Chapter 130: The Might of the Talisman Treasure

Song Yan’s heart sank to the bottom of the abyss.

The sudden transformation of the Infinite Hell caught every Qi Refinement cultivator within it off guard. Not only was he separated from Li Qingfeng, but the safe path refined by Elder Xu Ziqing had also been pushed an immense distance away. Screams and roars echoed incessantly.

Jin Tianya, however, was extremely satisfied. Although this method of manipulating the Infinite Hell was something he could only use once, the fact that the vast majority of the Qi Refinement cultivators in the domain had already perished was more than enough.

"..."

From the peak to the valley—anyone would feel a sense of panic at such a sudden turn of events. Yet, Song Yan forced himself to stay calm, conserving his spiritual energy to the absolute minimum while slaying the ghostly shadows. At the same time, he began to observe and analyze his current situation.

Only now did he realize why the surrounding ghosts were growing in number and why the demonic hands reaching out from the hellish reflections beneath his feet were becoming increasingly dense. It was because, outside the domain, almost all the Foundation Establishment cultivators were refining this piece of Infinite Hell. As the non-material territory expanded, the ghost domain shrank. Naturally, the evil spirits grew more numerous, and the ink-black hue deepened.

Many elders outside the domain had also discovered this. Consequently, for those disciples who could not reach the safe zone, the elders' refinement of this painting was actually accelerating their deaths. Many disciples, finding themselves too far from the safe path after the terrain shifted, had already begun to give up. The surroundings grew quiet; there were not many cultivators left alive.

"Old Song!"

Li Qingfeng let out a shout from somewhere. Song Yan looked back. With the enhancement of the Ghost Marrow, Li Qingfeng was nearly within the path refined by Elder Xu Ziqing.

"Don't worry about me." Song Yan shook his head. His gaze was remarkably calm as he resolutely turned around and looked toward another location.

At the very center of the Shigu Terrace stood the Bone Mountain. It was the heart of the entire Infinite Hell, surrounded by dense swarms of ghosts and saturated with the deepest ink-black color. But... it was very close to him!

"If I can slay the person on that Bone Mountain, will this ghost domain collapse on its own?"

His spiritual energy was nearly bottoming out. He knew clearly that he no longer had the chance to retrace his steps and escape. If he staked everything on this one gamble, he might carve out a sliver of survival. With a firm gaze, he stepped toward the Bone Mountain.

...

Outside the domain, due to various factors, the progress of the Foundation Establishment cultivators in refining the painting varied. Among them, Shen Yu, who was single-mindedly heading toward the spirit within the painting, was the fastest.

However, even for Elder Shen, the path of refinement had only reached about halfway.

"Hm?" Suddenly, someone among the six sects let out a soft sound of surprise.

Everyone looked into the arena and saw that the Inner Disciple of the Dongyuan Sect was not fleeing outward, nor was he waiting for death. Instead, he was braving the sky-filling ghostly shadows, walking step by step toward the Bone Mountain.

"What is he trying to do?" Shen Yu frowned. He certainly recognized this youth named Song Yan. The string of unexpected events at Jiran Valley had caused him enough trouble. Now, what kind of trick was he trying to pull?

"Ah... after the change in the Infinite Hell, he is too far from the outside; he won't survive."

"Even so, there's no need to seek his own death, is there?"

"Could it be..."

At this moment, the cultivators speculated about Song Yan's intentions.

"Could it be that he still wants to go straight up the Bone Mountain and refine the spirit within the painting?"

"Hmph." A disciple from the Xuanyuan Sect sneered. "Such a rare treasure is difficult for our Foundation Establishment seniors to refine; does he think he can claim it for himself with his Qi Refinement cultivation?"

There was absolutely no possibility of that. Whether it was Shen Yu, the other elders, or even Liu Ciming and the Demonic Ape Hu Rifei, everyone was clear on this point. Looking at the current trend, even the spiritual energy of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was barely enough. Liu Ciming was even more aware of the consequences of recklessly expending spiritual energy within the ghost domain.

The demon cultivators of the Corpse Bone Abyss and the people of the Yellow Springs Path paid no attention to this Qi Refinement cultivator who was moving against the flow. In their eyes, Song Yan was already a dead man.

Only Shen Yu harbored a trace of anxiety. The disciples of the Dongyuan Sect were all somewhat dim-witted; if this kid really intended to climb the Bone Mountain and erase the spirit within the painting... No... that shouldn't be possible. Even if he had such a thought, with his level of seventh-layer Qi Refinement, he wouldn't even be able to climb the Bone Mountain. It was simply impossible.

Thinking of this, Shen Yu felt a bit more at ease. Jin Tianya was currently sitting securely on the Bone Mountain; having become the spirit in the painting, the worst outcome for him was being refined, but he wouldn't die. If he died, this ink treasure would collapse and shatter. This was a treasure of the Divine Transformation realm; no one wanted to destroy it.

The scene in the arena was indeed as everyone thought. Song Yan walked slower and slower. His spiritual energy was almost exhausted, and the sword energy within his Zhen Dao Sword Mansion had been more than half depleted. The closer he got to the Bone Mountain, the more terrifying the Infinite Hell became. At this moment, countless ghostly shadows rushed toward him, yet he did not use his flying sword.

"Sigh..." Xu Ziqing frowned, feeling a pang of distress. This disciple was, after all, a good talent.

Shen Huai had already reached the path refined by Shen Yu and was safe and sound. As she recovered her spiritual energy, she walked toward the outside of the domain. Glancing at Song Yan, she sneered in her heart, "Delusional."

At that very moment, however, she saw Song Yan take out a strange spiritual talisman from his Qiankun bag. Azure jade luster flowed within it. Three circular jade beads seemed to have phantom images revolving slowly. It was that incomplete Talisman Treasure!

*Hum—*

With a flash of azure jade light, the Talisman Treasure floated beside him, and three clusters of azure jade light swirled around his body, pushing away the surrounding demonic mist and ghostly shadows one by one.

What?!

Everyone could not help but be astonished.

"A Talisman Treasure?"

"This kid's luck is quite good." Although Elder Fu did not know Song Yan, the Dongyuan Sect was on good terms with the Sheyang Sect, and it was certainly not a bad thing for one of their immortal seedlings to survive. "But what on earth does he want to do?"

Cong Yuzhen, standing behind him, looked at Song Yan in surprise.

She saw him exhale a breath of turbid air, quickly adjust his energy, and continue walking toward the Bone Mountain. Although it was an incomplete Talisman Treasure, the remaining spiritual essence within it could sustain him for half a cup of tea's time. That was enough to let him reach the Bone Mountain!

The surrounding ghosts could not invade, and the demonic illusions vanished. Only the black hands from the hellish reflections beneath his feet continued to reach out wave after wave. The effect of this Talisman Treasure was stronger than he had imagined! He controlled only the bare minimum of sword energy to hack away the hands in the ink, stepping toward the Bone Mountain one step at a time!

It was close, very close!

Watching Song Yan, who was gradually approaching the Bone Mountain within the domain, Shen Yu’s alarm bells rang loudly! Although he was very clear that this Qi Refinement cultivator could not cause him any trouble, he did not want to gamble on even the one-in-a-million possibility!

"Shen Huai." He transmitted his voice: "Make him die."

Shen Huai, who was walking outward, paused slightly and stopped. Without hesitation, spiritual light flared at her fingertips, and a hairpin slowly manifested beside her. Spiritual energy gradually condensed. In a split second, it shot out!

Song Yan was concentrating fully on controlling his sword energy; by the time he realized something was wrong, it was already too late. Instinctively, he dodged, barely avoiding the attack of the hairpin artifact. However, he saw the hairpin turn slightly and pierce the Talisman Treasure floating in the air beside him.

The azure jade light was instantly extinguished.