# Chapter 53 â The Laughter Beneath the Crack
# Lower Underground Abyss â Ancient Sealing Formation
A soft laugh echoed upward from the endless darkness below.
And instantlyâ
the entire abyss turned cold.
Not ordinary cold.
The kind that crawled directly across the soul.
---
Even the giant kneeling beneath the seal slowly tightened its grip around the colossal broken sword.
Golden eyes filled with hostility.
---
The massive eye beneath the crack narrowed sharply afterward.
For the first timeâ
actual tension spread throughout the underground world.
---
Meanwhileâ
black mist continued rising endlessly from beneath the fracture below.
The silver sealing formations across the abyss illuminated violently in response.
Trying to suppress it.
---
Thenâ
a voice echoed upward from the darkness.
Smooth.
Calm.
And deeply unsettling.
> âInterestingâŠâ
>
> âTwo Sword Bearers in the same era.â
---
Several cultivators immediately turned pale.
Because unlike the ancient eyeâ
this voice felt alive.
Active.
Aware.
---
Xu Yuan quietly narrowed his eyes toward the crack below.
But even his Soul Sense refused to extend downward now.
Something beneath the abyss blocked everything completely.
---
The system screen flickered rapidly.
> Warning:
>
> Unknown contamination source detected
>
> Extreme danger
---
Helpful as always.
---
Then suddenlyâ
the black mist condensed slowly above the crack.
Forming a humanoid silhouette.
Not fully solid.
Only a shadow.
Yet the moment it appearedâ
the pressure throughout the abyss increased drastically.
---
Several floating platforms cracked instantly.
BOOOOOOM!
---
One formation elder directly collapsed unconscious.
Another coughed blood while retreating backward in fear.
---
Lin Hao slowly stared upward.
ââŠWhy does every underground thing look stronger than our entire city?â
Xu Yuan calmly answered:
âThat appears statistically accurate.â
---
Even nowâ
their conversations somehow survived reality itself.
---
The shadow figure above the crack slowly turned its head afterward.
Its face remained hidden within darkness completely.
Only two faint crimson eyes became visible.
---
Thenâ
it looked toward Xu Yuan first.
And afterwardâ
toward Xia Yu.
---
The shadow tilted its head slightly.
Almost curious.
---
> âIncomplete inheritorsâŠâ
---
Xia Yuâs silver sword instantly erupted with sharp sword intent.
SHIIIIING!
Silver light spread across the abyss protectively around her.
---
At the same momentâ
Xu Yuanâs black soul sword released dark soul pressure too.
The two ancient weapons reacted instinctively against the shadow.
---
The shadow laughed softly again.
> âSo defensive.â
>
> âJust like before.â
---
Xu Yuan immediately noticed something important.
The shadow spoke like it knew the previous Sword Bearers personally.
---
Then suddenlyâ
the giant chained guardian beneath the seal moved.
---
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Its colossal sword descended directly toward the shadow.
The entire abyss shook violently from the attack.
---
The shadow raised one hand casually.
---
CRACK.
The giant sword stopped midair.
---
Everyone froze instantly.
Because the shadow blocked the gigantic attack with one hand.
Effortlessly.
---
Even the giantâs golden eyes trembled slightly afterward.
---
The shadow sighed softly.
> âYou were always troublesome.â
Thenâ
with a flick of its fingersâ
the giant was blasted backward violently.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The colossal figure crashed into distant floating platforms, shattering ancient stone structures throughout the abyss.
---
Several cultivators stared in horror.
Because that giant earlier felt invincible.
Yet this shadow treated it casually.
---
Thenâ
the crimson eyes shifted toward Xu Yuan again.
And this timeâ
the shadow became completely silent.
---
For several long momentsâ
it simply stared at him.
---
Then quietly said:
> ââŠImpossible.â
---
The atmosphere throughout the abyss changed instantly afterward.