The ethereal song drifted as if from a celestial realm.
Within the ancient mine, there were regions of darkness, zones of flowing light, places where chaos coalesced, and areas where immortal mist billowed—all flickering unpredictably.
Accompanied by this song, the ancient mine shimmered with an even more mysterious aura.
Shi Hao steadied his mind, returning to a state of calm and composure, carefully observing his surroundings as he searched for the Life Stone and other treasures.
In truth, no matter how composed he was, it was impossible to remain completely unshaken. His heart was not empty of thoughts, and for no other reason than this—the Primordial Ancient Mine.
Since ancient times, too many eerie and unfathomable events had occurred here. No matter how great a hero one was, stepping inside could mean certain death.
Shi Hao was certain that without the protection of the Myriad Spirit Diagram, he would have been in grave danger. The aura emanating from the ancient corpse ahead was simply too terrifying.
Moving with agility, he avoided the corpse and ventured deeper into the cave, opening his Heavenly Eye to search for the so-called Life Stone.
The ancient cave was dim and winding. After only a short distance, he encountered numerous branching paths, like a labyrinth. Now he understood why so many who descended never returned.
Just these maze-like tunnels alone would likely trap ninety percent of those who entered, not to mention the other dangers lurking within.
After some thought, Shi Hao decided to follow the widest path. Along the way, shadowy figures flickered in his vision—corpses, all perfectly preserved.
At one point, he even saw some of these ancient corpses moving, their faces deathly pale, their eyes glowing with an eerie green light.
In that instant, Shi Hao’s scalp tingled with fear. He hurriedly avoided them, terrified of an encounter. This was a horror beyond comprehension.
Because he knew—any corpse in this ancient mine that had not decayed after all this time must have once been a figure of immense power. The reanimated remains of such beings were absolutely terrifying.
Soon, Shi Hao realized that choosing the largest tunnel might have been a mistake—it was far too dangerous.
Yet, he also understood that this was likely the main path.
A massive black spider, ten feet tall, moved slowly toward him. Silent and suffused with a thick aura of death, its eight legs scraped against the ground like black spears, clanging as they pierced the void.
It was astonishing—this creature was clearly dead, driven only by a vague instinct, yet it still possessed such terrifying power!
The ground was incredibly hard, protected by mysterious runes. As the spider’s legs struck the surface, sparks flew.
A mere inch away, one of its legs nearly grazed Shi Hao. The spider moved forward mindlessly, exhaling deathly energy as it passed him by.
This spider was undoubtedly stronger than a sect master. Shi Hao shuddered.
Not long after, he encountered an even larger golden spider, spanning thirty feet in length. It had spun a web within the mine, its golden threads coiling and blocking the passage.
Like the black spider, this one was also dead. Though its body gleamed gold, the thick aura of death and its stiff movements made it clear—it had perished long ago.
Yet, this golden spider was terrifyingly powerful, no weaker than the old Daoist he had seen at the entrance.
Shi Hao could clearly sense that without the Myriad Spirit Diagram, he wouldn’t even be able to stand here. He tested the air by tossing a divine artifact onto the ground.
*Crack!*
The bone dagger shattered instantly, crumbling into dust under the golden spider’s deathly aura, completely obliterated.
One could imagine—even a true Heavenly Deity standing before it would meet the same fate, without exception.
This place was truly perilous!
Shi Hao’s expression darkened as he studied the golden web and the massive spider. His heart pounded with dread. At least it was a dead thing, driven only by chaotic remnants of consciousness.
This place was peculiar. Though it housed the remains of peerless experts, true resurrection was nearly impossible. The mine seemed to suppress such reversals of life and death.
After observing the golden web for a while, Shi Hao’s heart trembled. He realized a horrifying truth—the web had been spun by the golden spider while it was still alive, not after death.
This sent chills down his spine.
Could creatures have once lived within the Primordial Ancient Mine? Even if they later perished.
He recalled the words of the Wang Clan—this mine was ancient beyond comprehension, possibly older than the Immortal Ancient Era. For some unknown reason, it had been sealed in the previous epoch, only to be reopened in this one.
Shi Hao felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. This place was too sinister. Once, it must have been a land of terror, where even the spiders that dwelled here became supreme experts.
A wild thought crossed his mind—long ago, in an age lost to history, even predating the Immortal Ancient Era, this might have been a land of unimaginable wonders. Even a mere spider here could grow into a being later generations would revere as a supreme powerhouse. Then, for some reason, it became a land of death. When later generations excavated it, it became the ancient mine.
Shi Hao shook his head, dismissing the absurd notion. He pressed onward.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the web. This was undoubtedly a rare treasure among heavenly materials. If he could harvest some, it would be of immense value.
But the ghostly spider perched atop it was horrifying.
He attempted to pluck a strand, but the web was impossibly tough. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t tear even a single thread free.
Instead, his efforts drew the spider’s attention. Its stiff body turned toward him, and panic surged in Shi Hao’s heart. He dashed beneath the web, fleeing deeper into the mine.
*Boom!*
The golden spider moved. Its power was beyond comprehension—despite being a corpse with only fragmented consciousness, its attack was devastating.
With a single casual strike, it shattered the void. The sheer force of its aura felt capable of knocking stars from the sky!
Even with the Myriad Spirit Diagram’s protection and despite putting distance between them, Shi Hao felt as if he’d been rammed by a primordial behemoth.
*Crash!*
He was sent flying, slamming into the mine’s stone wall with bone-crushing force. The rock here was unnaturally hard, infused with mysterious energy.
Blood trickled from Shi Hao’s lips. He was severely injured.
In that moment, he realized—the mine’s strange power could counteract the Myriad Spirit Diagram, weakening its defenses.
This had never happened before. The diagram was transcendent, its defensive capabilities unparalleled. Yet here, it had been compromised.
Shi Hao’s blood ran cold.
He quickly pushed off the wall, noticing a faint glow receding into the stone before vanishing.
Glancing back, he saw the golden spider lumbering toward him. Without hesitation, he sprinted away.
“Over a dozen bones broken, internal organs injured.” Shi Hao wiped the blood from his mouth. A single collision with the wall had inflicted such severe damage.
Were all these things truly dead?
The vast mine seemed devoid of anything but these horrors, making him feel as if he’d stumbled into a kingdom of death.
And in this kingdom, there were no mere foot soldiers—only titans, the remains of supreme experts from ages past.
Just then, a flow of immortal mist caught his attention. Shi Hao rushed toward it. Even if he couldn’t find the Life Stone, he would seek the source of this mist and cultivate there.
For cultivators of this era, such a place was the most precious of sacred grounds!
“A trace of vitality?”
Shi Hao was stunned. In this deathly mine, amidst the remains of peerless experts, he sensed a faint pulse of life.
Though not strong, it carried an extraordinary aura—serene, sacred, as if it could elevate one to immortality in an instant.
His injuries seemed to heal rapidly in its presence.
Intrigued, Shi Hao slowed his steps, honing his spiritual senses to track the source. He followed a tunnel deeper into the mine, determined to uncover the truth.
Earlier, upon entering, he had heard a woman’s song. Could this vitality belong to her?
He doubted it, yet couldn’t be sure.
As he pressed forward, he faced countless dangers. Without the Myriad Spirit Diagram, he wouldn’t have made it this far.
Some corpses exuded auras so fierce they could obliterate Heavenly Deities with ease.
How powerful must they have been in life? Even in death, their remains radiated such might—it was beyond belief.
Shi Hao remained vigilant. Though protected by the diagram, he knew greater horrors likely lay ahead.
A single misstep here could mean eternal damnation.
The path was fraught with peril and strangeness. At one point, he witnessed an endless procession of celestial soldiers marching down an ancient road, vanishing into the void amidst swirling chaos.
He tried to approach but found it impossible.
The road led into nothingness, broken and shrouded in primordial mist. The soldiers, clad in icy armor, tread the fractured path until they disappeared.
“What kind of cursed place is this?!” Shi Hao was baffled.
Fortunately, the vitality ahead grew stronger, accompanied by the fragrance of medicine. His spirits lifted—could it be a divine herb?
The tunnel stretched endlessly, twisting and turning. Shi Hao traversed miles underground before the scent grew overpowering.
He knew—this had to be a legendary divine herb. The fragrance alone was intoxicating, filling his body with warmth and lightness.
In this area, the corpses grew sparse, then vanished entirely.
After another few miles, Shi Hao felt as if he were on the verge of ascension. His spirit was whole, his body brimming with energy. Ahead, specks of light danced in a misty haze.
The sight was breathtaking, filling the ancient cave with radiant mist and multicolored clouds.
“Beyond divine herbs… could this be an Immortality Medicine?!”
He was certain—within this death-laden mine, where countless supreme experts had fallen, there also grew an undying immortal herb!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage