Poison God's Heritage

The three of us hurtled through the air, propelled by the sheer force of the Wisest Sun's mastery over the laws of the universe. He didn't just bend the rules of space to his will—he shattered them. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp around him, folding in on itself to create a path that defied the natural order.

The world became a blur of distorted colors and shapes, all of which melded into the infinite void of his power. His Law wasn't merely about flight; it was about removing anything that dared slow him down.

We weren't just flying; we were cutting through reality itself.

I felt it too. The overwhelming sensation of matter tearing past us at speeds no mortal should experience. It wasn't just air we moved through—it was the ground, stone, and earth. We sank into the land, blending with it as we passed through, feeling it slip through every cell and atom of our existence. It was as if we'd become one with the dirt, with the world.

And while the experience was impressive, it was highly nauseating. The sensation of having the ground itself rush through your being was enough to make any man's stomach churn.

The Wisest Sun didn't seem to notice. He continued to pull us deeper, further into the bowels of the Sea of Demons, through the very crust of the realm. We weren't just moving downward—we were diving into the depths of the Dark Garden, the forbidden and near-mythical expanse that lay beneath everything. An underworld that thrived on danger, mystery, and death.

"The Dark Garden..." the Blue Sun whispered, more to herself than anyone else, as the oppressive atmosphere of this hidden realm settled around us.

The Wisest Sun's voice broke through the eerie silence. "Where to from here?"

I quickly checked my bracelet. The signal was weak, but it was still there, guiding me like a beacon. "It's still pointing down. Looks like there might be another level to this place."

"There are three levels beneath us," the Wisest Sun said grimly. "Let's move down to the second one." Without hesitation, he pulled us deeper still, plunging us through the ground as if it were no more than water.

I had expected the usual discomfort from the Qi-sealing properties of the Sea of Demons, especially in the infamous Dark Garden. But, to my surprise, nothing. My Qi flowed smoothly, unrestrained by the oppressive force of this place.

"You've really reached the Origin Stage," the Blue Sun observed, glancing at me with a hint of admiration.

"Noticed that, did you?" I said, smirking.

"Yes. Even with your unusual Qi, you should have struggled a bit. But the Dark Garden has no effect on Origin Qi. What's strange is that most cultivators—even those on the cusp of reaching the peak of the Origin Stage—are still affected by the Qi sealing properties here. Their bodies haven't fully shed the remnants of Saint Qi. But you...

you're different."

She was right. The Origin Poison Qi inside me flowed effortlessly, unperturbed by the laws that shackled lesser cultivators. It was a strange but welcome realization. I wasn't bound by the limitations of this realm.

We continued our descent, diving through more earth and stone. My senses were on high alert, heightened by the nauseating experience of being torn apart and reconstructed at a molecular level as we moved through solid matter. My Divine Sense reached out instinctively, revealing more than I could have imagined.

Beneath the surface of the Dark Garden, life thrived. Massive, nightmarish creatures lurked within the bowels of the earth. Colossal worms, each one large enough to swallow entire cities, wriggled through the dark soil. Their movements sent tremors through the ground. These beasts reminded me of the juvenile Primordial Serpent God I had once battled. They were immense, powerful, and utterly terrifying.

Yet, they weren't the only creatures down here. Giant ants, each the size of a small hill, moved in perfect unison, carrying stones the size of mountains as if they were nothing. These monstrous ants tore through the earth with an ease that defied reason, dragging prey ten times their size into the depths of their lairs.

The Dark Garden was an ecosystem of its own—a world of predators and prey. It was a place where survival was not just a struggle, but an eternal battle. Even the smallest organisms here could end a man's life in an instant. It was no wonder the walkers and other abominations thrived here. This place was a breeding ground for nightmares.

And we were heading right into the heart of it.

After what felt like an eternity of moving through the earth, we finally reached a void—a space that existed outside the physical constraints of the world above. The second level of the Dark Garden was a place of endless darkness. There was no light, no sound, only the oppressive weight of the unknown pressing down on us.

The Wisest Sun enveloped us in a protective shield of Qi. "Keep your Divine Sense close," he warned, his voice barely more than a whisper. "This is where things get dangerous."

I obeyed, though it was hard to focus. The lingering nausea from our journey still clouded my senses. We descended slowly, cautiously. The very air seemed to hum with malevolent intent. I spread my Divine Sense a few feet around me, scanning for threats. What I found sent a shiver down my spine.

We had landed on the back of something alive. Something massive.

I looked down and saw that we were standing on a scaled surface. The scales were as large as ships, shimmering in the faintest hint of light. The creature's back stretched out into the horizon, an endless expanse of living, breathing flesh. Trees and rocks, even hills, had grown atop it, making it look like part of the landscape.

The creature stirred, sensing our presence. A low rumble reverberated through its body, shaking the ground beneath our feet.

The Wisest Sun acted quickly, placing a hand on the creature's back. "Old reptile, sleep. Unless you wish to provoke a wrath greater than the one you fear." Read the latest on empire

His words were quiet, but they carried the weight of authority. The massive beast settled, its rumblings ceasing as it sank back into its slumber.

"This creature," the Wisest Sun said softly, "is a world-eater. It's on the verge of becoming a Primordial, but it's too old, too weak. It waits here for death, though death seems unwilling to claim it."

I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the ancient beast. Trapped in a limbo between life and death, it was a creature of unimaginable power, reduced to waiting for an end that would never come.

The Blue Sun pointed ahead, her voice tense. "There's a trace of Qi coming from that direction. It's faint, but I can sense it."

"I sense it too," the Wisest Sun said. "Let's move."

We flew through the darkened expanse, our Divine Senses tightly controlled to avoid detection. The darkness here was suffocating, oppressive. Every shadow seemed to hide an unseen threat. The second level of the Dark Garden was a place of constant danger, and we were deep in its heart.

After a few moments, my bracelet pinged with a signal. "Here!" I said, halting our flight. "The Dusking Sun's signal is coming from below."

We landed cautiously, our eyes scanning the area. I found the source of the signal—a shattered bracelet lying in the dirt. The Dusking Sun's bracelet.

"It's broken," I muttered, holding it up for the others to see. "Looks like they realized we were tracking them and destroyed it."

The Wisest Sun sighed. "We'll have to split up."

The Blue Sun nodded. "I'll go with Shen Bao."

"I was thinking the same—"

Before they could finish, I felt something wet beneath my feet. I crouched down, touching the liquid and bringing it to my nose. The metallic scent was unmistakable. "Blood..." I said, grimacing at the stench.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Blue Sun's face tensed. "Could it be the Dusking Sun's blood?"

I tasted it and shook my head. "No. It's monster blood. Fresh, too."

The Wisest Sun's gaze sharpened. "A fight happened here."

I followed the blood trail, leading us to a fallen tree trunk that had been recently ripped from its roots. The damage was fresh, the ground still disturbed from the struggle.

Then, I heard it—a low, guttural growl that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

"Careful," the Blue Sun warned, her voice tense. "The beasts here can end your life before you even realize what happened."

Before I could retreat, Kyu leaped out from my hood, causing me to stumble forward. I landed face-first in the dirt, and when I looked up, I was staring directly into the jaws of a massive Obsidian Prowler. Its black fur rippled with muscles, its eyes glowing with predatory intent.

"Well... hello there," I muttered, my voice barely a whisper.

This wasn't just any beast. It was an apex predator—the kind of monster that could take down a Sun-stage cultivator if it wanted to.

And it was very, very pissed.