The tunnel dug by the Treasurehunter Rat was very long, twisting and turning to its destination and often splintering into numerous forks and side passages. The rat was very smartâit hadnât concealed the tunnel, but neither did it want others to profit off its work. Thus, it turned its tunnel into an underground maze.
A sinister atmosphere oozing with evil and uncanny presences filled the tunnel. Even Lu Yun couldnât help but shudder, but he didnât release hellfire.
After the tenth tendril of order solidified, the flames of the five hells slowly became the structure of support for the hell of order. Only when three hundred and sixty-five tendrils of order crystalized and became the true fire of order would the other five be released.
Miao and Qing Yu shifted around, keeping Lu Yun protected between them as they walked.
âOh, Little Yu, Iâve come to a few more reflections in my recent cultivation. They might be useful to you,â the little fox suddenly said to Qing Yu.
Walking at the front with Quiet in hand, Qing Yu paused.
âRemember how I followed your theory after ascending to kinghood and combined my dao rules?â Miao continued quietly. âIâve been attempting this sort of combination recently and think that the path after ninth step kinghood is precisely that of combinationâto combine nine rules into three, then three into one.
âI think my current strength is beyond any conventional ninth step king in the realm.â
Lu Yun was once more reminded of the king soldierâs words when he heard this, how most of the kings in the Hongmeng were treading the wrong path. The little girl in a red skirt had also once said that Hongmeng kings were just ants, that even ninth step kings glimpsed only the tip of the iceberg.
âBut I think this path is more complicated than that and it needs further exploration. My grasp of formula dao isnât as strong as the two of yours, so I leave the rest to you,â the little fox concluded.
âI see.â Qing Yu nodded. âIâve only just returned to ninth step kinghood and my ninth dao rule isnât polished yet. Iâll be able to study this path once my dao rules are all perfected.â
She looked excitedly at Lu Yun, who also understood her meaning. In the world of immortals, he and Qing Yu had respectively become the headmaster and dao sovereign of the world because theyâd repaired the void realm and perfected the immortal dao. Who knew what would happen here if they achieved something on a similar level?
âWondrous existences abound in the Hongmeng, itâs not impossible to find someone above ninth step kinghood.â Lu Yun shook his head. âWe need absolute, domineering strength if we want to reign superior in the third realm.â
His thoughts turned toward the Metal Potentate whoâd taken away Jin Gushen. That was a prime example of someone whoâd most likely reached the level of combining his dao rules and progressed far down the path.
âMm.â Qing Yu came to her senses as well. They were in the Hongmeng, not the world of immortals. She and Lu Yun could see far beyond the horizon in the world of immortals, but they couldnât even see the real Hongmeng as of yet.
According to the little fox, the path that was to come was the most important.
âScrr scrreech scrrrr!â The Treasurehunter Rat suddenly stopped and pawed at the ground, then began gesturing wildly.
Even with their connection through the Tome of Life and Death, Lu Yun still couldnât understand the creature. Itâd once been able to take human form, but had completely lost the ability after Lu Yun beat it back to its true form. It couldnât voice human speech or even transmit human thoughts anymore.
Lu Yun felt like heâd picked up a large boulder just to smash it down on his own foot.
âIt says that someoneâs modified this passageâsomeoneâs been here before us!â Miao interpreted with an unpleasant expression.
Lu Yun frowned slightly. âLetâs turn smaller and use the Silence Talisman!â
He flung out a few more talismans and shrank the entire group to smaller than a dust particle floating in the air. Silence Talismans refined from karmic fruits completely concealed all trace of their presence.
âItâs Ghost Dragon,â whispered Qing Yu. âHe discovered the thievesâ tunnel and modified it. Itâs a dead end ahead. If we keep following the path, weâll end up dead without a doubt!â
Lu Yunâs frown deepened. Ghost Dragon had modified the path ahead, but not the overall layout, preventing Lu Yun from discovering that there was anything wrong. If it hadnât been for the ratâs sudden warning, he wouldâve died here if he traveled to the mountain alone.
âThe layout hasnât changed, but the road ahead is a dead end. The only way to manage that is⌠to have a terrible creature ahead!â He took a deep breath.
Qing Yuâs proclamation of a dead end considered all of their strength combined. A dead end didnât mean lack of a path, but that this passage would lead to the dead end of their lives.
Any treasure, formation, or mechanism would change the layout of the great maze and result in minute changes that put Lu Yun on guard. That the layout hadnât changed meant that there must be an extraordinarily terrifying creature ahead.
The Treasurehunter Rat wasnât an ordinary animal and was equipped with extremely keen senses. Far more perceptive than the trio, itâd immediately detected the dangerous presence lying in wait for them.
âIs there any other way?â Lu Yun looked at the rat; it couldnât have made only one passageway to the heart of the mountain.
âScrr scrr scree!â The rat paused, then nodded and headed in another direction.
âThe other way is more dangerous, but itâs a bit better than the one ahead of us,â Miao responded.
The thievesâ tunnel was only a meter across, but it might as well be a world compared to the trioâs current size.
The sound of water suddenly traveled into their ears, followed by a searing heat wave.
âA magma river, thereâs a magma river here!â Lu Yun blinked. No wonder the rat had said this way would be more dangerous.
Magma rivers of the Hongmeng werenât ones of the lower worlds. If one drop of magma from this river dripped into the world of immortals, it would transform into a blazing star and burn for all of eternity.
âThereâs an arcane beast king in the riverâa crimson python,â the little fox pointed out. Being only a common realm cultivator, an arcane beast king was incredibly frightening to the Treasurehunter Rat.
âItâs just a sixth step arcane beast king, ignore it.â Qing Yu spared a single glance for the river and carefully helped Lu Yun across. Sixth step kings wouldnât see through his Silence Talismans.
âWeâll be at the main section of the grave after this magma riverâŚwait!â Miao suddenly shrieked. âWhatâs going on? Is this an illusion?? Why are we back to that dead end?â
It was another dead end after the magma river, one just like the passage they were just in!