Mu Xi was stunned. A mere unfinished sword possessed such unbelievable power?

If it were forged into a true spiritual weapon, how terrifyingly powerful would it be? 

“An old devil like Hua Liuye actually produced such a treasure? That’s truly surprising,” muttered Mu Xi.

Su Yi shook his head. “With those paltry skills of his, how could he produce such a divine weapon? If I’m not mistaken, the owner of this unfinished sword was the very same expert that placed the formation’s one hundred and eight altars.”

This time, all of them were stunned. But when they thought about it, this deduction was logical. 

Because just now, all of them could tell that it was only by relying on the sword embryo that Hua Liuye managed to borrow the formation’s power. 

Ning Sihua couldn’t help but ask, “Then Fellow Daoist, can you tell who it was who placed this formation?”

Su Yi thought it over, then said, “All I can go by is the strength of their Dao of Talismans and Formations. This formation is sufficient to repress and kill a Spirit Dao cultivator, suggesting that whoever placed it has Spirit Dao cultivation at the very least.” 

Spirit Dao!！

Ning Sihua and Mu Xi’s pupils subtly constricted, while Shen Jiusong gasped. It was only earlier, on their way here, that he first heard Su Yi and Ning Sihua mention the Spirit Dao.

Naturally, he was now well aware of just how terrifying those they called “Spirit Dao cultivators” were!

Pu Yi, Jiang Tanyun, and Lu Zhangfeng were all quite confused.

However, when they saw the surprise written on Ning Sihua and Mu Xi’s faces, they realized that whoever had placed this formation was likely an existence so mighty, they transcended the limits of their imagination.

Yet a mere youth like Su Yi had seen through it, clear as day. This only made Pu Yi and the others respect him all the more. 

Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to explain any further. His gaze swept around the area, and he got to work, flitting between the various altars. 

When he returned, he carried nine blood-colored pennants. 

These were formation flags. Each was about the size of a palm, and their poles were thin as bamboo chopsticks. The flags were engraved with sinister and imposing, contorted inscriptions and cloud markings. 

The Nine Palaces Yin-Locking Formation that Daoist Corpse Controller used earlier was placed and formed through these nine blood-colored flags. 

This smaller formation was placed on the foundation of the one hundred and eight altars. As a result, when it circulated, it was essentially “stealing” the power of the larger formation

Take the nine massive blood-colored lotuses hovering overhead. Those were manifestations of the smaller formation’s power. 

In Su Yi’s eyes, the so-called “Nine Palaces Yin-Locking Formation” was only the most ordinary of formations of the Dao of Talismans and Formations. 

However, in this mundane world, producing a large-scale formation like this was already rare and impressive. 

Su Yi thought to himself, With a few little adjustments, I can use these nine flags to place a Nine Palaces Divine River Formation. Then, all I’ll need is to prepare a base capable of supporting the formation’s operations. It’ll cover a ten-thousand-foot radius and be strong enough to entrap and kill even Xiantian Martial Ancestors…. 

The materials used to make this set of flags were actually quite extraordinary; in the world of the mundane, all were extremely rare tier-four spiritual materials. 

Unless he was mistaken, even in the Deathbringer’s Gate, a set of flags like this was a priceless treasure.

Yet now, they’d naturally fallen into Su Yi’s hands. 

Of course, in Su Yi’s eyes, his greatest harvest was undoubtedly the wooden sword embryo.

The unfinished sword was about three feet, four inches long and three fingers wide. It had a simple edge, and the body of the sword was dark as ink. It was made entirely out of “Abstruse God Wood.”

According to legend, Abstruse God Wood was formed in the underworld on the road to the Nine Yellow Springs. It was an unparalleled divine material.

Once every thousand years, Abstruse God Wood suffered a “Nether Lightning Tribulation”. The wood that survived would form a natural Dao pattern.

Once every ten thousand years, Abstruse God Wood underwent trial by “Abstruse Netherworld Fire Tribulation.” If it survived, it gave rise to a Xiantian Wood Spirit!

Only after surviving both tribulations did Abstruse God Wood become a true, unparalleled divine material. It was so precious that not even Imperial Realm Experts could resist temptation.

Alas, the wood used to forge this sword embryo clearly had yet to reach ten thousand years of age. It couldn’t possibly have overcome the Abstruse Netherworld Fire Tribulation.” That meant it was far removed from the true peerless divine material, ten-thousand-year Abstruse God Wood. 

It was, at most, a rare and precious divine material. 

But Su Yi was already quite pleased with it. A sword embryo like this was far better than spiritual materials, regardless of tier. 

In this mundane realm, it was undoubtedly the type of precious treasure you couldn’t search for; you could only bump into by chance. 

Su Yi was already planning to forge himself a new sword, and he’d already gathered numerous materials. 

The sword embryo before him gave him a burst of inspiration and a new direction!

Mu Xi hesitated briefly, then asked, “Young Lord Su, since you can control the one hundred and eight altars, can you tell just what is hidden deep within that chasm?”

The others all looked over.

They’d all come to Bloodthistle Yao Mountain in search of fortune. Now, they could tell that the source of the mountain’s strangeness was in the depths of that unknown, massive chasm!

“There’s a mysterious power sealed down there,” said Su Yi, putting away the sword embryo and formation flags. “Is it fortune or disaster? It’s still too soon to say.”

“A sealed power?” Mu Xi was stunned.

Ning Sihua explained, “Earlier, on our way here, Fellow Daoist Su deduced that the hundred and eight altars were here to seal whatever mysterious power lies within that chasm. Do you remember the earthquake-like disturbance we encountered earlier?”

Everyone’s hearts shook, and their expressions shifted. They were starting to understand. 

Earlier, all of Bloodthistle Yao Mountain seemed to sway. That was highly likely caused by the power sealed deep within the rift!

“So does that mean that Hua Liuye and the others from the Deathbringer’s Gate were trying to undo the seal and release that mysterious sealed power?” asked Shen Jiusong.

The others couldn’t help but gasp.

If that mysterious power were a stroke of fortune, that would naturally be just wonderful.

But what if it was a calamity? Then, the moment someone broke through the seal, it would lead to disaster, wouldn’t it?

“Is it fortune, or is it a disaster? We’ll know if we go take a look,” said Mu Xi, his eyes flashing.

“It’s too dangerous for you all down there. Unless you’re absolutely confident, I’d encourage you to remain here.” Su Yi placed his hands behind his back, walked over to the long, narrow chasm, and peered into its depths. 

Mu Xi instantly nodded. His gaze swept across Pu Yi and the others, and he said, “How about this? You wait here. Young Lord Su and I will go down and take a look.”

Pu Yi and the others naturally had no objections.

“I’ll go too,” said Ning Sihua.

Su Yi didn’t object. “Let me say this first: it’s highly likely that unknown perils lurk in the chasm’s depths. If you follow me, you must do as I say.”

Ning Sihua straightforwardly agreed. 

Mu Xi smiled and said calmly, “Young Lord Su, please rest assured. I naturally won’t be a burden.”

His tone was rife with confidence. Su Yi said no more. He just snapped his fingers. 

Kssh!

A sharp streak of power shot from his fingers, striking an altar a few hundred feet away..

A massive boom instantly rang out. One mysterious wave after another rose from the one hundred and eight altars, forming a terrifying suppressive power that surged into the chasm.

Even with their naked eyes, they could tell what was happening; the waves of power were gradually suppressing the baleful energy erupting out of the rift!

“Let’s go.” Su Yi took the lead and hopped right into the chasm. Ning Sihua and Mu Xi followed hot on his heels.

Before long, all three of them disappeared into the darkness. 

“Everyone, let’s wait here for now.” Shen Jiusong’s gaze swept across the group. He then walked up to one of the altars and sat down cross-legged in front of it. 

The grand elder of Kongtong Academy, Jiang Tanyun, hesitated, then walked up to him and bowed in greeting. “Cloudlight Marquis, might we take this opportunity to ask you about Young Lord Su?”

Shen Jiusong inwardly found it rather funny. On our way here, you put on the airs of an elder to rebuke him, yet now, you’re lowering your head of your own volition? 

“Now that you mention it, I’m extremely curious about Young Lord Su too. If you were willing to clear up our doubts, that would be just wonderful,” said Pu Yi, nodding respectfully. 

“Please instruct us, Cloudlight Marquis!” Zhang Lufeng soon followed suit.

When he saw that the entire group of proud old codgers was looking at him expectantly, hoping for instruction, Shen Jiusong felt satisfaction deep within his heart. 

He coughed dryly to clear his throat, then said, “Everyone, I, Shen Jiusong, am not unreasonable. There are some things I should say, and some things I shouldn’t. I’ll tell you what I can, and leave the rest unsaid. All I ask is that you don’t make this difficult for me.” 

Jiang Tanyun and the others hurriedly nodded. “Of course, of course. That’s only natural.”

Afterward, Shen Jiusong went on to tell them a bit about Su Yi’s accomplishments.

It was just as he’d promised earlier. He told them what he could, but said nothing he shouldn’t, not even a word. 

Even so, throughout his tale, Jiang Tanyun and the others gasped repeatedly, and from time to time, they couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. 

Especially when they learned that Su Yi had casually slain even the Dragonlake Hermit, Qin Wenshan, the Grandmaster ranked twenty-seventh on the leaderboards. Their hearts shook, and inwardly, they couldn’t help but cry out. 

If they’d known about this earlier, how could they possibly have dared look down on Su Yi?

But what confused them was that, although Su Yi was indeed a disciple of the Jade Capital’s Su Family, his relationship with the Su Family was tense, like fire and water!

The most unbelievable part was that Su Yi’s mysterious and inscrutable abilities seemed like they had nothing to do with the Su Family….

Alas, in regards to that, Shen Jiusong said nothing. He kept his lips tightly sealed. 

Their curiosity had been piqued and they wanted to know more, but there was nothing for it. They could only grimace and shake their heads. 

Meanwhile, deep within the thirty-thousand-foot chasm. 

Bang!

Su Yi exerted strength through his toes, bouncing off the walls several times in rapid succession before landing gently on the firm ground below. 

The first thing he saw was a stretch of striking, bright red light. Afterward, his field of vision cleared up, and Su Yi saw the scenery clearly. 

The depths of the rift opened to an underground world!

Everywhere he looked, he saw strangely-shaped boulders, a forest of rock, and lingering bloody mists. It was hard to tell at a glance just how big this underground world was. 

Splash splash splash!

The sound of a surging current emanated from deep within the crimson smog. It seemed that, off in the distance, there was an underground river.

However, when Su Yi heard the sound of the current, his pupils suddenly constricted.