LABMY CH116

“What is going on here?”

The cultivator who had yet to dive into the waters stared in horror at the blood-colored vortex rising from the sea. Those with exceptionally keen senses could even see the scarlet fragments of flesh swirling within the blood-stained seawater.

Soon, the blood vortex began to recede. It came suddenly and disappeared just as swiftly. A massive stream of scarlet blood flowed back into the sea, leaving those fortunate enough to not have entered the water stunned.

In the seabed where no one survived, the ancient, black door was filled with blood that seeped into its deep, trench-like patterns. Though submerged in seawater, the blood did not blend with the ocean, appearing more like a strange, insoluble liquid.

On the surface of the black door, the blood within the patterns pulsed and writhed like veins, eerie and nauseating.

In less than the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn, this place had become a burial ground for thousands.

From a distant mountain, a man dressed in pristine white robes gazed at the scene. His white hair fluttered lightly in the wind. The pure white robe and pale hair made him resemble a celestial being from legend, full of compassion and sorrow.

Yet, when the Grand Advisor spoke, he repeatedly muttered two words:
“Not enough… still not enough.”

The lives taken from the waters were far from sufficient. He needed stronger cultivators to come and use their blood and flesh to further taint this place.

A man approached from behind and asked, “My lord, what should we do next to lure more people in?”

Without turning his head, the Grand Advisor replied coldly, “Just keep watching.”

“I never intended to act this quickly, but the fact that the Sect Master of the Wangyun Sect triggered the Heavenly Tribulation has made me uneasy,” the Grand Advisor sighed. “We have no choice but to advance our plan ahead of schedule.”

In order to draw out that silver sun, the Asriga Imperial Court had already sacrificed too much.

Near the Sea of Falling Waters, the remaining cultivators stood in fear, staring at the now-calm sea surface. Meanwhile, within the Asriga Empire, chaos erupted among the sects.

In an instant, the life lamps of countless disciples within the sects were extinguished. The keepers of the life lamps rushed to inform their sect leaders, and scenes of panic unfolded in every corner of the land.

Jian Yuanbai did not linger by the sea but instead brought Mu Jingzhuo back to their inn room in Fisherman’s City in an instant. Even in the midst of such a crisis, he still noticed that the people from the Wangyun Sect had not entered the waters yet, including Shen Zhilan.

Mu Jingzhuo was surprised by the sudden shift in scenery. It wasn’t that he was shocked by Jian Yuanbai’s ability to move so swiftly, but rather that he hadn’t expected them to leave so quickly.
“Why did we come back here?”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “There are too few cultivators left at the sea. Even if everyone went down, the door wouldn’t open. If someone is deliberately luring people here, there must be a backup plan.”

“Waiting there is pointless. We might as well come back, take a bath, and wait comfortably.”

The two of them, unaware of the chaos in the Wangyun Sect, were exactly right in their guess.

Soon, letters from the Asriga Imperial Court were delivered to each sect, including the Wangyun Sect, which had yet to send anyone to the Sea of Falling Waters.

Above the sea, the silver moon hung high in the sky. As time passed, the sun set, yet the silver moon illuminated the sky as brightly as daylight.

Fisheman’s City became a place where night never fell. Walking through the streets at night, one could look up and be blinded by the dazzling light. The ordinary citizens, filled with fear, locked their doors and dared not step outside.

They weren’t uninterested in the events happening at the sea, but their years of living alongside cultivators taught them that curiosity was never worth their lives.

Jian Yuanbai, who had been monitoring the situation with his divine sense, suddenly opened his eyes and said to Mu Jingzhuo, “They’re here.”

Mu Jingzhuo was confused, “Who’s here?”

In the next moment, they appeared at the edge of the Sea of Falling Waters, hiding in the shadows and observing the crowd that had gathered.

Jian Yuanbai smirked, “As expected.”

Mu Jingzhuo was stunned, “They arrived this quickly?”

Suddenly realizing something, he anxiously pointed to his mouth and then to the crowd ahead.

Jian Yuanbai leaned in and gently kissed him on the lips, whispering, “Don’t worry. I’ve set up a barrier. They can’t hear us.”

Mu Jingzhuo’s face turned slightly red, but he sighed in relief and said, “In just one day, so many people have come… the Sect Master of Wangyun Sect, the Grand Elder, the Sect Master of Liubi Sect, the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, the Hehuan Sect…”

“Wait,” Mu Jingzhuo frowned as he glanced ahead. “Why did only two elders from our Wangyun Sect come? Where’s my master?”

The two elders happened to be people he knew, Elder Yan and Elder Xiong.

Jian Yuanbai remained silent, thinking to himself, “Your master is standing right next to you.”

Almost every prominent figure had arrived. What surprised Mu Jingzhuo the most was that, besides the sect leaders and elders, there were also countless ordinary mortals standing silently in formation at the back.

At the front of the crowd stood the Grand Advisor of the Asriga Imperial Court.

“Everyone,” the Grand Advisor began, “I’ve already explained the situation in my letter, but I’ll briefly repeat it here.”

He raised his hand, revealing a Memory Crystal that emitted a faint light. A projection appeared in the air.

“This is the Memory Crystal we modified in the Asriga Imperial Court to communicate with the city lords. It can record scenes and transmit them as well.”

“This is the message our disciples sent back with their lives during the earlier crisis.”

In the projection, the ancient black door at the bottom of the sea appeared. The door, filled with scarlet blood, now seemed alive. The blood coursed through the veins of the patterns, flowing and pulsating as if the door itself had come to life.

The Grand Advisor’s tone grew excited, his emotions barely restrained.
“This door is the legendary Gate to the Immortal Realm.”

“Who would’ve thought it would be found at the bottom of the Sea of Falling Waters? I won’t hide the truth from you. I scoured countless ancient texts and finally discovered the nature of these patterns.”

“This is a sacrificial formation. Only by feeding it enough blood can the door be opened. And now, by pure coincidence, it is already full.”

“Once we step through this door, we can ascend to the Immortal Realm. I summoned you all here for this very moment.”

The Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, a scruffy, unkempt man, scoffed, “You expect us to believe this door leads to the Immortal Realm just because you said so?”

“Why should I trust you?”

Although the Grand Advisor was from the Asriga Imperial Court, the court was essentially just another form of sect. Therefore, whether it was the Heavenly Demon Sect or any other sect, none of them needed to obey the Asriga Imperial Court.

The Heavenly Demon Sect Master then said, “You came here and explained the situation so clearly. Were those cultivators who died at the Sacrificial Gate lured here by you?”

The Grand Advisor’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly replied, “If you don’t believe me, why would the Heavenly Demon Sect Master come here?”

“I believe that although you may not have seen this gate, your sects must have records or rumors left behind by your predecessors.”

These words struck the hearts of most sect masters present. Some had seen depictions of this gate in ancient texts within their sects, while others had heard fragments of legends passed down through generations.

There was a legend of a gate that directly led to the Immortal Realm. Once opened, anyone who entered, regardless of their cultivation level, could ascend in a single step.

The Grand Advisor continued, “As for deliberately luring people here, please don’t falsely accuse me, Heavenly Demon Sect Master.”

“Once a cultivator steps into the Sea of Falling Waters, death is certain. How could I have known this gate was at the bottom of the sea?”

In truth, he didn’t care whether others suspected him or not. “The silver full moon will fall in two days. The Asriga Imperial Court will definitely lead people through the gate. As for the other sects, that’s up to you.”

“As the Grand Advisor of the Asriga Imperial Court, which has ruled the Asriga Empire for over a thousand years, I am obligated to inform all sects of any major events.”

“Just as I mentioned in my letter, if this is truly a gate to the Immortal Realm, the more people who enter, the higher the chance of ascension. This is how the Asriga Imperial Court operates — maximizing benefits.”

“No one knows whether the silver full moon will rise again after these two days. Regardless of your decision, I and the disciples of the Asriga Imperial Court will definitely enter.”

Behind the Grand Advisor stood five disciples of the Asriga Imperial Court. Three were in the Golden Core stage, two in the Foundation Establishment stage. They were all young and clearly well-trained. Among them was the Crown Prince of the Asriga Imperial Court.

His words were sincere, without a hint of deception. Moreover, the Grand Advisor himself and the Asriga Imperial Court disciples would enter the gate, which reassured the other sects.

In fact, each sect had already made their decision when they arrived, bringing only a handful of disciples — some one or two, others four or five.

If it were only the words of the Grand Advisor, they wouldn’t have believed him. But the ancient records within their own sects made them 70% convinced. The older the sect, the more detailed the records — though often just a sketch and a few words in a dusty old scroll.

In the shadows, Zhao Ziji, who had been hiding with the help of the Phoenix’s power, couldn’t help but feel envious. “Is what he’s saying true?”

The Phoenix affirmed, “It’s true. That gate indeed leads to the Immortal Realm.”

As for the scattered records within the sects, the Phoenix also believed them to be true. After all, the Asriga Empire had been abandoned here for over a thousand years. For a cultivator in the Great Ascension Stage, a thousand years was an entire lifetime. It was only natural for those who failed to transcend the tribulation to leave behind some words.

However, after those cultivators died, and with the passage of over a thousand years, the existence of the sea gate gradually faded from memory, becoming nothing more than legend to the people of the Asriga Empire.

The Sect Master of the Liubi Sect said, “I came here to go down and see what’s below.”

After all, the disciple who advanced from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core in a single day was from their sect. The Liubi Sect sent the most people when the silver full moon rose, and they also suffered the most deaths.

With most of their inner disciples dead, he had no choice but to go down.

The Heavenly Demon Sect Master grinned lazily, “Since the Grand Advisor and the Liubi Sect Master are going down, why not use the Grand Advisor’s recording crystal to show us what’s below? Once we confirm it’s safe, we’ll follow.”

He laughed, “Otherwise, if there’s another sacrificial trap, that wouldn’t be good.”

The Liubi Sect Master shot him a cold glance. “Use your brain before you speak. You want me to pave the way for you?”

“Dream on!”

The Heavenly Demon Sect Master stepped forward and said, “Grand Advisor, could you lend me two recording crystals?”

The Grand Advisor glanced at him and tossed two over.

In front of everyone, the Heavenly Demon Sect Master casually threw one of the crystals to a subordinate behind him. “You, go check it out.”

The subordinate’s face turned pale. “M-Master…”

“Go down, and you might die,” the Heavenly Demon Sect Master grinned. “But if you refuse, you’ll definitely die. Your choice.”

The path of cultivation was ruthless, with no distinction between immortals and demons. But the Heavenly Demon Sect had the worst reputation among all sects. They showed little care for their disciples, and internal strife among elders was common.

Yet, despite this, the Heavenly Demon Sect still attracted many disciples because they accepted everyone, regardless of talent. They freely taught cultivation methods, even if they couldn’t offer top-tier techniques, mid-tier ones were readily available.

The other sects looked at the Heavenly Demon Sect Master with disdain but remained silent.

The terrified subordinate eventually descended. Shortly after, the recording crystal on the shore lit up, showing the scene below.

A massive black gate stood majestically, already open. The subordinate’s foot had stepped through the threshold, his tiny figure dwarfed by the gate.

The subordinate appeared calm and unaffected, showing no signs of spiritual energy being suppressed.

The crowd grew restless and began to discuss in hushed voices. But after a while, when no further images appeared, a sect master from a smaller sect said, “If there were treasures inside, would he bother sending us more footage?”

This single remark stirred the crowd.

Without further discussion, the various sects quickly decided to descend. They had only brought a handful of disciples this time. If they succeeded, they would ascend in one step. If they failed, the sect would still survive.

Moreover, not all who entered were sect masters.

Mu Jingzhuo, watching from the shore, was puzzled. “Why aren’t those sect masters going down?”

“Those ordinary people are staying behind in case something goes wrong after the silver full moon sets. They can rescue the cultivators,” Jian Yuanbai explained.

“In the past, once cultivators entered the Sea of Falling Waters, they couldn’t manipulate spiritual energy. Mu Jingzhuo just experienced that feeling himself. However, as cultivators, even if they drown, they won’t die as quickly as ordinary people. They can hold on for two or three days.”

“So I understand why the mortals are staying back. But why aren’t those sect masters going down?”

Jian Yuanbai explained, “Those who went down earlier, aside from a few daring ones, are mostly sect masters and elders who have cultivated for years without progress.”

“They are already nearing the end of their lifespan. If they fail, they die a little earlier. But if they succeed, they ascend and gain eternal life.”

“After all, this so-called door to the Immortal Realm was only described in a few words left behind a thousand years ago. No one could truly understand what lay within.

Everyone dreamed of ascending in one step, but each person had a different personality. Some lacked the courage, some believed they could ascend on their own, and some prioritized their sect and didn’t dare venture through the strange black door.

Mu Jingzhuo asked, “If that’s the case, how do we avoid them and get down there?”

They had chosen to hide earlier instead of appearing. Showing up now would be inappropriate.

Jian Yuanbai thought for a moment and said, “I’ll draw them away. You go down first, but don’t enter. Wait for me underwater.”

“I will cast a barrier on you to weaken your presence to the maximum. When I start fighting them, you just rush into the sea.”

Mu Jingzhuo disagreed, “The ones left here are the sect masters of various sects. Their strength is on par with yours, and there are six or seven of them. How can you handle that?”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “Have you forgotten? I still have the Heaven-grade Five Elements Combat Skill, Ghostly Phantom Step.”

With that, he pulled out a black cloak from his spatial ring, put on the hood, and flashed behind the six or seven sect masters who hadn’t entered the Falling Water Sea. Without hesitation, he slashed at them with blades of spiritual energy.

Before the others could turn around and see his face, Jian Yuanbai turned and fled. At the same time, a golden sun suddenly rose in the distance. It was nighttime, the Silver Moon hadn’t set, yet a blazing sun appeared in the sky, immediately drawing their attention.

Jian Yuanbai hadn’t expected to lure them away so easily. He only cast the barrier on Mu Jingzhuo as a precaution. Rushing out was just to provide an explanation to Mu Jingzhuo. But unexpectedly, an even more eye-catching sun emerged.

As Mu Jingzhuo dove into the sea, another person plunged in as well.

With the barrier on him, Mu Jingzhuo’s presence was erased from the senses of anyone below the Great Ascension stage. However, the barrier was ineffective against the naked eye.

The two locked eyes, both stunned.

“It’s you?”

“It’s you?”

Zhao Ziji’s expression changed, and without warning, he attacked Mu Jingzhuo. Despite being underwater, his speed was lightning-fast. He condensed spiritual energy into air currents, stirring the water and launching a punch.

Mu Jingzhuo dodged to the side. In the next moment, a loud and clear phoenix cry echoed as Zhao Ziji’s five fingers formed into claws. Behind him, the faint silhouette of a strange bird appeared.

“It’s you!!”

Mu Jingzhuo pulled out his fan and swung it backward, deflecting Zhao Ziji’s claw-like hand. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the phantom bird behind Zhao Ziji.

He had seen this exact same bird in the deep mountains east of Taishi City. At that time, the bird was heavily injured and on the verge of death, turning into a scorching egg.

Mu Jingzhuo originally wanted to take the egg with him, but the heat was so intense that it could cook his hand. He had no choice but to cover it with soil temporarily.

However, before he could return, he encountered Shen Zhilan coming to break off their engagement, followed by his master appearing and handing him a divorce letter, sending him to the Sect of Seeking Immortality. One urgent matter after another piled up, and by the time he remembered the egg, it was already gone.

Zhao Ziji’s eyes glowed red as he launched fierce attacks. Mu Jingzhuo couldn’t fully utilize the Ghostly Phantom Step underwater, so he had to rely on the fan his master gave him to unleash waves of falling snow.

In the deep blue water, the white snowflakes did not melt. They landed on Zhao Ziji’s body, appearing harmless but slicing his skin like blades and swords.

When this Snow Transformation Technique was mastered, each snowflake could explode. But with Mu Jingzhuo’s current strength, he couldn’t reach that level. He still needed the fan to convert his spiritual energy into snow.

He quickly dove deeper, waving his fan to send out layers of snow, while Zhao Ziji relentlessly pursued him. Zhao Ziji’s claws were so sharp that they could almost cut through the water itself.

“Your technique has changed.”

Suddenly, Zhao Ziji stopped and spoke.

Mu Jingzhuo instinctively replied, “Your voice has changed. No, are you still Zhao Ziji?”

The “Zhao Ziji” before him smirked. “When we fought at the Wangyun Sect, your technique was fierce and direct, not this yin-like, feminine style. Did your master change your technique?”

The phoenix inside Zhao Ziji’s body had almost been obliterated. It shared the same origin as Jian Yuanbai, who possessed the White Tiger bloodline. Because of this unique connection, the phoenix naturally knew who Mu Jingzhuo’s master was — the Sect Master of Wangyun Sect.

The phoenix sneered internally. How ridiculous that a grand Great Ascension cultivator would take a talented disciple, only to use him as a furnace for cultivation.

It finally understood. How could such a young White Tiger possess such terrifying power?

Who knew how many disciples that so-called master had taken in, only to secretly ruin them as furnaces for his cultivation.

That day, the master pretended to spare the phoenix’s life, claiming that killing it would be too cruel. Yet, in truth, the master was the most sinister of all.

Now that it had encountered the isolated Mu Jingzhuo, the phoenix didn’t mind exposing the truth.

“Do you know what kind of technique your master made you practice?” the phoenix asked with a mocking smile.

Mu Jingzhuo frowned. “What does that have to do with you?”

“Oh really?” The phoenix laughed. “Then don’t you want to know why your master made you cultivate the Dual Cultivation Technique?”

At that moment, Jian Yuanbai, who had just escaped from the sect masters on the shore, heard these words and saw the shock on Mu Jingzhuo’s face.

Mu Jingzhuo was stunned. “Dual Cultivation Technique??!”