Back into the Cavern: Mastering the Mountain Suppression Art

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Three days later, Nan Feng stood in front of the entrance to the third basement level.

The Primordial World emanating from the depths of the rift was even stronger than it had been three days ago. The golden light flickered in the darkness.

The Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light revealed the deep contours. The Bat King's dark golden light was still there.

"It has become stronger." Hu Liena emerged from the darkness, her footsteps light.

Her left shoulder was still wrapped in bandages; the medicinal power of the Nine Heart Begonia had healed most of her injuries.

"Are you sure you want to come?" Nan Feng didn't turn around.

Hu Liena walked to his side. After a moment of silence, she said, "You helped me suppress the curse, I owe you one. I'll get the things inside for you."

Your injury hasn't healed yet.

"He can fight."

Nan Feng glanced at her sideways. The seriousness in her fox-like eyes didn't seem feigned.

She wanted to go down, not entirely to repay a favor. There was a connection between that Primordial World aura and her curse.

"Walk."

The two crawled into the crevice. The passage descended dozens of feet, and the slime on the rock walls grew increasingly dense. Nan Feng used Gravity Field to stay close to the ground, avoiding the slime. Hu Liena's fox tail shone with golden light, illuminating the path ahead.

At the end of the passage, a bright and open space appeared.

The underground space is even larger than the cave, and the dome has no visible top. Countless dark green light spots seep from the rock walls, illuminating the space in a bluish-green hue.

In the center, the Bat King sat coiled, its three heads facing three different directions, its six dark red eyes piercing. It was a size larger than it had been three days ago.

Nan Feng's gaze did not linger on the Bat King.

Behind the Bat King was a stone wall with a hole about half a person's height in it. Golden light surged at the hole, each flash resonating with the Primordial World Imprint.

"Inside," Hu Liena said.

Nan Feng nodded. Deep inside the cave entrance was a golden spot of light, larger than the fragments he had seen before. That Primordial World Power caused the tower to tremble even from dozens of feet away.

"The Bat King is guarding the cave entrance," Hu Liena said. "It wasn't this big three days ago. The Primordial World energy is nourishing it."

"So we need to solve this first."

Hu Liena turned her head. "Do you have a plan?"

Nan Feng was making plans in his mind.

The Bat King is a 100,000-year-old Ferocious Beast. After its Soul Power was suppressed, it was only at the early stage of the Titled Douluo. Three days ago, the two of them barely managed to suppress it by joining forces. Now it is even stronger, and the chance of winning in a direct confrontation is less than 20%.

He has more than one trump card in his hand. The third layer of the door is now slightly wider.

"How much more Rakshasa Power can you unleash?" Nan Feng asked.

Hu Liena pressed her hand to her chest, and dark gold patterns flashed between her fingers. "The Ice Marrow suppresses the outer layer of the curse; casting it once is fine. But casting it all will have a backlash."

"Once is enough," Nan Feng said. "Use the Rakshasa Power to draw out the Primordial World Power within its wing membrane wounds and explode it from the inside. The attack three days ago didn't completely detonate it."

Hu Liena stared at him for a couple of moments, then tilted her head and smiled, "You said the same thing last time, and I almost suffered a backlash as a result."

I didn't use my full strength last time.

Hu Liena's smile froze. She looked into Nan Feng's eyes and snorted, "Fine. I'll trust you one more time."

Nan Feng drew his short stick, and the phantom of the tower solidified in his palm. The nine-story bronze tower spun and expanded.

The doors on the first and second floors are open, and the gap in the door on the third floor widens slightly.

Hu Liena sensed the power surging within him. "Your Soul Power is stronger than it was three days ago."

"Fragment resonance," Nan Feng said, "The Power of Creation has nourished the meridians."

Hu Liena closed her eyes and placed her right hand on her heart. The Rakshasa Curse loosened beneath the ice membrane, and a surge of Rakshasa Power flowed along her meridians toward her fox tail.

The fox's tail was enveloped in a dark golden light, with a point of light condensing at its tip.

The Nan Feng unfolded the Tower Realm. The barrier enveloped the two, Primordial World Power formed a golden filter on the inner wall.

The moment it was released, the barrier of the Tower Realm trembled. The dark golden power surged within the barrier, only to be trapped by the filter.

"Now."

The fox tail lashed out. The dark golden tip pierced through dozens of feet and stabbed into the wound on the left wing membrane of the Bat King.

The Rakshasa Power left behind three days ago still lingered deep within the wound. This time, when it was injected, the two forces collided within the bloodstream.

The Bat King let out a mournful howl, its three heads shrieking towards the sky. Its wing membranes burst open from the inside, splattering dark golden flesh and blood, and a rain of blood fell from the underground space.

It lost its balance and crashed to the ground, sending up pebbles.

The Nan Feng has started to blow.

Twenty steps in one step. His figure blurred for a moment, and the next moment he was right in front of the Bat King.

The phantom of the tower expanded to its limit, and the three forces of Suppressing Mountain Suppression, Devouring, and Creation poured into the physical tower. The tower hammer solidified in the right hand, and the Gravity Field amplified the pressure several times over.

"Town."

The hammer slammed into the central skull. The sound was dull, and dark golden blood splattered. Nan Feng didn't stop; the second hammer slammed to the left, and the third to the right. All three heads shattered. The Bat King's body twitched a few times, then fell completely silent.

Nan Feng knelt beside the corpse, his Primordial World Power calming down. Several of his meridians had been damaged by the Rakshasa Power, but the Power of Creation was repairing them.

He looked up at the cave entrance. Golden light surged within.

"Got it." Hu Liena leaned against the distant rock wall, her voice weak. The ice membrane shattered.

Nan Feng stood up and walked towards the cave entrance. He bent down and squeezed inside; there was only enough room for one person to turn sideways. Embedded in the center of the stone wall was a golden fragment the size of a thumb. The moment he reached out and touched it, the fragment melted into his palm.

Nan Feng's whole body trembled.

The Primordial World Imprint and fragments resonated, and a golden beam of light shot up from the tower, illuminating the underground space. The gap in the door on the third floor widened slightly.

The Tower Spirit Space opened, fifty cubic meters in size, and the time flow rate reached 1.2 to 1. The illusory image of the Old Huai solidified by one fraction.

"The Primordial World Power and the Tower Spirit Fragment have resonated. You are now ready to cultivate the Mountain Suppression Art."

The first incantation for supernatural powers surfaced within his soul.

Nan Feng's body trembled in the resonance, and the Soul Power routes in his meridians adjusted themselves under the guidance of the incantation. A power even more ancient than Soul Power condensed in his dantian.

The first chapter of the Mountain Suppression Art, the method of guiding Qi into the body, has been mastered.

Nan Feng opened his eyes. His Soul Power had not increased, but the resilience of his meridians had increased by 10%. The Primordial World Power in his dantian condensed into a liquid state.

"Old Huai."

"I'm here." Old Huai's voice was clearer than before. "The fragment resonance has brought your soul closer to the Primordial Origin. Your suppressive power will experience a leap. Your Soul Power isn't enough yet, don't touch the second chapter yet."

Nan Feng nodded and withdrew from the cave entrance.

Hu Liena was still leaning against the rock wall, her face even paler than before. The ice membrane had shattered, and lines spread from her chest to her neck.

Nan Feng walked over, squatted down, and took out the last bit of Ice Marrow Residue. It wouldn't last much longer; it would just be enough to keep her up until she reached the ground.

"Hand."

Hu Liena raised her right hand. Nan Feng dripped the remaining liquid into her palm, and the icy blue light seeped into her veins, causing the lines to recede. She exhaled.

"Thanks." Her voice was very soft.

Nan Feng stood up and walked towards the passage. Hu Liena followed behind, and the two of them slipped into the crevice. The dark green light receded, and the golden light also faded away.

In the darkness, only the sounds of footsteps and breathing remained.

"That power within your soul," Hu Liena's voice came from behind, "Can devour the Rakshasa Curse."

The Nan Feng did not turn back.

"Me too," Hu Liena said. "A direct disciple of Bibi Dong, from the Rakshasa God lineage. You also saw through the curse in my soul. You are cultivating another kind of power."

She paused for a moment.

"Your tower carries the aura of a god, and your soul contains something older than any god," Hu Liena's voice was clear in the darkness. "I can keep this secret for you. It's a deal. If you can truly break my curse—"

"I owe you my life," Nan Feng replied.

Hu Liena laughed, "You remember it quite well."

Nan Feng blew through the crack, and the dim green lights of the second basement level came back into view. He reached out and pulled Hu Liena out.

Her palms were icy cold, and the calluses on her fingertips brushed against his palm.

"Once we're out there, will we be friends or foes?" Nan Feng released his grip.

Hu Liena tilted her head, her golden fox eyes curving into two crescent moons. She was silent for a moment. "Slaughter City. Let's talk about it outside."

She turned and walked towards the stone house. After a few steps, she paused, without looking back. "I won't tell anyone the secret of your soul. This is a deal. If you can truly break my curse, I will come back to you."

She walked deeper into the alley, her figure swallowed by the dim green light.

Nan Feng stood still, the red ribbon on her left wrist fluttering in the night wind.

Within the Tower Spirit Space, the Power of Creation flowed, and the rate of time stabilized at 1.2 to 1. The Primordial World Power within the dantian spun.

Old Huai's voice rang out. "We've obtained the fourth fragment, and the Mountain Suppression Art is now complete. Next comes the period of consolidation. After sacrificing your Soul Power, you dropped to level 30. It will take at least a month to stabilize. Avoid combat for this month."

"I know."

He looked up toward the direction of the Hell Slaughter Arena, where lights flickered in the distance. The hundred challenges were not yet complete, the Fourth Soul Ring was still nowhere to be found, and the Tower Master still had not appeared.

The light on the third level of the tower shines in the darkness, awaiting the next resonance.