The underground civilization has been residing deep underground for several dozen kilometers. If you go further down, it's several times deeper than the world's deepest trench. The surrounding passages crisscross, but it's impossible to determine where each one leads. Ye Fan made a decision to directly forge a path using his cultivation and continue heading deeper underground, which was the most convenient and direct method.

The Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman said, "Aren't you afraid of being destroyed by the underground magma?"

Ye Fan laughed, "Isn't it you, senior, who's afraid? With our cultivation level, only you would fear the magma!"

"Do as you wish!" The Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman didn't seem afraid of death, as Ye Fan understood it. Even if she died, she would return to her former spiritual body form, with her consciousness eternal, and could later regain a human form through Sang Yuan.

He couldn't help but envy the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman. The benefit of being an ancient mighty being was that you couldn't truly die; even if you did, you could resurrect endlessly.

Otherwise, Xi He wouldn't be searching desperately for her lover, because Xi He knows her lover still has consciousness. She simply can't communicate with her lover using spiritual sense, requiring someone as a medium. Ye Fan has this ability, Mo Xiaoyan has this ability, but whether Shen Yan, whom Xi He took away, has this ability, Ye Fan was actually unsure. Shen Yan never mentioned seeing some souls when she was with him.

After Ye Fan gave the order, Sang Yuan led the way, acting as the "drill bit." Her cultivation was the highest, and she could directly transfer the excavated soil and rock from the mantle layer to another space, saving a lot of hassle.

Ye Fan, Li Zhaojun, and Min Shang formed the second formation, with the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman protected by Lan Jing at the rear.

They began digging right underneath the underground palace, progressing at a speed no slower than when advancing in the sea. Ye Fan continually used spiritual sense to probe the surroundings, also preventing directly digging into magma. He was unsure if the Earth's core was hollow or another world with life; this was a real journey to the center of the Earth.

However, Ye Fan wouldn't foolishly traverse directly through the Earth's core. He estimated the divine artifact's location wouldn't be more than a hundred kilometers from the underground civilization's living area, meaning it was still in the mantle layer. Approaching the core, under high pressure and temperature, they might be enveloped by magma. If they couldn't find an exit, they'd be in trouble, potentially even exhausting themselves. In such an environment, they couldn't expect Sang Yuan to tear space-time since a stable space-time is built on a relatively stable cosmic environment.

"Master, I sense an energy source concealed a few kilometers ahead!" Sang Yuan said upfront.

Ye Fan's cultivation wasn't as high as Sang Yuan's, so he only noticed it afterward. When he sensed the energy, he first suspected it was some underground energy field. Once confirming the energy source had different characteristics than spiritual energy and Earthly energy, he believed it must be related to the divine artifact guarded by the underground civilization.

"Do you know what this might be, senior?" Ye Fan asked before reaching the energy source's location.

At this moment, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman was already quite uncomfortable with the underground environment. Luckily, Lan Jing constructed a protective net for her, preventing her from being scorched by the underground heat. She opened her eyes, shook her head slightly, and soon closed them again.

Sang Yuan asked, "Master, there's a magma layer ahead. How should we proceed?"

"Detour!" Ye Fan replied. "We can go through the magma layer, but it might cause the magma to flow out through our passage and possibly cause the base layer's collapse. It's safer to take a detour."

"Understood." Sang Yuan immediately changed direction, and the group continued to follow her. This distance of several kilometers didn't take much effort, and in just a few minutes, they reached the energy source's location. However, a thick protective shell surrounded the energy source, and even Sang Yuan couldn't break through the few kilometers wide shell.

"Master, I can't proceed further, please instruct me!" Sang Yuan, having tried several times unsuccessfully, had to return to seek Ye Fan's instructions.

Ye Fan personally approached the shell. It seemed like a giant underground egg. It was clear there might be a divine artifact inside, yet he couldn't crack the shell. The outer shell's forces were equal in every direction. To break it externally, not only was it beyond reach, but even if it were forcibly opened, a massive earthquake and tsunami would ensue on Earth, causing untold casualties.

Ye Fan glanced at the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman, who was now enveloped by a powerful magnetic field and pressure, forcing her to close her eyes to ease her discomfort.

"Let's search around for any unique features; perhaps there's a mechanism to open it!"

Sang Yuan was about to take action when the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman suddenly said, "Don't waste your efforts."

"Huh? Why do you say that, senior?" Ye Fan and the others glanced at the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman.

"I've been here before, back when I hadn't lost my cultivation. Pan Gu placed the divine artifact here, and aside from him, even Fu Xi and Nuwa couldn't open it, let alone us!" The Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman stated sternly.

In such moments, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman had no reason to hide that she'd been to Earth, and even underground before, but unfortunately couldn't take the divine artifact away.

In the ancient cultivator system, Pan Gu was an unparalleled existence, akin to the god of gods. Pan Gu created heaven, earth, and life. Beneath him were Fu Xi and Nuwa, siblings and spouses. Nuwa created later gods and intelligent humans in their likeness from existing life. Then came Di Jun and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman, among other ancient powers. Though ten ancient powers existed in legend, their hierarchy was clearly defined.

According to ancient legend, Pan Gu had already transformed his body into the universe and its creations; having died, he wouldn't return to retrieve the divine artifact he left behind, so it would remain here forever.

"Passing a treasure and not taking it isn't what we should do," Ye Fan said. "We should look carefully; perhaps we'll find something suspicious."

"It's useless. If we stay, every hour or so, a powerful magnetic force emerges. Even at my peak, I barely evaded it, and still sustained injuries. Did you think the pure girl practiced in the Arctic for thousands of years for no reason? It was this magnetic force that harmed her. She thought I hurt her, but it was Pan Gu, the creator of this world!" The Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman's voice remained severe, "I can already feel the magnetic field growing stronger, and we have less than an hour left; if we don't leave now, it'll be too late!"

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