Shen Luo swept his gaze around and found nothing but darkness and silence. He could not see the black vortex that had sucked him in earlier; he only felt as though he were suspended in a realm of nothingness.
"Come here."
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly drifted over from afar.
Shen Luo turned toward the voice and saw a faint speck of light shining in the dark space not far behind him.
He walked slowly toward it. Only as he drew closer did he make out an old man sitting cross-legged in that corner, his clothes in tatters and his entire body exuding the aura of death.
"Bodhisattva..." Shen Luo called tentatively.
"This weapon of yours is quite fine. It is on par with the Victorious Fighting Buddha's Ruyi Jingu Bang," the old man said.
Shen Luo approached and saw that the old man was holding his Zhenhai Refined Iron Rod, gently running his hands over it.
The old man was none other than Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Yet unlike the kindly old monk he had seen in his consciousness sea, whose entire body radiated white light, the old man before him was utterly ravaged. Some light still lingered on his body, but it was already as faint as a firefly's glow.
"Bodhisattva, you..." Shen Luo said slowly, looking at Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who was already on the brink of death.
"This immortal, Buddhist body has long since rotted away. Hiding inside this Void Kun is merely a way to evade the demons hunting me and cling to my last breath." Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva smiled as he handed the Zhenhai Refined Iron Rod back to Shen Luo.
"Bodhisattva, since you have not perished, why not contact Zhenyuan the Great and the others? Surely that would be better than remaining here alone, being eaten