The bra.s.s key was ancient and icy cold. Its surface was densely covered in strange markings, and it was a treasure that Imperial Monarch Yan Bing had given Chen Xi before he’d pa.s.sed away.
According to Imperial Monarch Yan Bing, the bra.s.s key was a treasure he’d obtained by chance while roaming the Forgotten Grounds of Chaos all those years ago, and even he didn’t know what sort of secrets it held.
At that time, Chen Xi had investigated it carefully, but he’d gained nothing in the end. However, his intuition told him that it was definitely not ordinary.
However, after he experienced everything here and especially after he saw through the plot of the heretics, Chen XI had become careful and cautious.
It was even to the point that he’d aroused a trace of suspicion towards this bra.s.s key.
Since w.a.n.g Zhong had intentionally allowed him to seize the final piece of beast skin, then was this bra.s.s key obtained under similar circ.u.mstances?
After all, Imperial Monarch Yan Bing had suddenly suffered disaster after he obtained the bra.s.s key, and he’d been captured and restrained in the Divine Shaman Sacrificial Altar.
If one considered it carefully, then one had no choice but to wonder if the disaster Imperial Monarch Yan Bing encountered was related to this bra.s.s key!
“Hmm? You have such a key in your possession as well?” Suddenly, Kong Youran stared at the bra.s.s key in Chen Xi’s hand and spoke with surprise.
“How strange!” At practically the exact same moment, Yea Chen and Yu Jiuhui’s eyes narrowed.
“What? All of you have similar keys in your possessions as well?” Chen Xi’s expression became solemn.
Kong Youran, Yea Chen, and Yu Jiuhui exchanged glances, and then they flipped their palms before exactly similar bra.s.s keys actually appeared in all of their palms.
In an instant, Chen Xi’s eyes narrowed while a bad premonition arose in his heart.
“I have one as well.” At this moment, Zhao Qingyao withdrew a bra.s.s key as well.
In an instant, all of them fell silent. Just like Chen Xi, they’d realized how severe the problem was.
“This is absolutely not a coincidence.” Chen Xi said seriously, “I suspect that the reason all of you encountered those cloaked black clothed figures who lured all of you here was probably because you possessed such keys!”
A wisp of gloominess arose on their faces because they’d realized this as well.
“Dammit! I never imagined that we would have actually been schemed against by them since the beginning!” s.h.i.+ Yu gritted his teeth, and then he seized the key in Kong Youran’s hand and intended to destroy it.
“Wait.” Chen XI hurriedly stopped him.
In an instant, everyone looked at Chen Xi.
“It just so happens that we can seize this opportunity to find out if it’s really as I inferred. Perhaps, we can even obtain some useful information from it.” A wisp of a thought provoking arc arose on the corners of Chen Xi’s mouth. “Give me all of your keys.”
…
Six hours later.
Swoos.h.!.+
A wave of spatial fluctuation suddenly arose in this boundless expanse of the starry sky, and then a black clothed figure walked out from within s.p.a.ce.
He wore a black robe, was cloaked, and his entire body was enveloped in thick black mist. He seemed like a demon that had come from the depths of h.e.l.l, and his aura of horrifying.
Swis.h.!.+
As soon as he appeared here, he released his will, and it swept out like tidewater and instantly covered this expanse of the starry sky!
“Hmm?” The black clothed man seemed to have noticed something, and he exclaimed with shock.
Swoos.h.!.+
In the next moment, he’d arrived on a star in the surroundings, and then he stretched his hand and clawed an enormous mountain into powder.
Surprisingly, numerous bra.s.s keys were at the bottom of that mountain!
“Dammit! It was actually noticed by them!” The black robed man seemed to be extremely furious, and he emanated a low and icy cold roar. Merely his voice alone had actually blasted this enormous star into pieces, and it transformed into powder that dispersed towards the surroundings!
Swis.h.!.+
The black robed man stopped hesitating, and his figure flickered as he flashed towards the distance.
“This matter must be swiftly reported to the members of the Holy Hall!” The black robed man was clearly aware that the mission they were carrying out this time had huge implications, and they’d prepared been preparing and waiting too long for this day. Once any mishaps appeared, then the consequences would be simply unimaginable.
Bang!
However, not even a short moment after the black robed man’s figure had flashed towards the distance, an expanse of clear colored divine chains interweaved into a screen of light that descended from the sky and obstructed his path.
s.h.i.+t! I fell for their trap!
The black robed man’s heart shook. An expanse of surging black flames that possessed terrifying might shot out with a wave of his hand, and they covered the heavens and the earth and even incinerated s.p.a.ce.
Rumble!
The screen of light formed from the clear colored divine chains shook violently and started to burn. It seemed like it was on the verge of being destroyed.
However, before the black robed man could heave a sigh of relief, an unexpected event occurred….
Swoos.h.!.+
A sword that was pure white like snow tore through the sky, and it was supreme, divine, and emanated brilliant radiance.
Om!
A golden sun descended from the sky, and it illuminated the world as it smashed down.
Swis.h.!.+
An eternal veil of night swept towards the surroundings. It was dark and deep, and it seeped into s.p.a.ce and seemed as if it intended to drag the entire world into a state of eternal night.
In an instant, all sorts of supreme divine artifacts soared through the sky while various supreme techniques were executed, and they smashed down towards the black robed figure from all directions.
This expanse of the starry sky shook. A myriad of stars exploded into pieces while chaos filled the surroundings, and terrifying divine brilliant filled this entire expanse of s.p.a.ce.
This was the joint attacks of seven Region Lords, so it was obvious how terrifying the destructive force it possessed was.
These seven Region Lords were naturally Chen Xi and the others.
Earlier, they’d hidden those bra.s.s keys according to Chen Xi’s instructions, and then they hid in the shadows and were waiting until now.
Sure enough, everything that happened after that proved that the bra.s.s keys really were despicable tricks that the heretics were utilizing against them.
This also proved why Kong Youran’s group and Yea Chen’s group would have encountered those heretics on the same day and were lured to this region.
All of it was because of the bra.s.s keys!
It was even to the extent that Chen Xi was certain that the reason w.a.n.g Zhong was able to find him earlier was definitely because of the bra.s.s key he carried in his possession.
All of his questions were solved.
Now, it was time to raise the net!
So long as they were able to capture this black robed figure that had suddenly arrived here, then they would absolutely be able to obtain even more valuable information!
“Dammit!” Falling into a hopeless situation in an instant caused the black robed figure to be unable to help but roar loudly, and this roar shook the world and carried both rage and unwillingness.
Rumble!
In the next instant, his entire body actually started to burn, and then an expanse of mysterious black divine flames seethed and flowed throughout the heavens and the earth.
“Want to capture me? Dream on! It won’t be long before all of you worthless idiots will be obliterated for sure!” Amidst his resentful and shrill voice, the black robed figure’s entire body actually exploded into pieces, and it transformed into extremely violent energy that swept towards the surroundings.
“Retreat! Quickly!” Chen Xi and the others were instantly taken by surprise, and they evaded without end.
How could they have imagined that this black robed figure would actually be so unyielding and ruthless as soon as the battle had begun, and he actually didn’t give them any chance before he detonated himself on the spot!
When everything dispersed and the surroundings returned to calm, there wasn’t a trace of the black robed figure in the surroundings anymore.
Swoos.h.!.+ Swoos.h.!.+ Swoos.h.!.+
Chen Xi and the others appeared in the surroundings, and every single one of them had unsightly expressions.
Even though they’d exposed the scheme that was hidden behind the bra.s.s keys, all their clues could be said to have been destroyed once the black robed figure perished, and it was impossible for them to obtain any useful information now.
“I never expected that these heretics would actually be so ruthless!” s.h.i.+ Yu gritted his teeth as he spoke.
“Now that this fellow has perished, it will probably draw the attention of the other heretics. It’ll definitely affect our future plans.” Kong Youran pondered deeply before she spoke.
“Exactly. Now, it’s unsuitable for us to continue staying here. We must move somewhere else as soon as possible.” Yea Chen frowned and spoke as well.
“Leave? Where can we go after we leave this place? There are still almost three years left before he would have an opportunity to return to the Ancient G.o.d Domain. During this period of time, those heretics would definitely stop at nothing to capture us. So, it’s extremely dangerous no matter where we go now.” s.h.i.+ Yu spoke with a gloomy expression.
He wasn’t afraid of the heretics. It was instead because up until now, they still didn’t know exactly how many opponents they had or how formidable the combat strengths possessed by these opponents were. Everything was unknown, and this caused them to fall into an extremely disadvantaged and pa.s.sive state.
“No matter what, let’s leave this place first.” Chen Xi took a deep breath while his expression was calm to the extreme. “Just as I’d said before, we’ll cope with everything by sticking to the original plan. So long as we act carefully and survive these three years of time, then all danger would be resolved with ease.”
All of them kept silent as they agreed with Chen Xi’s opinion.
“Chen Xi, then you should be in-charge of everything from now on, and the rest of us will follow your instructions. I presume that no one has any objections.” Kong Youran took a deep breath and spoke seriously.
“Yes. Chen Xi, we’ll absolutely be at ease if it’s you who takes charge of everything.” The others supported Kong Youran’s suggestion.
Chen Xi remained silent for a moment before he said, “I don’t dare guarantee that every single one of you will be able to survive, but I will do all I can to bring everyone back to the Ancient G.o.d Domain.”
His voice was calm. It didn’t carry a resolute or spirited tone, but it allowed their hearts to feel steady.
This was the Chen Xi they knew. He never exaggerated anything, but he used his actions and wisdom to work hard to accomplish everything.
This sort of person was the most reliable.
“Come, let’s leave this place first.” Chen Xi swept the surroundings with his gaze, and then he chose a direction and led them along as he teleported through s.p.a.ce.
The direction he chose was completely opposite to the direction displayed on the complete beast skin map. Obviously, Chen Xi was still vigilant towards the mysterious area at the end of the beast skin map.
Under such circ.u.mstances, he would absolutely not lead them all to take such a risk.
…
At a mysterious area in the Forgotten Grounds of Chaos.
Rumble!
Divine flames descended from the sky like lava.
When looked at from afar, it was like a surging ocean of flames was descending from the heavens, and it tore through s.p.a.ce and surged into a boundless abyss.
The abyss was boundless and unfathomably deep. It was like a rift in the world that led towards the entrance to h.e.l.l.
The waterfall of flames poured down from the sky yet instantly vanished within this abyss, and it didn’t cause even the slightest movement.
“Grand and boundless, the source of catastrophe, the end of the cycle of reincarnation….” At this moment, Jia Nan who’d vanished in the Forgotten Grounds of Chaos for many years was actually standing far away from this mysterious abyss. His gaze was deep while the s.p.a.ce between his brows carried compa.s.sion for all living beings.
He stood there all by himself. His clothed fluttered in the wind, his aura was bright, and he was solemn and dignified. When compared to the past, his imposing aura was even more composed and tranquil.
“The last days resides in the grand abyss, the karmic tribulation of Samsara rises…. The prophecy of the Buddha has really come true. In the end, the karmic tribulation from the last era has inevitably appeared in the current era….” Jia Nan let out a long sigh while the s.p.a.ce between his brows carried a wisp of worry that couldn’t be eliminated.