Chapter 141: Land of Life and Death, Comprehending Life and Death (Part I)
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Heavy crimson clouds hung in the sky, seeming on the verge of collapse. The fierce winds had finally settled, and the clouds lay still, creating a scene imbued with a quiet, almost static beauty. Yet Bai Qi could not enjoy this “scenery,” for the gaze of the decrepit old man before him was terrifyingly sinister.
At this moment, Bai Qi found himself lifted like a chicken by the old man’s hand, unable to evade. His body felt like a marionette, completely controlled by the other. In his mind, Bai Qi thought: This old man, with his deathly aura and strange conduct, I have no idea how he plans to toy with me. As the old man swiftly soared forward, Bai Qi looked down at the ground beneath his feet, passing over countless mountains and rivers. Horror filled his heart—could this be the legendary “shrinking the earth”?
Just as Bai Qi marveled inwardly, he suddenly felt himself stepping onto something soft. Looking down, he realized he was floating above the clouds, gazing down at the vast earth below. Compared to the enormity beneath, he was but a speck. The old man quietly stood beside him, and Bai Qi saw his grip loosen. Panicked, Bai Qi hastily and somewhat “willingly” begged to be held again.
Cold sweat drenched Bai Qi’s brow. He could not fly. Even a martial master of the Earth realm, if dropped from such a height, would be gravely injured or killed. Bai Qi earnestly said, “Senior, why don’t we descend? Or perhaps visit the mountain peak to watch the fleeting clouds—a true pleasure. Why remain so high in the sky? It’s beginning to get windy; be careful not to catch a cold.”
But the old man ignored him completely. Such taciturn people were hardest to read, and Bai Qi felt increasingly uneasy.
Suddenly, the old man’s hand that had held him vanished as if into thin air. The cloud beneath Bai Qi’s feet seemed to burst, and with a “poof,” his body plummeted swiftly earthward. Bai Qi screamed, helpless and panicked. Though his body fell like a meteor, his mind remained calm enough to gather all the spiritual energy from his dantian to the body’s surface, hoping for a defensive barrier to survive the impact.
Yet, the spiritual energy inside him was blocked, unable to move an inch. Shock and panic overwhelmed him.
Bai Qi cursed, “Damn you, old man… may you meet a terrible end… I have no grudge against you.” The accelerating wind slapped his face repeatedly, distorting his words.
Tears welled in Bai Qi’s eyes. What misfortune had befallen him to suffer such a fate?
No! He could not die like this. He had to return—to save Kun, find Heizi, and go back to his mother’s embrace. As these desperate thoughts surged, suddenly a flash of insight struck him like a divine revelation.
Struggling, Bai Qi sensed a familiar aura in the barrier. An inexplicable feeling told him this was a sealing technique. Since receiving the foundational seal techniques from Su Wen, Bai Qi had tried to comprehend the complex and obscure incantations left in Su Wen’s sealing scroll, the “Brahma Seal.” He barely understood the first volume, and often guessed blindly at several characters.
Now, Bai Qi was certain—the barrier was indeed a sealing technique.
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Immediately, Bai Qi pushed aside all distractions and focused entirely on unraveling the sealing spell.
His efforts provided some clues, but the old man’s sealing was unlike any Bai Qi knew—it was impossible to determine its exact nature.
As his body neared the ground, the rushing air sliced at him like blades. The external pressure was so great that even moving a finger felt as if he were shackled.
Only 1,000 meters remained—a trivial distance for most, but for a pure acceleration fall, it left no room for hesitation. The span was reduced to barely a minute.
Life and thought raced against each other. Each plan Bai Qi conceived reduced the distance by dozens of meters.
The distance dwindled like dripping water…
500 meters…
Bai Qi thought: Damn, this sealing release isn’t suitable.
400 meters…
Damn, still no good, curse it!
He racked his brain faster and faster…
300 meters…
Hmm, this might work, damn, it’s similar again…
200 meters…
Damn it, which one is it?
Bai Qi’s heart was filled with despair and helplessness. What curse had he brought upon himself, being tormented by this old man? Truly, he was a villain of the worst kind.
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To hell with it, this is it!
Suddenly, a crimson light flashed across Bai Qi’s body. The glow seemed corroded, exuding a sour, foul smoke.
Bai Qi’s heart leapt with joy—he felt as if fate had not abandoned him. The barrier had finally released its hold.
But… when Bai Qi looked toward the ground, his heart sank with a “damn!” This time, it really might be the end.
Only ten meters remained.
His spiritual power had just barely begun to stir within.
Boom!
Though merely a falling body, the meteor-like descent was unaffected by mass; it was sheer speed, smooth and uninterrupted like flowing clouds and water, plunging straight toward the earth.
Elsewhere, outside the altar, Evil Tu suddenly felt a pang of unease, clutching his chest as his brows furrowed deeply.
Noticing Evil Tu’s distress, Crow quickly asked, “Are you alright?”
“Hmm, I’m fine. Just a strange sadness,” Evil Tu replied irritably.
Crow felt awkward to press further and quietly waited.
Meanwhile, in the Wusha Sect, within Wuyunque’s chamber, who had been meditating and breathing calmly, suddenly his eyes snapped open. He glanced toward the Binhe River valley, feeling restless.
Abandoning meditation, he rose and stepped outside to inquire of Elder Wu Hong about recent affairs.