Chapter 14505 Searching for the Black Box
Chapter 14505 Searching for the Black Box
Jin Yan grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, and patted his chest, saying, "What's the rush? There's still time! Go find the treasure, I'll guard Lin Yuan City for you! Although I can't beat those top old monsters, with me here, I guarantee it'll be just as good as if you were in charge yourself. Get lost!"
"Thank you." Ling Xiao's eyes warmed as he sincerely expressed his gratitude.
"Thanks my ass!" Jin Yan slapped Ling Xiao hard on the shoulder, the force so strong that Ling Xiao staggered half a step. "We're brothers who've risked our lives for each other, so enough talk and get back as soon as possible!"
"I will."
The two spoke privately for another half hour, during which Ling Xiao explained the city's defenses and the deployment of his trusted men before quietly leaving the main hall. He suppressed his aura to the extreme, transforming into an almost transparent shadow, and slid out of Lin Yuan City along the city wall. At this critical juncture when a storm was brewing, acting discreetly was the best policy.
He was, after all, not a lone traveler without any ties. Every brick and tile of Lin Yuan City, the old brothers who fought alongside him to escape the siege of the Ba Tian Empire, and the hungry women and children in the city—these were all things he couldn't shake off. With a world to protect behind him, even surrounded by powerful enemies, there was no reason for him to retreat.
Fortunately, with Jin Yan in charge, as long as it's not a full-scale attack by the Holy Temple's peak experts, Lin Yuan City should be safe.
Ling Xiao's figure merged into the void, transforming into a stream of light that sped towards the depths of the vast starry sea.
The target was that black box!
He had no precise location, only a faint sense left by the man in black robes. The road ahead was uncertain, and whether he would find the treasure was still unknown, but he had no other choice!
The Moon Maiden has gone missing, and Lan Jingjing's clone has vanished. Now, this black box is his last hope against the Holy Temple. He can only hope that what the man in black robes said is true.
What secrets does that treasure hold? Ling Xiao felt both apprehensive and an irrepressible sense of anticipation.
About an hour later, an unfamiliar star field came into view. Hundreds of thousands of miles away, a black vortex that blotted out the sky hung in the sea of stars. The center of the vortex was as black as ink, and dark purple gales surged around its edges. Even starlight that approached was instantly swallowed up, and it exuded a terrifying devouring power.
Ling Xiao frowned deeply. The gravitational field of this vortex was terrifying to the extreme. Even with his Star River Realm physique, he could feel a tremor in his very bones and dared not approach rashly. Yet, the location indicated by the black-robed man's mark was clearly near this vortex, perhaps even right at its core!
Could the black box be hidden in some godforsaken place?
Ling Xiao felt a splitting headache. The tearing force of the vortex was enough to rip through the void, and he had no idea whether his physical body could withstand it.
After a moment's hesitation, a resolute glint flashed in Ling Xiao's eyes. His figure blurred, transforming into a cloud of black mist, and he surged forward tens of thousands of feet once more!
The closer they got, the more violent the tearing force became. Their protective aura was torn apart, their bones creaked under the strain, and fine blood vessels appeared on their skin.
Ling Xiao had no choice but to stop abruptly, his face ashen. Taking another half step forward would likely mean certain death!
Just as he was weighing the pros and cons, a sudden surge of emotion from the depths of his soul exploded within him!
Ling Xiao's expression changed drastically. He suddenly looked up at the core of the vortex, but his pupils shrank as he turned around!
Ten feet away, beneath a withered tree, a dark figure stood like a ghost!
The man was shrouded in a blood-red cloak, with three bone nails gleaming with an eerie green light floating in his palm, spinning around. His aura blended perfectly with the withered tree behind him, as if he were an integral part of the world itself!
"People from the Temple of Annihilation?" Ling Xiao asked in a deep voice, his grip on the hilt of his sword tightening suddenly.
A low, guttural laugh, like sandpaper scraping, came from beneath the cloak. Before the words were even finished, the three bone nails suddenly tripled in size, gleaming with a putrid green light, and shot towards Ling Xiao's face, heart, and dantian—three vital points—like venomous snakes!
Ling Xiao touched the ground with his toes and retreated swiftly like a startled swan. The Bloodthirsty Blade was drawn from its sheath in response, and a pale golden flame ignited on the blade, swirling out a full moon-shaped blade aura!
Keng! Keng! Keng!
Three sparks exploded in the night, the ear-piercing clang of metal sending the surrounding air trembling. The shattered bone nails whistled through the air, embedding themselves deeply into the distant rock face, instantly corroding black holes!
Blood splattered from the tiger's mouth where Ling Xiao gripped the blade, and spiderweb-like cracks covered the Bloodthirsty Blade, which trembled incessantly, emitting a mournful cry. "Such a vicious, bone-corroding force..."
Before he could catch his breath, the cloaked figure was already close to him like a ghost, the withered and thin hand carrying a chilling aura, aimed straight for his throat!
"You're courting death!" Ling Xiao roared, twisting his waist violently, the back of his blade striking the opponent's wrist bone with immense force.
With a muffled thud, the two men each took three steps back, and the bluestone beneath their feet shattered into dust, filling the air with smoke and dust!
Just then, a clear and melodious bell sound drifted from afar, like a secluded orchid in a valley, dispelling some of the stench of blood.
Dressed in purple like a firefly in the dark night, the woman held a gold-painted oil-paper umbrella and walked slowly in the silvery light. The pearl necklaces hanging from the edge of the umbrella swayed gently and tinkled, reflecting her beautiful face. She looked like a young girl of sixteen or seventeen, but the corners of her eyes held the composure and depth sculpted by time.
"Distinguished guests have arrived, why are we at war?" She smiled gently at Ling Xiao, the bells on the edge of her umbrella tinkling without wind, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable force.
Ling Xiao held his sword horizontally in front of him, his gaze wary: "Who are you?"
"Anyone who can name the origins of the Blood Prison Nails is no ordinary passerby." The woman's paper umbrella spun slightly, the rose pattern on its surface shimmering in the moonlight. "The Overlord Emperor of the Overlord Empire, Lord Lingxiao, am I right?"
Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow, a roguish smile playing on his lips: "I didn't expect my reputation to be so great that even such a beautiful woman recognizes me?"
"Not long ago, you stormed into the Fallen Dragon Valley and single-handedly fought against thirteen peak Star River Realm experts from the Demon Heaven Sect, the Divine Light Clan, and the Gu Clan, ultimately escaping unscathed. How could I forget such a feat?" A faint scent of roses wafted from under the umbrella, but the woman's smile remained unchanged. "I just wonder, why did the Overlord Emperor intrude upon my Su Clan's ancestral land?"
Ling Xiao's gaze swept over the deep cave shrouded in black mist in the distance, and he said directly, "I request one thing."
"Oh?" The woman gently stroked the umbrella ribs with her slender fingers, her tone tinged with curiosity. "What kind of status does the Overlord Emperor have that would deign to come to my desolate land? I wonder what mundane item you have taken a fancy to? If it is an ordinary object, I can take the liberty of giving it to you."
Ling Xiao pointed his fingers together and concentrated his energy, a wisp of true essence outlining the phantom of a rectangular black box in the air.
The woman's smile vanished instantly, and her eyes darkened: "You intend to touch my clan's sacred artifact?"
"So it's a sacred object of the nobility. I was unaware of it..." Ling Xiao stared at the illusory figure, his tone becoming more sincere. "If you can lend it to me for three days, I will surely repay you handsomely in the future. Consider it a favor I owe the Su family. If you are willing to exchange it for something else, I will certainly not refuse."
The paper umbrella suddenly stopped spinning, and the bell stopped ringing abruptly.
