Chapter 813: Grotto-Heaven Bridge, Myriad Bone Melder, New Technology
The labyrinth was divided into three sections, from outer to inner: the Office District, the Factory District, and the Laboratory District.
As Ying Aikun and his group entered the Factory District from the labyrinth’s Office District, they immediately sensed a drastic change in the spatial structure.
“This place… haven’t we been here before?”
“Impossible! This was clearly a factory floor just moments ago. How did it turn into an empty lot?”
Hearing the cultivators’ astonished murmurs, Ling Chiye turned to Ying Aikun and asked, “Senior Ying, could it be that…”
Ying Aikun nodded with a helpless sigh. “I fear my breakthrough of the barrier triggered a further transformation within the labyrinth.”
He shook his head and lamented, “That old geezer always loved stirring up trouble like this. Everything he left behind is riddled with traps and trials, making it a pain to claim anything.”
“It’s the same this time. Even though he’s lifted the restrictions for a blood descendant like me, breaking through the obstacles he laid will still take considerable effort.”
Just then, the group once again encountered the berserk corpse components of the Factory District.
Someone exclaimed in surprise, “These corpse components are incredibly strong! Something in the air seems to be empowering them.”
Another sighed, “The corpse components and various production lines in the Factory District were already massive and possessed astonishing strength. After going berserk, they’re naturally far more dangerous.”
“Be careful! Some factories produced combat-oriented magical artifacts and Bionics. If the berserk corpse components get their hands on those, we’ll be in even bigger trouble.”
Ying Aikun ignored the battle. Surrounded by layers of protection, he silently observed, seemingly sensing something.
Suddenly, he spoke, “The entire spatial structure of the Factory District is undergoing regular, cyclical changes.”
Ling Chiye, standing beside him, was astonished. “Regular changes? Have you already figured out the pattern?”
Ying Aikun smiled confidently. “Since no one is actively controlling it, the spatial shifts aren’t very fast. Though I haven’t fully tested the complete pattern yet, with my sensory abilities, I can perfect it after just a few trials.”
Ling Chiye nodded slightly, relieved. “Thank goodness we have you, Senior Ying. Otherwise, we’d likely pay a heavy price to advance further. What should we do next?”
Ying Aikun said, “Follow my guidance. Let’s press deeper.”
As he led the team forward, he spread his fingers, projecting the original map of the Factory District and Laboratory District. “We need to find the passage to the Laboratory District as quickly as possible,” he said.
“If I’m not mistaken, just like the barrier between the Office and Factory Districts, that old bastard has created another obstacle at the entrance to the Laboratory District.”
“We must find the entrance now, break through the barrier quickly, and then we can enter the Laboratory District.”
Ling Chiye nodded repeatedly. “Understood. We’ll follow your lead, Senior Ying.”
Given Ying Aikun’s status as an Immortal Descendant and the fact that Ying Aikun had just guided them through the barrier into the Factory District, Ling Chiye had complete faith in the expert’s judgment.
Thus, even though he was a Void Refinement Cultivator whose cultivation realm and Sect Staff rank were both higher than Ying Aikun’s, he now deferred to him completely.
Ying Aikun continued, “The Berserk Corpse Components in the Factory District are even more dangerous. From now on, we should try our best to conceal ourselves and avoid fighting them. This should help us find the entrance faster.”
Ling Chiye said, “I can dispatch more Soul Cultivators to detect the Berserk Corpse Components in advance and avoid combat.”
The next moment, with a light tap of his fingertips, Ling Chiye released a large number of Soul Cultivators, using them as disposable scouts to explore the path ahead.
Ying Aikun nodded, then checked the Spirit Realm signal. “The deeper we go into the labyrinth, the weaker the Spirit Realm signal becomes. If we continue… we’ll likely lose contact with the outside world most of the time.”
He looked at Ling Chiye and added, “Now that I’ve triggered this change in the labyrinth, more experts will probably come to explore.”
“Report our situation to Grandma Su first.”
“We might need her support later.”
Following Ling Chiye’s arrangements, several Sect Staff members and a large group of Soul Cultivators withdrew from the Factory District to report to Su Lengyou.
Meanwhile, as the numerous cultivators within the labyrinth reacted to the sudden changes, Zhang Yu was sensing the upgrade of his own Grotto-Heaven.
After Zhang Yu liberated Jun Xuance’s corpse and absorbed the Grotto-Heaven force hidden within it by Ying Xintian, he could feel his Grotto-Heaven rapidly expanding. Its dimensions, originally 300 meters in length, width, and height, instantly grew to 400 meters.
Besides the spatial expansion, what most captivated Zhang Yu’s attention was the Grotto-Heaven Bridge formed from Jun Xuance’s True Spirit.
“A Grotto-Heaven Bridge…”
Zhang Yu was filled with curiosity and anticipation for this new ability from his level 4 Immortal Descendant Dao Seed.
“According to my comprehension of the level 4 Immortal Descendant in the Dao Seed Register, besides this Grotto-Heaven Bridge, I can now open three more.”
“Simply put, I can open four portals in the material realm, each leading directly to my Immortal Grotto-Heaven.”
“When they’re no longer needed, I can erase the existing Grotto-Heaven Bridges and open new ones in different locations…”
At this thought, Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up.
He knew this meant that if he opened a Grotto-Heaven Bridge in the Edict Pavilion and another in the Ethereal Communications Department…
“I could instantly enter my Immortal Grotto-Heaven from the Edict Pavilion, then instantly arrive at the Ethereal Communications Department from there.”
“My Immortal Grotto-Heaven would become a transit hub, allowing me to swiftly travel to any location with a Grotto-Heaven Bridge, crossing thousands of miles in an instant…”
“No, not just any location.” Zhang Yu contemplated the information about the Immortal Descendant from the Dao Seed Register. “It probably can’t cross between different realms.”
“At least, the current level 4 Immortal Descendant can’t cross the Kunxu realm’s boundaries. Perhaps it will be possible after further upgrades…”
“Another limitation is that I can only open a maximum of four Grotto-Heaven Bridges, connecting to four different places.”
Despite this upper limit, Zhang Yu could still feel the immense benefit the Immortal Descendant provided.
For example, if he opened a Grotto-Heaven Bridge in the Ethereal Communications Department in the future, he could teleport back and forth between the labyrinth and the department at any time while exploring.
For instance, when he was targeted by the Void Refinement Expert from the Netherworld Palace, he could have hidden in his Immortal Grotto-Heaven and then escaped to another location through a Grotto-Heaven Bridge.
As Immortal Slayer and Fu Ji listened to Zhang Yu’s explanation of the Grotto-Heaven Bridge before them, they were both filled with awe.
Fu Ji exclaimed excitedly, “What an incredible ability! With this Grotto-Heaven Bridge, Zhang Yu, you could become a smuggling tycoon! Just imagine smuggling products back and forth between the Ten Great Sects — you’d be rolling in money!”
Immortal Slayer reminded her, “Smuggling isn’t easy. Just being able to transport goods isn’t enough; you need sources and buyers. Plus, explaining the origin of such vast wealth is difficult, and it involves money laundering, taxes, and a whole host of other problems.”
“Throughout history, experts from various sects have tried to use their Immortal Dao Technology and extraordinary skills to engage in smuggling and reap huge profits.”
“But to the sects, this is like undermining their foundations and siphoning off their own resources.”
“That’s why the major Sects have always been extremely strict about this, constantly upgrading their Immortal Dao Technology and countermeasures…”
Hearing Immortal Slayer’s words, Fu Ji cursed inwardly, “Damn it, I’ve been outmaneuvered by that Immortal Slayer in front of Zhang Yu again. Fucking hell… I really want to crush this Immortal Slayer when Zhang Yu isn’t looking.”
But then she remembered that Immortal Slayer was one of Zhang Yu’s clones, and a wave of defeat washed over her. She knew that even if she were gone, Immortal Slayer would likely still be by Zhang Yu’s side.
Fu Ji quickly changed her tune. “That’s what I was thinking too. Smuggling definitely requires long-term planning; it’s not something you can just jump into.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly. The idea of smuggling was too distant for him at the moment, so he didn’t give it much thought.
Instead, he stared at the Grotto-Heaven Bridge before him, contemplating his next move.
“I was targeted by that Void Refinement Master outside during the fight over Jun Xuance’s corpse. I wonder if that expert from the Netherworld Sect is still out there.”
For safety’s sake, Zhang Yu was naturally unwilling to risk venturing out.
Even if only a clone were captured, it would be troublesome. Who knew what methods that Void Refinement Master possessed? Could they trace it back to his true identity?
“That leaves me with only two options.”
“One option is to wait. If I wait long enough, the Void Refinement Expert will eventually leave. He can’t just stand guard forever without attending to his duties.”
“The other option…”
Zhang Yu gazed at the Grotto-Heaven Bridge before him, forged from Jun Xuance’s True Spirit. He could faintly make out scenes from deep within the labyrinth.
“Is to cross this Grotto-Heaven Bridge and emerge somewhere else.”
Although Zhang Yu didn’t know where the bridge Jun Xuance had opened for him led, waiting indefinitely to confirm the Void Refinement Master’s departure was too uncertain.
Besides, Zhang Yu trusted that Ying Xintian and Jun Xuance wouldn’t harm him. Jun Xuance’s final words echoed in his mind.
“Let me help you one last time.”
The next moment, Zhang Yu stepped onto the Grotto-Heaven Bridge.
As he walked forward, the light and shadows on the bridge twisted and warped. The scenery of the Immortal Grotto-Heaven rapidly receded behind him, as if he were piercing through layers of space.
When Zhang Yu came to his senses, he found himself in the Factory District of the labyrinth.
He had previously been unable to break through the barrier between the Office District and the Factory District, yet now he had suddenly appeared deep within the Factory District.
At the same time, Zhang Yu felt his connection to the labyrinth deepening. He wasn’t sure if it was due to his Immortal Descendant upgrade or some new change within the labyrinth itself.
“The labyrinth… is moving.”
Zhang Yu’s gaze was no longer limited to his immediate surroundings. It seemed to pierce through layers of chaotic space, allowing him to see distant scenes.
In his vision, factory buildings and office blocks were constantly shifting, like giant beasts wantonly reshaping the entire labyrinth’s terrain.
Yet, he could perceive these changes with perfect clarity, as if reading the lines on his own palm.
“This feeling… it’s like having a real-time map of the Factory District.”
Beyond that, Zhang Yu could sense something else… The barrier that had once blocked the entrance to the Factory District had vanished. A large number of cultivators were now pouring into the area.
“It seems the changes I triggered have reconnected the Factory District and the Office District.”
Just then, a tremendous roar echoed through the air. A towering column of dust and smoke erupted like a sandstorm, spreading rapidly in all directions through the distorted space.
Amidst the earth-shaking tremors, Zhang Yu saw a colossal figure charging toward him along the road.
It was a massive mountain of flesh, assembled from countless corpse components. Production line conveyor belts, like giant pythons, coiled around its body, still operating and feeding more corpse components into a gaping maw at its peak. From time to time, jets of eerie fire erupted from within.
The mountain’s limbs were formed from a dense network of vital energy conduits and countless bizarrely shaped corpse components, resembling a centipede’s myriad legs, propelling the flesh mountain forward with frenzied speed.
As the behemoth crashed toward them, Immortal Slayer analyzed, “It’s a Qi Absorption Machine’s production line. It seems that after running out of raw materials, its instinct to maintain production drove it to devour anything it could find, creating these deformed Qi Absorption Machines.”
“Some of these deformed machines were swallowed and reforged repeatedly. Others were used to modify its own body, increasing its Qi absorption power and mobility to further boost its ‘work efficiency’…”
The beast opened its mouth and spat, spewing forth a dense swarm of deformed Qi Absorption Machines. Like thousands of twisted chunks of flesh, they shot toward Zhang Yu.
Watching this scene, Zhang Yu’s figure blurred, transforming into a fierce gust of wind that scattered between heaven and earth.
Immortal Slayer said, “Good. There’s no need to fight this thing, it’s a waste of time. Let’s hurry and find the next ancestor’s corpse.”
Zhang Yu knew Immortal Slayer was right. His primary goal in exploring the labyrinth was to find the Ancestors’ Corpses as quickly as possible, raise his Immortal Descendant level, open the path to the Laboratory District, and liberate the next ancestor’s corpse.
Collecting treasures and converting them into wealth were just side tasks he handled along the way.
But in the next moment, the gust of wind that was Zhang Yu surged forward, sweeping directly toward the peak of the flesh mountain beast.
Then, a hand extended from the wind, reaching down to grab the mountain.
Grotto-Heaven force erupted violently, as if intending to swallow the entire beast into the Immortal Grotto-Heaven.
Immortal Slayer watched in astonishment. “Zhang Yu, what are you doing? Pulling that thing into your Grotto-Heaven will wreak havoc inside!”
Fu Ji quickly said, “Zhang Yu must have his reasons for doing this. I trust his judgment.”
The next moment… Zhang Yu’s arm seemed to collide violently with an invisible force and was flung back, failing to pull the beast into his Grotto-Heaven.
But this scene didn’t alarm Zhang Yu; instead, it delighted him. He looked at the beast and said, “This thing contains a trace of Grotto-Heaven force.”
He thought to himself, No wonder my Immortal Descendant ability has been urging me to absorb this thing into my space ever since I saw it.
As the flesh mountain lunged at him, Zhang Yu’s arm once again transformed into a gust of wind, sweeping across the beast’s body.
But because the beast is using its internal Grotto-Heaven force to resist me, a simple touch isn’t enough to capture it.
With this thought, the gust of wind that was Zhang Yu suddenly split into over thirty streams, surrounding the beast like a swarm of tornadoes.
The next moment, the numerous clones, along with Zhang Yu himself, unleashed Kunlun in the Palm. Under the overlapping spatial compressions, the beast was shrunk to the size of a palm and then swallowed into the Immortal Grotto-Heaven.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the beast landed in the Immortal Grotto-Heaven and immediately let out a furious roar, spewing out even more deformed flesh chunks. Its countless limbs thrashed wildly, throwing the entire Grotto-Heaven into chaos and scattering the goods Zhang Yu had previously collected everywhere.
But Zhang Yu could clearly sense…
“It’s weaker. After entering the Immortal Grotto-Heaven, this thing has weakened.”
“Could it be that the Immortal Space weakens it? Because the spiritual energy here is thin?”
“No, it’s more than that. The labyrinth must have been strengthening it. That’s why its power, its output… everything is plummeting now that it’s in the Immortal Grotto-Heaven.”
Unlike the berserk corpse component production line, which weakened upon entering the Immortal Grotto-Heaven, Zhang Yu himself was completely unrestrained here. He could finally unleash his full power.
As he activated the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation, his thirty-plus clones blazed like as many suns, transforming into an overwhelming torrent of flames that surged toward the beast.
Simultaneously, layers of Spatial Barriers from the Three Realms and Ten Directions Great Void Barrier formed a massive cauldron, trapping the beast within.
The surging Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power erupted with ferocious might, its gravity compressing the flames and the beast together like a black hole.
Finally, with a gentle palm strike from within the blazing flames, the suppressed beast trembled violently, its power weakened to the absolute limit.
In the next moment, Zhang Yu forcefully extracted a small stream of Grotto-Heaven force from the beast, channeling it into his Immortal Descendant trait.
Instantly, Zhang Yu felt his personal space expand once more: its length increased by 0.8 meters, its width by 0.6 meters, and its height by 0.33 meters.
Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered as he thought, “It seems collecting these berserk corpse components from the Factory District is worthwhile. The Grotto-Heaven force they contain can effectively expand my Immortal Grotto-Heaven.”
Just then, the berserk corpse component production line, now drained of its Grotto-Heaven power, fell silent.
A piece of information materialized before Zhang Yu.
“Myriad Bone Melder?”
Zhang Yu’s body jolted. “This… could this be the Demonic Path Technology researched by Ying Xintian?”
Meanwhile, as Zhang Yu had entered the Factory District…
In the Office District, Minister Xie of the Netherworld Palace was observing the direction where Zhang Yu had vanished.
“Grotto-Heaven Space technology? Is it a magical artifact? Or some kind of cultivation art?”
As a Rank 5 Sect Staff of the Netherworld Palace and a Void Refinement Realm Cultivator, Minister Xie was no stranger to Spatial Technology.
After repeatedly analyzing the mysterious expert’s disappearance, he confirmed that the individual had retreated into a Grotto-Heaven Space.
“Although I haven’t mastered Spatial Lock technology and can’t enter… if I wait here, he’ll have to come out eventually.”
But… should he wait?
As the Netherworld Palace’s primary official in charge of the Former Days Graveyard, Minister Xie was well aware that the labyrinth had been undergoing unprecedented changes in recent days.
“He only snatched an ancient corpse. There’s no need to stand guard here indefinitely for that.”
When Minister Xie sensed another massive shift in the labyrinth and received a report from another exploration team that the entrance to the Factory District had been opened, he made his decision.
“The Heavenly Demon Sect hasn’t opened their entrance yet, but he’s already went into the Factory District?
“That Ying Aikun truly lives up to his lineage as Ying Xintian’s descendant, finding a way in so quickly.
“If we let him continue deeper, there might be nothing left for us…”
With this thought, Minister Xie’s Primordial Spirit flashed, wrapping around his Divine Soul and transforming into a streak of divine light that shot toward the Factory District.
At the same time, he left behind several magical artifacts to monitor the location where Zhang Yu had vanished.
As Minister Xie arrived at the entrance to the Factory District, he saw several groups of cultivators already gathered, causing congestion and conflict.
Faced with this scene, he merely snorted coldly as chains of Law Edicts materialized around him. “Do you know the fine for intentionally causing bodily harm?”
The cultivators, who had been fighting moments before, froze in unison, daring not to move a muscle.
“It’s the Law Edict series for assault…”
“Don’t attack, and definitely don’t retaliate! The Law Edict Chains will lock onto us.”
Minister Xie passed through the crowd as if it were empty. The cultivators, who had been clashing violently just moments ago, instantly became motionless statues, watching with utmost reverence as he entered the Factory District.
Upon entering, Minister Xie’s brow furrowed. “What a chaotic space.”
“I need to find Ying Aikun. Only by following that Immortal Descendant can I hope to reach the deepest part of the labyrinth…”
Meanwhile, Minister Qin Chuan of the Ethereal Communications Department frowned slightly. “The labyrinth… is there trouble again?”
Though deeply reluctant, Qin Chuan had no choice but to personally lead a team into the labyrinth to investigate, as ordered by his superiors.
Before leaving, he went to Zhang Yu’s dormitory, wanting to ask for Zhang Yu’s… or rather, Dao Monarch Bu’s opinion.
“Dao Monarch Bu made her arrangements so early… Could it be that she anticipated the changes in the labyrinth?”
But no matter how many times Qin Chuan asked, he received no feedback.
Zhang Yu even stated that he would stay in his dormitory to focus on his work and would not participate in this exploration of the labyrinth.
“Not going? Didn’t Dao Monarch Bu arrange for Zhang Yu to come here specifically for the changes in the labyrinth?”
Filled with deep suspicion, Qin Chuan led his team toward the labyrinth.
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Demon Sect’s outpost in the Former Days Graveyard.
An Immortal Shuttle slowly descended.
A cold and noble figure stepped out.
At the same time, a message rippled through the Spirit Realm like a stone dropped into a calm lake, poised to stir up waves.
It was an announcement: Su Lengyou, Peak Lord of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s Soul-Devouring Peak and a member of the Heavenly Demon Immortal Clan, had arrived. All Heavenly Demon cultivators were to welcome her.
But in the next moment, a hand as pale as snow reached out, gently pinching the message within the Spirit Realm and crushing the sect’s announcement in its grasp.
It wasn’t just that message.
At that instant, Su Lengyou suppressed every report about the labyrinth originating from the Former Days Graveyard that was meant for the outside world.
With a single palm, she severed the connection between Heaven and Earth, transforming the Former Days Graveyard into an isolated information prison.
Next, Su Lingyou looked at the Soul Cultivator before her and asked, “Where are my grandson and his group now?”
It was precisely because she had received Ying Aikun’s report on the Former Days Graveyard that this Rank 7 Heavenly Demon Immortal Clan Sect Staff member — rumored to be approaching Rank 8 — had rushed to the Former Days Graveyard at top speed and suppressed everything.
While chaos erupted outside the labyrinth, stirring up countless waves, Zhang Yu was inside his Immortal Grotto-Heaven. He stared at the message that had appeared before him and thought, “Myriad Bone Melder… Is that the name of this berserk beast?”
He also sensed that after he had drained its Grotto-Heaven force, the once-berserk beast had become obedient to his will.
With a thought from Zhang Yu, the beast before him reactivated, beginning to produce more deformed Qi Absorption Machines.
With another thought, the beast ceased its operations and lay quietly on the ground.
Zhang Yu then glanced at the information displayed on the beast’s body.
Myriad Bone Melder Trait: Crucible of Myriad Forms (0/10)
Zhang Yu mused, “By collecting other Berserk Corpse Components that also belong to the Crucible of Myriad Forms, I can… activate the Crucible of Myriad Forms trait in these components?”