Since entering the Extreme Domain, everything she had seen—customs, landscapes, vegetation, even the cultivators within—was utterly different from Jiushijiu Zhou.

Almost nothing could be found in common.

It was like opposite sides of a mirror, completely contrasting halves positioned on either side of the earth.

However, when she first saw magical artifacts forged from Wind-Devouring Stones at Pinzi Tower, Jian Chou knew there were commonalities between these two worlds—

Wind-Devouring Stones.

Black Wind Cave.

She still remembered that to refine her body, she had learned of the Black Wind Cave from Fudao Shanren and went there.

After enduring countless hardships along the way, she obtained the Black Wind Bone Patterns, and through a fortuitous coincidence, actually comprehended “Riding Wind.” From then on, wherever her thoughts reached, she could merge with the wind and soar freely.

Therefore, her impression of the Black Wind Cave was truly profound.

The appearance of every Wind-Devouring Stone, the unique wind erosion tracks and patterns within them, were all engraved in her mind, impossible to erase.

Fudao Shanren had said there were many Black Wind Caves in Jiushijiu Zhou—the one she visited was just one of them.

She had personally explored the Black Wind Cave, yet had never heard of anyone reaching the very bottom.

Even Qu Zhengfeng had only reached thirteen hundred feet before stopping.

At the time, she thought she could surpass Qu Zhengfeng, but only when she truly took that step did she understand what kind of awe and unwillingness was contained in Qu Zhengfeng’s words carved on the stone wall: “stopped here”!

One step, and souls would be torn!

One step, an insurmountable chasm!

After thirteen hundred feet, it was as if entering another world, with an extremely clear boundary from the outside!

Impossible to cross!

To this day, Jian Chou still didn’t know what lay beyond.

But the moment she saw these Wind-Devouring Stones covering the ground, a terrifying speculation arose in her mind.

Her body instantly tensed, and the surging soul power, due to her chaotic emotions, flowed throughout her body, causing the two trump cards in her hands to flash with chaotic light.

For a moment, a terrifying aura exploded from her!

Chen Tingyan and the others were already shocked by the scene before them, and now the fluctuation of soul power from Jian Chou came so suddenly that everyone was startled.

“Jian Chou?”

Jian Chou gripped tightly with her five fingers, her gaze falling on those densely packed Wind-Devouring Stones without leaving: “I’m fine. It’s just that according to the map, I’m afraid the bottom of the sinkhole is the passage we’re looking for. Wind-Devouring Stones are wind-eroded stones. Looking at the direction of wind erosion, the black wind should come from the pit bottom below. I want to go down and see, but it’s truly dangerous here. I don’t recommend that you all risk it with me…”

Others might have seen Wind-Devouring Stones before, but Jian Chou believed no one would have experienced the power of black wind as clearly as she had.

The wind in Black Wind Cave had “seasons.”

Sometimes strong, sometimes weak.

But the sinkhole they had encountered was undoubtedly a huge “Black Wind Cave,” except the opening faced upward and was extremely wide.

As the one controlling the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot, she could feel extremely clearly at this moment that waves of black wind were blowing from the unfathomably deep bottom of the sinkhole.

The crane wings spread on both sides of the battle chariot, borrowing the massive array power, diverted the black wind.

So for now, there was no significant impact.

But Jian Chou understood too well—with each deeper level of black wind, its power increased.

She had some understanding of the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot, but didn’t know what the situation with the Extreme Domain’s black wind was, much less whether the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot could completely block them out.

Perhaps, with one careless moment, they would all be annihilated.

Jian Chou advocated fighting side by side, but this didn’t mean others should risk danger with her.

So she spoke those words just now, also watching everyone with sincerity and determination in her eyes: because she faced a huge hope…

Moreover, the little marten crouched on her shoulder seemed uninterested in everything around it, not even jumping down to collect Wind-Devouring Stones.

Ahead, there should be some “surprise” waiting.

Regardless, she had to go down and see.

Everyone had already seen her attitude.

From the beginning, Jian Chou had behaved differently from other participants in the cauldron competition: though her cultivation was low, her combat power was ridiculously strong; though her combat power was high, she didn’t particularly love killing.

She seemed to harbor different purposes in participating in the cauldron competition.

At this moment, the old woman and Gu Ling seemed somewhat hesitant, but finally shook their heads: “The cauldron competition is inherently about risking lives—there’s nothing to retreat from. We’re also curious about what’s below.”

“What a coincidence, I also want to see.” Chen Tingyan was also somewhat excited, holding his fan with a hint of a smile, actually turning back to ask, “Zhang Tang, what about you?”

Zhang Tang looked at him silently without responding.

He tucked his hands in his sleeves with an unperturbed appearance, only saying to Jian Chou indifferently: “Then let’s go.”

Then let’s go.

That tone really was…

For a moment, Jian Chou felt like she was his carriage driver.

This Tingwei lord really had the full air of an official.

She couldn’t help but laugh, though her heart was far from relaxed. Knowing everyone had made their decision, she said nothing more and directly pressed her palm heavily on the Sinan Round Platform again.

Soul power surged in, the battle chariot restarted!

The protective array was opened to maximum by Jian Chou, and the crane wings floating ethereally on both sides of the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot instantly turned deep gray-black!

“Whoosh!”

The black wind blowing head-on passed the front of the battle chariot and was split by the streamlined crane wings, temporarily not causing too much impact on the battle chariot.

Jian Chou controlled it to maintain the previous distance from the pit surface without any change: first, for convenience in responding to changes, and second, to observe the situation below.

The Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot moved rapidly.

The massive chariot body swept over the pit surface like a snow boat, taking in the scene below completely.

As they advanced, the Wind-Devouring Stones on the sinkhole’s slope became more and more numerous, even covering the entire ground in layers upon layers, impossible to tell how thick they were.

Some were even a full ten zhang high, large as walls!

But after passing this section, it was as if they had climbed to a peak and passed the summit, beginning to go downhill.

The Wind-Devouring Stones began to shrink and decrease in number.

The Wind-Devouring Stones remaining on the pit surface were gradually only about a foot in size, but the wind erosion patterns on them had become increasingly exquisite and perfect, like heaven’s perfect creations!

Even at a glance, several Wind-Devouring Stones faintly emitted silver light.

Black-silver Wind-Devouring Stones!

The several people on the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot all felt their hearts trembling.

No one had seen Wind-Devouring Stones in this state, much less could judge what grade they were, but they all knew one thing!

Expensive!

Heaven knows how many Mystic Jade these things could be worth!

Unfortunately, they couldn’t go down to take them.

At this place, the black wind blowing from below had reached a terrifying degree.

It was even visible to the naked eye.

Each gust of wind traced an ice-blue line, rushing from the distance, shuttling through the air, then striking the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot’s protective array.

Terrifying cold mixed with blade-like sharpness!

Even though the two crane wings were already open to their limit, they couldn’t completely block this sensation.

Standing inside the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot, everyone was clearly protected by the array, yet felt as if those knife-like wind blades were cutting their faces, causing trembling from their very souls.

The battle chariot that had hardly slowed down since falling into Jian Chou’s hands was finally forced to reduce speed.

The array constantly burned soul power, contending with the wind blades.

The crane wings desperately diverted the strong winds, ensuring the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot’s operation.

Jian Chou already felt somewhat strained, but was also extremely grateful in her heart: no one understood the power of black wind better than she did. The Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot was indeed a supreme treasure—to still maintain forward progress under such intense wind blades was an unexpected pleasant surprise.

Therefore, though everyone’s nerves were taut due to the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot’s advancing speed,

For Jian Chou, she finally breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart.

Standing at the very front, she could no longer see even half a Wind-Devouring Stone.

The pit surface was left with smooth wind erosion marks, but nothing else—not even debris!

Almost there, almost there!

The moment she saw all this, Jian Chou had a clear premonition in her heart.

“Wuwu…”

The little marten crouched on Jian Chou’s shoulder actually stuffed the Dijiang Guyu into its mouth, hiding it between its teeth in the blink of an eye.

Its two fluffy little paws extended, and faintly, several points of sharp light flashed through those soft pads.

The deep black pit gradually became shrouded in mist.

Directly ahead and below, everything was enveloped in indistinct haziness, as if something was lurking in the dark.

The Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot’s speed slowed again.

After advancing roughly another thirty feet, a deep red light appeared in the thick fog, illuminating the heavy mist and creating a huge circle!

Looking from the battle chariot, Jian Chou and the others could already see the complete appearance of this circle.

It was like a ring placed at the bottom of this sinkhole!

Just from the size of this red light ring, Jian Chou knew: they should have already approached the pit bottom!

Subconsciously, she was about to completely slow the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot and observe around this circle first.

But just as this thought flashed through her mind, the little marten that had been crouched on her shoulder without much movement suddenly became excited!

Its bloody maw opened again!

“Aowroar!”

A resounding roar!

Rolling sound waves, carrying nearly explosive demonic power, swept toward the thick mist ahead!

Wild wind swirled!

The mist filling the entire sinkhole was instantly swept clean!

In the blink of an eye, the mist disappeared.

The sinkhole that had been half-hidden behind the mist finally revealed its true appearance—

Smooth slopes, as if carefully polished by craftsmen.

The skylight above, no longer blocked by mist, projected down unobstructed, scattering and reflecting like a rough mirror.

The entire pit bottom was like a funnel.

A huge funnel!

Even though Jian Chou and the others had reached the bottom, they—along with the entire Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot—were like ants compared to this “funnel”!

Even more terrifying…

A colossal creature crouched at the bottom of this funnel!

A breathing mountain!

Shaped like an ox, entirely gray, but without horns.

It was over forty zhang tall—Jian Chou and the others standing on the battle chariot could only look level with its eyelids.

It crouched at the bottom of the sinkhole, its two huge eyes closed, seemingly deep in slumber.

But in its sleeping breath, two streams of earthly yin essence were forcibly pulled from underground by its heavy breathing and inhaled through its nostrils.

When exhaled, the earthly yin essence disappeared.

In its place was red and white mixed mist.

The white mist drifted into the surroundings.

The red mist condensed, forming red threads that automatically circled around it, condensing into a huge deep red light ring…

Wasn’t that the red light ring they had seen in the thick mist earlier?!

And that impenetrably thick mist…

Was actually all formed by this colossal creature’s breathing!

In that instant, finally understanding everything, Jian Chou and the others felt as if thousands of thunderbolts exploded overhead!

Who could have imagined that what crouched at the pit bottom was such a terrifying monster?

Because it crouched in place, right at the bottom of the sinkhole, everyone couldn’t see clearly what the situation below was. The only thing visible was the “black wind” overflowing from beneath the monster.

Or rather, it could no longer be called black wind.

Below the sinkhole seemed to be a huge cavern.

Gusts of fierce wind mixed with wisps of snow-white threads blew out from the gaps between this colossal creature and the pit surface!

That was snow-white wind.

So clean it made one’s heart tremble.

Under the blow of this terrifying “black wind,” the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot was already making difficult “creaking” sounds that made everyone tense up just listening.

As if the battle chariot could fall apart at any moment!

The little marten’s resounding cry just now hadn’t disturbed this monster in the slightest.

It continued sleeping peacefully.

The “black wind” blowing from the cavern beneath it also seemed unable to affect it one bit.

It slept at the pit bottom as if lying in bed, leisurely and comfortable!

The little marten crouched on Jian Chou’s shoulder had become completely excited upon seeing this ox-like but not-ox monster after dispersing the mist.

In its two round black eyes, a bit of battle-hungry fierce light actually burst forth!

“Aowu!”

Another wolf howl!

But this time, the little marten no longer crouched on Jian Chou’s shoulder—it actually pushed off with its hind legs and leaped from her shoulder!

“Swish!”

A huge battle disc over ten zhang across actually spread beneath its feet!

In that moment, Jian Chou was dumbfounded—

Full of glowing Kunxian lines, full of glowing Dao characters!

That was actually countless Kunxian lines, countless Dao characters, countless Dao seals!

Hundreds and thousands, tens of thousands!

Dao seals one by one, colorful and densely packed, filling the entire massive battle disc without leaving even a tiny gap!

At the central Tianyuan position sat a translucent crystal “little marten.”

“Pop!”

As it leaped out, a point of dark silver light emerged from its brow.

Immediately after, a small dark silver Dao seal lit up on the battle disc beneath its feet!

“Roaaaar—”

What an earth-shaking roar!

The entire sinkhole trembled under this terrifying sound!

Countless Wind-Devouring Stones above were shaken loose by this roar, rolling down like boulders!

The little marten stepped on that terrifying battle disc. Under the coverage of dark silver radiance, several points of dark silver light actually emerged from both its shoulders, identical to the Dao seal it stepped on!

Life-Bound Dao Seal!

“Rip!”

Two huge silver-gray wings actually shot out from both sides of its body like blades!

Its originally small body also began expanding madly at this moment!

That scene was extremely similar to the palm-sized Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot’s mad expansion…

In just a blink, the originally foot-long docile little marten had transformed into a world-conquering fierce beast five or six zhang tall with wings that blotted out the sky!

“Roar!”

It let out another terrifying shriek and actually crashed straight down toward the sleeping colossal creature below!

“Boom!”

The sound of the entire sinkhole shaking, and the sound of everything inside and outside the eighteen levels of hell exploding together!

Earth-shaking!

How terrifying was the momentum the little marten now carried?

Magnificent demonic power crashed down like collapsing mountains. How could the sleeping “monster” below continue its peaceful slumber?

“Clang clang!”

Terrifying demonic power fluctuations surged forth, causing the Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot under Jian Chou’s control to sway madly, almost falling apart!

But at this moment, how could Jian Chou still care about the battle chariot?

She almost bit off her own tongue!

Any cultivator with proper origins from Jiushijiu Zhou couldn’t possibly not know what a battle disc represented—

All Kunxian lines lit up—that was the world-rare “Tianpan”!

Dao characters connected meant Dao seals one by one!

Dao seals of various colors represented different grades, attributes, and uses of each Dao seal!

But there was one point that was an accepted truth recognized by everyone in the cultivation world!

Only Life-Bound Dao Seals were pure gold!

Life-Bound Dao Seals…

She had endured countless hardships back then, forcibly seizing Xie Buchen’s “opportunity” in the Crimson Slaughter Small Realm, bestowing the “Dijiang Wind Thunder Wing” Dao seal upon herself—only then did she possess her first Life-Bound Dao seal—

Her first “golden Dao seal”!

But now, looking at the little marten that had completely collided with that ox-like colossal creature ahead, what floated in Jian Chou’s mind were those golden Dao seals that occupied at least half the disc, and the dark silver color she had never seen before…

A battle disc over ten zhang—what cultivation level was that?

Jian Chou discovered that aside from judging through the crystal-like “little marten” at the Tianyuan position that it was at least above Nascent Soul realm, she actually couldn’t determine anything else!

Madness…

This marten had greatly exceeded her expectations!

With thousands upon thousands of Dao seals on its body, it just crashed down so fiercely, savagely opening its bloody maw with golden light flashing among its sharp fangs!

“Roaaaar!”

Another Dao seal flickered!

Actually extending five claws, tracing five crescent-like rays of light toward that massive ox god!

“Bang!”

Sparks flew!

The sound rang out like metal striking metal!

The little marten’s sharp five claws were completely undamaged, but on the gray outer skin of that colossal creature, countless ancient cloud-thunder patterns flashed as if activated by this strike!

The little marten’s clawing force was completely dissolved the moment these cloud-thunder patterns appeared!

“Moo—”

A sound like thunder exploding appeared in the field!

The colossal creature that had been sleeping finally stirred, awakened, and stood up from the pit bottom—

It actually had only one foot growing from its abdomen!

A hornless, one-legged ox!

“Damn it!”

In that moment, Chen Tingyan, already on the verge of collapse, really couldn’t bear it and cursed aloud!

“Since when could a Kui Ox be considered a bull?! Bull pit hell, screw you!!!”

Ancient divine beast!

Kui Ox!

Wherever it appeared, ten thousand thunderbolts would surely descend, carrying wind and rain!

Wasn’t that something that only existed in legends?

How could it possibly appear in the Extreme Domain, appear in the eighteen levels of hell?

Bull pit hell…

This was really damn pitiful!

Even Jian Chou was cursing inwardly now.

But the situation in the entire sinkhole was completely beyond their control.

The transformed little marten was massive, with symbols’ radiance dancing on its two silver-gray wings, flashing countless streams of light.

It floated in mid-air with that exaggerated ten-zhang battle disc beneath its feet!

Kunxian lines spread, Dao characters bright.

It was like unfolding a tapestry of night sky and stars above everyone’s heads!

In the sinkhole, the entirely gray Kui Ox had stood up, but symbols and patterns like inscriptions also floated around it. An ancient, profound aura accompanied its rising, surging from the sinkhole bottom straight to the sky!

At that moment, the bottom of the sinkhole that had been covered by its massive body was completely exposed to everyone—

A huge hole twenty-some zhang across!

Deeply dark, completely black!

Looking into it, one’s gaze seemed about to be sucked away by this darkness…

Even more terrifying, without the Kui Ox’s obstruction, the countless black winds blowing from this hole were no longer blocked!

Suddenly, a terrifying “white storm” arose in the field!

“Boom!”

The Kunwu All-Directions Battle Chariot was like being struck by a huge mountain, sent flying backward!

This sudden force was so explosive, so amazing!

How could Jian Chou have anticipated it?

A bloody taste immediately rose in her throat. She used the fastest reaction of her life, desperately grasping the Sinan Round Platform, soul power madly surging in, trying to control the battle chariot.

However…

In this lightning-fast instant, a snow-white bird claw actually emerged from the white storm rushing toward them, reaching for Jian Chou at the very front!

Like an inescapable net descending from above!

Despite Jian Chou carrying sharp weapons and holding trump cards, she seemed to lose her soul, completely unable to move, caught squarely!

Zhang Tang and the others behind her only saw patches of white storm approaching. Jian Chou, who had been standing before the Sinan Round Platform, had vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye!

Author’s Note: Both books’ plots have reached points I really like. See you next chapter~