Chapter 111: The True Battlefield of Sky Turtle City

Deep, dark, and pitch-black.

The entire dark tunnel was silent, and the three men and one horse felt as if they were stepping on a layer of raw skin. The surface was incredibly soft, but it hampered their progress. To traverse the tunnel as quickly as possible, the trio did not hesitate to circulate their blood energy, eager to escape.

In the darkness, Li Chengfu was the one most eager to light a torch, but Zong Changshou warned him that creating a light source would draw the attacks of the exotic beasts lurking nearby.

"By the way, are there any treasures in this dark tunnel?" Xu Chen suddenly asked.

"According to the intelligence I received, there are none."

"But I have a feeling we should collect some of this mucus; it might be tradable for human contribution points," Zong Changshou’s voice echoed in the darkness.

"I agree, it wouldn't hurt to gather some," Li Chengfu replied.

The three men and one horse pressed forward through the dark tunnel at top speed. Any exotic beasts they encountered along the way were swiftly slaughtered by Xu Chen.

Six thousand li into the dark tunnel, Xu Chen’s spider-web-like perception detected an anomaly. "There seems to be mucus over there."

No sooner had Xu Chen spoken than a flash of fire erupted from the darkness. Li Chengfu had quickly lit a torch. Although the flame burned brightly, it was swallowed by the dense darkness, illuminating only a small patch before them.

At that moment, the entire tunnel erupted into chaos. Hundreds of exotic beasts crawled out from the tunnel walls, lunging frantically toward the torch in Li Chengfu’s hand.

"You two gather it; I’ll guard," Xu Chen said, casually waving his palm to shake the air. With that force, all the beasts lunging at the torch were instantly killed.

Li Chengfu held the torch in one hand and a waterskin in the other, quickly scooping up the pool of mucus on the ground. "Disgusting." After finishing, he shook his hand, having accidentally touched some of the slime.

By now, thousands of exotic beast carcasses lay scattered around them.

"It’s fine. Quickly extinguish the torch before we attract even stronger beasts," Zong Changshou cautioned. Li Chengfu hurriedly put out the light.

The trio and the horse continued their journey. The rest of the trek was unexpectedly smooth.

Outside the tunnel lay a cliff, and below it stretched the endless Sea of Storms. Fierce winds roared, and massive waves surged.

"How do we get across?" Li Chengfu asked. With their current strength, walking across the waves was not an issue, but the sea was boundless; no one could sustain such a journey on blood energy alone.

Xu Chen looked around and found nothing but rock upon rock on the cliff. "Let’s make a boat with what’s available." As he spoke, he struck the cliff wall with his palm. Through the precise control of his internal energy, it didn't take long before a large hole was carved into the rock face. A stone yacht, fifteen zhang long and over two zhang wide, appeared before them. Xu Chen had intended to make it larger, but he feared Li Chengfu and Zong Changshou might struggle to pilot it.

"Get on board. I’ll take you out to sea."

The three men and the horse boarded. Xu Chen waved his hand, and his energy propelled the stone ship, sending it crashing toward the sea below.

*Boom!*

Protected by Xu Chen’s energy, the stone ship landed securely in the ocean.

"Let’s go!"

***

Xu Chen stood at the bow, his energy enveloping the entire ship as it sped across the sea.

"You two rest first. Take over once I’ve exhausted half of my blood energy," Xu Chen said, looking back at them.

"Understood, Junior Brother Xu. Call us if you need anything."

The stone ship rode the wind and waves. When a hundred-zhang-tall wave crashed toward them, Xu Chen transformed his energy into a long blade, cleaving the wave in two.

Just as the ship was surging forward, Xu Chen’s hair suddenly stood on end, and his soul trembled. In his vision, a vast continent rose from the seabed, and the stone ship came to an abrupt halt upon it.

Xu Chen stopped channeling his energy, staring blankly ahead. He saw an incredibly massive dragon-like head slowly rise, letting out a roar that echoed through the sky.

Looking down at the continent beneath his feet and then at the giant head, a realization dawned on him.

"A Sky Turtle. Ancient human records describe it: its back is a heavenly land, its head like a mysterious dragon," Zong Changshou said, appearing at Xu Chen’s side. "Records say this Sky Turtle is a hundred li long. It’s said that in ancient times, humans lived on its back. I wonder if this is the same one."

After surfacing, the colossal Sky Turtle opened its mouth, which gaped like an abyss, sucking in everything around it. Endless seawater and even uprooted islands were drawn into its maw by the terrifying suction.

The three men on its back were spared. As they watched the seawater being swallowed, they saw exotic creatures mixed within the torrent.

While Xu Chen was shocked by the dragon-like head, Li Chengfu and Zong Changshou were staring in the opposite direction, stunned by a massive city on the turtle’s back. A thick, formation-like protective light shimmered over it. Inside the barrier sat a grand city, with the words "Sky Turtle City" inscribed in human script above the gate.

When Xu Chen turned to look, he was even more astonished.

As the Sky Turtle emerged, the Sea of Storms fell unnaturally calm. The protective light over Sky Turtle City dissipated into specks of radiance. Immediately, a multitude of people poured out of the city. As soon as they stepped out, they deployed magical treasures and flew off into the distance.

Some passed right by the trio.

"What are you waiting for? Get out there and find supplies; we only have three days!" one person shouted without looking back as they leaped off the turtle’s back.

While the trio stood in confusion, an old man whose cultivation level was unfathomable descended from the sky and landed beside them, looking them up and down.

"You came from the outside, didn't you?" the old man asked, his tone uncertain.

"We did. Dare I ask, Senior, is this the Sky Turtle discovered by the Second Human Emperor, Yi?" Zong Changshou asked with a bow.

Hearing this, the old man became visibly agitated. "Come with me!"

An invisible force instantly seized Xu Chen and his companions. They felt the world spin, and when they regained their senses, they were inside a grand hall, where the holy tablets of the First and Second Human Emperors were enshrined.

"How many years has it been? Finally, humans from the outside have come," the old man said, his voice trembling.

Before long, a tall man entered the hall, his expression mirroring the old man’s excitement. "Are you truly from the outside?" he asked in a booming voice.

The three nodded.

"Seniors, it is now the era of the Ninth Human Emperor," Xu Chen said, feeling a sense of deep emotion as he looked at the two men.

"The Ninth Human Emperor!"

"That can't be right; by our records, only a million years have passed." The man flicked a ray of light, projecting the history of Sky Turtle City.

"According to the chronology here, from the time you entered in the 372nd year of the city to the present day," Zong Changshou said, looking at the history, "the world outside has undergone vast changes. Over 70 million years have passed."

"I thought the Second Human Emperor was still on the throne," the man and the old man whispered, sounding dazed.

After a long silence, they looked at Xu Chen and his companions, trembling as they asked, "Is our human race doing well? Did we defeat the Giant Spirit Clan?"

"The Giant Spirit Clan has long been exterminated. The human race now holds seventy-two complete continents, with two more currently under expansion. Rest assured, Seniors, the human race is glorious, prosperous, and eternal."

"It’s a pity we couldn't bring spatial artifacts; otherwise, we could have shown you how far our people have developed," Li Chengfu said regretfully.

"Seniors..." Xu Chen began, wanting to ask if they wished to return to the human race, but he realized they had no way back other than the coordinates they had arrived by.

Seeing Xu Chen’s expression, the man smiled with relief. "The people of Sky Turtle City have signed a pact with the Sky Turtle; we are bound to it forever, and our descendants will never leave its side."

"Regardless, the Sky Turtle can only stay on the surface for three days. I will take this opportunity to show you around Sky Turtle City. I hope that when you return, you will inform the human race and record this in our annals, so our people will not be forgotten."

Learning of the human race's prosperity brought them great comfort. The man took the trio on a tour of the city. It was less than a hundred li in length and width, yet generations had lived and cultivated there.

"Senior, why are you able to use spiritual power and magical treasures?" Li Chengfu asked, watching people flying in the sky.

"Because of our pact with the Sky Turtle. Under its protection, the laws of the Great Dao are stabilized within a ten-thousand-li radius, allowing us to use our treasures and divine abilities."

The man brought them to a restaurant in the city. "Let me have you taste our local specialties."

For the next three days, the man guided them through every corner of Sky Turtle City. When they asked for his name, he politely declined, stating he wished to avoid entanglements of karma—a sentiment shared by everyone in the city. When the residents learned that three people from the outside had arrived, they stopped searching for supplies just to get a glimpse of them.

The three days passed in a flash. Outside the city, the entire population gathered to see them off.

"We are about to submerge back into the depths. We have nothing to give you, so let this small Sky Turtle escort you on your way," the man said, pointing to a smaller creature, thirty zhang long, waiting nearby.

"Also," the man waved his hand, and several damaged, unrecognizable magical treasures appeared on the ground. "We know the purpose of your journey. These are the most valuable among our broken artifacts. Take them with you."

Li Chengfu’s eyes lit up. He quickly collected the items and stowed them in the Phantom Dragon Horse’s luggage.

"Don't bother searching this sea area; we’ve already taken everything of value. I’ll have the small Sky Turtle take you directly to the exit."

The three men and the horse boarded the back of the small Sky Turtle—which, despite being "small," was still a behemoth in their eyes. They waved goodbye to the people of Sky Turtle City as the creature began to move.

Only when the Sky Turtle vanished from sight did they turn back.

"I never expected to have such an encounter in the Desolate Ancient Battlefield," Li Chengfu said, excitedly pulling out the damaged treasures: an ancient seal, a bronze mirror, a formation plate, and a wooden sword. Judging by the Dao inscriptions carved upon them, none were ordinary items.

Zong Changshou took out a map, added a piece of paper to the edge, and began to sketch. "According to the intelligence from Sky Turtle City, once we cross this sea, we will reach the true Desolate Ancient Battlefield."

"The Desolate Ancient Battlefield is boundless, filled with the remnants of collisions between the Great Daos of Sages and Sovereigns."

"Most of the humans transported here are likely in that very battlefield," Zong Changshou said with a grave expression.