“My daughter must have grown up a bit by now,” Chen San murmured, a flicker of desperate hope in his eyes.
The Black-robed Elder gave a chilling, mirthless chuckle. “Go see for yourself.”
Soon, the Black-robed Elder led Chen San to an ancient stone hall. Before it stood a grove of sinister Spirit Wood, warped and overgrown, its branches twisted by the corrupting tendrils of Eerie Power, clinging to the hall in a truly terrifying embrace.
Chen San stepped inside, waiting outside a formation. After a short while, the Black-robed Elder emerged, dragging a small, grimy girl behind him. Her face was streaked with dirt, her body covered in countless scars. A thick layer of Eerie Power clung to her, turning her skin a sickly black-grey. Her clothes were tattered, her entire being filthy.
“Grumble…” The little girl stared blankly at Chen San, her eyes vacant and confused. She rubbed her stomach, a profound hunger etched on her face.
Chen San’s eyes immediately welled up, two clear streams of tears tracing paths down his grimy cheeks. Though the girl was nothing like the vibrant image he’d held in his mind, the undeniable pull of their shared bloodline screamed that this was his daughter.
He pulled her into a tight embrace, his face contorting into a snarl as he glared at the Black-robed Elder. “You told me you were taking good care of my daughter!”
The Black-robed Elder sneered. “She’s still alive, isn’t she? You should be grateful!”
Chen San stroked his daughter’s head, his heart breaking. The little girl kept repeating, “Hungry… so hungry…” He gently placed his finger into her mouth, letting her drink his blood.
Grumble! Grumble! In an instant, Chen San clutched his daughter and turned to leave.
The Black-robed Elder let out a cold snort. “Did I say you could go?”
Chen San gritted his teeth. “You said if we comprehended an improved Spirit Art, we could leave!”
The Black-robed Elder scoffed. “How am I to know if your Spirit Art is truly effective?”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several other black-robed figures materialized around Chen San. “We’ll test your Spirit Art on your daughter. If it succeeds, we’ll let you both go!”
Chen San roared, “Go to hell!”
The Black-robed Elder’s smile was chilling. “Do you want your daughter to die?”
Instantly, the Life-and-death Restriction within the little girl’s body flared with divine radiance. She thrashed frantically in Chen San’s arms, her face contorted in terror.
Chen San crumbled. He desperately channeled his Spirit Art, sending a gentle stream of power into his daughter’s body. In that moment, a sliver of the Eerie Power in her Meridians was dispelled, showing signs of transformation.
“Elder, it works!” Chen San cried out, a desperate surge of hope in his voice. “It’s effective!”
The Black-robed Elder’s lips curled slightly. “Out of all these people, someone finally produced something useful.” This was the Sikong Family’s cruel Gu-raising Technique, capturing countless geniuses from the Eastern Wilds to refine cultivation techniques for their own benefit.
Chen San immediately embraced his daughter, ready to leave once more. But the black-robed figures surrounded him again. “Continue to stay in the stone hall and refine your Spirit Art.” They gestured towards the formation within.
Chen San looked inside, seeing many Great Emperors sitting cross-legged, their hands performing various Spirit Arts, their faces etched with profound misery. Deeper within the formation, he saw many children like his daughter, and even some stunningly beautiful women.
Witnessing this, Chen San’s voice was hollow. “I’ll never truly leave this place, will I?”
The Black-robed Elder smiled. “What else did you expect?”
Chen San’s face twisted into a savage mask. “So all of us are just slaves to your Sikong Family?”
The Black-robed Elder sneered. “What are you so angry about? In your next life, you can reincarnate into the Sikong Family. Then you won’t have to be a slave.”
Suddenly, the Eerie Power within the little girl in Chen San’s arms surged violently. He stared in horror. “Save my daughter, quickly!” His knees nearly buckled.
The Black-robed Elder closed his eyes. “You have ten breaths to consider. We can suppress the Eerie Power for your daughter, but within ten years, you must deliver a second improved Spirit Art. Otherwise, your daughter dies!”
“Ten… nine… eight…”
The little girl thrashed wildly, the Eerie Power making her feel as if ten thousand insects were gnawing at her body. She clutched Chen San’s arm.
“Please, kill me…” she begged. “I can’t take it anymore…”
Chen San placed a finger on his daughter’s forehead, delving into her memories. He discovered that every single day, every single moment, she had been tormented by the Eerie Power. No wonder she was so vacant and confused. She had been tortured into idiocy!
Tears streamed down Chen San’s face. Suddenly, his expression became utterly savage. He hugged his daughter tightly. “Father will accompany you to the Yellow Springs! We’ll never suffer again!”
Boom! Chen San detonated himself! A One-star Great Emperor’s self-detonation!
He let out a final, furious roar. “Damn you, Sikong Family! Supreme-tier factions, are you born with such privilege? If I, Chen San, have another life, I will slaughter your Sikong Family until rivers of blood flow!” His physical body exploded, and the little girl was instantly pulverized into dust.
Yet, the black-robed figures remained utterly calm, as if this was a common occurrence. They merely scoffed. “Anger? Curses? If anger and curses were effective, our Sikong Family would have ceased to exist long ago. The Eastern Wilds is filled with those who hate us, but what does it matter?”
The Black-robed Elder immediately conjured a terrifying spiritual artifact: the Myriad Souls Banner! It billowed with immense, dreadful power, sweeping towards Chen San’s Residual Soul.
The Black-robed Elder sneered dismissively. “You refused to cling to life, so now you’ll reside in the Myriad Souls Banner. Your daughter is dead, and your residual soul will endure eternal torment. Satisfied now?”
Chen San’s soul shrieked in agony. “Ahhhhhhh!” He couldn’t break free, his gaze hollow as he was sucked into the Myriad Souls Banner.
“Truly ungrateful!” the Black-robed Elder snapped.
Another black-robed figure remarked, “This batch of talents is too poor. They’ve been here so long, and barely any have gained insights!”
The Black-robed Elder’s gaze drifted towards the depths of the Eerie Abyss. “A hundred years ago, our clan annihilated the Yunlan Sect and threw several of their Old Ancestors into the abyss. There hasn’t been much activity from them these past few years.”
“If they gain any insights before death, it will trigger an abyss phenomenon,” another black-robed figure replied. “If not, they’ll simply be buried here…”
Before he could finish, a sudden anomaly erupted.
“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”
In the deepest part of the abyss, terrifying black whirlpools surged, swirling like a tempest. Massive amounts of Eerie Power converged from all directions, funneling into the abyss’s depths.
The Black-robed Elder immediately pulled out a transmission jade slip. “Someone among those Yunlan Sect Old Ancestors has comprehended a heaven-defying Spirit Art! Immediately notify our clan’s Old Ancestors to head to the abyss and capture the one who gained insight!”
Soon, this news reached the Sikong Family. Their Old Ancestors were astonished. They had imprisoned several One-rotation Quasi-Dao Supremes in the deepest parts of the Eerie Abyss. If any of them had gained insights, it would be immensely beneficial to the Sikong Family! Their cultivation techniques would be perfected once more!
In an instant, the entire Eerie Abyss was shaken!
Meanwhile, Xuanji Holy Lord sat cross-legged, a hint of solemnity on her exquisite face. The power of the Dao of Eerie Scripture circulated continuously. Vast amounts of Eerie Power surged into her body like a storm. She was on the verge of breaking through to One-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several Sikong Family One-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme Old Ancestors tore through space, flying towards the Eerie Abyss.
On the other side, Lu Xuan lay on his bed, the System’s voice echoing in his ears.
“Host’s fourth disciple’s cultivation is increasing! Initiating synchronization!”
Another torrent of profound cultivation essence poured into Lu Xuan’s body! He had directly broken through to Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme!
Lu Xuan stated calmly, “I’m invincible.”