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# Chapter 46 — The Lower Seal

# Eastern Mountains — Ancient Sealed Hall

CRAAAAAAACK!

Another silver chain snapped apart above the floating coffin.

The entire underground hall trembled violently afterward while ancient formations across the floor illuminated one after another.

Several cultivators nearly lost balance instantly.

---

BOOM.

A deep pulse echoed upward from beneath the ruins again.

Much stronger this time.

---

The silver-eyed woman slowly closed her eyes briefly.

Almost like listening.

Then she spoke calmly:

> “The lower seal is destabilizing faster than expected.”

---

Zhao Tianhe’s expression darkened immediately.

“What exactly is sealed below us?”

For several moments—

the woman remained silent.

Then:

> “Something your current world cannot handle.”

---

Nobody inside the hall liked that answer.

---

One formation elder hurried toward the surrounding formations while inspecting the broken chains carefully.

“These seals are ancient beyond imagination…”

“If they fully collapse…”

He did not finish the sentence.

He did not need to.

---

Meanwhile—

Xu Yuan quietly observed the hall around him.

The black soul sword at his waist remained strangely calm now.

Almost like it had entered familiar territory.

---

Then suddenly—

the system screen flickered softly.

> Mission Updated

>

> Objective:

>

> Reinforce the lower seal

>

> Reward:

>

> System progression increased

---

Xu Yuan immediately disliked where this was going.

---

Lin Hao noticed his expression again.

“That face means we’re all suffering soon.”

Xu Yuan answered honestly:

“That assumption keeps proving accurate.”

---

Another underground tremor shook the hall violently.

BOOOOOOM!

This time—

part of the distant wall collapsed entirely.

And behind the shattered stone—

another tunnel became visible.

---

Cold black mist slowly flowed outward from the newly revealed passage.

Not corruption.

Something heavier.

Older.

---

The silver-eyed woman looked toward the tunnel quietly.

> “The path downward has opened.”

---

Several cultivators immediately became tense.

Nobody wanted to descend further anymore.

Unfortunately—

everyone understood they probably had no choice.

---

Then Zhao Tianhe spoke decisively.

“We inspect the lower seal.”

One guard hesitated briefly.

“City Lord… if the thing below awakens—”

“Then retreat becomes meaningless anyway.”

Silence followed instantly.

Because he was correct.

---

The group quickly reorganized afterward.

Two injured cultivators remained behind with the formation elders while the others prepared to descend deeper underground.

---

Before leaving—

Xu Yuan glanced toward the floating coffin once more.

“You’re not coming?”

The silver-eyed woman calmly answered:

> “I cannot leave this hall.”

>

> “Not yet.”

---

Then unexpectedly—

her silver eyes shifted briefly toward the black soul sword again.

> “Do not fully awaken that weapon.”

>

> “Your current strength cannot withstand it.”

---

Xu Yuan quietly nodded.

Honestly—

that sounded like excellent advice.

---

Soon afterward—

the group entered the newly revealed lower tunnel.

---

Darkness swallowed them immediately.

But unlike the previous tunnels—

this place contained no ancient carvings.

No formations.

No signs of civilization at all.

Only smooth black stone stretching endlessly downward.

---

Even spiritual energy felt strangely absent here.

The deeper they descended—

the quieter everything became.

Too quiet.

---

Lin Hao eventually whispered softly:

“This place feels wrong.”

Nobody disagreed.

---

Xu Yuan activated Soul Sense briefly.

Instantly—

his perception slammed into overwhelming pressure from deep below.

Like standing before an endless abyss.

He immediately stopped.

---

The system screen flickered.

> Warning:

>

> Excessive soul pressure detected

---

Xu Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Soul pressure.

So whatever slept below possessed terrifying soul strength even while sealed.

---

Then suddenly—

Xia Yu stopped walking.

Everyone immediately looked toward her.

“What happened?” Zhao Tianhe asked.

Xia Yu remained silent briefly before answering quietly:

“…Sword intent.”

---

Several cultivators frowned in confusion.

Then—

they felt it too.

---

A faint sword aura drifted upward through the darkness below.

Ancient.

Sharp.

Endless.

---

Xu Yuan’s black soul sword immediately vibrated again.

HUMMMMM.

---

And somewhere deep beneath the underground ruins—

something answered.