Chapter 219 : The Third Layer
Chapter 219: The Third Layer
One million!
Chen Ming was a little surprised. This number exceeded his expectations somewhat. There were three Second Grade martial artists here, all of them deserving death. Killing them all would be three million points.
His experience points would be able to surpass six million, and it would not be far from ten million.
“This prison warden post really is a good job!”
His heart was filled with joy. Normally, if he wanted to kill a Second Grade martial artist, it was not that easy. He would have to use the power of the “Phoenix Cry Sword,” and it might even draw in terrifying enemies.
But in prison, these Second Grade martial artists were restrained by Dragon-Locking Needles, and bound by five iron chains. Killing them was easy, and he felt no psychological burden. More importantly, there was no need to worry about provoking their sects or allies.
These people died in the Six Doors Authority prison. If others wanted revenge, they would target the Six Doors Authority.
With a wave of his hand, Chen Ming recalled the “Phoenix Cry Sword.” At once, he felt it transmit a thought, as if asking him whether he wanted to look at this person’s memory.
“Save it for later.”
He soothed the sword’s emotions, but suddenly thought: if Deng Ziyang were here, he could have used the 《Nine Nether Grand Art》 to devour this flesh and blood, avoiding waste—
Uh—
Thinking of this, he shook his head vigorously. No, that idea was too sinister. If he continued like this, he would truly become a great demon.
“All the fault lies with the Cult of Eternal Life. Their cultivation methods are far too evil—either seizing others’ flesh and cultivation, or stealing others’ primordial spirits.”
This was what Chen Ming thought.
Only the Nine Nether Sect was a bit more normal—they merely cultivated life-bound artifacts.
…
Chen Ming went to the two adjoining cells and killed the other two Second Grade prisoners as well.
One was surnamed Lü, once an offering of a certain aristocratic family. He had colluded with a great bandit and plundered that family completely, not even sparing the household servants, slaughtering more than a thousand people.
The other was surnamed Shi, a traitor of the Six Doors Authority. In order to frame a sect, he went mad and attacked more than ten caravans. In the end, when he targeted another caravan, it just so happened that an expert from the Eight Righteous Gates was present, and only then was his scheme exposed.
In short, anyone imprisoned here had at least hundreds of lives on their hands.
In fact, by the time one reached the Second Grade, unless their crimes were heinous and their influence severe, the Six Doors Authority would never casually throw them into prison.
Especially in a place like Xiazhou—what Second Grade martial artist didn’t have fellow disciples or a circle of close friends?
At that level, it was essentially a game between factions.
A lone wanderer like Chen Ming was extremely rare.
【You have slain an enemy of LV81, gaining 950,000 experience points.】
【You have slain an enemy of LV85, gaining 1,150,000 experience points.】
After killing these two, Chen Ming opened his panel for a look.
【Level: 70】
【Current Points: 6,729,875】
【Cultivation Arts: 《Iron Horse Stance》(Fifth Level, Perfected), 《Five Elements True Art (Incomplete)》(Seventh Level, 242456/10000000)】
【Combat Techniques: 《Three Talents Fist》(Mastery), 《Eight Trigrams Saber Technique》(Mastery), 《Zhuang’s Flying Knife》(Mastery), 《Swallow Returns Sword Technique》(Mastery), 《Vermilion Bird Sword Technique》(Mastery), 《Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens》(Fourth Level, 3908/400000), 《Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan》(Second Level, 35734/2000000)】
【Secret Arts: 《Disguise Art》(Mastery), 《Nurturing Artifact Art》(First Level, 1/100000), 《Controlling Artifact Art》(Fourth Level, 1/400000)】
“Six point seven million already!”
Chen Ming’s emotions surged. This trip had really been worthwhile. Otherwise, how could he have accumulated such a vast sum of experience points in such a short time?
“Four more Second Grade kills should be enough.”
This thought flashed in his mind. He shut the prison doors again and returned to the first cell door.
Sensing slightly, he discovered that two people were missing inside. Clearly, while he had gone to kill in the other cells, they had secretly slipped away.
Those two were Lei Chun and Deng Wei.
Chen Ming inwardly praised them, “Smart enough.”
Those two escaping to deliver the news should indeed bring reinforcements.
Afterward, he simply guarded the doorway, acting as though nothing had happened, waiting for support to arrive.
…
After the time of half a tea’s brew, no reinforcements appeared, but that junior disciple who wielded a saber, Xiao Jiu, came over. “Senior Brother, come quickly.”
“But what about these people?”
“Master said don’t bother with them.” Xiao Jiu saw he was still unmoved, and urged anxiously, “Hurry up, don’t keep Master and Martial Uncle waiting. The third layer is about to open.”
Chen Ming could only brace himself and follow. Quietly, he asked, “Will the third layer be dangerous? We’ll have to follow them inside, right?”
Xiao Jiu replied, “With Master and Martial Uncle there, how could it be dangerous? Hurry.”
Following him, Chen Ming passed through another heavy gate and entered the area where First Grade experts were imprisoned. The moment he stepped in, he felt a stabbing pain.
Xiao Jiu reminded, “Senior Brother, don’t use Gang Yuan. Master said this place lies over a magnetite vein that suppresses martial artists’ Gang Yuan. If you use it here, it might run out of control.”
“Mm.”
Chen Ming responded solemnly, thinking, this, I know better than you.
For a place that could imprison First Grade experts, naturally it had special properties. After all, a First Grade expert’s Gang Yuan fused with their primordial spirit, possessing countless incredible traits, which even Dragon-Locking Needles could not completely restrain.
Only a place like this could truly confine a First Grade martial artist.
Very soon, Chen Ming heard an aged voice: “Many thanks, sir, for helping this old man escape. I cannot repay such great kindness.”
Zhou You replied, “No need to be polite, elder. I also came to rescue my junior brother. Saving you is only in passing. Before they notice, elder, you should hurry away.”
Chen Ming immediately realized they had released another First Grade expert. He felt a pang of regret. “Couldn’t kill this First Grade after all. What a pity. I wonder how much experience killing a First Grade would give?”
“Then farewell.”
He saw a disheveled old man in prison garb walk out of a cell. With a flash of movement, he leapt over Chen Ming’s head and vanished in an instant.
This man was tactful enough not to ask why Zhou You and the others didn’t leave together.
Chen Ming also saw Zhou You’s junior brother Fang Yong, who was about thirty years old, still quite young.
The Cult of Eternal Life’s cultivation arts were all like this—progress astonishingly fast. Even with mediocre talent, one could rival or surpass so-called geniuses.
Thus, few could resist their recruitment. The less talented, the more impoverished, the more eager they were to join and gain power.
At this time, Zhou You instructed, “Xiao Qi, Xiao Jiu, go shut the passage door.”
“Yes.”
Chen Ming and Xiao Jiu turned back and shut that heavy gate together.
Without a key, breaking this door would be no simple task.
However, Chen Ming found it strange. Didn’t this cut off their retreat? When they obtained that Demonic Sword, how would they get out?
Unless… the third layer had another exit?
He muttered inwardly as he followed Xiao Jiu further in. At the end of the path, he saw Zhou You, Fang Yong, and Zhou Yilan standing before a wall.
On the wall was a door—but not real, only painted.
When Chen Ming had first come here, he had asked his subordinates why a door was painted on this wall.
All five subordinates had said they didn’t know. Only that the painting had been there since long ago.
Now, Zhou You stood before it, holding a brush, looking solemn, as though preparing something.
Chen Ming sensed that the brush exuded an extraordinary ripple.
“Could that be the key to opening the third layer?”
He guessed inwardly. Soon, the brush began to glow faintly.
Zhou You finally moved. Holding the brush, he wrote a stroke in the void. He wrote very slowly, as though the brush weighed a thousand pounds.
After one horizontal stroke, he exhaled heavily, as if it had consumed much of him.
Pausing, he wrote the second stroke…
Soon, the word “Open” was written.
When the final stroke was finished, the painted door on the wall glowed and slowly opened.
The door… became real!
Chen Ming stared in shock. Suddenly, he thought of Xia Mudan’s mention of a “Secret Realm.” Could this too be a Secret Realm?
As he pondered, Xiao Jiu beside him could not hold back his excitement. “Master, this… this is a Secret Realm, right?”
Still in prison clothes, Fang Yong said calmly, “This is a Secret Realm, and yet not a Secret Realm.”
“What do you mean?”
Xiao Jiu was baffled.
Fang Yong explained, “Inside is like a Secret Realm, an independent space. But it has not yet fully formed into its own world. Naturally, it cannot produce rare treasures.”
He sighed. “Perhaps in tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of years, this small space will become a true Secret Realm.”
Zhou You had also caught his breath. Stowing away the brush, he said, “Xiao Qi, Xiao Jiu, you two go first.”
At that, Chen Ming’s lips twitched.
Good heavens, the Nine Nether Sect truly followed demonic ways—sending disciples to scout ahead.
Other sects would at least put on a show. Normally, masters would shield their disciples.
“Yes.”
Xiao Jiu already moved, clearly accustomed to this.
Chen Ming could only follow, thinking that life in a demonic sect was truly difficult. He stepped inside alongside Xiao Jiu.
The instant he entered, he felt a strange sensation, as if stepping from an oasis into a desert. A parched dryness engulfed him.
It was like a fish leaving water—extremely uncomfortable.
“As expected, the environment is different from the human world.”
Chen Ming quickly understood. This space had no “spiritual energy.” He could no longer draw energy from heaven and earth to replenish his Gang Yuan.
He couldn’t help but think of that Fire Element space beneath the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion, where wild fire energy raged. But here, it was the opposite—there was no energy at all.
“Imprisoned in a place like this, even a Demonic Artifact would be rendered useless, wouldn’t it?”