The Dungeon's Secret: Nether Silkworm True Monarch's Response

Although Lightless Island is not considered a large island in the Cultivation World.

However, its length and width are both several hundred miles, so its total area is quite large.

Generally speaking, finding a hidden dungeon on an island without any clues is no easy task.

However, under Xiao Chen's arrangement...

Less than fifteen minutes later, a small area on the north side of the island was marked with crisscrossing lines on a makeshift map.

In this way, the search area was instantly reduced from the entire island to a small Mine Pit with a radius of less than thirty miles.

The place appears to have been abandoned long ago, leaving only many neglected Mine Tunnel.

"Wow, it was hidden pretty well."

Even though Xiao Chen was already standing in the center of the Mine Pit and deliberately using his Spiritual Sense Probe the situation, he still couldn't find anything unusual.

"I know this place; it used to be a very famous Tier 3 spirit mine."

A local rogue cultivator, rescued from prison, suddenly realized. "About 160 years ago, all the miners here suddenly left."

"Soon news spread that the spirit mines here had been completely depleted."

"At first, some people secretly came to the mine to try to illegally mine, but they found that the Mine Tunnel were full of rocks that were unusually solid."

"If one's cultivation level is below Foundation Establishment, it is impossible to conduct effective excavation."

"Moreover, even if Foundation Establishment Cultivator come, they often bury themselves in hard work for several days without finding anything, so gradually no one wants to come anymore."

After hearing the information he provided, Red Tassel True Person immediately tried stomping hard on the ground.

The result was that only a not-very-deep mark was left.

Such terrain undoubtedly increases the difficulty of the search.

One crucial point is that if Xiao Chen were to intervene directly, it could very likely cause part of the Mine Tunnel to collapse.

This even caused the dungeon to collapse, resulting in accidental injury to the monks imprisoned inside.

However, if lower-level cultivators are allowed to do the digging, the efficiency will inevitably be slow.

Fortunately, they had already brought quite a few people this time, and they had just rescued many rogue cultivators from the Yin Corpse Sect Sect's Stronghold. Even after removing the Qi Refining Cultivator among them, there were still many left.

Under the organization of Red Tassel True Person, everyone took out their own Law Artifact or Spirit Artifact and participated in the search and rescue operation.

In addition, disciples from the Five Thunder Temple also came along.

Li Cunyuan, who was in charge, immediately said, "We'll help search too."

After saying that, he led his fellow apprentices forward, each taking charge of a small area, and they worked together to excavate.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work.

Even though the Yin Corpse Sect had hidden this dungeon very well, it couldn't withstand such a simple and brutal digging search.

After everyone pressed on and dug for about two hours,

Finally, in the middle to rear of one of the Mine Tunnel, they unearthed a layer of exceptionally sturdy high-quality steel.

If you scan it with your Divine Sense, you will mistake it for an ordinary rock that is no different from the surrounding rocks.

Furthermore, even if Foundation Establishment Cultivator wields Top-Grade Magical Artifact, they cannot leave even the slightest scratch on it.

However, for Xiao Chen, this was a piece of cake.

He cut a gash several feet wide with almost no effort, revealing the hidden Dungeon Passage beneath.

"Oh, it looks quite big."

Xiao Chen jumped in and immediately felt a chill creep over him.

Red Tassel True Person, who was trying to follow them in, couldn't help but shiver as soon as she reached the cave entrance.

It's worth noting that this wasn't because the dungeon was particularly cold.

On the contrary, the temperature inside is almost the same as the outside temperature.

What truly sends chills down one's spine is the presence of a distinct Yin Qi.

Xiao Chen followed the passage for a few steps and arrived at the core of the dungeon.

The place is laid out in a ring shape, with seven prison cells built around it, only one of which happens to be empty.

Of the other six cells, four held different Golden Core cultivator, including a female cultivator who looked exactly like the girl outside.

The other two rooms contained two Golden Core Demonic Beast, which happened to be a giant python and a mutated tiger.

"Huh, what's going on?"

Xiao Chen curiously examined the layout of the dungeon. "There are so many Ancient Spirit Script here, could it be some kind of ritual being performed?"

As far as the eye can see, the walls inside and outside each cell are covered with a large number of Ancient Spirit Script.

There were even some strangely shaped ornaments hanging there, the purpose of which was not yet clear.

Furthermore, both the imprisoned cultivators and the Demon Beast were tightly bound by chains, leaving them no room to move.

Above the chains, shackles, and collars that restrained them.

It also features many Ancient Spirit Script, and clearly echoes the surrounding environment.

"Extreme Yin Place, guiding, restricting, connecting, and even transforming Yin Corpse?"

Xiao Chen struggled slightly to decipher the general meaning of the Ancient Spirit Script above.

Although he had taught himself the Ancient Spirit Script, he didn't use it much in his daily life, and the writing order in the dungeon was also quite strange.

Therefore, I could only understand about half of it, and through a combination of recognition and guesswork, I deduced that this place should be a place where the Yin Corpse Sect specifically cultivates Yin Corpse.

What is Yin Corpse?

Xiao Chen, out of curiosity, walked into one of the cells with the heaviest Yin Qi and peered inside.

The cultivator who was firmly imprisoned was almost completely corrupted by the Yin Qi in the cell and the surrounding rituals.

At this point, most of his body had grown a layer of rust-green hair.

It looks like a moldy, human-shaped rice cake.

Seemingly sensing someone approaching, the other person struggled to lift their eyelids.

Their eyes, now a deep green, held a dazed look, along with a hint of an instinctive cry for help.

"Sigh, given the situation, it seems there's no way to get you out."

Xiao Chen sighed softly, "The only thing I can do now is help you get rid of this burden as soon as possible."

The other party seemed to understand, and that glimmer of hope quickly faded.

But soon, he blinked hard to show he understood, and then, with his last bit of strength, gave a grateful look.

"Sky-rushing Palm!"

Xiao Chen directly activated his Law Technique, giving him a quick and painless release.

Then he checked on the other three.

One of them was a monk who had been imprisoned for more than three months, and his eyes had turned green.

He still had some strength left. Although he didn't understand what was going on, he struggled to speak, "Please, senior, grant me a quick death."

Xiao Chen nodded gently, fulfilling his last wish.

As for the other two, they were only imprisoned this month, and their condition has not yet deteriorated to this extent.

At least he still retains a relatively clear mind, and his body has not undergone any significant changes.

However, the aftereffects they left behind were equally terrible.

According to Xiao Chen's assessment, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the two of them would likely remain at their current Cultivation Realm for the rest of their lives, unable to make any further progress.

It can be said that Dao Ruined, which is an unbearable nightmare for any cultivator.

If this happened to a proud and ambitious person, it would be almost the same as dying here.

The reason for all this is not just those strange Spirit Artifact.

More importantly, it is the Yin Energy Source located in the very center of the dungeon.

According to Xiao Chen's careful investigation, there was a small, naturally formed Extreme Yin Place at the bottom of the spirit mine.

In the very center is a piece of Yin-Melting Green Mica, which can slowly but continuously generate small Yin Qi.

It is a precious Fourth-Order High-Grade Spirit Item, and also the absolute core of this place.

It must have been the discovery of this object that caused the Yin Corpse Sect to stop mining spirit ore and instead build this Secret Dungeon.

Considering they deliberately limited the loss of Yin Qi, it's clear they wanted to utilize this Yin-Melting Green Mica slowly and steadily over a long period.

"Things like this that cause harm don't need to stay here."

Xiao Chen immediately waved his hand, storing it in his Storage Ring, which was equivalent to destroying this Yin Land.

This way, he can obtain a rare spiritual item.

This will also prevent other unscrupulous individuals from reusing this place in the future.

This is a win-win situation.

After dealing with the source of the problem, Xiao Chen also took the opportunity to check on the two Demon Beast.

In contrast, they appear much more lively and also quite ferocious.

Seeing strangers approach, even though it was tightly restrained by chains, it still struggled fiercely, as if it might pounce at any moment.

"What a pity. It wasn't smart to begin with, and now it's clearly just animalistic instincts left."

Xiao Chen could tell at a glance that the two Demon Beast had completely lost their minds and had almost become killing tools.

Even more unfortunately, their scales and claws were distorted by the rituals set up by the Yin Corpse Sect, rendering them useless.

Unless one switches to the demonic path followed by the Yin Corpse Sect, normal people will have no use for it.

Xiao Chen shook his head, then led the two survivors back to the ground.

Then, he unleashed the Sky-rushing Palm with a backhand, instantly purifying the dungeon with blazing flames.

"Sister~!"

Upon seeing this, the female cultivator who had been waiting outside immediately rushed forward.

The two sisters hugged each other and cried their hearts out.

Meanwhile, some independent cultivators who were also involved in the search and rescue recognized the other person's identity, excitedly went up to greet him, and comforted and encouraged each other.

However, some people came directly to Xiao Chen after he came out.

First, he respectfully greeted, "Greetings, Senior Xiao!"

Then he explained his purpose, "Left Protector of the Subduing Ice Sect, here on the orders of the Sect Master to congratulate you on achieving the Nascent Soul Nascent Soul."

"My Sect Master has long admired your illustrious name and has wished to make your acquaintance, but we have never had the chance."

"It just so happens that Senior has returned to the Lightless Sea, and the Sect Master is also nearby."

"Therefore, a banquet has been prepared on the Subduing Ice, and I have specially sent this junior to deliver an invitation, inviting you to come to the spirit ship for a chat."

Is the efficiency really that high?

Xiao Chen was slightly surprised when he saw the bright red invitation card being handed to him with both hands.

He had only been back in the Lightless Sea for a short time when he received an invitation from the Subduing Ice Sect.

And they've already sent people over; their Intelligence Network is pretty impressive.

It's not that the Subduing Ice Sect is that powerful; it's just that they've set up Intelligence Network in important locations like Lightless Island.

As soon as Xiao Chen arrived on the island...

The relevant intelligence was sent out promptly via the communication array at almost the same speed as that of the Yin Corpse Sect.

So, Hidden Ice True Monarch, who was sailing his spirit ship in search of spiritual objects, turned around to investigate the situation.

When he arrived nearby, he was surprised to learn that the island had already changed hands.

Faced with this situation, two thoughts immediately arose in his mind.

My first thought was that I had encountered a genius who was very worthy of being recruited, another spark of rebellion.

The second thought was that since Lightless Island had been destroyed, the Yin Corpse Sect would definitely not let it go.

A moment of hesitation immediately arose in the heart of Hidden Ice True Monarch.

He now wanted to contact Xiao Chen as soon as possible to learn about the situation of this Newly Promoted True Monarch.

Ideally, they should be recruited directly to their side to fight against the Yin Corpse Sect's hegemony.

However, there's also the worry that if they get involved with him, they'll have to face the Yin Corpse Sect's impending massive retaliation.

The Subduing Ice Sect is still very weak, and it is far from the best time to turn against them.

After weighing the options, Hidden Ice True Monarch did not enter Lightless Island directly, but deliberately stayed outside and sent someone to deliver an invitation.

He decided to let Xiao Chen choose whether or not the two of them should meet.

If the other party comes aboard the spirit ship, then it's fate, and he'll take the risk.

Even if it might sacrifice the plans of the Subduing Ice Sect, they would try their best to protect the other side.

If the other party chooses to refuse, then it's considered that they are not meant to be, and he won't get involved in this mess.

What happens next depends entirely on the choices Xiao Chen makes.

What would you choose?

Hidden Ice True Monarch hid in a cloud in mid-air, looking down at the Lightless Island.

He felt a mix of anticipation, complex emotions, and envy.

The last one is simply out of envy that Xiao Chen was able to break through to the Nascent Soul at such a young age.

Judging from previous portraits, he's probably not even a hundred years old.

Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!

"Please pass on a message to Daoist Hidden Ice for me."

Xiao Chen smiled and shook his head, "I appreciate his kindness, but I have some things to take care of right now, so I can't accept his invitation this time."

"If he has free time after I'm done with my work, we can discuss it further."

Upon hearing such a direct rejection, the disciples of the Subduing Ice Sect were taken aback.

But he didn't dare say anything more and obediently took his leave.

However, before they could leave, a strong fluctuation of Spiritual Power came from the west side of the Lightless Island.

Almost simultaneously, four enormous phantom images of Yin Spirit descended upon the sky above the Lightless Island.

The island was completely sealed off from the four directions: east, west, south, and north.

"The Formless Yin God!"

The Hidden Ice True Monarch, who was in the cloud, was immediately taken aback, and his expression changed several times in an instant.

Finally, he looked down at the Lightless Island in disbelief. "How could it be so fast?"

This matter is indeed extraordinary, and it all started when Elder Jia ordered the message to be sent.

This also happened the very first moment Xiao Chen arrived on the island.

The Yin Corpse Sect received an urgent message from the Lightless Island.

Upon hearing of Xiao Chen's reappearance, the Coffin Bearing True Monarch, who was in charge of guarding the sect, immediately frowned and sighed, "Alas, I knew this day would come."

"Back then, this Heaven Star Demonic Cultivator had already demonstrated the level of Half-step Nascent Soul."

"In just a few years, it has indeed become a source of future trouble."

"Now that this person has returned with a vengeance, I'm afraid he will be opposing our Yin Corpse Sect at every turn."

He was filled with worry, but the Nether Silkworm True Monarch beside him remained calm and composed.

However, when asked for more specific information, he asked, "Did the intelligence report mention how many people the other side sent this time?"

"How many Nascent Soul True Lord are among them? And how many large spirit ships are there?"

The disciple below immediately reported truthfully, "Reporting to the True Lord, the enemy has sent more than ten people this time."

"However, there was only one Nascent Soul True Lord among them. They did not pilot a spirit ship, but instead used Water Escape Technique to ride the waves."

The disciple in charge of requesting reinforcements sent back a series of intelligence reports.

Apart from the first brief emergency warning.

He then gradually relayed back everything he could see, including the clothing and appearance of Red Tassel True Person.

This provided ample intelligence support for the rear to assess the situation.

"Oh~, he's the only one at the Nascent Soul?"

Upon hearing this, Nether Silkworm True Monarch was overjoyed. "Great! Great! This is truly a wonderful thing!"

The Coffin Bearing True Monarch was a little confused and asked curiously, "Second Senior Brother, what kind of good thing is this?"

"I heard that the Heaven Star Demonic Cultivator was still Path of Enlightenment."

"They're about to become a thorn in our side, a thorn in our flesh."

Cultivators who follow the Path of Enlightenment find their progress slow and the difficulty much greater.

However, similarly, after breaking through to the Major Realm, their combat strength is often among the top in the same level of cultivators.

That's why the Coffin Bearing True Monarch was so worried, feeling that because of the Dai Family, he had inexplicably gained a thorny trouble.

"Ah~, Third Junior Brother, your words are illogical."

The Nether Silkworm True Monarch smiled broadly, "I believe this is a perfect opportunity to nip danger in the bud."

"Although the Heaven Star Demonic Cultivator follows the Path of Enlightenment, he will indeed be a big problem if he grows up in the future."

"But junior brother, why don't you think about it carefully? At most, he's only been gone for a few years?"

The Coffin Bearing True Monarch reviewed the timeline. "It should only be a little over five years, not yet six years."

"That's right!"

The Nether Silkworm True Monarch nodded. "If we subtract the time required to break through to the Nascent Soul, even if he started breaking through immediately after leaving, he would have cultivated for less than five years at most."

"Hmph, he's just a newly promoted Newly Promoted Nascent Soul right now."

"I estimate that he hasn't even had time to condense many strands of true essence within his body. Even if we were to be generous, it would probably only be a little over a hundred."

"Even if Path of Enlightenment allows one to quickly master some Law Technique, they certainly won't be that powerful."

"Since he dared to come back and cause trouble this time, and without any Dao Protector, he's practically walking into a trap!"

"We must seize this opportunity and get there in time to kill him!"

"Moreover, we must learn from the last lesson and use the Yin Spirit Golden Talisman in advance to ensure he doesn't have another chance to escape."

Because last time we suffered the loss of not being able to find anyone Heaven Star Island.

This time, Nether Silkworm True Monarch specifically emphasized this detail.

Clever as he is, he wouldn't fall into the same trap twice.

"But second senior brother, can the two of us take him down?"

The Coffin Bearing True Monarch, however, was somewhat worried. "Although it wouldn't be difficult for you and me to defeat a Newly Promoted Nascent Soul if we joined forces."

"But throughout history, it has always been easier to defeat than to kill."

"Besides, since they dared to come back, they must have some means of self-protection."

"Besides, even now, thinking back on how he managed to escape last time, it still seems unbelievable to me."

"I'm afraid this isn't a problem that can be solved simply by using the Yin Spirit Golden Talisman."

"Or perhaps we should play it safe and wait for our senior brother and the others to return before making a decision."

"If we let him escape again this time, he'll be even more difficult to deal with in the future."

Now, only the two of them remain within the Yin Corpse Sect.

The other four True Lord set out together to the Heavenly Sound Sect to discuss the Marriage Alliance plan.

Firstly, it serves to show importance; secondly, it aims to gain more leverage in private negotiations regarding the alliance.

Therefore, before they return, they cannot, as Elder Jia threatened, mobilize the entire force to hunt down Xiao Chen.

"Hehe, Third Junior Brother, why belittle yourself?"

Nether Silkworm True Monarch smiled smugly, "Let's not even talk about how Refining Fiend Junior Brother was just careless last time and suffered the loss of not using the Yin Spirit Golden Talisman to lock onto the opponent in time."

"Besides, we still have Fellow Daoist Zhi Qin as a guest in our sect."

"As long as we take her with us, no matter how Divine Ability Xiao Chen is, he will not escape death."

The Heavenly Sound Sect cultivates the Way of Melody and has mastered many unique methods in the field of investigation.

Most methods that can evade detection through ordinary means are no match for their secret techniques.

"That may be true, but this is ultimately a private grudge within our sect."

The Coffin Bearing True Monarch raised a new question, "What if Fellow Daoist Zhi Qin Holding the Qin makes an excuse to refuse to help?"

The Nether Silkworm True Monarch retorted without hesitation, "Well, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the new generation of disciples will officially get married at the end of the year."

"We're practically family to Fellow Daoist Zhi Qin, so how could there be any personal grudges between us?"

"Furthermore, junior brother, you may not know this, but before I left, my senior brother specifically left me an Echo Jade Wall, which was used to win over Fellow Daoist Zhi Qin."

"I've been racking my brains lately, trying to come up with a reason that won't seem abrupt."

"Now is the perfect time to use this as payment to invite her to help us defeat the enemy."

The more the Nether Silkworm True Monarch spoke, the more excited he became. "This is simply a godsend!"

"Besides, Xiao Chen must have had some extraordinary encounter to break through to the Nascent Soul in such a short time!"

"If, after killing him, Fellow Daoist Zhi Qin were to choose the first spoils of war, wouldn't she be tempted?"

"This is a good opportunity to bring her completely to our side."

"Even after returning to the Heavenly Sound Sect, you can still speak up for our Yin Corpse Sect."

"This way, we can eliminate the threat of Xiao Chen, improve our relationship with Fellow Daoist Zhi Qin, and even earn some extra spiritual items from that Little Brat Xiao Chen."

"This is a win-win-win situation!"

"If that's the case, what are you still hesitating about, Junior Brother?"

It must be said that his analysis was indeed very logical and reasonable.

After hearing this, it's impossible not to agree.