The Human Emperor Chapter 1440-1445

Chapter 1440: Ambush in the Darkness!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

"What's going on here? It's already seven thousand meters! Why is there still no end?!"

A frantic roar exploded out of the darkness. After climbing so far and consuming so much Stellar Energy, after the air had become so thin and the walls so dangerous, some martial artists had finally reached their breaking point.

If they had known that this pit would be so deep from the very start, many of them would have considered for a very long time before venturing in. But what was most crucial was not that it was deep, but that there was no telling how deep the pit went. This was the most excruciating aspect.

"Let's go!" a reluctant voice called out. "If this continues, we'll be exhausted to death before we even reach the Origin Immortal Treasury."

Even these powerful martial artists had begun to lose hope, and some of them had already turned around and started the climb back up.

In the face of this seemingly endless challenge, they had finally decided to retreat.

This is fine. At least we can eliminate some of the weaker competitors beforehand!

Wang Chong smiled. He instantly understood what the Origin Immortal Lord's intention was.

The temptation of the Origin Immortal Art was simply too much, and there was almost no martial artist that could resist it. This bottomless pit could make the majority of martial artists shrink back in the face of difficulty, avoiding meaningless casualties.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, a scream rang out through the darkness, loudly echoing throughout the pit. And unlike before, this was a scream of extreme pain, the scream of someone who had been injured by an ambush.

Buzz!

Wang Chong grimaced and he immediately sensed intense danger. But before he could react, he heard several piercing whistles coming toward him.

Across from Wang Chong, twenty to thirty needles were approaching at astonishing speed.

Bang!

Wang Chong immediately sent out a burst of energy from his dantian, which took the form of a wall to protect his surroundings.

Pingpingping! The assassination needles were all knocked away.

But a moment later, he heard a 'pahpahpah' coming from over his head.

"Not good!"

Wang Chong trembled in understanding. Turning his head, he saw that twenty to thirty meters above him, a row of needles had thrust into the wall. A moment later, the Stellar Energy in these needles detonated.

Rumble! Dirt and stone poured down, smashing toward Wang Chong.

Swoosh!

Wang Chong thrust his palm out behind him and then lunged to the side.

A split-second later, several dozen needles wrapped in destructive energy shot toward Wang Chong. Half of them were aimed directly at him while the other half were aimed at the loose rock around him.

The pull of the pit was immense, and it was directly affecting Stellar Energy. This was extremely dangerous to martial artists, and as this mysterious assailant was forcing Wang Chong to move around while also destroying the walls around him, they clearly harbored ill intentions.

They wanted nothing more than for Wang Chong to fall.

More Stellar Energy rumbled out of Wang Chong's body, rapidly expanding the energy vortex in front of his abdomen so that he could better resist the pull of the cave. At the same time, Wang Chong once more moved positions, creating an enormous pull from his body that held him fast to a part of the wall some seven to eight meters away.

As he was doing all this, Wang Chong waved a sleeve, sweeping up ten-some needles and the seven or eight boulders that were coming from above with his Great Yinyang Stellar Energy and sending them flying at his assailant.

"Go!"

The flickering images of the sun and moon appeared around Wang Chong as he pushed the Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art to its limit, and those needles and boulders picked up speed, flying as quickly as lightning bolts.

Boomboomboom!

A few seconds later, explosions could be heard from the other side along with the sound of rubble crumbling down. After that, a strange and evil laughter could be heard.

"Kekekeke, kid, you're rather lucky to have escaped with your life!"

"The Black Yin Ancestor!"

Wang Chong's eyes chilled, instantly recognizing the voice.

The Black Yin Ancestor had moved out faster than most, following mere moments after the Four Ends Martial Lord. Logically speaking, he should have been at least two thousand meters ahead of him, but it turned out that he had turned back and laid an ambush.

Wang Chong could tell from his voice that he was seven or eight hundred meters away, on the other side of the pit.

If this were the surface, this distance would be nothing at all. But in this pit, where the air was thin and the pull of gravity strong, flying was extremely difficult. Not even peerless experts like Wang Chong and the Black Yin Ancestor could cross this gap.

It was precisely because the Black Yin Ancestor had noticed this that he had decided to lay his ambush.

"Ah!"

As Wang Chong's mind was rapidly turning, trying to think of a way to deal with the Black Yin Ancestor, there was a shout of alarm.

"Zhang Wenfu, you bastard!"

The Black Yin Ancestor's panicked and furious voice faded into the distance.

It sounded like he had suffered some sort of loss.

"Chong-er, how is it? Are you injured?"

In a rush of air, a figure appeared at Wang Chong's side, looking solemn. His master, the Demonic Emperor Old Man, had at some point turned around to check on him.

"I'm fine!"

Wang Chong felt a surge of warmth as he shook his head.

"But it seems like the Five Ancestor Alliance has already begun to target others."

When gathering the pieces of the treasure map, everyone had worked together, with even the Black Yin Ancestor playing a significant role. But now, their relationship as temporary allies had clearly come to an end.

The Black Yin Ancestor's attack clearly indicated that their relationship had entered a new phase.

In this phase, everyone would use all the tricks available to kill their opponents and reduce their competitors.

"The situation down here is very complicated. Our vision is restricted, as is our strength. Do your best to not get very far from me. In this way, no matter what sort of scheme there is, your master can deal with it at any time," the Demonic Emperor Old Man sternly said. Ever since they had entered this pit, the Demonic Emperor Old Man had become abnormally grave.

Wang Chong nodded and closely followed the Demonic Emperor Old Man as they continued down.

Six hours had already passed since the start of this expedition. As Wang Chong and the Demonic Emperor Old Man ventured deeper, on the surface, more than seven thousand martial artists had ventured into the enormous pit.

And by now, those martial artists who had given up were beginning to emerge.

This was the first time in the history of the martial arts world that so many people had taken part in a single activity, with even titans like the Black Yin Ancestor participating.

"Young Master, this place is too dangerous. Are we really going down?"

In a place extremely far from the pit, a tall and imposing guard looked to Young Master Qingyang.

Around four hours ago, some martial artists had climbed out of the pit with some information. One could constantly hear phrases like 'air too thin', 'walls too smooth', 'bottomless', and 'pull too great' from their conversations. All of this information indicated that this bottomless pit was far too dangerous and was not the right place for them.

Although Young Master Qingyang was an erudite scholar of martial arts, he himself did not possess a very high cultivation level. In the eyes of most of these martial artists, he was little different from an ordinary human.

If even these martial artists could not endure, there was little doubt about how Young Master Qingyang would fare.

"Sword Dragon, you know what my personality is like. The Origin Immortal Art is the world's number one art, and the treasury's opening is a once-in-lifetime opportunity. If we don't go in and see what's inside, I will be left with a lifelong regret."

Young Master Qingyang, in his azure robe, stared with shining eyes at the pit.

Young Master Qingyang's movements were eccentric, and he rarely interacted with the martial arts world. No faction had ever been able to recruit him to their side.

But even though Young Master Qingyang had little desire for status or authority, he had an interest that everyone in the world knew about.

Young Master Qingyang liked to tour and adventure. Wherever the strange or dangerous could be found, there he would be. Young Master Qingyang spent more than half his time engaged in this pursuit.

Now that the Origin Immortal Lord's treasury had been opened, the treasury of one who had truly been the strongest, Young Master Qingyang had to go in and take a look, even if he died inside.

As Young Master Qingyang's constant guardian, the man known as 'Sword Dragon' could only sigh.

He had already known what the answer would be, but he had still hoped to persuade Young Master Qingyang otherwise.

"Sword Dragon understands. No matter where Young Master goes, your subordinate swears to follow," Sword Dragon sternly said, his eyes determined. No matter how dangerous it was, as long as he was there, he would ensure that not even a hair of the young master was harmed.

Sword Dragon quickly put Young Master Qingyang on his back and then took some rope to tie himself and Young Master Qingyang together. This was to avoid any unexpected mishaps.

There were no longer many martial artists around the pit. With Young Master Qingyang on his back, Sword Dragon fearlessly strode toward the pit. But before they could descend, a black stream of energy rushed ahead of them and plunged into the depths.

At that moment, the two of them clearly sensed an immense aura on this black figure that was on par with the likes of the Black Yin Ancestor and Song Yuanyi.

"That is…?"

Sword Dragon shivered as deep apprehension appeared in his eyes.

"Eastern Turkic King, Bagushidu!"

Young Master Qingyang's eyes flashed as he spoke.

He was a natural scholar, and though he did not have a deep relationship with the factions of the martial arts world, he knew all the martial artists, even the experts of the surrounding foreign countries, like the back of his hand.

Chapter 1441: A Storm of Blades!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This Eastern Turkic King offered up the treasure map but chose to be one of the last to go in. He seems to harbor some great ambition."

Sword Dragon silently pondered his master's comment.

"Young Master, be at ease. I guarantee that he will not harm you!"

With Young Master Qingyang on his back, Sword Dragon lunged forward, and he was soon making his way down the pit along its smooth walls.

Time slowly passed, and there seemed to be no additional people appearing around the pit's edge.

But at this moment, several figures appeared. They were garbed in cloaks and didn't seem that different from any other martial artist, but the energy they exuded was identical to the energy of those who had controlled the Origin Immortal Formation.

"When the gate is open, it's difficult to close it again. Right now, all the martial artists should have entered the Endless Abyss," one of the figures suddenly said.

If those martial artists had been here to listen, they would have undoubtedly been flabbergasted. This was because these Origin Immortal Guardians referred to this seemingly bottomless pit as the Endless Abyss.

"Based on how much time has passed, those martial artists should have reached that place," another Origin Immortal Guardian said.

"It should be another ten minutes at most," another one of them said.

"Hmph, prepare to activate the mechanism. This time, they must all die here! Only extreme death and fear can instill awe for the Immortal Lord in these people!" the leading Origin Immortal Guardian declared.

Buzz!

After gesturing out some sort of spell into the 'Endless Abyss', the group departed.

Clangclangclang! Metallic clattering came from the pit, the sounds of fighting within the darkness. The deeper one went, the more frequent this sound became.

Wang Chong, the Demonic Emperor Old Man, and the Wushang Village Chief were grouped together as they rapidly made their way down the smooth pit wall. The auras rising from their bodies made it so that very few people dared to provoke them, but there were inevitably still some people who tried to ambush the group.

Thwishthwishthwish!

Countless fist-sized caltrops suddenly appeared in the front of the group, liberally scattered in the air.

The Wushang Village Chief extended his white cane, sending a vast tide of Stellar Energy rumbling forward. It immediately turned into a barrier that blocked and repulsed the caltrops.

Boomboomboom! In a series of explosions and a wretched scream, a martial artist hidden some seventy feet away was turned into a mangled mess by the caltrops and plunged from the wall.

Bang!

With a resounding clang, a brilliant beam of saber energy flew forward, a silver river thirty to forty meters long that shot toward the group of three.

"Not knowing your own strength!"

The Demonic Emperor Old Man's erect body stood at a complete right angle to the wall, and with merely a wave of his sleeve, he began to gather vast amounts of spiritual energy around him.

At the same time, an imposing energy erupted from his body.

That mighty saber energy that seemed capable of cleaving apart mountains was frozen in the air some several dozen feet away from the Demonic Emperor Old Man's head, unable to progress any farther.

Bang!

The Demonic Emperor Old Man thrust forward a palm. "Aaaah!" That hidden martial artist some distance away was thrown several hundred meters by the Demonic Emperor Old Man's palm, vomiting blood as he dropped into the abyss.

"Hmph, truly a bunch of scoundrels!"

Wang Chong turned his gaze to elsewhere in the pit.

Wang Chong thrust forward a palm, striking an area of the wall seven or eight meters above the group he had noticed. Rocks and debris crashed down, carrying with them the five or six hidden experts who had just been preparing to launch an attack.

"Aaaah!"

The panicked screams echoed through the pit for some time.

"Members of the Five Ancestor Alliance and the Righteous Alliance!" the Demonic Emperor Old Man suddenly said as he watched these people plummet downward. As the former number one of the evil path, he was extremely familiar with the energies of these two groups.

"It's them. When the Black Yin Ancestor and Song Yuanyi headed down, they probably already thought about how to deal with us."

Wang Chong nodded. Song Yuanyi and the Black Yin Ancestor had brought many experts with them when they went down. While going down themselves, they had left their subordinates to lie in ambush.

If this were the surface, these people would have posed little threat, but in this unique environment, the slightest lack of attention could cause even a peak Great General to lose his footing and be lost to the abyss.

"Master, Village Chief, you take the front while I scout using Psychic Energy from the back. I'll immediately notify you if I sense anything."

As they advanced, they continued to encounter various attacks, but they managed to block all of them.

Gradually, they reached a depth of eight thousand meters.

Buzz!

Suddenly, without any warning, a bizarre sensation appeared in their minds.

Wang Chong looked ahead.

A moment later, Wang Chong something very strange in the darkness. These were thousands of gleaming lights, floating in the air like a vast school of fish.

"Danger!"

The moment Wang Chong sent his Psychic Energy to engulf these lights, he instantly sensed danger. Wang Chong could finally 'see' that these thousands of glows were actually metal blades.

These metal blades were evenly spread throughout the pit, and for a moment, not even Wang Chong and his vast amounts of Psychic Energy were able to determine just how many there were and how wide their distribution was.

"Not good! We can't trigger these traps!"

Wang Chong's mind shivered. His Psychic Energy inspection told him that these metal blades were still in a state of hibernation. As long as one did not touch or alarm these metal blades, there would be no danger.

"Eh? What's that?" A stranger's voice around a thousand meters down below suddenly spoke. It seemed as if a martial artist farther ahead had noticed the metal blades floating in the pit.

"Hurry and push those things out of the way!" Another faint voice came from down below.

"Not good!"

Wang Chong grimaced as that sense of danger multiplied by dozens of times. Wang Chong wanted to call out to stop them, but it was too late. That martial artist down below seemed to have noticed the danger of those metal blades and sent out a burst of Stellar Energy to push aside the nearest blade, pushing it into another one.

This reaction was understandable. Alas, this martial artist could not have imagined what consequences his instinctive action would have.

Clang!

The crisp clang of one metal blade smacking into another resounded through the depths. A moment later, the scattered clanging became a cacophony, one that continued to spread through the pit.

Boom!

A moment later, those countless metal blades that extended deep into the darkness awakened like savage beasts and exploded with a grim energy, terrifying the countless martial artists on the pit walls.

That grim energy rapidly swelled and soon evolved into a dreadful storm.

Bang!

In the blink of an eye, the tens of thousands of metal blades began to shriek through the air, turning into a storm of blades that shot upward, leaving terrifying scars in the air.

"Aaaaah!" Plaintive screams tore through the air. The first several hundred martial artists were unable to block the thousands of blades. Those metal blades simply crushed them to paste like a giant meat grinder, sending hunks of sliced flesh cascading into the abyss.

An immense killing machine had begun to turn, and all this was only the beginning.

Swishswishswish! A thin, sharp, and handleless metal blade whistled forward, instantly striking a martial artist pressed up against a wall seven or eight hundred meters above the storm. This martial artist was no weakling, but his strength was restricted this far underground and the metal blade was able to cut across his spine.

"Ah!"

The martial artist trembled and yelped, instinctively leaning his head back. At this moment, several more metal blades swept across his body. One cut across his neck while four others swept at his limbs and torso. Before the martial artist could even get out a complete scream, his sliced limbs and torso rained down, accompanied by a shower of blood.

And this was only the prelude.

The vast storm of thousands of blades exploded upward, and all the martial artists in that pit with a diameter of eight hundred meters, including Wang Chong, the Demonic Emperor Old Man, and the Wushang Village Chief, were caught up in the blast.

"Ah!"

A gruesome slaughter to the tune of ghastly screams commenced. The thousands of martial artists simply had no time to react before that dreadful metal storm sliced them to pieces, showering the pit with their dismembered body parts.

In the space of a second, the massive pit had turned into hell.

Chapter 1442: Wang Chong Strikes!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

"Chong-er, careful!"

The Demonic Emperor Old Man's beard trembled. He had sensed danger at the first moment, and with bright eyes, he immediately lunged in front of Wang Chong and unleashed his Stellar Energy into a massive barrier to protect the group of three. Bang! Another stream of Stellar Energy surged through his feet and deep into the pit wall, fusing the Demonic Emperor Old Man with the earth.

At this moment, the Demonic Emperor Old Man was a fortress that was directly enduring the attacks of the metallic storm.

Boomboomboom!

A split-second after the Demonic Emperor Old Man had done all this, that storm of blades arrived, those countless metal blades incessantly colliding against the Demonic Emperor Old Man's Stellar Energy fortress. Their constant collisions created a deafening rumble.

The assault was so frenzied that the Stellar Energy barrier shook constantly.

While these metal blades truly did have a lot of power, they should not have been able to pose much of a threat to an existence like the Demonic Emperor Old Man. However, the tens of thousands of them endlessly attacking and the restrictions imposed by the environment could even pressure someone as powerful as him.

Buzz!

Standing within the Stellar Energy barrier, Wang Chong could still sense the danger. The constant bangs and thumps were like meteor impacts. Moreover, the wall beneath was shuddering and shivering. The moment it reached its breaking point, it would crumble, taking them down with it.

One second, two seconds, three seconds… that howling storm of blades seemed like it would never end. After ten-some seconds, Wang Chong's group was already nearing its breaking point. But this storm seemed to only be getting started.

It's no good! if this continues, Master's energy will be pointlessly wasted here! And by the end, we'll still find it difficult to fend it off!

The imposing figure of his master seemed invincible and capable of stopping any danger, but Wang Chong could clearly sense the Stellar Energy in his master's body rapidly being consumed. Although Song Yuanyi and the others might not have realized, Wang Chong was keenly aware that his master could not fight long battles.

Just constantly enduring this kind of endless attack would quickly take up his Stellar Energy, causing him to either fall or to have no strength to counter any other danger.

I have to think of a way to deal with this wave!

Wang Chong lowered his head and began to think.

Screams were ringing in his ears, and countless martial artists were dropping down from above. This was nothing but a massacre. Several hundred martial artists had already been sliced into chunks by this metallic storm.

This dreadful and large-scale storm could render the strength of any single martial artist insignificant. Although Wang Chong's group was safe for now due to the Demonic Emperor, if they didn't think of a solution, their safety would not last for long.

Bang!

Suddenly, Wang Chong opened his eyes and began to scan his surroundings. A moment later, his eyes flashed and he punched.

Boom! The pit wall beneath the feet of Wang Chong's group collapsed inward, sending a shower of debris down below.

Wang Chong's punch had excavated a ten-meter hole into the pit wall.

"Master, Village Chief, go in!"

Wang Chong extended his left palm, exerting a pull on the depths of the hole. Meanwhile, his other hand pulled on the Wushang Village Chief and his master. Whoosh! They flew into the hole created by the punch. Although this did not directly free them from the danger, it would at least reduce the amount of attacks they were facing by a third.

After doing this, Wang Chong sent out his Psychic Energy into the seemingly endless void before him.

Wang Chong's body became motionless, but as the tens of thousands of blades flew through the air, they were all reflected in Wang Chong's mind. Through his Psychic Energy, Wang Chong slowly began to grasp their trajectories.

These trajectories were not clear at first, and he was only able to grasp a few of the blades, but he was gradually able to clarify the trajectories of more and more blades.

Wang Chong seemed to have returned to the Origin Immortal Formation, his mind making millions of calculations. Just as he had attempted to calculate the rules governing the formation, he was now trying to find the flaw in this metallic storm.

After what seemed like a second and like countless years…

"Found it!"

Wang Chong's eyes flashed. Amidst the tens of thousands of flying blades, he had found a special one. This blade was two thousand meters away from Wang Chong, but based on its trajectory, it would be passing by Wang Chong's group while flying a complicated path.

This metal blade moved extremely quickly, but Wang Chong was already able to predict its movements.

In Wang Chong's eyes, this metal blade was the most special of them all.

Buzz!

Without any warning, Wang Chong thrust a hand out of his sleeve, reaching straight upward as his fingers opened. The pull he exerted was not too intense, but it was entirely focused on the metal blade.

Ding! With a crisp clang, that metal blade that should have been passing by ten feet above Wang Chong suddenly changed course and swept toward Wang Chong's group. Clang! This alteration caused the metal blade to crash into another metal blade.

Time seemed to stop.

The single collision seemed to have a chain effect, causing the inconceivable. Those metal blades that had collided bounced away from each other and crashed into two other blades, causing four blades in all to be affected.

And this scene repeated itself again, each blade bouncing away to collide with another, altering their trajectories and expanding the scope of the disturbance. Eight blades, sixteen blades, thirty-two blades, sixty-four blades, one hundred and twenty-eight blades…

By changing the course of a single blade, Wang Chong had managed to affect thousands of them.

Boomboomboom!

Dust exploded as those many blades suddenly changed course and thudded into the walls.

The expressions on the faces of the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief froze.

The abilities Wang Chong had displayed truly left them sighing in wonder. In truth, if all they needed to do was repulse all those metal blades to achieve this result, the two of them were entirely capable of doing so. But this would consume so much Stellar Energy that it would be extremely unwise to do so in this situation where they hadn't even found the bottom of the pit.

But Wang Chong had only taken control of one metal blade, using a tiny amount of Stellar Energy, yet affecting a vast number of blades. Even the Demonic Emperor Old Man and Wushang Village Chief were stunned by this feat.

This had nothing to do with power or cultivation. Wang Chong's ability to calculate had simply reached an astounding level.

Boomboomboom!

The explosions continued as the metal blades continued to pincushion the cave walls, devastating the wall for a length of several thousand meters.

However, the region in which Wang Chong's group resided was completely unharmed.

Buzz!

Wang Chong's right hand was extended, his fingers open, and he was constantly taking control of the metal blades, causing similar situations to occur. None of the blades were able to get within one hundred feet of Wang Chong's group, and Wang Chong was consuming a rather minor amount of Stellar Energy.

"Master, Village Chief, let's continue advancing! There won't be just one wave from this metal storm. If we stay in this region, the attacks will keep on coming!" Wang Chong sternly said.

Although they seemed safe and weren't using much Stellar Energy, Wang Chong's Psychic Energy was being rapidly exhausted. Such enormous calculations placed an enormous burden on the mind.

Not only that, Wang Chong's Psychic Energy observations told him that some invisible power was taking back control of those metal blades that had thrust into the wall, bringing them back into the skies.

Wang Chong could sense that the initial wave of metal blades had turned back around and were flying around once more. If they didn't find a way to leave, these endless attacks would wear them down until they died.

Bang!

A moment later, the Demonic Emperor Old Man shook his robe, and he shattered the cave wall and flew downward with astonishing speed. Through Wang Chong's constant calculations, the three were able to travel without suffering any sort of attack.

Fifty meters, one hundred meters, two hundred meters… Wang Chong's group was constantly advancing, and when they got three hundred meters deep, there was a piercing whistle behind them as the thousands of swords that had shot at them in the first wave returned to launch another explosive assault.

Screams resounded from around them. Those martial artists who had managed to last through the first wave were instantly caught off guard by this attack that now came from the opposite direction. Their bodies were sliced and diced into countless bloody chunks that rained down from the walls.

The stench of death permeated the pit together with a thick bloody mist, and screams bounced ceaselessly off the walls. This pit was no different from the underworld.

Chapter 1443: Offering a Helping Hand!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

"Save me! Save me! I don't want to die here…" A soft cry for help came from nearby.

Wang Chong was still controlling the blades in the air when he heard this plea for help and turned his head.

Not far away, a hole had been cut out of the wall by countless metal blades. It was littered with mangled bodies, and in the center of these bodies kneeled a beautiful female martial artist, her hair in disarray and her face panicked.

Her body was trembling fiercely as if she was immersed in a most terrifying nightmare.

Any martial artist who could reach this depth was no weakling, and that beautiful female martial artist was clearly a person with profound cultivation. Alas, in the face of the endless attacks from the metal storm, even the greatest cultivation level and the largest reserves of energy would be consumed.

Swishswishswish! Piercing whistles came from above as numerous blades once more shot down, and their attack range included that female martial artist who was trembling all over in fear, unaware of what was going on around her.

If no one intervened, she was doomed.

But a moment later, Wang Chong opened his hand, and those blades that were about to hurtle toward the woman immediately began to collide with each other. An invisible barrier seemed to form around the woman, making it so that those blades would fly past her and strike the wall ten-some meters away.

With a thunderous explosion, the walls for ten-some meters around the woman were pulverized, sending gravel and rocks tumbling into the depths and shaking the surrounding walls.

These fierce explosions finally shook the female martial artist out of her terror. She raised her head and saw Wang Chong's group above her.

"Save me!"

The woman's eyes erupted with an intense desire to live.

Without another word, Wang Chong borrowed power from the Energy Condensation Pearl to unleash a massive pull that brought the woman to his side.

"If you don't want to die, swallow this pill and recover as quickly as possible. I can only help you for a moment. You will have to rely on yourself for the rest."

Wang Chong's voice resounded in her ear as he offered her a pill.

"Th-thank you…"

Having just recovered from her shock, the woman could hardly speak. She was still shaking as she took the pill and managed to get it into her mouth. She swiftly began to adjust her breathing, and a few moments later, a ruddy color had returned to her face.

Wang Chong simply grabbed her and rushed off in pursuit of his master.

These waves of metallic assaults inflicted damage that none of them could have ever imagined. As Wang Chong's group of three advanced, the smooth walls had been turned into an uneven and devastated mess decorated with human guts and limbs.

A rough estimate placed the number of people killed by the first wave in the thousands.

At this moment, many people understood what the stele meant by 'no gate to fortune or disaster'.

"Ah! My leg!"

"How could this be? I don't want to die here!"

"Save me! Hurry and save me!"

As Wang Chong pressed forward, he saw many bereft martial artists around him. These people had managed to survive the first wave purely through luck, but the shadow of death doggedly pursued them and they might die at any moment.

As long as Wang Chong saw one, he would do his best to save them and bring them to his side.

Wang Chong's group had started off with just three people, but after advancing several hundred meters, they had added forty to fifty unaffiliated martial artists to their number.

Four hundred meters, five hundred meters, eight hundred meters, one thousand meters… at this point, they were now eight to nine thousand meters from the surface. The air at this depth was extremely thin and there was no light to speak of. Eyes were useless here, and one could only rely on one's senses and Psychic Energy to advance.

Even so, those metal blades continued to howl overhead like sharks looking for prey, and they showed no signs of stopping.

The voice of the Wushang Village Chief suddenly came out of the darkness. "What a pity. If only Brother Zhou were here. With his experience, he would definitely know where the switch for these metal blades was."

The current situation was as precarious as a pile of eggs. No one knew just much area this metallic storm covered and how long they needed to go until they could escape.

"If my guess is right, there should be some large-scale ancient formation at the bottom of the pit and deeply embedded into the sides of the pit. All the mechanisms and switches for these metal blades should be under the control of this formation.

"Senior Zhou also said that this place is a Universe Diagram, and the energy accumulated by that diagram over the centuries has all been taken by the Origin Immortal Lord to be used for his formations. All that energy is probably all accumulated in this formation. And this one is ten times, or even a hundred times, stronger than the Origin Immortal Formation. We simply don't have the strength to cut off the energy source!" Wang Chong sternly said. He was the member of the group with probably the greatest understanding of formations.

"Can we not break through the walls and dig through the earth to destroy the formation inside?" a martial artist behind Wang Chong suddenly said.

"That's useless. If you've been through the Origin Immortal Formation, you should know that the Origin Immortal Lord wouldn't leave behind such a weakness. Trying to dig through and break the formation with sheer force will not only fail but also make the metal storm even stronger!" Wang Chong solemnly said.

The martial artists behind him instantly paled. Many of them had been through the terror of the Origin Immortal Formation. It had been like a gigantic meat grinder, pulling everyone to the center of the formation where they could be pulverized.

If that formation embedded into the walls of the pit was the same, their actions would probably achieve the opposite of their intended result.

"Destroying the formation is impossible!" Wang Chong sternly said. "All we can do is advance so that we can get through the area covered by the metal storm. I'm confident that no matter how big this region is, it must have an end. Otherwise, we'll have to wait until the storm passes, with luck determining who survives.

"Even the strongest attack has its rules and weaknesses. Although this metal storm is extremely powerful, I don't believe that this attack can continue forever. There must be a point where it will start to weaken so it can complete an offensive cycle."

Although he knew nothing about those tens of thousands of metal blades, he did know about formations. As long as these metal blades were being driven by a formation, they could not escape the rules of formations.

"Is there really nothing that can be done?"

A martial artist who Wang Chong had saved looked at the metal blades in despair. The sensation of death continued to cling to him like a shadow, slowly choking him of breath. Wang Chong's strength had truly won their admiration, and the strength displayed by that group of three was truly formidable.

But no one knew how long this sort of stability would continue.

The slightest error would cause thousands of sharp blades to howl down and butcher all of them.

In the face of this immense metal storm, these martial artists were nothing more than ants and simply too weak.

"Let me think."

Wang Chong fell silent and looked pensively at the metal blades dancing overhead.

At the same time, Wang Chong's group was far from the only one under attack.

"Damn it! Which bastard triggered the trap?!"

Deeper down in the pit, the Black Yin Ancestor was crouched with his subordinates in a depression, his teeth clenched in rage. He had long ago noticed those metal blades floating in the pit, and he didn't even need to think to know that these were some terrifying trap.

He had originally planned to pass through this area before having someone trigger the trap to deal with the martial artists behind him. Alas, some idiot triggered the trap before he could give the order, leading to this dreadful assault.

In a flash, the Five Ancestor Alliance had lost many experts. If he had not reacted promptly, half of his men would have died.

"Ancestor, is there no way to disarm the trap?" a Five Ancestor Alliance expert asked as he stared fearfully at the blades flying overhead.

"Impossible! You think that this ancestor doesn't want to get rid of this metal storm as well? This isn't something that humans can do! That old bastard the Origin Immortal Lord is using the spiritual energy for several thousand li around us, energy that has been accumulating for one thousand years! This isn't something a martial artist can resist."

The Black Yin Ancestor clenched his teeth and hatefully spat, "There's nothing to be done. The strength of men is no match against the strength of nature! I'll just have to push through!"

The moment he finished speaking, the Black Yin Ancestor widened his Stellar Energy barrier to its maximum extent, doing his best to cover the Five Ancestor Alliance experts around him. Although they had come under an unimaginable assault, the Five Ancestor Alliance had still fared rather well. As they had entered the pit beforehand, they were bound to suffer fewer attacks than those who came after.

Clangclangclang!

The metal blades poured down, and in the face of this downpour, each person employed a method similar to the Black Yin Ancestor's. To break this metal storm was just as impossible for them as it was for the Black Yin Ancestor.

Chapter 1444: Origin Immortal Formation, Stellar Energy Version!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Buzz!

As various martial artists advanced deeper into the pit under heavy pressure, Wang Chong suddenly opened his eyes.

"I can only see if it's useful once I try it out!"

A moment later, the fingers of Wang Chong's left hand, which had always been placed behind his back, suddenly opened. Five pearls of extremely concentrated Stellar Energy erupted from his fingertips. When these pearls first emerged, their insides seemed extremely unstable, but it took only a few moments for them to solidify.

It was obvious that these pearls of condensed energy had been an idea that Wang Chong had thought up at the spur of the moment.

These pearls were getting stronger as they absorbed Wang Chong's energy, and they were constantly becoming more compressed and refined. Soon, the pearls were the size of fists and exuding dim glows. They began to circle in the air, vaguely resonating with each other.

Only a formation can resist a formation. Let's see if this works, Wang Chong quietly said to himself.

In a flash of light, three more pearls of energy shot out of Wang Chong's palm, joining the other five pearls in slowly orbiting around Wang Chong, forming a small and simple formation.

The eight pearls corresponded to the eight gates of Life, Pain, Rest, Stop, View, Death, Alarm, and Open.

"This is…"

The Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief were dealing with the attacks overhead and holding up the Stellar Energy barrier so that the group could advance when they suddenly sensed the energy behind them and turned in alarm. Their cultivation levels allowed them to see far more than others.

In a flash, they realized something, but this idea was so astonishing that not even the two of them dared to be too sure.

The idea was just too inconceivable.

How is this possible?

At that moment, the two shared the same thought.

Wang Chong's actions swiftly confirmed their speculations. Bzzzz! The images of the sun and moon suddenly manifested, and the Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art's energy quickly emerged. Wang Chong poured its energy into the core of his simple formation, creating a Yin and Yang.

Pouring in the energy of Yin and Yang was like adding the eyes to a painting of a dragon, the final touch in a masterpiece. The simple formation began to turn, the Nine Palaces beginning to shift on their own, and the formation began to absorb the spiritual energy in its surroundings as it evolved toward a higher level.

"This is… the Origin Immortal Formation!"

"How could this be?!"

All the surrounding martial artists cried out in shock as they instantly recognized the basis of this small formation.

The energy exuded by the formation Wang Chong had created was exactly the same as the Origin Immortal Formation that had killed so many martial artists, though the latter was far more immense and complicated.

In a flash of inspiration, Wang Chong had compressed this ancient formation and made it mobile. This was something that no one could have imagined possible.

To many people, it was a miracle.

For a moment, all was still. Everyone looked toward Wang Chong with eyes brimming with respect, regarding him like a celestial.

The Origin Immortal Formation shares the same source as this formation. I hope that by operating the Origin Immortal Formation, I can influence the formation behind this metallic storm!

Wang Chong had his back to the crowd, so he could not see their reactions, nor did he care.

Wang Chong had seen the formation diagram for the Origin Immortal Formation before. He had used the principles found in the formation diagram and had thought up the idea just now of using Stellar Energy to set up a miniature Origin Immortal Formation in the air around him.

As various thoughts flitted through his mind, Wang Chong composed himself and looked up.

Creee!

The images of thousands of flying blades pouring down from the skies was reflected in his eyes and in his mind. He once more began to calculate.

Whoosh! Wang Chong suddenly raised a palm, casting out that small Origin Immortal Formation formed from eight pearls of energy.

Inconceivably, the eight pearls flew through the storm of blades completely unscathed, and soon reached the center of the pit.

The moment this small Origin Immortal Formation reached the center of the pit, the world quaked, and that vast and mighty storm of blades suddenly paused.

It seemed like a hole was punctured in the world as energy began to pour into the miniature Origin Immortal Formation. The worldly energy that had been supporting the metallic storm formation was now being drawn away.

And with this immense amount of Origin Energy, those eight pearls ballooned until they were the size of human heads and continued to grow larger.

The Origin Immortal Formation that was formed from these pearls also rapidly began to expand. It had soon swelled to several times its original size, becoming the size of a room. It began to emit visible ripples of energy.

The metal blades coming in from all sides seemed to encounter an invisible barrier and began to fly away from the miniature Origin Immortal Formation upon getting within one hundred feet of it.

Moreover, under the effects of the Origin Immortal Formation, the metal blades began to lose speed and power, clearly weakening.

"Impossible!"

Everyone was struck dumb by this sight. Even the distant martial artists who were struggling through on their own were left stunned.

The metal storm in the pit was a large-scale killing formation prepared by the Origin Immortal Lord. Just a few moments after this formation had been activated, it had killed thousands of martial artists and cast their dismembered body parts into the pit. It was a formation of immense power.

No one had expected that one could draw away the vast amount of worldly energy powering the formation and thus affect the entire formation.

Buzz!

Several thousand meters below, the Black Yin Ancestor, who was on the verge of leaving the region covered by the metal storm, noticed the oddity above and stopped.

"How could this be? There's actually someone who can resist the power of this massive formation!"

A look of shock appeared in the Black Yin Ancestor's eyes.

At the same time, in a different area, Righteous Alliance Lord Song Yuanyi was also looking at the ripples of energy coming from the core region. His expression was stern and his eyes were pensive.

"To think that there was a person like this!"

Song Yuanyi was extremely perceptive, and he sensed that the worldly energy stored in this pit had become disorderly. An energy was running rampant in its core, and this energy was clearly man-made. Song Yuanyi had not imagined that in this place where one's strength was restricted, there was still someone capable of disturbing the immense energy of nature.

"Success!"

Wang Chong was the only person who had retained his composure. His eyes were bright and gleaming with joy.

This was his first attempt to turn energy into a formation, compacting it and making it more practical, and the results had far surpassed his expectations.

It's really as I guessed. The Origin Immortal Art and the Origin Immortal Formation are probably the two most famous products of the Origin Immortal Lord, as they bear his name. This large-scale formation laid down by the Origin Immortal Lord deep underground probably shares the same lineage as the Origin Immortal Formation. The Origin Immortal Formation's power is bound to be able to control the formation driving this metallic storm.

Wang Chong clenched his fists as countless thoughts rushed through his mind.

Although this sight seemed to have been produced through pure luck, Wang Chong had arrived at this result through meticulous and well-reasoned thought.

As Wang Chong's miniature Origin Immortal Formation absorbed more and more natural energy, it continued to grow. It now had a diameter of nearly one hundred meters.

Formation reversal!

Wang Chong formed a spell with his hands, and a moment later, the air began to hum. The ripples of energy coming off the 'Stellar Energy Origin Immortal Formation' instantly became several dozen times more powerful, and as they spread outward, they seemed to be battling against another kind of energy.

If one could see through the walls, one would see that deep underground, with the region of the metallic storm as its center, were twelve layers of concentric formations, the outermost with a radius of several dozen li.

All the energy of the world gathered by this formation was focused onto the metallic storm.

But now that the Origin Immortal Formation had formed in its core, the twelve ancient formations that had been operating in harmony had suddenly fallen into disarray, which had begun to affect the tens of thousands of metal blades in the pit.

"Look at that!"

Someone shouted and pointed, and soon, more and more people began to notice what was going on.

As the crowd looked on in disbelief, time seemed to stop. Above and below the Origin Immortal Formation, thousands of metal blades had suddenly gone still.

These metal blades were still gleaming with dim white light, and there were still gruesome blood stains on their edges.

But that frenzied metallic storm seemed to have been stripped of life, turning into a still painting.

Chapter 1445: Profit from Misfortune!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

"Let's go! This Origin Immortal Formation should be able to last for about an hour. After that, the other formation will begin to operate again. We need to get out of here."

Wang Chong's calm voice resounded in everyone's ears.

While everyone else was stunned, Wang Chong remained calm. He stepped forward, following the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief deeper into the depths.

This method of disrupting the metallic storm was just a small trick. An hour was its absolute limit. It was best if they left this dangerous region as quickly as possible.

"Run!"

"Follow them!"

Whoosh! Gravel and rock sprayed from the pit walls as the members of the group used various methods to keep up with Wang Chong and the Demonic Emperor Old Man.

"Wonderful!"

"Just which supreme martial artist was able to stop these metal blades?"

"Let's go! The formation must have stopped on its own! How could a martial artist possibly have done such a thing? You're talking nonsense!"

At the same time, countless martial artists elsewhere began to rush into the depths. Wang Chong had created an extremely rare chance, and thousands of martial artists began to advance at full speed.

Nine thousand meters, ten thousand meters… at this depth, everyone couldn't help but feel a sense of dread, and what was even more frightening was that there was still no end.

The mere thought of a pit more than ten thousand meters deep was terrifying.

Thump!

Suddenly, a martial artist behind Wang Chong swayed and toppled over, striking the wall before plunging into the bottomless abyss.

"Zhou Chi!" another martial artist cried out.

But this martial artist had fallen too quickly for anyone to save him in time.

"You should stop here! The air here is extremely thin. Only those of the Saint Martial realm should follow. The rest should go back," the Demonic Emperor Old Man warned. Even with his cultivation, he still felt uncomfortable, so one could imagine how those weaker were faring.

The Demonic Emperor Old Man turned his head to Wang Chong. "Chong-er, get ready. Adjust your breathing and store up sufficient air. Once that's done, we'll advance as quickly as possible.

"Mm!"

Wang Chong firmly nodded. The three closed their eyes and began to consume the surrounding air.

With each long breath, they drew in oxygen-rich air and stored it in the cells throughout their bodies.

"Let's go!"

The Demonic Emperor Old Man waved his sleeve, the three opened their eyes, and then they rushed downward with explosive speed.

Behind them, the martial artists looked hesitantly down into the depths. At a depth of ten thousand meters, their strength was restricted by an astonishing amount.

"What happened to that man just now is an example of what will happen if you go any farther. Although it's not guaranteed that you won't come back, there is an extremely high chance that you'll remain in this pit forever."

A bearded and brawny martial artist hesitated a few moments before making up his mind. "If you don't enter the tiger's cave, how can you get the tiger's cub? If it means I can get the world's number one art and dominate the martial arts world, this risk means nothing!" He emerged out of a depression in the wall and swiftly made his way into the depths.

With this person leading the way, more and more martial artists joined him.

Every martial artist was a risk taker, and these people who had gathered in the northwest had long ago prepared to meet their deaths.

They were already at ten thousand meters. After enduring the metallic storm, they could not bear the thought of giving up on being the world's number one at a place like this.

Many of the martial artists continued deeper into the pit.

Twelve thousand meters, thirteen thousand meters1… There was still no sight of the bottom, but Wang Chong vaguely sensed that it was close now.

"Master, watch out!"

Wang Chong's voice suddenly rang out in the ears of the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief. Right after he spoke, an almost tangible tide of energy erupted from the depths, causing the entire world to sway.

This energy was so densely packed and immense that it seemed like a massive gout of flame.

In the darkness, its dazzling blue light was almost blinding.

Buzz!

Three boundless tides of Stellar Energy erupted from the bodies of Wang Chong, the Demonic Emperor Old Man, and the Wushang Village Chief, firmly affixing their bodies to the walls of the pit.

A moment later, without even time for the three to say another word, that tide of energy impacted them.

"Ah!"

Screams resounded through the air—not from Wang Chong or the Demonic Emperor Old Man, but from those martial artists who had been closely following them.

The appearance of this tide of energy had taken them by complete surprise.

Numerous people were struck by the tide of energy and tossed into the air. This immense impact was enough to instantly pulverize the organs of some of the martial artists, instantly killing them.

Rumble! Wang Chong, the Demonic Emperor Old Man, and the Wushang Village Chief pressed their backs against the wall, but they were also under unimaginable pressure.

Although they had not been washed away by that tide of energy, they felt a weight of tens of thousands of tons on their bodies.

Under this immense pressure, the Stellar Energy around their bodies was tottering and swaying, and their reserves were being consumed at an astonishing rate.

"Master, Village Chief, let me help you!"

Wang Chong split his mind into two parts, and his voice rang out simultaneously in the minds of the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief.

The pressure from this tide of energy was constantly increasing, and even more importantly, no one knew how long it would last. If it was similar to the first trial of the metallic storm, they would probably all die here.

Rather than blocking it up, it was better to guide it away. To consume so much Stellar Energy before even seeing the Origin Immortal Treasury would probably make anything they encountered next even more dangerous.

Boom!

Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Chong used the Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art, and under Wang Chong's guidance, that majestic surge of energy rumbled into the bodies of the trio.

Although this tide of energy was so strong that it could instantly kill Imperial Martial experts, it was still extremely powerful Origin Energy. However, Wang Chong was probably the only one capable of actually absorbing such powerful energy over such a short period of time.

If one were careless, not only would one fail to obtain energy, one would end up heavily injured or even dead.

Buzz!

Under Wang Chong's guidance, the energy poured into the bodies of the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief. With the support of this energy, they were able to restore the reserves they had previously exhausted and even recover their mental state.

"This is the perfect chance to charge up the Energy Condensation Pearl!"

Seeing that the Demonic Emperor Old Man's and the Wushang Village Chief's conditions had stabilized, Wang Chong guided the tide of energy into the Energy Condensation Pearl.

The consecutive battles and the metal storm had caused Wang Chong to use up a large amount of the energy stored in the Energy Condensation Pearl. This vast tide of energy now presented Wang Chong a rare opportunity.

The almost exhausted Energy Condensation Pearl buzzed and hummed as it swelled with power. Wang Chong had managed to profit from this misfortune, not only helping his master and the village chief recover, but also recharging the Energy Condensation Pearl.

"Wonderful!"

Wang Chong was elated. Truly, every cloud had a silver lining. He had never expected to be able to find a place to recharge so deep underground.

However, Wang Chong's joy did not last for long. The wall behind Wang Chong, the Demonic Emperor Old Man, and the Wushang Village Chief began to tremble. Wang Chong sensed that a tide of energy nearly one hundred times more powerful than the first was about to erupt.

This time, though, it wasn't coming from the depths of the pit, but from the wall behind them.

A second later, this terrifying tide of energy erupted from the wall, striking Wang Chong's group and instantly obliterating their Stellar Energy barriers.

"Not good!"

Wang Chong paled, and a moment later, the two different tides of energy had knocked the three of them loose and thrown them into the air.

"Chong-er! Hurry and use the Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art!"

As the Demonic Emperor Old Man's voice resounded in Wang Chong's ear, he used his own supreme art.

"Myriad Spirit Sea Art!"

This was the first time since the Battle of Talas that the Demonic Emperor Old Man had used this art.

With a resounding boom, the tide of energy erupting out of the wall and the tide of energy erupting from the depths of the pit were parted by another powerful energy. For a moment, an energy vacuum was created around Wang Chong, the Wushang Village Chief, and the Demonic Emperor Old Man.

"Great Yin Yang Art!"

While upside down, Wang Chong used one of the powerful techniques of the Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art. The energies of Yin and Yang emerged beneath the trio.

Yin and Yang were the origin of all the energy of the world. The moment Wang Chong used this technique, the two different tides of energy began to twist, revolve, and compress. In that energy vacuum around Wang Chong's group, a barrier of energy began to condense, serving as their shield.

"Ten Thousand Dragons Dam the Waters!"

As Wang Chong was using the Great Yin Yang Art, a white cane extended into the air and tapped on the barrier of condensed energy that had been formed.

Even more energy began to surge onto the barrier, condensing upon it with a freezing crackle. In a flash, the crystalline energy barrier had become more than a foot thick.

______________
1. At thirteen thousand meters, this pit now surpasses the deepest hole mankind has ever drilled into the earth.↩

Chapter end