Chapter 246: Chapter 245: No One Can Use This Stele Anymore

Due to the Celestial Tribulation, Jiang Zuo hadn’t been able to sense the aura of the Heart of the Abyss on Yin Li. But now that it was activated, the aura was impossible to miss.

Jian Shisan suddenly spoke up. "Actually, the Abyss erupted once over a hundred years ago. I was in the middle of my Enlightenment, but I came here to face the Abyss directly at that time.

Something did fly out during that eruption, but it quickly vanished. Since nothing major happened here, I didn’t pay it much mind.

As for the Abyss becoming active again, that only happened in the last two days. It must be because that grand cosmic formation suddenly vanished."

"Yes, it vanished," Yin Li said, looking at Jian Shisan and Jiang Zuo. "The thing suppressing me is gone. If you all hadn’t shown up to cause trouble, I’d have been free long ago. But it doesn’t matter. My backup plan was never for me to escape on my own. Now, this body is more than enough.

Over a hundred years ago, this little girl appeared here. I knew then that she was the most suitable vessel for me. Once she reached Tier Five and wore the catalyst I prepared, I would be able to escape in a different form."

Jiang Zuo asked, "The Glazed Bracelet?"

"Yes. Over a hundred years ago, I went to great lengths to secure this vessel. I even prepared two puppets for her and made them dedicate everything to achieving my final goal.

You foolish humans don’t understand the subtleties of consciousness at all. In over a hundred years, they never managed to escape my mental manipulation.

It’s a shame the Glazed Bracelet was destroyed. Otherwise, you think they could have woken up so easily?

Dream on.

But it doesn’t matter. The grand cosmic formation has been broken. I no longer need a catalyst. I am free now.

Hahaha! Humans, I told you you would regret this."

Yin Li cackled maniacally.

In reality, Liyuan Island had many records concerning the Abyss, including records of the Four Directions Guardian and the Sealing Altar.

However, the Island Lord had been subverted by the Abyss’s influence, becoming a mental puppet. That’s why he "believed" Liyuan Island had no such records.

Jiang Zuo looked at Yin Li and shook his head. "You really talk a lot of nonsense."

Jian Shisan nodded, his tone flat. "Too much talking. It’s most likely stalling for time."

Then Jian Shisan looked at Jiang Zuo. "You must have a way to handle this, right? I’ll go sever the connection to the Abyss."

Jiang Zuo nodded. ’Jian Shisan is worthy of his title as a future Strongest,’ he thought. ’He saw right through the stalling.’

It was true. The Heart of the Abyss was activated, but the body was still Yin Li’s. The Abyssal Being needed to prepare and extract the power from the Heart of the Abyss, or there would be endless trouble later.

If it were truly free, there would be no lingering connection, and certainly not this much pointless chatter. The power it would be displaying would be more than enough to defeat Jian Shisan.

Naturally, the possessed Yin Li heard the exchange between Jiang Zuo and Jian Shisan. Her mouth twitched as she shrieked, "You despicable humans! Not only do you cheat, you’re ganging up on me!"

"I’ll make you regret this!"

Neither Jiang Zuo nor Jian Shisan paid her any mind. This person might look like Yin Li, but she wasn’t. And even if it were the real Yin Li, they still might not have listened.

Besides, blustering was usually something the weak did. If you had real power, why waste your breath on so much nonsense?

’Why talk when you can fight?’

Jiang Zuo recalled that back when he was a final boss, he never wasted his breath. The only times he’d spout some nonsense were when he was bored and just messing around. But ever since he ran into an opponent who could talk even more than him—to the point of rendering him speechless—he’d sworn off monologuing for good.

At that moment, Jiang Zuo walked toward the Sealing Altar. "Sever the connection," he said casually. "And don’t let it escape. Once the connection is broken, it should still be able to maintain its consciousness for a good while."

Jian Shisan nodded. "Go ahead and prepare. Leave the rest to me."

Then, Jian Shisan raised his sword and moved toward Yin Li. A tyrannical Sword Intent shot through the world, and their powers collided.

The battle erupted in an instant.

"There’s a significant gap between your actual power and what you’re displaying. It seems you haven’t had time to fully draw out the power of the Heart of the Abyss," Jian Shisan concluded after a single clash.

"It’s still more than enough to destroy you," Yin Li spat.

Jian Shisan replied, his face devoid of expression, "Is that so? A pity. I need to get back, so I don’t have time to play around with you.

Which means you’re destined to fail."

Before his words had even faded, Jian Shisan charged directly toward the abyssal connection. He ignored the possessed Yin Li behind him, slashing his sword at the ethereal tether.

Yin Li was aghast. "You’re courting death!"

Jian Shisan had his back to her, essentially entrusting his life to his enemy. The slightest misstep could result in his death.

Jian Shisan’s sword slashed down, just as Yin Li’s attack struck him.

Jian Shisan’s sword severed the connection, and Yin Li’s attack landed true.

SPURT...

Jian Shisan coughed up blood and was sent flying, but he quickly steadied himself, turning to face Yin Li’s follow-up attack head-on.

From start to finish, Jian Shisan’s tyrannical aura didn’t diminish in the slightest. He faced Yin Li without a trace of fear.

Even though he was heavily injured, this remained unchanged.

Meanwhile, having lost the guidance of the Abyss Core, the possessed Yin Li’s power began to plummet.

’At this rate, I’m going to lose.’

"Humans! Detestable humans! Why are you all such reckless creatures?! Why?!" the Abyssal Being shrieked in a rage.

It hated humans. Time and again, they had ruined its plans.

And not a single one ever backed down.

’Don’t they know how to fear death?’

’The men are like this, and the women are too! Did they all make a pact or something?’

’Damn it all! Humans just deserve to die!’

The Abyssal Being in Yin Li’s body didn’t try to flee. It was useless now. If it would have worked, it would have severed the connection itself and left long ago. Why would it have waited here?

Only to wait for these people to show up.

It had to find a way to kill this damned swordsman. That would greatly increase the success rate of its next plan.

But just as the Abyssal Being prepared to strike, a golden chain shot out and instantly pierced through Yin Li’s body.

"AHHH! HUMAN..." The being inside Yin Li whipped its head around to glare at Jiang Zuo. In that instant, it was seized by a familiar terror, a fear it had faced countless years ago.

It was this very Seal, this very chain, that had captured and suppressed it.

It remembered that terrifying human to this day.

’But how could a mere Tier Two possibly do this?’

Then, it saw the Battle Spirit Stele once more and roared in fury, "Cheating! You’re really cheating! You’ve cheated time and time again! No one is supposed to be able to use that stele anymore! No one!"

But no matter how it screamed, no one paid it any mind. The chain tightened, dragging Yin Li’s body directly onto the Sealing Altar.

By this point, Yin Li could no longer speak. The Abyssal Being had been suppressed.

Jiang Zuo watched Yin Li in silence. Jian Shisan walked over and asked, "What’s the situation?"

"It’s suppressed," Jiang Zuo said. "But she can’t leave this place now, either."

Just then, Yin Li frowned and her eyes fluttered open.

She looked at Jiang Zuo and Jian Shisan in astonishment, then realized she seemed to be unable to move.

Jian Shisan said, "Young friend, there’s no need to panic. You were being controlled by the Abyss. Now that it has been suppressed, you just need to wait for its aura to dissipate. You won’t be able to move during this time."

Yin Li looked at the chain piercing through her body and asked, "Am I going to die?"

Jiang Zuo shook his head. "Once the abyssal aura fades, the chain will vanish. It’s just a manifestation of the Seal."

Yin Li was still very confused. "Can I contact my sister?" she asked. "I don’t know how to handle something like this.

I don’t understand anything. My sister and my master taught me everything."

Having grown up in secluded cultivation, Yin Li truly didn’t know how to handle such a situation. Her sister had never taught her.

She’d never needed to learn, either. All she ever had to do was keep cultivating in seclusion and raising her tier.

Jiang Zuo nodded, then said to Jian Shisan, "I need to leave. When we see each other again, remember not to blow my cover."

Jian Shisan nodded, then asked, "Are you sure there isn’t some secret technique?"

Jiang Zuo ignored him. ’This guy is so powerful,’ he thought. ’Why would someone that strong need tips on chasing girls?’

’Don’t be ridiculous.’

Then Jiang Zuo left. Su Qi and the others might be here soon, and he didn’t want to reveal himself.

Even with the Mist providing cover, he was still worried.

It was hard to say whether Su Qi had some sort of uncanny intuition when it came to him.

Sure enough, not long after Jiang Zuo left, Lan Yue received a message from Yin Li and rushed over in a panic. Jingyue, using her special privileges, also headed for the location of the Seal.

Only then did they realize that they had apparently caused a huge mess just a moment ago.

The news had arrived too late. She couldn’t help but feel helpless.