"What a beautiful little tower."
Nannan lovingly accepted the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower, her eyes shining as she admired the exquisite pagoda, which glowed with a strange, multicolored radiance like flawless glazed crystal.
The pagoda, now fully restored, bore not the slightest blemish or flaw. Moreover, its internal space had suddenly expanded to an astonishing 1,600-li radius, vastly increasing its foundation. The surge of heaven-and-earth origin energy within made the tower significantly more powerful than before. The power it now held was extraordinary. It's important to understand that space expansion does not linearly increase origin energy—it increases it by multiples, even dozens of times.
The larger the space, the more difficult it is to expand further. And with each expansion, the amount of origin energy grows exponentially. This was the nature of space—not just surface area, but true dimensional growth.
With this transformation, the pagoda not only became more powerful but also more mysterious.
Now, it had shrunk to the size of a palm, delicate and intricate like a perfect work of art.
"Hold onto it. It will protect you," Yi Tianxing said with a smile.
"Mm! Got it, big brother—I won't let go," Nannan nodded firmly.
The Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower weighed as much as a mountain, yet now it felt light as a feather. Even a child like Nannan could easily carry it, as if it were no more than a toy.
Its appearance immediately drew the attention of those nearby.Greed and wariness flickered in their eyes.
Although it didn't look like much on the outside, no one doubted Yi Tianxing's claim—it must be capable of protecting Nannan. No one thought his words were empty.
Following the guiding celestial light, the group pressed forward, weaving through towering ancient trees. Around them, dense wild grasses gathered thickly.
Crack!
A cultivator swung his blade, cutting down the weeds and thorns in his path. The foliage here was so vigorous that even if slashed down, it would regrow within days—another dramatic change caused by the enriched worldly energy, which accelerated the growth cycles of plants.
Clearly, the cultivators of Dark City were no strangers to this route. With the celestial light leading the way, it didn't take long before a massive cave entrance appeared before them.
"What a huge entrance. That's one hell of a mine tunnel," Yi Tianxing commented.
The mouth of the mine was wide enough to allow dozens of people to walk through side-by-side without feeling crowded. Inside, layers of brilliant celestial light shimmered, casting the cave in an almost heavenly glow, imbuing it with a mystical aura.
"This is a large-scale crystal mine," Qin Hongyi explained. "Back when it was first discovered, nearly every cultivator in Dark City joined in the excavation. With no unified command, each group dug independently. The result? A sprawling, chaotic web of tunnels. The source crystal mine was found completely by accident."
The scene back then must have been total chaos—every person for themselves, digging their own tunnel. The number of passageways created was countless, turning the mine into a labyrinth.
Today, finding the source crystal at the deepest part of the mine would be nearly impossible for the unprepared. Most people would get lost immediately. No one could guarantee they'd find their way out again.
"The celestial light is gone!"A startled voice echoed.
Looking closely, the radiant guidance that had filled the mine just moments ago had vanished without a trace.
Without that light, navigating the mine to locate the source crystal would be far more difficult.
"This is strange… I feel a heavy chill down here. It's like ghostly wailing. Where's this wind coming from? Is it a ghost wind—blowing up from hell itself?"A cultivator's face turned pale.
Strange winds howled through the mine, whispering eerie moans like ghostly cries and laughter, sending chills down everyone's spine. The darkness of the cave stirred fear in many.
Some even began to retreat, doubts rising about whether they could make it out alive.
"Back when this mine collapsed, over tens of thousands died inside. If it really became a ghost cave, I wouldn't be surprised. If there are evil spirits here, this place is definitely deadly. I'm not going in. Even if the divine source is in there, I'd rather live to enjoy it."
One cultivator backed away, his resolve shattered.
"Let's go."Qin Hongyi, unfazed, glanced at Yi Tianxing and stepped forward. One by one, the Red Tower members followed. The organization was made up almost entirely of women, each exuding an air of seductive elegance.
Yi Tianxing took Nannan's hand and walked in with them.
The moment they entered, a gust of ghostly wind slapped their faces. It was as if they'd stepped into a frigid world. Even for cultivators, the cold was jarring.
"So cold," Yi Tianxing muttered, narrowing his eyes.
As the wind brushed against his skin, it was completely blocked from penetrating his body. His body cultivation had reached the point where he could fully control his pores, preventing external forces from invading.
Even Nannan was protected. The Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower emitted a soft radiance, shielding her from the ghost wind. Without it, she might have fallen seriously ill.
Woooooo!
Cacklecacklecackle!
Accompanied by the wind were strange wails and cackles, chilling to the bone.
Nannan, still a child, instinctively gripped Yi Tianxing's arm tightly, her palm sweaty. This eerie environment clearly left her unsettled. To her, the cave was pitch-black and terrifying.
"The wind is stronger than it ever was before. The mine was never like this," said Qin Hongyi grimly.
Crack!
Their steps crushed bones on the ground.The sound was especially terrifying in the dark.
"There really are a lot of corpses here," Yi Tianxing said solemnly, surveying the tunnel.Every few steps, there was a cold, dead body lying motionless on the ground. Some had clearly died while fleeing, their faces frozen in horror. They had perished just meters from the entrance. The terror they experienced before death was etched into their features.
The ground was filled with corpses. It was clear this mine was a death zone.
"So many died when disaster struck," Qin Hongyi said, her voice heavy. "No one even knew what the danger was. People just started dying, dropping like flies. Everyone ran for the exit. The corpses piled high."
The memory still haunted her.
"Then even now, the Red Tower Master doesn't know what truly happened that day?" Yi Tianxing asked.
At the same time, he activated his will. The pagoda in Nannan's hands emitted a strange glazed light, sweeping across the area and devouring all the corpses. In moments, the bloodstained ground had been cleared, leaving nothing behind.
"Mr. Yi, the tunnels ahead are complex and vast. Whatever you do, don't get separated. If we split up, regrouping will be next to impossible," Qin Hongyi warned.
"Is your map accurate?" Yi Tianxing asked, looking at the dense network of branching tunnels. Not a single straight passage. It looked more like a beehive than a mine.
"Don't worry. We from the Red Tower mapped it bit by bit using a special method. As long as we follow the path exactly, we'll reach the Divine Source Cavern safely."
Qin Hongyi's confidence was unshaken.
"Alright. Let's move."Yi Tianxing said no more, signaling the group forward.
Around them, countless tunnels opened like holes in a hive. Many cultivators chose random entrances and disappeared into the shadows.
Qin Hongyi led the way, confidently choosing one.
"Ahhhh!"
Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from somewhere nearby.
"Something happened! That was a death scream!" one of the Red Tower women exclaimed.
"Should we check it out?" someone asked.
"No. There are thousands of tunnels here. Some are connected, some are dead ends. That scream was just an echo—we'll never find the source. And even if we do, it's probably too late. Worse, we might walk into danger. Our priority is the Divine Source Cavern."
Qin Hongyi rejected the idea without hesitation.
"She's right. There's no point in going back," Yi Tianxing added calmly.
Anyone entering this place had to be prepared to die.
"Everyone be on guard. Dangers may be hiding in the shadows," Qin Hongyi warned.