Chapter 2223 – Seeing Asura ... ... ... “Senior Asura, is he in the Asura Road?” Lin Ming originally had many guesses as to just where the Asura Road Master was. He even thought that the Asura Road Master might be in the Dark Abyss, perhaps even the Demon God’s Tomb. It was only now that he learned the Asura Road Master had never left the world he created. Ink nodded, “Master dwells here. He has been waiting all this time, waiting for a full 10 billion years. Once you see the master, you will know the whole story and the doubts in your heart will also be explained.” As Clear and Ink spoke they began to fly towards the Asura Sea. They didn’t pass through a transmission array but directly tore through the void and crossed towards the Great Desolate. The Asura Road had an extremely strange shape; it was very narrow and very long, just like a road, thus the reason for its name. The two ends of this ‘road’ were the outer Asura Road and the inner Asura Road with the Great Desolate acting as the dividing line. Even an Empyrean level martial artist couldn’t cross safely But for Clear and Ink, crossing through the Great Desolate was actually easy. As the two of them continuously opened space channels, the group only required half a day to reach the Asura Sea. The Asura Sea was the entrance of the final trial. During every opening of the final trial, all the heroes from the various influences across the Asura Road would gather here at the Asura Sea. This sea was unfathomably deep; even a star could be submerged within it! The rumors said that deep in the Asura Sea there were many space labyrinths and turbulent whirlpools; there were even True Divinity level vicious beasts dwelling there. Thus, the martial artists of the Asura Road had never dared to enter the Asura Sea. As for how deep the sea was, no one knew. But today Lin Ming realized that he would have to go to the very bottom of the Asura Sea. In front of him, Ink and Clear revolved their energies, forming a channel in the Asura Sea. Lin Ming passed through this channel, flying down with the group. Their speed was incredibly fast. Lin Ming had no idea how deep down he dived; it seemed as if this sea was bottomless. “Senior Asura is at the bottom of the Asura Sea?” Lin Ming asked. Clear shook his head. “That isn’t completely accurate. But, you will soon know; we’ve almost arrived.” Clear and Ink slowed down. At this time, within the thick and heavy darkness and the highly pressured seawater, Lin Ming finally saw the seabed of the Asura Sea. The dark gray seabed was without any life at all. A massive mountain range that extended for a thousand miles lay at the bottom. Seeing this giant mountain range, Lin Ming’s thoughts stirred. With his sharp senses he found that there was something unusual about this seabed. Although it was quiet, it actually possessed faint life fluctuations. This wasn’t a mountain range but a giant snake covered in dust! “A True Divinity level vicious beast...” Lin Ming’s eyes flashed. “Yes, its name is Darkness. It is the guardian of this part of the Asura Sea and if a martial artist from the Asura Road really comes down, it is responsible for chasing them away. Let’s continue forwards.” As Ink spoke, he lightly stabbed his finger towards somewhere deep in the sea. In front of them, the quiet seawater began to roll with undercurrents. A distorted space stretched and grew, forming an underwater whirlpool that sucked in Lin Ming. Then, the seawater vanished. The pressure deep within the Asura Sea was originally at a terrifying level. Now, Lin Ming felt his body lighten as he arrived in a strange space. This space wasn’t too large. It was only several hundred feet in width and length. As Lin Ming saw what was around him, his heart shook. “This space... this is...” Lin Ming looked around him. Everything was carved from purple crystal. Crystal furniture, crystal ground, crystal bed... This sort of crystal shimmered with translucent light, similar to quartz. Lin Ming had never seen anything like it before. Just by gently touching it he could feel a vast sea of energy within, as if the purest energy in existence was gathered in these crystals. “Amethyst?” This thought inexplicably appeared in Lin Ming’s mind. More than purple crystal, it was more appropriate to call this amethyst. Amethyst, Amethyst Origin Crystal... “Could this be...” As Lin Ming was deep in thought, a faint voice reverberated within this amethyst space. “The place you are in is a cave dwelling that I refined in the past using the Amethyst Origin Crystal as the foundation. I named this place the Amethyst Heavenly Palace, but because the energy and heavenly materials required to refine it were far too much, I had to repeatedly shrink it in size. At the end, the final refined product was only several hundred feet in size.” This sudden voice possessed an ancient majesty, making one feel something inexplicable within them. Listening to this voice, Lin Ming felt his own soul faintly resonate with it. He knew that this came from a sympathetic echoing of the Asura Laws. This voice could cause the Asura Laws in his body to vibrate. Lin Ming took a deep breath and fell to his knees, deeply bowing. He knew that the one who spoke was the person he came to see today. “Junior Lin Ming greets Senior Asura!” Lin Ming said, excited. This legendary character would finally appear before him! He was the leader of the ancient races from 10 billion years ago, and 10 billion years ago he was already the number one character of the 33 Heavens! Lin Ming bowed for several breaths of time before lifting his head up. What he saw before him was simply emptiness. Within this cave dwelling forged from amethyst, he still didn’t see the Asura Road Master, not even his shadow. “There is no need to look. The majority of my body has already integrated into the Asura Road itself. This Amethyst Heavenly Palace is the cornerstone of the Asura Road, thus I had you come here...” This ancient and majestic voice echoed in Lin Ming’s ears once more. The body had merged with the Asura Road? Lin Ming was bewildered. The Asura Road Master had actually fused together with the Asura Road! “Senior, since your body has fused with the Asura Road, then does this mean you cannot leave the Asura Road?” If this was the reason then it could be explained why the Asura Road Master had yet to move against the Soul Emperor. But, why would the Asura Road Master do this? “I know you have many questions in your heart. I also know that the reason you came here today is not just to ask these questions, but to ask me to help you in saving a woman...” The Asura Road Master’s words caused Lin Ming’s mind to shake. Lin Ming deeply bowed once more. “Senior Asura, junior’s beloved wife has been captured by the Soul Emperor. I ask for Senior to guide this junior onto the correct path!” Lin Ming was well aware that no matter what he tried to do it would be difficult for him to save Sheng Mei. All that lay in front of him was a dead end, and only the Asura Road Master had a slight chance of being able to give him a guiding light. However, Lin Ming’s question caused that majestic voice to fall silent. Lin Ming grit his teeth, quietly waiting on. After a long time, the Asura Road Master sighed deeply. He said, “Perhaps... the situation is different than how you think it is... the Soul Emperor may have captured your wife, but it isn’t to threaten you and have you walk into a trap. Instead, there are other reasons...” “Other reasons?” Lin Ming was startled. Could the Soul Emperor have captured Sheng Mei just for the sake of revenge? The Soul Emperor should know that if he killed Sheng Mei, then besides enraging Lin Ming, it wouldn’t help his great cause at all. With the Soul Emperor’s temperament, he wouldn’t waste even a single breath for something so insignificant. “I ask Senior to clarify the matter.” Lin Ming asked, his voice a bit anxious. The Asura Road Master replied, “I can now sense vibrations of the Amethyst Origin Crystal. It is likely that... the Soul Emperor already stands atop the Eternal Wall... “From what I sense of the Amethyst Origin Crystal, it makes me think of a possibility. Perhaps the Soul Emperor trained your wife because he had a goal in his mind all along. If what I think is true, then you are doomed to be unable to save her...” The Asura Road Master’s words caused Lin Ming’s heart to fall. His hands couldn’t help but tremble. The Soul Emperor’s goal... Eternal Wall... Amethyst Origin Crystal... When the Soul Emperor first captured Sheng Mei, Lin Ming’s first thought was that he had done so to threaten him. But now, he realized that his thoughts might have been wrong from the very start! The Soul Emperor had trained Sheng Mei with a goal in mind, a goal that even Sheng Mei didn’t know about! The Soul Emperor had left seclusion not just to kill him, but also to find Sheng Mei! He had misunderstood everything from the start, and he simply... couldn’t save Sheng Mei... Couldn’t save... Couldn’t... save...? Lin Ming was left in a daze. He had come with hopes that the Asura Road Master would be able to guide him in the right direction, but the answer he obtained actually left him wallowing in despair. .......... At this time, across layers of space, the Dark Abyss – This was a vast and endless earth, one that extended beyond the horizon. The ground was covered with countless shattered bones, dark gray ashes, and deathly stillness. These bones were left behind by the great war 10 billion years ago between powerful abyssals and overlords of the 33 Heavens. Even though they had been eroded by the passing of time, they still shined with the light of Laws. Darkness, killing intent, death, this was the atmosphere of this land – this was the Dark Abyss’s Eternal Wall! The Soul Emperor stood atop the Eternal Wall, feeling the surging power of this world, deep in thought. After a number of days, his appearance had become even more aged. The sudden changes in the Emperor Bone Sea had caused him heavy losses. Originally only the Soul Emperor’s eyes were old and dirty and his eyes overflowing with death. However, his face remained as fine and beautiful as that of a youth, except just slightly more pale. But now, due to the changes in the Emperor Bone Sea, his face was mottled with wrinkles and the skin on his neck had withered and cracked; he seemed like someone on the verge of death. Behind the Soul Emperor stood a black-clothed woman. This woman was Sheng Mei; she had been captured by the Soul Emperor. Sheng Mei’s face was pale. Her blood vitality, true essence, and Laws had all been sealed away. She was completely powerless to resist. The Soul Emperor’s back faced Sheng Mei. He looked at this ancient battlefield from 10 billion years ago and sighed with emotion. “This land hasn’t changed even after 10 billion years...” He turned his head and looked at Sheng Mei, a smile curving up his lips. “Do you know why I trained you in the past?” The Soul Emperor continued to say, “I already knew that you wanted to rebel against me in your heart and I also knew of your last life. You were the daughter of my blood enemy from 10 billion years past! “Even so, I only planted my spirit mark in your spiritual sea to track you, and didn’t place a slave seal within you. I controlled your freedom but I didn’t control your thoughts. I allowed you to hate me, disrespect me, and I tolerated it all. I wanted your heart and mind to be unhindered. Even in the past when you wanted to save Lin Ming’s life and allow him to live the rest of his years as a mortal, I allowed you to do so... “And all of these things, have you never considered why I did so?”