txolops Chapter 88
Chapter 88
The instant after he plunged into the water, Huang Chen was swept away by the underground river.
The icy river water poured into his nose and ears, and his chest felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on it. The aftershocks of the explosion above crashed down through the water, shaking the riverbed violently, and pebbles kept falling, hitting his back and shoulders with muffled thuds.
He gritted his teeth, choked on two mouthfuls of blood, and forced back the surging blood pressure.
"Concealing Breath Technique".
'
With a thought, the remaining pulse fire on his body quickly receded, wrapping himself up along with the Human Concealment Veil. The water in the underground river was swift and turbid, carrying sand and bone fragments as it rushed through. He simply stopped trying to fight against the current, only occasionally using his Mountain and River Boots to push off protruding rocks on the riverbed to slightly adjust his direction, letting the river carry him deeper into the water.
All I could hear was the deafening roar.
The water was black, bone-chillingly cold, and carried the stench of underground silt and rust.
Huang Chen felt a burning sensation in his lungs. The area on his left arm that had been grazed by the demonic fire was scorched and cracked, and the witch's mark on his chest was flickering on and off, like a piece of charcoal about to break in the wind.
He could feel that the blood and energy of the early-stage Celestial Immortal was declining.
This is not ordinary consumption.
It was a mess left behind by the backlash from several forces, including the Fire Altar, the Pivot Seal, the Main Array Pivot Seal, the Prison Suppression Stele, and the Pulse Fire Battle Domain, like several blunt knives scraping back and forth in the meridians.
If he were to encounter another small demon army squad now, he might not be able to defeat them with ease.
The river bends several times.
After an unknown amount of time, the tremors overhead finally subsided. Huang Chen held his breath until his chest felt like it was about to explode, then suddenly used the force to leap upwards, breaking through a layer of grayish-foamy water, and crashing heavily into a low stone cavity.
"cough--"
He didn't take a proper breath and instead spat out a mouthful of stagnant blood.
The blood was quickly diluted when it fell into the water.
Huang Chen clung to the slippery rock wall with one hand, panting for a few breaths before slowly crawling out of the shallow water. He was dripping wet, the stone surface beneath his feet was icy cold, and the tip of the bell hanging from the cave ceiling was slowly dripping water, the sound hollow and cold.
It was still dark outside.
Only when the underground river bends into the depths does it reflect a faint, shimmering light.
Huang Chen sat down against the stone wall, not immediately tending to his injuries, but instead spreading out his right hand.
The fire-suppressing nail lay quietly in the palm of his hand.
The nail was jet black, less than a foot long, with dense, reddish-gold patterns coiled on its surface. Although it had clearly been blasted out of the core of the fire altar, it felt as cold as a piece of iron buried for a thousand years. The chill seeped into his bones from his palm, just enough to suppress the violent residual heat scorched by the fire altar within his body.
There were also several fragments of the pivot seal nearby.
The edges are jagged, yet a dark red luster still slowly flows at the break, like semi-solidified magma.
Huang Chen narrowed his eyes, put the items into his pocket, then patted the storage compartment, took out Rejuvenation Pills and Vitality Replenishing Pills, and grabbed a few spirit stones, setting up a simple concealment array on the spot.
The formation is not large.
Enough to prevent brilliant ideas from leaking out, enough to cover up the smell of blood.
Any more would be wishful thinking.
After doing all this, he swallowed the pill, sat cross-legged, and began to gradually circulate the Qi and blood pathways of the "Ancient God and Demon Technique" and the "Ancient Body Forging Scripture".
Time is the least valuable thing underground.
There was no sun or moon, no wind, only the sound of dripping water and the struggling circulation of blood and qi within my body.
Half an hour later, the burning sensation in Huang Chen's chest finally subsided a bit.
An hour later, the charred skin and flesh began to peel off, and new flesh and blood slowly grew out of the cracks, though at a slow pace. The hidden injuries left by the backlash from the fire altar were more troublesome than they appeared on the surface; several main meridians were brittle from the burns, and even the slightest exertion caused them to ache.
Later, he simply took out a replica of the Twelve-Grade Karmic Fire Red Lotus and hung it in front of his knees.
The pale red flames flickered in the darkness, illuminating the entire stone cavity in an intermittent light.
The fire wasn't harsh; instead, it forced out the evil fire and miscellaneous evil spirits that had invaded his body, which then turned into black and red mist through his pores and hissed as they fell to the ground.
Sweat beaded on Huang Chen's forehead.
The veins on the back of his hand bulged out one by one.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly opened his mouth and vomited out a clump of almost black blood.
The blood clot was still smoldering slightly after it hit the ground.
He wiped his mouth and let out a long breath.
"At least I didn't get blown up here."
The voice was low and hoarse, echoing around in the cave before sinking back down.
He closed his eyes and calmed his mind. With a thought, the system panel unfolded in his mind.
[Host: Huang Chen]
[Realm Level: Early Celestial Immortal]
[Merit: Increasing]
[Karma: In Progress]
[Current convertible value: Insufficient to break through]
[Note: Protecting the human race and seizing nodes related to the main array seal of the Chiwu Ancient City will grant some merit.]
[Note: Slaying blood-debt demon soldiers and burning sacrificial altars related to sinful acts will grant you some karma.]
Huang Chen finished scanning, and there were no surprises.
It went up.
The increase wasn't significant.
The last few tough battles had almost depleted my savings. Although I pulled off a great heist in the ancient city this time, rescuing people, seizing seals, destroying altars, and slaying demons, I haven't really secured the main formation yet, and the ancient city isn't completely under my control. So the settlement from the system is only a small fraction of what I received.
"Almost."
'
He said it in a low voice.
Almost there, but that's exactly what's most agonizing.
The extra merit and karmic credit he accumulates will allow him to hold on a little longer, exchange for a few more talismans, and prepare some backup plans. However, relying solely on the system to push him to the next level is far from enough.
"Almost."
'
He said it in a low voice.
Almost there, but that's exactly what's most agonizing.
The extra merit and karmic credit he accumulates will allow him to hold on a little longer, exchange for a few more talismans, and prepare some backup plans. However, relying solely on the system to push him to the next level is far from enough.
Huang Chen stopped staring at the panel and waved it away.
What he needs now is not to be impatient.
It means thoroughly understanding what you have at hand first.
He took out the fire-suppressing nail again, placed it horizontally on his lap, and probed it with his divine sense little by little.
The moment he touched it, it felt like a cold needle pierced his brain, and a strange fluctuation spread out along his sea of consciousness, causing even the remaining fire poison in his body to tremble.
"Suppress the fire, calm the pulse, lock the jar..."
Huang Chen frowned, his fingertips slowly nailing the patterns on the body.
This thing isn't a purely offensive magical artifact; it's more like an array device, specifically designed to pin down certain fire veins or altar nodes. The Burning Feather Demon Commander was able to barely protect himself in the rampaging fire altar mostly because of it.
If used properly, the fire-suppressing nail can suppress a key opening in the ancient city's fire vein.
They can even turn the tables and shut down the other party.
Thinking of this, Huang Chen's eyes flickered slightly, and he laid out several more fragments of the pivot seal.
There are five fragments in total.
Two of the fragments bear clear array patterns, while the other three resemble fragments of some kind of identity or authority seal. He has already obtained the complete main component of the main array core seal; these fragments are likely secondary authority seals temporarily salvaged by the Burning Feather Demon Commander from the outskirts of the ancient city.
In other words, the demons in Chiwu Ancient City did not fully understand the city.
They were touching it too.
They're also fighting over it.
Huang Chen picked up one of the pieces and tried it out by sticking it to the edge of the main array pivot seal.
The moment the two came into contact, several wisps of dark gold flame appeared at the broken edge, only to quickly extinguish.
They can put together a plan.
There's just something missing.
Several thoughts flashed through his eyes, and he was about to continue his deduction when his ears suddenly twitched.
Besides the sound of dripping water, there were other noises.
It's very light.
Like the soles of boots stepping on wet stones, deliberately slowing the pace, pausing every five or six steps. Further on, more footsteps spread out in a fan shape, slowly making their way along the outer river cave.
Huang Chen's eyes instantly turned cold.
The Asura Blood Blade silently slid into his palm.
He didn't get up, but tightened his breathing inch by inch, as if his whole body was embedded in the shadow of the stone wall. The group of people outside moved in an orderly manner, first checking the left and right, then looking up, and finally locking the exit. They didn't look like the little demons running around, nor did they look like the defeated soldiers who had just been blown up in the ancient city.
Familiar with.
too familiar.
That's the method of searching holes that the Flame Guards usually use during training.
The next moment, a very low pause in breathing came from outside the cave.
It seemed that the leader had seen the array marks and recognized the people inside.
Immediately, a voice, though very soft, still carried the lingering tone of a young boy.
"grown ups?"
Huang Chen was slightly taken aback.
His taut fingers relaxed slightly.
"Come in.
'
From the darkness of the cave entrance, a hand covered in black iron arm guards emerged first, parting the drooping vines and damp moss. Immediately afterward, a tall figure strode in, and when he reached a spot three zhang away from Huang Chen, he knelt down on one knee.
"Ashi has come as ordered."
That boy—no, he could no longer be called a boy.
Huang Chen looked over by the light of the Karmic Fire Lotus, and his eyes flickered slightly.
Ah Shi was half a head taller than before, his shoulders and back had fully matured, and the thin, hard, youthful look on his face had faded, leaving only the sharp edges honed by the battlefield and training methods.
The heavy armor he wore was crudely made, yet extremely practical. The edges of the armor plates still showed the cold, bright metallic sheen of the flying boat wreckage. Several thick, dark scales were embedded in his chest and shoulders, their dark patterns clearly indicating that they were materials stripped from the Black Scale Demon King.
This armor can protect your life.
It can also keep people in check.
When Ashi looked up, the panic and naivety in his eyes were gone, replaced by bloodshot eyes from a long journey and a suppressed excitement.
"Sir, are you badly injured?"
He had barely spoken when he seemed to realize he had broken the rules, so he quickly bowed his head and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Your subordinate deserves to die. First, inquire about the military situation. The main force of Xin Huo is already over a hundred miles away. Lao Tie and the old man from the prison are leading tens of thousands of clansmen to migrate in three routes. Outposts have already been deployed on the outer perimeter."
General Li has also arrived and is currently lining up the troops at the back.
Huang Chen glanced at him twice and suddenly smiled.
"Get up first."
Ashi didn't move.
Huang Chen had no choice but to raise his hand to support him, and a burst of energy lifted him up.
"good.
"He said, "Now I'm like a commander."
Ashi's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes turned a little red, but his lips remained tightly pursed.
"Everyone has been training while the adults are away from the valley. Old Tie said that the torch can't always be passed on by you alone."
Whoever can still move must learn to kill, learn to defend, and learn to bring those behind them out.
At this point, he added in a low voice.
"I dared not disgrace myself."
Huang Chen looked at the scratches and dried bloodstains on his nails, but didn't answer the question. Instead, he asked, "How did you find me?"
'
Ashi immediately took out a palm-sized domino and a wisp of thin, wisp of ash.
"Rely on this."
Before you entered the ancient city, you left a trace of bloodlust, which is almost undetectable under normal circumstances. Old Tie was worried that you would be dispersed by the array pulse after you seized the seal, so he asked me to take the Demon Blood Compass and the Communication Bone Fang to trace back along the underground water system.
The difference between a scattered tribal force and a well-organized army is enormous.
Footsteps approached from outside.
This time, the newcomer did not try to conceal himself; his steps were steady, and the sound of his footsteps on the wet stones was like the sound of iron spears falling to the ground.
As the light and shadows dimmed at the cave entrance, a man clad in heavy black armor walked in, his shoulders still damp with ground moisture.
Li Chenshuo.
As soon as he entered the cave, he glanced at Huang Chen, then noticed the Fire-Suppressing Nail and the Pivot Seal fragments beside his knees, and his eyes darkened slightly.
"You're really lucky."
'
Huang Chen twitched the corner of his mouth.
"Not bad, he didn't die."
'
Without exchanging pleasantries, Li Chenshuo walked closer, squatted down, and glanced at the array marks and bloodstains on the ground.
"I left three layers of hidden sentries outside, and five hundred elite soldiers have already taken over this section of the cave."
Twenty miles further out, I have men watching the edge of the ancient city. The demon race is in quite a mess. Commander Fenling is not dead and is leading his remaining troops to gather the outer ring, but they dare not rashly search the underground river.
'
Ashi chimed in from the side, "Sir, we also brought medicine, armor, and a batch of crossbow bolts. If we want to move now, we can leave immediately."
'
Huang Chen shook his head.
"Don't leave yet."
'
He picked up the fire-suppressing nail and handed it to the two of them.
"Take a look at this."
'
Li Chenshuo took it, and his brows furrowed the moment his hand touched it.
"Cold Fire Pulse-Soothing Device".
The old records of the Gonggong Ministry mention that it was specifically for suppressing violent fire veins. I didn't expect that a place like the ancient city of Chiwu would have one.
He examined it for a moment, his tone growing more somber. "You snatched it from the Burning Feather Demon Commander?"
"Um.
'
"He probably wishes he could turn the entire underground river upside down right now."
Huang Chen said calmly, "Let him flip it over."
'
After saying that, he pushed over a few more fragments of the pivot seal.
"These few things are also useful."
The main array key is in my hands, and I've also seized a portion of the peripheral secondary access. The fire vein pathways in the ancient city are incomplete. The demon race was able to enter because they pried open a crack with external force, not because they had complete control.
In other words, whoever fills in the gaps first will be able to control the ancient city's vitals.
The cave fell silent.
Only the flame flickered once.
Ashi stared at the fragments, his breathing noticeably heavier.
Having spent these past few days training, guarding the valley, escorting the troops, and eliminating scouts with Lao Tie, he already knew what "things brought out by the adults" meant. Huang Chen placed this thing flat on the rock, yet its weight was as heavy as an entire mountain.
Li Chenshuo looked up at Huang Chen.
"You have an idea?"
'
Huang Chen hummed in agreement, reached out and brushed away the ashes on a flat stone next to him, then used his blood to outline the stone surface.
"I have blown open a hole in the outer ring of Chiwu Ancient City."
After the backlash from the altar's fire veins, the Burning Feather Demon Clan dared not confront the core array veins head-on for a short time. But they wouldn't retreat, nor would the remnants of the Xuan Tian Sect. If the Northern Sea Sect got wind of this, they would most likely want to take a bite as well.
'
He drew three lines.
A crack points towards the outer ring of the ancient city.
A path leading to an underground river.
One route goes around to the north side of the collapsed wall from a greater distance.
"So we can't just rob them." Huang Chen looked up. "We have to occupy it first, then lock it up, and then lure them to crash into it."
'
Ah Shi held his breath upon hearing this.
Li Chenshuo narrowed his eyes: "Tell me in detail."
'
Huang Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the stone surface.
"First, the main force of the torch relay will not directly attack the ancient city, but will first set up three layers of camps a hundred miles away."
The outer layer receives people, the inner layer stores troops, and the middle layer stores food and medicine. Lao Tie is good at managing logistics, so let him guard the middle layer.
The old man in the prison led the elderly, women, and children along the safest route, away from the fire vein area.
"Second, send 500 elite troops forward tonight. They will use the underground river and abandoned wells to pick up the people I rescued and then occupy the three exits that can be blocked on the outskirts of the ancient city."
It's not an open occupation, it's a covert operation. Kill the scouts if you can, otherwise plant spies.
'
"Third," Huang Chen pointed to the Fire-Suppressing Nail, "while I was recovering from my injuries, I refined this thing into a secondary array node. As long as we find two more matching openings, we can suppress a portion of the fire veins on the outer ring of the ancient city."
"At that time, the people of the Burning Feather Demon Clan will have to defer to us whenever they want to come or go."
Upon hearing this, Li Chenshuo suddenly laughed.
The laugh wasn't loud, and it carried a hint of coldness.
"After that, it's all about besieging the enemy stronghold and attacking reinforcements."
'
Huang Chen nodded.
"right.
Turn the ancient city into a brazier. Anyone who tries to steal it, anyone who reaches out, will get burned first.
'
Ashi felt a surge of heat in his chest and couldn't help but take a half-step forward.
"My lord, what are those elite soldiers doing?"
'
Huang Chen glanced at him.
"You lead the men to guard the hidden line."
'
"Is it possible?"
Ashi raised his hand and slammed it against the breastplate, making a dull thud.
"able."
Huang Chen continued to draw lines on the stone surface.
"There's one more thing. The ancient city contains not only fire veins, but also the remnants of living array spirits."
When I activated the main array's pivot seal, the remnant spirits of the Golden Crows all awoke. These things don't distinguish between friend and foe; they bite whoever touches the main array.
If we really get to the core area, we can't treat it as an ally, but we also can't forget about it.
Li Chenshuo pondered for a moment.
"I have two main warriors under my command who understand the old-style pulse-suppressing technique. I'll call them in later to show you the diagram. If they can be used in conjunction with these fire-suppressing nails, they might be able to control an additional section of the fire channel."
'
Huang Chen nodded.
"OK.
'
Ashi hurriedly took a waterproof leather bag off his back and knelt down to hand it over.
"Sir, have a sip of something hot first."
It was kept warm the whole way here.
Huang Chen took it, pulled out the stopper, and a pungent medicinal smell immediately wafted out.
It's not alcohol.
It's a bone and ginger soup that my friend often makes, boiled until it's bitter, mixed with blood-nourishing herbs and a little bit of animal bone marrow.
Huang Chen took a sip, and his throat and lungs burned for a moment before the warmth gradually spread.
"Is this what you call bro?"
'
"Yes." Ashi nodded. "He said that you never lie still when you are seriously injured, so he gives you this to drink first, which will help you hold on a little."
'
Huang Chen chuckled.
"That old man."
'
Li Chenshuo stood up and glanced outside the cave.
It's getting dark.
A fire has been lit outside to block out the light, and the sentry line has been laid out. If you can still hold on, move to the large hole in front; there's enough room for a person to sit down, and we'll spread out the map and discuss it.
'
Huang Chen tried to get up, and immediately felt a sharp, needle-like pain in his chest.
Ashi's expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward to support him.
"Sir, please slow down."
"He's not that useless."
'
Despite saying that, Huang Chen still lent him a helping hand.
After exiting the narrow stone cavity, the space in front of us suddenly opened up considerably.
The underground cavern resembled the hollowed-out abdomen of an ancient behemoth, its ceiling high and its sides covered with glistening, wet stalactites. Several bonfires, their light suppressed by arrays, burned quietly, illuminating only a short radius and leaving the greater darkness to the sentries.
Five hundred elite soldiers were scattered in various places.
Some guarded the cave entrance, some stood close to the wall, and some squatted by the water to clean the crossbows; all their movements were extremely quiet.
Occasionally, the plates would clink together, producing a low metallic scraping sound, which was quickly swallowed up by the sound of water.
When they saw Huang Chen being led out by A Shi and Li Chenshuo, their eyes widened in surprise.
The next moment, a large group of people silently knelt down.
There was no shouting.
There was no uproar.
Only the dull thud of a suit of armor hitting the ground echoed deep within the underground cave.
Ah Shi whispered, "The master is back."
Huang Chen scanned those faces.
Some were too young, their faces still bearing the innocence of youth. Others were covered in old wounds, clearly survivors of countless perilous situations.
But they see the same things.
Pressed down, burned, hardened.
Huang Chen didn't say much, he just raised his hand.
"Get up, all of you."
"Keep your positions safe."
The crowd responded in unison, their voices low but perfectly synchronized, like a muffled clap of thunder.
In the center of the cave, someone had cleared a flat area and laid out a map made of animal hide, a fragment of an ancient city map, several pieces of ore to weigh down the corners, and a pot of freshly boiled soup. The pot was bubbling with steam, the aroma of medicine and meat mingling with the smell of meat, which diluted the damp, cold, and fishy smell from the underground.
After Huang Chen sat down, he laid out the fragments of the Chiwu Ancient City Ruins map, the main array seal, the seal fragments, and the fire-suppressing nails in sequence.
The firelight illuminated those items, and even Li Chenshuo's expression froze.
Ashi pushed a bone lamp closer, then stood guard to Huang Chen's left, his hand on the hilt of his knife, like a silent block of iron.
"Sir," he whispered, "Old Tie also asked me to pass on a message."
'
"explain."
Ah Shi's throat bobbed, and he tried to imitate Lao Tie's usual gruff tone, but his attempt came across as a bit stiff.
"You fight for your lives up front, we'll carry people down behind. The road has already been paved, so don't die too early, lest I have to teach the next batch of bastards a lesson."
'
As soon as he said it, the corners of the mouths of the guards next to him twitched, wanting to laugh but not daring to.
Huang Chen was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and laughed and scolded.
"That bastard."
Li Chenshuo spread the map out flat and reached out to press it against the north side of the ancient city.
"Let's get down to business first."
Huang Chen stopped laughing and placed his fingertips on the spot where the broken map and the blood lines on the stone surface overlapped.
"Let's drive in the first nail here."
The campfire crackled.
The water droplets from the cave ceiling landed right on the corner of the map.
The latest chapter has ignited the plot! Stay tuned for more updates.