Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1294 - 701: Heaven-Devouring Giant Tongue

"For what reason would my true self obstruct you?"

Emperor Jiang looked at Feng Xianxian, whose posture remained defensive, with a gaze that was difficult to interpret.

Finding herself without a retort, Feng Xianxian chose to shift the topic abruptly: "That group is on the verge of breaching the Grotto Heaven's seal. When do you intend to intervene?"

Emperor Jiang redirected his attention toward the Magic Platform, speaking with leisure, "There is no haste. Let them venture within for a time. This is the Immortal Mausoleum Palace, after all; its internal perils should not be dismissed lightly."

Following his line of sight, Feng Xianxian observed a celestial display as countless starlights flowed like a river into the "Light Point" suspended in the sky. The entrance to the Grotto Heaven expanded at a rapid pace, manifesting as a three-foot "Light Cave" radiating brilliant starlight. Beyond it, a glimpse of a vast, desolate, and rugged land began to emerge.

"Our deal will be finalized the moment I escort you into the Ling Palace Coffin Hall. I expect you to uphold your end of the bargain then and recover that Treasure for me."

Once he finished speaking, Emperor Jiang struck his palms together softly and gave a thin smile: "My true self is a man of his word. However, I expect Daoist Feng to enter with your true body, rather than sending a mere avatar."

While saying this, Emperor Jiang cast a meaningful look toward the peculiar golden ape crouching nearby.

Feng Xianxian’s expression shifted violently at his demand, and she hissed, "Emperor Jiang, you are pushing things too far."

"Is that so? I believe otherwise."

As the words left his mouth, a colossal and magnificent silhouette was suddenly mirrored within the depths of Emperor Jiang’s pupils. An indescribable, cryptic ripple surged from his invisible stare, instantly piercing Feng Xianxian’s eyes to strike her consciousness and Divine Soul directly.

Feng Xianxian’s face contorted, and in the blink of an eye, her entire form was transformed into a gray-white statue.

With her body now petrified, the intrusive, secretive ripple was immediately blocked, unable to maintain its connection with Feng Xianxian’s Divine Soul.

Observing this, a flash of astonishment crossed Emperor Jiang’s eyes, and the towering figure within his pupils gradually faded away.

At that moment, two distinctly different voices began to speak from Emperor Jiang’s mouth in alternation: "Turning life into stone—a fascinating concept... The entity resting inside... could it truly be the Stone Ancestor from my memories? Emperor Jiang, my curiosity is piqued! Go, and satisfy it!"

"Emperor Jiang obeys the Lord’s command!"

...

The Ice Sealed Demon Abyss was an expansive and profound chasm, cloaked in a frozen mist that smothered much of the Void.

A streak of light erupted from the dark depths, piercing through the fog repeatedly as it ascended toward the Cloud Sky.

Zhao Sheng’s eyes were sharp as lightning, his Will Field constantly scanning the area for dozens of miles to circumvent the bizarre creatures that lurked within the mist.

He remained unaware that following his departure, Feng Xianxian had entered into an accord with Emperor Jiang, the two having formed a clandestine pact.

Even though Zhao Sheng lacked this knowledge, a sharp premonition from the depths of his Divine Soul urged him to flee the area without delay.

Because of this, he had asked no questions and retreated from the ruins immediately upon Feng Xianxian’s advice.

Had Zhao Sheng suspected that Emperor Jiang and Feng Xianxian were already in "cooperation"? Perhaps he had a vague inkling, or perhaps he did not.

Regardless, it was irrelevant now; he had successfully removed himself from that volatile location, and the immediate threat had passed.

A day later, massive and eternal layers of ice in the upper sky "drifted" alongside a chaotic, colossal darkness—a black storm that stretched across the firmament, consuming everything in the Void.

Beneath this, the infinite ice layer cracked open to reveal a canyon of immeasurable depth. From the bottom of the Abyss, trails of pale mist rose, with myriad fog vortices whipping up freezing gales that sealed off the towering cliffs on either side.

Standing upon a high, jutting pillar of ice at the cliff's edge, Zhao Sheng looked down toward the Abyss with a calm expression.

He had waited at this spot for nearly an hour. The familiar resonance from the Treasure was intensifying, signaling that someone was about to arrive.

"They are here!"

Moments later, Zhao Sheng’s eyes brightened as he turned his gaze toward a swirling fog vortex below.

Just as he spoke, a jet of water sliced through the mist, traveling thousands of feet across the Void to hover in the air before him.

The water coalesced, spinning rapidly before revealing a lithe figure clad in Water Blue Armor. With golden eyes and bright white teeth, it was the "dislimbed survivor" of Wuzhi Qi.

The survivor's missing limbs were now fully restored, and the previously bloated frame had become lean and well-proportioned; without the presence of the Treasure, they would have been nearly unrecognizable.

"Kui Niu!"

"Wuzhi Qi!"

The pair spoke each other's names almost at once, followed by a synchronized burst of laughter, "Haha..."

Once the laughter subsided, Zhao Sheng composed himself and inquired, "Senior Brother, do you have any news regarding the location of the others?"

Wuzhi Qi’s mirth vanished instantly, replaced by a frigid tone: "The Soaring Snake has perished. Emperor Jiang and Huo Dou have both disappeared. We are the only two remaining."

"In that case... should we wait here a while longer? Perhaps..."

Before Zhao Sheng could finish, Wuzhi Qi cut him off: "There is no need! Emperor Jiang is certainly not dead. As for Huo Dou, his fate is Emperor Jiang’s concern, not ours!"

Zhao Sheng caught the underlying meaning in those words and chose not to press the matter further.

Wuzhi Qi gestured toward the heavens, his voice cold: "The Ice Period is drawing near! We cannot remain at the Ice Sealed Demon Abyss. If we are caught here when the Ice Period arrives, we will be destroyed. Time is short; we must return to Gui Xu Square at once."