Free Web NovelChapter 303: Chapter 297: Natural Masterpiece
"Spin!"
With a low cry, Mu Chen’s body began to spin violently, propelled by his Primordial Power and the Profound Jade Fan. The lake’s surface, which had just been calmed by the oppressive might from the opening of the Senluo Tomb high above, suddenly rippled with waves. The waves radiated out from the center of the lake, crashing fiercely against the shore.
The four brothers of the Blood Family watched the erratic ripples on the water, their attention instantly focused.
"Careful, they’re coming up!" Xue Yan shouted. His red Snake Pupils reflected the surging lake as a large, crimson snake slowly slithered out from the loose robes on his back. It lazily coiled around Xue Yan’s waist, but despite its languid appearance, the blood-red snake stared at the lake with an extremely cold gaze, its purplish-black tongue flicking as if sniffing for the scent of its prey.
Down at the bottom of the lake, as Mu Chen spun faster and faster, the water finally began to churn with his Rotational Force. From underwater, it looked as if a massive Water Tornado was taking shape. Mu Chen’s expression was nonchalant, as if he were doing something trivial. He was unaware, however, that his actions had left Feng Shanshan, who was clinging tightly to him, completely dumbfounded.
Although this lake couldn’t compare to a truly great one, it was still several hundred meters in diameter. It should have been incredibly difficult for a single Seven-Ring Martial Spirit to create such a huge commotion. Yet, looking at Mu Chen now, he seemed completely at ease, his face showing nothing but a hint of solemnity.
If Mu Chen had known what Feng Shanshan was thinking, he would have certainly smirked. ’Back in the Profound Ice Palace, I spent nearly a year training in water that could change its own density. Compared to that, this ordinary lake is no pressure at all.’
"Rise!"
With a great roar, Mu Chen’s spinning speed increased explosively. He became like the eye of a storm, churning the entire lake. Waves surged one after another. A moment later, before the eyes of the four Blood Family brothers, a terrifying Water Tornado that had been brewing for some time shot into the sky with a BOOM. Like a giant water dragon, it smashed against the mirror-like gate of the Senluo Tomb.
BANG! With a massive sound, the entire mirror gate trembled from the impact. The four from the Blood Family were all stunned. Xue Yan shouted, "Damn it! Those two remnants of the Ninghun Family are trying to use the Water Tornado to distract us and escape!"
"Escape?! Not a chance!" Xue Shitian snorted coldly. Rings of crimson Primordial Power instantly swirled around his arm. This crimson aura was completely different from the searing heat of a Fire Attribute; instead, it was tinged with a sinister cold and the stench of blood.
As his voice fell, Xue Shitian’s arm trembled violently. The bloody power instantly transformed into the terrifying illusion of a Blood Python, which charged toward the rapidly spinning Water Tornado with its massive, gaping maw.
BOOM!! The sound of water bursting rang out. The skyward-sweeping Water Tornado was instantly destroyed by the crimson Blood Python, shattering into countless droplets that rained down from above, blanketing the lake’s surface in a misty spray. Seeing this from underwater, Mu Chen said in a low voice, "Miss Shanshan, get the Shadow Concealing Dust ready. We’re going to use the cover of this mist and the falling droplets to rush up in one go!"
Hearing him, Feng Shanshan’s thoughts stirred, and a handful of powder glowing with a seven-colored fluorescence immediately appeared in her hand. It was the Shadow Concealing Dust. Since Shadow Concealing Dust was completely impervious to water, it could be scattered even while submerged.
"Get ready! Scatter it!" freёweɓnovel.com
Mu Chen let out a low cry, abruptly retracting his Profound Jade Fan. He scattered a handful of Shadow Concealing Dust, shrouding both himself and Feng Shanshan. However, just in case, Feng Shanshan had also thrown out her own handful of Shadow Concealing Dust the moment Mu Chen spoke. After a flash of seven-colored light in the water, their figures vanished from the lake.
WHOOSH... SPLASH SPLASH...
When no one was paying attention, two splashes appeared on the lake’s surface. Hearing the sound, Xue Yan yelled, "They’re out of the water!"
But when everyone focused their gazes on the lake, they found nothing but the constantly rippling surface.
"This... Big Brother, it looks like they didn’t come out!" Xue Lie flew to the center of the lake with a WHOOSH, looked around, and then spoke.
Xue Yan frowned. "Impossible. Are they planning to just wait us out down there? The Senluo Tomb will close within ten minutes of opening."
"No! Big Brother, everyone, look up!" Xue Shitian shouted, abruptly raising his head and seeing the silhouettes of two figures reflected on the blue, mirror-like surface.
Hearing this, Xue Nie hurriedly looked up and immediately saw two silhouettes just a few meters from the gate of the Senluo Tomb. He cursed, "Damn it! It’s Shadow Concealing Dust!! Those two bastards dared to play dirty with us! After them!"
Xue Yan was furious. "Get them!"
With that, the four of them erupted into a cloud of blood mist, shooting toward Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan like four bloody arrows. Feng Shanshan glanced back and said anxiously, "They’ve spotted us!"
The corner of Mu Chen’s mouth lifted into a smile. "Yes... they’re catching up. Too bad for them, they’re too late." As he finished speaking, his thoughts stirred. He took a step in mid-air, and amidst a surge of Thunder Light, he pulled Feng Shanshan along as they transformed into a nearly transparent streak of light, vanishing into the gate of the Senluo Tomb in an instant...
"Damn you!!" At the very instant they entered the gate, Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan both heard a muffled thud from a violent impact behind them, followed by Xue Yan’s furious, unwilling roar.
CRACK! With a crisp sound, the blue mirror surface that had been activated by the Senluo Seven-Star Rock shattered, breaking into pieces of translucent ice that fell into the murky lake. Xue Yan watched the ice fall before him and smashed it with a punch. He cursed, "Such cunning little rats! Hmph, don’t think this is over! Don’t forget, the exit is still under the control of our Blood Python Family. I refuse to believe you can escape my grasp again and again." After speaking, Xue Yan extended his scarlet tongue, licked the lake water from the corner of his mouth, and let out a sinister laugh...
HUFF... HUFF...
Mu Chen let out two deep breaths, looking at Feng Shanshan beside him with a smile. "That was terrifying. If we didn’t have the Shadow Concealing Dust, or if they had reacted a little faster, we might have really been done for."
Feng Shanshan’s face was a little pale. "I thought you weren’t afraid of anything."
Mu Chen rolled his eyes. "I’m no Immortal. Those were four High-Tier Martial Sects. If they had intercepted us, we would have been turned to ash in an instant."
Taking another deep breath, Mu Chen stood up and surveyed his surroundings. "Why is it pitch-black in here?" he asked, confused. "And that Senluo Tomb gate we just entered was also strange. It felt like passing through a spatial tunnel, giving me a dizzying sense of weightlessness."
Feng Shanshan dusted herself off and said softly, "This is another Independent Space. Or rather, an Independent Space within an Independent Space."
Mu Chen was taken aback. "’An Independent Space within an Independent Space?’ That sounds pretty amazing."
Feng Shanshan smiled. "It is amazing. The Senluo Ruins were discovered by our ancestor by chance long ago, so you could say this is the private domain of our Ninghun Family. However, when our ancestor entered it back then, he was surprised to find that within this ruin, which was clearly an Independent Space, there was another Independent Space hidden inside. The ancestor called it a World within World."
Mu Chen mulled over those three words, and his eyes suddenly lit up. "This World within World must be the Senluo Tomb where we are now."
Feng Shanshan nodded. "That’s right. Back then, our ancestor found this place to be quiet and secluded, and intended for it to be the foundation for our Ninghun Family. So, before he passed away, he placed our family’s greatest treasure—which is also our foundation—into this Senluo Tomb. His wish was for our entire clan to migrate here and live a peaceful life, secluded from the world. But things don’t always go as planned. After that ancestor passed, the next family head advocated for developing on the continent and building the Ninghun Family’s reputation. He never told the clan about the last wishes of the ancestor who discovered Senluo. Instead, he turned this ruin into a training ground for the clansmen, naming it the Senluo Ruins, and called the ideal place for migration the Senluo Tomb. That’s the origin of their names."
"I see..." Mu Chen said in realization. "But it’s pitch-black in here. It doesn’t look like a place suitable for human habitation."
Hearing this, Feng Shanshan let out a soft laugh. She took out a very ordinary white Elemental Crystal from her Storage Ring and said, "What you see on the surface isn’t always the truth."
With that, Feng Shanshan forcefully threw the Elemental Crystal into the distance. With a TING TING, the faintly glowing Elemental Crystal landed on the ground. Before Mu Chen could even wonder what was happening, countless floating specks of light suddenly appeared on the ground where the crystal lay. These specks shot out uniform, thin beams of light, which refracted in different directions. The places they illuminated then reflected even more specks of light, generating more beams that shot into darker areas. This chain reaction spread exponentially, and in just a few breaths, the once-pitch-black space was brightly lit.
Mu Chen opened his mouth, but not a single word came out. Feng Shanshan was delighted to see his expression and smiled faintly. "This is the most magical part of this place. Almost the entire ground has the ability to gather faint light. Once there is a light source, no matter how weak, it will be continuously gathered and refracted until the entire space is illuminated. And now, everything within this space will be truly revealed before your eyes."
After speaking, Feng Shanshan stepped aside, giving Mu Chen a clearer view. At this moment, Mu Chen’s shock was no longer just on his face, but deep in his heart. If his Master’s former home was a palace carved from Profound Ice, then what he saw before him now was a palace made of crystal. While both were translucent and sparkling, the latter was clearly more natural and perfectly formed. Its beauty was beyond human ingenuity; it was a complete creation of nature itself.
GULP... Swallowing hard, Mu Chen slowly walked toward a crystal pillar in front of him. He reached out, stroking it twice, and murmured, "Truly the work of gods... I’ve never seen anything like this before..."
