Chapter 108: The Annihilation of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect?

According to Xu Daoqing’s memories, Shen Yan quickly adjusted the concentration of spiritual energy within the formation to its highest level. However, the condensation of baleful energy was not something that could be accomplished at will; it required not only time to ferment but also the integration of strange external auras.

Yet, with the Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal on his body, absorbing external sinister energy was not difficult for Shen Yan. In less than half a day, the spiritual energy and eerie aura within the formation began to merge slowly.

Even so, Shen Yan was not satisfied. The purity of his true essence was extremely high; a small amount of baleful energy was far from enough to meet his requirements. To succeed in advancing, he needed an immense amount of Azure Lotus Baleful Energy. This was the very reason he collected so many spirit stones.

One by one, he crushed the spirit stones, and the Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal continuously absorbed the strange aura. Shen Yan soon harvested a batch of baleful energy.

But as he began collecting Azure Lotus Baleful Energy, deep in a mysterious space at the bottom of the ruins, a pitch-black figure seemed to sense something and moved unconsciously.

In that instant, Shen Yan felt a chilling aura emanate from the Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal, sending a shiver through his body. The aura came so swiftly that he hadn’t time to react before it vanished completely.

Despite this, Shen Yan understood that there must be terrifying dangers lurking within the ruins of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect; otherwise, the Divine Seal would not have warned him so urgently.

With this in mind, Shen Yan did not hesitate to accelerate the condensation of Azure Lotus Baleful Energy. To him, spirit stones were valuable, but not worth risking his life. The previous slow extraction was merely to economize on spirit stones, but now, that was no longer an option.

Soon, another half day passed. Shen Yan was close to having enough Azure Lotus Baleful Energy. Just as he was about to quicken his pace, he noticed the ground beneath his feet begin to shake involuntarily.

At the same time, the Qi Refining cultivators outside, who were observing the production of Azure Lotus Baleful Energy, also noticed the tremors. Many were startled, thinking it was simply earth dragons shifting below. But the next moment, a terrifyingly evil aura erupted from the ruins of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect, sweeping over them before they could react, causing them to lose their senses.

Inside the formation, Shen Yan had just realized the threat when he felt the oppressive danger descending. Without hesitation, he raised the Mysterious Origin Heavy Water Shield and summoned the Azure Spirit Sword, slashing fiercely at the darkness ahead.

Normally, the Azure Spirit Sword was unstoppable, but now, its light plunged into the pitch-black evil aura and vanished as if it had been swallowed by the sea.

Seeing this, Shen Yan’s expression darkened. He was about to activate his Shadow Boots when a hint of joy flashed within the Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal.

Shen Yan’s body froze. He had always believed the Divine Seal was a lifeless artifact, but that subtle joy struck him like lightning.

“The Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal is alive?”

The thought flashed through Shen Yan’s mind, but before he could react, the external evil aura enveloped him. He quickly lost consciousness, falling into endless darkness.

…

When Shen Yan awoke, he found himself in a vast underground cavern.

Standing before him was a figure as black as ink, as if made from shadows gathered together.

“Are you a disciple of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect?”

The shadow did not move its mouth, yet its voice, calm as water, echoed in Shen Yan’s mind.

Shen Yan was faced with a difficult choice. If his guess was correct, this must be the underground of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect ruins. The shadow was either a former elder of the sect who suffered disaster, or its enemy.

If he admitted to being of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect and the figure was an enemy, he would surely have no hope of survival. But if he denied it and the figure was a sect member, it would also mean certain death.

Thinking of the sect’s legacy he carried, Shen Yan gritted his teeth and nodded.

“Yes, I am the inheritor of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect.”

The shadow nodded, apparently unsurprised by Shen Yan’s admission. Its body twisted and sank into the ground, reappearing suddenly next to Shen Yan, its pitch-black form pressing close.

“What is the current state of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect?”

Hearing this, Shen Yan was momentarily stunned. What did it mean? The sect had been destroyed for centuries—did this person not know?

His thoughts raced. He quickly surmised that this figure might indeed be a member of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect, but was either trapped or confined during the sect’s calamity, otherwise he would not ask such a question.

“The Azure Lotus Sword Sect is no more.”

After some thought, Shen Yan decided to be honest. At this moment, he was at the mercy of the other; since he had not been killed immediately, communication was possible. Facing an enemy he could not handle, frankness was the best approach.

“The Azure Lotus Sword Sect has been destroyed?”

The shadow was momentarily stunned. It touched its faceless head, then after a while asked,

“What happened?”

Shen Yan did not hide anything. Relying on Xu Daoqing’s memories, he told the figure everything he knew.

After listening, the shadow’s voice—previously as calm as a still pond—finally revealed a hint of sorrow.

“So that’s how it is. If I hadn’t been so reckless back then, how could the sect have suffered such a disaster?”

Shaking its head, the shadow looked at Shen Yan and suddenly said,

“The Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal on your chest, where did you get it?”

At these words, Shen Yan’s expression changed dramatically. The Divine Seal had always been his most closely guarded secret; even when he visited his parents’ graves, he had never spoken of it. Yet now, deep beneath the ruins, a shadow had exposed it—how could he not be alarmed?

He quickly calmed himself. Since the figure already knew, the only option now was to use his wits to probe the figure’s understanding of the Divine Seal.

“I found it in a bay on the eastern coast.”

Shen Yan briefly recounted his childhood memory of discovering the Divine Seal, his gaze fixed on the shadow, hoping for a reaction.

“So that’s the case.”

After a moment’s silence, the shadow suddenly thrust its hand into its own body, as black and viscous as tar.

“Let me see—does your Heavenly Emperor’s Divine Seal differ from mine?”

Seeing the identical seal in the figure’s hand, Shen Yan was utterly dumbfounded.

Why did this shadow have one too?