Chapter 289: Doubt
The bamboo leaves collided like metal pieces, emitting a very pleasant sound. This sound sounded very strange. It was very clear and pleasant, but there was a sinister feeling in his heart. It was as if it was constantly reminding others that this place was such a deep forest filled with devilish aura.
As Li Yuanqing walked in, he listened to the crisp and pleasant music that made him feel very uncomfortable. He felt like his consciousness was a little blurry. He calmed himself down and isolated those very strange sounds. These sounds would affect one’s mind and gradually make one irrational and filled with fantasies.
Looking at the situation here, this bamboo forest was probably a huge illusion array. It was easy for people who were slightly unstable to fall into this illusion and be trapped here forever by these bamboos.
Li Yuanqing did not dare to be negligent.
The power here was very unique. According to the legends, this was an ancient battlefield, a place left behind by the humans during the war with the Devil Realm. Therefore, there would be some devilish techniques and a lot of devilish aura entangled with the power of humans.
These three very complicated forces kept entangling and affecting each other. In the end, they transformed into the treacherous energy given to these evil spirits.
Just as Li Yuanqing was walking in, the bamboo on his left suddenly opened up a pa.s.sageway for some reason. The path extended straight inside, but it was covered by a very thick smoke, making it impossible to see what was inside.
This sudden change made Li Yuanqing stop in his tracks. He turned to face the path. It was obvious that they wanted him to go in since such a path had suddenly appeared. However, should he go in?
Logically speaking, there was no reason for him to listen to these guys in such a dangerous place. These guys could not wait for him to die. Now that a path had suddenly appeared, they wanted him to go in and die obediently.
They couldn’t possibly open it to let him pa.s.s that easily, right? That was impossible. However, what was the purpose of suddenly opening a path like this? Could it be that it was just splitting open a path here to let Li Yuanqing stay for a moment?
Li Yuanqing was about to ignore this path and continue walking when he suddenly heard the sound of a zither.
He had just realized that the sound of the zither had already existed. However, the sound was very ethereal and he could not find the direction at all. Now, the sound of the zither gradually became real and kept expanding in his ears, leaving traces in his heart.
Li Yuanqing, who was not interested in this at first, inexplicably became interested when he heard this familiar sound.
It was clearly an instrument that only humans would use. Only humans would use these things. Demons and demon beasts like them only wanted to live. How could they enjoy these spiritual pleasures?
But why was there someone in this place? It shouldn’t be.
Li Yuanqing walked along the path. At first, the side was still misty, but the further he walked, the brighter it became.
As he walked, the bamboo in the bamboo forest beside the mountain had turned emerald green. These green bamboos and this very weak breeze blew on his body. The bamboo leaves swayed with the wind. From time to time, a few pieces would be blown off by the wind and land on his head, emitting a very strong fragrance.
This feeling was so warm that it made him feel like he was in a human manor.
Li Yuanqing slowly admired the scenery along the bamboo forest. As he walked in, he arrived at a pavilion.
This pavilion was very unique and small. It could accommodate a gathering of three good friends. There were a few mats hanging in the empty s.p.a.ce outside the pavilion, covering the scene inside, making it impossible to see clearly.
Li Yuanqing felt that his curiosity was very strong, so he went around to the front and saw a graceful man in a long robe playing the zither in the pavilion.
The man closed his eyes slightly and focused all his attention on the zither. His very thin fingers gently patted the strings, carrying a very romantic melody that echoed in the empty bamboo forest.
Li Yuanqing only looked at this person quietly and was not in a hurry to speak. After the song ended, this person slowly stopped his hands and slowly placed his two fair palms on the strings, gently calming the restless strings.
The man slowly opened his eyes, or perhaps he did not open his eyes. Li Yuanqing saw that the man’s eyes seemed to have opened, but they were white. He could not see his eyes or any vitality in it. He only saw a confused light blocking the man’s eyes.
“Why did you bring me here?” After Li Yuanqing admired the graceful sound of the zither, he asked bluntly.
Although he still looked like he was in a very humanized bamboo forest, Li Yuanqing knew that this place was not a bamboo forest, but the Evil Spirit Valley. He was still at the side of the Evil Spirit Valley and there were still many dangers. How could he really fall into this graceful zither music and be unable to extricate himself?
A smile seemed to appear on the man’s face. A voice came from somewhere.
“Why did you want to go in?”
“I don’t know either, but there must be some secret hidden here.”
“It might be best never to reveal the secrets here. Isn’t it best to leave the secrets in this valley and leave on your own?”
Li Yuanqing frowned slightly and looked at the man. “I see that you’re also a human. The Evil Spirit Valley killed countless cultivators. How can we let it continue staying here?”
“Everything in the world has its own laws of operation. When there’s life, there’s death. It’s all predestined karma. How can you brood over life and death?”
“Who are you? Why are you here? No one alive can exist in this place. Who exactly are you?”
“It doesn’t matter who I am. What’s important is that I can save your life. If you insist on going in now, you’ll only be left with a dead end. If you’re willing to leave now, everyone will be fine and nothing will happen. Isn’t that the best?”
“No, I have to go in. It’s not like I have to have a reason to go in. I’ll go in no matter what you say. So now can we do it?”
Li Yuanqing slowly pulled out the sword and held it in his hand. He placed it beside him and a.s.sumed a defensive posture. He knew that he would be in great danger if he took a step forward. However, it was hard to say what methods this guy would use.
The person in front of him gave him a huge threat. He could not see what his cultivation was.
The man sighed slightly and gently put away his zither. “The world often comes for benefits. If you insist on entering, I won’t stop you. Then go, go and don’t look back.”
As soon as the man finished speaking, the beautiful bamboo forest beside Li Yuanqing disappeared. He reappeared in the bamboo forest outside. It seemed to be where he had left off just now.
It was as if he had never moved since that moment. He had always been in this place.
Li Yuanqing did not know when he had fallen into an illusion, but he had always been on guard. However, this environment was so unpredictable that he was still pulled in.
Although he did not know who did it, Li Yuanqing still raised his guard.
It was not that what that person said just now was true. Perhaps some of the voices that person made were the voices in Li Yuanqing’s heart. Li Yuanqing could not even believe that he had really met such a person just now.
However, what the person said was still lingering in his ears. Perhaps it was true.
However, no matter what, he had to enter this place. This was a very good opportunity. If he could revive the Blood Vine, he might be able to discover a great treasure.
Humans had been operating on this land for so long in the past. No one could say for sure if they could obtain such powerful strength.
Moreover, why was this continent so barren? What exactly happened? There must be a reason.
Why were there still so many dangerous places in the Catacombs world where cultivation was very difficult to climb up? How did these desperate situations come about? There were so many secret treasures here that seemed to be something that the people of this world could not enjoy.
Li Yuanqing continued walking in with these doubts. This world looked very strange. He did not know what was strange about it, but it seemed like he had never heard the music in his ears again.
Just now, he could still hear some very light music, although the sound was still a little scary. However, ever since that person disappeared, the music seemed to have disappeared too. Li Yuanqing could not help but feel a little lost.
Just as he was feeling melancholic, he did not know that the bamboos beside him were no longer swaying in the wind. Instead, they slowly condensed. These black bamboos slowly walked and turned into very tall giants.
These giants that were twisted together by the bamboo were like vine armored soldiers. Their bodies emitted a majestic aura. More importantly, their heavy armor was so powerful.
Ordinary swords and swords could not hurt them at all.
Li Yuanqing felt this huge power. These giants had already condensed into form. They had basically used up all the bamboo in the entire bamboo forest and finally transformed into four huge warriors.
After these giant warriors were formed, all the black bamboos disappeared.
They surrounded Li Yuanqing in the middle. The four giants vaguely occupied four directions and blocked Li Yuanqing’s path.
These guys were even stronger. Every giant had the strength of a fifth-grade Formation Arrangement Realm expert.
The combined combat strength of these four fellows was too powerful. Their bodies were made of powerful materials to begin with. This bonus was already high enough. If an ordinary sixth or even seventh-grade Formation Arrangement Realm person were to come here, they might not be able to subdue them.
Li Yuanqing suddenly swung his hand, and a huge fireball soared into the sky and slowly circled above his head. Ever since he learned this flame technique, he had not used it many times. He had been practicing diligently during this period of time and was already very familiar with it.
Although the monsters made of bamboo in front of him looked powerful, if they were corroded by flames that could burn everything, they would still be burned to ashes obediently.
The four bamboo giants were still unaware of the danger. They were still arrogantly emitting their huge power and constantly squeezing Li Yuanqing’s s.p.a.ce.
Just as they surrounded Li Yuanqing until there was nowhere for him to escape, these fellows suddenly released countless large hands and tied them together, forming a cage that trapped Li Yuanqing.
This cage was woven very firmly.
Li Yuanqing slashed with his sword and only left a dent in the bamboo. After being enhanced by the power it condensed, the toughness of these bamboos far exceeded his imagination.
Black liquid was secreted from these bamboos. After the liquid was secreted, it evaporated upon coming into contact with the air and finally spread throughout the narrow s.p.a.ce.
Li Yuanqing stretched out a finger and a small flame appeared on it. He threw the small flame towards the place where the black gas was spreading.
The moment the black gas touched the flames, it immediately burned up and was instantly burned clean.
Flames filled the sky and drowned the entire bamboo forest. When the huge fireball hundreds of feet in diameter erupted from the huge cage woven from bamboo, it ignited all the bamboo. The bamboo waved its body crazily and whipped the ground, constantly twisting.
They had long dispersed and become their own factions. However, no matter how hard they tried, the fire was still wrapped around their bodies like maggots.
A bright fireball rushed out of the cage and arrived at the periphery. An imposing cultivator walked out.