Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 392 – Spirit Lock

Everything in front of Qin Yu turned black. Not only could his eyes see nothing but even his soul was the same, as if he had fallen into an eternal abyss of darkness. Within this darkness, time and space lost all meaning and every bit of strength he had was suppressed. Up above his head, only a crescent purple moon was barely exuding a faint purple light.

This purple light allowed Qin Yu’s soul to move a little so that he didn’t fall into complete stillness. However, though he was able to move a little he still couldn’t sense or feel anything in the darkness around him. This only drowned him in an even deeper despair and fear.

At this time, Spirity appeared beneath the pale purple light. Her complexion was even paler, like a piece of translucent white tissue. She emitted a weak feeling, as if a single tiny breeze could blow her apart.

“Qin Yu, my time is limited. Listen well to my following words. Although the Underworld Great Commander is only a projection, he has still obtained the strength of the world. He is not someone that the current Undying can hope to contend with. At most he will be able to last for a little while longer. If you want to survive, you must depend on yourself.

“I will pass on a technique to you, to forcefully lock in your own vitality. Even if you open the power of the burning heavens, the scale of your losses will be dramatically lowered. However, there is something you must know. When you utilize the power of the burning heavens, the blood energy, magic power, and lifespan you lose isn’t truly burnt away. Rather, it is offered up as a sacrifice to the demonic altar. What you will be doing is no different from cheating. For concealing away the strength that it should be offered, the demonic altar will surely lower a punishment onto you.

“I will use my own deep slumber as the price to blind the demonic altar from sensing you. Do not feel guilty. After all, I am a great reason for why this is all happening right now.”

She paused for a moment and then said, “If you really wish to help me then become as strong as possible. I can borrow the power of your soul force to regain consciousness. Then, farewell my little master.”

She flicked her finger and a sphere of light flew in between Qin Yu’s eyebrows. It dispersed into countless bits of starlight that disappeared into his soul space.

At this time, Qin Yu’s connection with her was nearly severed. Luckily, that last fragment that linked them together allowed him to determine that Spirity was still alive.

All sorts of emotions tumbled in Qin Yu’s heart, eventually becoming guilt and gratitude. He vowed to himself that he would help Spirity regain consciousness as soon as possible. Then, restraining his thoughts, he used all his mind to focus on the light that Spirity sent into his soul.

Hum –

A strange fluctuation emerged from that light, instantly covering Qin Yu’s soul. Then, countless pieces of information rushed out, imprinting itself into the depths of Qin Yu’s soul and becoming something that could never be erased.

This was a strange technique called Spirit Lock – to lock in one’s own spiritual essence, so that it would never disperse or fade and so that the world itself could not seize it…these opening words shocked Qin Yu, causing his mind to be completely immersed in it.

In the arena, beneath the seven great suns up above, Undying had manifested into a phantom that crazily attacked the Underworld Great Commander. On his back, the Soul Burying Flag erupted with billowing black gas that twined around his body, transforming into a dignified robe. On the front of this robe was a delicate lifelike ghostly face. Its eyes were closed, and between its eyebrows was a tightly shut third eye that faintly shined with a blood red color.

The Underworld Great Commander’s actions weren’t fast, but every time its sword slashed out and cut down it would contain a heaven-shocking strength. Terrifying aura fluctuations swept out like a hurricane. Wherever it crossed, the heavens and earth collapsed. It was a scene of destruction as if the world itself were coming to an end.

Undying didn’t dare to touch these shockwaves at all. But as the battle continued it became increasingly frenzied and dangerous. The Underworld Great Commander’s prestige and might grew stronger and stronger, as if he were an evil god descended upon the world.

Suddenly, Undying’s figure vanished. When he appeared once more, he was at the side of the Underworld Great Commander. The Hundred Nether Sword in his hand had turned into a flow of black light that stabbed out.

The Underworld Great Commander chopped down with his sword. As it collided with the Hundred Nether Sword, the Hundred Nether Sword trembled for a moment before it shattered into countless pieces that howled in all directions. At this moment, the third eye on the ugly ghost face adorning Undying’s robe suddenly opened and a dreadful blood red wave surged out.

“Haha! I was waiting for this move!” The Underworld Great Commander lifted his hand. On his palm, a black eye suddenly opened. A pitch black space was seen in its pupils, like a vortex leading to another world.

All of that terrifying scarlet light was swallowed up by the black eye in the center of his palm. However, the power of that attack seemed to surpass the Underworld Great Commander’s expectations. He coughed once and the purple flames in his eyes darkened. Blood also started to flow from the black eye in his palm. However, he wasn’t angered at all. Rather, he roared out in excitement, “Such a weak and withered strength was actually able to harm me. It looks like you were far stronger than I expected during your prime.

“But that is for the best. Your tattered soul must have some clear traces of the world left behind. Or, perhaps you might have opened up your own path already. By swallowing your soul, there is a high chance I can obtain the turning point for advancing forward!”

Undying shook his head, his voice somewhat helpless. “I thought that by fleeing, there would be hope for a new beginning. But now it seems that this world’s inertia is indeed formidable. That which should be dead should disappear forever.” He paused for a moment and then said, “Hey, little kid, since you are Blackstream’s bloodline descendant and also someone that managed to smoothly rise to the position of Underworld Great Commander, could it be that he didn’t tell you to never underestimate any existence that had once touched upon the world?”

The purple flames flickering in the eyes of the Underworld Great Commander suddenly blazed higher as a fierce feeling of crisis shrouded his mind. He raised his sword up and the phantom of a world arrived, protecting him.

In the next moment, the world phantom violently shook. Dents appeared, immediately producing countless cracks that rapidly spread outwards. action

Rumble rumble –

The world phantom shattered and dispersed. The Underworld Great Commander cried out pitifully and the purple flames in his eyes suddenly weakened, not even a tenth as bright as they were before. They were so dark and gloomy that they seemed as if they would extinguish at any moment.

Undying was still in the stance of having a raised finger. He sighed deeply. Then, his figure scattered, turning into a shadow that returned to the one beneath Qin Yu.

“Just a little bit more and you would have destroyed my projection in this world. But this tiny difference is enough to sentence you to death.” The Underworld Great Commander’s voice was low and gravelly. “I will tear your souls into shreds and then slowly swallow them all.”

He stepped forward. The Underworld Great Commander appeared in front of Qin Yu. The black eye on his palm opened once more.

At this time Qin Yu suddenly drew backwards, rapidly retreating.

The Underworld Great Commander was startled for a moment. Then he sneered, “Little boy, just where do you think you can run off to?” He lifted a hand and grasped out. Qin Yu stiffened as he froze in midair.

Shua –

Qin Yu opened his eyes and roared, “Spirit Lock!”

Hum –

From the void, a million runes instantly condensed and howled out as they submerged into Qin Yu’s body.

At this time his aura completely vanished, as if he had been thoroughly isolated from the outside world.

Then, Qin Yu erupted without hesitation with the power of the burning heavens.

Burn his blood, burn his magic power, burn his life!

Bang –

His aura wildly exploded, shattering the suppressive power shackling him. He raised his hand and pointed a finger.

Boundless Blue Finger!

With this finger, winds and clouds began to move. There was a loud rumbling all around as a finger phantom appeared from the skies. It rapidly condensed into reality and started to increase in size. Soon, it became a thousand feet tall. Even the fingerprints were clearly visible, as if it were a heavenly demon attacking from up above.

The Underworld Great Commander frowned. If he had just arrived, then even if he were just standing here without doing anything, this strike would have been unable to break through his defenses. But being wounded by Undying and having his world phantom shattered had caused tremendous damage to his projection. He didn’t even possess a tenth of his original strength.

Still, it was impossible for this sort of inferior attack to cause any damage to the formidable Underworld Great Commander. He raised the sword in his hand and black sword light slashed out.

The finger descending from the heavens trembled and disintegrated. Qin Yu’s face paled. But in a situation where he had exploded with all the power of the burning heavens, he was instantly restored in the blink of an eye.

The Underworld Great Commander revealed a look of shock. This was because he could clearly sense that the sword in his hand had been damaged. How was this possible!? Although he was merely a projection, his sword possessed an indestructible attribute. When he had fought with Undying, his sword hadn’t been able to be damaged at all. But now, this weak ant-like being in front of him had caused damage to his projection. The sword shared the same source as his body. If it was injured, then his strength would also be weakened!

He was enraged. This was a pain that came from deep in his heart. It had to be known that this sword was a treasure granted to him by Ancestor Blackstream after he was promoted to the position of Underworld Great Commander. It was extremely precious and even the smallest amount of damage would require an immense price to repair!

“How despicable! You weak and lowly ant, you have now provoked the anger of this great Lord Kucha! I will keep your soul and throw it into the purgatory flames of the Underworld so you can suffer there for 10,000 years!”

However, in the state brought about by the power of the burning heavens, Qin Yu was so calm that he seemed no different from a puppet. He simply was not affected at all by these words. He lifted a hand and pointed another finger.

Blue Spirit Finger!

Hum –

Hum –

A cold wind rose in the void. Phantoms began to appear all around the grand and palatial arena. Some were as small as a human child and some were over 1000 feet tall. But no matter what their forms were like, each phantom possessed a formidable aura.

In particular, at the highest level of the arena, sitting atop a great stone seat, a giant phantom over 10,000 feet tall appeared. Just by sitting there it seemed to suppress the entire surrounding space.

The Underworld Great Commander screamed in anger, “Spirit calling arts, just who are you!?”

Qin Yu didn’t answer. Without expression, his finger pointed down. A finger phantom appeared and the countless phantoms within the arena turned into flows of energy that rapidly flew into it.

In the blink of an eye, the translucent finger phantom turned a deep gray color, like withered plants that died in the dark of winter.

A great aura of extinction, death, and destruction all emanated from this finger phantom. But, this wasn’t the end.

From that stone chair, the 10,000 foot tall phantom suddenly stood up. With a single step it crossed space and appeared above the Blue Spirit Finger. The phantom’s empty eyes unexpectedly flashed with a sharp light. A deep voice rumbled from its throat, shaking the earth, “A trivial Underworld Great Commander dares to be insolent within teacher’s palace. You are seeking death!”

It stepped forward and fused into the Blue Spirit Finger. The finger phantom rapidly grew, reaching several thousand feet higher. The color transformed from a dark gray into pitch black. Within this darkness, there were even traces of blood red.

Bang –

An inexhaustible aura of cruelty and ferocity erupted from the finger phantom. It instantly vanished, and when it appeared again it was already above the Underworld Great Commander’s head.

“Ahh!” The Underworld Great Commander roared out loud. One of the black crystals on the sword blade blew apart. Then, a terrifying dark aura covered him. There was a heaven-shaking and earth-shattering collision. The entire arena trembled as countless cracks tore through the ground, extending into the seats high up in the arena on all sides.

The earth continued to quake. In several breaths of time, the entire arena was reduced to rubble!

The Blue Spirit Finger vanished from sight. The dark aura was nearly exhausted. It dissipated and revealed the pitiful figure of the Underworld Great Commander. It was like he had been caught beneath a stampede of wild animals. His helmet had already vanished without a trace to reveal an incomparably ugly face; his face was like the fused form of a goat and wild boar. The magnificent purple armor he wore was torn to shreds and terrifying wounds had appeared all over him. No matter how the dark energies tumbled around his body, they were unable to restore them.

But what the Underworld Great Commander found the hardest to accept was that one of the black crystals on his sword blade had blown apart, and in the area where it had been, several small cracks had appeared.

If it were only his projection that had been destroyed, the Underworld Great Commander wouldn’t care. But following his connection to his true body in the distant Underworld, he could tell that on the true sword, one of the black crystals had also burst apart with similar cracks extending across the blade!

This strike had been able to pass through his projection and reach the true sword in the far off Underworld! If it weren’t for the black crystal exploding, this strike might have even caused terrifying damage to his true body!