Yellow Springs Skeleton

Inside the Three Purities Hall, the atmosphere was even more solemn than usual.

Not only were Sect Master Shi Jian and the elders present, even the projections of Celestial Master Zhang from Dragon Tiger Mountain and Qingxu Zhenren from Ge Zao Mountain had manifested here through a communication array.

Clearly, something extremely significant had happened.

Mo Yuan and Uncle Nine entered the hall, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

When they sensed the mid-stage Foundation Establishment aura around Mo Yuan—complete and profound, with the intent of five kinds of lightning subtly circulating within it—even Sect Master Shi Jian and the two leaders of the other sects could not hide their astonishment.

This boy's rate of progress was simply terrifying!

"Mo Yuan, you emerged from seclusion at just the right time."

Shi Jian spoke first, breaking the silence. With a sweep of his sleeve, a light screen unfolded in the hall, displaying a map marked with a new location at the edge of Burial Demon Valley, away from the previous ruin entrance.

"Three days ago, disciples patrolling the mountain discovered a newly split chasm here. Extremely pure and ancient demonic qi was leaking from within, accompanied by... the aura of Yellow Springs!"

Yellow Springs!

Those two words made Mo Yuan's pupils contract. He immediately recalled the warning left behind by that senior in Ancestor Cave—"Beware Yellow Springs"!

"We went to investigate,"

Uncle Xuan Ji continued, his expression incomparably grave. "Deep within the chasm, we discovered the skeleton of... what was likely an ancient Demon God. The skeleton was wrapped in tangible Yellow Springs death qi, and its pressure was so powerful that even our souls felt frozen when we approached.

Even more troublesome, an immensely powerful Nine Nether Forbidden Demon Array had naturally formed around the skeleton, sealing off the inside from the outside.

Forcing our way through the array might trigger an abnormal change in the skeleton, perhaps even accelerating the erosion of the present world by Yellow Springs qi!"

The image on the light screen shifted, revealing the depths of the chasm—a colossal black skeleton sprawled across the ground like a mountain.

Its bones were covered in strange golden demonic patterns, while grayish-yellow currents that writhed like living creatures coiled around it, radiating the aura of death and finality. That was Yellow Springs death qi.

Around the skeleton, dark-red demonic light formed an incredibly complex array, locking both the bones and the earth vein in place. A single glance was enough to make one dizzy and send pain stabbing through one's divine sense.

"After Qing Yun, Qing Ming, and I jointly analyzed it in conjunction with ancient records,"

Shi Jian said heavily, "this skeleton is very likely the remains of the Demon God 'Yellow Springs,' who was suppressed in ancient times.

As for the Nine Nether Forbidden Demon Array, it was not arranged by a later party. It seemed more like something naturally formed when its demonic path and Yellow Springs laws intertwined upon its death. It was both a seal and a form of protection, preventing its skeleton from completely dissipating while also blocking outside contact."

Celestial Master Zhang's projection stroked his beard and sighed. "The Yellow Springs Demon God... according to ancient legends, it was a terrifying existence that governed death and connected yin and yang. Now that its skeleton has appeared and Yellow Springs aura is leaking out, if this is mishandled, the surrounding ten thousand miles may become a land of death. At worst, it may open a passage between yin and yang and bring about a monstrous calamity!"

Qingxu Zhenren also said, "The most urgent task is to stabilize the demonic array, prevent the Yellow Springs death qi from spreading further, and find a safe method to contact, or even purify, the skeleton.

However, this array is profound and obscure. The demonic truths and Yellow Springs laws within it far exceed our understanding. Forcibly deducing it would be exceedingly dangerous."

Everyone's gazes focused on Mo Yuan again, carrying a trace of expectation.

This boy had repeatedly created miracles. His comprehension was heaven-defying, and he had obtained a great opportunity in Ancestor Cave. Perhaps... he could see something?

Mo Yuan stared at the Nine Nether Forbidden Demon Array and the Yellow Springs Skeleton on the light screen, his brows tightly furrowed.

This array was indeed extraordinarily profound, far beyond what his current Array Dao Primer could comprehend. The demonic patterns and Yellow Springs laws within it also made him instinctively uncomfortable and repulsed.

But his Primordial Comprehension had been born to understand, analyze, and even surpass all laws of heaven and earth.

He took a deep breath. Rather than attempting to speculate according to common sense, he completely emptied his mind and pushed his Primordial Comprehension to its limit.

At the same time, he activated the knowledge of Ancient Demonic Script Analysis (Basic) that he had obtained through the system's sign-in, as well as the undying Thunder Emperor's Will fused into his Dao foundation and the Five Thunder Divine Method intent he had just comprehended!

The Thunder Emperor's Will governed all lightning. It could also shatter evil, reveal righteousness, and illuminate the truth.

The Five Thunder Divine Method punished evil, shattered falsehoods, governed creation and destruction, delivered judgment, and shaped creation. It was nearly the origin of the Great Dao.

Primordial Comprehension transcended rules and pointed directly to essence.

The combination of the three brought him into an ineffable state of enlightenment.

Within his eyes, the specific patterns of the array were no longer reflected. Instead, he saw countless threads of foundational Dao laws that formed the demonic array and the Yellow Springs laws.

Those twisted demonic patterns were dismantled and restored before his eyes, while the operating principles of Yellow Springs death qi also seemed to become traceable.

What he saw was no longer the apparent danger and evil, but the "principle" and "order" within.

At this moment, his heaven-defying comprehension displayed itself to the fullest.

Everyone in the hall saw only Mo Yuan standing still, Dao resonance naturally circulating around him. His gaze was empty, as though it had lost focus, yet it seemed to contain the mysteries of the entire universe.

He did not calculate and deduce like other array masters. He merely quietly "looked" at the light screen, yet everyone could sense it.

An invisible yet majestic will was centered on him, enveloping the entire image on the light screen as it carried out a form of analysis beyond their understanding.

Time passed bit by bit. The hall was so silent that a needle dropping could be heard, and no one dared disturb him.

Suddenly, Mo Yuan's body trembled slightly. Light returned to his eyes, though his face had turned somewhat pale. Clearly, the deduction had consumed a great deal of energy.

He slowly spoke, his voice slightly hoarse and filled with disbelief:

"This array... is not purely a seal or protection."

His shocking words immediately drew everyone's full attention.

"The core of this array does not merely lock down the skeleton and the Yellow Springs death qi. It is... absorbing!"

Mo Yuan pointed at several inconspicuous energy nodes in the demonic array on the light screen. "It is very slowly absorbing Earth Vein Yin Energy, as well as... lingering remnant souls and resentful thoughts scattered throughout heaven and earth. Through the array's transformation, it injects them into the Yellow Springs Skeleton!"

"What?!"

Everyone's expressions changed drastically.

Absorbing energy and injecting it into the skeleton? What did that mean? Could it be that the Yellow Springs Demon God had not completely perished, and its skeleton was still instinctively absorbing power in an attempt to revive?

"Not only that,"

Mo Yuan's gaze sharpened as he pointed toward an area around the skeleton's skull that was shrouded in dense Yellow Springs death qi.

"That is the 'life gate' of the entire array, as well as the core region of the Yellow Springs Skeleton's residual consciousness—or rather, its instinct.

But the life gate is covered by death qi, forming a configuration of 'life born from death.' Ordinary methods cannot approach it at all. A forced assault will only provoke the frenzied backlash of both the array and the skeleton."

He paused. Combining this with the spiritual imprint he had obtained in Ancestor Cave, inspiration flashed through his mind like lightning!

"I understand!"

Brilliant light erupted from Mo Yuan's eyes. "That senior perished together with the demonic shadow, setting down a seal and suppressing it beneath the earth! This Yellow Springs Skeleton was very likely the indestructible remains left behind after that demonic shadow was destroyed.

And the Nine Nether Forbidden Demon Array was both the 'tomb' naturally formed after its death and perhaps... mixed with remnants of that senior's sealing methods, creating this strange balance.

It prevents outside contact and also stops the skeleton from fully reviving, while slowly absorbing energy to maintain a state of 'neither alive nor dead'!"

This deduction was earth-shattering.

It connected the newly discovered Yellow Springs Skeleton with the ancient secret of Ancestor Cave.

"And the 'key' sought by the Black Fiend Sect and the Netherworld..."

Mo Yuan's voice sank. "Perhaps it is the crucial object needed to break this balance, fully activate the Yellow Springs Skeleton, or... open the true Nine Nether Gate.

Their previous blood sacrifices were likely not merely meant to open the ruin entrance. They were also meant to provide nourishment for this skeleton!"

The entire hall fell silent.

Mo Yuan's deduction, based on his heaven-defying comprehension, was bold yet logically sound. It linked many scattered clues together and outlined a clearer, even more terrifying conspiracy!

Sect Master Shi Jian took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart as he asked in a low voice, "Mo Yuan, in your opinion, how should we respond now?"

Mo Yuan pondered for a moment. "The most urgent matter is to stabilize the current situation.

Though this array is absorbing energy, the rate is exceedingly slow, and it maintains a fragile balance.

We should not forcefully break the array. Instead, we should set up isolation and purification arrays around its perimeter to slow its absorption and purify the leaking Yellow Springs death qi.

At the same time, we must spare no effort in tracking down the 'key'! We must find it before the evil sect does!"

"As for contacting and even purifying the skeleton..."

Mo Yuan looked toward the "life gate" shrouded in death qi, Five Thunder intent flowing through his eyes. "Perhaps it will require lightning that is supremely yang and unyielding, containing the power of creation and destruction, used in a particular way to carve out a chance for 'life' from 'death'... But that will require the right opportunity, as well as a deeper comprehension of the Five Thunder Divine Method."

His thoughts were clear, and his countermeasures advanced step by step, causing all the elders present to nod inwardly.

"Good!"

Sect Master Shi Jian made the decision. "We shall proceed as Mo Yuan says. Xuan Ji, Qing Ming, Qing Yun, the three of you will immediately lead teams to the chasm and set up a grand isolation array.

At the same time, send word to all disciples and affiliated forces outside the sect. Spare no effort in investigating clues about the 'key'! Mo Yuan..."

He looked at Mo Yuan, his expression complicated yet solemn. "Since you have already glimpsed the mysteries of this array, the heavy responsibility of purifying the Yellow Springs Skeleton may truly have to fall upon your shoulders.

You may use the sect's resources as you wish. I hope you will cultivate the Five Thunder Divine Method to a higher realm as soon as possible!"

"This disciple will certainly give his all!" Mo Yuan bowed and accepted the order, pride and pressure coexisting in his heart.

He knew that he had once again been pushed to the forefront. The Yellow Springs Skeleton, the Nine Nether Gate, the conspiracy to revive an ancient Demon God... the crisis behind all this far surpassed anything before.

Yet at the same time, blazing fighting spirit burned in his eyes.

"System, sign in!"

[ Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: Top-Grade Spirit Stone x10, Nine Nether Soul Suppression Incantation fragment x1, Yellow Springs Stone (small piece) x1, Primordial World residual aura: a faint trace of Samsara Law!]

[Nine Nether Soul Suppression Incantation fragment]: A fragment of an ancient incantation involving soul suppression and Yellow Springs power. It is exceptionally effective against yin souls and undead spirits.

[Yellow Springs Stone]: A strange stone containing pure Yellow Springs death qi. It can be used to cultivate certain divine abilities or refine special Dharma artifacts (extremely dangerous).

[A faint trace of Samsara Law]: A faint Dao trace containing the power of samsara. It can assist in comprehending the mysteries of life and death, enhancing understanding of souls, reincarnation, and related fields.

The sign-in rewards had once again been delivered with precise timing.

The Nine Nether Soul Suppression Incantation might be used against the Yellow Springs Skeleton's residual consciousness, while the Yellow Springs Stone was dangerous but contained opportunity.

And that trace of Samsara Law pointed directly toward the Great Dao of life and death. It held immeasurable value for his understanding of Yellow Springs and even for facing life-and-death crises in the future.