Chapter 779: Echoes from the Forbidden Mountains

Still deep in cultivation, Lu Changsheng held back his thrill and only opened the Spirit Pet Bag after finishing training with Yun Wanshang.

Whoosh!

A completely black, glowing cocoon suddenly appeared.

The moment the dark cocoon emerged inside the tent, an eerie and sinister aura surged in, as if countless resentful souls were wailing; the tent’s temperature plummeted instantly.

“What is this?”

Yun Wanshang’s eyes brimmed with puzzled alarm as she warily stared at the oval black cocoon.

Had she not seen Lu Changsheng retrieve it from the Spirit Pet Bag, she would have assumed it was some bizarre creature.

“This is my spirit pet,”

Lu Changsheng said eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation.

“Spirit pet?”

Yun Wanshang nodded slightly without further inquiry, quietly observing the mysterious black cocoon by his side.

After all these years together, she had never seen Lu Changsheng so delighted.

She realized that it must be connected to the cocoon.

The cocoon shuddered violently, as if something was about to break free.

Fifteen minutes later, a burst of dazzling, eerie light erupted from it, flooding the tent and even overpowering the radiance of the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.

But almost immediately, a terrifying suction erupted like an invisible black hole, swallowing all the dark light and sinister energy.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

When the ghostly light faded, a small, golden-furred monkey-like creature with remarkably large nostrils appeared before Lu Changsheng.

At first glance, the evolved Soul-Taking Beast appeared unchanged.

Yet as Lu Changsheng held it and examined it closely, he noticed subtle differences.

Its tail now ended in a hint of dark red, as if stained with blood, making it all the more striking.

Moreover, a tiny hole had appeared at the center of its enormous nostrils, nearly imperceptible without a close look.

“Promoted to Fourth Rank? Just this?”

Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow and asked the Soul-Taking Beast, “Did you really reach Fourth Rank? No tribulation? Can you shapeshift?” Squeak, squeak, squeak.

The Soul-Taking Beast scratched its fuzzy little head like an innocent child, implying that it might have advanced—and yet perhaps not entirely.

As for why no tribulation was needed, it wasn’t sure.

“Shapeshift? What is shapeshifting?”

After speaking, it seemed to sense something as its dark, expressive eyes eagerly glanced out of the tent.

.

Lu Changsheng was momentarily at a loss for words at the beast’s confused reply.

What does ‘maybe advanced, maybe not’ mean? He suspected that the environment might be preventing proper tribulation, leading to an incomplete promotion.

Alternatively, it could be due to another factor.

“Soul-Taking, can your Soul-Seizing Divine Light still function?”

That was the most pressing question on Lu Changsheng’s mind.

Whether it was him, Yun Wanshang, or even the Golden-Winged Roc, entering the Land of Eternal Night silenced their divine sense, blood energy, and magical power.

Only Qian Zhuyan remained unaffected, his puppet power still in play.

The Soul-Taking Beast, being neither demon, fiend, beast, nor ghost, might just evade the effect.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

The little beast nodded at Lu Changsheng, then snorted as a pale yellow glow curled from its nostrils like a mini dragon pillar.

“Lu Changsheng, is this your spirit pet?”

At that moment, Yun Wanshang, eyes wide with perplexity, asked as she looked at the monkey-like creature in his hand.

She had once reviewed Lu Changsheng’s dossiers in her early years.

She knew that besides the Golden-Winged Roc, he also possessed a second-rank Demon Wolf spirit pet.

Yet the adorable, playful monkey creature before her was inexplicable.

Seeing it emerge from the recently ominous, ghostly cocoon left her astonished and incredulous.

“Hmm, this is Soul-Taking. With its help, leaving here should be much safer,”

Lu Changsheng said with a smile as he patted the tiny, palm-sized beast.

Though the Soul-Taking Beast usually appeared endearing with no sign of Demon King aura,

when facing dark demonic forces it unleashed an astounding combat prowess, morphing into a beast of retribution.

Yun Wanshang nodded slightly without further questions.

After all these years together, she knew that Lu Changsheng’s situation defied ordinary logic.

For instance, which Core Formation cultivator boasts a Fourth-Rank physique, a fourth-rank puppet, and a third-rank top-tier spirit pet? Not to mention utilizing a Da Luo Sword Embryo earlier.

At first glance, it appeared rough and ancient, like an unrefined sword embryo.

But in the next moment, interwoven rays of sword light burst forth in dazzling brilliance, stunning her completely.

Though not a sword cultivator, she had trained in sword Dao techniques and knew Lu Changsheng’s Da Luo Sword Embryo was a treasured relic of sword Dao—far beyond any ordinary Core Formation cultivator.

“Soul-Taking, what’s wrong?”

Noticing the beast repeatedly gazing toward the deep mountains beyond the tent, Lu Changsheng frowned and asked.

After the incident with the black mist earlier, he now felt deep apprehension toward the Land of Eternal Night and those Forbidden Mountains.

Especially the depths of those mountains.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

The Soul-Taking Beast indicated that something deep in the mountains was calling and drawing it in.

“A call? An attraction?”

Lu Changsheng instantly recalled the ancient, hoary voice that had echoed from the mountain depths.

“Ignore it!”

He sternly commanded the beast, worried that the voice might spell trouble.

After that, he turned to Yun Wanshang and asked if she had heard any voices from deep within the mountains.

Yun Wanshang shook her head, indicating she hadn’t heard anything, and asked, “What’s wrong?” He replied, “Nothing.”

Lu Changsheng shook his head, placed the Soul-Taking Beast on his shoulder, and stepped out of the tent.

Even though neither he nor Yun Wanshang had fully reawakened their dormant divine sense, blood energy, and magical power,

with the Soul-Taking Beast now alert, he felt more confident about leaving these Forbidden Mountains immediately.

After all, a stretch of calm does not guarantee permanent safety; leaving early was the wisest choice.

“Lord,”

Qian Zhuyan, watching Lu Changsheng and Yun Wanshang finally exit the tent, had a faint soulful glow in his eyes.

Although Lu Changsheng had set up a barrier within the tent reinforced by the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror,

Yun Wanshang, though simple in worldly ways, knew that a man and a woman sharing a tent for so long would inevitably spark rumors.

Especially having spent so much time together, she clearly understood her lord’s character.

“Xiao Yan, Golden Roc, you’ve both worked hard these past days,”

Lu Changsheng said to the Mechanical Puppet, the Golden Roc,

then raised his hand to pack up the tent, preparing to leave.

Though he had no idea where he was at that moment,

seeing the terrifying vista deep in the distant mountains, he thought that retracing his steps might be the key.

With that, divination copper coins appeared in his hand as he began to prognosticate his fortune.

“Huh!?”

Although the omen was calm, the slight tremor of the three coins as they landed made him frown; he then began to calculate by touch.

Drawing on his awakened yet dormant magical power, he could now barely perform divination.

But the cosmic secrets of this realm were murky and chaotic—even as a Fourth-Rank Diviner, he could only garner a vague impression.

After a long while, Lu Changsheng exhaled a weary, murky breath, realizing the earlier calm sign was fleeting and unstable; he knew he must proceed with extreme caution.

“Lu Changsheng, did you calculate anything?”

This wasn’t his first time using divination in front of Yun Wanshang; though he claimed it was just for fun, as a peak Core Formation cultivator, she could tell he had truly begun.

He remarked, “Not to mention, these three divination copper coins are of Dao-Comprehending Artifact caliber! The secrets here are so obscure—tread carefully.”

Lu Changsheng smiled.

Then, the group—a man, a puppet, a monkey, and a roc—departed.

“Young friend?”

But just over ten miles later, a hoary, feeble voice that he had once sealed off suddenly echoed deep within his mind.

“Young friend, you possess a treasured relic and even a Punishment Beast—why aren’t you willing to act against the demons?”

“All this time I have suppressed any interference from ghostly demons so as not to disturb your recovery; I’ve already shown my sincerity.”

“Besides, sealing demons is a great virtue, and you too could be blessed with cosmic fortune.”

“The newest young friend said it first in Book 69!”

Hearing the sudden voice, Lu Changsheng paused, his eyes hardening as he looked back toward the deep mountains, eager to know who was speaking.

This person not only knew that he possessed a treasured relic but also recognized the Punishment Beast and identified the Soul-Taking Beast.

After all, he had never heard of a Punishment Beast before.

Even Hong Lian was unaware of the Soul-Taking Beast or any Punishment Beast.

Yet this ancient voice seemed to grasp the true nature of the Soul-Taking Beast.

“Soul-Taking,”

Lu Changsheng asked the creature on his shoulder, “Besides its allure, is there anything else in the mountain depths? Sealing demons?”

The beast scratched its head and, looking toward the mountains with dark, lively eyes filled with longing, replied dazedly.

If not for Lu Changsheng’s strict orders, it would have already followed its instincts deep into the mountains.

“Sealing demons is the Punishment Beast’s mission—it benefits it greatly,”

The hoary voice continued echoing in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Lu Changsheng halt and stare into the mountain depths, Yun Wanshang asked.

Not only did Lu Changsheng feel a chill, but just the sight of the terrifying mountain scene sent shivers down her spine.

“There’s a voice speaking to me,”

Lu Changsheng said in a deep tone, aware that the speaker possessed extraordinary power.

Even though he had sealed off external transmissions with his divine soul, the other party’s words still entered his mind.

“Who are you, elder?”

Looking into the mountains, Lu Changsheng clasped his hands and inquired.

The voice replied that it had suppressed all oddities these past days.

If what it said was true, then its power was utterly unfathomable.

“I am the Array Spirit of the Sealing Demons Array,”

the feeble, aged voice resonated.

“Array Spirit!?”

A surge of shock and turmoil welled up in Lu Changsheng’s heart.

All things in heaven and earth possess a spirit.

When a formation reaches a certain level, it can even give rise to its own spirit.

Though Lu Changsheng was only a Third-Rank Top-Tier Arraysmith, he knew Fourth-Rank formations could never achieve this.

Even if an array spirit emerged, it would never be like this voice.

“A Fifth-Rank Grand Array!? There’s a Fifth-Rank Array in the Land of Eternal Night? My power is too weak; I’m afraid I cannot assist you, elder.”

Lu Changsheng spoke cautiously.

The voice mentioned sealing demons and how the Array Spirit could help suppress oddities.

But who knew if it was the master behind the earlier black mist?

Now that he was on enemy turf, he chose to remain humble.

“You wield a Celestial Treasure; just unleash its might to sweep away demons and oddities.”

“And punishment beasts naturally counter demonic forces—they can help seal demons, clear oddities, and restore seals.”

The feeble, aged voice echoed in Lu Changsheng’s mind, reading him like an open book.

“I, however, am too weak to help—if I ever break through and grow stronger, I will assist you in sealing demons.”

Lu Changsheng continued to politely decline.

“Young friend, arriving here with a treasured relic and a Punishment Beast is fated,”

she continued, “but this land suppresses all spirit, making it hard to leave. If the seal breaks and a demonic tide erupts, you’ll be in grave danger. Sealing the demons now would also earn you great merit.”

The feeble, aged voice resonated clearly in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

At these words, his face darkened.

Though he could awaken a fraction of his power, leaving the Land of Eternal Night was nearly impossible.

If a demonic tide emerged now as the voice warned, he would be in serious danger.

“This isn’t a threat, young friend; it merely reflects how poor the current state is that sealing this place is nearly unworkable.”

The voice kept repeating calmly, yet its sincerity struck Lu Changsheng.

“My elder once asked our ancestors—shouldn’t someone come seal the demons? Why must a junior act?”

Lu Changsheng recalled the voice’s first query directed at his own elders: “Who?”

After a brief silence, the voice replied, “I have slept for many years and know not why no one came to seal the demons as promised.”

Thus, seeing you arrive with a treasured relic, I assumed you were the one meant to seal them.

The aged voice stated as such.

“In that case, could you brief me on this place? What must be done to seal the demons?”

Lu Changsheng, gazing into the depths of the mountains, asked.

Though he couldn’t tell if the words were true, the cosmic secrets of this place were inscrutable.

Yet with enough clues, even a Fourth-Rank Diviner like him could intuit some details.

This land of demon sealing contains a sealed spatial passageway.

The aged voice explained in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

This grand array—or rather, the entire Land of Eternal Night—is really a Sealing Demons Array that contains an ominous spatial passage.

At the other end of the passage, demonic creatures and oddities are surging in.

The task of sealing the demons is to expunge all the accumulated, suppressed demonic forces and purify the array.

If possible, then repair the damaged Sealing Demons Array.

Lu Changsheng frowned, thinking the explanation was too simplistic; when he asked for more about the spatial passage, the aged voice admitted it was merely an array spirit with limited knowledge—that the passage might date back to the ancient war.

“Then what about the Phantom Ship?”

Lu Changsheng recalled the Phantom Ship that had drawn him into this realm.

That colossal vessel was terrifying.

At the time, a black mist had enveloped it, making it nearly impenetrable.

Even the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, a Fourth-Rank Shapeshifting Demon King, could only break through the hazy mist when the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror unleashed its awe-inspiring power.

“Phantom Ship? I do not know about it,”

the ancient voice pondered for a moment before admitting, “I know nothing of any Phantom Ship.”

“Elder, please wait,”

Lu Changsheng took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, convinced that this Array Spirit was problematic.

It recognized his Celestial Treasure and identified the Soul-Taking Beast as a Punishment Beast, but knew little else.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!!!

Holding his breath, Lu Changsheng produced three divination copper coins, spat out a mouthful of vital blood, and used divination to analyze the veracity of the voice.

He now had to decide quickly: should he help seal the demons or ignore it and leave immediately?