CHAPTER 294: CHAPTER 165: THE FIRST JADE TALISMAN (PART 2)

He was very satisfied with the function of the Invisibility Rune.

"It turns out that levels do not represent the power one possesses, just like my Invisibility Rune. Although it is a fourth-tier skill, it lacks the might expected of a fourth-tier skill. If levels cannot represent fighting strength, then the power system in this world is quite disordered. However, for combat skills, the level system should still serve as a measurement," Zhang Chen thought, as a Jade Talisman appeared in his palm, and in the next moment his figure disappeared from the stone cavern, leaving Sparrowhawk beside him baffled.

Moving in an invisible state, Zhang Chen perceived the flow of air, which made him all the more satisfied: "Although the issues of air flow and dynamic collisions remain unresolved, as long as I’m not in a crowded place, it’s not a big problem."

In the state of invisibility, Zhang Chen gazed into the depths of the cavern and recalled the Twelfth Tier mystery: "Now that I have the ability to transform into water, that secret place should be nothing to me, right?"

Gravity is powerful, but it cannot hinder the flow of water.

Nevertheless, what he was worried about now was whether Xie Xuan had tampered with him, inadvertently drawing Xie Xuan inside and exposing the Empress Tomb, causing significant trouble.

The Empress Tomb is of utmost importance, and Zhang Chen cannot afford even the slightest mistake.

"I now have the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array, and if I set it up in a narrow location, should Xie Xuan recklessly rush in..."

A thought flickered through Zhang Chen’s mind, and he felt confident in his plan.

In the next moment, Zhang Chen transformed into mist and appeared directly at the cold pool of the cavern, then became a stream of water, flowing inside.

Transformed into water, Zhang Chen moved as smoothly as a fish, passing through the dim and deep passage, and upon reappearing, he had reached the True Dragon Tomb, inside the stone chamber.

"The stone chamber is enveloped by a Feng Shui Grand Array, which is just right for me to set up the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array. The Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array is not an ordinary method; once established, phenomena are bound to occur, potentially alerting the forces of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, Inspection Guard, and others. Fortunately, with the Feng Shui Grand Array concealing, the Qi Mechanism of my Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array is confined within the Feng Shui Grand Array, preventing much trouble. The key is, this place is the necessary entrance to the Empress Tomb, and if Xie Xuan has manipulated me and intends to enter the Empress Tomb, he must pass through the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array."

Thinking of this, Zhang Chen’s lips curved into a smug smile. In the next moment, his hand extended, revealing a bright yellow talisman flickering in golden light, with mysterious lines flowing on it, floating in Zhang Chen’s hand.

With a thought, the bright yellow talisman instantaneously divided into three hundred sixty pieces, arranged in a mystical pattern gradually covering an area of three hundred sixty meters. The runes flashed with golden yellow light, as Yellow Spring Water flowed out from the runes. Subsequently, the three hundred sixty runes vanished, and a mysterious force field circulated, instantly spreading a terrifying Qi Mechanism within the stone chamber.

It was seen that the array had gusts of Yin Wind that attacked, black mist filled the air shrouding sun and moon. Restless and dark, gloomy and indistinct. Grim aura soared to the heavens, darkness spread over the land. Soul-devouring, spirit-vanquishing, even if you perfected millennia of cultivation it’s all in vain; spirit-destroying, wearying, even escaping myriad tribulations you falter in exhaustion. As the saying goes: Not even deities can reach, extinguishing the three flowers atop; not even Buddha will withstand, erasing the five energies within. In such an array, fate cannot be avoided; facing it, can any true being hide?

The array enveloped three hundred sixty meters with phenomena erupting, yet suppressed by the Feng Shui Grand Array of the Empress Tomb, without leaking a hint.

Zhang Chen stood within the array, watching the spectacle of the Nine Bends Yellow River Array, his eyes revealed a strange grin: "Xie Xuan, oh Xie Xuan, if you haven’t tampered with me, so be it, but if you dare to come... considering Xie Lingyun’s kindness, I’ll wipe out your cultivation entirely and leave you a life, as a favor for Xie Lingyun’s gift of the talisman."

The Feng Shui Grand Array perfectly enveloped the entire rift leading to the main burial chamber, for Xie Xuan to enter this place, he must step into the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array.

With the array set, Zhang Chen no longer paid it mind. Instead, he went to the rock crevice, directly channeling water to flow through the crevice anew, and through the cleft, he immediately saw yellow earth light on the opposite side in the stone chamber.

"The Twelfth Tier mystery, indeed!"

Zhang Chen took a deep breath, recognizing it as the most mysterious Twelfth Tier treasure between Heaven and Earth. Should he obtain it, continual fusion would surely allow transcendence into the Twelfth Tier, commanding Twelfth Tier battle strength.

"But according to Fox Fairy Nannan, the mystery demands a ’sacrifice,’ to command the mystery, to fuse with it, requires consuming one’s lifespan," Zhang Chen thought flickertype: "Regardless, securing the Twelfth Tier mystery comes first."

Zhang Chen concentrated, transforming directly into a stream of water, flowing into the crevice, heading towards the direction of the opposite stone chamber.

When gravity meets the flow of water, what happens?

At least for Zhang Chen, transformed into flowing water, it bore no influence, as Zhang Chen streamed deeper into the crevice, he could only perceive his flow slowed slightly, with a slight decrease in volume, apart from which no other impact.

The water Zhang Chen transformed into ignored gravity, yet he did not charge recklessly either, cautiously moving bit by bit, continuously shuffling through the crevice.

After about fifteen minutes, Zhang Chen finally reached the other end of the crack, and upon seeing the scenery of the opposite stone chamber, his heart sank.

The opposite stone chamber was not large, only about thirty square meters. Inside the stone chamber was an altar, carved from jade, upon which a sphere hovered.

The sphere was no larger than a ping-pong ball, shimmering with earthy yellow light, carrying a mysterious aura. It was precisely that Twelfth Tier mystery.

Inside the stone chamber, countless experience points lay scattered, making Zhang Chen covetous.

Most crucially, within the stone chamber, there was no entrance, no connection to the entry of the Empress Tomb.

"This stone chamber is separated from the Empress Tomb. I guess I do need to find a way in from outside,"

Though disappointed, thinking of the Feng Shui Master cooled Zhang Chen’s heart.

After closely examining the entire stone chamber, Zhang Chen meticulously seeped through the stone crevice into the stone chamber.

He did not immediately approach the treasure but carefully observed the Twelfth Tier mystery, while noticing the points accumulating around him. Zhang Chen identified an issue; in his water flow form, he couldn’t activate Golden Finger nor collect points.

"So there is such a limitation? My Golden Finger lacks prestige. But why can I activate it when transforming into a Vampire Bat?" Zhang Chen mused: "Could it be the bloodline? Or a matter of life form?"

Yet he was not anxious; once the Twelfth Tier mystery was secured, the experience within the room would remain his.

After making a round around the room, staring at the altar and sphere, he realized that although he was water, he wouldn’t defy principles to flow upwards.

Next moment, the water transformed into mist, gently floating upwards.

At this point, Zhang Chen, having become mist, finally recognized gravity’s effect. Under gravity, the mist he transformed into struggled as if burdened with a mountain.

"Gravity does not affect water flow, but it does influence water mist suspended in air. Fortunately, the mist I form retains Divine Water’s property; otherwise, I’d falter today. However, it’s odd the Twelfth Tier mystery lacks skill drops, a bit unusual indeed. Even the Fox Spirit had experience dropping, yet the Twelfth Tier mystery has no skill drops?"