Chapter 009: The Trial of the Earth Veins

The disciples, Ling Yu and Zhu Yun Cang, stepped forward simultaneously and approached the crowd, clasping their hands in salute and bowing.

The cave was indeed cold and damp, with the occasional sound of dripping water striking the stone walls, echoing back in layers, magnified several times compared to the outside. The light from the large door behind them gradually diminished as the two ventured deeper, while the path ahead continued to narrow, and the terrain became increasingly rugged

Do not assume that killing ten异蛇 is an easy task.异蛇 are fond of water and tend to dwell near it, making it easier for them to cultivate. A single异蛇 with some cultivation can withstand more than three ordinary practitioners at the Foundation Establishment stage. Moreover, these magical beasts have their own methods of cultivation and breathing techniques. It would not be surprising if they could also use Five Elements Immortal Techniques. You must exercise extreme caution on your journey!

Zhu Yuncang smiled awkwardly, saying little. The great door at the entrance of the earth vein slowly opened before the two, revealing a deep and dark passage—this was the first trial that Zhu Yuncang had to face since entering the Jiuxuan Palace

"Huh, you scared me to death." Zhu Yun Cang fell back to the ground, and two strange snakes had already slithered up onto the stone pillar, gazing down at the "prey" below.

Nine Mysterious Palace, at the waist of Gathering Spring Peak, entrance to the earth's veins

The disciple expresses gratitude! Ling Yu hurriedly clasped his hands in salute, his demeanor respectful and his expression solemn

Hmph. With a cold snort, Ling Yu, taking advantage of the faint light, merged his figure into the darkness of the right fork in the path, leaving only the vague outline of the entrance and the sound of dripping water

"Alright, alright, alright..." Zhu Yuncong pouted and said, "What Senior Brother Ling Yu taught me is that if I don't speak, then it's settled."

Hiss... Hiss... A strange sound, accompanied by increasingly closer points of light, made Yun Cang feel increasingly uneasy, "Hiss hiss..."

Understood, understood!" Zhu Yun Cang waved his hand and said

"Just ten?" Zhu Yuncong took the small bottle and, with a hint of confusion, said.

As Fang Ziluo settled down, Zhu Yuncang used his sword to escape into the ground, reciting incantations, and two balls of fierce flames suddenly surged downward from the sword's body.

What is this? ! '' Zhu Yuncong hurriedly pressed down on the sword at his back

"Eat this, my sword!" At the moment the blazing flames reached the tip of the sword, Zhu Yuncong spun and soared. Although the height of the cave prevented him from using his fists and feet, this sword still unleashed the power it was meant to. The surging circular flames not only illuminated the area around him for several feet but also turned the leading three strange serpents into charcoal. Zhu Yuncong hurriedly drew out the small vial given to him by Jing Xiu, and three azure light points leaped out from the corpses of the serpents, swiftly being drawn into the vial.

Especially you, do not let your curiosity be too overwhelming!" Jing Xiu glared at Zhu Yun Cang.

As Zhu Yuncang took a few steps back, he realized that the light points before him likely originated from the "strange snakes"; they were the pairs of eyes belonging to these strange snakes. However, if his guess was correct, there were at least five or six strange snakes of varying sizes in front of him.

Ice Blade Spell? ! This beast! '' Zhu Yun Cang swiftly dodged this sudden attack, but felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet.

This person is the current leader of the Nine Xuan Palace, Daoist Jingxiu

Today marks the occasion of the Nine Mysterious Palace's earth vein trial, and within the sect, nearly all those with cultivation have gathered here to witness the success—or perhaps failure—of two disciples in the "Harmonization Stage"

Jing Xiu further added: "After entering the earth vein, there are two paths for you to choose from. Remember not to linger in battle and do not delve too deeply into the earth vein. You may return once the task is completed. You have only three time periods to do so; if you are unable to return after three time periods, it will be deemed a failure"

The hissing sounds rose and fell, as Zhu Yuncong realized that his own words had provoked the anger of this group of strange serpents. They may not understand human language, but it was evident that they felt these sounds disturbed their peaceful dreams in the cave

"It is!" Ling Yu responded first

Ling Yu completely ignored him and walked straight ahead

I understand, esteemed leader! Zhu Yun Cang maintained an attitude of indifference as always

The disciples are on the path of the Dao, with exceptional talent. Since entering the Nine Mysteries Palace, they have devoted themselves to cultivation and have made some progress. Now is the time for you both to be tested. I hope you will seize this opportunity and live up to the high expectations of our sect.

As the sunlight shines from above and the shadows converge into a single point, an elderly man, holding a whisk and dressed in a gray bagua robe with trim, slowly steps out of the crowd and stands before everyone. Instantly, all present display an expression of utmost respect.

The flames ignited, carrying a sword-like aura as they surged towards another strange serpent.

The strange serpent recognized the danger and quickly withdrew. Suddenly, it opened its mouth, and its forked tongue quivered violently. Before the serpent, a cloud of white mist appeared, and the bright flames were engulfed by the mist. The mist swiftly transformed into a brilliant blue ice arrow, shooting towards Zhu Yun Cang.

Zhu Yun Cang shook his head and did not speak, and at this moment, the two had arrived at the fork in the earth's veins

Jing Xiu glanced at Ling Yu and then at Zhu Yun Cang, slowly stepping aside and saying: "Due to the abundance of resources in Shu, the area around Huiquan Peak gathers the sources of the three rivers, thus this place's vein belongs to water. When the spiritual energy within the earth vein is balanced, there should be a gentle flow of water, serene and humid. Many spinning turtles and strange snakes inhabit this area; the spinning turtles are gentle and dislike conflict, while the strange snakes are aggressive and enjoy killing. Therefore, your trial task is to kill ten strange snakes and collect their spiritual power within these two narrow-necked bottles. Do you understand?" As he spoke, Jing Xiu handed the two narrow-necked bottles to Ling Yu and Zhu Yun Cang.

Disciples must give their all! The two bowed in reverence

Zhu Yun Cang did not dare to be careless; he hurriedly lifted his feet and leaped, using the force of the nearby stone wall to soar upwards. He grasped the sharp stalactite hanging from the top of the cave, suspended in mid-air. The position he stood in had already coalesced into a three-foot-long ice spike due to the gathered cold air. Had he hesitated even slightly, he would have already met his demise at this moment

The regulations of the Jiuxuan Palace state that all disciples of the sect who have reached the "Heqi" realm must undergo the Earth Vein Trial before proceeding to the next stage of cultivation. This year, within the sect, only the senior disciple Daofang Lingyu of the Dao lineage and the fourth disciple Dao Zhi Zhuyun Cang are qualified to participate in the trial.

The old man had a gaunt face and a spirited demeanor; although his hair and beard were completely white, there was no trace of age upon him, only an air of ethereal grace and wisdom.

This guy is really impatient..." Zhu Yun Cang shrugged helplessly and said, "But in this place, there's nothing to see, how can we fight..." After pondering this, he raised his right hand, formed a seal, and chanted a spell. Suddenly, a faint flicker of fire appeared in his hand, which was the "Fire Raising Technique," one of the basic celestial arts belonging to the fire element of the Five Elements. Instantly, a glimmer of light emerged within the passage, although this light was only within a small area.

Come on, come on, bring it on, I killed a Gu Diao when I was ten, that’s a creature that flies in the sky, you mudfish..." With a flick of his wrist, Zhu Yun Cang brandished his long sword. As his words lingered, the blood-red spots rushed towards him, moving with the speed of lightning. In the dark, narrow underground cave, Zhu Yun Cang could only rely on sound to determine the position, quickly sidestepping and performing a somersault. The cold body of the strange snake shot past him like a swift arrow, brushing against his arm.

I will go to the left, you go to the right, what do you think, dear Master? Wishing you a prosperous journey.

Afraid? I am afraid... that swords and blades have no eyes, and I might accidentally hurt you, Senior Brother! Haha!" Zhu Yun Cang forced a laugh and said.

"Hello, my senior brother Daofang, could you please say something? Otherwise, in this darkness, how would I know where you are?" Zhu Yuncong said.

Oh! The disciple has learned... However, Zhu Yuncong beside him seemed somewhat distracted, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Damn! Where did this evil wind come from!" Zhu Yuncong furrowed his brow, reciting the incantation again to conjure fire—a flicker of light slowly ignited, revealing a clear outline within three feet. Zhu Yuncong shielded the flickering, precarious flame with one hand, cautiously moving forward. Suddenly, another bone-chilling cold wind swept through, extinguishing the faint light in his hand in an instant

As Zhu Yun Cang was about to scold, he suddenly noticed several spots of light before him that were even brighter than flames

"You bunch of monsters, looking like this, it's no wonder you can only stay in this place, too afraid to face others." Zhu Yuncong raised his sword, and a fierce flame ignited at the tip of the sword—Zhu Yuncong always preferred using a sword, perhaps many cultivators are the same, even when employing the basic spell 'Flame Control', it is still used in conjunction with the long sword in hand

Hundreds of disciples from the Jiuxuan Palace, regardless of gender, lined up and gathered before a massive stone door. The stone door was embedded within a solid mountain wall, engraved with the Fuxi Bagua diagram, heavy and solemn, ancient and mysterious. On either side of the stone door, two stone swords, each about thirty feet long and weighing several thousand pounds, floated in mid-air, resembling two ageless guardians, faithfully protecting this sacred realm. Beneath the stone swords, radiant light flowed and spiritual energy surged, making it difficult to gaze directly at them.

With a gentle sweep of the whisk, calm and solemn words floated forth from those knife-like thin lips: "Where is the path of the disciple, the path of righteousness? https://www.hetushu.com.com"

Call me Daofang!" Ling Yu said sternly

This... this underground vein... is still an underground vein, isn't it just a broken cave?

The disciple accepts the order! Ling Yu cupped his hands in salute

The gentle spring breeze has become somewhat damp and chilly due to the clouds in the mountains, as the wind brushes against the branches, and soft light quietly spills down from the heavens, enveloping the entire valley.

Jing Xiu nodded in satisfaction and said: "At this moment, before you is the entrance to the Earth Vein of the Huiquan Peak of my Jiuxuan Palace. This Earth Vein is one of the twelve main veins of the Divine Land. It is said that in the primordial chaos, when Pangu opened up the heavens and the earth, the pure ascended to the heavens while the turbid sank to the earth, with Pangu standing in between. The world we inhabit and stand upon is all transformed from Pangu's blood and body. Therefore, the principles of heaven and earth are the same as those of the human body. The human body has the eight extraordinary meridians, and the earth also has its meridians that connect and balance various places."

This... the Strange Serpent Conference?" Zhu Yun Cang opened his mouth and said, "Old Zhu, oh Old Zhu, how can you be so unfortunate?" He felt a chill running down his spine, turned to leave, but found that countless bizarre, blood-red eyes had suddenly appeared behind him; these were the distinctive eyes of carnivorous creatures.

Ling Yu let out a cold laugh and said, "With your abilities, you cannot harm me. This place merely lacks sufficient light, yet you voice your complaints. This is truly unbecoming of a practitioner; how are you any different from the common folk?"

"What? Are you afraid?" Ling Yu said coldly, his profile turned away.

At this moment, Zhu Yun Cang clearly saw the appearance of that group of strange serpents—wide-mouthed and long-bodied, entirely pure white, without feet or fins, yet with a sharp poisonous needle at the tail

As I advanced for nearly twenty steps, suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew, and the fire I held in my hand was extinguished in an instant

"So, we are surrounded?" Zhu Yun Cang raised his sword before his chest, adopting a stance ready for battle, surveying the increasingly numerous blood-red lights around him. "I only need ten. Why are you all in such a hurry?"