Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 158: Earth Malevolent Qi

The pool was layered with barrier upon barrier, each layer exceptionally sturdy and difficult to break. The barrier covering the light shield was the core of the entire grand array, making it even more troublesome to deal with. Even though only a few cracks had formed, the shield was far from being destroyed—yet it suddenly shattered.@@@@

They had been prepared to exhaust the fiery essence of the Fire Crow Tokens, even draining the Fire Crow spirits dry and sacrificing these artifacts to break the array. No one had anticipated such an outcome.

The light shield shattered without warning, as if torn apart by an immense force.

With the array broken and the light shield shattered, the entirety of the deep pit beneath them came into view.

The bottomless pit was pitch black, its darkness swallowing all light. An overwhelming chill surged forth, causing everyone to shiver uncontrollably—an astonishing occurrence for cultivators at the Foundation Building Realm.

Before anyone could react, a sudden, immense suction force pulled all eight people, along with their Fire Crow Tokens, into the abyss, throwing the scene into utter chaos.

"Shit!"

The moment the suction force appeared, Qin Sang immediately sensed danger. Feeling the terrifying strength of the suction, his heart raced in alarm.

Fortunately, he had been somewhat prepared. Without hesitation, he swiftly withdrew his spiritual consciousness from the Fire Crow Token and instantly summoned his ebony sword, enveloping himself in sword light in an attempt to escape. But before he could even take flight, the suction force captured him.

It was as though he were a helpless insect, yanked down with no chance to resist.

The same fate befell the others, who were pulled into the pit like dumplings falling into a pot. Despite their best efforts, their descent showed no signs of slowing.

"Stick together!"

Qingting shouted urgently, calling for everyone to join forces. Before she could finish, a loud rumbling sound echoed from below.

Rumble!

Violent tremors shook the earth as if mountains were collapsing.

Liu Shan glanced downward, his face contorted with fear as he screamed, "What is that?!"

If the purpose was only to seal the Earth Malevolent Qi and prevent it from wreaking havoc on the world, there was no need for a suction trap. But all they could do now was rage helplessly.

Qin Sang hadn't given up hope yet. Forcing himself to calm down, he quickly ran through his options, thinking of any method he might have to escape the danger.

Just then, something caught the corner of Qin Sang’s eye, causing his heart to race. He hurriedly looked around and noticed that the stone walls of the pit had several caves carved into them. These caves resembled natural limestone caverns but bore signs of human modification, and the deeper they went, the more numerous the caves became.

Since someone had carved out these caves, regardless of their purpose, they must have a way to resist the Earth Malevolent Qi!

Time was running out. As they were about to be swallowed by the Earth Malevolent Qi, Qin Sang quickly informed the others of his discovery. Qingting had also spotted the caves and immediately shouted, "Use the Fire Crow Tokens with all your might—throw them down!"

Everyone instantly understood Qingting’s intent. Enduring the intense cold, they channeled their spiritual power, struggling to gather the scattered Fire Crow Tokens. With their combined efforts, they barely managed to form an array, and without hesitation, they overdrew the fiery essence from the tokens.

The Fire Crow spirits were forcibly released, and the seven tokens combined into a massive fireball. The scorching heat provided them with brief relief from the cold that had invaded their bodies.

The flames were unstable, radiating violent energy that could explode at any moment. This was precisely what they intended. With all their strength, they hurled the Fire Crow Tokens downward.

Boom!

The instant the fire collided with the Earth Malevolent Qi, a massive explosion erupted, creating waves of turbulence. The force of the artifact's self-destruction was not to be underestimated. Under the impact of the explosion, Qin Sang immediately felt the suction force weaken slightly, allowing him some freedom of movement. However, the residual explosion also struck him, causing him immense pain.

Enduring the agony, Qin Sang seized the fleeting opportunity. Time was of the essence, leaving no room for hesitation. He fixed his eyes on the nearest cave and threw himself toward it with all his might.

In the final moment before entering the cave, Qin Sang glanced down and saw only Qingting, who was struggling toward another cave. They had been scattered by the blast, and there was no sign of anyone else.

Bang!

Qin Sang tumbled heavily into the cave, crashing into the stone wall. Just as his vision darkened, he glimpsed the Earth Malevolent Qi, shaped like a massive dragon, sweeping past the cave entrance and surging toward the sky.

This Earth Malevolent Qi had been suppressed for countless years, and its sudden release carried such a terrifying momentum that Qin Sang couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread.

He could only wonder how many of them would survive this ordeal.