Qingyun City's Secret

The dizziness from the teleportation hadn't completely faded when Ning Xiaochuan smelled the scent of burning in the air. He opened his eyes and his heart tightened at the sight of the ruined Tianyuan Sect mountain gate—the main peak's great hall was a wreck, the training grounds were covered in cracks, and although several fires had been contained, black smoke still rose.

"It's worse than I imagined," Su Linger's voice trembled as her gaze swept over the bodies wrapped in white cloth.

The Sacred Spirit Dragon flew from Ning Xiaochuan's shoulder, circled once in the air, and landed back down, emitting a mournful chirp. The little creature remembered this place, where it had once trained with Ning Xiaochuan and played with Su Linger's Mysterious Ice Phoenix.

Yun Yi pointed towards the back of the main peak. "Master Xuanyu is recuperating in the quiet room. Let's go straight there."

Along the way, the surviving disciples of the Tianyuan Sect cast looks of awe at them. Some recognized Ning Xiaochuan and Su Linger, whispering titles like "Son of Sacred Source" and "Emissary of Light."

"The news travels fast," Ning Xiaochuan murmured.

Yun Yi explained, "Ever since your deeds in the Sacred Source Land became known, the Open Source Continent has regarded you as saviors."

Turning a corner past a bamboo grove, the quiet room came into view. Two sword-wielding disciples stood guard at the entrance. They immediately bowed upon seeing them. "Senior Sister Su! Senior Brother Ning! Master has been waiting for you."

Pushing the door open, the bitter scent of medicinal herbs assailed them. True Man Xuanyu lay propped up on a bed, his chest wrapped in thick bandages, his face a terrifyingly ashen gray. But seeing his disciples enter, a flicker of relief still shone in the old man's eyes.

"You're back?" he asked, his voice weak but carrying its usual gentleness.

"Master!" Su Linger hurried forward, kneeling by the bedside and taking the old man's withered hand. "How are you?"

True Man Xuanyu shook his head slightly. "This old body can still hold on." He looked at Ning Xiaochuan. "I heard about what happened in the Sacred Source Land. You did well."

Ning Xiaochuan knelt on one knee. "This disciple arrived late and allowed the sect to suffer."

"It's not your fault," True Man Xuanyu coughed a few times. "The power Han Li obtained... was beyond reason. Even my Mysterious Ice Source Qi could barely resist it."

He gestured for Yun Yi to retrieve a wooden box from the bookshelf. "This contains the information I've gathered over the years, regarding Qingyun City and your mother."

Ning Xiaochuan took the wooden box; it felt heavy in his hands. Inside were several notebooks and a broken jade pendant, similar in material to the Dragon Soul Jade on his chest, but only half of it.

"This is..."

"Left behind by Madam Bai Li back then," True Man Xuanyu explained. "When she entrusted you to me, she said this jade pendant was related to the secrets of the Sacred Origin Tribe."

Ning Xiaochuan compared the half-jade pendant with his own Dragon Soul Jade. The broken edges fit perfectly, clearly indicating they were once a single piece.

"What's special about Qingyun City? Why is Han Li interested in it?"

True Man Xuanyu gestured to be helped up. "Because it hides the true key to the Primal Gate."

Ning Xiaochuan and Su Linger were both startled. "What?"

"Madam Bai Li didn't choose Qingyun City arbitrarily back then," True Man Xuanyu continued. "There's an ancient ruin beneath it, the Sacred Origin Tribe's last stronghold on the Open Source Continent."

He pointed to a map in the wooden box. "At the center of the ruins lies the 'Well of Origin,' which is said to directly lead to the place where the Primal Dragon fell."

Ning Xiaochuan recalled the message from the crystal—"Find me in the Land of Origin." Could this be what it referred to?

"Did Han Li know about this?"

"Uncertain," True Man Xuanyu shook his head. "But after he attacked the Tianyuan Sect, he went straight for Qingyun City. He clearly has plans."

As they spoke, urgent bell tolls suddenly rang from outside. A disciple rushed in frantically. "Report! Anomalous celestial phenomena have appeared in the direction of Qingyun City!"

Everyone hurried to the courtyard. Indeed, the sky to the northeast had an unnatural dark red hue, with faint whirlpools formed by energy turbulence visible. Even more bizarrely, though it was daytime, a blood moon hung high in the sky!

"Twin moons stained with blood..." Ning Xiaochuan clenched his fist. "Han Li has already begun his move!"

True Man Xuanyu forced himself to stand. "You must rush to Qingyun City immediately. Lei Lie and Mu Qing may have already gone ahead, but we've heard nothing from them."

"And you?" Su Linger asked worriedly.

"I will defend the Tianyuan Sect," the old man straightened his back, though the movement made him wince in pain. "If Qingyun City falls, this will be the last line of defense."

Ning Xiaochuan bowed solemnly. "This disciple will not fail you."

Before they left, True Man Xuanyu handed a jade slip to Su Linger. "This contains the 'Mysterious Ice Soul Sealing Technique.' It may be useful at a critical moment."

Yun Yi had already prepared four swift horses. The Sacred Spirit Dragon had returned to its combat form, its wingspan nearly twenty feet, enough to carry people for short distances.

"Let's split up," Ning Xiaochuan strategized. "Yun Yi, scout ahead on horseback. Su Linger and I will take the direct route on the Sacred Spirit Dragon. We'll rendezvous outside Qingyun City."

With the plan set, the four immediately departed. The Sacred Spirit Dragon carried Ning Xiaochuan and Su Linger into the air, quickly leaving the Tianyuan Sect behind. The view from high above was clearer, and the blood-red vortex to the northeast became more distinct, like a wound torn in the sky.

"What is that?" Su Linger pointed at the faint outline of buildings visible beneath the vortex. "Qingyun City doesn't have such tall towers."

Ning Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes, Sacred Source Power flowing in his pupils, and he saw the scene clearly—a black spire rose from the ground, and at its peak floated a massive black crystal, continuously releasing energy and distorting the sky!

"A teleportation tower built by Han Li!" His heart tightened. "He wants to open the Primal Gate directly in Qingyun City!"

The Sacred Spirit Dragon accelerated, but they were still at least two hours away from Qingyun City. Ning Xiaochuan tried to contact Yun Yi through the Primal Covenant, only to find the connection being interfered with by some force.

"Something's strange," he frowned. "The entire Qingyun City area is being shielded."

Su Linger took out the jade slip from True Man Xuanyu and quickly read through it. "Master mentioned that the underground ruins in Qingyun City have a characteristic that interferes with Source Qi."

As they drew closer, the oppressive feeling in the air grew stronger. The Sacred Spirit Dragon also became restless, its scales occasionally bristling, spitting out puffs of dragon breath to dispel the surrounding impurities.

"Look there!" Su Linger suddenly pointed at the ground.

In a forest, traces of a struggle were faintly visible—trees were felled, the ground was scorched black, and there were several corpses of men in black robes. Even more striking was a blue-white sword mark that ran through the entire area, clearly the work of Mu Qing.

"They did come here," Ning Xiaochuan observed closely. "But their direction is unknown."

The Sacred Spirit Dragon lowered its altitude, circling above the forest. Ning Xiaochuan suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation of Source Qi—it was Lei Lie's Flaming Dragon Sword Qi!

"That way!" He pointed towards a hidden path to the northeast.

The Sacred Spirit Dragon flew in the direction it was headed, quickly discovering a cave entrance. The entrance was cleverly disguised, but it couldn't escape the perception of Sacred Source Power. Even more surprising, there were a few drops of un-dried bloodstains on the ground at the entrance. The color was dark red, clearly left recently.

"Let's go in and take a look," Ning Xiaochuan decided. "It might be a clue left by Lei Lie and the others."

The Sacred Spirit Dragon shrunk its body, and the three of them cautiously entered the cave. The interior was more spacious than they had imagined. The passage wound downwards, and there were traces of artificial excavation on the rock walls, along with strange symbols carved into them—identical to the writing in the Sacred Source Land!

"This is..."

"A relic of the Sacred Origin Tribe!" Ning Xiaochuan recognized the symbols. "The entrance to the underground city."

As he spoke, a faint groan suddenly came from ahead. The three immediately became alert. Ning Xiaochuan's palm condensed Sacred Source Light, illuminating the depths of the passage—

Lei Lie was leaning against the rock wall, a gruesome wound on his chest still bleeding. The Flame Dragon Heavy Sword beside him was already broken in two. Hearing the commotion, he weakly looked up, a flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Ning... Xiaochuan?" His voice was so hoarse he was almost unrecognizable.

"Senior Brother Lei!" Ning Xiaochuan rushed forward, immediately probing his injuries with Sacred Source Power. "What happened? Where's Senior Sister Mu?"

Lei Lie pointed with difficulty towards the deeper part of the passage: "Mu Qing... went to stop Han Li... The underground city... the Well of Origin..."

He coughed a few times, spitting out a mouthful of black blood: "Han Li isn't alone... he has help... be careful of the one with the golden mask..."

"The Golden-masked Soul Hunter?" Su Linger exclaimed in surprise. "Didn't he die in the Frozen Abyss?"

Lei Lie shook his head: "Not the same one... this one is more... powerful..."

Before he could finish, his eyes suddenly widened as he looked behind the three: "Be careful!"

Ning Xiaochuan instinctively turned, the Sacred Source Shield instantly deploying. A black light shot from the shadows of the passage, smashing heavily against the shield and shaking the entire cave!

"Good reaction, Son of Sacred Source," a cold voice sounded. "But the game ends here."

A tall figure emerged from the shadows, completely enveloped in a black robe, wearing a golden mask identical to the dead Soul Hunter. But what was most striking was the pitch-black longsword he held. Viscous black liquid dripped from the blade, corroding the ground.

"Who are you?" Ning Xiaochuan shielded Lei Lie behind him, Sacred Source Power circulating at full speed.

The Golden-masked man chuckled: "You can call me 'Blade of Delusion,' the sword of the Overlord."

He suddenly swung his sword, and a black light slashed down like lightning! Ning Xiaochuan dodged hastily, the black light grazing past him and leaving a bottomless cut in the rock wall.

"Su Linger, take Senior Brother Lei and go first!" Ning Xiaochuan said in a low voice. "I'll hold him off!"

"No!" Su Linger firmly objected. "We'll go together!"

The Sacred Spirit Dragon also bristled its scales, its body rapidly expanding, blocking the middle of the passage.

The Golden-masked man seemed amused: "What touching camaraderie. Unfortunately, you will all die here today."

He shifted the point of his sword, aiming it at Lei Lie: "Especially him, he knows too much."

Ning Xiaochuan stopped wasting words, Sacred Source Power transforming into a spear and thrusting towards the Golden-masked man's throat. The opponent easily blocked it, the black sword clashing with the golden light, erupting in dazzling sparks.

"Too weak!" the Golden-masked man sneered. "Is this all the Son of Sacred Source is capable of?"

His offensive suddenly accelerated. The black sword moved like a poisonous snake's tongue, each strike carrying the power to tear space apart. Ning Xiaochuan could barely parry, but the narrow cave made it difficult to unleash his full strength.

Su Linger seized the opportunity to help Lei Lie up, intending to circle around from another direction. But the Golden-masked man was prepared. With a wave of his left hand, several streams of black energy wrapped around the two like chains!

The Sacred Spirit Dragon promptly unleashed dragon breath to intercept, while simultaneously lunging at the Golden-masked man's back. Without looking back, the Golden-masked man suddenly extended two black tentacles from his back, striking the little guy precisely!

"Gyu!" The Sacred Spirit Dragon cried out in pain, being flung against the rock wall.

"Little guy!" Ning Xiaochuan's heart ached. His Sacred Source Power boiled with rage. He no longer held back, unleashing his full power and punching towards the Golden-masked man's face!

This punch condensed all his strength. The Golden-masked man's expression finally changed, and he hastily blocked with his sword. The fist and sword collided, and the black sword actually bent! The shockwave swept through the entire cave, and the ceiling began to collapse!

"Are you crazy?!" the Golden-masked man roared. "Do you want to die together?!"

Ning Xiaochuan didn't answer, continuing his fierce assault. He knew fighting in a confined space was disadvantageous for him, so he decided to cause a cave-in and force the opponent to retreat.

As expected, with more rocks falling, the Golden-masked man had to retreat. But before leaving, he smiled sinisterly: "It doesn't matter, the Well of Origin has already been activated. You can't stop the Overlord's descent!"

A huge boulder smashed down, blocking the passage. Ning Xiaochuan seized the opportunity to pick up the unconscious Lei Lie and, along with Su Linger and the Sacred Spirit Dragon, rushed towards the depths.

"There should be an exit ahead!" Su Linger recalled the map. "Leading to the center of the underground city!"

The cave continued to collapse, and the three ran desperately. Finally, a glimmer of light appeared ahead—it was a vertical well, with grooves on the walls for climbing.

"Go up!" Ning Xiaochuan handed Lei Lie to Su Linger. "I'll cover our retreat!"

Su Linger gritted her teeth and carried Lei Lie on her back, the Sacred Spirit Dragon using its claws to help stabilize them as they began to climb. Ning Xiaochuan stayed behind, constantly using Sacred Source Power to smash falling rocks.

When they finally climbed out of the vertical well, the sight before them was breathtaking—

A vast underground city stretched out before them. The architectural style was identical to the Sacred Source Land, only more ancient and dilapidated. In the center of the city was a circular plaza, and in the plaza stood a huge stone well. Black and red energy continuously surged from the well's opening, shooting straight towards the dome above!

And what was even more horrifying was that the plaza was filled with kneeling residents of Qingyun City. Their eyes were vacant, and a faint red light flickered in their chests, clearly indicating they were under control.

"The Well of Origin..." Ning Xiaochuan's voice was dry. "Han Li is using it to open the Primal Gate!"

Su Linger pointed to the well platform: "Look! That's Senior Sister Mu!"

Indeed, Mu Qing was bound to a stone pillar by the well with black chains, her aura weak. Han Li stood on the well platform, the black crystal on his chest resonating with the energy from the well, while the Golden-masked man stood guard nearby.

"We have to save her," Ning Xiaochuan observed the terrain. "But those controlled residents..."

Su Linger checked Lei Lie's injuries: "He's not in mortal danger for now, but he needs treatment."

The Sacred Spirit Dragon suddenly let out a "Gyu" and pointed to another side of the city—there was a hidden path there, seemingly leading behind the well platform.

"Good idea," Ning Xiaochuan nodded. "We'll split up. You and the little guy go save Senior Sister Mu, and I'll attract their attention head-on."

Su Linger wanted to object, but seeing the determined look in Ning Xiaochuan's eyes, she finally agreed: "Be careful."

Ning Xiaochuan took a deep breath, walked out from their hiding place, and unleashed his Sacred Source Power to its fullest. Golden light illuminated the entire underground city like the rising sun!

"Han Li!" His voice echoed like thunder. "Did your master not tell you? The Son of Sacred Source has come to take his life!"