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墨書 Inktalez
Seeing that the first line of defense at the Absolute Gate had been breached, it became clear that the defending forces inside were nothing but a bunch of pretenders. In about half an hour, we quickly dismantled them. It was only then that we broke through the Absolute Gate and entered the true eye of the formation. This meant that by breaking the eye, we could destroy the Nine Fiends Soul-Seizing Formation.
Excitement was evident, but the difficulties were just beginning. As we stood outside the Absolute Gate, the three of us exchanged incredulous glances, utterly astonished…
The Absolute Gate was indeed extraordinary; it was not a formation at all but rather a garbage dump. Inside were piles of scrap metal, rags, wood shavings, and even strange items like plastic bags and cling film.
"What the hell! Did we go to the wrong place?" What on earth was this? Was this really what the Absolute Gate looked like?
"That's right! I’ve heard my master mention… the Absolute Gate doesn’t have a fixed pattern; it often arises around a source of spiritual energy, what you might call an ability source!"
"Oh! You mean some arrogant fellow just tossed a piece of energy source into this garbage heap, and thus formed this Nine Fiends Soul-Seizing Formation? How uncultured and terrifying!" Bald Qiang scoffed after hearing this. "A senior from our sect once encountered such a formation and nearly perished within the Absolute Gate..."
"Shut up, Qiang. That's precisely what makes the Absolute Gate so terrifying; it adapts like water to its shape, making it impossible to grasp. Throughout history, countless people have lost their lives due to carelessness!"
" Big Mouth Lee, do you have any way to break this Absolute Gate?"
"Ah, you’ve asked the right person… Brother Li has complete confidence in breaking this formation!"
The nature of the Absolute Gate is ever-changing, and therein lies its flaw. If the Killing Intent is heavy, then the Absolute Gate becomes incredibly powerful. However, if it’s in a place with strong Yang Qi, its effectiveness diminishes significantly. Yet here, the Killing Intent was almost palpable. I truly didn’t know where Big Mouth Lee got his confidence from. Seeing his determined expression made me wary of what might happen next…
Big Mouth Lee, oh Big Mouth Lee, it’s time for you to face some hardships…
"Just wait and see my Divine Thunder Detection Technique; I’ll break this formation in minutes!" Big Mouth Lee laughed, looking extremely pleased with himself as he thought to himself, "Let’s see if you dare mock me again after witnessing my skills!"
"Brother Li, your mouth is quite slippery; just don’t take it too seriously… The old Li family relies on you!" Bald Qiang chuckled mischievously as if teasing Big Mouth Lee. Big Mouth Lee ignored him and shot us a disdainful glance. "Now let’s see what I can do!"
Big Mouth Lee shook off Li the Traitor, adjusted his clothes, and stepped forward toward the Absolute Gate. This garbage heap had been here for who knows how many years without any foul odor. As soon as Big Mouth Lee stepped inside, he burst into laughter, his face lighting up with joy as his eyes sparkled.
Something felt off; what could possibly be so funny?
We were completely at a loss, with me and Bald Qiang looking at each other, utterly confused.
“Holy crap! The Emperor Qin's washbasin! This thing is worth a fortune…” I nearly choked on my words. Big Mouth Lee was nowhere near breaking the formation; instead, he picked up the junk. From inside, he pulled out a copper basin that was quite exquisite. The Emperor Qin's washbasin was indeed recorded in The Record of the Peaceful Universe.
“Cao Cao's spittoon!”
“Wuchouzi's Golden Saddle's golden pouch!”
“Sun Hao's iron-cutting saw!”
“Chongzhen Emperor's crimson shoes!”
“Summer Princess's green silk robe!”
“Deng Tong's Coin Casting Furnace!”
…
This truly echoed the saying that historical trash, over time, becomes artifacts. It reminded me of a story about Gansu’s Suspended Spring Place, where a large batch of artifacts was discovered. Experts later explained that these were actually “garbage” from the Han Dynasty; thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi, and they became national treasures instead.
“ Big Mouth Lee, are you done yet?” This idiot was neglecting serious matters and instead rummaging through junk. I shouted at him, but when he turned around and met my gaze, I felt doomed! His eyes were glowing red; what on earth was happening?
Bald Qiang seemed to sense something was off too. Without bothering to talk to me, he yelled, “Brother Li, wake up!” and rushed forward. His face was filled with urgency as he stepped inside. Suddenly, it was like a different person emerged; he started grinning foolishly at the pile of junk. He even pulled out some weapons from within, leaving me dumbfounded.
“Li Yuanba's giant hammer!”
“Cheng Yaojin's battle axe!”
"Guo Jing's dagger!"
"What the hell! What is this? Even characters have names?" Later, I read in the Yuan History that there really was a Mongolian general named Guo Jing; it must be just a coincidence! "You two idiots, is this really the time to be scavenging?" I stared at them closely and scanned the pile of garbage. Finally, I noticed something unusual. Deep within the trash heap, a ghostly light flickered like a will-o'-the-wisp. The flame was only the length of a finger; if you didn't look closely, you wouldn't even notice it. The green smoke from that flame curled up from all around, seemingly entering the nostrils of Big Mouth Lee and Bald Qiang. A chill crept up from the soles of my feet.
According to the Mausoleum Secrets, this type of lamp is called the Heart Lamp, also known as the Scatter Flower Lamp. It stands seven inches tall and has a jade lamp holder with three-colored flames that can fly out, possessing immense power. These three flames represent "Purple Azure Spirit Flame," "Upper Azure Deceptive Flame," and "Taiqing Demon Flame," symbolizing human nature's "greed," "hatred," and "joy."
If one's heart is not steadfast enough and they rush into the Heart Lamp's radiation range, their greatest shortcomings will be laid bare, leading to delusions. Those so-called antique artifacts are merely desires projected from within. For instance, Big Mouth Lee desires wealth, so he sees only antiques. Bald Qiang longs for martial arts, so he sees only treasures.
Merely having delusions isn't enough to harm someone. The most terrifying aspect is that it exploits human weaknesses and amplifies them infinitely until it crushes the person. In ancient times, there was a bug called the "Caterpillar," which loved to carry things on its back. When it encountered something while crawling, it would always grab it and lift its head to carry these items. The more it carried, the heavier it became; even when exhausted, it wouldn't stop. It refused to let go until it was ultimately crushed.
In truth, how different are people from caterpillars? Once inner desires are amplified endlessly, they are naturally crushed by these external possessions. Take someone who understands the emptiness of all things; even their pursuit of enlightenment becomes a burden.
Understanding this principle made me realize why Big Mouth Lee and Bald Qiang kept piling things onto themselves. It seemed I had no choice but to risk everything and go in to save them; otherwise, they would surely be crushed.
I gritted my teeth, clenched my bones, recited a forbidden incantation, and mustered my courage to step inside. As soon as my foot crossed the threshold, a haze appeared before me filled with secret manuals and treasures. My eyes lit up; among them were not only the Slashing Demons and Butchering Gods Blade Technique, Divine Celestial Technique, Close Golden Light Escape, Blood Shadow Technique, and The Song of Absolute Techniques but also several classic texts!
"Damn it! I'm going all in; once I pass this village, there won't be another temple."
I was incredibly excited and reached out to grab one of the manuals. Wait a minute; something feels off! "These are all illusions; don't approach!" I told myself. "No way! Manuals usually appear in places like this," another voice countered in my head. "Forget it; I'll just pick one at random!" Just as I was about to reach out, I felt a warmth in my chest that began to heat up. That sudden heat snapped me back to reality.
"This is inner desire; I must not entertain any compromising thoughts!"
"But these manuals are rare! Don't you want them? Your life would be so much smoother; who would dare bully you? Just one punch could take them down! If they still won't let go, then I'll shatter their soul! That way, I'd be invincible and reach the peak of life—winning over beautiful women!"
"But what does that mean? Being invincible is so lonely; it's better to live a simple life!"
"Being invincible is great! You can have whatever you want!"
"That's not my pursuit; I don't need to be invincible!"
Two voices echoed in my mind as I reached for the secret manual, my hands drifting further away. I had completely given up on deciphering this formation, like an old monk in meditation, my thoughts empty.
"What is the significance of breaking this formation?"
I fell into deep contemplation, my mind a blank slate. Just then, a hand suddenly slapped my shoulder. "What are you thinking about?" The voice was familiar—it was Zhengyang. How did Zhengyang appear before me? Was it an illusion?
"You fool, you've broken the Heart Lamp!" Zhengyang nodded with satisfaction.
The so-called heart gives rise to various demons; when the heart extinguishes, the demons vanish. A person's greatest enemy is still themselves. The Heart Lamp is not truly fearsome. If one's heart is as calm as water, the Heart Lamp becomes powerless. Back in the day, Sun Wukong's descendant, Sun Sheng, protected Tang Banjie on his journey westward to seek enlightenment. He encountered the Transcendent Child's circle and evaded traps of fame, lust, and greed but was ensnared by a competitive spirit. After guidance from the Supreme Old Lord, he let go of his competitive heart, and the competitive circle fell away without a trace.
With the Heart Lamp extinguished, Big Mouth Lee and Bald Qiang suddenly awakened, looking at their hands and bodies in disbelief. "What a pity! So many treasures wasted!"
"You two idiots, what are you lamenting about treasures for? People die for wealth; birds perish for food—our lives were almost lost! I briefly explained the situation to them. Despite their sighs, they still expressed regret over the antiques slipping through their fingers.
"Look! It seems there's something hidden beneath the light shield of that lamp!"
The core of the formation was a meteorite enveloped in flames. The flames generated Heart Demons that would self-destruct. Both Big Mouth Lee and Bald Qiang failed to see it through; ultimately, I stepped up to face the challenge myself. With unwavering determination, I resisted the Heart Demon using methods akin to letting go. Within the flames, I spotted a stone fragment. I used a box to contain the flames and retrieved the stone, discovering it was indeed a meteorite. Once I secured the meteorite, the formation collapsed. We quickly dodged as the Vengeful Spirits within dissipated.
Zhengyang and Uncorrupted Bones returned as well. The exit had been destroyed; we could only proceed by digging through the ice cave ahead based on Uncorrupted Bones' guidance...
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