Chapter 1: The Abyssal Wonder
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jiu felt a stir in his heart. The words of these two young men hinted that this place was suitable for cultivation, but he was unsure of the level of cultivation involved. Were they martial arts experts capable of walking on walls? And what did "Fa Xiu" mean?
Wishing for a surge of emotions to rise within Jiuxin, lasting for a long time, followed by many questions that are difficult to comprehend at the moment. Once the extreme astonishment has slightly subsided, a young boy ahead is heard whispering to another boy:
After my death, I awakened not only in the body of a young man but also in such a strange and eerie place, which does not seem to bode well. The many fragmented images that have appeared in my mind should be the original memories of this body. The images indicate that this body was seemingly drowned in a great river after succumbing to a serious illness, and then my soul took possession of it. Analyzing these memories, it is indeed incredible that such miraculous occurrences as time travel exist in this world, which is hard to believe!
Zhu Jiu Yi wore a black traditional robe, with a slender figure and a slightly pale complexion. However, his pitch-black eyes were filled with unusual colors. He subtly turned his head, his gaze drifting slightly as he carefully observed the people and surroundings, revealing a rare composure, calmness, and alertness for someone of his age.
The great hall is dimly lit, with the floor paved with dark green stone slabs. The primary source of light comes from the main entrance of the hall, where on either side stand two black statues of door gods, each about four to five meters tall, exuding a fierce appearance and a chilling aura
Hasten to commence the cultivation tests of the Sea of Knowledge talismans. Subsequently, send these youths into the realm of the dead where the demon corpses reside. Those who successfully communicate with the returning demon corpses will then be captured for combat, selecting the best among them.
The old man gently lifted it, and in his palm, it resembled a miniature world, filled with countless demons and monsters, truly marvelous and astonishing
The talisman of the Ghost Kingdom crafted by the elder, even when summoning two minor spirits, they are both at the fifth rank of the Azure Radiance level. The chair formed from the essence of ghostly energy is nearly indistinguishable from a real one. The elder's techniques for nurturing spirits and refining corpses are truly unmatched in power, with magical abilities that are unparalleled.
The symbol was held in the hands of the elder, shimmering and flickering, from which countless streams of black mist surged forth. These mists quickly took on various forms, both humanoid and beastly, resembling a multitude of demons and monsters, all shrieking and roaring in a miniature scale within the elder's palm, their postures fierce and wild
I have heard again that there will be some selection process, and those who are not chosen will face execution, which has instilled a fear that is beyond control. Among them, those who are more timid immediately turned pale and ashen, with tears welling up in their eyes.
Behind the old man, a dozen or so male and female attendants exchanged glances, and it was still the same middle-aged man who had previously flattered him who cautiously replied
The old man waved his hand gently, and the astonishing images resembling a demonic world in his palm instantly vanished completely, as if they had never appeared before
These young individuals come from various backgrounds, and it is inevitable that their qualities differ; please do not blame them for their shortcomings.
Standing before the elder were hundreds of youths, most of whom had not yet fully recovered from the earlier display of the elder's extraordinary abilities. Suddenly, upon hearing the meaning of the conversation between the elder and his subordinates, they were astonished to learn that the two black, mist-like figures were, in fact, the legendary spirits, leaving them utterly shocked and terrified.
The elderly man sitting upright in the chair, upon seeing the fearful expressions of the young ones, felt a great sense of impatience. He furrowed his peculiar eyebrows, which were dark with a hint of green, and asked in a deep voice the attendant behind him:
The nine-ranked youth stared in astonishment at this scene, both amazed by the miraculous and shocking display of the elder and terrified by the sight of countless demons howling in his palm
A middle-aged man, who was accompanying the elder, noticed the faint blue light flickering in the eye sockets of the two figures made of black mist. He flattered the elder, saying:
The man was about to say more when the old man gently waved his hand, interrupting him
This time of joining the sect, in addition to our own relatives and disciples, there are also many people from various places who have either contributed or even seized their way in. Ha, these country bumpkins think they can pass the test with us; it is truly a delusion.
A more bizarre scene then unfolded before everyone's eyes, as from the multitude of howling demons and monsters in the old man's palm, two suddenly leaped out, transforming in the blink of an eye into two human-sized misty figures within the grand hall
After my death in a previous life, my soul was enveloped by a blue radiance, which allowed me to be reborn here with the help of books. That radiance felt extremely familiar; it must be the exorcising corpse mirror that every corpse driver from Xiangxi possesses. Could it be that my corpse mirror is particularly special, endowed with the mysterious power to protect the soul during reincarnation?
Gently shaking his head, Zhu Jiu self-deprecatingly curled his lips slightly, raised his head to glance around, and found that no one was paying attention to him. He then thought to himself:
These words swept through the entire hall like a chilling wind
Below the abyss of one hundred zhang, it is shrouded in a misty white fog, cascading straight down. Upon reaching a depth of approximately ten thousand zhang within the abyss, the fog dissipates entirely, revealing a different world.
It is said that among these local talents, there are exceptionally gifted individuals who are highly valued within the sect, as they possess extraordinary understanding of the sea of consciousness, which greatly aids in their cultivation of spells. Do not underestimate us just because we are well-prepared. How confident are you in your success for the upcoming sea of consciousness symbol detection?
As Zhu Jiu was contemplating, he suddenly sensed a subtle commotion among the surrounding crowd. He raised his head and peered through the gaps in the throng, catching sight of an ominous old man in a long green robe entering from outside the main hall. Following him were a dozen or so attendants of varying ages, each displaying an extraordinary demeanor, not typical of ordinary people
The elder led the crowd to the center of the grand hall, his eyelids slightly lifted, radiating brilliance. He cast a sideways glance at the standing young men and women, then waved his hand gently. Suddenly, a strand of ink-colored light sprang forth from the tip of his finger, which then transformed into a magical symbol imbued with an ancient and distant aura.
"Wasn't it said that, in order to save me some time, the people below have already screened these youths, and the remaining ones are all those who have preliminary qualifications for cultivation? Why are they still so lacking?"
I am most averse to these trivial matters of recruiting disciples, but I have already declined several times before. As one of the elders of the Corpse God Sect, I can no longer avoid it this time. Therefore, my mood is not particularly good, and as a result, this selection will be exceptionally strict. Those who are not selected will be executed on the spot, their souls contained in soul vials, becoming fresh fodder to feed the little ghosts, hehe
In a vast and boundless world, there exists an unfathomable abyss that stretches for thousands of miles across the endless land
These wonders made Zhu Jiusheng feel as if he were in a dream
These youths display a variety of expressions; some have pale faces and look anxious, while others appear relatively relaxed, and there are even a few gathered together, speaking in hushed tones
Two figures of black mist leaped out from the old man's palm, their bodies swirling with dark energy, and a faint blue light flickered in the area of their eye sockets
For some unknown reason, upon merely glancing at the two wooden carvings, Zhu Jiu felt a sudden chill run down his spine, as an unusual coldness surged from the depths of his heart, as if a pair of merciless eyes within the statues were gazing back at him
At that moment, they suddenly opened their mouths, and a wisp of cold air was expelled from within, bizarrely condensing into a high-backed chair that appeared almost tangible, which was placed steadily behind the old man. Immediately, these two peculiar figures floated lightly behind the chair, standing silently and solemnly.
Zhu Jiu glanced back at the two ghostly figures behind the old man. In his previous life, he lived in Xiangxi, and due to his study of the ancestral art of corpse guiding, he was not particularly afraid of ghostly entities. However, he felt that the old man was unpredictable in his emotions, which caused him to furrow his brows slightly
At this moment, the ten-year-old Zhu Jiu stood in the grand hall of the easternmost peak, where there were also several hundred other young boys and girls, all around the age of ten or so
Another young man chuckled softly and replied in a lowered voice
The boy who was questioned hesitated for a moment and then said
The old man sat steadily in the chair behind, offering no response to the man's compliments. After a while, he spoke in a deep voice, as if he had not spoken for a long time, his voice dry and hoarse, saying:
From the endless depths of the abyss, five peaks unexpectedly emerged. Among these, one is large and four are small. The central main peak covers an area of six to seven hundred li, while the remaining four peaks to the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest each exceed three to four hundred li. The summits have been leveled by human beings using celestial powers, and countless magnificent palaces have been constructed upon them
Of course, there are also youths who have long mastered certain information, standing fearlessly and calmly in place
To be honest, whether one can successfully recognize marine symbols depends entirely on talent, and I truly have no confidence in this matter
Wishing for Jiuli to turn back in time, no longer gazing around indiscriminately, but instead pricking up his ears to listen to the conversation of the few young men ahead, hoping to grasp more information, while secretly murmuring to himself