But Ning Beichen had no idea what "ominousness" was, nor did he know any means to effectively eliminate it other than the King Kong True Scripture.
At this moment.
Ning Beichen's vision blurred for an instant, and the transformed, ominous Tao Yong appeared before him, striking Ning Beichen, the Grandmaster, with a single punch, sending him flying.
Tao Yong then relentlessly attacked Ning Beichen, and soon Ning Beichen was covered in blood. If not for his Grandmaster strength, he would have been dead by now.
Lying in a pool of blood, Ning Beichen struggled to get up, blood seeping from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Never before had Ning Beichen felt so weak.
He was a Grandmaster!
The pinnacle of martial power in the world!
Virtually invincible among mortals!
Yet now he was being battered like a dog, utterly unable to fight back.
Ning Beichen felt disappointment, both in himself and in the strength of a Grandmaster. What was the point of being invincible in the world if he couldn't even defeat a single ominous entity here?
Was he, this so-called Grandmaster Ning Beichen, meant to return to bullying those weaker than him?
"Songshan Sword Art!"
Just as Ning Beichen was sinking into despair, he suddenly remembered his ancient bronze sword and the Songshan Sword Art inscribed upon it.
He wondered if this sword art could deal with the ominous entities.
Regardless, it was Ning Beichen's last hope. With his Grandmaster strength alone, he was no match for the ominous.
With that thought, the ancient bronze sword appeared in Ning Beichen's hand, and he slashed it towards Tao Yong.
With a swish, his bloodline stirred, and about half of his internal energy was siphoned away.
"A Single Sword Startles Wind and Rain!"
Ning Beichen roared, and the sword light scattered, transforming into a myriad of colors and descending like a rain of swords.
"No!"
Tao Yong screamed and, turning into an afterimage, desperately fled into the distance. However, before he could get far, his body was torn apart in mid-air and fell to the ground.
Ning Beichen stared at the remains of Tao Yong, stunned for a long time.
He knew the Songshan Sword Art was powerful, especially in the records where the Songshan Sword Art could move mountains and fill seas, destroying the heavens and earth. But in reality, Ning Beichen was unsure of its true power, especially in his hands.
"This is definitely not a Grandmaster-level sword art!"
Ning Beichen was shocked, for he knew that Grandmaster sword arts did not possess such power.
There was only one conclusion: the Songshan Sword Art had surpassed the Grandmaster level.
Excited!
Ning Beichen was now incredibly excited. If the Songshan Sword Art had surpassed the Grandmaster level, then the cultivation methods he had obtained from the bronze fragments might also have surpassed the Grandmaster level.
"No, when I get back, I must carefully study the cultivation methods on the bronze fragments. Perhaps I will gain something."
He had collected all nine volumes of the Jiugong Ce, and with the cultivation methods on the bronze fragments, he might truly find the path to unity with heaven and man.
Ning Beichen suppressed his excitement and calmed down, for now was not the time to dwell on such matters.
"Ning Beichen, how are you?"
Just then, Chen Mingyue, injured, walked towards him, her face filled with concern.
"I'm not dying yet, don't worry."
Ning Beichen answered, gathering his thoughts.
By the time Chen Mingyue reached Ning Beichen's side, she was already somewhat exhausted. Both of them were quite injured.
They found a place to sit and began to heal.
Although Ning Beichen looked battered, his injuries were mostly superficial. Chen Mingyue, on the other hand, was more seriously wounded.
"I didn't expect Tao Yong to become so powerful. Fortunately, you killed him."
Chen Mingyue said with a lingering fear.
"It wasn't Tao Yong who was powerful, but the ominousness. The ominous is the truly terrifying thing."
"I suspect more than just Tao Yong was invaded by the ominous. If we encounter others later, be absolutely sure they are not possessed by the ominous before approaching them," Ning Beichen warned Chen Mingyue.
"I understand. But with you here, I'm not afraid. No matter how powerful the ominous is, it was still killed by you," Chen Mingyue said to Ning Beichen in an adoring tone.
"Still, we must be careful."
Ning Beichen couldn't explain to her just how terrifying the ominous was. If he hadn't had the ancient bronze sword and the Songshan Sword Art, they might both be dead today.
Chen Mingyue nodded. She was no longer the same Chen Mingyue who had entered. She now knew the horrors of this place.
The so-called prodigies from the outside world were worthless here.
For the next three days, the two of them did not continue their exploration but focused on healing.
After three days, Ning Beichen and Chen Mingyue resumed their journey.
This time, they arrived at a different location, and as soon as they entered, they smelled a medicinal fragrance.
"Could this be a place where elixirs are stored?"
Ning Beichen and Chen Mingyue's eyes lit up simultaneously, and they hurried inside.
Indeed, they found a room filled with medicine bottles, which made them both excited.
"Empty!"
"Mine too."
"Mine is still empty."
"Mine is the same."
Ning Beichen and Chen Mingyue checked the medicine bottles inside while communicating their search results to each other.
Soon, the entire room was searched. There were at least a hundred medicine bottles, but every single one was empty, containing no elixirs.
"Ning Beichen, do you think someone got here before us?"
Chen Mingyue asked in despair.
"It's not impossible, but I have a feeling it's not that simple. Perhaps the medicine bottles outside are just a deliberate misdirection."
Ning Beichen scanned his surroundings intently, answering absentmindedly.
According to Ning Beichen's reasoning, the chance of someone getting here first and taking everything was slim, given the presence of ominous entities.
Let alone the younger generation who entered with them, even the ancestors of the Grandmaster Alliance might not have been a match for the ominous.
Ning Beichen was confident because he possessed the ancient bronze sword and the Songshan Sword Art, which could deal with the ominous.
Otherwise, he wouldn't dare linger here. While the Po Zong Pill was valuable, his own life was far more important.
"Ning Beichen, you mean... these medicine bottles might just be a diversion?"
Chen Mingyue asked excitedly.
"It's a possibility, but it's just my guess. I'll look around further."
Ning Beichen was not certain, but the place gave him an unreal feeling.
Moreover, the elixirs of a sect would undoubtedly be incredibly precious. How could they be placed here so carelessly, without any restrictions?
Therefore, it was obvious that what they were seeing might not be the truth.
Ning Beichen walked to the center of the room, and his eyes began to glow. Instantly, countless lines appeared before him, crisscrossing like a giant spiderweb.