This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 283 Nine Pythons Lock the Coffin

As Mu Wushuang activated his Instant Escape, the yellow sand seemed to be startled by a giant beast. The instant the Instant Escape vanished, the world seemed to be turned upside down by an invisible hand. The Instant Escape was abruptly severed by a mysterious and powerful force. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of Mu Wushuang's mouth, and his black robe fluttered like a flag in the gale.

She cried out in alarm, "The Prison of Heaven and Earth! This upside-down, bizarre realm is actually the Prison of Heaven and Earth!"

"What is the Heaven and Earth Prison?" Xiao Xingchen was also forced out of the void like a bird startled into flight. His instantaneous escape failed. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation since he met Mu Wushuang.

"As the name suggests, it means a cage. This place imprisons a terrifying being. The sky and earth are upside down, like a giant millstone, mercilessly crushing that horrific thing."

Mu Wushuang's memories of the Heaven and Earth Cage surged into her mind like a tide. No wonder there were no records of such a special world. If it was the Heaven and Earth Cage, everything would make sense.

Each Heaven and Earth Cage is a mysterious space that existed before the rise of humanity. Such spaces have a long history that is difficult to trace. All that is recorded is that there is no way to get out of the Heaven and Earth Cage, and it hides endless terror.

Before she could finish speaking, the yellow sand beneath their feet suddenly collapsed like a burst dam. Xiao Xingchen reacted quickly, managing to grab her wrist, and the two of them fell into an endless abyss like stones falling off a cliff.

At that moment, the Bronze Tree suddenly burst forth with dazzling bronze light. Xiao Xingchen clearly felt that all of their power was imprisoned at this moment, and they could only helplessly let their bodies fall downwards. The feeling of weightlessness lasted for a full quarter of an hour, until their backs hit a cold and hard object.

"Are you alright? This is a sandstorm caused by the sky and earth being upside down. If the records are correct, we're in big trouble."

Mu Wushuang's voice seemed to emanate from the deepest hell, carrying a heavy, solemn weight. Xiao Xingchen silently nodded, yet his attention was drawn to himself like a magnet; the power of bronze seemed to be locked in a struggle with the mysterious forces at this place.

He could clearly feel that the bronze tree was engaged in a life-or-death struggle with an invisible force. Although he could not release his sharp sword energy at the moment, he was by no means as powerless as Mu Wushuang had said. His power was just greatly weakened. In fact, he could still wield the bronze sword after a little attempt.

"Come on, since we're already here, let's make the best of it and see what's hidden down there."

As the yellow sand collapsed, the two fell into the abyss like meteors, and a dark palace stood out in front of them like a colossal behemoth.

As the two stepped onto this land, thirty-six mermaid lamps descended from the dome, their ghostly blue flames reflecting the dark red bloodstains seeping from the cracks in the walls.

Under the glow of the mermaid lamps, at the end of their vision, nine ancient, mottled, and weathered gates appeared and disappeared, with reliefs of nine giant serpents tightly wrapped around star totems on the gates, each scale engraved with ancient inscriptions, like a series of mysterious history books.

"This is..." Mu Wushuang's heart pounded, as if an invisible thread extended from her body and was closely connected to the door in front of her.

Behind each gate lies a hidden palace. Nine gates and nine palaces, with countless dark chains coiled around them like venomous snakes. Ancient inscriptions appear and disappear. This breathtaking scene is like a stunning painting, causing Xiao Xingchen's breath to catch in his throat. The nine palaces are like nine sleeping giant beasts, exuding a terrifying aura that sends chills down one's spine.

In the instant they stood frozen like clay sculptures, dark red blood dripping from the cracks in the wall, like scarlet teardrops, fell to their feet with a smacking sound, as if it were a curse from hell.

"Don't touch that blood!" Mu Wushuang suddenly grabbed him by the back of his collar like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, and retreated rapidly. The bloodstains fell to the ground, instantly transforming into a hideous and terrifying ghost face, emitting a shrill scream like the cry of an infant, sending chills down one's spine.

Xiao Xingchen's sword swept out like a whirlwind, but when the sword energy touched the ghost mask, it seemed to be under a spell, strangely curving and turning to slash towards his own brow.

"What the hell is this thing?!" Xiao Xingchen was completely bewildered, and fear surged into his heart like a tidal wave. His intuition told him that danger was rushing towards him from all directions like hungry wolves. This was the first time in his life that he had felt so afraid and desperate.

If he was full of confidence when he first stepped into the desert, he is now filled with regret.

This place was truly a death trap. If it weren't for the Bronze Tree, he couldn't even imagine whether he would have become a wandering ghost here.

"Xiao Xingchen, your sword energy can still be used?" Mu Wushuang turned around in surprise, as if she saw a glimmer of hope.

"Yes, although my power has been suppressed, it can still be used."

Xiao Xingchen's voice carried a hint of determination.

"That would be best. The danger has only just begun. Your strength is our only hope for survival. You must hold on."

Mu Wushuang's eyes revealed a resolute determination.

"Do you know what those things are? These nine gates and nine palaces give me a creepy feeling, but it's hard to describe." Xiao Xingchen asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Do you see the giant python coiled around the palace? If I remember correctly, this should be the legendary Nine Pythons Locking the Coffin." Mu Wushuang's voice was filled with awe.

"A coffin? Where did this coffin come from?"

Xiao Xingchen remained puzzled; before him were clearly nine palaces.

"What you see are coffins. Each palace contains the remains of a person, and this is where they are buried."

The shock in Mu Wushuang's heart was still hard to shake off. The call from within the palace made her want to take a step forward, but she immediately snapped back to reality and shook her head vigorously. The call in her mind continued to urge her forward.

"Are you hurt?"

Xiao Xingchen, holding the bronze sword, approached Mu Wushuang warily.

"I felt a calling from within the palace, and I don't know whether I should continue forward,"

"Xiao Xingchen, what should we do? How can we escape this terrifying place? I have a bad feeling, as if entering that palace will plunge us into an abyss of no return."

Mu Wushuang's voice trembled incessantly, like a candle flickering in the wind, and her body beneath the black robe shook violently.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here, everything will be alright." Xiao Xingchen comforted him gently, as his eyes began to dart around like stars.

Since enduring the trials of the Bronze Divine Tree, he has gained complete control over his Eye of the Stars. Although he can no longer use it frequently, in this critical moment, he can make the stars appear at will. Under the reflection of the star pupils, he will try to discern what this so-called Nine Pythons Locked Coffin truly is.

His eyes were gradually swallowed by darkness, and huge stars swirled rapidly in the vast starry sky. Wisps of faint star power shot out from his eyes, as if he had opened his heavenly eye. As the star eyes spun rapidly, he seemed to have the eye of God, looking down over the entire palace.

"Roar!" A deafening roar resounded, and the nine pythons, like awakened lions, suddenly revived under the Eye of the Stars, baring their fangs and claws as they roared at him. Deafening sounds echoed in the air, straining his eyes.

Just hang in there a little longer, you'll see it soon.

With blood streaming from his eyes, he desperately tried to peer into the palace's secrets. The roar of the nine pythons shattered his vision like thunder. However, in the final moment before the stars vanished, a huge crystal coffin, like a sleeping behemoth, suddenly appeared before him.

The moment the lifelike face in the crystal coffin came into view, the stars collapsed instantly, and his pupils felt as if they had been pierced by thousands of steel needles at the same time. A shrill scream echoed through the sky.