Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings came from ahead. It sounded like a large swarm of bats charging toward Ji Hao. Looking closely, he saw a humanoid creature about two meters tall, with a wingspan of four meters. It had gray beast fur and fleshy wings, resembling a gigantic humanoid bat. It swept past him as if it had not seen him at all.
"This compass is pretty useful."
Ji Hao did not make a sound until the swarm of Demon Bats had flown away.
These were descendants of a Powerful Expert among bats, known as Demon Bats. They were not particularly strong, but wherever such Demon Bats appeared was undoubtedly a place of great peril.
Ji Hao's heart stirred. He activated his Martial Dao Heavenly Eyes and continued forward without using the Great Void Technique. After walking more than ten li, he encountered quite a few Demon Bats. They flew their way, and Ji Hao walked his, as though they belonged to two different worlds!
Ji Hao traveled another seven or eight li at an unhurried pace, still in the mood to inspect Purple Mountain's surroundings.
"Purple Mountain is far too gloomy. One-star review!"
"Great Emperor Wu Shi really should have cleaned the place up. Sigh, it has fallen into disrepair over the years."
"Nine Dragons Guarding Together only has symbolic value. There is no real divine meaning to it. It cannot compare to Kunlun."
"The Essence Qi is too thin, and it is all baleful qi. The environment is even worse—there is not even a single potted plant."
There were many stone carvings on the cave walls, all left behind by the blades and axes of ancient people.
"These count as murals? I can't appreciate them. One-star review!"
Ji Hao had barely glanced at them when a gust of cold wind blew over, interrupting his complaints. After a moment of silence, he stopped talking and continued onward.
"Enough. Finding the Divine King is more important."
After traveling another forty-odd li, the soil beneath his feet suddenly became soft. Looking closely, he found that it was actually formed from ash.
As he ventured deeper, the place became increasingly bone-chillingly cold. Strands of baleful qi gathered together, and the surroundings grew stranger and more terrifying. Once he passed the piles of ash, they were replaced by heaps of withered bones.
"And this place dares call itself an Emperor's residence? What a joke!"
Crack!
Ji Hao crushed a piece of dry bone beneath his foot, and his body immediately stiffened. He feared neither Heaven nor Earth, but he was rather afraid of ghosts and other yin spirits. The cold wind howled, shadows flickered, and hazy figures emerged one after another.
The Martial Dao Heavenly Eyes blazed brightly, with glass-colored flames burning within them.
Once he saw that they were not ghosts, Ji Hao was no longer afraid. A master was naturally bold. Even if they were ghosts, the three Quasi-Emperor Weapons in his Sea of Bitterness would teach them how to behave—ah, no, how to be ghosts. Ji Hao loosely clenched his hand, ready to draw the Xuanyuan Sword at any moment. Those yin spirits seemed to sense danger—or perhaps they sensed nothing at all—and quickly retreated.
After advancing several more li, the ancient mine was no longer dark. Gentle radiance flowed through it, carrying a faint sense of peace.
He arrived at a place rich in spiritual qi, where two great holes appeared. One surged with spiritual qi, while the other surged with baleful qi!
"Yin-Yang Eyes!"
The hole that emitted Source qi was surrounded by bone fossils and filled with chilling baleful qi, while the hole that released baleful qi was ringed with shimmering light, with Source stones scattered everywhere.
Yin bore Yang, and Yang bore Yin. This was a completely natural Tai Chi Diagram, not carved by human hands but formed by nature itself!
"I wonder whether these Yin-Yang Eyes can be used to forge a Vessel. They are a perfect match for the Tai Chi Diagram."
Ji Hao examined them from top to bottom.
"And the baleful qi within can be used to nurture a sword."
He was not afraid of excessive killing intent, only that he himself was not strong enough. No one understood better than him what lay ahead in the future.
After pondering for a while, Ji Hao sat down cross-legged. The Compass Sacred Weapon emitted Divine Light to protect him. His Divine Sense transformed into a tiny figure, wrapped in the Tai Chi Diagram and holding a Sword Germ as it leaped into the Lihuo Divine Furnace.
Ji Hao then threw the Lihuo Divine Furnace into the natural formation formed by the Yin-Yang Eyes.
"If I do not go mad, I cannot truly live. I will seize every opportunity to transform!"
One yin and one yang alternated in black and white. The Divine Sense figure endured the pain caused by their constant alternation, while the Tai Chi Diagram transformed and neutralized the danger brought by the yin-yang baleful qi. The Divine Sense absorbed the spiritual qi, while the Sword Germ absorbed the baleful qi.
The Lihuo Divine Furnace emitted Divine Light, resisting the killing force of the Yin-Yang Eyes while absorbing their yin-yang power and sheltering the Divine Sense figure.
The Divine Sense figure continued expanding. Layer after layer of debris-like matter was expelled from its body—these were impurities. The Divine Sense became increasingly pure and powerful, and the tiny figure transformed into a blazing sun, growing ever more radiant.
In a trance, he seemed to witness Heaven and Earth opening, all phenomena and Myriad Things coming into being. He traced it back continuously until he reached the time when Heaven and Earth had yet to divide, when primordial chaos had just begun.
The Dao gave birth to One, One gave birth to Two. Endless Chaos was split apart and evolved into Yin-Yang Qi. Then Heaven, Earth, and all Myriad Things appeared, and the universe was born.
After an unknown number of Years, Yin-Yang Qi appeared once more. This time, however, it brought destruction. Yin-Yang Qi alternated, Myriad Things returned to One, all things were born and perished, Epochs changed, and this was the ultimate truth of Heaven and Earth!
"Zha!"
The Divine Sense figure uttered a Daoist rebuke and leaped out of the Yin-Yang Eyes, revealing its current form.
Its entire body seemed forged from Dao Tribulation Gold. A faint but genuine aura of Immortality through countless tribulations emerged upon its surface.
"Open!"
Ji Hao whispered. Before him, Yin-Yang Qi alternated, continuously merging and intertwining as though seeking the point of balance between them.
Very quickly, the Taiji Dao Diagram formed and spun ceaselessly behind him, stacking upon itself with every rotation.
Rumble!
A gateway opened!
Source qi and baleful qi formed a point of balance, and the dangerous Tai Chi Diagram became incomparably calm at this moment.
Just now, Ji Hao had successfully perceived part of the mysteries within the Yin-Yang Eyes. With his Heavenly Eye, he had found a point where they intertwined and brought them into balance.
Holding the Lihuo Divine Furnace, Ji Hao entered the Yin-Yang Eyes. The furnace released glass-like Divine Light, forming a shield that firmly protected him.
Steady.
Ahead, green jade formed the steps and white jade formed the gates, revealing a stretch of magnificent buildings.
The palace complex was entirely carved from ancient jade, its divine radiance shimmering brilliantly. It was exceptionally extraordinary. Yet at the end of the buildings, more than ten steps of blood jade led into a deep, secluded cave dwelling.
"Now this is the style an Emperor's residence should have."
Ji Hao continued onward and saw that many words had already been inscribed upon the purple stone walls: Divine King Jiang Taixu, Gu Tianshu, and Yaochi Saintess Yang Yi entered Demon Mountain.
"So-and-so visited this place. Looks like it is an old tradition."
"Should I leave my name behind too?"
"Forget it. It seems none of those who left their names made it out of Purple Mountain. Bad luck."
Suddenly, Ji Hao's heart jolted. Demon Sound seemed to call out beside his ears, trying to make him walk in a certain direction!
Ji Hao held the Lihuo Divine Furnace in his arms and strode forward. The two pieces of Emperor Jade in his hand emitted faint light, offsetting the Demon Sound.
"Descendant of the Jiang Family."
The sudden voice rang out beside Ji Hao's ear. Even though he knew it was Divine King Jiang Taixu speaking, it still gave him a fright.
"Senior, don't you know that people can be scared to death by other people?"