Book 08 Chapter 082: Seeing Jiang Lianshan Again
The East Spiritual Fire Sea:
The Nether Fire Divine Commander was bound by its own chain. The Unborn Man led the way while Gu Hai rode the flaming warhorse as the three of them traversed the East Spiritual Fire Sea.
After a day and night of travel, the group arrived at a vast ocean filled with lava and flames.
“What place is this?” the Unborn Man asked seriously.
“This is the Eight Directions Sea. My lord resides on an island in the middle of the sea,” explained the Nether Fire Divine Commander.
“An island?” Gu Hai frowned slightly at this information.
He could not shake the feeling that everything was proceeding too smoothly and that the Nether Fire Divine Commander was not sincerely leading the way. However, with no evidence at hand and the heavenly soul suppressed, making the heavenly eye on his forehead unusable, they had no choice but to follow.
The Unborn Man summoned a large boat made of fire-attributed materials. They all embarked, and the boat coursed towards the center of the sea.
Amid the flames and fog, it was impossible to see what lay in the depths. Fire monsters attacked repeatedly but were defeated by the Unborn Man and Gu Hai.
The boat navigated the sea swiftly, avoiding island after island in a winding path as it headed towards the center.
“These islands are arranged strangely,” the Unborn Man noted.
Puzzled, Gu Hai asked, “Strangely?”
“Yes, it resembles an eight trigrams ritual array. It’s as if they form part of an eight trigrams ritual array. Could it be that the bewildering ritual array inside the East Spiritual Fire Sea is actually an eight trigrams ritual array?” the Unborn Man speculated, turning to the Nether Fire Divine Commander in shock.
The Nether Fire Divine Commander quickly shook his head, claiming ignorance. “I…I don’t know anything. I don’t understand such things.”
Gu Hai’s expression grew solemn.
An eight trigrams ritual array? Logically, f.u.xi created it. Is this eight trigrams ritual array that appeared less than eight hundred thousand years ago related to f.u.xi?
“A ma.s.sive eight trigrams ritual array with countless small eight trigrams ritual array within?” The Unborn Man a.n.a.lyzed the terrain as they traveled.
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A quiet valley within the East Spiritual Fire Sea:
Meanwhile, a black-robed figure watched Gu Hai and the Unborn Man through a projected image.
“Of course, it’s an eight trigrams ritual array. Do they really think capturing one of my servants will lead them to me? Hahaha!” the black-robed figure sneered.
“I—Lifespan Xiahou—am a fire-attributed lifespan cultivator in the first place. The Li Flame is not something you can comprehend. Since I have already refined that Nether Fire Divine Commander, I control every word he says and every action he takes. I know everything he sees; he does everything I want him to do!
“Hah! What a coincidence! You immediately found my servant upon your arrival? Trying to look for me? Forget about that. Well, this is good timing; they can go check out who is on the other side for me. To think that person can lay out such an eight trigrams ritual array?” Lifespan Xiahou said coldly as he watched the scene.
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Gu Hai’s instincts were right; the Nether Fire Divine Commander had not been focused on leading the way for them, instead leading them into danger.
The boat continued its journey with no further encounters with other Nether Fire Divine Commanders. The Unborn Man dealt with any minor monsters that appeared.
After two days, they stopped outside a ma.s.sive wall of light.
“Is this a barrier?” Gu Hai asked, frowning.
“Yes, my lord is inside,” the Nether Fire Divine Commander responded quickly.
“How do we get in?” The Unborn Man did not touch the barrier.
“We can’t. My lord opens it himself every time. Only then can we enter,” the Nether Fire Divine Commander said, shaking his head.
Turning to Gu Hai, the Unborn Man reported, “Your Holy Eminence, this official has been taking notes. The islands in this sea form a giant eight trigrams ritual array. If not for the Nether Fire Divine Commander leading us, we might have gotten lost. He seems to be telling the truth; this barrier is indeed a node of the giant eight trigrams ritual array, and an island should lie within.”
“Exactly, that’s right!” the Nether Fire Divine Commander immediately affirmed.
Gu Hai looked at the barrier before him and then turned to the Nether Fire Divine Commander.
“Alright, you may leave now,” Gu Hai said solemnly.
“Huh? Leave?” The Nether Fire Divine Commander stared blankly.
“Aren’t you afraid that Lifespan Xiahou will cause trouble for you? You can leave now. He won’t know you were the one who led us!” Gu Hai nodded.
“Oh? Yes, thank you, Senior!” the Nether Fire Divine Commander shouted and mounted his warhorse.
Gu Hai gave the Unborn Man a meaningful look, and the Unborn Man immediately understood. With a slap on the horse’s backside, he swiftly sent the Nether Fire Divine Commander off the boat.
“Giddap!”
The Nether Fire Divine Commander rode into the sea of fire and plunged deeper, disappearing from view.
“Your Holy Eminence, is there something wrong with the Nether Fire Divine Commander?” the Unborn Man asked curiously.
“We don’t know, but we have a feeling that something’s not right. Check where he’s going!” Gu Hai said, his voice sinking.
“What about this barrier?” the Unborn Man asked in confusion.
“We can’t do anything about the barrier for now. There’s no rus.h.!.+” Gu Hai shook his head.
The Unborn Man nodded and then took out a peculiar enchanted treasure. The enchanted treasure looked like a bowl made of withered wood with a red dot moving slowly inside.
“Your Holy Eminence, there’s definitely something wrong. Earlier, when you ordered it, I executed a minor lifespan technique on the Nether Fire Divine Commander to track his movements. However, he hasn’t gone far; he’s hiding on a nearby island. We should still be visible to him!” the Unborn Man explained.
Gu Hai narrowed his eyes. “As I suspected. Let’s go! Head over there and bring the Nether Fire Divine Commander back!”
“Understood!” The Unborn Man immediately steered the boat towards the nearby island.
In the distance, the Nether Fire Divine Commander was lurking on the island, watching cautiously.
However, Gu Hai and the Unborn Man disappeared after a while.
“Where did they go?” the Nether Fire Divine Commander exclaimed in surprise.
He suddenly turned his head and saw that Gu Hai and the Unborn Man had circled the island and were now coming up to him from behind.
“What?” The Nether Fire Divine Commander was astonished.
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In a secluded valley, Lifespan Xiahou was taken aback. “The Unborn Man? What an alert lifespan cultivator! How did he discover this?
“Oh no, it’s the Lifespan Insect Tracking Technique. You b.u.mbling fool, you’re more trouble than you’re worth. Humph!” Lifespan Xiahou snorted.
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The Nether Fire Divine Commander was in shock. “Please spare me, my lord! I didn’t mean to! Please spare me!”
Boom!
The Nether Fire Divine Commander, along with its warhorse, exploded with a thunderous blast.
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In the distance, Gu Hai and the Unborn Man had intentionally circled to the rear. Finally, when the Nether Fire Divine Commander was not paying attention, they closed in, about to recapture him.
To their surprise, the Nether Fire Divine Commander self-destructed with a resounding explosion, shattering large chunks of rock.
“What? He self-detonated? Destroying the evidence?” the Unborn Man exclaimed.
On the other hand, Gu Hai leaped forward and examined the remnants strewn about with a somber expression.
“I understand now. It’s the lifespan Dao’s Consciousness Plundering Spiritual Connection Technique. Lifespan Xiahou was controlling this Nether Fire Divine Commander all along. We almost fell into his trap!” The Unborn Man had an epiphany.
“Lifespan Xiahou controlled the Nether Fire Divine Commander?” Gu Hai said in a deep voice.
“Yes, Lifespan Xiahou’s strength surpa.s.ses my expectations, Your Holy Eminence! Since Lifespan Xiahou brought us here, he surely has ill intentions!” the Unborn Man said worriedly.
Gu Hai fell silent for a moment. “Let’s go back to the barrier.”
“However, Lifespan Xiahou intentionally lured us there. The barrier is undoubtedly a trap!” The Unborn Man was uneasy.
“What Lifespan Xiahou sees as a trap might not necessarily be a real trap. Perhaps it’s something he’s afraid of. If we find something inside the barrier that Lifespan Xiahou values, we won’t need to look for him; he’ll come to us on his own!” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Understood.” The Unborn Man nodded.
Of course, going to investigate the barrier showed Gu Hai’s confidence in his own abilities. Many would hesitate to venture inside.
The two retraced their steps and returned to the barrier.
Gu Hai gently touched the barrier.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
The temperature of the barrier was more than a hundred times higher than the ambient temperature, constantly stabbing Gu Hai’s skin.
Boom!
The Unborn Man extended his hand and punched.
The Unborn Man’s fist was slightly scorched, but the barrier remained undamaged.
“Your Holy Eminence, this barrier seems to be solidified Samādhi True Flame?” the Unborn Man marveled.
”Yes, it’s the Samādhi True Flame. That makes things easier!” Gu Hai smiled.
With a flip of his palm, a fiery-red gourd suddenly appeared.
It was the True Flame Calabash that Gu Hai’s fire deity carried.
“True Flame Calabash, collect this Samādhi True Flame!” Gu Hai ordered.
Boom!
The True Flame Calabash immediately exerted tremendous suction. Samādhi True Flame surged into the True Flame Calabash from the barrier.
By now, Gu Hai had thoroughly refined the True Flame Calabash, so he no longer needed to recite any incantations.
Like a whale sucking in water, the fiery-red gourd continuously devoured the barrier’s flame. The barrier rapidly thinned at a visible pace.
Rumble…!
As the flame barrier rapidly thinned, the entire sea erupted into towering waves of fire, and countless islands shuddered.
“Who dares to wreck my ritual array?” An icy voice suddenly emanated from inside the barrier.
“This voice? Why…why does it sound so familiar?” The Unborn Man was astonished.
However, Gu Hai’s complexion changed. “Jiang Lianshan?”
There’s no mistaking it. That is Jiang Lianshan’s voice!
Rumble…!
The sea of flames boiled over, with lava waves rus.h.i.+ng everywhere and islands shaking violently, as if a gigantic ritual array were rapidly operating.
Whoos.h.!.+
The barrier suddenly shattered, not because the True Flame Calabash had absorbed all the Samādhi True Flame but because someone inside the barrier had abruptly withdrawn it.
Gu Hai held the True Flame Calabash while standing on the boat. Together with the Unborn Man, he looked towards the island the barrier had concealed.
There was a mountain on the island. A man clad in red imperial robes stood at the peak of the mountain, looking coldly at Gu Hai.
“Jiang Lianshan? This…this…this can’t be!” the Unborn Man stammered in alarm.
Gu Hai stared. The person in front looked like Jiang Lianshan, with Jingwei and Yinggou flanking him.
“Oh! I was wondering who it was. Hahaha! So, it was you, Gu Hai!” Jingwei suddenly guffawed.
However, Gu Hai kept his gaze fixed on Jiang Lianshan.
Jiang Lianshan? Didn’t he die eight hundred thousand years in the past? The Six Paths Veritable Lord should have killed him then. Who is this?