Rushing out of the winding path, Tie Dan found himself in a vast enclosed underground space. Logically, being so deep below, this place should be within the mountain body of the Glazed Cliff. However, looking around, the surrounding mountain walls were no longer glazed crystal but some kind of ash-grey alloy.
Even eerier, beneath Tie Danâs feet was a bottomless abyss with occasional gusts of cold wind, while above his head was the surface of a black lake, as if a bottomless pool was upside down on the ceiling. It was as if he stood within the deep gully of a sea spring, looking up at the waterâs surface.
From the pink winding path entrance behind him, a gentle breeze of Spiritual Qi occasionally blew through, barely allowing him to control his sword. Otherwise, he might have fallen into the bottomless abyss once exiting the cave. What exactly was this place...
"Heh... heh... heh..."
Tie Dan regained his senses and checked Xing Yuanzhi in his arms, testing her breath. Hmm, as long as sheâs not dead, itâs fine.
This guy really had a hard time; she fainted and woke repeatedly, fell unconscious, and screamed awake numerous times. Almost brought to the brink of death by the restriction, she even bit a section on Tie Danâs shoulder, drooling all over him.
But her fate is indeed strong; despite being poisoned by hot oil since childhood and surviving even being boiled in a pot, she still managed to come through this ordeal as if nothing happened. Considerable fortune indeed.
So, Tie Dan didnât bother with her, simply hoisted Xing Yuanzhi onto his shoulder and flew to examine the surface of the water overhead.
The hanging pool was utterly black; the water seemed like oil or wax, visibly strange, impenetrable by sword energy, nor detectable by Divine Sense.
Flying around the pool, Tie Dan noticed a ten-foot-square platform not far from the water surface on the rock wall.
On the platform lay a Cold Jade Bed, its material gleaming white, icy cold to the touch, yet warm after a while. There was no carving around, just some seal characters inscribed on the bed:
Chengyang Jade Liquid, Qi Absorption and Golden Pill Refining, Yaoque Dao Foundation, Female and Male Casting Yuan Furnace
Kun Cang Guiyuan Sea, Qian Jing Zhaotai Chu, Dual Cultivation Returns to Nine Layers, One Acupoint Connects Three Palaces
Seeing such a scene, Tie Dan understood that Qingtang Sect Master Yun Jiangli had gone into seclusion for training in this so-called âKun Cang Guiyuan Sea.â
Hmm, because she left her skin on the bed, just like the one seen not long ago.
So Tie Dan casually tossed the still delirious Xing Yuanzhi onto the bed, covered her with her masterâs skin to prevent catching a cold from sweating, then walked to the platformâs edge, glanced again at the black water surface not far away, and leaped in.
Upon entering the water, Tie Dan understood why Yun Jiangli left her skin outside.
Damn, the waterâs poisonous.
Not only was his Daoist robe instantly corroded, but his skin dissolved into bloody wax, and the black water permeated Tie Danâs body through every pore, pressing into the gaps between his muscles and bones, severely disrupting the circulation of his Spiritual Qi!
If it were an average cultivator, theyâd likely have their cultivation abolished, crushed, and infiltrated by this Guiyuan seawater, corroded till nothing remained of their tendons, bones, or flesh.
However, Tie Dan was not afraid at all, for he sensed the elation of My Sword within his body.
Indeed, the Guiyuan Sea water was rich with Earth Spring!
Under the Glazed Cliff, the Guiyuan Sea was also an excellent place for sword casting!
If it werenât for needing to rescue Tang Tong, Tie Dan would love to stay here and dual cultivate with the Sect Master...
Though unable to stay long, it was a perfect chance to quench his sword!
"Squeak!"
Yet Giant Watchtower suddenly let out a mournful cry.
All right, being a sword of the Taiji Realm, it panicked when corroded by this seawater.
So, Tie Dan transformed into the Vengeful Eye Dharma Form, biting the Giant Watchtower in his mouth, pressing My Sword against the Giant Watchtowerâs blade, using My Sword to part the water waves, quenching the sword with the Black Water Earth Spring as he ventured deeper into the sea while channeling the Dao Breath Sword Qi through his mouth to protect the sword seal, quenching the blade together.
Yet Tie Dan hadnât delved much deeper before he discovered the Qingtang Sect Master... it should be Yun Jiangli?
Tie Dan couldnât recognize her, lacking her skin; what he saw was her true Dharma body.
It was a white humanoid figure, appearing at a distance as a bizarre white-clad entity with three eyes on its head but no mouth or nose, resembling an alien. Only up close could one see it wasnât clothing but bone.
Yes, boneâno skin or flesh, just white bone, nothing like common human skeletons, more like bone plates. Those bone plates were saturated with dense Taiji Dao Breath, keeping even the black water at bay, unable to infiltrate the bone marrow.
The white bone chip was refined such that it became a protective shell of bone armor, fully encasing the human body like an insectâs exoskeleton, with three slits for the eyes on the front of the helmet, set with glazed protective coverings.
The fundamental nature of this technique was still a Taiji Secret Technique, merely utilizing the surrounding black waterâs pressure for training.
That little white figure noticed the approaching Vengeful Eye and showed great interest in Tie Danâs form, darting over like a dolphin, riding on Tie Danâs back, stroking his dorsal muscles, and sending a message through sound transmission.
"Which family do you belong to, how come you have time to play in my mountain? You smell like a rare Dragon Seed, why donât we dual cultivate if thereâs nothing better to do?"
Tie Danâs eyes rolled, recognizing the familiar voice of madness, then unfurled a tentacle, tossing a secret message into Yun Jiangliâs hand.
Yun Jiangli read the letter, instantly set it alight without flames underwater with a mere pinch of her fingers,
"I see, Iâve received the message youâve brought with effort. Please inform the Head Seat; my Qingtang Sect agrees!"
Well, of course, it led to this conclusion.
Tie Dan felt helplessâHeaven may forgive for its sins, but self-made sins are inescapable. The Qingtang Sect lacks foresight, courting death. Still, for Xing Yuanzhiâs steadfastness, he might lend her a hand later.
Having completed his task, Tie Dan intended to leave, but suddenly a sharp tug caught him; Yun Jiangli grasped his leg,
"I heard Lingxu often raises cats and dogs; whoâd have thought theyâd be this polite, sending such a grand gift to settle old grievances! Great! Iâm delighted!"
Tie Dan could nearly spit a sword to kill this madwoman, twisted his waist violently, and whipped her away with a tail lash. He sliced through the water and went off!
"Since youâre here! You wonât leave until you give me a supply of Essence!"
Yun Jiangli drew out her spinal cord, swung it, turning the segments into a torrent of bone swords, rushing forth like a dragon, the ferocious power parting the waves with a "whoosh," aimed directly at Tie Danâs waist!
Tie Dan swiftly turned and twisted, dodging the bone swordâs grasp, catching the Giant Watchtower in his mouth. With a sharp turn of his head, he severed the bone sword!
"Ah! Such strength! Such a beast! I must ride you today! Watch the sword!"
Unexpectedly, Yun Jiangli, even without Water Escape, moved swiftly underwater, darting like a torpedo, wielding the double-whipped bone sword to block Tie Danâs path!
While they had crossed swords before, Tie Dan knew their powers were evenly matchedâit would take days of battling to determine a winner. With Tang Tong on his mind, he had no time to tangle here!
So, the Vengeful Eyeâs bloody maw opened wide, spitting out Tie Danâs half-human form, wielding the Giant Watchtower to fend off and repel the relentless attacks of the spine bone dual swords with a Beichen Sword Rainbow, performing a Washing Sword Style!
"Hold on! Sect Master, take a closer look! This form is my Dharma Incarnation! Iâm too busy to play mad with you! Canât stand the loneliness? Find your lover!"
"Oh? Itâs truly you!"
Recognizing the Beichen Sword Qi on the Giant Watchtower blade, Yun Jiangli instantly retracted her spine bone whips, transforming them into a pair of four-foot-long twin swords, the starlight in her three eyes flaring brilliantly,
"Who would have thought the Sect Leader Xuantian had such a wild form! Why didnât you show this to me earlier!
If I had known, how could I let you go so easily... ahem! I mean perfect timing!
Iâve recently realized a move called Supreme Heartless Sword and wish to spar with the Sect Leader!
If I win, the Sect Leader will obediently stay as my steed. If you win, Iâll let you ride me hahahahahahahaha!"
"Are you out of your mind!!"