The pressure in the surroundings had been overwhelming while they were climbing the Heaven Anchoring Boulder, but once they reached the top, the pressure was reduced significantly.
Elder Hong Wu and the other two candidates immediately slumped onto the floor weakly. They had to push themselves to their limits in order to reach the top.
So, they quickly swallowed some pills in order to recover their strength.
On the other hand, Han Jianqiu and the rest took a look around them with complicated emotions in their gazes.
Many years ago, they had been here too. They had to put their lives on the line and undergo a life-and-death battle before they managed to climb to their current heights.
“Where’s the Azure Bridge and the Hall of Gods?” Zhang Xuan asked.
The entire area was barren, and there were no signs of the so-called Azure Bridge or Hall of Gods to be seen.
“The Azure Bridge is right above us. When the time arrives, it’ll descend and become the connection point between the Hall of Gods and the Heaven Anchoring Boulder. All those who are of a hundred years old and below would be able to step onto the Azure Bridge and challenge the warriors of the Hall of Gods guarding the pathway,” Han Jianqiu pointed upward as he spoke.
Zhang Xuan lifted his gaze and looked into the sky of deep darkness, but there was nothing to be seen at all.
“Unless the Azure Bridge descends, it’s impossible for a person to set foot onto the Hall of Gods. That’s because it’s impossible for any cultivator to breach the Azure Barrier. The Azure Barrier is something left behind by the gods, so not even Semi-Divinity realm cultivators like us are able to faze it at all,” Han Jianqiu said.
As if to prove his point, he gathered his sword qi at the tip of his finger and stabbed upward.
This simple move harnessed his full strength and his deep understanding of swordsmanship. It gushed forward with the deep rumbling of thunder, almost as if a roaring current was charging forth. But barely after it traveled ten meters upward, it abruptly dissipated with a light pop.
It disappeared so quickly and easily that it almost seemed as if it had never existed before.
Zhang Xuan’s eyebrows shot up in astonishment.
If even an attack of full might from Han Jianqiu was unable to breach the Azure Barrier, he would stand even less of a chance to do so.
“Despite the powerful pressure coming from the Heaven Anchoring Boulder, there are still many cultivators on the Forsaken Continent who are able to make their way up here. Most Heavenly High Immortals, when they were going to reach the end of their lifespan, would visit this area in hopes that they would be able to change their fate. However, not once had anyone succeeded before. As time went by, no one bothered coming over here anymore,” Elder Kui Xiao added on.
Since it was nothing more than a futile attempt, most cultivators thought that it would be more worth it to spend their remaining time accompanying their family members instead. After all, every second they had left of their remaining life was incredibly precious.
Zhang Xuan raised his head once more.
Even though he was unable to see the ends of the Azure Barrier set up by the gods, he could still feel an overpowering pressure coming from above. This pressure was one that he wasn’t confident that he could overcome even if he were to reach Semi-Divinity realm like the rest.
The Azure Barrier induced a feeling of helplessness within him, reminiscent of a mortal standing before a god. Even if he were to use every means at his disposal, he still wouldn’t be able to move the barrier at all.
An ant would simply never be able to shake a tree.
This is the strength of the gods? Zhang Xuan thought in alarm.
It was no wonder why the Hall of Gods was able to remain a supreme existence which none could shake. Just this barrier was more than enough to destroy anyone’s confidence.
It was truly a wonder how the founder of the Ascendant Cloud Sword Pavilion and Kong shi managed to overcome its trials.
“I must say that I’m really surprised that you are able to come up here…”
While Zhang Xuan’s mind was wandering about, a cold sneer suddenly echoed in the air. Turning around, they saw the Blackmirror Citadel’s Bai Xuansheng and the Evanescent Immortal Sect’s Gu Zhuiyun flew up from below.
Two middle-aged men quickly followed behind them.
They were probably the geniuses participating in the Azure Bridge’s trial.
“The lot of you are able to withstand the pressure?” Elder Qin Yuan frowned.
All of the Heavenly High immortals in their groups were unable to proceed on any further from the 80% marks onward. It was only due to Zhang Xuan heading forward and halting the pressure for two breaths that they were finally able to make their way up.
Given so, how did the two geniuses from the Blackmirror Citadel and Evanescent Immortal Sect manage to get up so easily?
When did the disciples from those two sects become so powerful?
“Of course. Such level of pressure means nothing to our geniuses…” Bai Xuansheng harrumphed smugly.
Barely after those words were spoken, Zhang Xuan’s voice sounded in the air, “It’s their armor.”
The crowd quickly turned to the two middle-aged men to take a closer look, and they realized that the pitch-black armor on them was exceptionally eye-catching.
There were some bizarre patterns inscribed on their armor that somewhat resembled the inscriptions on the Heaven Anchoring Boulder.
It was due to the armor that allowed them to remain impervious to the pressure coming from the Heaven Anchoring Boulder.
Hearing Zhang Xuan’s words, Bai Xuangsheng took a deep look at him before remarking sarcastically, “As expected of the great Sect Leader Zhang.”
Paying no heed to Bai Xuansheng’s provocation, Zhang Xuan turned to take a closer look at the two geniuses.
Even though the two middle-aged men were at the same cultivation realm as Elder Hong Wu and the others, their auras felt much sharper and imposing, almost reminiscent to that of…
“The warriors of the Hall of Gods?” Zhang Xuan thought with a frown.
There were some differences, of course, but the feeling that they gave him was still strikingly similar to that of the warriors from the Hall of Gods.
“Since Sect Leader Zhang has such discerning eyes, may I trouble you to point out the culprit who stole my treasures back at the Sea of Little Mirror?” Bai Xuansheng continued on with a wintry voice.
Zhang Xuan turned to look at Bai Xuansheng and said calmly, “You were about to be killed by the Blackback Tortoise when Elder Kui Xiao and I saved your life. However, we aren’t saints either. Given that we have saved your life, isn’t it right for you to compensate us for our service?”
Bai Xuansheng’s eyes immediately narrowed menacingly.
He had a feeling that Zhang Xuan was involved in the matter as well, and to be honest, he didn’t think that they would admit to it. After all, it wasn’t a very honorable action.
Yet, who could have thought that the young man would actually admit to it so openly…
After stealing my possessions, you still dare to talk about it so openly as if you are bragging about it… Do you have no sense of shame?
“Sect Leader Zhang, you should also know that there’s a symbiotic relationship amongst the Six Sects. You stole Citadel Lord Bai’s artifacts and his storage ring, and that can be viewed as an act of aggression. You are sullying the harmony amongst the Six Sects and possibly inciting a war even,” Gu Zhuiyun said deeply.
“What do you think we should do then?” Zhang Xuan asked calmly.
“First and foremost, you should return everything you have taken from Citadel Lord Bai. Afterward, you should apologize to him,” Gu Zhuiyun said.
“Apologize?” Zhang Xuan repeated before nodding slowly. “Sounds fine by me too.”
After that, he waved his hand grandly.
Hu!
The Blackback Tortoise immediately materialized before Zhang Xuan and charged right toward Bai Xuansheng.
He was still wondering how he should broach the subject about the Evanescent Immortal Sect and Blackmirror Citadel colluding with the Hall of Gods, but since the latter was the first one to pick a fight, there was no reason why he should shy away.
“What are you planning to do?” Bai Xuansheng was stunned.
It was just a moment ago that the other party said he was going to apologize, so why did the other party suddenly bring out the Blackback Tortoise?
“Well, I’m just reversing what has happened. I’ll make sure to apologize to you properly if you survive this,” Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.
“If I hadn’t fallen for the Blackback Tortoise’s trap, do you think that it would have been able to injure me given its prowess?” Bai Xuansheng sneered.
Raising his palm, he charged right toward the Blackback Tortoise once more.
If not for the mayflies in the Sea of Little Mirror, there was no way he would have ended up getting cornered.
Furthermore, the Blackback Tortoise was disadvantaged fighting on land. It would be a huge embarrassment if he couldn’t win against it under such conditions!
With a furious roar, wind currents raged around his palm strike.
The Blackback Tortoise hadn’t reverted back to its original body, so its current size was only roughly two meters long. The strength of its ram was significantly reduced due to its smaller size, but in exchange, it was able to move with greater agility.
“Take three steps in front and attack from your right,” Zhang Xuan said.
It had been many years since Bai Xuansheng had reached Semi-Divinity realm. Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult for the Blackback Tortoise to triumph against him. However, it would be a different story when it had Zhang Xuan’s guidance.
In less than a minute, Bai Xuansheng’s face was already swollen. His body was crushed under the massive tortoiseshell, and he had multiple ribcage fractures.
“Sect Leader Zhang, are you trying to start a fight over here?” Gu Zhuiyun couldn’t bear watching by the side anymore.
“Isn’t there already a fight over here? Do I even need to start one?” Zhang Xuan replied coldly. “Since I’m returning the artifact to him, I think it’s only fair for me to be able to retract my act of saving him too. Back then, Citadel Lord Bai was knocked out by the Blackback Tortoise when I stepped in to save him, and it doesn’t seem like he’s near there yet. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure how to interfere this time, or else you might just demand me to apologize to him again. Even if he passes away from this ordeal, you can be assured that I’ll return the Semi-Divinity artifact back to the Blackmirror Citadel and apologize to him before his tombstone.”
Those words caused Bai Xuansheng to spurt a mouthful of fresh blood.
What was the use of getting his Semi-Divinity artifact back after he was dead?
“You…” Gu Zhuiyun’s face darkened. “Do you think the consequences of killing the head of the Blackmirror Citadel? You are turning the entire Blackmirror Citadel against you!”
“Turning them against me? Why would I do something like that? After Bai Xuansheng is dead, I’ll head over to the Blackmirror Citadel and take over Bai Xuansheng’s position, It happens that his sect leader token is in my hand too. In order to avoid any unnecessary conflicts, I’ll send out the word that he has passed his seat down to me as well…” Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.
“As someone who cares so deeply about the peace of the world, I trust that Sect Leader Gu wouldn’t expose me and risk plunging the world into chaos, right?”
When Zhang Xuan took away Bai Xuansheng’s storage ring back at the Sea of Little Mirror, the token of the Blackmirror Citadel was inside as well.
He was intending to return it initially, but if Bai Xuansheng was really in collusion with the Hall of Gods, it would be a whole different story. As long as he had the Sect Leader Token in his hand, it shouldn’t be too difficult to convince others that Bai Xuansheng had passed down his position to him.
He was already the head of the four sects anyway. He didn’t mind bringing the Blackmirror Citadel under him as well.
“You…”
Gu Zhuiyun didn’t expect this young man to be so vicious. With narrowed eyes, he stepped forward to save Bai Xuansheng from the Blackback Tortoise, only to feel a chill running down his back in the next moment.
Turning his head to the sides, he saw Han Jianqiu, Kui Xiao, and Qin Yuan looking at him with a sharp look in their eyes.
“Sect Leader Gu, this is a personal affair between the two of them. I don’t think that it’s appropriate for an outsider like you to get involved.”
Knowing that the three of them really make a move on him if he were to interfere, Gu Zhuiyun had no choice but to halt his footsteps.
They were all Semi-Divinity ream cultivators, so there was no doubt that he would end up in the same state as Bai Xuansheng if he had to face the three of them simultaneously.
“Sect Leader Zhang, save me… I was wrong! I won’t ask you to apologize to me anymore. I don’t want those treasures anymore! They are all yours!”
Seeing that he would really get killed by the Blackback Tortoise at this rate, the severely injured Bai Xuansheng cried out.
He could tell that Zhang Xuan really had no qualms about killing him and taking over his position as the citadel lord. If the latter were to succeed, he wouldn’t suffer any backlash for his actions at all!
“You want me to save you?” Zhang Xuan looked at Bai Xuansheng with a conflicted look in his eyes.
“Well, I am only a Heavenly High Immortal realm cultivator. It would be really tough for me to fight against the Semi-Divinity realm Blackback Tortoise. Furthermore, I don’t have anything to gain from this either… If you have anything of value to offer to me, perhaps I might still be able to consider doing so…”
“You are still trying to rip me off?” Bai Xuansheng was stunned for an instant before nearly bursting into tears.
Is it really okay for a person to be so shameless?
The Blackback Tortoise is already your tamed beast! All you have to do is to get it to stop, and you are still trying to ask me for rewards?
Not to mention, you were the one who told it to attack me in the first place!
If only I knew that you were such a shameless human, I would have never tried to get back my stuff in the first place…
