Chapter 17

In the high air above the river, the aura of the three powerful figures standing in the void suddenly fluctuated as the black light spewed from the cave entrance changed.

"Yōu Míng Pearl?"

Before the words had even finished, a black streak of light shot from a distance, directly diving to the river bottom. However, it seemed to sense the three powerful auras in the clouds and hesitated for a moment. Then, it transformed into a black rainbow and shot forward, revealing its form before the three spiritual auras.

"Teacher, the two Venerables!"

The black light rippled, and in an instant, a beardless old man in a black robe with wide sleeves stepped out. Golden patterns wound around his sleeves, and a black square compass at his feet transformed into a faint light, which he held in his hand. He bowed lightly to the three spiritual auras in the clouds.

Slightly surprised, Lin Ji's expression eased. He glanced at the beardless old man in the black robe who had flown up to the cloud layer, stroked his beard, and smiled gently.

"Good, good."

"Teacher, this disciple—"

"Wait on the side." Lin Ji waved his hand, signaling the black-robed old man to calm down.

The black-robed old man who arrived later was one of the eighteen elders of Lianyun Fort. He was Lin Ji's third direct disciple, inheriting Lin Ji's Yin-Yang Two Instruments Dao. However, this black-robed old man specialized in the extreme Yin and death path, and was now at the half-step middle stage, with the fourth stage within reach. He had hurriedly come upon sensing the Yōu Míng resentment aura erupting from the area.

It turned out that the black toxic primordial energy released by Jun Wuming was Yōu Míng resentment aura. This riverbank was originally a small ancient battlefield from the ancient times, where corpses piled up like mountains and bones formed forests, located in a cold and yin place.

Over the ages, the earth's veins trembled, and the river changed course. After ten thousand years, this place was covered by the Bibo River. Although there were occasional leaks of Yōu Míng resentment aura, the amount was too small, and it was purified by the water primordial energy at the river bottom, making it hard to detect. Only creatures like the Yin-Yang Spirit Snake, which are highly sensitive to Yin-Yang primordial energy, could discover and track it to this place to settle down.

The Yōu Míng Pearl was formed from the essence of the dense corpse resentment aura and the turbid earth's veins over millions of years. It was naturally nurtured by the earth and heaven, and such treasures are called heavenly materials. Even in this vast universe, such naturally formed treasures are rare. Once they appear, they inevitably cause a storm. This pearl can not only serve as a dwelling for a Yin spirit but can also transform into an external primordial spirit, adding an extra life.

This pearl thrives on devouring vitality and Yang energy. Once the Yin and Yang energies in the Yōu Míng Pearl are balanced, its spiritual and mysterious nature will reach a higher level.

At this moment, at the bottom of the river, Jun Wuming, with a black face, saw the strange black pearl approaching again, about to reach his eyebrows in an instant!

In the critical moment, he did not panic. Although the divine water power in his body was restrained by the extreme toxic Yōu Míng power, making it difficult to circulate, Jun Wuming's mental power was condensed, and the Yōu Míng power could not completely erode and seal it in a short time!

In his sea of consciousness, Jun Wuming's mental power took shape, black mental power danced, emitting a vast radiance that illuminated the entire sea of consciousness. As the nature of his divine power changed, the light blue ocean in his sea of consciousness had almost turned into a black dead sea.

Faint light and shadows fluttered around the mental entity, with a vast black river circling it. Outside, layers of dark Yōu Míng resentment aura formed chains, gradually pressing towards the territory of the sea of consciousness.

Rumbling, the mental power ocean in the sea of consciousness churned, and the mental entity suddenly seemed to open its eyes. Looking around, the situation in the sea of consciousness became immediately clear.

All of this happened in a split second, though it seemed slow. With a smile, his mind moved, and the divine water river surrounding the mental entity instantly transformed into a black light, shooting out from his eyebrows.

The black light, like a startled swan, shot out in an instant, colliding with the Yōu Míng Pearl.

"Poof" Instantly frozen, the ice block fell into the water.

Seeing the immediate resolution of the crisis, Jun Wuming did not dare to delay. He struck the ice block with his palm, thickening it. He forcefully raised the sluggish divine water power in his body, gradually expelling the extremely pure and dark toxic aura.

The black divine water power in his meridians flowed like a stream, circulating through his meridians, refining the dark and strange flame-like aura that absorbed the vital energy in his body.

As he practiced, the black aura on the face of the black-robed youth sitting cross-legged on the reef gradually dissipated. When all the dark and strange aura in his body was refined, the dark blue color on Jun Wuming's face completely disappeared.

He opened his eyes and exhaled lightly.

A strange black smoke was gently sent into the water by the black-robed youth. The black smoke mixed with the cool river water, and a large area of the surrounding water quickly turned black, as dark as ink. In a blink, it was washed away by the clear and tranquil river, returning to peace.

After completing his meditation, Jun Wuming instinctively looked up. He sensed that the three powerful auras in the clouds were like the sun at noon, openly revealing their presence. Their auras were slightly agitated, clearly showing some impatience.

A flash of insight in his eyes, Jun Wuming's heart moved. Are the cherry pickers here?

Thinking about it, his hands did not slow down. With a wave, a stream of power surged and spread. The surrounding water instantly transformed into a thick water column, lifting Jun Wuming and shooting straight into the clouds.

"Junior Jun Wuming greets the three Venerables and Elder Qi."

Seeing the four figures in the clouds, Jun Wuming was slightly surprised. The appearance of this black-robed old man was somewhat unexpected.

Looking at his attire, a black brocade robe with golden patterns on the sleeves forming auspicious clouds, it was clearly the formal attire of an elder in Lianyun Fort. The rules of Lianyun Fort were not strict, but only the eighteen elders could have golden patterns on their sleeves; ordinary elders could only have silver patterns and dared not overstep.

"Are you Jun Wuming, the disciple of Old Green?" The black-robed old man saw the face of the black-robed youth, his eyes flashing with a hint of doubt, as if he had seen Jun Wuming before.

Lianyun Fort had guarded the Misty Forest for a thousand years, with eighteen forts distributed around Taoshan Mountain. The forts were established on eighteen picturesque peaks of Taoshan Mountain.

The population in the forts was large, and the elders had their own duties, making it difficult for them to gather often. They only met during the autumn hunt every few years or the ancestral worship ceremony for the young adults. This black-robed old man had only seen Jun Wuming a few times in the past ten years, mainly because Jun Wuming was the direct disciple of another familiar elder in the fort.

"Junior is indeed Jun Wuming, greeting Elder Qi." Jun Wuming recognized the elder, as cultivators have keen eyes and minds, and although they had only met a few times, Jun Wuming remembered him well.

Jun Wuming smiled, but in his heart, he sighed. It was precisely because he recognized the elder that he felt troubled.

This elder was the third direct disciple of the Grand Elder Lin Ji, specializing in the extreme Yin and death path. He usually focused on cultivation, making it hard to see him. It was said that this elder was already at the half-step fourth stage, with the Gangsha fire ignited, and the fourth stage was imminent. For him to appear now instead of being in seclusion was not a good sign.

Suppressing his thoughts, Jun Wuming decided to see what this Elder Qi had to say, secretly guessing why he had come.

Seeing Jun Wuming's silent and respectful demeanor, the black-robed old man smiled helplessly, calling him a little slick.

The black-robed old man was Lin Ji's third direct disciple, named Qi Zhengheng. He was originally in seclusion, contemplating the Yin mystic realm, but suddenly sensed a Yōu Míng resentment aura erupting nearby. This black Yōu Míng resentment aura was as thick as a cloud pillar and as vast as a Yōu Míng sun, resonating with his aura. The stirring in his heart told him that this was a great opportunity. If he could uncover the mystery of this treasure, he could achieve the Yin spirit.

Thus, he hastily broke his seclusion and rushed over.

Seeing the black-robed youth on the water column, respectful and silent, the black-robed old man felt somewhat impatient. He had intended to put on a show of authority, but the black-robed youth's silence made things complicated.

Matters concerning the Dao could not be delayed, as delays could lead to changes. He was about to speak to force the issue when he suddenly noticed that Lin Ji was looking at the youth with a somewhat unusual expression.

His heart moved again. This look from his teacher. After a moment's thought, his eyes brightened, and he stepped forward, approaching Lin Ji and speaking softly.

"Master, I was in seclusion in the fort, seeking the Yin spirit realm, but suddenly felt a stirring in my heart. I sensed a beam of treasure light shooting up from here, resonating with my mind and Dao, which would greatly benefit my achievement of the Yin spirit. Thus, I hurriedly came."

The black-robed old man pursed his lips, pondering his words, and approached Lin Ji, explaining his thoughts and desires without any concealment.

Lin Ji looked up and down at his disciple, seeing that the disciple's aura was mixed and fiery, with Yin energy rising and rolling at his forehead. A pure black flame danced at his brow, emitting a subtle and mysterious aura, as if it contained a terrifying primordial embryo.

Achieving the Yin spirit soon?

Slightly troubled, he turned his head, frowned, and looked at the black-robed youth on the water column.

At this moment, Jun Wuming saw Lin Ji's gaze and understood. He opened his palm, and a round black ice block containing a pure black pearl floated in the air. The black pearl faintly emitted a black radiance, and the surrounding black ice slowly melted. However, with the black power from Jun Wuming's palm, the black ice quickly thickened, holding back the black radiance of the pearl to prevent it from escaping and causing harm.

"Indeed, it is the Yōu Míng Pearl!" The black-robed old man's eyes brightened, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.

"Yōu Míng Pearl?"

Seeing Jun Wuming's confusion, the black-robed old man did not hide the origin of the Yōu Míng Pearl, explaining it in detail.

Then, he fixed his eyes on the black-robed youth and spoke gently, "Young friend, you already know what I seek. This treasure is crucial to my future Dao, and I cannot give it up. I see that this pearl, though beneficial to you, is not indispensable. However, this treasure is precious and rare. I wish to exchange it with you. What do you think?"

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