Chapter 121: Chapter 56: The Swarm of Weaving Spiders, Blade Mountain Divine Dragon
After slightly consolidating their explosively increased realm, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu began to explore their surroundings.
Passing through numerous dormant water cocoons, they continued to follow the flow of the water and saw even more of the towering silk pillars.
The so-called silk pillars, that is, “Columns of Woven Silk.”
According to ancient records, three strands make a twist, three twists make a string, three strings make a bundle, three bundles make a braid, three braids make a wrap, three wraps make a branch, three branches make a stem, and three stems make a trunk; and with a hundred and eighty trunks interwoven, they form the Columns of Woven Silk, supporting the aerial cocoons with infinite length, yet the root of which is unknown, as if it lies within the abyss.
At this time, the two seemed to be at the roots of these Columns of Woven Silk, which is the bottom of the “Abyss” as recorded in the ancient texts.
They saw these silk threads intertwining and knotting at the bottom, submerged underwater; there was also a multitude of “spiders,” slender and light, walking on the water with extreme timidity. Seeing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu approaching, they scattered in panic, creating ripples upon the water’s surface that spread outwards.
“So it’s these spiders that have woven the aerial cocoons,” An Zhisu said with a sudden laugh of realization.
Following Senior Sister An’s gaze, Ling Yunpo saw among the roots of the Columns of Woven Silk, many incomplete aerial cocoons scattered about, some more than half-finished, and some only a third complete.
“These are ‘Weaving Cloud Spiders,’” the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said from within the Sea of Consciousness, “They are a type of time-space demonic beast that feeds on ‘broken histories’, which are the ‘threads of time’ I’ve spoken of before.”
It couldn’t help but express its sentiment:
“The Weaving Cloud Spiders are inherently harmless, yet even they are imprisoned here. It appears that the construction purpose of the Demon Locking Tower is definitely not for the so-called ‘defense against the Demon Race.’”
“The Demon Locking Tower was not built by the Shushan Shangqing Faction in the first place,” Ling Yunpo said dismissively, “Shushan claims it was built by a great power of the Human Race for defense against the Demon Race, but where is the evidence for that? It’s just arbitrary fabrication and interpretation for political purposes.”
“However, Ah Jing, I thought you, as an object from Ancient Times, would know the secrets of the Demon Locking Tower… Turns out you only know bits and pieces as well,” he added.
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“I am a mirror from the palace of the Western Queen Mother, not a mirror of the Mortal World; how could I possibly be so knowledgeable about worldly affairs?” the Kunlun Mirror said indignantly, “If it weren’t for… never mind.”
Its voice paused for a moment, then it continued:
“The Weaving Cloud Spiders weave the threads of time, extending inevitably from the past to the future. Therefore, the space-time in this realm is discontinuous; the more you try to fly upwards, the more stretched the space becomes, and you will never reach the end.”
“So, it is better to leave using the ‘Godspeed Talisman of the Myriad Mile Water Vein,’” it suggested.
Ling Yunpo was somewhat speechless, and after a moment said:
“Why does this damned talisman keep taking us to abnormal places? Can’t it just properly transport us outside the tower?”
“All water veins, within the system of the Water Element of the Five Elements, have incredibly mystical connections. The Godspeed Talisman of the Myriad Mile Water Vein merely transfers you from the upstream part of this mystical connection to the downstream,” the Kunlun Mirror stated meaningfully, “Besides, leaving the Demon Locking Tower now might not necessarily be a good thing.”
“Not a good thing? What do you mean… Oh.” Ling Yunpo was quick to understand, immediately relating this to what Qiu Changtian had mentioned earlier about “an impending deadly tribulation.”
That is to say, in the time that my Senior Sister and I have been absent, some kind of extremely unfavorable change has already taken place outside.
With this in mind, Ling Yunpo said to An Zhisu:
“Senior Sister, if we continue to fly upwards, there’s no telling where we might arrive. Considering the Cloud Sea Realm is almost infinitely tall and deep, and its boundaries have never been fully explored, wouldn’t it be better for us to use the talisman again and jump to the next water source?”
“We could,” An Zhisu hesitantly said, “but the first time we activated it, we jumped from the eighth floor to the twenty-eighth; the second time, straight to the thirtieth. It seems to be taking us further towards the bottom of the Demon Locking Tower each time.”
“The deeper we go into the Demon Locking Tower, the more powerful the imprisoned demons become; past the thirtieth floor lies the strength of the Golden Core Rank. Could that be too dangerous?”
Ling Yunpo: ………..
She had a point.
Having completed the Marrow Cleansing and secured the strength of thirty years of arduous cultivation from the Refining Mansion Rank, his journey to the Demon Locking Tower could be described as overwhelmingly lucrative. There was no need to take further risks.
Had it not been for Qiu Changtian’s reminder, he would have long since sought a way to exit the trial and return to Qingluo Peak to drink the Mercurial Elixir Liquid.
Nevertheless, considering his experience at the Pavilion journey, Ling Yunpo still had a basic trust in this golden finger of his, and thus spoke to Senior Sister An:
“Indeed, why don’t we first ascend. If we fail to find the exit of this world, then we can descend and use talisman scripts to leap. How does that sound?”
“Alright,” An Zhisu agreed without hesitation.
Thus, the two rode their Sword Light, flying up along the thread-like pillar.
After flying for six or seven hours, they still did not see the end of the pillar. It extended upwards into the Cloud Sea and downwards into the misty mountains, with neither end in sight.
An Zhisu sighed deeply, then had no choice but to suppress the Sword Light with Ling Yunpo. After a while, they finally returned to the water.
Ling Yunpo took out the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein, infused it with True Yuan, and activated it.
The two disappeared from their original spot once again. Moments later, countless weaving spiders crept out cautiously and tentatively from behind each thread-like pillar.
They gathered around the spot where Ling Yunpo had been standing, looking around as if perceiving something.
In the midst of the world spinning, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu once again arrived in a different realm.
Upon opening their eyes, all they could see was the crimson river water gushing down, washing and beating against the riverbanks on both sides, like a roaring Jiaolong.
Are we back to the 28th layer’s Blood Sea?
Ling Yunpo was somewhat dazed when he heard An Zhisu clenching her teeth, squeezing out a few words through the gaps, her voice forcibly calm:
“Junior Brother, look ahead…”
Ling Yunpo suddenly looked up, only to see atop the surging river’s source, on the peak of the red sandstone mountain, a gigantic dragon was coiled up.
The dragon’s body was almost as long as the mountain itself, its golden scales neatly arranged with colorful feathers attached to its sides. Several thick chains pierced through its lower half, firmly binding it to the mountain peak, sharp like blades.
Blood incessantly flowed down from the wounds caused by the chains, like springs.
However, its upper body could still move freely. At this moment, it was lowering its massive head, its cold and merciless golden vertical pupils closely staring down at Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, as if a giant was observing ants.
Ling Yunpo could even feel the dragon’s breathing. When it inhaled, the wind blew forward; when it exhaled, the wind blew backward, alternating, carrying a strong moisture.
“Two humans…” it finally said, trying to speak softly, yet the sound was still like thunder, “two humans not yet at the Transformation Rank…”
“…how did you get here?”
Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment, then took hold of the apprehensive An Zhisu beside him and slowly said:
“The Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein.”
The dragon tilted its head slightly, its gaze fixed on the talisman in his hand.
“…I see.”