Chapter 1938: Chapter 1935: Dripping Blood
One must admit, the Zhang Family’s genes are truly powerful; both women are stunning beauties. Yet, the same black dress battle attire showed different styles.
Zhang Ruyan exuded an elder sisterly allure, mature and seductive. Zhang Lingyu, a beautiful young girl, was youthful and vibrant, mysterious and enticing. However, as Lin Tian looked closely, it seemed Zhang Lingyu’s chest was slightly larger. Ahem, I came here for action, not for this, Lin Tian quickly cut off his own thoughts.
"Sorry to have kept the two beauties waiting," Lin Tian diverted his thoughts and said.
"Hmm, let’s go," Zhang Ruyan said indifferently, without any extra expression when addressing Lin Tian. This woman was sometimes full of charm, other times cold and noble, and occasionally as crazy as a demon. Lin Tian was also used to it.
"Lin Tian, once inside the Spirit Suppressing Tower, don’t wander around. There are many prohibitions, and accidentally triggering a mechanism or prohibition could bring upon the Zhang Family members," Zhang Lingyu, sounding much more normal, gently reminded Lin Tian.
Seeing Lin Tian understood, the two women then moved towards the iron chain, the only passage connecting the solitary peak and the cliff top. For the two women, crossing the iron chain was not an issue. They stepped onto the chain like graceful fairies and quickly reached the solitary peak.
Lin Tian didn’t know Qinggong or Daoist techniques; he could only rely on his super balance and subtle control of strength to successfully pass the iron chain.
Beyond the chain was a platform, carved halfway up the mountain. From there, a stone staircase wound up the mountain, which Lin Tian and the two women followed.
The stone steps, having been unused for years, were covered in moss, and the mountain was often wet with mist, making the steps damp and slippery to walk on.
The edges had no railings, and a careless move could lead to falling into the deep abyss. Lin Tian wasn’t afraid, figuring he wouldn’t die from the fall, but the two women, with their mortal bodies, would certainly be finished if they fell.
Because the moonlight was bright, the two women didn’t need lighting, and Lin Tian, being able to see at night, didn’t care either. The stone staircase wasn’t very long, and soon they reached the peak.
The peak had been artificially leveled, with the Spirit Suppressing Tower sitting on the solid rock. As they walked closer, the aura of the Spirit Suppressing Tower felt even more eerie, especially the eight iron chains as thick as arms, without any rust, heavy and ancient, seemingly locking an ancient demon seed.
The Spirit Suppressing Tower had only one entrance, the large door at the ground level, but the door wasn’t an ordinary wooden one; it was made from a whole giant stone, like a tomb’s stone sealing the dragon.
The stone door featured an Eight Diagram; this type of Eight Diagram appeared in many places in the Zhang Family area. Lin Tian wondered whether this Eight Diagram had mana or was part of a formation?
Above the stone door hung a bronze mirror, also shaped as an Eight Diagram. However, after long exposure to the elements, the bronze mirror had become blurred, unable to reflect images.
Many old houses used to hang mirrors in front of the door, believing it could ward off demons and evil spirits, bringing fortune and avoiding disasters, similar to the concept of door guardians. But the Spirit Suppressing Tower hanging this thing seems not so simple as exorcising evil; the Zhang Family’s important land wouldn’t hang it just for decoration.
Just as Lin Tian was pondering, the three had already reached the door, and the bronze mirror suddenly flashed, emitting a moon-white glow. At this moment, Zhang Lingyu stepped forward, blocking Lin Tian, and at the same time, a needle appeared in her hand, piercing her finger.
Zhang Lingyu flicked her hand, and a drop of blood pearl flew out, landing on the bronze mirror. Stained with Zhang Lingyu’s blood, the moon-white glow of the bronze mirror vanished instantly.
"What’s happening?" Lin Tian asked curiously.
"This is the first prohibition of the Spirit Suppressing Tower. It can be said to be the strongest, and also the weakest. It’s strong because it blocks all outsiders not of Zhang Family bloodline. It’s weak because a Zhang Family member can open it by their own blood, but they themselves must be a Demon Exorcist."
"All prohibitions of the Spirit Suppressing Tower can call upon the maximum power of the grand barrier; its offensive or defensive power is far beyond the bit that Zhang Zhicheng ever wielded."
"Therefore, there are only two ways to enter the Spirit Suppressing Tower: one is for a Zhang Family member to drop blood to open the door; the other is for someone so powerful they can destroy the grand barrier."
"Of course, no one capable of destroying the grand barrier has ever appeared, even those old figures closing their practice to the death in the Ancient Martial World can’t break the grand barrier." Zhang Lingyu patiently explained about the prohibition.
"Closing practice to the death?" Lin Tian was a bit surprised, because he had visited the Qingshuang Pavilion before. The most formidable there was Tang Xuan Su, at the Sword Control Realm, causing quite a commotion, but he had never seen any old generation appear.
Zhang Lingyu replied plainly, "Those are all people with life spans already at an end or beyond, relying on some rare treasures to prolong life, but they could die at any moment."
"Therefore, unless there’s a major case of annihilation, they won’t appear," Zhang Lingyu glanced at Lin Tian as if saying, this world possesses even greater power.
Lin Tian finally understood, but a new question popped up: "Regarding Manxuan’s previous Soul Seizing incident, I know a bit about the Netherworld. Isn’t stealing life from heaven an act against nature? Doesn’t the Netherworld have an opinion?"
"Of course, there’s an opinion. In the five elements, within the six paths, every living being’s lifespan has a predetermined destiny. Once their lifespan ends, not entering the Netherworld defies Yin Yang."
At this, both glanced at Lin Tian, their eyes clearly saying, you are not within the five elements, outside the six paths, not subject to lifespan destinies.
Zhang Lingyu paused and then said, "However, the Netherworld can’t do much about them either. The great path is fifty, while the Heavenly Mechanism is forty-nine, leaving one escape for humanity. Humans, the spiritual beings of all things, favored by heaven and earth, occupy this one."
"In other words, Heavenly Mechanism is a variable, more so a chance of life. Heaven and earth give humans a sliver of life, and this variability and life chance are those treasures that extend lifespan."
"Before these rare treasures lose effect, Ghost Messengers cannot seize their souls. After all, the Netherworld and Human Realm differ, and a Ghost Messenger’s power in the Human Realm is suppressed, unless they are at the level of Netherworld King or Ksitigarbha. Ghost Messengers can deal with spiritual bodies but not living strong beings."
Zhang Lingyu continued to explain patiently. The logic was esoteric, Lin Tian, despite being well-read, felt he only half-understood, almost looking completely baffled.
After speaking, Zhang Lingyu ignored Lin Tian’s expression, instead placing her hand on the Eight Diagram. The diagram flashed, followed by a series of muffled sounds, and the stone door slowly rose.
The stone door wasn’t as thick as Lin Tian imagined, but certainly not thin either, and its material was peculiar, possibly the King Kong jade stone Zhang Lingyu mentioned.
Once the stone door was fully open, Lin Tian found the interior of the tower was not dim. On the contrary, the walls and ceiling were inlaid with many moon-white stones, emitting a soft glow.
One stone wasn’t very bright, but collectively, they were enough to illuminate the entire ground floor.
"These are Moonlight Stones, able to emit soft light," Zhang Lingyu, as if reading his thoughts, answered Lin Tian’s lingering question.
"Really extravagant. Do you know how expensive top-grade Moonlight Stones are? They’re no less valuable than top-grade jadeite, and you’re using them for lighting!" Lin Tian was quite speechless.
