Chapter Fifty: The Realm of Darkness

It was clear that the person those men were searching for was none other than Ye Cheng. Yet Ye Cheng himself was wholly unaware of the events unfolding outside, nor did he know that a group was searching for him, a hidden danger quietly brewing.

The moment Ye Cheng stepped through the stone gate, all traces of light vanished, and an unusually profound darkness enveloped him. This darkness was so pure it was almost unnatural, unlike the ordinary pitch blackness found in cave interiors due to the absence of light.

Surrounded by this darkness, Ye Cheng could see nothing but endless blackness, completely losing his sense of direction. He had no idea which way to go. Gathering his blood energy and focusing it into his eyes, he stretched out his hand to feel his way forward. Yet, even with the enhancement of his blood energy, he couldn’t see his own hand moving before his face.

“Master, what is happening here?” Ye Cheng couldn’t help but let out a wry smile in his heart as he sensed the peculiarity of the place. He hadn't expected such an unassuming stone cave to conceal such mysteries. With his current cultivation at the Blood Energy stage, all his vitality depended on his internal blood energy. He could only enhance his vision with it, unable to use spiritual sense to probe his surroundings. Spiritual sense was a mastery of the mind, available only to those who had reached the Origin stage.

The human body inherently possesses spirit, but a Blood Energy stage martial artist can only strengthen the body with blood energy and cannot yet draw out that spirit to form spiritual sense. Only upon reaching the Origin stage does one’s spirit naturally coalesce at the crown, enabling the probing of one’s surroundings. The stronger one’s spiritual sense, the greater the range it can encompass. Helpless, Ye Cheng had no choice but to seek help from Mu Lao.

“Wait, let me see.” Mu Lao’s voice came from within the jade, though he did not appear. From the moment Ye Cheng entered, Mu Lao had sensed the situation, and his spiritual sense had already spread throughout the darkness. After a moment, Mu Lao’s lips curled into a smile.

“This is an illusion array—a snare designed to trap intruders.”

Mu Lao’s faint laughter reached Ye Cheng’s ears, and for a moment, Ye Cheng’s delicate features, veiled in darkness, froze before twisting into a bitter smile. “Another array!” he muttered.

A few months before, he had encountered a resonance array in the Ye Clan’s scripture hall. Breaking that array had yielded his father Ye Shan’s martial technique—the Thousand Shadows Spear. Now, in this stone cave guarded by the Demon Ape Clan and marked as forbidden ground, he once again faced an array. This time, it was an illusion. But what lay beyond this illusion? Ye Cheng found himself intrigued.

Surrounded by the darkness of the illusion array, Ye Cheng marveled at its uncanny effects. Such a formation could conjure such a scene—his interest in arrays grew. Remembering that Mu Lao had broken the resonance array before, and now had instantly recognized this one’s nature, he asked, “Master, do you know arrays?”

“I know a little, just enough to recognize some patterns,” Mu Lao replied with a chuckle. “Why? Do you want me to break this array for you?”

“I know nothing about arrays, so of course I must rely on you, Master. But since you’re familiar with them, why not teach me as well?” Ye Cheng grinned.

“Oh? Interested in arrays, are you?”

“Very much!” Ye Cheng nodded eagerly, his face bright with anticipation. But Mu Lao’s next words wiped the smile from his face, replacing it with a look of disappointment.

“I understand arrays somewhat, but I am far from an expert and cannot teach you,” Mu Lao said, sensing Ye Cheng’s dismay. He continued, “Arrays embody the profound principles of heaven and earth. A single change can generate hundreds of variations; true masters can manifest tens of thousands of changes. At that level, one’s very being becomes an array, able to rival the strongest martial artists. But it is far more difficult than you can imagine. My knowledge comes only from years of experience. I dare not claim mastery.”

“Moreover, unless one is innately gifted, arrays are nearly impossible to comprehend. I would not have you pursue such a path.”

“Why not? I might be one of those gifted few,” Ye Cheng protested.

“Even so, I still would not wish it for you,” Mu Lao said softly. “Many spend their entire lives unable to grasp the true mysteries of arrays. Only the truly gifted have any hope of achievement, and even then, it demands immense effort. The path of martial cultivation offers a far brighter future. If one cannot succeed in martial arts, then it makes sense to study arrays instead. But you are different.”

“Is it because I possess the Devouring Physique?” Ye Cheng guessed.

“Yes,” Mu Lao confirmed. “Once your Devouring Physique matures, your martial prowess will be unimaginable—you could shatter mountains and rend the earth with ease. If you can fully develop this physique, even the strongest arrays have their limits. With sufficient power, you could break them by force. Rather than splitting your focus, it is better to devote yourself wholly to the martial path.”

Ye Cheng’s eyes sparkled. He hadn’t realized the terrifying potential of the Devouring Physique. But then he frowned and asked, “If that’s so, won’t the study of arrays fall into decline, with few willing to pursue it?”

Mu Lao shook his head. “Not quite. Those confident in their martial path rarely abandon it to study arrays. And often, after years of study, one may discover no talent for arrays, ending with nothing but disappointment. For those without hope on the martial path, arrays are worth a try.”

Mu Lao’s explanation gave Ye Cheng a basic understanding of arrays. He had to abandon his sudden desire to learn them.

“In that case, I’ll push my Devouring Physique to its perfect state,” Ye Cheng said firmly, clenching his fists.

Mu Lao chuckled, “Boy, now is not the time for sentiment. If you don’t get out of this array quickly, that little girl will have gathered all the treasures in the cave before you.”

Mu Lao’s words snapped Ye Cheng out of his thoughts. Glancing around at the unrelenting darkness, he took a difficult step forward and said bitterly, “Master, how do I break this array? Please, tell me.”

Although I don’t know how many people are reading this book, I still want to say to you all: my apologies, everyone. Due to recent events, updates have been slow, with only one chapter a day. Once things settle down, I will do my best to catch up.

Devouring Saint Chapter 50: The Dark Space—completed!