Chapter 2068 - 2068 Entering the Hall of Gods
2068 Entering the Hall of Gods
Zhang Xuan threw the bodies of the two Semi-Divinities into his storage ring before gesturing for the stunned trio to proceed ahead with him.
Not far away, another warrior of the Hall of Gods, also at the Heavenly High Immortal realm, appeared before them. After defeating him, another circular platform appeared before their eyes.
Zhang Xuan turned to Elder Hong Wu and said, “This is an opportunity to achieve a breakthrough to the Semi-Divinity realm. You can take this one.”
“Thank you, Sect Leader Zhang!” Elder Hong Wu nodded in gratitude as he stepped onto the circular platform.
Taking a seat, he swiftly began his cultivating. He could feel a unique aura inducing the energy in his body to billow, pushing him closer and closer to a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the remaining members of the group pressed on, and they soon found two more circular platforms.
Those two circular platforms were each guarded by a warrior of the Hall of Gods, too. If it had been anyone else, they would have been unable to proceed, but that was not the case for Zhang Xuan’s group.
After slaying the warriors, Zhang Xuan beckoned for the two geniuses from the Ascendant Cloud Sword Pavilion and the Myriad Beasts Hall to cultivate on the circular platform before advancing alone.
He soon encountered another circular platform, and he headed up and sat down in the middle of the platform.
Closing his eyes and focusing on his cultivation, he could feel a unique aura rippling in his surroundings. It was vastly different from the spiritual energy that he absorbed on the Forsaken Continent. His Heavenly High Immortal cultivation pulsated in response to this aura, seemingly expressing its desire to surge to new heights.
“It’s a pity that I haven’t finished deducing a feasible Semi-Divinity realm cultivation technique yet…” Zhang Xuan sighed deeply with a shake of his head.
He had spent days immersing his consciousness inside the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, trying to come up with a Semi-Divinity realm cultivation technique. However, he could not find something that was suited for him.
He could choose to force his way through, and there was a good chance that he would succeed. However, if he did so for this major hurdle, it could lead to some complications that would hinder him from advancing any further in the future.
Hu!
Thus, he raised his hand and stuffed the aura suffusing the circular platform into a jade bottle before stashing it away in his storage ring.
After entering the circular platform, he had become certain that this unique aura was the key to achieving a breakthrough to the Semi-Divinity realm. It was similar what the Aeon of Ancient Sage was to those attempting to make a breakthrough to Ancient Sage.
With it, he would be able to push for a breakthrough as soon as he finished coming up with his cultivation technique! So, Zhang Xuan got off the circular platform and continued ahead.
It seemed like there were quite a number of circular platforms along the Azure Bridge. It did not take long for him to stumble upon another. After dealing with the warrior guarding it, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before bringing out his clone.
A few moments later, his clone successfully made a breakthrough to the Semi-Divinity realm.
As he continued, the Serpentine Dragon, Nine-headed Fiery Phoenix, and the others also successfully made breakthroughs.
For the remaining circular platforms, he placed the Heavenly High Immortal-tier swords that he had in there in order to nourish them. By doing so, there was a chance that they could become Semi-Divinity artifacts.
“But where in the world is the Hall of Gods? At this rate, I won’t be able to reach it within a single day…”
No matter how far he walked, the path ahead was still shrouded in darkness. He could not see the end of it.
The Azure Bridge would only remain open for a single day. At this rate, he would not be able to snatch the _神（God)_ character.
Those circular platforms could only be accessed via the Azure Bridge, which appeared once every century, but the (God)’ character was something that he could take back to the Forsaken Continent. If he could acquire it, the cultivators of the Forsaken Continent would be able to freely reach the Semi-Divinity realm and even forge Semi- Divinity artifacts, just like the Ethereal Hall!
They would no longer be restrained.
It was just that he had some concerns…
The Hall of Gods had expressed their desire to capture him, and they had even assaulted him numerous times before. Would he be walking into their trap by making his way over himself?
“The Azure Bridge only appears once every hundred years, and the Hall of Gods is likely to be the key to entering the Firmament. No matter how dangerous it is, I have to take the risk!”
The next moment, he vanished from the spot.
He had warped into a green streak, flitting forward at an unbelievable speed.
Even if he could reach the Semi-Divinity realm, he was not confident that he could reach the Hall of Gods without the Azure Bridge. Thus, he could not afford to miss this opportunity.
Before long, he reached a point where there were no longer any circular platforms in sight. It seemed like the number of circular platforms was limited.
Only the front two circular platforms were unprotected, which basically meant that the Hall of Gods implicitly only allowed two candidates of the Six Sects to reach the Semi-Divinity realm. Beyond there, unless one was an expert on the same caliber as the founder of the Ascendant Cloud Sword Pavilion or Kong shi, it would be impossible to get this far.
For the past several thousand years, more often than not, only a single person of the Six Sects would manage to achieve a breakthrough. Yet, within this period of time, only a few dozen circular platforms had been formed.
Of course, the thrifty Zhang Xuan made sure to take away all the unique aura contained in these circular platforms before forging ahead.
All in all, while helping his tamed beasts achieve breakthroughs and gathering the unique aura within the other circular platforms, six hours had passed. If he did not hasten his footsteps, it would be impossible for him to enter the Hall of Gods.
Driving his Gods’ Sword Intent to the limits, Zhang Xuan was able to travel at a speed that far surpassed that of ordinary Semi-Divinity realm experts.
But despite that, the Azure Bridge was simply too long.
He flew for six hours straight after that, but the scenery remained unchanged.
This is impossible. If the Hall of Gods is truly that far away, how can anyone enter and return from the Hall of Gods within a day?” Zhang Xuan shook his head in disbelief.
All in all, he had been traveling for twelve hours, but the end was nowhere in sight. Was it impossible for him to reach the Hall of Gods with his current strength?
Based on the records, if one did not return to the Heaven Anchoring Boulder before the Azure Bridge disappeared, one would fall into the dimension rifts, where even Semi-Divinity realm cultivators would be unable to survive.
“I’ll just fly for another two hours…” Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth.
He did not rush at full speed for the first six hours, so if he immediately turned back, it would take roughly eight hours for him to return to the Heaven Anchoring Boulder, which meant that he only had two more hours to play with. If he still could not find the Hall of Gods within the next two hours, he would have to return.
Thus, driving his zhenqi to the limits, Zhang Xuan sped up further and rushed ahead.
An hour later, there were finally some changes at the very end of the Azure Bridge. Amid the dark void, he could vaguely see a massive castle.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan could not help but murmur, “It sure is far away… The fact that the founder of the Ascendant Cloud Sword Pavilion and Kong shi were able to reach the Hall of Gods means that they were no weaker than me when they challenged the Azure Bridge…”
For someone who possessed superior cultivation and had comprehended the Gods’ Sword Intent to have to fly for more than twelve hours in order to reach the Hall of Gods… the length of the Azure Bridge was truly fearful!
Since Kong shi and the founder of the Ascendant Cloud Sword Pavilion had been able to successfully snatch a ■神（God)_ character from the Hall of Gods, they must have gone through the same path. Given so, they must have been extremely powerful individuals.
The massive castle floated quietly in the air, serving as a backdrop to the dark void. It took Zhang Xuan roughly fifteen minutes to arrive at its entrance.
Jiya!
Sensing the arrival of a living being, the doors of the castle slowly creaked open.
Knowing that there was no time to lose, Zhang Xuan quickly made his way in.
Shortly after he entered, the doors behind him closed, plunging him into darkness. Following which, innumerable torches lit up, illuminating the surroundings.
Hu hu hu!
Ten silhouettes appeared in the area simultaneously. Their auras felt steady yet unfathomable, making it impossible to gauge the depths of their cultivation.
They were all Semi-Divinity realm experts!
The Hall of Gods was indeed a formidable entity. It was rare to meet even a single Semi-Divinity out on the Forsaken Continent, yet ten of them had appeared simultaneously.
You sure are bold, Zhang Xuan. You knew that the Hall of Gods intends to capture you, but you still had the guts to walk here of your own accord!”
There was a towering figure seated on the throne at the very center. The position he sat at was even higher than where the torches could illuminate, resulting in his face being cloaked in shadows. His voice was ice-cold, seemingly devoid of feelings.
Zhang Xuan had expected to encounter such a situation right from the start, so he was not taken aback at all.
Instead, he looked at the silhouette seated on the throne and said with a frown, “The Forsaken Continent is full of talented individuals. I’m curious as to why you are biting onto me like determined dogs. Is it really because of the Gods’ Sword Intent?”
He had made sure to maintain a low profile ever since he arrived at the Forsaken Continent, but he had still been assaulted thrice. He really could not understand the intentions of the Hall of Gods.
“Gods’ Sword Intent?” the silhouette on the throne scoffed coldly. “Just that thing isn’t worthy of prompting the Hall of Gods into action!”
“What are you up to?” Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.
Despite the crackling of flames from the torch, the surroundings felt incredibly cold and lifeless.
You are from the Master Teacher Continent, aren’t you?” the silhouette asked.
“You know of the Master Teacher Continent?” Zhang Xuan was shocked.
Without bothering to respond to Zhang Xuan’s question, the silhouette waved his hand and said, “I want him alive.” Huala!
The ten Semi-Divinity realm warriors immediately charged forward and encircled Zhang Xuan.
“It won’t be that easy for you to capture me!” Zhang Xuan replied coldly.
Since he dared step into the Hall of Gods, he was prepared to face the dangers in there.
Hu! Hu!
He brought out the corpses of the two Semi-Divinity realm cultivators from the Azure Bridge.
Boom!
In an instant, the two bodies exploded simultaneously.
On his way there, he had forged the two into Soulless Metal Humanoids.
“Humph!”
But before the shockwaves of the explosion could ripple outward, a cold harrumph echoed. Right after, a burst of light flickered through the interior of the Hall of Gods, binding the power of the explosion.
With a light pop, the explosion dissipated on the spot.
Zhang Xuan’s face darkened.
He had thought that the explosions of the two Semi-Divinities would at least buy him some time, but it seemed like there was a formidable Defensive Formation around the Hall of Gods. It was actually able to completely neutralize the force of the explosion!
“This won’t do. I need to escape!”
Zhang Xuan took out the Tongshang Sword and channeled his Gods’ Sword Intent toward the tightly-sealed door of the Hall of Gods, intent on knocking it down.
The Tongshang Sword was an existence that was only a step away from reaching the Semi-Divinity realm. On his way there, he had already made use of the unique aura from the circular platform to help it achieve a breakthrough, making it far stronger than before.
When used together with his Gods’ Sword Intent, the might that he commanded would be able to slay ordinary Semi- Divinity realm cultivators within a single strike.
Ding ding ding!
But as the sword qi fell on the door, a metallic clang echoed in the air. Astoundingly, not even a scratch was left on the door!
“Is the door a Semi-Divinity artifact as well?” Zhang Xuan could hardly believe his eyes.
The might that he had exerted was enough to overpower even Han Jianqiu in an instant. Yet, despite facing such an attack, the door remained completely unharmed. Its tier was far beyond his imagination.
“Futile!”
Having expected such an outcome, the ten Semi-Divinities chuckled as they rushed forward simultaneously.
A massive net made of zhenqi fell from the sky, sealing all possible routes of escape for Zhang Xuan.
“Shatter!”
Zhang Xuan brandished his sword, releasing a barrage of sword qi toward the massive net.
Hu!
However, the sword qi did nothing to stop the massive net. It was as if they were existences of two different planes; the massive net simply passed right through the sword qi and bound Zhang Xuan’s body tightly. At the same time, Zhang Xuan sensed that his zhenqi had been sealed, preventing him from exerting his strength.