BTTH: I have a key to travel to Wu Dong Qian Kun.

Chapter 177: The Desolate Demon Eye

"Your taste is quite discerning!" the blind old man chuckled. "If you have the confidence, follow me..." With that, he turned and headed deeper into the grand hall.

Seeing this, Xiao Tian quickly followed.

As they walked further, a hemispherical light screen appeared before them, within which stood four stone tablets.

The blind old man gently flicked his finger, and a beam of light sliced through the light screen and the space within it, creating an opening.

Once inside, Xiao Tian immediately felt a pressure emanating from the stone tablets ahead.

"These four stone tablets each contain a powerful martial art, some of the strongest in our Desolate Hall, apart from the Great Desolate Scripture," the blind old man explained. "However, they are not meant for ordinary disciples. Currently, only the four top personal disciples have learned the martial art from the first stone tablet. The other three remain unmastered."

Xiao Tian nodded and walked forward.

On the first stone tablet, four ancient characters were inscribed with powerful strokes.

"Great Star Gang Fist."

Xiao Tian sensed a fierce, explosive energy from the words. Although this martial art was strong, it was the weakest of the four, so he decided not to choose it.

He continued to the second stone tablet. This tablet depicted a dark long sword shrouded in black mist, exuding a chilling aura that made the skin tingle.

"Great Dark Corrosion Sword."

These simple words emanated coldness, entirely different from the ferocity of the Great Star Gang Fist. This martial art was too cold and also unsuitable for him.

Xiao Tian moved on to the third stone tablet. This one appeared simpler, its surface a dark gray.

The tablet depicted a seated figure whose body was cracked, resembling a fractured earth. Despite the figure's damaged state, a formidable power radiated from it.

Xiao Tian read the three ancient characters on the figure.

"Great Desolate Body."

The name was unadorned but grand. Clearly, this was a body-refining martial art, the same one Zhou Tong had studied. However, Xiao Tian already practiced the Azure Dragon Transformation Art, a heavenly martial art, making this unnecessary.

"Lin Dong doesn't have a high-level body-refining martial art yet. This might be good for him in the future," Xiao Tian thought as he moved to the last stone tablet.

This tablet had no words. Instead, it bore a large black eye on its surface. When Xiao Tian looked at the eye, he felt as if it was staring back at him.

The blind old man spoke suddenly, "This fourth stone tablet has peculiar requirements for the practitioner. Both Yuan Power and spiritual strength must be significant."

As Xiao Tian and the black eye locked gazes, a faint black light shot from the eye and entered his.

Instantly, Xiao Tian felt a flood of information in his mind.

"Long ago, there was a mythical beast called the Desolation. It had one eye. When it opened, it desolated the land for miles, draining life as if time itself was passing..."

From this, Xiao Tian learned that the martial art was called "Desolate Demon Eye," created to mimic the Eye of Desolation.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Tian told the blind old man, "Senior, I intend to learn the Desolate Demon Eye!"

The old man was silent for a moment before saying, "Training this martial art is risky. If you fail, your eyes will end up like mine. Consider it carefully."

"I have decided," Xiao Tian said firmly.

Although the Great Desolate Body and Desolate Demon Eye were equally powerful, the former enhanced overall combat strength, while the latter was purely a lethal technique.

"Whether you succeed depends on your fate," the blind old man said solemnly. "But the Desolate Hall has finally produced another genius. I won't let you end up like me."

"Thank you, Senior!" Xiao Tian bowed, then sat down cross-legged nearby, his spiritual power fully extending toward the black eye on the stone tablet.

"A Seven-Seal Heaven Symbol Master? Though his spiritual strength lags behind his cultivation, it surpasses other disciples focused solely on spiritual power," the old man nodded.

...

Elsewhere, Xiao Tian felt a jolt. When he woke, he found himself on a vast, desolate plain stretching to the horizon, merging with the sky. An ancient, primal aura permeated the air, making him feel as though he had traveled back to ancient times.

However, Xiao Tian knew this place was an illusion, not reality. Ignoring the sense of insignificance, he walked forward.

"Rumble!"

The ground began to quake violently, visible ripples spreading, and the distant earth started to crack.

"Woo!"

A deep chasm opened in the ground, and a strange wailing sound filled the air, accompanied by a powerful gust of wind.

Xiao Tian looked into the chasm and saw an immense, indescribable black shadow emerging, carrying a storm of dust that blotted out the sun.

The creature had a serpent-like body, thousands of feet long, its body iron-black, exuding a terrifying, icy aura.

On its head, aside from a maw full of fangs, there was a prominent black eye.

Despite being closed, the eye made Xiao Tian's hair stand on end.

No need to guess, Xiao Tian knew this was the Desolation beast.

However, it resembled the mythical Zhulong, also known as the Nine Yin Devourer, from another world's mythology.

Of course, the Desolation beast wasn't as powerful as Zhulong.

The Desolation beast only drained life, while Zhulong controlled time.

Time, one of the most mysterious and dominant forces in the universe.

The beast soared into the sky, its massive body coiling, its huge head lowering to gaze at the tiny Xiao Tian.

Xiao Tian felt the ground around him withering rapidly, turning desolate, the gray color spreading wildly.

However, Xiao Tian remained unafraid, knowing this was merely an illusion. If the Desolation beast truly existed, he would have already died, his life force consumed, not just the surrounding land turning desolate while he remained unharmed.

(End of Chapter)

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