Chapter 234: Draconic Ruins Realm
Nie Li and Xiao Yu followed the staircase down. The steps were covered with mud and moss and the obscure darkness gave off a cramped claustrophobic sensation. The chilling aura blew throughout the passage.
Xiao Yu walked in front, taking slow and measured steps.
Nie Li could tell that Xiao Yu was being extremely cautious. With every step he took, he'd examine his surroundings; therefore, they managed to avoid all the nearby traps.
The inscription patterns earlier also contained many traps to mislead people. Only those with extraordinary comprehension of inscription patterns could see through the trick with a glance. Xiao Yu's current level was already pretty good. With his capabilities, ordinary traps wouldn't be able to harm him.
After walking for roughly half an hour, the two of them realised that they had absolutely no idea where they were.
The gloomy death aura was even denser around here. There were also bones strewn around on the steps they stood on. They carelessly walked over them, causing crackling sounds as they shattered the bones into fragments under their feet.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded and one ugly creature after another appeared from thin air, crawled up the surrounding walls, and pounced towards Nie Li and Xiao Yu.
The creatures were emitting rotten auras from their bodies. They had sinister appearances with four spider-like limbs and stuck on the walls in a similar fashion.
"These are Ghouls! Beware of the poison on their body!" Nie Li reminded Xiao Yu.
Staring at these creatures, Xiao Yu's brows slightly knitted with an expression of loathing. He opened his right hand slightly and a shield of light appeared from nowhere, enveloping him. The shield pulsed with lightning. When the Ghouls came in contact with the shield, they exploded into green paste.
The Ghouls were incapable of breaking though Xiao Yu's shield.
Watching Xiao Yu take action, Nie Li smiled bitterly. This guy really does have mysophobia. To think he actually used a Lightning Divine Guardian Rock just to keep these Ghouls from getting too close to himself!
Xiao Yu didn't say a word as he continued moving down the steps, towards the end of the staircase not far below.
Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound came from behind. This was the aura of several Demigod ranks!
Sensing them, Xiao Yu hurriedly said, "Quick, we have to go!"
The Demigod rank experts had followed them in!
Xiao Yu skimmed in the front, while Nie Li followed behind.
Right after they started running, several of the traps were triggered. A hail of arrows were aimed in their direction.
*Ding!* *Ding!* *Ding!*
The arrows bounced off the shield and fell onto the ground.
So the arrows were also incapable of breaking through Xiao Yu's light shield.
However, the duration of the light shield was also very limited. Xiao Yu was trying to use it to buy time and gain some distance.
As they frantically ran, the space at the end of the passage suddenly twisted.
"Not good!" Nie Li said when he sensed the space twisting. He immediately reached out to pull Xiao Yu back.
However, he was a step too late as Xiao Yu dived straight into it. Nie Li pondered for a brief moment. Although Xiao Yu was a somewhat unpleasant, he wasn't all that bad. Doing something like just watching someone die just wasn't Nie Li's style. He managed to grab onto the end of Xiao Yu's clothes and tumbled in after him.
The two of them seemed to have fallen into a bottomless abyss as the falling sensation continued.
"What's going on?" Xiao Yu tried to open his eyes but couldn't because of the twisted space.
Nie Li's right hand tightly gripped Xiao Yu's clothes to prevent himself from losing him. However, the space distortion was too powerful and Nie Li's right hand was gradually losing strength.
*Riiiiiiiiiiippp!*
Nie Li tore a scrap of cloth from Xiao Yu's clothes. Just when the two of them were about to fall separately, Nie Li managed to force his eyes open and grasped Xiao Yu's collar with his left hand. He then hooked his right around Xiao Yu's waist.
Xiao Yu sensed himself freefalling and wanted to stop himself, but there was nothing he could do. He felt someone pulling at his clothes and realised that it should be Nie Li. Then, suddenly, with a large tearing sound, a large piece of cloth tore from his waist.
This was followed by someone gripping his collar and hooking his waist. A heavy body pressed on him as he struggled.
Nie Li furrowed his brows for a brief moment. What was Xiao Yu doing? Nie Li was trying to save him, but Xiao Yu was unable to tell what's right and wrong!
Sensing that Xiao Yu was about to break free, Nie Li coldly snorted and said in a furious tone, "Don't move, do you want to die?"
Hearing Nie Li's angry growl, Xiao Yu stopped.
Nie Li furrowed his brows and continued to feel the surrounding space twist and tear. Just where were they falling towards? In this realm, the Law of Death permeates all space. Suddenly, Nie Li had an idea and moved according to it. His body's size rapidly expanded as he integrated with the Fanged Panda.
Yin-Yang Blast!
Nie Li widened his mouth as one black and one white sphere rapidly formed in his mouth: Yin-Yang Blast x10.
The black and white spheres flew far into the depths of the darkness and exploded.
A dazzling light shined through the endless void.
The tearing energy in the surrounding instantly disappeared. Nie Li and Xiao Yu landed in some water and were pushed forward by a current.
Nie Li turned back into his human form as he gasped for air. He examined their surroundings, which seemed to be somewhere deep inside the tomb. The stone walls were filled with all kinds of mysterious murals of experts battling in the sky. The depicted battle was very fierce and the casualties were disastrous.
What an intense battle!
Pictured under a vast sky was a deep tunnel through a void that lead directly towards a distant space. At the end of the tunnel stood a group of experts who were observing the scene. After this image was another mysterious and beautiful scene, showing huge floating islands with gorgeous mountains and rivers. The ruins of a palace floated among them, appearing very grand and majestic.
Nie Li was astonished at this second scene. That painting portrayed a place that Nie Li had once visited in his previous life: the Draconic Ruins Realm!
So there were Spiritual God experts from this world that were aware of the existence of that domain.
The Draconic Ruins Realm was an even higher leveled realm than the Divine Continent.
By following the Dao of cultivation, one's Soul Force can only reach the realm of Legend rank. Only those who have comprehended the Heavenly Energy can break through Legend rank and step into the Heavenly Fate Realm.
However, on the Divine Continent, the strongest experts were only of Spiritual God rank. In terms of cultivation, the Spiritual Gods are actually lower than Heavenly Fate realm experts. However, Spiritual Gods are capable of using power on the Heavenly Fate realm and obtain immortality.
This Divine Continent is a domain that was forcibly created by some almighty expert! The Spiritual Gods are only the spirits of the laws who reside there.
In other words, because the Spiritual Gods no longer have physical bodies, they are capable of achieving eternal life. Even if their Divine Sparks were shattered, they wouldn't die immediately, unless their Laws were seized.
According to this mural, experts from the Draconic Ruins Realm had long noticed the existence of the Divine Continent and were watching the battle between the Spiritual Gods. But why didn't they send any of their experts over? Perhaps, they couldn't enter this realm? Nie Li would only be able to find an answer after he broke through Legend rank and reached Heavenly Fate realm. Only then could he enter the Draconic Ruins Realm.
Nie Li and Xiao Yu allowed the current to push them along, until they finally reached a spot where they could feel land under their feet. When they finally did, the two of them leaped out of the water and landed on the dry land before them.
When Nie Li turned around, he realised that Xiao Yu had already changed into a new set of clothes. Piled on the ground beside him were the clothes that had been torn earlier.
Glancing at Nie Li, Xiao Yu's face ashened. He understood that it was Nie Li who saved him. His Yin-Yang Blast had also surprised Xiao Yu. However, when Xiao Yu remembered his torn clothing, he still felt rather upset.
Seeing Xiao Yu, Nie Li shrugged. Xiao Yu really was unable to differentiate good from bad. If it wasn't for Nie Li's Yin-Yang Blast earlier, who knows where they would be by now?
"Let's go." Xiao Yu said in an unhappy tone as he walked further into the depths of the tomb.
"Ungrateful bastard." Nie Li muttered as he followed behind Xiao Yu.
Both figures gradually vanished into the darkness.
At the same time, outside the Ancient Tomb
Ye Ziyun and Xiao Ning'er were standing at the original spot, waiting. Both of them were a little worried about Nie Li, so both of them did their best to calm themselves down. Nie Li should have an idea of what he's getting himself into; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone into that tomb.
The two of them were very silent and awkward. The two childhood friends now have a very complicated relationship.
Ye Ziyun thought for a while, then turned towards Xiao Ning'er and said, "Ning'er, I'm sorry."
Hearing Ye Ziyun's words, Xiao Ning'er's heart slightly ached. She looked at Ye Ziyun and said, "Ye Ziyun, are you pitying me?"
"That wasn't my intention." Ye Ziyun hurriedly shook her head and said, "After all, you got to know Nie Li first and I..."
Looking at Ye Ziyun's guilt-ridden expression, Xiao Ning'er shook her head and said, "The one that Nie Li is in love with is you; it was his choice. I'm in love with him; that was my choice. It's no one's fault. Although you and Nie Li have been engaged, you haven't had a wedding ceremony. Just like how Shen Fei and I were once engaged, but the engagement was called off. Ye Ziyun, I will still fight you for him."
Ye Ziyun went silent. Regarding this matter, no one was right or wrong.
As the conversation trailed off, a group of people suddenly surrounded them. The leaders were Tian Ling of the Northern Nether Family and Wu Yu of the Wugui Family. Over thirty others stood behind them.
Ye Ziyun and Xiao Ning'er's faces slightly changed as they beheld the scene.
"Aha! Lovely lady, I never thought that we would meet again. And who is this? She's beautiful as well! Tsk, tsk, why isn't that boy with you?" Wu Yu swept an eye over their surroundings and laughed, his eyes gleaming with frivolous intent.
Ye Ziyun took a step forward to shield Xiao Ning'er with her body. She coldly glared at Wu Yu and said, "What are you guys planning to do? Get lost, now; otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"