The Frigid Pond was cold and gloomy. Upon entering, everyone immediately felt a bone-piercing cold.
Following behind Luo Zhu, they swam downstream in a straight line.
Even the weakest among them was a Supreme-Being. At this level, holding one's breath underwater for twenty to thirty minutes was no problem at all.
Even though Zhao Feiwu's cultivation was lacking, with Jin Conghai constantly channeling his zhenqi into her to form a zhenqi barrier, she didn't feel suffocated at all.
Initially, Zhang Xuan was still able to see the situation before him with the help of the sunlight from the surface of the water. However, as he got deeper, he found himself unable to even see his own fingers.
Luo Zhu was already prepared. He took out a few Night Illumination Pearls and gave one to each of them. Under the warm light, the underwater world appeared clearly in front of them.
Because this pool was too cold, there was no life in it. They swam downstream until they reached a depth of about seventy or eighty meters. Finally, they saw the ground, which was covered with all kinds of dark colored aquatic plants.
Unable to speak underwater, Luo Zhu gestured to the crowd. Following the path that was filled with aquatic plants, he slowly advanced forward. Not long later, he arrived before the cliff.
It was a smooth stone wall, and there didn't seem to be anything special about it. If one didn't know about the soul oracle tomb, one wouldn't be able to notice anything amiss.
Flicking his wrist, Luo Zhu took out a smooth stone plate. After feeling around the wall for a moment, he found the right spot and placed it on the stone plate.
Creak!
As if some kind of mechanism had been activated, the wall slowly opened. This seemingly intact stone wall was actually alive.
"What exquisite craftsmanship!"
Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.
The mechanism was carved out of stone, and there was not the slightest gap on the surface. While it could not be compared to the Celestial Designer Mechanical Box from before, it was still far superior to many treasures that he had seen before.
From the looks of it, the craftsman who constructed this soul oracle tomb was of a high rank. At the very least, he had to be a 9-mo craftsman.
Legend had it that even a Transcendent Mortal expert would find it hard to discern the authenticity of a 9-mo craftsman's mechanical puppet. From the looks of it, that was indeed the case.
It was no wonder why Luo Zhu was so confident that no one would be able to find this place other than him. It was indeed difficult to find such a secretive place.
The stone wall opened and a door appeared before them. Luo Zhu walked in first.
Inside the door was a special waterproof mechanism. Life could enter, but water couldn't. As soon as everyone stepped inside, they felt the air flow inside, and they didn't feel suffocated at all.
"This is the passageway to the soul oracle tomb. At the end of it is the tomb!"
Luo Zhu said. After everyone entered, the stone wall closed automatically.
"En!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
Everyone looked at it curiously.
It was a long and narrow corridor with all kinds of murals carved on both sides. Most of them depicted the rituals of soul oracles, and under the illumination of the Night Illumination Pearls, they seemed exceptionally eerie.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. There's an extremely powerful mechanism in this corridor. We have to probe it step by step before we can enter!"
Seemingly extremely familiar with the environment of ancient tombs, Luo Zhu made a grabbing motion, and two child-sized puppets appeared before him.
It must have been specially prepared by him these past few days.
Zhang Xuan took out two spirit stones and placed them into the cauldron before proceeding along the passageway.
Creak! Creak!
The first puppet hadn't even taken three steps when a gust of wind blew past, followed by a crisp sound, and it exploded into pieces.
Everyone's pupils constricted.
The puppet that Luo Zhu had just taken out was forged using a unique material, making it extremely sturdy. Putting everything else aside, even someone of Jin Conghai's strength would find it difficult to shatter it.
He did not know what kind of mechanism he had fallen into, but it had exploded. If he had not been vigilant and held the crowd back, wouldn't he have died if he had charged in?
In an instant, he broke out in cold sweat.
As expected of one of the most bizarre occupations in the world, this soul oracle tomb was indeed extraordinary.
If not for Zhang Shi resolving the issue of soul possession and allowing the other party to lead them here, they might have been wiped out before they could even enter.
Creak! Creak!
Amidst everyone's shock, the second puppet also suffered an attack before it could even take a few steps. Just like the first puppet, it exploded into pieces.
"There are two death traps within five steps. I'll lead the way and mark out the position of your feet. Make sure to follow me closely. Otherwise... I won't be able to guarantee your safety!"
Luo Zhu instructed with a grim expression.
"Alright!" Knowing this, the crowd nodded their heads.
Hu!
Luo Zhu carefully took a step forward. The moment his feet stepped into the passageway, he heard a gust of wind and a sharp glint flashed not too far away from him. From the looks of it, if he were to be struck by it, he would be severely injured, if not dead.
However, with the puppets leading the way, he was already prepared for it, so he wasn't injured.
Seeing the dangers in the passageway, Master Sai asked doubtfully, "This is... a formation?"
Danger lurking in every corner of the passageway, could there be a formidable Slaughter Formation here?
If that was the case, given Zhang Shi's understanding of formations, wouldn't it be much easier for him to destroy it?
"That's not it!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.
If it was a formation, he would have been able to sense the spiritual energy within and find the core of the formation. However... this clearly wasn't the case.
"What the soul oracle tomb is most guarded against isn't humans but Soul Devouring Ants. Formations are ineffective against Soul Devouring Ants... Thus, there shouldn't be a formation here. If I'm not mistaken, it should be some kind of mechanism!"
After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan analyzed.
The nemesis of soul oracles was the Soul Devouring Ants. Naturally, the tomb had to be guarded against them. The Soul Devouring Ants were able to devour the spiritual energy within a formation and stop it. If a formation were to be set up, it would be ineffective.
The crowd nodded.
"If it's a mechanism, it'll be troublesome. None of us are skilled in mechanics. If we had a celestial designer here, things would be much simpler!" Master Sai frowned.
"Celestial designer?" Sun Qiang and the others turned to look at Zhang Xuan.
Zhang Xuan had never mentioned this occupation before, so they weren't too familiar with it.
"Indeed. Celestial designers are also known as mechanics. They are an occupation of the Lower Nine Paths, and they specialize in designing these seemingly ordinary objects. They are able to infuse sword qi and battle techniques into them, and once they are activated, they will unleash immense might! Many experts are unable to withstand their might! "
Master Sai explained. "There's an organization for this occupation known as the Celestial Designer Academy. It specializes in designing the most mystical weapons and mechanisms in the world. However... I've only read about this occupation in books, and our League of Nations doesn't have such an organization. It's said that only the Miryu Empire is qualified to build a branch. "
"The designs of this occupation are extremely intricate, and it's indeed difficult for those who don't understand the principles behind it!"
Zhang Xuan nodded as a deep frown appeared on his forehead.
He had a deep understanding of the complexity of the Celestial Designer Mechanical Box. If not for the Library of Heaven's Path, it would have been impossible for him to open it.
For such a small box to be designed so intricately, if such a person were to interfere in the passageway, the danger would be unimaginable.
Puhe!
Just as Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, he suddenly heard the sound of a blade piercing through flesh. Following which, he saw Luo Zhu retreating with a reddened face. His arm seemed to have been cut by something, and blood was flowing profusely.
"Are you alright?"
Jin Conghai and the others rushed forward to help him staunch the wound.
"I'm fine!" Luo Zhu shook his head. "The mechanisms in this passageway seem to be more difficult to navigate than before..."
"More difficult to navigate? How long is this passageway? How long did you take to reach the end? "Zhang Xuan asked.
"It's around three hundred meters long. The last time I was here, I used a puppet to test it out, and it took me around four days to reach the end!"
Luo Zhu frowned. "However, this kind of mechanism is similar to a formation. Every time I enter, it will be different. My previous experience is completely useless this time, or else I wouldn't have been injured..."
"You walked for four days?" Zhang Xuan was speechless.
To travel three hundred meters in four days, it was indeed too difficult.
"Indeed. However, if we don't proceed slowly, there's nothing we can do. The sword qi harnessed in the mechanisms is at least at Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle, and there are even some at Transcendent Mortal 5-dan. If we don't avoid it in time, we will be sliced into two on the spot!"
Luo Zhu shook his head.
"Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle sword qi?" Everyone was astonished.
When they saw the puppet being killed, they knew that the sword qi harnessed in the surroundings was fearsome, but they didn't expect it to be this formidable.
In such a narrow passageway, even a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle expert would find it hard to defend against it. If one were to be struck by such a powerful sword qi, even a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle expert would find it hard to survive.
"Is there no other way but to explore step by step?"
Zhao Feiwu frowned.
"There's no other way! The mechanisms left behind by celestial designers are incomparably complicated, and they are constantly changing. If one doesn't know how they work, it'll be difficult to pass through them. "Luo Zhu shook his head.
"Even if we find a way to destroy the mechanisms in the passageway?" Zhang Xuan frowned.
If they could find the switch or the crux of the mechanism, they should be able to destroy it.
"Destroy?"
Luo Zhu smiled bitterly. "How can it be that easy? The mechanisms left behind by celestial designers are similar to a waterwheel, they are constantly moving. Even if you have seen the blueprint, it's useless if you don't know how it works. After all, celestial designers are an incredible occupation. Just like formations, if you can destroy them so easily, there's no need to fear them anymore! "
Mechanisms were similar to formations. Even if one had seen the blueprint, it would be useless if one didn't know how it worked.
This was because the mechanisms were constantly moving. If one didn't know the slightest thing about this occupation, it would be hard to say whether one could survive or not.
"Indeed. This is what makes celestial designers so fearsome. They are able to use machinery to create tools that can kill others. Furthermore, these tools don't require spirit stones to drive them... If I'm not wrong, the mechanisms in the passageway are powered by the waterfall above. If one doesn't know how it works, even with a compass, it's impossible to locate them!"
Master Sai nodded his head.
A compass could determine the flow of spiritual energy, determine the strength of a formation, and find a way to find its weakness. However... the mechanisms in the passageway were powered by physical energy instead of spirit stones. For example, the waterfall above...
How could it be destroyed?
Hearing the analysis of the duo, the faces of the crowd darkened. The excitement that they had when they first arrived was nowhere to be seen. Seeing that the morale of the crowd had plummeted, Zhang Xuan shook his head.
"Just because we can't find the compass doesn't mean that we can't find it through other means. Don't worry, I'll give it a try!"
After which, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. He placed his palm on the ground and touched it lightly.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
