Chapter Sixty-One: The Innate Water Serpent of the Sunflower Essence

Twelve paper figures stood silently before them. Dark clouds and black mist rose, making the paper figures appear and disappear in the haze. Smiles adorned their faces, but not a single sound escaped, rendering the scene eerily silent and terrifying.

It was impossible to traverse several miles in an instant. This meant they had been watched for some time.

"Have you seen enough after watching for so long?" Lu Qian’s silhouette emerged from the mist, indistinct and shadowy.

"Senior, we are merely passing through to avoid conflict, not intentionally intruding," the man forced a strained smile.

He spoke truthfully; several miles away, two factions were engaged in fierce combat, involving even experts at the stage of nourishing the spirit. They had intended only to find a place to hide, but upon discovering Lu Qian, greed stirred in their hearts. Now regret gnawed at him, wishing he had heeded warnings earlier.

"Perhaps," Lu Qian gripped a sword talisman, and with a hiss, the blade of the Yin Fire Sword shot forth.

"Fight him!" The man steeled himself and summoned the longsword behind him.

The woman muttered strange syllables under her breath, chanting an eerie incantation.

Lu Qian strode forward, his black robe radiating a dark brilliance that enveloped his form, while true water coiled around him like a dragon. He wore a ceremonial cap and flowing black robes. The blue glow of Yin Fire flickered, his expression shrouded in mist, mostly concealed by the darkness. Around him clustered a dozen ghostly soldiers.

He looked more like a specter than a ghost from the underworld.

"Ahhh! I’m done for!" The man's face twisted in fear and rage.

The flying sword pierced Lu Qian's chest. Before the man could rejoice, Lu Qian transformed into a cloud of black mist, then instantly reformed into human shape. The black robe had taken effect, turning his body into mist to evade the attack.

With a few leaps, Lu Qian appeared before the man, and the three-foot blue blade severed his neck. The head soared and crashed to the ground, eyes wide open, refusing to close even in death. The wound was instantly cauterized by intense heat, so not a drop of blood spilled.

"No! Please!" The woman’s face contorted in grief, her eyes bloodshot as her lover was slain.

Suddenly, the trees nearby trembled violently, branches lashing downward. Weeds shot up to half a man's height, bristling with sharp, iron-like thorns. Stones sprouted limbs and razor-sharp mouths, scampering on stubby legs to bite at Lu Qian’s ankles.

The surroundings came alive, launching a frenzied assault upon Lu Qian.

"Interesting," Lu Qian remarked with genuine curiosity.

It appeared to be a technique for manipulating spirits and monsters.

The power seemed formidable, but the caster’s cultivation was far too shallow.

"It’s over!" Lu Qian became a streak of black mist, evading every attack and appearing before the woman.

His gaze was clear, pupils reflecting the moonlight like dazzling black gemstones.

When the woman glimpsed his features so close, her body flushed as if ignited by flames.

But it was true fire.

Blood streamed from her seven orifices, emerald Yin Fire consumed her flesh, leaving only a skeleton, which soon crumbled to ash.

Unbeknownst to her, a venomous snake crowned with Yin Fire had curled at her feet. The burning fire was caused by its venom.

Lu Qian crouched again, searching the bodies, finding dozens of enchanted coins, a treasured sword, and various potions and herbs on the man.

"As expected, most people wouldn’t carry their cultivation techniques on them," Lu Qian sighed, resigned.

He himself would not do so, either.

Their clothing resembled that of the Void Edge, suggesting they were also disciples of the Seven Martial Mountain.

The Seven Martial Mountain’s people based their cultivation on magical tools and were skilled in crafting. He had hoped to obtain a forging technique, but now thought better of it.

"I’ll visit the Ghost Market once this journey is over."

When the journey through the Netherworld ends, the Ghost Market would surely be bustling, with more wares than ever. Of course, the number of people would be notably fewer.

He stowed the spoils in a spatial pouch, filling its one-square-meter space to the brim.

Among the loot, the dragon-hide and demonic blade were most precious.

Lu Qian took out the dragon-hide armor.

The armor was somewhat damaged, a sizable portion blasted away. The scales were as translucent as jade, and beneath the plates, the lining appeared to be flesh and hide. Veins and sinews were faintly visible, as if the armor had been stripped live from some monstrous creature. Occasionally, it twitched, as if alive.

"Dragon-hide… dragon-hide… could this truly be the flesh of a dragon?" Lu Qian pondered.

Boom!

As Lu Qian examined the armor, a thunderous roar echoed from the horizon.

Yin Fire blazed fiercely, flames surging heavenward. The blue glow of Yin Fire pierced the sky like countless swords, dyeing the eternal black clouds of the Netherworld green.

A giant blackwater serpent rampaged through the cloud sea, its body coiling, colliding, and tumbling; the water swirling around it deepened to an even darker hue.

In Lu Qian’s mind, the Netherworld Seal trembled violently.

Within his sea of consciousness, the yellow springs churned as the dragon spirit howled skyward.

After a long time, the Netherworld Seal quieted.

Lu Qian sat on the ground, his back against a boulder, gazing up at the giant serpent above.

A breeze swept away his hairpin, causing his black hair to flutter, his eyes reflecting a vivid emerald glow.

If his guess was correct, this was the Spirit Walker—whose transformed Dao Foundation physique had now received the inheritance.

A moment of disappointment flickered in his heart, then vanished.

After all, it was not his to claim; the Spirit Walker had prepared for two full cycles of sixty years, and his success was only natural.

The so-called Netherworld Seal was not as crucial as he had imagined.

Li Du wasn’t someone he thought the Spirit Walker couldn’t handle; perhaps the Spirit Walker simply didn't care enough.

For a brief instant, Lu Qian felt some sympathy for Li Du.

The saddest thing in the world was not having enemies constantly plotting against you, but rather that they never truly considered you at all.

Seeing the Spirit Walker receive the inheritance, Lu Qian actually felt relieved.

At least he would not be entangled with this old monster and could cultivate in peace.

From now on, he would perfect the Lunar Guiding Technique and prepare his body for refining.

After this experience, Lu Qian abandoned the arrogance that had arisen from possessing the mysterious golden mirror.

The world did not revolve around him.

Good fortune would not always wait for him, nor would the treasures he sought appear conveniently in the Netherworld, or conveniently fall off a cliff into his hands.

Those like the Spirit Walker had overcome thousands of adversaries, rising step by step through cultivation.

Cultivation was arduous—a contest against heaven, earth, and other people.

Others were not inert puppets.

While he cultivated, so did others—perhaps with greater diligence and depth.

"The iron path is steep and daunting, but we cultivators need not fear it!" Lu Qian laughed heartily, his mind cleared and his understanding deepened.

With clarity of thought, his body felt lighter, and like a leopard, Lu Qian darted swiftly through the forest.

Today’s insight was thanks to his practice of the Clear Heart Mantra.

He understood the emptiness of external things, the potential within himself, and the purity of the spiritual platform.

The Clear Heart technique did not enhance combat power and was time-consuming, so most avoided it, but its effect on the state of mind was extraordinary.

In the endless clouds, the celestial serpent vanished, replaced by a Daoist with white hair, green glowing eyes, and indistinct features.

"One hundred and twenty years, I have at last forcibly opened the threshold of the cave-dwelling," the Daoist murmured, unable to hide his joy. "The cave’s master was, like me, at the peak of Dao Foundation, but his refinement of the astral energy surpassed mine."

Centuries ago, the Daoist had obtained the opportunity left by the cave’s master and embarked on his path of cultivation.

Today, he absorbed the entire inheritance.

The Blackwater Celestial Serpent Dao Foundation advanced to the next level—the innate Blackwater Celestial Serpent Dao Foundation.

"Now there is hope for the Pill Tribulation. I must go!"

Blackwater Dao Foundation, Celestial Serpent Manifestation—spanning a hundred miles, stirring the heavens.

The celestial serpent roared, bursting from the clouds, and soared out of the Netherworld.