Chapter 102: The Castle in the Depths of the Secret Realm

Song Yue felt a sense of inexplicable absurdity, wondering to himself if these people were out of their minds.

However, the very next moment, a strange rhythm pulsed through his spiritual sea. Between his brows, it felt as if an eye had suddenly opened, and in an instant, he saw that each of the people opposite him was possessed by a gargantuan insect!

They were baring their fangs and brandishing their claws at him.

There was a terrifying centipede over ten meters tall, its countless short, sharp tentacles making one’s scalp crawl; it looked as if it were cast from steel, shimmering with a strange metallic luster in the spiritual realm.

There was a pale, bloated worm, seven or eight meters tall, with saliva dripping from its maw, looking particularly hideous and repulsive.

There was a black beetle the size of an armored vehicle, emitting metallic hisses in the spiritual realm.

Was this a group of people possessed by insects?

Song Yue took half a step forward, shielding Qian Qianxue behind him.

Then, he heard the voices of these insects, which were possessing the Western cultivators, communicating in the spiritual realm.

"Two more humans have arrived!"

"From the East!"

"Let's eat them!"

"So hungry!"

The Westerner possessed by the giant centipede was a mage, and he immediately attacked Song Yue. What should have been a normal fireball transformed into black flame as it was cast! It surged toward Song Yue, reeking of a foul, fishy stench.

"Don't burn them to ash!"

"Be careful..." the other insects warned in the spiritual realm.

Song Yue leaped into the air, deflected the fireball with a slash of his blade, and then descended upon the mage possessed by the giant centipede.

Boom!

The ten-meter-tall phantom of the centipede on the mage’s body opened its fang-filled maw and spat a glob of foul-smelling liquid at Song Yue.

A dazzling light erupted from the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade, and the liquid was instantly vaporized before it could even get close.

The next moment, Song Yue cleaved the man in two with a single strike.

The phantom of the giant centipede let out a hiss and detached itself from the bisected body, revealing its true form in the void.

Qian Qianxue was startled, but she didn't hesitate, using a secret technique from the Water Control Sutra to freeze the giant centipede.

The other massive insects broke free from their hosts one after another, launching indiscriminate attacks on the two.

For a moment, it was a chaotic dance of demons!

It was like a terrifying otherworld, with giant insects launching horrific assaults on Song Yue and Qian Qianxue.

Song Yue dodged and maneuvered, unleashing peerless combat power. He soon cleaved the ten-meter-tall centipede in two, its foul blood spilling all over the ground.

The remaining insects, seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, fled frantically into the dark forest.

Song Yue gave chase, unleashing the Eight Desolations Dao Sutra. A sharp, peerless blade aura cut the pale, bloated worm in two. The massive creature writhed madly on the ground, still projecting cold, spiritual malice at Song Yue. Song Yue struck several more times, killing the creature completely.

The scene was truly stomach-churning. Qian Qianxue nearly vomited.

The Western cultivators who had been possessed were all dead now. Their spiritual essences had been devoured by these horrific insects. If Song Yue hadn't arrived just in time, these insects would have successfully entered the human world using the bodies of these Western cultivators.

The consequences would have been unimaginable!

"Should we... keep going inside?" Qian Qianxue asked, looking at Song Yue while trying to avoid the gruesome scene.

Song Yue hesitated as well. These possessed Western cultivators weren't particularly strong, yet they had been taken over so easily—who knew what other monsters lurked in the depths of this secret realm? With no clear goal or hope of gain, venturing deeper into such a place seemed pointless.

But just then, the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet on Song Yue’s person transmitted a faint ripple.

Song Yue was stunned. What was this? There was actually something in a place like this that interested the tablet?

"I want to go in and take a look," he discussed with Qian Qianxue.

"Then... let's go," Qian Qianxue took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the deep discomfort within her.

Song Yue felt a pang of pity. "How about I send you back first? It's not far, after all."

Qian Qianxue shook her head in refusal. "No, don't worry about me. I'll get used to it slowly."

If she didn't get used to it, she would have to learn to adapt eventually; otherwise, what would she do in the future? What would happen if she encountered such a situation without Song Yue by her side?

"Then let's walk slowly and be careful," Song Yue said, activating the Heavenly Venerate Spiritual Method and using his spiritual eye to observe the surroundings.

In the spiritual realm, this place remained deathly still; not a hint of vitality could be felt. He didn't know what had happened here to turn a perfectly good secret realm into this ghostly place. Every living thing here seemed to have undergone drastic mutations. Ordinary centipedes could grow to over ten meters, gain intelligence, and even possess the ability to inhabit humans, becoming true great demons.

Exploring a place like this required double the caution.

As they delved deeper, the environment grew increasingly harsh. The visible range gradually shrank to five or six meters, and everywhere was filled with clouds of highly toxic miasma. If they hadn't been holding peony petals in their mouths, they never would have made it this far.

The group of Westerners likely hadn't ventured very deep before encountering the insects, which had devoured their spiritual bodies and occupied their physical forms.

Perhaps because the other large insects had fled, the two walked for over ten miles without encountering any further attacks. However, they remained highly vigilant, keeping their guard up.

The 170-centimeter-tall Qian Qianxue now felt a bit like a delicate bird, clinging closely to Song Yue, pushing her psychological limits with every step. In an environment like this, she would never have taken a step further if not for Song Yue being by her side.

The Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet continued to guide Song Yue forward.

Suddenly, a slight tremor rippled through the ground beneath their feet.

The two stopped. Song Yue summoned the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet, letting it hover above his head. He also retrieved the Soul-Bewitching Bell, holding it in his hand, while his right hand gripped the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade. With a grave expression, he stared at the space behind a patch of miasma ahead.

The miasma could block his vision, but it couldn't block his spiritual eye. In the forest several hundred meters away, deep underground, something massive was moving rapidly, causing the earth to bulge and large, dead trees to collapse on either side.

The tremor grew more intense!

Suddenly!

A black snake as thick as a water vat burst from the earth. Its triangular head reared high, flicking a scarlet tongue, and it lunged at Song Yue and Qian Qianxue with a blood-red maw wide open.

Song Yue had detected it early. He immediately projected the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet, transforming it into a massive stone mountain that slammed down onto the middle section of the giant snake. At the same time, he activated the Soul-Bewitching Bell, sending a terrifying sonic wave crashing into the black snake. Finally, he leaped into the air and swung the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade; a brilliant blade aura, like a streak of silk, traversed the sky and slashed at the snake's head.

First, the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet slammed heavily into the snake, causing it to emit a frantic hiss of pain. Then, the Soul-Bewitching Bell took effect, causing the snake's movements to sluggishly lag.

When the blade aura of the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade struck the snake's head, it erupted with a deafening clash of metal on metal!

Qian Qianxue unleashed a secret technique from the Gale Sutra, and countless wind blades slashed at the snake’s steel-like body. The scales on its body were twice the size of an adult’s palm, flickering with a cold, metallic luster like giant fans. The sharp wind blades, which possessed enough power to cut an ordinary person in two at the waist, could barely leave a mark!

Had it not been pinned down by the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet, this snake would have been an invulnerable monster capable of easily sweeping them both away!

Song Yue swung his blade again, this time aiming for the black snake's eyes. Since the scales were too hard, he would target its weakest point.

The snake, aware of its own weakness, thrashed its head wildly, hissing incessantly while spraying venom from its mouth! Generally, pythons were non-venomous, but that rule clearly didn't apply to this creature. The liquid, falling like rain, reeked with a foul stench and carried terrifying corrosive properties. When it hit the dead trees, they were instantly corroded into ash; when it hit the ground, it burned deep, gaping holes into the earth.

Song Yue signaled for Qian Qianxue to back away, while he pushed his protective aura to the limit. The venom falling against his aura hissed like boiling water and was instantly vaporized. However, Song Yue could clearly feel that the venom was weakening his protective barrier!

The black snake was clearly getting desperate. Pinned down by the heavy stone tablet, it couldn't move, and its venom seemed to have no effect on this human, as all of it was blocked. Furthermore, the opponent was insidiously trying to attack its most vulnerable eyes... It exploded with rage!

It twisted its body madly, erupting with incomparable, terrifying strength. Its unpinned tail lashed out with such ferocity that everything in its path—massive, withered trees—was pulverized into dust, and even the thick, impenetrable toxic miasma was scattered.

However, it was all to no avail; its body remained firmly pinned by the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet. As it struggled, two more layers of runes lit up on the tablet, and in an instant, it grew countless times heavier! It had truly become a mountain, pressing down so hard it felt as if the snake's internal organs were about to burst.

Standing several dozen meters away, Qian Qianxue continuously cast spells, trying to keep the snake fully immobilized. Although each immobilization lasted only a short time, it significantly hindered the creature.

Song Yue finally spotted his chance and unleashed a Thunder Fist. The lightning wrapping around his fist struck one of the snake's eyes. The lantern-sized eye, glowing with a cold, frantic light, exploded on the spot.

The snake let out an earth-shattering roar.

Song Yue seized the opportunity to slash at the other eye. Amidst a flash of blood, that eye... went blind as well!

As the scarlet tongue flicked out once more, Song Yue sliced it off with a single stroke!

The snake wasn't dead, but it had gone completely insane!

Song Yue stopped fighting. Even with an ancient divine weapon in hand, the snake's scales were too hard. With his Grandmaster-level combat power, he could barely break through its defenses while the snake was thrashing about so wildly.

Qian Qianxue, her face slightly pale, looked at the maddened snake and said to Song Yue, "My cultivation level is still too low. If only I could reach the next major realm."

Song Yue said, "Don't worry. I'll be responsible for gathering herbs, and Wenrou will handle the alchemy. You'll be stronger soon!"

The two waited here for several hours!

Finally, the giant snake exhausted its strength. It stopped struggling and lay limp on the ground like a dead snake, motionless.

Song Yue walked over. The snake still tried to lift its head to launch an attack, but it failed.

"Human, you will suffer a terrible death for killing me!" The snake transmitted this message to Song Yue through a spiritual intent for the first time.

Song Yue paused for a moment and responded with his own spiritual intent: "You were the one who attacked us first!"

"Invading my territory, I naturally had to attack you!" Even on the verge of death, its attitude remained arrogant.

Song Yue didn't waste a word; he swung the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade and hacked! This time, he didn't use blade aura, but the physical edge of the blade itself!

The blade aura a Grandmaster could unleash couldn't harm the snake, but the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade was a divine weapon in its own right. With one strike, blood sprayed! The snake, having lost its tongue and its sight, let out a terrifying roar.

Song Yue hacked again, expressionless.

The incredibly hard scales were easily sliced open by the edge of the blade, revealing the fresh, red flesh beneath. Two strikes later, the black snake's head was a river of blood! A large amount of blood poured out.

It finally couldn't hold on anymore and began to beg for mercy: "Human, spare me! I am willing to give you the greatest treasures here, and I am willing to sign an ancient pact with you to become your servant!"

Song Yue didn't stop; he struck for the third time.

The snake's spiritual intent shrieked: "I swear! I will become your servant, do not kill me! Only I can find that place!"

"A Holy Scripture of the Demon Race is hidden there!"

"I am willing to offer it to you!"

Song Yue stopped, frowning in thought. A Holy Scripture of the Demon Race? The name sounded like a top-tier cultivation technique of the Demon Race; how could it appear in the human world?

Seeing Song Yue finally stop, the snake pleaded bitterly: "I am willing to sign the most ancient spiritual pact with you to become your servant, just don't kill me!"

"If you dare to deceive me, I will chop your head off piece by piece!" Song Yue said coldly.

"Little demon would not dare, little demon would not dare!"

The black snake had completely surrendered.

Qian Qianxue couldn't hear their exchange. Seeing Song Yue stop, she thought he was tired and couldn't help but say, "Should... should I come over and hack a few times?"

Although the scene made her feel intensely uncomfortable, she hoped to overcome these squeamish habits as soon as possible. She hoped to become a capable assistant by Song Yue's side, rather than a... burden that always needed protection.

The black snake nearly broke down. Is this human woman a demon?

Song Yue waved his hand: "It has surrendered and wants to sign an ancient spiritual pact with me."

Qian Qianxue frowned slightly: "Could it be a trap? They say snakes are inherently treacherous and cunning. Don't get tricked by it."

The black snake couldn't help but transmit a strong spiritual intent: "Who says we are treacherous and cunning? That is a prejudice from you humans! It's not our fault that we look the way we do!"

Qian Qianxue "heard" this. She looked at the hideous, blood-drenched snake.

"Good-looking?"

Subsequently, the black snake began to chant an ancient incantation. Gradually, the world grew even colder. Clouds of terrifying demonic energy appeared in the already dim sky.

This was clearly no surrender incantation; it was a curse!

Obviously, the black snake had not given up on the idea of killing these two humans.

Song Yue’s spiritual sea issued a warning immediately. Without another word, he raised his blade and continued hacking.

The black snake no longer begged for mercy, instead laughing maniacally through its spiritual power: "I have summoned the Great Demon Lord! You are finished!"

Song Yue remained silent and struck several more times, severing the snake's head. A large amount of blood flowed out, forming a river of blood on the ground. The headless snake continued to laugh wildly: "Neither of you will have a good death!"

Seeing that it wouldn't live long, Song Yue ignored it. He stared at the clouds of demonic energy overhead, which seemed to possess a life of their own, and prepared to take Qian Qianxue into the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet at any moment.

In the low-hanging sky, those clouds of slowly writhing demonic energy gradually transformed into grotesque, indescribable, terrifying ghostly faces. Then, they descended, inch by inch... approaching the two below.

The immense pressure made them both feel as though their hearts were leaping out of their chests. They didn't even know what these things were!

Just as Song Yue was about to take Qian Qianxue into the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet, the Bronze Divine Tree, which had been inside the tablet all along, suddenly flew out on its own!

It hovered in mid-air!

The clouds of demonic energy, which had been pressed down to less than 500 meters from the ground, suddenly halted.

Song Yue clearly saw fear appearing on those terrifying ghostly faces!

Chirp!

A crisp cry rang out in the spiritual world.

The Bronze Divine Tree in the physical world remained unchanged, but in the spiritual world, a bird at the very top of the divine tree spread its wings and flew up, rushing toward one of the ghostly faces formed by the demonic energy with incredible speed.

In the blink of an eye, it merged into it, and the next moment, that cloud of demonic energy dissipated! It transformed into strands of black gas, as if trying to flee, but it was completely absorbed by the divine bird.

Next came the second, the third... in the blink of an eye, all the demonic ghostly faces filling the sky were sucked dry by the divine bird.

The divine bird returned to the tree. The Bronze Divine Tree flew back into the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet without a sound.

Song Yue: "..."

The entire process took only a few dozen seconds. Qian Qianxue only saw the ghostly faces dissipate and vanish; she hadn't even seen the Bronze Divine Tree. She looked at Song Yue with a dazed, adorable expression.

"What happened?"

Song Yue was also filled with shock. It was the first time he realized the Bronze Divine Tree could suppress such evil things. Even the Master hadn't been able to explain its specific use before. It was too powerful!

The clouds of demonic energy in the sky had clearly exceeded Song Yue’s understanding, even surpassing the scope of the human world. Yet, in front of the Bronze Divine Tree, they were like ice meeting the scorching sun...

He let out a long breath and said to Qian Qianxue, "It's alright now!"

The black snake, not yet fully dead, screamed through its spiritual power: "What happened? Why can I no longer sense the aura of the Great Demon Lord?"

Song Yue, carrying the Dragon-Marked Immortal-Slaying Blade, walked over and hacked at it relentlessly.

"Demon your sister!"

"Go to hell!"

Finally killing the black snake, Song Yue breathed a sigh of relief. He dragged the snake—including its mangled head and its hundred-meter-long body—into the Jade Void Heaven-Piercing Tablet, and with Qian Qianxue, continued following the guidance deeper into the secret realm.

Along the way, they didn't encounter any other living things blocking their path.

When the two had ventured more than thirty miles into the dark secret realm, they finally emerged from the forest. Across a black river, an ancient castle filled with Western elements stood tall!

The castle was entirely dark gray, reaching a height of a thousand meters at its peak. It was majestic and magnificent, standing under the dark sky with a strong sense of oppression.

The black river before them flowed like ink; it had no scent, only emitting an icy, cold aura.

"What kind of place is this?" Qian Qianxue asked in surprise, eyeing the ancient castle. "How could a castle full of Western elements appear on Eastern soil?"

Song Yue also found it strange. "Could it be that those Westerners... didn't accidentally open an ominous place, but had locked onto this target from the start?"

Qian Qianxue replied, "It's possible, though they likely didn't expect to encounter those insects."

Thinking of the images of those insects, she still felt a shudder; they were too terrifying!

"How do we get across?" Qian Qianxue asked. Having come this far and seen the castle, she would feel a sense of regret if they couldn't go over to investigate.

Song Yue looked around and pointed to the upper reaches of the black river, saying, "There, there's a boat."