Chapter 2212.1: Ghost Zombies
Immortals were forbidden from entering Immortal Burial Valley.
With the valley as the center, everywhere within five hundred thousand kilometers was off limits. It had truly become a place that buried immortals as those who entered this range suffered mysterious attacks that scattered their souls.
No one dared test the prohibition after a golden immortal turned to dust in front of everyone’s eyes. Cultivators were unharmed if they attempted to enter.
A gigantic formation array enclosed the valley. Guarded by countless empyrean immortals, there was a tiny opening at its easternmost side that was freely open to cultivators. Of course, no one would stop an immortal brave enough to try.
……
The entrance to the array was a hotbed of activity. Countless cultivators gathered there, breathing life into this barren part of the world. There was even a small marketplace that sprang up.
“Ninety-nine mid rank formations huh? What a great deal of effort,” Lu Yun clucked his tongue at the curtain of light.
“Those immortals are too much!” Nearby complaints rang loud and clear. “They seal off the area because they can’t enter. We cultivators need to hand our treasures over if we get our hands on any!”
A combination cultivator glowered at the formations and couldn’t resist voicing his thoughts.
“The heavenly book’s rules will return in less than five months, making all visiting immortals leave. You can just wait until then,” someone jeered in response.
The rest of the cultivators discussed enthusiastically among themselves after the two started. This formation array had appeared ten days ago. Many cultivators entered it during this time, but none made it out. There were more waiting on the sidelines in observation.
“Great Xia’s Human Emperor isn’t an idiot.” Relief appeared in Lu Yun’s eyes when he saw the array. Others might not know the truth behind Immortal Burial Valley, but he did.
“Young master, is it really… that buried here?” Shock appeared in Terra Demon’s eyes when he a.s.sessed the formations. “If it is, then these small formations won’t hold them.”
“Don’t worry, it should just be remnants here. Otherwise, this realm would’ve long become theirs.” Lu Yun was unconcerned. There were taller people than him who would hold the sky up if it caved in—he was a shorty at the moment. There was still an undercurrent of pressure running through his mind, however. He seemed to have overlooked something.
He was indeed a shorty, but if the three who could support this realm were already…
“Alright, wait outside while I take a look.” Waving off Terra Demon, Lu Yun approached the entrance by himself.
“Hey there, little guy!” Someone stopped him before he drew close—a latter soul projection middle-aged man.
“Yes?” Lu Yun tilted his head with a sideways glance.
“Immortal Burial Valley is filled with danger and you might run into some if you go in yourself. Why not join our team and go together?” The middle-aged man smiled and pointed behind him.
Eight cultivators looked back at them, all of them soul projection. The middle-aged man was the strongest out of them.
Lu Yun had noticed earlier that the cultivators stood in groups of five to eight. It would seem that temporary teams had sprung up, ones comprised of mostly the same cultivation level. Thus, it made sense that the stronger ones had banded together.
Most of the partic.i.p.ants were wandering cultivators since those from strong families or clans wouldn’t accept outsiders.
Lu Yun shook his head, then flashed to the entrance.
“Another kid who wants to die!” A young girl dressed in red spirit armor walked out, rolling her eyes in Lu Yun’s direction. “He’s probably one of those sn.o.bby trash young masters.”
“Forget it, we don’t need him. Let’s go in after we find another person.” The middle-aged man didn’t mind.
Although several empyrean immortals stood guard at the entrance, they were just sitting cross-legged in the void. They didn’t prevent anyone from entering and seemed more like decorations.
“Young man,” a female empyrean immortal opened her eyes just as Lu Yun was about to enter the array. “There is incredible danger within this array and more than ninety percent of the cultivators who have entered have died. Being a soul projection cultivator, there is no chance that you will survive. It would be better for you to enter in the company of others.”
Lu Yun paused and turned toward the lady, flas.h.i.+ng her a brilliant smile. “My thanks to fairy big sis, but I’m used to being alone. Rather than teaming up with others, I’d like to retain freedom of movement.”
The empyrean immortal smiled to hear the young man call her “fairy big sis” and said nothing more.
Lu Yun smiled again and was about to turn around when a familiar figure entered his line of sight. He raised a brow and plastered a pleasant smile on his face before walking over.
“Aiyaya, and here I wondered who it was. Isn’t this young master Ouyang!” He grabbed the other for a bear hug.
Ouyang Shengtian jumped with surprise and froze when he saw Lu Yun. These days, he feared most any member of the Lu Clan. Lu Tianling was an old monster and Lu Yun was a young monster. As for Lu Xiaochi… who knew how deep he concealed his monstrosity?
“Eh? It’s only been a few days—what’s happened to young master Ouyang?” Lu Yun a.s.sessed Ouyang Shengtian with genuine surprise. Formerly pristine white robes were now gray and his handsome face was covered in dust. Was that a… spirit beast collar around his neck?
Had someone captured him to be a spirit pet—no, human pet?
“I say, Ouyang Shengtian, how are you getting along so poorly in life?” Lu Yun blinked with astonishment.
“It’s all thanks to you,” huffed Ouyang Shengtian as he looked at Lu Yun out of the corner of his eyes. He had a sudden thought—would the ugly young man want to take Lu Yun for a pet if he saw the Lu young master?
Thus, he surrept.i.tiously glanced behind him as they talked.
The ugly young man was leisurely making his way over on the back of the blackwater snake king. He held a large bag in his hand that was filled with various spirit fruits and snacks.
Lu Yun looked at him with puzzlement. Who is this guy? The Eye of Nullification can’t see through him. He’s spirit separation, but he must be someone if he can treat Ouyang Shengtian as a pet.
“Master!” The Ouyang young master shuddered when the ugly young man arrived and respectfully lowered his head.
“Mmhmm, there’s a good boy,” cackled Ugly. He caressed Ouyang Shengtian’s head, failing to catch a deep flicker of viciousness in the latter’s eyes.
“Who is this?” Ugly threw a spirit fruit into his mouth and chewed on it, pointing at Lu Yun with his chin.
“Greetings to this fellow daoist, I am Lu Yun!” Since Lu Yun couldn’t see through the other, he maintained a congenial smile and raised cupped fists. The ugly young man looked one or two years younger than him, but his cultivation was much higher than Lu Yun’s.
“Lu Yun?” Ugly scratched his head. “Grandson of Lu Tianling, the strongest in Jade Ruins Realm?”
“Precisely.” Lu Yun nodded, not the least bit put out by the other’s att.i.tude.
Some cultivators looked over when they heard the name Lu Tianling. There was no helping it, Lu Tianling was so renowned at the moment that even cultivators near Immortal Burial Valley knew of him.
The strongest of Jade Ruins Realm wasn’t a t.i.tle that he’d given himself; he’d eclipsed the reputations of the other three strongest in the world long ago—the chief enforcer, Bi Chen, and Lang Ye. As his grandson, Lu Yun’s name was also out there.
However, most of the stories having to do with him revolved around his ludicrous acts.
After receiving an affirmative response, Ugly jumped down from the blackwater snake king’s head and inspected Lu Yun closely.
“They say that young master Lu is one meter tall and has a smashed-in face. You’re supposed to be uglier than me, but you…” he said, perplexed.
Lu Yun blinked. “What kind of nonsense is that? I am so das.h.i.+ng and n.o.ble that ladies fall at my feet. How am I one meter tall and have a smashed-in face? Heresy and blasphemy!” He stroked his chin lovingly. “At the very least, I’m better looking than you.”
Ugly blinked his misshapen eyes. “Are you not afraid that I’ll kill you?”
Lu Yun curled his lip. Kill me? Terra Demon’s right there, you’ll be the first to die if you do anything.
Ugly seemed to read the contempt in his eyes and c.o.c.ked his head, sizing up Lu Yun again. “My principles are that I steal valuables and do not take my pleasure, or I take my pleasure and do not steal valuables. If you can provide neither, you will become my human pet.
“So, do you have valuables, can offer me pleasure, or nothing at all?” An evil smile spread across his face.