Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 625: A World of Its Own

But to enter without disturbing what was inside would be easier said than done.

Ye Qingchen took the initiative to step forward. He had just used his Double Pupils to glance at the energy attached to the surface. Although it was complex, and the slightest misstep could destroy the passage within, it was still worth a try.

Zhu Liang and the others watched intently from the side.

Ye Qingchen infused his Wood Attribute Energy into his arm. Suddenly, several willow-like branches extended from it, cautiously approaching the stone wall. As the branches pushed forward, the formation that had been concealed on the wall began to reveal itself under Ye Qingchen’s manipulation. It was a diagram drawn with countless strokes of varying depths. They crisscrossed one another, making it impossible to tell their order at a glance.

Xiao Xiao watched as sweat dripped steadily from her young master’s forehead, feeling as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Still, she waited patiently at his side, not even daring to breathe too loudly for fear of disturbing him.

I can’t believe a fifth-rank Array Master like me is struggling so much with such a minor formation. This must mean there’s something extraordinary behind this stone wall. This formation is one of the Demon Clan’s most guarded secrets. Placing something so important here must be a cover for something else.

There were some things Ye Qingchen did not say aloud. Before entering the Devil’s Cave, he could clearly feel the Demon Clan’s aura growing stronger around him. As this aura intensified, the stone he had obtained by chance had also changed slightly, giving him a powerful, intuitive urge to head in a specific direction in search of something. This perception, which was beyond his control, was a source of great torment for Ye Qingchen.

I have to figure out what this stone I found is! I have a feeling that if I get through this wall, I’ll have a fifty-fifty chance of learning the truth!

With that thought, the movements of the willow branches quickened, weaving up, down, left, and right in a dazzling display. Ye Qingchen did not give up, holding his breath as he focused.

Just as he unraveled the layers of mystery and brought all the parts of the formation into alignment, the stone wall emitted a soft click, as if something had been unlocked. A flash of delighted surprise appeared on everyone’s faces, and Ye Qingchen hurriedly retracted his energy.

In an instant, the stone wall, which had been covered in seamless spiderwebs, cracked open to reveal a small door wide enough for two people. As the stone blocks shifted, the entire wall shook, and even the Demon Eggs nestled in the webs began to stir restlessly.

The moment the door opened, a potent wave of Demonic Qi blasted out, overwhelming them.

"So there really is a whole new world in here! My little junior brother is so lucky, it’s making this senior brother of yours jealous!"

Cheng Lu, hugging the egg to his chest, peered furtively inside. He straightened up and freed a hand to pat Ye Qingchen’s shoulder, his tone thick with envy.

Seeing this, Zhu Liang glanced toward the entrance of the new cavern. "Let’s go in and see what’s there!"

Acting the part of the responsible senior brother, he was the first to walk through the small door, and the others followed close behind.

But as soon as they passed through the doorway, their vision was plunged into dimness. The refreshing air was momentarily disorienting. It was thick with dense Spiritual Energy, and anyone who didn’t know better would have thought they had stumbled upon a feng shui treasure land for cultivation.

In the dim, obscure environment, Li Nian’er was about to take out her illuminating pearl when Zhu Liang, who was beside her, pressed her hand down to stop her.

"This space is even larger than the area behind the stone wall. We shouldn’t make any rash moves until we understand the situation," he warned.

"But..." Li Nian’er trailed off. Without a light, how are we supposed to see what’s in here?!

Cheng Lu wanted to complain but swallowed his words. If I weren’t so curious about what’s inside this wall, I never would have come in!

Zhu Liang said no more. Like a nanny, he pulled a few leaves from his pocket and handed them to the other four. They were a rare type of plant leaf used for seeing in the dark, and he didn’t have many.

"Let’s use these for now. After we’ve had a good look around, we can decide what to do next."

Ye Qingchen had been silent since they entered. Xiao Xiao clung tightly to his sleeve; the young girl was still afraid of the unknown darkness. Before they had even stepped through, Ye Qingchen had already activated his Dual Pupil Martial Soul.

Just as his senior brother had said, the space here was indeed much larger than outside, yet the air felt even fresher than in the previous cavern. He glanced around casually and saw that the ceiling was covered with a dense layer of stones, all of varying shapes and sizes.

How to describe it? The whole thing looks rather eerie.

He expanded his perception outwards. In such a large space, he couldn’t detect a single trace of Demonic Qi, only nature’s spiritual energy. How can a Demon Clan’s Devil’s Cave have no Demonic Qi?

The ever-perceptive Xiao Xiao noticed her young master’s strange mood. "Young Master, is there a problem?"

Ye Qingchen’s face grew somber. He looked around the empty space and said, "Something’s not right here. Xiao Xiao, that Demon Egg from before wanted to accept you as its master. Why don’t you see if you can summon it? Since it already came in, it must be more familiar with this place than we are."

Xiao Xiao hadn’t expected her young master to actually ask for her help. Her heart was so filled with joy that she forgot everything else. "I don’t know if it will work, but I can give it a try!"

In fact, Xiao Xiao had already locked onto the Demon Egg’s aura when it was circling her. Coupled with the superior perception of her Vermilion Bird Holy Soul, finding the little thing would not be difficult at all.

Hearing Ye Qingchen, Zhu Liang and the others wisely refrained from acting rashly. Their junior brother’s advice was always reliable.

Relying on her perception, Xiao Xiao soon found the Demon Egg’s location and immediately led the group forward.

Ye Qingchen followed closely. After rounding a bend, they found themselves at the edge of a stream of ethereal turquoise water. The water was chillingly cold, yet numerous lush, high-grade plants grew along its banks. A single one of them could be exchanged for a wealth of Cultivation Resources.

A focused beam of sunlight streamed down from the highest point of the cavern, landing perfectly upon the surface of the water. Following the light, the group saw it: the very same Demon Egg that had been circling Xiao Xiao was now resting quietly by the water’s edge. It was canted to one side, looking as if it were asleep.

"Young Master, over there!" Xiao Xiao cried out, thrilled that she had been able to help.