Chapter 2040: Chapter 2008: Courting Death Once

The beast-eared girl was named Emperor Hanxue.

If it were several tens of thousands of years ago, the surname Emperor Hanxue bore might have been able to intimidate the entire Yushi Realm.

Because tens of thousands of years ago, the Emperor Clan to which Hanxue belonged was one of the most colossal, unfathomable powers in the Yushi Realm!

They originally hailed from the Demon Race. Although the Demon Race is incredibly powerful in the Yushi Realm, they are quite fragmented, acting independently.

Later, Emperor Hanxue’s branch officially declared their separation from the Demon Race and became a clan on their own.

The mere fact that they dared to take ’Emperor’ as their surname shows how terrifying the Emperor Clan was back then.

But as tens of thousands of years passed, no one knows what happened to the Emperor Clan; it gradually declined. Top-level powerhouses died one by one, vanished without a trace. Today, the Emperor Clan has fallen to the status of a third-rate little clan. Otherwise, as a descendant of the Emperor Clan, there would be no need for Hanxue to gamble her luck in places like Spirit Releasing Abyss.

It’s safe to say the Emperor Clan has truly and thoroughly declined now.

However, although the Emperor Clan has fallen, when it was powerful, it gathered quite a lot of treasures that only the top figures of the time could collect.

Although not many of these treasures remain now, there are still some ancient books left behind.

From a young age, Emperor Hanxue loved reading these ancient books and learned many interesting things from them.

Even she didn’t expect the things she read for mere pastime could be exchanged for something as precious as the Mind-controlling Fruit.

Emperor Hanxue softly recounted some legends and anecdotes about the Spirit Releasing Abyss, while Li Chen listened with great interest, without a hint of impatience. He seemed like an average tea drinker enjoying ballads in a teahouse... if he hadn’t earlier pinned down and killed a Progenitor’s shadow.

"Isn’t he afraid the Progenitor will come to kill him?" someone couldn’t help but whisper.

"A strong cultivator like him, able to pin down and kill a Progenitor’s shadow, certainly implies he doesn’t fear the Progenitor; even if he’s not a match, he could easily escape. Should such a powerful person fear anyone?" the companion whispered back, shaking his head.

"True enough."

"Back when our Emperor Clan was about to decline, we also wished to rise again," Emperor Hanxue said somewhat forlornly, "At that time, our last Progenitor, along with the only two Eighth Rank Ancestors left, entered the Spirit Releasing Abyss, hoping to win a future for the Emperor Clan. Unfortunately, once they entered, they never returned."

"Even the Progenitor couldn’t escape?" Li Chen cast his gaze towards the nearby Spirit Releasing Abyss, his eyes becoming deep and thoughtful.

The Spirit Releasing Abyss is essentially a fathomless chasm, and even though Li Chen’s Eye of the Dao could see a step ahead, it was unclear what lay at the bottom, or what it looked like.

Yet, such a chasm has spat out treasures into the Yushi Realm for so many years, and nobody has thoroughly explored it; that’s quite intriguing.

The Yushi Realm is not weak; indeed, it can be said that, even among minor worlds, there aren’t many like the Yushi Realm in the Four Great Realms.

Even those minor worlds attached to the Four Great Realms can’t give birth to so many strong cultivators.

And yet, in such a world teeming with strong cultivators, nobody has ever fully explored the so-called Spirit Releasing Abyss over countless years, not bringing back even a piece of information, is quite remarkable.

Meanwhile, Li Chen also thought of a possibility.

It’s not that no one ever emerged—or perhaps, someone did emerge and intentionally concealed the news.

Emperor Hanxue’s anecdotes also mention glimpses of strong figures who had entered the Spirit Releasing Abyss in other parts of the Yushi Realm.

"This Spirit Releasing Abyss truly is a mysterious place," Li Chen couldn’t help but muse.

"Indeed, over countless years, no one knows what’s beneath the Spirit Releasing Abyss," Emperor Hanxue echoed softly from beside him.

Li Chen chuckled lightly, casually tossing the Mind-controlling Fruit over.

Emperor Hanxue jumped, fumbling to catch the Mind-controlling Fruit. This man, so casually tossing aside something so precious, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes again.

"Little girl, until we meet again," Li Chen smiled and casually swiped his hand, summoning a space gate in front of Emperor Hanxue.

Before she could grasp what was happening, she suddenly found herself in another realm.

"Space Law?" With a dazed expression, Emperor Hanxue took some time to recover, hurriedly storing the Mind-controlling Fruit, then quickly left, heading towards the Emperor Clan Territory.

She understood Li Chen did this for her benefit; with something as precious as the Mind-controlling Fruit on someone with such low cultivation like her, it would ultimately benefit others. Li Chen sent her away, actively assisting her; otherwise, even if she picked up the Mind-controlling Fruit without Li Chen, it wouldn’t remain hers.

Watching the space gate dissipate, Li Chen smiled and turned to walk towards the Spirit Releasing Abyss.

"What... what is he going to do?"

Seeing Li Chen stride towards the Spirit Releasing Abyss, many couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

They understood Li Chen opening a space gate to send Emperor Hanxue away, but Li Chen approaching the Spirit Releasing Abyss puzzled them.

Even though being closer to the Spirit Releasing Abyss allows one to obtain treasures earlier, the Nether Demon Qi becomes more intense closer to the Abyss. If one mishandles it, they could be completely corrupted into a madman and die horribly. Given Li Chen’s cultivation, he surely understood this yet approached regardless.

Eventually, Li Chen stood beside the Spirit Releasing Abyss, gazing down at the fathomless chasm, pondering slightly.

Yet the surrounding Nether Demon Qi, thanks to the consumption by Red Moon and Seven Slaying Sword, didn’t affect him in the slightest.

"I sense that what’s below may not be simple," even the Supreme Treasures remarked, highlighting how extraordinary the Spirit Releasing Abyss’s depths must indeed be.

"I know too," Li Chen chuckled, "but for some reason, I just want to go down and check. Do you think I’m courting death?"

The Supreme Treasures fell silent; they didn’t know how to describe Li Chen and could only smile wryly.

They knew that someone like Li Chen, once he made a decision, wouldn’t easily change it.

"Whatever, maybe I’ll court death once," Li Chen shrugged it off, stepping out as countless stunned gazes looked on in horror, directly into the Spirit Releasing Abyss.

"This kid, he’s truly insane," even the Black River spying from afar couldn’t help but secretly exclaim.