Chapter 283: True Motive
The Bhakara Buddha Ancestor Statue held a scepter, with a giant elephant as its mount, and above its head were trails of starlight.
The ancestor statue was massive and awe-inspiring, having existed for tens of thousands of years.
At this moment, Li Weiyi could finally confirm that he had entered another space or region. After all, the ancestor statue was hundreds of meters tall, while the ground crack entrance was only a hundred meters underground.
Inside the main hall was the “Myriad Spirits’ Pilgrimage Sculpture Group.”
Over a hundred passages lay behind the sculptures.
Some wound upwards along stone steps. Some ran straight ahead. Some led underground.
The Underground Immortal Mansion was not flat.
The Eighth Path that Tang Wanzhou had been exploring was the path leading to the upper levels. It was two zhang wide, and on both sides of the passage were smooth metal and stone structures, with murals, hanging lamps, and bones visible from time to time… a great battle had broken out here in ancient times.
After walking a hundred li along this path, the passage had collapsed over a large area, forming cliffs.
Below the cliffs, crimson lava flowed slowly, with heat radiating outwards. It was hard to imagine if the lower world would be affected.
Everyone’s cultivation was high, and they enveloped their mounts with magic energy, leaping across quickly.
The deeper they went, the more complex the passages became.
There were numerous branches, like a labyrinth.
Li Weiyi kept memorizing and marking.
Far behind the Thirty-Eight Riders, many martial cultivators followed. They had skill and courage, wanting to take advantage of the situation.
After venturing two hundred li deep, the terrain and landforms of the Underground Immortal Mansion became more diverse. It was no longer just narrow, cramped passages; caves, plains, stone mountains, and rivers appeared…
After traveling for a day and a night, Li Weiyi’s injuries had recovered by sixty to seventy percent.
At the same time, the Star Day Pill he had swallowed upon entering the underground passage was completely absorbed.
His Mind Power Stars had expanded by nearly half, and he was full of energy. Not only was he not nervous or suppressed by being in danger, but he was instead exhilarated.
At this moment, they had penetrated more than three hundred li into the Underground Immortal Mansion.
Ahead lay a plain spanning dozens of li. The soil was hard, and thorny, luminous plants grew in abundance on the ground, dimly illuminating the darkness. The entire space was hazy with mist.
Li Weiyi looked up towards the sky.
He could not see the ceiling, only endless darkness.
Everyone on their mounts became vigilant, no longer relaxed.
Some of the martial cultivators had already summoned their Magic Tool Weapons and activated the scriptures on their armor.
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo said in a low voice, “This is the furthest place I’ve ever been. It’s said to be a training ground from the Ancient Bhakara Sect’s peak prosperity period. Explorers now call it the Nether Spirit Plain and it’s marked on expensive maps.”
“Whoosh!”
From the dim thorn bushes came dense sounds of movement.
Then, a cloud of miasma smoke rose and rushed towards the Thirty-Eight Riders of Snow Sword Tang Court.
The mounts sensed danger and let out restless, low roars.
Li Weiyi used his Heavenly Nerve of Mind Power to sense that within the miasma smoke were densely packed flying insects, too numerous to count.
They resembled mosquitoes, were as large as fists, and made buzzing sounds.
“Alert, it’s a Bone-corroding Miasma Mosquito swarm!” an old man at the Dao Seed Realm in the group shouted.
“Boom!”
A palm seal of magic energy was struck out from a distance, causing the air to vibrate and briefly disperse the insect swarm. But soon, the swarm reassembled and pressed down like a shroud.
Li Weiyi had reviewed some Fierce Insect Swarm information and had some understanding of the Bone-corroding Miasma Mosquitoes, considering them extremely terrifying General Level Fierce Insects that could drain the blood of all living things in a city within a short period.
Encountering them, even Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivators would be in dire straits, leaving no bones behind.
The Bone-corroding Miasma Mosquitoes before them were much larger than described in the booklets, and many showed signs of mutation.
The middle-aged woman of the Wanyan Clan made the first move, releasing two Commander Level Strange Insects, the “Seven-colored Flying Firefly.”
The two firefly strange insects, enveloped in seven-colored flames, charged into the miasma smoke. Immediately, the Bone-corroding Miasma Mosquitoes in the smoke were continuously burned into fireballs and fell to the ground.
A moment later, the Bone-corroding Miasma Mosquito swarm fled and disappeared into the darkness.
The two firefly strange insects flew back and were collected into an insect bag by the woman of the Wanyan Clan.
“Such powerful Seven-colored Flying Fireflies. Commander Level Strange Insects completely have a bloodline advantage against these fierce insect swarms.”
“Madam Wanyan’s two Seven-colored Flying Fireflies have combat power comparable to two Dao Lotus Martial Cultivators.”
“It’s fortunate we have an Insect Tamer with us, otherwise, these Bone-corroding Miasma Mosquito swarms alone would have given us a headache for a while.”
…
Li Weiyi had been observing the two Seven-colored Flying Fireflies. They were indeed powerful, having grown to the peak state of Commander Level Strange Insects, easily capable of repelling a swarm of General Level Fierce Insects.
This Nether Spirit Plain was quite dangerous. Afterward, they encountered two Soldier Level Fierce Insect swarms and one General Level Fierce Insect swarm, all of which were repelled by the insect taming of Madam Wanyan and the old man Shan Ze.
Li Weiyi did not get an opportunity to release his seven Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors.
After crossing the plain, the number of martial cultivators still following behind the Thirty-Eight Riders was very small.
Before his eyes, a steep stone wall appeared, dozens of zhang high.
On the stone wall, some ancient diagrams and text were depicted, the lines and characters emitting white fluorescence.
Li Weiyi and Tuo Ba Bu Tuo closely followed Tang Wanzhou, ascending this stone wall. Above was surprisingly another stone wall, layer upon layer, as if artificially constructed.
Tang Wanzhou finally stopped, sitting on the back of the three-tailed snow fox, her expression extremely serious. She looked at the riders behind her, “The martial cultivators who can pass through the Nether Spirit Plain and arrive here are few and far between.”
“This is where the Ancient Bhakara Sect’s Starfire Altar is located, and it’s four hundred li from the main hall of the Underground Immortal Mansion’s entrance.”
“I said that if we went deep into the Underground Immortal Mansion, I would tell you the true purpose of this journey. Now is the time!”
In the rear of the troop, a deformed humanoid race martial cultivator with an ape’s head and an extremely strong aura asked, “Young Lord, you are so cautious. Are you worried that if it’s announced in advance, the information will be leaked?”
Tang Wanzhou scanned everyone present, his gaze deep and sharp, his tone cold: “These thirty-eight riders are all top masters, everyone’s strength is beyond doubt. But what we must do on this journey is of great importance, it is neither a thousand-year elixir nor a Daoist arts codex, this Lord must be cautious, and I hope everyone understands.”
Shan Ze old man asked, “Is the great matter Young Lord mentioned related to this Starfire Altar?”
“Indeed, everyone follow me!”
This ancient Starfire Altar is tens of zhang tall on each level, with smooth cliff faces that only Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivators can climb with relative ease.
Most mounts were left below the altar.
Tang Wanzhou ascended to the fourth layer of the altar, dismounted his Three-tailed Snow Fox mount, and walked forward. After searching for a moment, he struck out with a palm, aiming at a broken area of diagrams and text on the stone wall.
“Boom!”
A stone gate about ten feet high then opened.
She carried a stone lamp emitting a green glow and walked at the forefront. Footsteps echoed in the passage.
“Li Weiyi, this Lord found that Ling Tai Yan Xing Stone Fragment inside this altar by chance.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Young Lord.”
Li Weiyi secretly observed the various diagrams and text on the stone wall, releasing his mind power and Heavenly Nerve to investigate every area he passed.
If he could find another Ling Tai Yan Xing Stone Fragment and combine it with the Star Day Pill, he would be confident in breaking through to Two-Star Spirit Mind Master within a short period.
Arrived at the core area inside the altar.
The martial cultivators exclaimed in unison, gathering around Tang Wanzhou and looking at a stone wall dozens of feet high. On the stone wall were carved many diagrams, telling an ancient story.
“That is… Is that the Bhakara Buddha Ancestor?”
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo pointed to a figure on the mural, which bore a striking resemblance to the Bhakara Buddha Ancestor Statue in the main hall of the entrance.
In the mural.
The Bhakara Buddha held the scepter, hands raised high. Countless stars fell from above, drawing light streaks like a meteor shower, smashing onto the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.
Tang Wanzhou stopped below the mural and said solemnly, “A month ago, I accidentally broke into this place and saw the exquisite murals here, but I couldn’t understand what some of the content represented. So, I went to the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse and consulted all the ancient books about the Pojia Luo Cult, and finally understood the murals completely.”
“The first mural depicts an ancient cataclysm where the Bhakara Buddha witnessed a rain of stars fall.”
“That starfall calamity caused the death of countless living beings on the ground, mountains collapsed, rivers changed course, dust covered the sky, and sunlight was not seen for several years.”
“The second mural depicts the Bhakara Buddha saving lives and healing the wounded during a catastrophe, founding the Pojia Luo Cult, and collecting stars that fell from beyond the heavens to analyze their mysterious energy.”
Li Weiyi’s gaze fell upon the second mural.
As he watched, the Bhakara Buddha sat high on the lotus platform, with countless followers below.
Dozens of stars, emitting brilliant radiance, were like dozens of large mountains standing behind him.
Li Weiyi secretly pondered if the Spirit Platform Blazing Star Stone was among them.
Tang Wanzhou walked to the bottom of the third mural: “This one talks about how the Bhakara Buddha forged dozens of stars into a Bright Star Scroll 《, also known as the Bhakara Sutra 》. One star, one page of Bright Scriptures, for a total of forty-two pages.”
“The Bhakara Buddha poured his lifelong efforts into writing characters imbued with supreme magic power in the book. Afterwards, that elder attained enlightenment and became a Buddha, leaving this land.”
“With the Bright Star Scroll, the power of Light will eternally illuminate the Pojia Luo Cult, and the Ancestral Court will be impervious to all evil.”
Tang Wanzhou walked to the fourth mural, “This depicts many years after the Bhakara Buddha left. A radical sect leader was born in the cult, conquering the Nether Realm of the Dead with the Bright Star Scroll 《》, continuously expanding the living realm’s territory.”
“What? There’s a treasure in the world that can dispel the dark and strange power of the Nether Realm of the Dead?” Wanyan Shenxing, whose combat power ranked among the top three in the team, said in disbelief.
The Nether Realm of the Dead, like a life forbidden zone, surrounded the entire Lingxiao Life Realm, boundless.
Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivators already stand at the pinnacle of the mortal world, allowing them to initially touch the truth and the essence of survival in this world.
The more this was the case, the more oppressive it felt.
A cataclysm a thousand years ago, more than ninety percent of the territory of Ling Xiao’s three hundred prefectures was devoured, and those who survived lived in fear day and night.
“The death power of the Nether Realm can shroud all sunlight, turning all living beings into departed spirits, causing evil creatures to multiply, undead to revive, cursed monsters to rampage, and all species to wither,” an old man, a Spirit Mind Master, chanted.
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo was extremely excited, his ambition soaring: “If the 《 Bright Star Scroll 》 truly exists, we will have the chance to conquer the over two hundred prefectures swallowed by the Nether Realm of the Dead. Every prefecture we conquer means thousands of miles of territory, endless resources, and boundless fertile land. Then, we can migrate people, turning desolate villages into bustling market towns, and the death-infested underworld into thriving forests.”
“At that time, there were as many minerals, lands, and pastures as one could wish for. Why would we need to conquer south and fight with the major human races for the land of the Twenty-eight Prefectures?”
“We’ll fight north, break into the Nether Realm of the Dead, retake the Living Realm, and be recorded in history for eternal glory.”
The martial cultivators present were all filled with righteous indignation, their eyes burning with fervor.
Li Weiyi was very calm and looked at Tang Wanzhou.
She was extremely calm, her eyes devoid of ripples, and walked towards the fifth mural: “Unfortunately, this Bright Star Scroll, in a turmoil within the Ancient Bhakara Sect, shattered into pieces and turned into pages of Bright Sutras.”
On the mural, it was precisely the scene of the 《Bright Star Scroll》 scattering, with every page of scriptures flying out like little suns.
Everyone sighed.
Li Weiyi looked at the corner of the mural, pondered for a moment, and said, “Look here! There is a tiny human figure here, holding a page of Bright Scriptures, entering the depths of the Nether Realm of the Dead, and instantly illuminating a large area. Does this mean that as long as we find a page of scriptures, we can reclaim a patch of the Living Realm?”
