Dark Yin Clam Spirit

The hundred-zhang-long training ground felt as though they had walked for several days.

By the time they emerged from the training ground, their Daoist robes were soaked through with cold sweat. Looking back, the skeletal silhouette of that earthly immortal seemed seated above the vault of heaven itself, so majestic it defied all measure, its presence making their hearts tremble.

"An ancient hall belonging to a peerless powerhouse—his inheritance arts must remain here. The revival of Daque Temple is in sight!" Zhang Gan said, his expression somewhat excited.

The group headed straight inward.

The ancient hall grew increasingly spacious, yet the yin energy also became ever heavier.

Ink-black droplets of yin water had condensed on the cavern ceiling overhead. Every so often, with a clang, they fell onto the rust-covered dark iron floor beneath their feet.

"What dense innate yin energy. The spiritual power within is also exceptionally rich."

Xu Yan looked around, lost in thought.

Wisps of ink-colored mist drifted around them, likely formed from yin energy accumulating over countless years.

Gradually, they spotted ruined pavilions and residences on either side of the hall, all in the style of the recent ancient era.

Zhang Gan and the others' eyes immediately lit up as they strode toward the nearest residence.

The eaves of this pavilion residence formed the posture of twin horns standing guard, carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes. Its front gate stood a zhang high, exuding an ancient simplicity and covered in the marks of time.

"It is a treasure pavilion, sealed by an evolving formation." As Zhang Gan spoke, he glanced back at Xu Yan.

In Daoist lineages with some foundation, not only did the mountain gate have a grand sect-protecting formation, but every treasure vault within the sect would also be sealed by an evolving formation.

"Young Master Yan, please." Smiling, Chen Shengzhi extended an arm as white as lotus root and made an inviting gesture.

Xu Yan remained indifferent, his gaze sweeping the surroundings from the corner of his eye.

Apart from this treasure-pavilion residence, there were many other places as well—some stood empty, while others were tightly shut.

"Twin horns standing guard—a lower-grade posture. The evolving formation above it is not particularly exquisite either."

Xu Yan stopped and took a look, comprehending it within a few breaths.

He brought out the Literary Gold Shuttle and pierced the formation inscriptions one by one. In an instant, the treasure vault's doors swung outward, and the air carried the scent of the recent ancient era straight at them.

The interior was incomparably dim, yet they could vaguely smell the fragrance of spiritual materials and spiritual herbs.

The disciples grew somewhat excited and eagerly stepped inside.

Chen Shengzhi did not enter at once. Instead, he cupped his hands and bowed to Xu Yan, saying with utmost respect, "Many thanks, Young Master Yan. I would also ask Young Master Yan to break open the evolving formations on the treasure pavilions here while you are at it. Sorry to trouble you."

Xu Yan focused his gaze on Chen Shengzhi's smiling eyes for several breaths. Then he smiled faintly and waved his hand. "Brother Chen, no rush. There are still many unlocked towers and palace halls in this ancient hall. Let us explore those first."

With that, he ignored the man and strolled deeper inside on his own.

Chen Shengzhi's gaze darkened slightly, the smile at the corners of his mouth slowly fading. As he watched Xu Yan's departing back, his expression turned cold as well.

Deep within the ancient hall, Xu Yan had already walked half a li.

The sound of rushing water seemed to come from within. Focusing his eyes ahead, he saw that the path ended at a broken cliff face.

A waterfall black as ink hung from the edge of the cliff.

The waterfall was not large, nor was its flow swift. It looked more like a small stream draped over the cliffside.

Below the cliff, inky yin winds howled. Faintly, Xu Yan seemed to hear rustling movements coming from beneath.

Frowning, he casually picked up a stone from nearby and tossed it down.

Ten breaths later, a soft splash rose from below, as though it had struck water.

"Doesn't sound too deep. At most three hundred zhang."

Xu Yan walked along the cliff edge, his state of mind gradually settling.

He possessed a Glass Heart Realm. According to the ancient texts of Shangyin, one with such a state of mind could listen keenly in all directions and sense countless living beings. Of course, this required spiritual power as support; if one's cultivation was insufficient, one could at most perceive a dozen or so zhang around oneself.

"The innate yin energy is extremely dense, and the spiritual power of heaven and earth is also exceptionally rich. It might even help me open the two Formless Apertures."

After cautiously considering it from every angle, Xu Yan no longer hesitated.

With Three-Fold Cloud Dragon, he stepped upon spiritual wind and leaped down the cliff!

Whoosh—

Gust after gust of yin wind scraped across his body like blades. Xu Yan's brow furrowed tightly as the supreme-yang spiritual power within his Baihui Aperture coiled around his Dao body.

Several breaths later, he landed steadily on the damp ground.

When Xu Yan looked around, he was struck dumb!

"This is..."

The surroundings were incomparably vast. Deeper within ran a stream leading toward an underground dark river.

Cold pools roughly ten zhang wide lined both sides of the stream in a neat row, numbering around a hundred.

And within every cold pool lay an enormous black clam!

The dark black clams were three zhang wide, each like a colossal beast. Clams of such size were rarely seen.

Xu Yan stared blankly. All the black clams were utterly lifeless. The command inscription for "tame" was carved upon their backs, and iron chains pierced through their shells and corpses, locking them to stone steles beside the cold pools.

"They appear to be Dark Yin Clam Spirits."

Xu Yan frowned. He had read quite a few records of strange tales and travels in his childhood.

One of them described creatures "black as ink jade, with yin energy becoming wind; at three zhang, they attain the Dao and become demons, spitting yin pearls and capable of taking human form." They were Dark Yin Clam Spirits, most often dwelling in dark currents a thousand feet beneath the earth's veins, never seeing the light of day.

As he walked along the stream, Xu Yan's eyes never left the cold pools.

They had been dead for who knew how many years. Some had their huge mouths slightly open, with shattered yin pearls still inside; others had their mouths clamped shut, their corpses bearing terrifying sword wounds and sword intent.

"Was this Hunyuan Sect raising clam spirits...?"

Xu Yan pondered it. Dark Yin Clams spat out pearls once every hundred years, and their yin pearls were rare earthly treasures.

Deeper inside was a cold pool twenty zhang across. Its water was black as ink, its yin energy chilling to the bone. An even larger Dark Yin Clam Spirit lay within, five zhang wide—a true Dark Yin Clam King!

Xu Yan was just about to approach and inspect it carefully.

Suddenly!

The Dark Yin Clam Spirit flung open its enormous mouth. Terrifying yin winds howled toward him like blades, while countless yin pearls within its belly glimmered faintly and tyrannical spiritual power surged forth.

Xu Yan reacted swiftly, using his movement art to retreat more than ten zhang.

He manifested his Baihui Spiritual Aperture, and supreme-yang spiritual power cascaded before him like a waterfall, fending off the yin winds.

"It isn't dead!" Xu Yan's eyes widened.

Clang!

The Dark Yin Clam Spirit shrieked and tried to break free of the iron chains on its back. At that moment, the command inscription on its shell lit up. Golden light burst forth and instantly forced its body back down, sending splashing waves across the pool.

"Looks like Clam Brother really wants to escape." Xu Yan's eyes gleamed thoughtfully as he calmly watched the clam spirit.

A Dark Yin Clam of this size and cultivation had long since gained human intelligence and speech. If not for the command inscription suppressing it, it could likely take human form in an instant.

Looking at the yin pearls in its belly, Xu Yan turned and looked back toward the ancient cliff hall.

From his storage pouch, he took out the Signal Gold Sword Yan Qing had left him. He took out another one and stabbed it into the earth vein, frowning slightly as he thought, Fourth Uncle Yan is unreliable too. It has been so long, yet he still hasn't found this place.

How could Xu Yan have no plans when venturing alone with a group of unfamiliar cultivators whose cultivation was far above his own?

Along the way, Xu Yan had already left behind more than a dozen Signal Gold Swords.

The Ten-Thousand Mang Mountains were, strictly speaking, already beyond the borders of Great Yin.

"Clam Brother, how about this? I will help you escape, and in return, you can give me a few yin pearls." Xu Yan stared intently at the black clam and smiled with narrowed eyes. "But first, you and I must exchange essence blood and establish a law pact. What do you say?"

The Dark Yin Clam Spirit did not move or speak, though the dark yin energy around it did recede somewhat.

"With your cultivation, if we do not establish a law pact with essence blood, I fear that once I free you, you will swallow me in one bite." Xu Yan clasped his hands behind his back and walked beside the cold pool, raising a brow with a smile. "What? You see that my cultivation is shallow and don't believe me?"

As he spoke, Xu Yan curled his fingers. The Astral Gold Flying Shuttle carried a sharp aura as it struck the cold pool beside him.

Several clangs rang out as the formation inscriptions shattered, and the iron chains locking that dead Dark Yin Clam's shell quietly snapped apart.

"Well?" Xu Yan asked intently.

The Dark Yin Clam Spirit seemed somewhat moved. Its body trembled, sending water splashing from the pool.

Xu Yan continued, "If you agree, then open your clam mouth. I will understand."

The air seemed to freeze. After several seconds of silence, the Dark Yin Clam Spirit's enormous mouth slowly opened.