Lu Xuan and Xuanji Holy Lord arrived directly at the deepest part of the Eerie Abyss. "Something's off here," Lu Xuan murmured. The Eerie Power here was incredibly dense, far surpassing even that of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone.
Xuanji Holy Lord scanned her surroundings, her beautiful eyes slightly furrowed. She saw several skeletons, each bound by heavy chains. Dao patterns pulsed across the chains, forming an impenetrable Life-and-death Restriction.
Lu Xuan activated his Insight Eye. "These individuals were all Half-step Supremes or Quasi-Dao Supremes in life!" he observed. "They tried to comprehend the Eerie Power here but suffered a backlash instead, dying instantly."
Xuanji Holy Lord merely nodded, then began to cultivate. Masses of dense Eerie Power, like a black tide, surged into her body. She swiftly activated the Dao of Eerie Scripture to begin its conversion.
Meanwhile, a brilliant divine radiance shimmered around Lu Xuan. Myriad Laws Immunity. Any Eerie Power that touched him was instantly annihilated.
Lu Xuan's Insight Eye revealed the full scope of their location. It was an incredibly deep, winding valley. It started narrow, then dramatically opened up into a vast expanse. The deeper they ventured into the abyss, the denser the Eerie Power became. This was an ideal place for Xuanji Holy Lord's cultivation.
"The Eerie Power in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone pales in comparison to what's in the Eastern Wilds," Lu Xuan mused aloud. "That's because the Eerie Power here in the Eastern Wilds contains a trace of 'Dao' and 'Rhyme.' The Eerie Power in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, however, is like stagnant, dead water, utterly lifeless."
"For several epochs now," Lu Xuan continued, "the Eerie Power has swept across the entire Eastern Wilds, forming an invisible cycle throughout the region. This is one of the key differences between the two domains."
Xuanji Holy Lord inclined her snow-white neck, acknowledging his words. She had never set foot in the Eastern Wilds before, only sensing from the Ji Family Old Ancestor that the Eerie Power they were tainted with was different from that of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone. In this abyss, she could feel that distinction even more profoundly.
Xuanji Holy Lord immediately sat cross-legged, her purple robes gracefully fanning out, her white hair cascading over her jade shoulders. Her exquisite figure looked as if it had stepped out of a painting, breathtakingly beautiful. Every angle of Xuanji Holy Lord was perfect.
Her hands shifted through spirit seals, and she began to circulate the spirit arts of the Dao of Eerie Scripture.
"The Dao of Eerie, the Eerie Dao, is not the ordinary Dao…"
"The Eerie Dao, its power can seize creation… and the cultivation of the Eerie Dao comprehends the principles of heaven and earth, connecting with the changes of yin and yang."
Around her, the dense Eerie Power began to be absorbed into her inner world. Her Dao Foundation rumbled, evolving with mysterious Dao rhyme. The 'Eerie' power was manifesting within her body in a remarkably unique way.
Lu Xuan accompanied Xuanji Holy Lord in the abyss for several days. System notifications constantly echoed in his ears.
"Ding! Host's fourth disciple, Baili, is increasing in cultivation! Synchronizing now!"
"Ding! Host's fourth disciple, Baili, is increasing in comprehension of the Dao of Eerie Scripture! Synchronizing now!"
As the notifications faded, an incredibly pure spiritual energy surged into Lu Xuan's body, impacting him like a mighty river. Simultaneously, brilliant divine lights flashed in his mind—insights into the Dao of Eerie Scripture.
Lu Xuan's cultivation was rapidly approaching Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme! At that point, with his already invincible stance, he would truly be unmatched.
A few days later, Lu Xuan spoke. "Disciple, your cultivation has found its rhythm. I'm going out for a bit, maybe grab a bite to eat."
Xuanji Holy Lord nodded. "Okay, Master."
With a thought, Lu Xuan appeared in a city belonging to the Sikong Family. He found a noodle shop.
"Big Iron Ox Spirit Beef Noodles!" he read the sign.
Lu Xuan immediately sat down. "One bowl of beef noodles, please. And remember, no green onions."
The owner quickly replied, "Coming right up!"
Soon, a steaming bowl of spirit ox beef noodles was placed before him. It was infused with Eerie Power.
Lu Xuan simply chuckled. He looked around. Everyone here, to varying degrees, was tainted with Eerie Power! This was the Eastern Wilds, alright. Everyone was touched by the Eerie.
After finishing his meal, Lu Xuan found a tavern and settled down for a nap.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Sikong Family's Eerie Abyss.
A vast multitude of human cultivators, shackled and seated cross-legged, formed a dense, dark mass. Each of them had been implanted with the Sikong Family's Life-and-death Restriction. Their cultivation levels ranged from Saints, Half-Emperors, and Quasi-Emperors, to low-star Great Emperors, several high-star Great Emperors, and even two or three Nine-star Great Emperors!
All of them were tainted with dense Eerie Power, their expressions etched with immense pain as they cultivated a specific technique.
A middle-aged man cried out in agony, "I... I can't hold on any longer, Elder! Can I rest for a moment?"
Crack!
A massive whip, seemingly reaching the heavens, lashed down upon the middle-aged man. His body instantly exploded into a bloody mist. He breathed his last, his body and soul utterly annihilated!
A black-robed Elder, his face twisted into a cruel sneer, stood protected by intricate array patterns woven into his robe, blocking the invasion of Eerie Power. His body was completely shielded.
"You damned slaves!" the black-robed Elder snarled. "Your only purpose in living is to refine cultivation techniques for our Sikong Family!"
"Can't hold on? What good are you then? Die!"
The cultivators in the field looked utterly exhausted, their teeth clenched, eyes bloodshot with fury, yet none dared to act out.
Soon, a One-star Great Emperor spoke up. "Elder, I've comprehended a spirit art for meridian circulation."
The Sikong Family's black-robed Elder replied, "Oh? Come here, let me examine it."
The One-star Great Emperor approached and relayed the spirit art to the black-robed Elder.
The Elder pondered for a moment, then a look of satisfaction crossed his face. "Indeed, it holds a trace of profound mystery."
A flicker of excitement finally appeared in the One-star Great Emperor's pained eyes. "Elder, can I leave this abyss now? Can I see my daughter?"
The Sikong Family's black-robed Elder gave a mysterious smile. "You've rendered a great service, of course you can!"
He then turned to the other cultivators, scolding them. "You useless wretches! You boast of being geniuses of the Eastern Wilds, yet you can't even comprehend a technique to suppress Eerie Power! Look at Chen San here!"
"Chen San, the former Sect Master of the Black Cloud Sect, has only been in this abyss for five years, and he's already comprehended such a spirit art!"
"And what have you been doing?"
"Damn it! Our Sikong Family keeps you to refine techniques, not to be leeches draining our resources!"
The cultivators were too terrified to speak.
The black-robed Elder pointed at Chen San. "Now, Chen San has earned his reward and can reunite with his daughter! What about you? If you don't work harder, you'll stay here for the rest of your lives! You'll never see your families again!"
The cultivators could only continue absorbing Eerie Power, circulating the fragmented Sikong Family techniques, and desperately trying to devise improvements.
The black-robed Elder led Chen San away. Chen San's face was alight with excitement. He had been here for five years. His Black Cloud Sect had been annihilated by the Sikong Family, leaving only him and his infant daughter alive. He had been dragged into this abyss to refine techniques for the Sikong Family. His daughter had become his sole reason for living! Now, he finally had a breakthrough. He could finally see his daughter. Five years ago, she was just a baby.
Tears welled in Chen San's eyes. "My daughter... she must have grown up a bit, right?"