Chapter 2231 Venerable Darkness
"True Gods, huh?" Yun Lintian echoed, curiosity piqued. "So they''repeting too?"
Huang Ba chuckled. "Of course. Not all True Gods hole themselves up in the Holy Lands. We could use our masters'' influence to secure direct entry, but where''s the fun in that?" He shrugged, a hint of recklessness glinting in his eyes. "Besides, a littlepetition never hurt anyone, right?"
Huang Ba eyed Yun Lintian with a flicker of suspicion. "With your obvious prowess, victory in thispetition would be a mere formality. Your background must be far from ordinary. Why choose such an inconspicuous mode of travel?"
Yun Lintian answered casually. "I couldn''t find a token."
Surprise flickered across Huang Ba''s face. Yun Lintian''s nonchnt response shattered his earlier assumption of an illustrious background. This unexpected revtion piqued Huang Ba''s curiosity even further.
"First time in the Central Region, then?" Huang Ba inquired, a hint of intriguecing his voice.
Yun Lintian offered a simple, "Indeed." There was no point in hiding it.
Huang Ba grinned, a spark of camaraderie igniting in his eyes. "Been there a few times myself. How about I show you around? There are some hidden gems I wouldn''t mind sharing."
"Sure." Yun Lintian found himself readily agreeing. Perhaps it was Huang Ba''s unfazed demeanor or his surprisingly open invitation, but a sense of camaraderie bloomed within him.
In the distance, Long Jingxia observed the scene, bewildered. This sudden shift from near-hostility to newfound friendship left herpletely perplexed.
Gu Bingning, ever stoic, couldn''t help but be intrigued. For the first time in her life, a flicker of curiosity burned brightly – a desire to unravel the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic stranger.
***
The ck profound ark''s basement reeked of depravity. Dim light struggled to prate the oppressive gloom, only revealing snatches of a horrifying tableau. Grotesqueughter mingled with bone-chilling screams, a symphony of sadistic revelry echoing through the fetid air.
The burly man, following the scarred man down the damp steps, wrinkled his nose in disgust. His eyes darted around, trying to adjust to the oppressive darkness.
Then, his gazended on a scene that froze the blood in his veins. In the distance, several figures were engaged in unspeakable acts on women. Their faces, contorted in a grotesque parody of pleasure, were illuminated by the flickering torches held by their monstrouspanions. The women, their pleas for mercy swallowed by the suffocating atmosphere, writhed in hopeless agony.
Even for a hardened criminal like the burly man, the scene was enough to send a shiver down his spine. This wasn''t cruelty – it was a descent into the darkest abyss of human depravity.
A cruel smile twisted the scarred man''s lips. "Frightened?"
The burly man swallowed hard, the metallic tang of fear thick in his throat. "What''s the task?" he rasped.
As if summoned by the question, the cloaked figure materialized from the shadows, its form a wraith in the dim light.
"See those figures over there?" The voice, devoid of warmth, echoed in the cavernous space.
The two men flinched, their eyes darting towards the direction indicated. Several unconscious figuresy sprawled on the cold floor, stripped bare.
"Your job," the cloaked figure continued, its tone dripping with menace, "is to extract their Divine Cores. wless specimens only. Any damage, and you''ll dearly regret it."
"Yes, master." The scarred man, ever the pragmatist, barked a quick acknowledgement, the burly man following suit in a choked murmur. Without further ado, the two rushed towards their gruesome task.
The cloaked figure, its missionplete, melted back into the shadows, reappearing momentster in a dimly lit chamber.
A middle-aged man, d in a ck robe, satnguidly in a plush chair, a steaming cup of tea held in his manicured hand. He didn''t turn as the cloaked figure entered, his voice a smooth purr.
"How many souls this time?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on some unseen scene beyond the window.
"Thirteen thousand on board, Venerable Darkness," the cloaked figure, Chi Du, replied with a bow. "A few appear to be of noble descent."
Venerable Darkness finally turned, his eyes glinting with a cold light. "A touch greedy, wouldn''t you say, Chi Du?"
Chi Du''s blood ran cold. He dropped to his knees, his voice a desperate plea. "Forgive me, My Lord! Greed clouded my judgment."
A flicker of amusement crossed Venerable Darkness'' face. "Not them," he said, gesturing dismissively. "The young man in white. You brought a High God aboard without even realizing it."
Chi Du''s jaw ckened. He''d always pegged Yun Lintian for a powerful Divine Emperor at most.
"What should we do, My Lord?" he rasped, panic wing at his throat.
A humorless chuckle escaped Venerable Darkness'' lips. "For now, nothing. He seems uninterested in our…operations. However," his voice hardened, "those three meddling children – they hold a certain potential. Extract it from them."
"Yes, My Lord," Chi Du breathed, a tremor of fear and a flicker of dark anticipationcing his voice.
***
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Outside the hut, Yun Qianxue stood transfixed before the shimmering golden barrier. Two months had crawled by, yet the barrier remained stubbornly inert, offering no hint of Yun Lintian''s fate. Worry gnawed at her, an insatiable hunger for news of her brother.
A gentle hand settled on her shoulder. Lin Xinyao materialized beside her, her voice a soothing balm. "Lintian will be alright, Sister Qianxue. He''s weathered worse storms than this."
Yun Qianxue pivoted, her gaze searching Lin Xinyao''s serene countenance. "How can you be soposed?" she demanded, a tremor of frustrationcing her voice.
"Among all of us," she continued, her voice dropping to a pained whisper, "you were by his side the longest." The implication hung heavy in the air – Lin Xinyao''s bond with Yun Lintian was undeniably deeper. "Shouldn''t his absence affect you the most?"
Lin Xinyao met her gaze steadily, her eyes reflecting a quiet strength. "Don''t mistake myposure for indifference, Sister Qianxue," she said softly. "The truth is, fear ws at me constantly. But deep within, I possess an unwavering certainty. We''ve been separated before, only to find our way back to each other. This time will be no different."
Yun Qianxue fell silent upon hearing this.
A sudden voice broke the silence. Han Bingling materialized behind them. "Sisters," she announced, "we have confirmation. The gate on Earth can still be opened by us."
Yun Qianxue whirled around, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes. "That''s good news," she breathed, her voice trembling with relief. Could this be a sign that Yun Lintian was safe after all?