The Strongest System
chapter-256

Chapter 256: Mysterious Gap

Translator: Lam Editor: Hitesh

The Dead Demon Seas was situated around hundred miles away from the Dead Demon City. With a mere glance, one could probably not be able to tell anything special about it. But, a blood mist rose from the water surface, similar to how steam would rise from hot water.

However, those who flew over to investigate the place were greeted with a shock.

In the middle of the seas was a circular void spanning a few thousand feet. All the water within it had evaporated. Numerous people floated above in the skies, staring at this in bewilderment.

As the legends would have it, the Dead Demon Seas was the birthplace of an extremely ferocious beast. Spreading its wings, the beast could cover the entire skies, bringing darkness down onto the lands. With a single mouth, it could swallow oceans whole.

But of course, legends were legends after all, without much credibility. If a beast like that truly existed, then it would be extremely terrifying.

When Lin Fan arrived, he attracted the gazes of quite a few people. But they ignored him soon after.

Not even the Yao Family of the Dead Demon City had expected something like this to happen.

That beam of black light lasted for an entire day and night, not allowing anyone to get close to it at all. It only disappeared this morning. The appearance of multiple big sects at a place like this was to investigate this event.

Lin Fan stayed hidden amongst the crowd, not daring to attract too much attention to himself.

The disciples sent by the sects this time round were pretty decent. In fact, some of them even had disciples of greater celestial cultivation bases holding the helm. Hence, even if Lin Fan wanted to screw them up, he had to first know his place.

Squinting his eyes, Lin Fan caught sight of an incredible fellow.

Lin Fan had not expected to see Teng Long, the boy he had killed with his own hands, appear before his very eyes. Something was wrong here!

He frowned. He was extremely sure that Teng Long of the Qinshen dynasty had been killed by him, but how was he alright now? In fact, his cultivation base seemed to have even grown?

Looking at the man beside Teng Long, Lin Fan was even more stumped.

Not...not right! These guys were definitely different from what he remembered that day!

The Qin Emperor’s cultivation base was obviously only at a lesser celestial state. How was he a greater celestial lower level right now?!?

Lin Fan was extremely confused right now, wondering what in the world was happening.

...

"Yao Tian, even though this is your territory, the Dead Demon Seas does not come under the jurisdiction of the Yao Family. Now that something like this has happened, I believe that everyone has the right to explore it for themselves." Some of the figureheads in the crowd were discussing amongst themselves. In this series of events, each of them wanted to benefit the most out of it.

"Brother Qing Huo, we’ll do as you suggest then." Yao Tian was the current head of the Yao Family. He was clearer about the weird occurrence in the Dead Demon Seas than anyone else. If the Yao Family could take all of the benefits, of course, that would be the best thing ever.

But, he knew that was impossible.

He could only blame the beam of light for lasting way too long. Therefore, it was impossible for anyone to not notice it.

Now that these major sects were here, no matter how strong the Yao Family was, there was no chance for the family to fight off all of them.

"It’s simple then. Anyone who witnessed this will have a part of it. This is a phenomenon that the Dead Demon Seas had never once experienced. Therefore, something precious must definitely be hidden within. I’m sure everyone knows that the requirements to enter the Dead Demon Seas is that one must be lower than a greater celestial cultivation base. I propose that only the 6 sects present, along with the Yao Family, will select disciples to enter. How about that?" A middle-aged man in green robes declared.

"Anyone apart from the six sects and the Yao Family, get lost!" Qing Huo looked at the surroundings and demanded overbearingly.

The strength of the seven powerhouses present was more than enough. There were too many vagrant martial artists all around, and there was no point in letting these guys gain something good for free.

Some of the vagrant martial artists did not dare to voice out against him and just left silently. But there were some who were indignant.

"The Dead Demon Seas is a public place! Anyone here has a right to it! What rights do you have to bar me from entry!" A vagrant martial artist barked angrily.

"That’s right!"

"You guys can’t be so overbearing just because you’ve got more authority!"

...

Lin Fan hid in the crowds and continued to observe silently, keeping a low profile. But he pitied these guys who were shouting out. Weren’t they just courting death?

Indeed, Qing Huo swept his hand in a round motion. As though he was pulling boundless energy grid lines, he lassoed everyone who had spoken and tossed them into the air.

Crack.

All of the indignant vagrant martial artists lost their lives immediately.

"I have made my stance clear. All irrelevant personnel are to leave. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being vicious..."

...

All the bystanders looked at Qing Huo in shock and fear. They had not expected this man to kill without a single bit of hesitation.

Lin Fan looked ahead; there were so many powerful people blocking the entrance. He was at his wit’s end as well. It was probably impossible for him to barge in just like that.

Did he really have to give up just like this?

‘Fiery Flame Sect.’

‘Tongtian Sect.’

‘Xianling Sect.’

...

Six sects, six strong representatives, as well as the Yao Family’s head, were the obvious lesser celestial cultivation base warriors chosen. But Lin Fan knew that the old master of the Yao Family must be watching this series of events closely from the shadows as well.

To slip through the fingers of several greater celestial beings? Lin Fan wasn’t at that state yet.

Furthermore, there was the Qin Emperor, who had a blood grudge against him, and was also of greater celestial cultivation base.

‘Hais...’

Lin Fan scratched his head in frustration. Seriously? Going back empty handed just like this?

When Lin Fan caught sight of the map in the hands of the bystanders, he was shocked as well.

‘Seven Saints Treasure Map’?

But apparently, what they had on hand was just a portion of the treasure map, not the full thing.

But this explained clearly as well why there were so many vagrant martial artists and disciples of sects gathered in the Dead Demon City recently as well. It was all because of the ‘Seven Saint Treasure Map’

But who was the one who spread this out? Was it THAT seven saint? But that was not right either. The bloody guy was just a skeleton! What else could he do?

But what was up with that beam of black light? Could it be that there was something else other than the ‘Seven Saint Treasure Map’ at work right here?

"The six sects and the Yao Family are simply too much...!" One by one, the vagrant martial artists whispered amongst themselves and left gradually. No matter how indignant they felt, if they did not leave this place, their very lives might be in danger.

"So, what if they’re overbearing...if we don’t leave, we might be killed right here and now as well..."

"Sigh..."

Looking at these bunch of bystanders, Qing Huo flew into a rage and burst out once more.

"What are you still waiting for! Hurry and get the hell lost!"

Hearing this roar, all of their hearts were flustered at the same time. The roar of a greater celestial master contained the power of energy grid lines and was not something they could deal with.

BOOM!

Suddenly, the skies and earth trembled as yet another change happened.

Everyone’s faces were stunned, wondering what had just happened.

Just then, in that void that had opened up in the middle of the seas, a gap started opening up. It opened up wider and wider, and eventually, a beam of golden glow came out from the crack with an aura of mysteriousness.

Within the crowd, someone suddenly shouted.

"That’s the entrance to go below! Everyone, now!"

Suddenly, everyone was discussing and shouting furiously. Qing Huo’s face turned ice cold as he hissed, "Asking for it...!"

The skies changed color. Qing Huo, the greater celestial, had raised his hand, intending to bring down everyone with a single palm strike.

That raised up hand caused the skies to tremble violently as an unimaginably huge force seemed to be plummeting downwards.

Looking up, Lin Fan panicked as well. It was do or die.

He then leaped into the gap below. Tons of vagrant martial artists followed suit.

A bird died for food, and a man would die for wealth.

Even though a place like this was fraught with dangers, the allure of the bounty caused these men to lose any reasoning or fear for their lives in the face of greed...