717 Core of the World
RUUUUUUMBLE-!
Looking towards the same direction as the two powerful cultivators floating only a short distance away from him, Xuan Hao didn't manage to see anything before a loud rumbling sound echoed out across the entire battlefield. Instantly causing everyone who were looking into the distance filled with both fear and excitement to observe the ground beneath them with surprised expressions on their faces.
"This…"
"Wha-What in the world is this!?"
Similarly shocked like the people on the ground below, the two people floating in the air not too far away from Xuan Hao were also looking down towards the ground to examine what was happening.
Floating in the air still in his almost transparent state, Xuan Hao could not help feeling curious about what had suddenly caused these to experts to act in such a panicked state as he similarly began looking towards the ground below.
RUMBLE-!
At this point in time, the ground had started shaking even more violently than before, as massive cracks had formed leading down into the depths of the world. Even from his current height, Xuan Hao could clearly see the blinding light that came from the bottom of the cracks in the ground!
"This is… The core of the Divine Realm! But what are those ice crystals forming all over the core…?"
"Hm? Those ice crystals you mentioned, I think someone is trying to-"
CRAAAACK-!
Before the pointy eared man had any time to respond to the doubts of the tall man, a loud cracking sound echoed out across the battlefield. Followed by a massive crack going across the entire battlefield opening up. Swallowing a large number of unsuspecting cultivators on the surface above, as they suddenly found themselves being pulled towards the blinding light at the bottom against their will.
BOOOOOOOOM-!
Not a second later, the blinding light that the tall man had referred to as the core of the Divine Realm erupted violently with a power far above anything Xuan Hao had ever seen before.
The Domain Lord Realm Experts, the Soul Ascension Realm Experts and even the experts who had surpassed the Soul Ascension Realm. All of them were erased from existence the moment they came in contact with the power erupting from the deepest parts of the world.
Even the two powerful experts floating next to him were directly reduced to dust before completely disappearing. Leaving only Xuan Hao behind to watch as the powerful experts beneath him disappeared.
"…"
Everything had happened in an instant. Killing everyone present on the battlefield below. Even those above the Soul Ascension Realm had no way to escape!
FWOOOSH-!
As the only one left, Xuan Hao could only watch, as the core of the divine realm below the surface was slowly engulfed in ice before being covered up.
CRAAACK-!
Following the crack being covered up, the two large masses of land that were torn apart slowly started getting pulled apart.
During this, Xuan Hao slowly felt his vision get darker as he felt his spiritual body getting dimmer and dimmer.
"So… I'm about to get pulled back into my own body…"
Understanding what was happening the moment he felt the spiritual body he was inside of disappearing, Xuan Hao decided watch as the large masses of land were getting pulled further and further away.
Whoosh~!
During his last moment before everything went dark and he lost consciousness again, Xuan Hao barely managed to see an ancient painting of a large continent filled with ice surrounded by an endless ocean in all directions appearing in front of him.
…
"What was the last thing I saw before losing consciousness…?"
Opening both of his eyes Xuan Hao could not help frowning as he remembered the last thing he saw before he lost consciousness.
Whoosh~
"Ah! Here it is!"
Skimming through the ancient book again, Xuan Hao found a small drawing of the ancient painting he had seen before losing his consciousness on the last page of the book.
Even if he could not see the ancient painting clearly on the small drawing on the last painting, Xuan Hao was clear that it was the same as the one he had seen before he lost his consciousness.
"Hm? The book…!"
Just at this moment, Xuan Hao was shocked to discover as the ancient book was covered in a layer of gentle golden light before getting dissolved into small motes of golden light that soon disappeared from existence.
Like this, without leaving a single trace behind, the ancient book that had taken him to see a scene from the ancient past… Had completely disappeared!
"Guess whatever power kept the book intact was used up when allowing me to see the scene from earlier…" Muttering this to himself as he shook his head, Xuan Hao understood that there was nothing he could do.
Whoosh~!
Extending his divine sense out again to cover the interior of the Thousand Wind Palace, Xuan Hao saw that nothing had changed from before he had lost consciousness. Even the ball of mist located at the centre of the throne room had not changed in the slightest from when he last saw it.
"…"
To be honest, part of Xuan Hao was expecting for the ball of mist in the throne room to be missing after he regained consciousness and returned to his own body again… But then again, the Nascent Soul Realm Expert that had come to the small independent space with him, was far too weak to enter the Thousand Wind Palace.
Even if he tried his best, he would never be able to enter the Thousand Wind Palace unless he reached the Domain Lord Realm-
WHOOOSH-!
Interrupting Xuan Hao's train of thought, a loud sound of the wind could be heard all across the Thousand Wind Palace as the large gates made of mist scattered in all directions.
"Haha! It really worked! I managed to enter!"
"…"
Hearing the laughter belonging to none other than the Nascent Soul Realm Expert that he had just stated had no way inside the Thousand Wind Palace echoing out across the empty interior of the palace, Xuan Hao could not help frowning.
For some reason, he could not help feeling like the small Nascent Soul Realm Expert had just slapped him in the face…
"I should see how that person managed to get inside with his current strength!"
Whoosh~
Shaking his head after calming down again, Xuan Hao quietly moved towards the Nascent Soul Realm Expert. Wanting to find out just how he had managed to enter the Thousand Wind Palace with his current strength.
…
"This place… Where is this?"
A short time earlier during the time Xuan Hao had lost consciousness and was sent to see a battle belonging to the long forgotten ancient past, the bulky looking Nascent Soul Realm Expert who had opened the portal leading to the independent space slowly woke up as he cautiously began looking around himself for any danger.
Even if it had been only for a short time, he clearly remember how he had been supressed and knocked to the ground by some powerful cultivator after opening the portal.
"That's right… I used the ancient sacrificial technique before losing consciousness. Haha! From the looks of it, I managed to successfully use it and enter the portal before getting killed! I'm sure that person from earlier is still stuck outside trying his best to survive!"
Erupting in laughter as he realized he had actually managed to escape alive from an opponent that far surpassed anything he had ever encountered before, the bulky man was filled with happiness as he just laid on the ground for the next few minutes to recover enough strength to actually get up and move.
After all, the sacrificial technique he had used did not come without cost…
Not only did he lose a large part of his lifespan, but all strength in his body had disappeared. Even his cultivation realm had regressed from the Second Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm to the First Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm!
But even then, the bulky man was not the slightest bit depressed over just how much he had lost. Instead he looked up towards the peak of the mountain that was in front of him filled with confidence and desire.
"The Core of the Thousand Wind Mountains… According to what I read in the ruins back then, the inheritance of an expert surpassing the Soul Ascension Realm can be found atop the mountain at the core of the Thousand Wind Mountains!"
Almost whispering this to himself as he went over the things he had learnt when exploring some ancient ruins that had ultimately led him to his current situation, the bulky man could not help feeling even more excited as he gazed up towards the peak of the mountain.
The inheritance of an expert that had surpassed the Soul Ascension Realm!
No matter what, the bulky man understood just how precious an inheritance like that was. Especially considering that he had only ever heard about Soul Ascension Realm Experts before, but had never heard about anyone who was above the Soul Ascension Realm!
"I should get going!"
Whoosh~!
Having recovered part of his strength, the bulky man got up from the ground before starting his journey up the tall mountain stretching far above the clouds!
