suddenly, Zhou Yan’s heart began to beat ’violently,’ an intense, suffocating pressure inexplicably appeared.

Amidst heaven and earth, gusts of gloomy wind were blowing, and in the distance, Yin Spirits and Evil Spirits carrying an eight-carried sedan chair were flying toward this place.

Dark red blood appeared between heaven and earth; the backdrop of a woman with bloodstained hair, who was playing the flute, slowly emerged; desolate and Lonely Sword Intents interlaced.

In the heavens and earth, it seemed as if the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City of the ancients was about to descend, and even older Heavenly Destiny Tea Trees manifested.

Zhou Yan felt that ’he’ inside the crystal coffin was about to open his eyes; his long eyelashes were already trembling, as if once he opened his eyes, heaven and earth would collapse, bringing about endless catastrophe.

...