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Chapter 211 Pathways of the Past
[The escape talisman has been destroyed; now you must be extremely cautious]
Zhao Tianming's visage darkened, "Is there no way to repair it, system?" he inquired.
[Impossible]
Upon hearing this, Zhao Tianming's countenance grew even grimmer. The talisman had often been his savior in moments of imminent peril.
Known to only a handful, he hailed not from the Han Empire but from the Yuan Dynasty, plying the trade of a mercenary.
Shaking his head with a sigh, he leaned against a rock, regulating his breath.
This day marked a substantial loss. The system's forewarnings about the "commencement of the great journey" and the "onset of downfall" proved undeniably accurate.
"It appears I must tread more cautiously henceforth," he mumbled.
"System interface," he appended. contemporary romance
In the next moment, a hologram materialized before him.
[System Designation: Super Mercenary System]
[Vanquished Targets: 3] [Ultimate Task: Kill Long Tian]
[Subtask: Kill Lin Fan]
Zhao Tianming experienced a somewhat calmer demeanor, yet his expression shifted to an icy resolve as he gazed upon the names Long Tian and Lin Fan.
"My initial target is you, Lin Fan. And then, Long Tian, you will be my ultimate hunt!" he declared, his intent to kill unmistakable.
Concerning Lin Fan, he lacked substantial knowledge, but he vowed to unearth every detail. As for Long Tian, he had already devised a plan to confront him during the annual survival competition in the Han Empire. His confidence stemmed from an extraordinary item, nullifying any worry about his identity.
After a brief moment of reflection, he uttered, "Status window."
Subsequently, a hologram materialized before him.
[Name: Zhao Tianming]
[Age: 21 years]
[Cultivation Base: Flowing Qi Level 8]
[Martial Spirit: S-Class - Furious Ashura]
[Weapon: S-Class - Gungnir Spear]
[Ultimate Task: Kill Long Tian]
Zhao Tianming remained silent, studying his stats. Despite residing in the Flowing Qi Level 8 realm, he acknowledged his inferiority to figures like Su Chen or Mo Yuegang.
Closing the hologram, he asserted, "For now, I must strive for greater strength!"
With revitalized determination, he rose and commenced his departure from the forest.
-----------
Meanwhile, in a different locale, Liu Qian engaged in her training routine in the backyard, donned in shorts and a brown tank top.
The resonating echoes of consecutive punches striking a wooden dummy filled the air, sweat trickling down her face, eventually saturating her attire.
Upon a momentary pause, she fixed her gaze upon the wooden dummy, regulating her breathing. Tightening her fists, she concentrated her strength for the forthcoming punches.
In the midst of her focused session, a voice cut through the air, "Hey, Qian'er."
Abruptly, she turned with an expression of displeasure, "Really, Dad? You're interrupting," she remarked, her tone devoid of enthusiasm.
Li Hai chuckled, "Hahaha, my apologies. I had no idea you were in the middle of training," he confessed, advancing closer.
Liu Qian maintained her pout, "So, what brings you here, Dad?" she inquired.
"I have something important to discuss. Do you genuinely love Long Tian?" Liu Hai inquired, his tone earnest.
"Why this sudden question?" Liu Qian countered.
"Because, you see, we're returning to the Yuan Dynasty, and the duration before our return to the Han Empire is uncertain. You're well aware of the Zhang family's influence there," Liu Hai explained, his tone grave.
Liu Qian lapsed into silence, caught off guard by this revelation.
Her gaze towards her father remained resolute, "I love Long Tian, and Zhang Jun and his family mean nothing to me," she asserted.
Liu Hai stayed silent, sensing the sincerity in Liu Qian's words.
A smile played on his lips, "I had the impression you might be using Long Tian as a shield against Zhang Jun. It seems I was mistaken... Well, we'll discuss the Zhang family later. Besides, your mother's true identity is intricate. To say the least, it's complicated," he disclosed.
Liu Qian rubbed her chin, "Come to think of it, Mom never spoke about her family. Are they truly powerful?" she inquired with curiosity.
"Well, we can ask her later. I won't disturb your training any longer, so carry on," Liu Hai said.
Without further ado, he turned and exited the backyard, leaving Liu Qian to her own thoughts.
Liu Qian, on the other hand, found herself growing increasingly curious about her mother's mysterious background.
After pondering for a moment, she shook her head and redirected her attention to the wooden dummy.
With that, she resumed her training.
----------
As the days progressed, the sunlight waned, and the clock now displayed 3 in the afternoon.
In the Heavenly Demon sect area, within the abandoned dungeon, Long Tian, Li Yue'er, Ling Han, and Mo Yuegang continued their descent into its depths. The illumination ahead was vivid, with Ling Han and Mo Yuegang conjuring flames from their hands.
Behind them, darkness prevailed, while on the ground, serpent-like creatures, now the size of goats, lay sprawled. These beings had evolved from the normal-sized crawling animals exposed to Reiki, turning into half-soul beasts.
"This place seems boundless; it seems your ancestors fashioned this dungeon with a different purpose, Sect Master," Long Tian remarked, casting a glance at Mo Yuegang.
"A dungeon... I hope they didn't confine immensely powerful entities in the past," Mo Yuegang replied.
"If that's the case, wouldn't it make it more challenging?" Long Tian grinned fearlessly.
Mo Yuegang fell into silence at this remark. He wasn't sure if Long Tian was expressing confidence or speaking in jest. Yet, considering Long Tian's exceptional talent, he leaned towards the former.
"Regardless, let's pick up the pace," he suggested.
Long Tian nodded, and with that, they quickened their pace through the descending dungeon.
Minutes stretched on as they continued their journey. Yet, the ground beneath their feet transitioned, growing damp, with water forming visible pools. Despite its shallow nature, the path persisted in its straight course.
Their progress came to a halt as they confronted an unexpected obstacle – a dead-end.
"What in the world? A dead-end? This dungeon isn't ordinary; there must be an alternative route," Long Tian remarked, rubbing his chin while surveying the sealed path.
On the other side, Ling Han stepped forward, his hand connecting with the stone's surface. Exploring various angles, he sought any sign of an opening.
After a considerable time, he withdrew, fists clenched. In the next moment, his fist collided with the stone's surface.
THUMP!
The resonating impact echoed, a demonstration of the might of a Golden Core realm cultivator.
Yet, the stone remained impervious, devoid of any discernible effect.
Ling Han furrowed his brow, "No reaction? In a typical dead-end scenario, there would have been some response. But here, nothing. Clearly, there's an obstruction," he mused, rubbing his chin.
All eyes fixated on the stone's surface. Long Tian took the initiative, suggesting, "Sect Master, why not attempt something? Perhaps your knowledge of the Heavenly Demon sect's history linked to this place could unveil a solution."
Mo Yuegang, wearing a skeptical expression, rubbed his chin, contemplating Long Tian's proposition.
After a brief lapse, a sudden recollection struck him. His attention honed in on the ring adorning the ring finger of his right hand.
A relic passed down through the lineage since the inception of the sect, the tradition persisted until it found its way to him.
"I believe I have a promising idea," he announced.
With that, he stepped forward and touched the stone's surface. Everyone waited to see what would happen.
Mo Yuegang, in the meantime, focused on his ring, making sure what he had in mind would work.
Unexpectedly, the ring emanated a purple glow, heightening the intrigue of Long Tian and others.
With each passing second, the purple energy from the ring gradually enveloped the imposing stone obstructing their path.
Then, in the next moment, cracks materialized on the stone's surface, culminating in a sudden and resounding...
CRACK!
The substantial stone crumbled abruptly, unveiling a pathway shrouded in complete darkness.
Mo Yuegang wore an expression of incredulity, "I didn't anticipate it would succeed," he confessed.
Long Tian and the others, witnessing this unexpected turn, found solace in the fact that their journey persisted.
Now, every gaze fixated on the newly revealed passage.
Ling Han ignited flames in his hands, causing them to flicker and illuminate the path as he gestured forward.
"I believe we can proceed; we..." Ling Han's words trailed off as he observed a sudden development.
Figures resembling humans emerged from the path ahead, but they were no ordinary humans—they resembled living corpses!
Their numbers were significant, ranging from tens to hundreds, crowding the passage.
A sense of vigilance enveloped everyone.
"We might be facing trouble again," Ling Han remarked.
Mo Yuegang wore a serious expression as he scrutinized the attire of the undead corpses.
"Their clothing... They are past members of the Heavenly Demon sect!" he declared.
This revelation heightened the gravity of the situation. Ling Han speculated, "If they're from the past, someone must be controlling them. Perhaps it's connected to the source of the roars we heard earlier."
"That's a possibility," Mo Yuegang nodded.
While Li Yue'er observed, Long Tian took the lead, walking past Ling Han and Mo Yuegang.
Ling Han reacted swiftly, "Young master, what are you doing?" he inquired.
"I will handle them," Long Tian asserted.
Without waiting for reactions from Ling Han and others, he extended his hand, and darkness surged in the palm of his hand, boiling until its dark color became even denser.
What he was doing was releasing his essence of darkness, which had a high density of dark power.
After a brief moment, he positioned his hand in front of his mouth.
Then, he took a deep breath until his mouth bulged.
In the next instant, he exhaled a red flame, which promptly transformed into black fire upon contact with the essence of darkness.
The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the undead corpses along the entire path.
The corpses were incinerated instantly, reduced to ashes by the fierce flames.
Ling Han, Mo Yuegang, and Li Yue'er watched this with awe. But they anticipated it, as it was a dragon's breath, a standard technique mastered by every member of the Long family.
After a moment, Long Tian's fiery breath subsided, and the essence of darkness dissipated.
His gaze shifted forward, where no remnants of undead corpses obstructed their path.
A satisfied smile adorned Long Tian's face. "It's clear now; let's proceed," he declared.
Silence lingered briefly before everyone refocused and continued along the opened path.
Ling Han and Li Yue'er immediately praised Long Tian's decisive actions, while Mo Yuegang felt further reassured in his positive relationship with Long Tian.