My filial piety will never change

Shen Jing's eyes gleamed, as if communicating with the Dao rhyme of this space. "Indeed, the space here is very thick, just like the magical power of shrinking the earth into an inch, compressing an extremely large space into what we see now. It looks short, but when you walk, you still need to walk the entire length."

Shen Suxin sighed, "We have no idea how big this place is, or when we can reach our destination."

Zhao Yuchen opened his eyes of insight and carefully observed the surrounding environment. "Strange, why is the Dao rhyme on the ground different from that in the sky?"

Shen Jing also looked at the ground. "Ah... This is the special Dao rhyme left by the first generation of Dao Spirits. They have a strange connection with space. Let's go down and take a look."

The group landed on the ground, and as they walked, they observed that the distance to their goal was gradually closing. This made them realize that if they wanted to reach the pagoda, they had to walk. In this special space, any attempt to speed up would cause the space to return to its original length.

Recalling the figures of Yachong and Junhong Daozu when they left just now, they both walked slowly on foot...

These two bastards are not honest at all. They clearly know the trick, but they didn't tell Zhao Yuchen and the others.

But how did they know this? Did they collect information and conduct research in the past?

I can't care so much now...

"It seems we can only walk." Zhao Yuchen sighed. Although the speed is far inferior to that of a flying boat, at least they are moving on the right path.

They began walking, taking each step carefully, fearing they might trigger some unknown rule in this space. As time passed, they gradually adapted to the rhythm of this walk and even began to appreciate the strange beauty of the desolate peaks around them.

As they walked, they constantly observed and studied the Dao rhymes on the ground, trying to find more secrets about this space. These Dao rhymes were complex and profound, and every observation deepened their understanding of the Dao.

As they gradually approached the pagoda, the surrounding space seemed to undergo subtle changes. Strange plants began to appear on the once desolate mountain. Though rare, they tenaciously grew on the land. The presence of these plants brought a touch of life to the space.

"Look, there is a flower!" Gu Lingling pointed to a small flower in front of her with surprise. Its petals were light blue and emitted a faint light.

Zhao Yuchen walked forward and gently touched the small flower. "Everything here is full of the rhyme of Tao. Even a small flower like this contains power that is difficult for us to understand."

They continued to move forward, and as they got closer to the pagoda, the anticipation and tension in their hearts grew stronger and stronger.

...

Yae headed alone towards the nearest small pagoda, his steps brisk and his smile growing wider. When he first obtained the map, he also received a detailed explanation of the rules of the Buddha Realm. He knew exactly what secrets each pagoda held, and even more so, how to access the Great Dao of Origin.

He was the only one who knew all of this. He would be the biggest winner of this trip to the Buddha Realm. As for the other fools, they would just fly around in this vast space until they died of old age.

However, just as he was about to reach the first pagoda, a golden lightning sword shot out from the void, bearing down on his vital point. Yachong was forced to meet the attack. With a dull thud, Yachong, possessing the strength of a Half-Step Celestial Venerable, vomited blood, suffering severe injuries.

He was horrified: "Why are you here!"

The figure of Hunling Daozu slowly appeared, "Traitor, today is the day you die."

Ba Zhong's face turned pale. He knew the strength of Hun Ling Dao Zu. Even though he had reached the realm of Half-Step Heavenly Venerable, he was still unable to compete with the true Dao Zu. He endured the pain and tried to find a chance to escape.

Daozu Hunling looked at Yachong coldly, his eyes devoid of emotion, as if he were looking at a dead man. "Do you think you can betray me and still live long? Today, I will clean up my house."

Yachong knew he had no escape, so he could only fight to the death. He mobilized all his strength, preparing for the final battle with Hunling Daozu. His eyes revealed a hint of determination. He knew he might not survive, but he would at least make Hunling Daozu pay the price.

The battle was about to break out, and the eight-fold attack came towards Daozu Hunling like a storm, but Daozu Hunling just waved his hand lightly and dissolved all the eight-fold attack.

The sneak attack just now was a full-strength blow from Hunling Daozu, which seriously injured Ba Chong. Even if he wanted to enter the Daozu realm in a short time, he couldn't do it.

Having the strength of only half a step to becoming a Dao Ancestor is equivalent to being a lamb to be slaughtered.

His attacks were like child's play. Every time Daozu Hunling counterattacked, Ba Chong felt immense pressure. His defenses became increasingly fragile under Daozu Hunling's attacks.

Finally, under a powerful blow from the Dao Ancestor Hunling, Yachong's body was sent flying, slamming heavily to the ground. His body was already battered, and his spirit began to gradually dissipate. He knew that his life had come to an end.

At the last moment of his life, Yae's eyes flashed with resentment, "Don't even think about it when I die!"

Yachong condensed the final Taoist power into his dantian, and then it exploded.

Not only his own body, but also all the items hidden on his body were turned into powder.

Hunling Daozu had taken protective measures just before his self-destruction and was not injured.

"Foolish thing, you think you can stop me by reminding those ants? Just wait, they will soon follow your footsteps!"

He looked at the smoke and dust from the eight explosions, snorted coldly, and turned away. His figure gradually disappeared into the void, leaving only traces of battle in front of the small pagoda.

Chapter 30 The Secret of the Pagoda

Zhao Yuchen noticed the fluctuations from Yachong's side and couldn't help but stop.

"It's in the direction of Yazhong. It seems a battle has taken place." Zhao Yuchen frowned slightly. His Eye of Insight was blocked by a mountain and he couldn't see the specific situation over there.

Gongsun Ningyu said, "It seems that the Buddha Realm does hide some kind of danger."

Gu Lingling said: "Is it possible that there are still living beings here, but we haven't discovered them."

Shen Suxin said, "Didn't they say that all the Dao Spirits in the Buddha Realm have perished?"

Sheng Ying said leisurely, "It doesn't have to be a Dao spirit. The map of the Buddha Realm has been circulating in the lower realm for so many years. Perhaps someone has been here before, but their soul or body is trapped here. Of course, this place is rich in spiritual energy. After years of sedimentation, it is not impossible for native life to be born. Didn't we see flowers just now? Where there are plants, there must be animals."

Gui Yuzhen pondered, "If someone brought a map here, how could it have ended up in the netherworld? As for the native creatures...if they really existed, they would have left traces or auras. I'm more inclined to believe that Yae fell into a trap."

Everyone's words made sense. Zhao Yuchen sighed, "The situation is unclear. We can't go back to find Yachong. It's more important to stabilize the situation here."

The women nodded and continued on their way.

This distance of nearly a thousand miles would probably take ten days or half a month to walk, but fortunately, everyone is a top cultivator, so there will be no problem even if they don't eat or drink.

As they walked forward, small pagodas gradually came into view. Although smaller than the central tower, each one exuded an ancient and mysterious aura, as if every brick and stone contained endless stories.

"There is a certain pattern in the arrangement of these pagodas." Shen Suxin observed the surrounding pagodas, trying to find the connection between them.

Gongsun Ningyu nodded and said, "The distances between each pagoda are almost equal. They are arranged according to a certain formation."

Gu Lingling suggested: "Since we are going to pass by these pagodas, why not explore them first? We might find something unexpected."

Zhao Yuchen pondered for a moment and agreed to Gu Lingling's suggestion. They chose the nearest small pagoda and slowly approached it. The surface of the pagoda was covered with a faint halo, apparently a protective mechanism.

"Let me go first." Zhao Yuchen walked in front. He stretched out his hand and gently touched the surface of the pagoda. The halo trembled slightly, but there was no aggressive reaction.

He took a deep breath and gently pushed open the pagoda's door. It wasn't locked and swung open, revealing the dim interior. An ancient aura washed over him, filling him with awe.

Inside the pagoda was a circular space with a stone platform in the center, upon which lay a number of strange objects. The walls were covered in intricate runes, which emitted a faint golden glow that made it difficult to look directly at them.

"These runes are formed by the condensation of the origin of the Dao." Shengying's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "Perhaps if we comprehend them, we can comprehend the origin of the Dao."

As she spoke, she reached out and touched the runes.

嘤~

The rune made a strange sound, and Shengying retracted her hand as if she had been electrocuted, and her breathing became much faster.

Zhao Yuchen stepped forward to support him, "What's wrong, Second Master?"

Sheng Ying's pretty face turned pale as she said, "At that moment, I seemed to have entered a strange world."

"A strange world?"

"Yes, that world is inhabited by all sorts of strange creatures. They fill the space, sucking the power of the vacuum like parasites. These runes are a seal against them."

Gongsun Ningyu recalled, "According to the information we've received so far, these pagodas are the tombs of Dao spirits. How could they be connected to another world?"

Shen Suxin suggested: "Since we still don't know the secret, it's better for us not to touch on it anymore."

Gui Yuzhen was carefully examining the items on the stone platform. "These items all carry an ancient Daoist aura. They might be relics of the first generation of Dao Spirits."

Zhao Yuchen carefully picked up one of the items. It was a black crystal with a black liquid flowing inside. He could feel the powerful force contained in the crystal, and this force made his heart palpitate.

"Chen'er, these items may be dangerous." Gongsun Ningyu reminded.

Zhao Yuchen nodded. He could sense that the power within the crystals was unstable and could erupt at any moment. These were Daoling relics, and with their current cultivation level, they were afraid they wouldn't be able to withstand them.

He placed the crystal back on the stone table and decided not to touch these items for the time being.

After observing for a while, they decided to move on and see what was going on in the huge pagoda in the center.

If he still couldn't find a way to obtain the Origin Dao there, he would consider studying the runes and items in these small towers. No matter what, he had to get something back. Otherwise, this trip would be in vain.

On Junhong Daozu's side, he had already arrived in front of one of the small towers and pushed the door open.

The environment inside was no different from the small tower Zhao Yuchen had entered before, except for the items placed on the stone platform.

Taoist Junhong had a smile on his face, and a silver storage bag appeared in his hand. He put the items on the stone platform into the bag one by one.

Then, as if he knew the secret of this place very well, he easily pushed open the stone platform. There was a hidden space under the stone platform, and inside it was a wooden box.

He opened the wooden box, and inside lay a thumb-sized, golden bead.

He was immediately excited and closed the wooden box and put it in his pocket.

Afterwards, he carved some kind of mark between his hands, and his palms were immediately covered with a layer of light film. He tore off the runes on the wall one by one with his bare hands and put them into another storage bag.

Every time a rune was torn off, a black mark would appear on the wall, emitting a terrifying aura.

Just as he was working hard, the door of the pagoda suddenly closed.

The voice of Hunling Daozu came from outside: "Junhong, since you like the things in there so much, then keep them company forever!"

Daoist Junhong's face was filled with astonishment: "Hun Ling! Why are you here?!"

Hunling Daozu laughed grimly outside the door and said, "If you can come here, why can't I?"

"You don't have a map of the Buddha Realm."

"I don't have one, but I can come with you."

Daoist Junhong said in disbelief: "Impossible! Your tracking will definitely be discovered by us."

Daozu Hunling said, "Whether you believe it or not, I followed you anyway. I have good news for you. I have already dealt with Yachong. You will soon be buried here as well."

Daoist Ancestor Junhong tried to open the door of the pagoda, but found that the door was corroded by the black mark exposed after the runes were torn open, and it could not be opened at all.

Hunling Daozu continued to laugh outside the door and said, "You should know the secrets hidden in these pagodas. Naturally, you should also know what will happen if you can't leave in time..."

Chapter 31 The Disappearing People

The angry roar of Taoist Master Junhong echoed inside the pagoda. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was distorted. At that moment, the Taoist heart that he had maintained for many years seemed to have cracks.

Although his cultivation had reached the Daozu realm, at this moment, he felt unprecedented fear and despair. He had fallen into an inescapable dead end.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, his voice becoming calm and low. "Hun Ling, I am willing to give up everything just to leave this place. From now on, I will no longer get involved in any disputes. I will retire and no longer care about worldly affairs."

However, Daozu Hunling's voice was as cold as ice as he rejected Daozu Junhong's request: "Junhong, your very existence is a challenge to the rules of Xuantian. Your death would be the best outcome for everyone. Of course, the so-called rules are only made by the winners. You know this better than I do."

As Daozu Hunling finished his words, the black marks in the pagoda began to spread rapidly. They seemed to have life, seeping out from the walls and forming strange hands. These hands had sharp nails and emitted a disgusting stench. They grabbed Daozu Junhong, as if they wanted to drag him into endless darkness.

Daoist Junhong's face paled, but he didn't give up his resistance. He mobilized all his Dao energy, unleashing his most powerful Dao techniques to try to repel the attacks of these evil hands. His Dao energy transformed into walls of light, temporarily keeping the evil hands at bay. However, these evil hands seemed endless, constantly pouring out of the walls, constantly assaulting Daoist Junhong's defenses.

Daozu Hunling stood outside the pagoda, listening to Daozu Junhong's struggles from within, a smug smile on his face. Although Daozu Junhong was powerful, under the constant attacks of these evil hands, his power would eventually be exhausted, and he would eventually die.

Daoist Junhong's sweat soaked his clothes, and his breathing became increasingly rapid. He saw death beckoning him, and he had to find a way out as soon as possible. His eyes roamed the interior of the pagoda, trying to find any possible escape route. However, the interior of the pagoda was completely covered by a black mark, and as far as he could see, there was only endless darkness.

In despair, Daoist Junhong's voice became hoarse: "Hun Ling, you can't achieve this situation alone. I want to know who is helping you behind the scenes."

Hunling Daozu laughed heartily and said meaningfully: "Whoever is behind you is whoever is behind me."

Daozu Junhong's pupils suddenly contracted, and a terrible thought surged in his mind: "What... Could it be... that we have all been..."

Before he could finish his words, a massive black hand suddenly burst through the air. Its speed was so great that Daoist Junhong had no time to react before it gripped him tightly. Daoist Junhong's body was dragged into the darkness by the black hand. His voice echoed within the pagoda before he was completely swallowed by the darkness.

Outside the pagoda, Hunling Daozu smiled calmly: It’s time to deal with those ants.

He turned and left, disappearing into the desolate world of the pagoda. Inside the pagoda, the black marks began to slowly fade, but the pagoda door remained tightly closed, as if waiting for the next unfortunate intruder.

...

Zhao Yuchen and his group continued along the rugged path toward the central pagoda. The surrounding small pagodas stood like silent guards, quietly observing the group of outsiders.

Shen Jing suddenly stopped and turned to look in the direction where Daoist Junhong disappeared. A trace of uneasiness flashed in her eyes: "For some reason, an evil Dao rhyme appeared over there for a moment."

Although others could not directly feel the Dao rhyme, they believed in Shen Jing's words without a doubt.

Only Zhao Yuchen frowned: "Are you sure?"

Shen Jing nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, that Dao rhyme seems to be able to devour everything in the world."

There was a slight tremor in her voice, and it was obvious that the evil Taoist charm left a deep impression on her.

Sheng Ying was also terrified at this moment and said, "It sounds similar to when I touched the pagoda rune before."

Gongsun Ningyu stared intently and said, "It's always right to remain vigilant."

As they gradually approached the central pagoda, more and more small pagodas appeared around it, as if surrounding everyone in the middle, forming an invisible pressure that made them feel a different kind of suffocation.

The closer to the pagoda, the more vegetation appears. Although these plants are scarce, they grow tenaciously in this desolate land. They all contain strange Taoist rhymes, but people dare not touch them for fear of triggering unknown dangers.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed by. Zhao Yuchen's perceptive eyes caught this anomaly.

When he tried to follow it, he found that the shadow had disappeared without a trace. Everyone immediately gathered together and watched the surroundings vigilantly.