System Possession, One Sword Shocks the Gods

209: Faint light from underground, ancient muralsThe underground passage was dark and humid, with the air permeated by the scent of soil, moss, and a stale odor from long-term enclosure.

The passage wound downwards, its walls covered in excavation marks; it was clearly not naturally formed, but a survival path carved out by the Star Scar Tribe over countless generations.

The youth leading the way was named ’Yan,’ and the other two were his companions.

Under the faint yet warm radiance emitted by the strand of Chaos life flame from Ye Chen, their tense nerves seemed to relax somewhat, and their footsteps became much lighter.

In this eternally silent Star Abyss of Fallen Gods, just seeing ’light’ and feeling ’vitality’ was enough to make them lower their guard against Ye Chen significantly.

The passage grew deeper, and they occasionally passed by some forks; Yan could always choose the correct direction without hesitation.

Along the way, Ye Chen also saw some crude traps and warning markers, which showed the effort and wisdom this tribe had expended in order to survive.

After descending for about an hour, a glimmer finally appeared ahead.

It was not the light of the Chaos life flame brought by Ye Chen, but a soft, pale blue radiance, like a gathering of fireflies.

Walking out of the end of the passage, the view suddenly opened up.

This was a huge underground karst cave with a high-hanging dome, from which hung countless stalactites emitting a pale blue glimmer, illuminating the entire space as if it were a dream.

Below the cave, it was not a simple open space, but hundreds of crude dwellings built from stone, beast bones, and some kind of resilient vine.

An underground river wound through the cave, its water clear and emitting faint Spiritual Qi.

This was the settlement of the Star Scar Tribe.

About a thousand people lived in the cave, most of them sallow and emaciated, wearing tattered clothes, but their eyes did not have the numbness that Yan and the others had initially shown; instead, there was an added tenacity of struggling to survive in a desperate situation.

When Ye Chen, this strange outsider with an unfathomable Aura, appeared at the entrance of the cave, he immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

Shock, fear, curiosity, and even a sliver of faint hope... all kinds of complex gazes were cast upon him.

’Yan! Who have you brought back?!’ An aged and majestic voice rang out.

An old man wearing an old beast-hide robe and holding a bone staff embedded with blue crystals was seen walking quickly, surrounded by a group of strong warriors.

The old man had white hair and beard, his face full of wrinkles, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s; his cultivation had surprisingly reached the first stage of the Tiangang Realm, making him the strongest person in the tribe besides Ye Chen.

’Grand Elder!’ Yan quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and then whispered quickly to explain how he had met Ye Chen and the situation of the black mist retreating outside, especially emphasizing the life-filled flame on Ye Chen’s fingertips.

’A living person from the outside world? Able to disperse the World-Devouring Black Mist?’ The Grand Elder’s turbid eyes burst with bright light as he looked Ye Chen up and down, his gaze lingering especially on Ye Chen’s calm, waveless face and seemingly ordinary green robe.

’How should I address Your Excellency? What is your purpose in coming to my Star Scar Tribe?’

His tone carried scrutiny and unquestionable majesty, an Aura cultivated from long serving as the tribe leader.

’Ye Chen.’ Ye Chen answered calmly, seemingly unaware of the Grand Elder’s pressure from the first stage of the Tiangang Realm.

’I entered the Star Abyss by mistake and am looking for a way to leave and some old items. I heard that your noble tribe knows about the ’Ancient Altar’ and the ’spirit of the star abyss’, so I came to pay a visit, willing to offer protection within my power in exchange.’

His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, his tone plain, but it had a convincing power of its own.

The Grand Elder frowned slightly; he could feel that Ye Chen was unfathomable, far beyond what he could contend with.

If the other party really had malicious intent, the tribe would likely have ceased to exist long ago.

He pondered for a moment, waved his hand, and let the tense warriors around calm down.

’Fellow Daoist Ye has profound strength, which we admire. However, the matter of the Ancient Altar concerns the secret of our tribe’s survival and is extremely dangerous; it is not a child’s play.’ The Grand Elder said slowly, his tone softening a little.

’Moreover, the Star Abyss is a dead land; since ancient times, there has been no way out. The method of leaving that you mentioned...’

’Where there is a will, there is a way.’ Ye Chen interrupted him, and the strand of Chaos life flame ignited on his fingertip again.

The warm and life-filled Aura spread out, making all the tribespeople who felt this breath unable to help but let out a comfortable sigh, their eyes filled with longing.

The Grand Elder’s breathing also stalled slightly; he stared fixedly at that little flame, a flash of excitement and greed appearing in his eyes, but it was quickly forcibly suppressed.

He took a deep breath and made a decision.

’Fellow Daoist Ye, please come with me.’ He turned around and walked toward the largest stone house in the depths of the cave.

’There are some things that perhaps if you see with your own eyes, you will better understand our situation and... how slim that legendary hope is.’

Ye Chen put away the flame and followed.

The interior of the stone house was more spacious than it looked from the outside, with simple furnishings, but it exuded an ancient atmosphere.

The most striking thing was a stone platform in the center of the stone house, and the... huge murals carved on the surrounding walls!

Those murals had a primitive and wild style, and the pigments used seemed to be mixed with some kind of mineral and blood, remaining vivid even after the passage of time.

The content of the murals depicted a world-destroying war between gods and demons! Stars shattered, continents sank, and countless powerful existences fought and fell in the Chaos... Finally, all the power of destruction and annihilation converged into an eternal dark Domain—that was the birth of the Star Abyss of Fallen Gods!

And in the last few murals, it did not depict fighting, but a group of tiny humans struggling to survive in the desperate situation of the Star Abyss.

They offered sacrifices, they excavated, they fought against various Abyss Beasts... And in the final chapter of the murals, it depicted an ancient altar located in the depths of a valley, emitting a glimmer.

Above the altar, a hazy halo formed by countless starlight floated—that was perhaps the ’spirit of the star abyss’!

But what made Ye Chen’s pupils shrink was that at the core of the halo depicting the ’spirit of the star abyss’, the mural used extremely subtle brushstrokes to outline a blurred, yet familiar pattern to him—the outline of that pattern was seventy or eighty percent similar to the chaos ancestral talisman in his Qi Sea!

Especially that essence of containing all things and evolving Chaos, it was almost from the same source!

Sure enough! This spirit of the star abyss was very likely related to the ancestral rune fragment!

It might even be a special fragment itself, which had merged with the annihilation will of the Star Abyss over the long years and undergone some kind of mutation!

The Grand Elder did not notice Ye Chen’s subtle change in expression.

He pointed to the mural, his voice low and hoarse: ’This is the record left by our ancestors.’

’We are the descendants of the gods and demons abandoned here, or rather, the descendants of the survivors of that great war.’

’The Star Abyss is a cage that devours all vitality. Only the Ancient Altar, and the potentially existing spirit of the star abyss, is the only hope.’

He turned around and looked at Ye Chen with burning eyes: ’However, the Star Burying Valley is the nest of Abyss Beasts, and the Ancient Altar is occupied by the most powerful Abyss Beast, the ’Star Devouring Ancient Dragon’!’

’That is a terrifying existence that truly possesses the Bloodline of the ancient Dragon Clan, and its strength has long surpassed the scope of the Tiangang Realm!’

’For countless years, the strongest warriors in the tribe, including several Elders of the Tiangang Realm, have all died on the way to the altar.’

’Fellow Daoist Ye, you are indeed powerful, but facing the Star Devouring Ancient Dragon...’

The Grand Elder shook his head, the meaning self-evident.

An existence surpassing the Tiangang Realm? Star Devouring Ancient Dragon?

Ye Chen’s eyes flickered.

The risk was huge, but the reward was equally tempting.

If that spirit of the star abyss was really an ancestral rune fragment, its value was immeasurable.

Moreover, he vaguely felt that if he wanted to truly fight against that ’nothingness,’ collecting the ancestral rune fragments was the only way.

’Tell me the specific location of the Star Burying Valley and the Ancient Altar.’ Ye Chen’s tone was still calm, but it carried unquestionable firmness.

The Grand Elder looked at him deeply, and after a long while, he sighed and took out a map from his bosom, drawn on animal skin, with rough lines but marked with many dangerous symbols.

’Since Fellow Daoist insists on going, this old man will no longer stop you.’

’This map marks relatively safe paths and known Abyss Beast territories; I hope it can be of some help to you.’

He handed the map to Ye Chen.

’I only hope... if Fellow Daoist can really reach the altar and see the spirit of the star abyss, you can ask for our tribe... is there any way to escape this cage?’

His eyes carried the last expectation and plea of a tribal leader.

Ye Chen took the map and nodded: ’If there is a chance, I will ask.’

He did not give a guarantee, but this promise was enough to make a glimmer reignite in the Grand Elder’s eyes.

Ye Chen put away the map, stopped lingering, turned around, and was about to leave the stone house, preparing to head to the perilous Star Burying Valley.

However, the moment he turned around—

’Boom!!!’

The entire underground cave shook violently! It was as if some behemoth was slamming into the earth above!

’Not good! It’s the ’Earth-Devouring Worms’! They have discovered this place!’ The Grand Elder’s expression changed drastically instantly, his voice filled with terror!

Inside the cave, there was immediate panic!