Chapter 716, The Strange Cauldron

Translator: Silavin

 

The black box gleamed with a metallic lustre, its surface adorned with flickering patterns that clearly distinguished it from any ordinary container.

 

However, upon seeing this box, Qin Yichen’s expression grew grave.

 

He could sense that the box was being eroded. Those Mystical Runes were deteriorating, and faintly, a familiar energy was seeping through.

 

Clearly, even this specially crafted box could not contain that meteorite.

 

[No wonder the Gathering Space Tower headquarters demanded its swift disposal. Master Chang had nearly lost his life merely from contact with it, and even Ju Lingren, who cultivated to such high Martial Arts, had nearly died.]

 

Given the current situation, the decision of the Gathering Space Tower’s higher-ups was undoubtedly correct. If they insisted on keeping this meteorite, Heaven only knew what terrifying events might unfold.

 

At present, while the patterns on the box hadn’t completely deteriorated, they were close. When that moment arrived, forget approaching the box, anyone who entered this space would likely meet the same fate as Master Chang.

 

It was now apparent why those from the Gathering Space Tower refused to follow him inside.

 

Qin Yichen possessed confidence though.

 

Though this special energy proved lethal to others, the Heaven Earth Spirit Pearl within his Dantian could absorb it.

 

After brief observation, Qin Yichen approached the black box.

 

The closer he drew, the more intense the fluctuations of that special energy became, even faintly penetrating his skin and seeping into his body.

 

Yet he suffered no harm or adverse effects.

 

Finally, Qin Yichen stood before the black box.

 

*Clang!*

 

The moment his palm touched the black box, it collapsed as though disintegrating, producing a tremendous noise.

 

Perhaps hearing the commotion within, several other members of the Gathering Space Tower rushed inside.

 

They attempted to approach, but sensing something, they recoiled as if struck by lightning, swiftly retreating to the doorway.

 

“Master Qin, quickly come out!” They called anxiously.

 

They had already witnessed the terror of that energy through what happened to Ju Lingren and Master Chang.

 

“No need to worry.” Qin Yichen turned to face them with a smile.

 

“This! How is this possible!?” Seeing Qin Yichen completely unharmed, the assembled members of the Gathering Space Tower froze in shock.

 

[What manner of monster is he?! That energy could overwhelm even Peak Stage Martial Emperors!]

 

Witnessing this scene, Long Qingyao’s heart stirred with amazement.

 

The matter of Qin Yichen visiting the Fallen God Abyss had always been dismissed as rumour. Even those who claimed to have witnessed him emerge from the Fallen God Abyss found their accounts dismissed.

 

Long Qingyao herself had harboured doubts as well.

 

Now, however, she increasingly believed it to be true.

 

Perhaps from curiosity, or perhaps from concern for Qin Yichen, the door remained open. Long Qingyao and the members of the Gathering Space Tower stood at the entrance, observing Qin Yichen’s movements.

 

After turning around, Qin Yichen’s attention focused on the object before him.

 

The meteorite’s exterior appeared no different at first glance, save for the peculiar aura it emanated.

 

Perhaps because of his proximity, or perhaps because excessive amounts of that special energy had penetrated his body, Qin Yichen faintly sensed the Heaven Earth Spirit Pearl within his Dantian growing restless.

 

The Heaven Earth Spirit Pearl emitted rhythmic vibrations. Upon its surface, the True Dragon appeared to come alive, its eyes luminous, gazing forward directly.

 

Prompted by the stirring within his Dantian, Qin Yichen instinctively placed his hand upon the meteorite.

 

“Hmm?” As his palm made contact, Qin Yichen paused slightly. He discovered that the stone surface seemed somewhat loose. Then, applying modest pressure…

 

*Crash!*

 

A large section of stone broke away in his hand. The mountain-sized meteorite split apart, with massive chunks of stone sliding down.

 

As the stone fractured, that special energy grew more concentrated, sweeping across the surroundings. Instantly, a vast expanse of Shooting Star Spirit Crystals shattered into powder, Spirit Seeds falling to the ground with audible impacts.

 

Then, something even stranger occurred…

 

Those Spirit Seeds lying on the ground vanished at a rate visible to the naked eye!

 

As these Spirit Seeds disappeared, the special energy circulating at the centre appeared to grow even thicker.

 

This forced Long Qingyao and the others at the entrance to retreat further.

 

They wished to offer warning, but discovering Qin Yichen remained unharmed, they barely suppressed their shock and quietly observed the unfolding events.

 

No one could control that energy. Perhaps having absorbed the Spirit Seeds, it grew increasingly massive. Its expanding radius shattered even more Shooting Star Spirit Crystals.

 

This caused the assembled members of the Gathering Space Tower such distress they visibly twitched.

 

In mere moments, several thousand Shooting Star Spirit Crystals had been destroyed!

 

The loss proved staggering.

 

If they could not contain this, everything, including the Gathering Space Crystal House, perhaps even all of Open Mysteries City, would be lost.

 

That energy remained too sinister; no one dared approach it.

 

All except for Qin Yichen!

 

They could only offer bitter smiles.

 

It was precisely their unwillingness to accept defeat that led them to haul this object back, never anticipating they had brought back a catastrophe!

 

Qin Yichen seemed utterly oblivious to the surrounding changes. His gaze remained fixed ahead.

 

As those stone chunks fell away, a peculiar object revealed itself before him.

 

This object resembled a cauldron of sorts.

 

Yet, it differed from ordinary cauldrons.

 

In ancient times, cauldrons served sacrificial purposes. The living would cast offerings into them. However, the mouth of this cauldron had been inexplicably sealed.

 

This cauldron possessed nine legs, positioned at nine different points, its body carved with a True Dragon.

 

At the position directly before Qin Yichen, precisely at the Dragon’s mouth, there existed a circular indentation.

 

Clearly, this should have been a pattern of a True Dragon holding a pearl, but the pearl itself remained absent.

 

[Could it be…] A thought stirred in Qin Yichen’s mind, and a circular object materialized in his hand.

 

This was what he had obtained from cutting open Liu Yun’s Shooting Star Spirit Crystal.

 

He had examined this object previously. It seemed to serve no purpose; neither Spiritual Energy nor Yuan Energy produced any effect.

 

Qin Yichen placed this circular object at the Dragon’s mouth.

 

Merely approaching, the circular object was drawn into that indentation.

 

Then…

 

*Click!*

 

The cauldron emitted a sound. The originally sealed mouth gradually opened!

 

*Whoosh!*

 

As the cauldron mouth opened, tremendous changes occurred once more in the surroundings. That terrifying energy circulating around them poured in through the cauldron’s opening, as though being completely absorbed by this cauldron.