Purifying the Key Fragment, or the Second Lock
Dragon Spine Valley.
In front of the stone gate.
The second chain is vibrating slowly.
The sound wasn't loud.
It sounded as if someone was tapping the entire valley with their finger bones, again and again.
Dong Jian stood at the center of the six sealing nodes.
The black and white patterns underfoot had not yet completely faded.
A second Yellow Soul Ring encircled his body.
The newly acquired Mountain-Shaking Stomp is still replacing the Weight Lock left by the Dragon-Patterned Ironback Bear.
The stone gate has been closed again.
However, the first chain broke completely.
No matter what people do, they cannot restore it to its original state.
Within the Divine Dragon Secret Realm.
A broken Key Fragment floats in front of the stone tablet.
Sixty percent of the surface is covered with fine, elongated eye-like wrinkles.
Each eye was slowly opening and closing.
The Key Fragment purge conditions have been met.
The environment of Dragon Spine Valley can improve the success rate of purification.
Remaining safe time: one hour.
Dong Jian had no choice.
The inscription remained on the stone tablet.
Gu Jiu's voice came from deep within the stone gate.
"Purify."
"Clean up the pollution."
"Let the Key Fragment truly awaken."
"Haven't you always wanted to break Return to One Society's image?"
Gao Yan turned around.
The Crimson Armored Bear's Martial Soul has not yet been dispelled.
"Everyone, leave the stone gate."
"Retreat to the outside of the mountain path first."
Yan Feng glanced at the six nodes that were still glowing.
"Will the Weight Lock become ineffective after Dong Jian leaves?"
"The Soul Power left behind by Mountain-Shaking Stomp can last for a while longer."
Dong Jian said:
"But I don't know how long it can last."
Gao Yan did not change his decision because of those words.
"Stay in front of the stone gate."
"Gu Jiu could launch a second attack at any time."
"Create some distance first."
The troops began their retreat.
Dong Jian and Li Man walked at the back.
They took a step back.
The second chain will then vibrate slightly.
It's like recording the direction they left in.
They continued until everyone had retreated several hundred paces.
The mountain wall obscures the stone gate.
Only then did the feeling of being watched by someone lessen slightly.
Lin He immediately checked on the two of them.
White Orchid Martial Soul Released.
The soft light first fell on Dong Jian's legs.
Mountain-Shaking Stomp activated completely for the first time.
Although the sealing node was successfully sealed, the meridians in the right leg showed obvious fatigue.
"You cannot use your Second Soul Skill consecutively today."
Lin He said:
"At most once."
"And it can no longer withstand the backlash from that seal."
She then examined Li Man.
"The same as you."
"Having just obtained his Second Soul Ring, he used the Dragon Bamboo Piercing Formation twice in a row."
"The meridians are not damaged."
"But at least 60% of my Soul Power has been consumed."
"The team is currently not in a condition to continue fighting."
Gao Yan nodded.
"Take a 15-minute break."
"Then leave Dragon Spine Valley directly."
Gu Jiu's voice did not reappear.
The valley became unusually quiet.
Dong Jian walked to a rock.
Li Man followed.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
The Key Fragment countdown remained lingering in my consciousness.
One hour.
Time is running out.
What's your choice?
Li Man asked first.
"Do not purify for now."
Dong Jian answered.
"Gu Jiu has been urging us on."
"The more it wants us to do it..."
"You absolutely must not follow its direction."
"After leaving Dragon Spine Valley."
"The Divine Dragon Secret Realm can continue to lock the Key Fragment."
Li Man looked at him.
"The Return to One Society can still use pollution as a means of localization."
"We've sabotaged two of their tests."
"Mo Lin won't keep sending low-level peripheral personnel."
"The next enemy that comes may not be one we can handle."
"Direct purification is more dangerous."
Dong Jian said:
The stone tablet indicates that the purification conditions have been met.
"Gu Jiu knows too."
"This suggests that there is indeed a connection between Key Fragment purification and the second lock."
"I didn't say complete purification."
Li Man took out the record book.
Draw six sealing nodes on the blank page.
"There are two things on the Key Fragment."
"The Key Fragment itself."
"And the pollution that the Return to One Society added to it."
What we really need to remove is the pollution.
"Not to fully awaken the Key Fragment."
Dong Jian looked at the drawing she had made.
"Only peel off the outer layer of eye wrinkles?"
"Right."
"When the Dragon Bamboo Piercing Formation is formed."
"The Soul Power of the Coiled Dragon Golden Bamboo will change direction along the array's core."
"Your Mountain-Shaking Stomp can also be passed along my fixed bamboo formation."
"If we bring out the Key Fragment contamination..."
"Sever it before it touches the stone gate."
"Perhaps we can just treat the surface layer."
Dong Jian frowned.
Where is pollution heading?
Li Man pointed to a fragment of a stone door that Yan Feng had just brought back.
The stone shard was only the size of a palm.
Half an ancient character is engraved on its surface.
It does not constitute a complete chain.
"Here."
"The stone tablet itself is a seal."
"It can withstand some pollution."
"There's no direct connection to the second lock."
"We press the pollution into the stone chips."
"Then seal it separately."
Dong Jian did not agree immediately.
"What if the stone slab was a passage deliberately left by Gu Jiu?"
"Possibly."
Li Man said:
"So let's test it for ten breaths first."
"Incomplete purification is not performed."
"Only remove the outermost line of the eye wrinkle."
"The vibration of the stone gate chains has increased."
"Stop immediately."
"The stone flakes exhibited active absorption."
"Stop immediately as well."
Dong Jian looked at her.
You prefer to deal with it now.
"Right."
"Why?"
"No choice."
Li Man said:
"That doesn't mean there are no options."
"We're simply leaving the next step to the Return to One Society."
"Wait until they forcibly stimulate the Key Fragment again with the device."
We will still be forced to resonate with each other.
"It's uncertain whether Professor Gao Yan and Professor Yan Feng will be present at that time."
Dong Jian remained silent.
The last escort mission has already proven that.
Blockades and avoidance cannot solve the problem forever.
He can hide the Key Fragment in the Divine Dragon Secret Realm.
However, this could not stop the pollution from actively seeking out Li Man's Green Jade Bamboo.
"Tell Teacher Gao Yan about the plan."
Dong Jian concluded.
"Whether to try or not is up to the team leader."
The two walked up to Gao Yan.
The Divine Dragon Secret Realm was not mentioned.
Simply describe the problem as:
The two individuals 'Martial Soul resonated with the seal.
The resonance is mixed with Return to One Society and positioning pollution.
If the pollution is not cleaned up, it may still be traced later.
They wanted to use a combination of Soul Skill to introduce the surface contamination into the stone gate fragments.
Gao Yan listened.
My first reaction was to refuse.
"The thing behind the stone door almost came out just now."
"Now you're going to deliberately bring the pollution back to the vicinity of the seal?"
"Not brought back to Shimen."
Li Man placed the stone slab on the ground.
"Only stone slabs are used."
"We can complete it from hundreds of paces away from the stone gate."
"It will only last for ten breaths."
"Abnormal pollution fluctuations, shut down immediately."
Yan Feng asked:
"Can you guarantee that after cutting it off, the contaminants won't remain inside the Green Jade Bamboo?"
"It cannot be fully guaranteed."
Li Man answered.
"So, peel off the outermost layer first."
"Do not touch the core of the Key Fragment."
Lin He looked at Dong Jian.
"You just absorbed your Second Soul Ring."
"The Mountain-Shaking Stomp can only be used once more."
"After failing, we cannot try again today."
"Clear."
Gao Yan still did not agree.
You know too little.
"I don't even know what Key Fragment is."
"I don't know why Gu Jiu wants it purified."
"Every attempt could be doing the work for the enemy."
Dong Jian nodded.
"Therefore, we will only test for ten breaths."
"Moreover, the external formation is controlled by the teachers."
"Professor Gao Yan can destroy the stone flakes at any time."
"Teacher Yan Feng can cut bamboo vines."
"If the second chain shows a noticeable reaction."
"We will terminate this immediately."
Gao Yan stared at the two of them for a long time.
Are you sure?
"Isn't this for gaining some new ability?"
"No."
Dong Jian answered.
"The Key Fragment will remain dormant for now."
"Only cut off the Return to One Society positioning."
Li Man added:
"If it's not possible to simply deal with the pollution."
"We'll give up."
Gao Yan finally looked at Lin He and Yan Feng.
Lin He said:
"My physical condition allows me to attempt a ten-breath test."
Yan Feng gripped the black iron round shield.
"I'm in charge of cutting off the formation."
"If things get out of control, I won't wait for them to adjust themselves."
Gao Yan then nodded.
"Only once allowed."
"Ten breaths."
"Any change to the second lock, immediately terminate."
The group chose a spot on hard rock.
It was several hundred steps away from the stone gate.
Gao Yan personally inspected the underground area.
Confirmed that there are no black roots or sealing patterns.
Yan Feng placed the stone gate fragments in the center.
Then he took three steps back.
Dong Jian and Li Man stood on either side of the stone slab.
"It's still Meridian Suppression Formation structure."
Li Man said:
The main array is only responsible for connection.
"Do not activate the Moving Formation."
"Do not activate the Instant Formation."
"Two key points."
"Shortest route."
Dong Jian nodded.
"After the pollution occurred."
"I used the Mountain-Shaking Stomp to press it against the stone slab."
"You control the direction."
"Beyond the first level."
"Severe immediately."
The Green Jade Bamboo fell to the ground.
The First Soul Ring lit up.
Two fixed bamboo shadows appeared between Dong Jian and the stone slab.
Bamboo and rattan connect to the ground.
There was no touching of Dong Jian's body.
The sole purpose is to establish a stable transmission route between the two Martial Soul.
Dong Jian unleashes the Panda Martial Soul.
The two Yellow Soul Ring pulsed rhythmically up and down.
Within the Divine Dragon Secret Realm.
The Key Fragment sensed the scent of green bamboo.
The golden bamboo leaf on the right lit up first.
The black and white animal pattern on the left responded in response.
The fine, elongated wrinkles on the surface all opened up.
Dual-Key Resonance was detected.
Should it be purified?
Dong Jian did not agree to complete purification.
Focus your mind on touching only the outermost eye-shaped pattern on the Key Fragment.
"Peel off the surface layer."
The stone tablet did not respond immediately.
The next moment.
The thin, long wrinkle around the eye suddenly twitched.
Like a living black worm.
It was gradually pulled up from the surface of the Key Fragment.
In reality.
A very thin black line appeared on Dong Jian's chest.
The black line did not enter Li Man's martial soul.
Instead, they moved along the main bamboo formation towards the stone slab.
"First breath."
Yan Feng began counting.
Li Man's entire attention was focused on the bamboo and rattan.
When the pollution passes through the main area.
The edges of the leaves of the Green Jade Bamboo immediately turn black.
She didn't absorb it.
Only allow the Soul Power to flow in one direction.
"Second breath."
The black line reaches the first bamboo shadow.
Tiny cracks appeared on the bamboo.
"Third breath."
The second eye wrinkle opened on its own.
I wanted to follow the first contamination path and leave the Key Fragment.
"Wrong."
Dong Jian immediately said:
They awoke together.
"Just one."
Li Man cut off the second black line that was about to form.
The Green Jade Bamboo sent a sharp pain through my mind.
She did not allow the main formation to be disbanded.
It simply narrows the channel of Soul Power.
This allows pollution to pass through only a tiny, narrow stream at a time.
"Fourth breath."
The black line is approaching the stone fragment.
Suddenly, the chains vibrated from the direction of the stone gate.
It's very light.
Yet it clearly exists.
Gao Yan immediately raised his hand.
"Preparing to abort."
Li Man said:
"It's not a second lock."
"It's the stone slab responding."
The ancient characters on the surface of the stone gate fragments are lighting up.
After the black line gets close.
The stone fragments did not actively swallow them.
It also has no connection to the depths of the valley.
Only a layer of gray seal-like patterns appeared on the surface.
"Fifth breath."
Dong Jian's Second Soul Ring lit up.
The right foot did not land immediately.
He first let the black and white Soul Power sink down his body.
The Sinking Body Stance stabilizes the entire body.
"Mountain-Shaking Stomp)
The ball of the foot lands.
Boom!
The tremor did not spread outwards.
Instead, it was passed forward along Li Man's main bamboo formation.
The black line was suppressed by the earth-suppressing force.
Unable to escape to the left or right.
It eventually landed on the surface of the stone slab.
Fine lines around the eyes struggled frantically.
The stone flakes did not absorb it.
Dong Jian then continued to press down.
Click.
A shallow mark appeared on the surface of the stone slab.
The black line was forced into the crack.
"Sixth breath!"
Within the Divine Dragon Secret Realm.
More than ten eyes suddenly lit up on the surface of the Key Fragment.
The Return to One Society detected that the outermost layer of pollution was being peeled away.
The remaining wrinkles around the eyes began to gather on their own.
They wanted to break through the stone tablet's blockade.
warn.
The surface contaminant structure is being reorganized.
"Cut off!"
Dong Jian immediately shouted.
Li Man did not hesitate.
The bamboo and rattan on the left side of the main formation were deliberately broken.
The connection between the contamination and the Key Fragment was severed.
Yan Feng's round shield fell simultaneously.
Bang!
The other bamboo vine connecting the stone slab was smashed directly.
The resonance ended.
Dong Jian took a step back.
I felt a distinct soreness in the meridians of my right leg.
Li Man's face turned pale.
A trace of black remains on the edge of the Green Jade Bamboo.
But it did not spread further.
The stone slabs lay on the ground.
An extra, flattened, slender eye appeared in the center.
The eyes were still moving slightly.
Gao Yan did not approach.
The Fourth Soul Ring lit up immediately.
The Crimson Armored Bear fell from above.
The surrounding ground, along with the contaminants, was pressed into a deep pit.
Yan Feng covered the pit opening with a black iron round shield.
Lin He immediately checked on the male and female protagonists.
"No new pollution has entered the meridians."
What about the Key Fragment reaction?
Dong Jian's consciousness sank into the secret realm.
The wrinkles that originally covered 60% of my eye area have been significantly reduced.
It hasn't completely disappeared.
After the outermost layer is peeled off.
The remaining eye wrinkles shrank to the center of the Key Fragment.
A new interpretation has emerged regarding the stone tablet.
The location of the contamination has been compromised.
Pollution level: 20%.
Return to One Society's remote positioning is temporarily unavailable.
The core of the Key Fragment remains unpurified.
Dong Jian opened his eyes.
"Partial success."
"The source of the contamination has been cut off."
"The Key Fragment is not fully awake."
Li Man examines the Green Jade Bamboo.
The black veins along the edges of the bamboo leaves are slowly fading.
"The main array did not record a second lock reaction."
"The seal shouldn't have been triggered directly."
Gao Yan still did not relax.
He instructed Yan Feng to continue pressing down on the stone slab.
"We cannot stay here."
"Find a separate sealing container when you get back."
"Leave the valley immediately."
The words had barely left his mouth.
The sound of chains came again from the direction of the stone gate.
It's not a break.
It looks more like some kind of pattern growing on the chain.
Dong Jian and Li Man both looked into the depths of the valley.
Within the Divine Dragon Secret Realm.
A new message has appeared on the stone tablet.
The Key Fragment location contamination has been eliminated.
The second lock record of dual-key Soul Power has been detected.
Dong Jian's expression changed slightly.
"It still left traces."
Li Man asked:
What marks?
"The second lock has memorized our Soul Power."
Gu Jiu's voice rang out again.
There was no anger.
Instead, she wore a faint smile.
You thought it wasn't opened.
"But Lock already knows you."
"Black-and-White Earth Suppression."
"Green bamboo unblocks the meridians."
"Come back next time."
"It will open the door for you automatically."
Gao Yan said coldly:
We will not be coming back.
Gu Jiu did not answer.
Everyone quickly evacuated.
This time.
There were no Soul Beast blocking the way in the valley.
All the Soul Beast along the way voluntarily retreated to the sides.
It's as if some consciousness is making way for them.
The smoother things go...
The more cautious everyone became, the less they dared to relax.
Until the sun set.
The entrance to Dragon Spine Valley finally appeared ahead.
The edge of a golden bamboo forest.
A new Gu Jiu body stood there.
It is exactly the same as the previous two.
Gray robe.
Slender pupils.
A smile devoid of warmth.
Gao Yan stood in front of the group.
Four Soul Ring rose up simultaneously.
"Take another step closer."
I'll tear you to pieces.
Gu Jiu did not approach.
It only looked at Dong Jian.
"Number Zero."
"Your second lock works very well."
Then he looked at Li Man.
"Green Bamboo Key."
"You've already paved the way for the door."
Li Man gripped the Green Jade Bamboo tightly.
What exactly are you trying to release?
Gu Jiu's smile deepened.
"It's not being released."
"It's about making it complete."
It slowly retreated into the bamboo forest.
The body began to transform into black roots from its feet.
Before it completely disappears.
Gu Jiu left behind his last words.
"Come back next time."
"Take Tang San with you."
Dong Jian's eyes darkened.
Li Man frowned as well.
Gu Jiu had never met Tang San before.
Yet he accurately stated his name once again.
Gao Yan immediately asked:
Who is Tang San?
Dong Jian did not hide anything.
"A student at the Nuoding Academy."
"Yu Xiaogang's disciple."
"Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass."
Gao Yan looked at the vanished Gu Jiu.
"From now on."
Everything about Dragon Spine Valley.
"Don't discuss this in front of regular students."
"Especially this Tang San."
Dong Jian nodded.
Li Man, however, gazed into the depths of the golden bamboo forest.
Why does Gu Jiu need Tang San?
Because of Blue Silver Grass?
Because of his Second Martial Soul?
Or is it because there's a connection between him and this seal that even Tang San himself is unaware of?
The group left Dragon Spine Valley.
Behind me.
The surface of the second chain.
Half black and white.
Half of the golden patterns gradually formed.
In the darkness.
A third, extremely faint blue pattern flashed by.
Like a Blue Silver Grass that has not yet fully awakened.