Chapter 227: Chapter 226: What Exists is Reasonable
Jiang Zuo looked at them and said, "It’s hard to say what will happen once the being from the Abyss emerges.
But the outlook isn’t optimistic.
The most immediate consequence is that Liyuan Island will inevitably fall and become a Forbidden Land.
Even more trouble might follow after that."
Blade Master Hai Bian asked, "So, do you have a plan, Fellow Daoist Po Xiao?"
Jiang Zuo shook his head. "I don’t know. I need to go inside and assess the situation."
Blade Master Hai Bian handed the book back to Jiang Zuo and asked, "Are you familiar with the Celestial Stele Divine War, fellow Daoist?"
Jiang Zuo turned to leave, saying as he went, "I’m not, but I know the Celestial Stele Divine War took place on the Ancient Battlefield. It will open up in the future, so we might discover something there."
In his past life, Jiang Zuo’s only goal on the Ancient Battlefield was survival. He endured countless slaughters there, leaving him no opportunity to explore the battlefield’s hidden mysteries.
’If I go again, maybe I’ll discover something this time.’
However, Jiang Zuo’s current Cultivation was too low. Even if the Ancient Battlefield were to open, he wouldn’t dare to enter recklessly.
Once he advanced a few more steps, the Ancient Battlefield would become like his personal backyard, where he could come and go as he pleased.
Jiang Zuo now led them toward a pond in the woods. No one else knew of the entrance here, and even if they did, they would have no way of getting in.
Unless they had the map and could also decipher its settings, they couldn’t crack the code, even with the password.
"I know a little about the Ancient Battlefield as well," Liu Yiyi said. "I hear many people are searching for the Spiritual Talismans that grant entry."
That was indeed true. Jiang Zuo himself had accepted such a commission, and he had even obtained a Spiritual Talisman.
It was even the Spiritual Talisman of the great King Qin Wu.
Blade Master Hai Bian added, "I’ve heard of that, too, but some who go never return. Furthermore, those who seize the qualifying Spiritual Talismans are almost never above Tier Four.
They say the lower one’s Cultivation, the better."
Jiang Zuo hadn’t looked into that, as he had never personally obtained a Spiritual Talisman himself.
However, he had yet to encounter any place that had specific Cultivation requirements.
The topic was a bit of a tangent for them, so they didn’t discuss it much after that.
Soon, Jiang Zuo had led them to the edge of the pond. "Let’s go. Brace yourselves. Try not to be too surprised once we’re inside."
Chi Xue Child and the others nodded. After what Jiang Zuo said, they felt a little nervous, wondering what the Abyss actually looked like.
Jiang Zuo then led Chi Xue Child and the others to step onto the surface of the water. A light flashed, and the four of them vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, at an unknown depth beneath the water’s surface, there was a pitch-black forest where many wisps of black gas swirled about.
Before long, the black gas suddenly began to stir.
The black gas that had been swirling around a certain area instantly scattered, as if something was about to emerge.
After the black gas retreated to the side, a beam of light flashed in the area.
The silhouettes of four people appeared in the light and shadow. It was Jiang Zuo’s group.
Liu Yiyi was the first to speak. She exclaimed, "A sea of flowers? The Abyss is this beautiful?"
Blade Master Hai Bian frowned. "I’m seeing an endless, starry sky."
Chi Xue Child bit into his popsicle. "I’m seeing countless popsicles. But I don’t love popsicles *that* much, do I? This is a bit over the top, isn’t it?"
After the three of them described what they saw, they realized it was all just an illusion.
They then used their own respective methods to break the illusion.
In the end, the three of them spoke in unison: "A pitch-black forest and countless wisps of black gas."
’Good,’ Jiang Zuo thought. ’For now, they’ve broken the Illusion Technique.’
Then Chi Xue Child asked Jiang Zuo, "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, you said that whatever exists is rational. In that case, is a world of popsicles also rational?"
Jiang Zuo ignored Chi Xue Child completely. The man already knew it was an Illusion Technique, so there was no point in discussing rationality. The existence of the Illusion Technique itself was what was rational.
Naturally, the Illusion Technique had no effect on Jiang Zuo.
’However, this is just a forest, which means the situation isn’t as severe as it could be.’
’At the very least, the Abyssal Being’s power has been significantly weakened.’
’In my past life, this place had practically become a kingdom. A forest isn’t even in the same league.’
At this moment, Blade Master Hai Bian asked, "Is this the Abyss?"
Jiang Zuo shook his head. "No, the Abyss isn’t what you imagine. This is merely the outer edge. You cannot face the core directly. You cannot even comprehend it.
Don’t even think of going there, or you’ll be devoured."
Liu Yiyi asked, "Then where is the core?"
Jiang Zuo looked up. "Right there."
In the sky, a waterfall of darkness cascaded down—as if plunging three thousand feet from above. This endless gloom connected heaven and earth; it was the aura erupting from the Abyss.
The forest had been formed by the prolonged eruption of this aura. The larger the resulting area, the more powerful the being within the Abyss.
Chi Xue Child and the other two only managed a single glance before subconsciously lowering their heads.
The Red Sword on Chi Xue Child let out a hum, a Buddhist Sect’s Golden Light bloomed from Blade Master Hai Bian, and a pure white Holy Light enveloped Liu Yiyi.
The passive defenses of all three had been triggered.
Blade Master Hai Bian said with lingering fear, "That was close. You really can’t look at that thing. What on earth lies beneath the Abyss?"
Chi Xue Child almost dropped his popsicle. "Isn’t that being a bit too terrifying?"
The glance they had just taken lasted but a moment, yet it gave them a feeling of eternity, almost making it impossible to look away. That darkness seemed to hold an endless mystery.
It was strangely mesmerizing.
"You know too little about the Abyss. The eruption of its aura is related to the Abyss World, but that is far too removed from us. There’s no need to worry about it.
For now, let’s go and check the Seal here."
With that, Jiang Zuo started forward.
’The situation with the Abyss is manageable,’ he thought. ’And in the beginning, it was suppressed by a Seal.’
A suppressive Seal was not the same as a grand, world-encompassing formation.
Laying a world-encompassing formation required a stable environment, so it was likely set up later. Therefore, the Seal should theoretically still be intact. Finding the Seal should confirm whether or not there was a backup mechanism here.
******
Meanwhile, in the rear of the Abyss, what Su Qi and the others saw was not a black forest.
They saw a small, withered path.
On both sides of the path was an ocean of darkness where the black gas of the Abyss churned below like waves.
Yin Li said, "Master instructed us to never, ever stray from this path, or we won’t be able to come back."
Jingyue looked at the black gas and said, "This is all condensed from the Abyss’s aura?"
Su Qi also frowned. "This aura feels very ominous. If it’s this dangerous here, doesn’t that mean the outskirts of the Abyss are even more perilous?"
Yin Li nodded. "That’s what Master said. The rear of the Abyss is relatively stable, and the dangers are within a controllable range. The front is different. The Abyssal aura there is active. The slightest misstep means you’re doomed beyond recovery."
Jingyue asked, "Are you all trying to retrieve something important? If no one over Tier Four is allowed, why did you advance to Tier Five at this time?"
Yin Li shook her head. "My sister told me to advance quickly. Anyway, they all have their own plans. I just need to do as I’m told."
But at that very moment, the Sea of the Abyss suddenly began to boil, and the previously calm path started to shake.
Yin Li said in surprise, "What’s going on? This isn’t what Master said it would be like."
