I have no idea when I awoke next! Yet, my entire body was searing with pain, and the moment the man shifted slightly, his joints cracked and popped, feeling as if he had been violently disassembled!
Strangely, however, a bizarre warm current surged through his chest, like a magical force, painstakingly mending the aching, exhausted physique bit by bit!
Although the recovery speed was excruciatingly slow, I could clearly sense my strength gradually returning, and the pain slowly dissipating!
But right now, I had no mind to try and decipher what was happening!
Forcing down the urge to faint again, I managed to sit up, opened my eyes, but the world before me was still pitch black; I couldn't see a thing! Instinctively, my hand reached for the spatial satchel on my back, only to find the satchel, which I never let leave my side, was long gone. It seemed the terrifying spatial turbulence from before had swept it away!
Truly, misfortune never comes alone!
Without the spatial satchel, finding the Phoenix Bright Pearl was naturally impossible! Helpless, I had no choice but to activate the Phantom Demon Eye!
I released my spiritual sense to probe the surroundings. The perceptive ability of the Phantom Demon Eye was astonishing, but the probing intent sent out met only with the silence of a stone dropped into the sea, with no response whatsoever!
It seemed the entire world held no other living being; the only one alive was myself!
How could this be! Had everyone else perished in the disaster!
Recalling the terrifying spatial turbulence earlier still sent a shiver of fear and trembling through me!
It was hard to imagine if others could have survived that kind of environment. Even with cultivation as formidable as mine, without the robust defense of the Phoenix Heaven Demon Armor, I likely wouldn't have escaped death either!
But thinking it over, since I managed to escape that ordeal, perhaps they too managed to cling to life, just like me! After all, I hadn't found their corpses, had I!
Although I knew the hope was exceedingly slim, I chose to believe it anyway./\\
Years of constant warfare had forged my spirit and will into something incredibly resilient! It also made me acutely aware that now was not the time for worry or despair!
The most crucial thing right now was to figure out the current situation!
Despite my cultivation level granting me the ability of night vision, I still required even the faintest sliver of ambient light for that ability to function. It was akin to a cat's eye, amplifying light, focusing it to achieve nocturnal sight!
But in this cursed place, there wasn't even a hint of light; even with my astonishing eyesight, I was utterly helpless!
In desperation, I resorted to my ultimate move, the Phantom Demon Eye!
Using the perceptive capabilities of the Phantom Demon Eye to scan the surroundings, a three-dimensional image soon materialized in my mind!
What startled me, however, was that the area remained vast and empty. Yet, this emptiness was not boundless; it seemed contained within a space the size of a football, surrounded by what felt like thick walls! Had I been dumped into some enormous underground palace!
I tried to stand, but the intense pain instantly reminded me that my physical condition was far from optimal! I had to focus on recovering my body first!
I quickly activated the Nine Dragons Body Guarding technique, that wondrous inner cultivation method! My entire focus began to slowly converge, entering the state of Turtle Breathing Dragon Slumber meditation! This was the most miraculous technique for recovering Battle Qi and stamina!
But just then, I once again felt that strange power welling up from my chest, seeping into my body, and merging with the Battle Qi energy within!
What in the world was happening!
Instinctively, I touched my chest and felt something faintly warm! Carefully, I drew it out!
A soft, pure azure light immediately enveloped my entire being!
Ah! It was a Nocturnal Pearl, a blue Nocturnal Pearl!
Nocturnal Pearl! I then remembered that before entering the Teleportation Array, for safety, I had separated the two Nocturnal Pearls. One was the one I obtained in the King's Forbidden Ground, a pearl whose existence was known only to a select few; I had strung it on a cord and kept it hidden beneath my clothes and armor!
The other was kept in Xing Ye's care, precisely as a contingency, so that if something dire happened to us, at least one Nocturnal Pearl remained to awaken the Hero!
Although I had long known the Nocturnal Pearl possessed incredibly miraculous power, it hadn't shown any unusual behavior before, apart from that strange glow in the Forbidden Ground. But now, it seemed to have awakened its own will and come alive!
It truly is an incredible thing! This power seeping into my body had once again blended with my original inner power! And I could distinctly feel that the Battle Qi within me was undergoing another strange transformation!
But I certainly couldn't figure out the current situation!
I knew that previously, the power inside me was a mixture combining the Nine Dragons Body Guarding, Thunder Battle Qi, and Ferocious Lion Battle Qi—a true composite substance that frequently underwent inexplicable changes! I was unclear about its true nature, but one thing was certain: this power was both violent and unstable! Every time I used it, I had to be exceedingly cautious, terrified that a single misstep might cause me to explode and perish!
But now, with the addition of the strange power from the blue Nocturnal Pearl, what the ultimate consequence would be, only Heaven knew! Thinking this, I cautiously circulated this Battle Qi energy, running it through the circulation route of the Six Diagrams of the Nine Dragons Body Guarding for another full circuit!
However, this time, I was astonished to find that the formerly furious and restless exotic Battle Qi had now become incredibly stable, practically becoming an extension of my own body that I could control at will!
Beyond that, there weren't any major shifts, but even this much was enough to make me ecstatic!
Before, although I possessed immense strength, it always felt like hugging a ticking time bomb; one wrong move and I could be destroyed. Now, I finally no longer had to live in constant dread!
This could be counted as a blessing in disguise! The cycle completed, my spirit and stamina had recovered to their absolute peak!
It was time to make a move!
With the illumination provided by the Nocturnal Pearl, I could finally utilize my night vision to clearly survey the surroundings!
Empty. It seemed there was nothing except the four walls and the cavern ceiling! Although I didn't know this place for certain, the restoration of my sight brought immense relief; at least I wasn't blind anymore!
But now, which direction should I head?
Instinctively, I took a deep breath, sensing the flow of ambient energy around me. Soon, I detected a very faint current of air stirring in one specific direction, along with an almost imperceptible freshness!
This was the way. I recalled a movie I had seen in the modern era: if trapped in a confined tunnel and unable to discern direction or exit, one should head toward any source of airflow, as that would surely lead to an exit!
I never expected such a scenario to happen to me, but without further hesitation, I chose my direction!
Following the direction of the airflow, I cautiously groped my way forward. Finally, I reached a section of the wall at the edge of the open space and discovered another narrow passage!
At this moment, I could clearly sense that the air here was even fresher! This crisp air was caused by the airflow emanating from that narrow passage in the corner—could this lead to the outside entrance!
This discovery invigorated me; it seemed I had chosen the right direction!
Afterward, I carefully proceeded down this narrow pathway!
After walking for over an hour, I finally reached the end of the passage. Under the light of the Nocturnal Pearl, I could clearly see everything around me. Although I already knew this place was extraordinary, I was still startled when I beheld the scene before me!