Chapter 649: Journey Together to Yellow Springs

Although Liu Ciming wasn’t clear about Wu Daoxuan’s true identity,

just based on the title of a Soul Transformation Realm Cultivator, the ink treasure he left behind could not be simple!

In the vast Chu Country,

at most, there were only Golden Core Realm Cultivators.

Above Golden Core was Nascent Soul, and above Nascent Soul Realm was Soul Transformation.

He couldn’t even imagine the earth-shattering power a Soul Transformation Realm Cultivator possessed.

Jin Tianya continued, "However, to this day, no one knows where this clue actually is."

"Even though I’ve been fleeing with this scroll for so long, I can’t see anything unusual."

Isn’t it natural for a Qi Refinement Stage tenth-level Cultivator to not understand a great power’s secret treasure?

Liu Ciming thought to himself.

His face still held that polite smile.

"Brother Jin, such a treasure... could you perhaps take it out and let me have a look?"

Ink treasures are not like Cultivation Techniques or secret records.

For Cultivators with lower Realms or poorer Comprehension Ability, an ink treasure is just a painting.

If it was truly just "a look," it seemed there would be no harm.

"Brother Jin, you’ve seen more of the world in the Central Region over the years than even I, a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator."

"We, who live in this remote borderland, rarely get such an Opportunity..."

Regardless, for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators like them, anything left by a Soul Transformation Realm expert was, of course, a precious sight to behold in this lifetime.

"When Brother Jin returns to the Demon Ruins, this treasure will have to be handed over to the Sect."

"Liu has never seen such a treasure in his life."

Jin Tianya chuckled, unsure if he was moved by the other party’s flattery or mocking Liu Ciming’s so-called "world experience."

"Heh heh..."

However, he didn’t refuse. His gaze was deep, and his movements were unhurried.

"Alright."

"But Brother Liu, you must hurry with my return to the Demon Ruins."

A flash of spiritual light on his fingertip, and he took out the scroll from his qiankun bag.

Then he handed it to Liu Ciming.

"Good, good, good, thank you, Brother Jin."

A hint of doubt flashed across Liu Ciming’s expression.

But he still took the scroll.

As soon as he touched the scroll, a faint chill emanated from his palm.

Liu Ciming’s eyes narrowed.

The scroll slowly unfurled before him, the dark green silk adorned with mottled ink marks.

"Ah..."

The scene in the painting, countless ferocious ghost shadows, looked chaotic and messy, yet exuded a terrifyingly fierce Aura that seized the soul.

The figures in the painting were strangely posed and varied, with no two alike.

A river of blood snaked through, traversing the landscape.

In the center, on a small mountain made of piled bones, a blurry figure vaguely stood.

Though its appearance was unclear, it possessed an Aura of looking down on all living beings.

The brushwork of this painting was furious and powerful, with strange and eerie transformations, yet one couldn’t help but feel a chill upon seeing it.

It was clearly just a painting, yet observing it felt as if wronged souls were wailing in one’s ears.

Just a brief contact caused his mind to shake, making him feel dazed and lost.

Liu Ciming abruptly closed the scroll, realizing belatedly that cold sweat had already soaked his back.

The ink treasure of a great Soul Transformation Cultivator was indeed strange and mysterious!

"How is it?"

Jin Tianya grinned, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"After observing this treasure, does Brother Liu have any insights?"

Liu Ciming suppressed the panic in his heart, feigning composure as he nodded.

"As expected of a Central Region treasure..."

"Brother Jin has a great Opportunity!"

Jin Tianya sneered.

"How about I give this great Opportunity to Brother Liu?"

"Brother Jin is joking."

Liu Ciming laughed, "This is both yours and Master’s."

He suddenly changed the subject, "However—"

Spiritual light suddenly appeared in the room!

A pitch-black dagger, like a venomous snake, shot out with lightning speed, without any warning.

Completely unprepared, it plunged into Jin Tianya’s heart.

The complex patterns on the blade writhed like living things, and almost the instant it pierced his body, it began to devour his vital blood.

Jin Tianya’s eyes widened, a struggling sound emanating from his throat, as if he wanted to say something, but Liu Ciming grabbed him by the neck.

"Brother Jin, please don’t blame me."

He leaned close to the other’s ear, his voice gentle.

"Currently, Changping is under strict guard by the Six Sects, and Qi Country and Ning Country have Central Region Cultivators searching."

"Such a treasure... it would be more secure for me to personally hand it over to Master."

"Don’t you think so?"

Jin Tianya’s body rapidly shriveled, eventually turning into a skeleton.

"Heh."

Liu Ciming sneered, about to retrieve the short dagger in his hand.

But he suddenly froze in place.

Jin Tianya’s skeletal fingers, which had lost all color, were gripping his wrist tightly!

"What?!"

Liu Ciming exclaimed in surprise.

An icy chill emanated from his hand, his consciousness wavered, and the scroll flew out of his grasp.

It hovered behind Jin Tianya, ink-like darkness pouring down like a tide.

In Jin Tianya’s empty eye sockets, a pitch-black spiritual light ignited.

The ink-like darkness surged into his body, and his shriveled corpse began to plump up again.

"You..."

"From the very beginning, you never intended for me to return to the Demon Ruins alive, did you?"

Jin Tianya slowly raised his head, looking at Liu Ciming.

"It’s nothing more than worrying that the Tang Empire would follow me and uncover clues to the Demon Ruins."

"The Demonic Path is on the verge of revival, and you’re unwilling to take even this small risk."

"I know that too."

"No matter what, I was going to die."

Feeling the spiritual power fluctuations from Jin Tianya, Liu Ciming roared, "You madman!"

This person actually refined his own soul into the painting!?

"Like this, you’re merely a stroke in this ink treasure; you can’t control it at all!"

"So what?"

Finally, Jin Tianya’s body returned to its original state.

He slowly raised his eyes, gazing at Liu Ciming, his eyes devoid of life.

"Either way, I’m going to die."

"Since that’s the case, let’s just let go of this Soul Transformation ink treasure altogether!"

In an instant, a surging Devilish Qi erupted, instantly engulfing the entire cellar.

Liu Ciming dared not care about anything else, his spiritual power surged, and he burst out of the cellar.

He flew into the sky above the small courtyard.

The Mortals around Shiguping all stared blankly at the figure in the sky.

Countless ink-like darkness and ghost shadows spread out from the small courtyard, like spilled ink.

The range of the ink-like darkness grew larger and larger.

Initially, the surrounding Mortals were only stunned by this sight, until someone was touched by the ink-like darkness.

Almost instantly, their bones and flesh were eroded, their skin and meat melted away.

Without even uttering a scream, they turned into a pile of dry bones.

"Ah!!!"

Terrified screams erupted from the mouths of the other Mortals, echoing throughout the entire village.

But alas, it was too late.

The ghost shadows from the painting scrambled out, tearing and devouring the surrounding Mortals.

A slight pause in a Mortal’s fleeing steps would result in them being dissolved by the ink-like darkness on the ground, becoming a pile of dry bones.

Jin Tianya’s figure slowly emerged from the farmhouse courtyard.

In just a few breaths, the vast ink-like darkness had already enveloped the entire Shiguping.

All Mortals, without exception,

died tragically on the spot.

Devilish Qi and vengeful spirits were converging from all directions of Changping.

The dry bones on the ground, without wind, moved on their own, gathering towards the center of the village, at Jin Tianya’s feet, forming a small mountain of white bones.

He was seen climbing step by step to the highest point of the White Bone Mountain.

Just like the figure in the painting.

"Heh heh heh..."

Jin Tianya laughed maniacally.

"Changping Corpse Bone Abyss, four hundred and fifty thousand Cultivator souls!"

"Today..."

"I invite all of you to journey together to the Infinite Hell!"