Chapter 262: Upon the Holy Mountain

Through the Great Tree, Qian Ye stared intently at Metatron, almost unable to suppress the killing intent surging within his heart. Why Metatron had suddenly entered the Inner World, whether the Blood Race outside had been completely subdued, or if any Blood Race powerhouses would secretly contact the Queen of Night—these were no longer concerns for Qian Ye.

He only knew that, now that Metatron was here, he must not be allowed to leave.

Perhaps it was a stroke of fate; when Metatron entered, it was exactly the moment when Palochia was ambushed and severely injured by Qian Ye. The Duke and Marquess forces of the Senate also suffered heavy losses, leaving him with a severely diminished number of capable hands.

At this moment, there wasn’t even a single Duke by Metatron’s side; the highest-ranking warrior was merely an Honored Marquess, and one from the Blood Race at that. Regardless of which Blood Race warrior it was, they would all be suppressed by Qian Ye’s dark golden blood vitality, able to exert no more than seventy percent of their true strength.

Despite the rising killing intent, Qian Ye quickly regained his composure. No matter how weak Metatron might have become, he was still a High Lord who had been famous for centuries, surely possessing numerous means of self-preservation. Moreover, every move he made would be immensely powerful; if Qian Ye were to be hit directly, he would likely sustain serious injuries on the spot.

Just like with Palochia, Qian Ye knew he only had one chance to strike. If he missed, there was no telling where Metatron might hide.

Elder Munro also watched everything through the Great Tree’s awareness. Seeing Metatron, his emotions visibly shook, and he asked, “Is this also a Black Devil of Destruction?”

In the Atova language, “destruction” essentially meant the special title of the High Lords of Evernight. Only the High Lords could make the Atova tribe utterly helpless, leaving them only with destruction.

“Probably… yes.”

Qian Ye knew this news was not good, especially for the Munro tribe, which had just lost a large number of its elite warriors.

However, after a brief silence, the Elder said, “If his target is still the Holy Mountain, then our Holy Guardians will pay any price to stop him from reaching the Holy Mountain!”

“I will do my best to help you, but I need time, at least three days.” That was the best promise Qian Ye could give.

“If he does not approach the Holy Mountain, then it is not a problem. If he comes towards the Holy Mountain, we will do our best to give you those three days.”

After a moment of contemplation, Qian Ye felt it necessary to let the Atovans know more about the truth. “I need three days to prepare a weapon. With it, there is a possibility to make this Black Devil of Destruction sleep eternally on Atovan soil. Without it, I can at most inflict serious injury, and he will escape. Once he recovers, he may return, just like the previous Black Devil of Destruction.”

The Elder bowed, saying, “Thank you for your trust. No matter the cost, our people will secure you these three days! Even if it means sacrificing the entire Holy Guardian tribe, it would be worth it to eliminate the Black Devil of Destruction.”

“Is it really necessary to go so far? I mean, if the situation becomes unbearable, you could abandon the Holy Mountain temporarily and find another way later,” Qian Ye suggested gently.

Facing a High Lord, Qian Ye did not have absolute confidence. If he failed, he could use Void Flash and his bloodline stealth to escape far away. The Atovans, with their naturally swift speed, could scatter and run, making it difficult for Metatron to catch many. However, if they stubbornly defended the Holy Mountain, even with the entire tribe gathered, they would eventually be consumed bit by bit by Metatron. At the level of a High Lord, numbers alone were insufficient to defeat them.

Yet, the Elder was resolute. “We are not only the Holy Guardians of the Atova, but also the protectors of this world. The Atova warriors were born to protect the world. These Black Devils of Destruction, they are destroyers, devourers of all, leaving behind a lifeless world in their wake. No Atova warrior would allow such a thing to happen. Our Inner World nurtures us precisely to combat these vermin from other worlds!”

His passionate words left Qian Ye speechless.

However, as he listened, Qian Ye felt a twinge of discomfort. Based on his understanding of the Blood Race and Metatron, the King of Darkness was not a mindless tyrant who sought to destroy everything. On the contrary, he was an enthusiast of enjoyment, loving fine wine, gourmet food, and beautiful women.

Such a Blood Race sovereign, upon encountering a new world, would first think of conquering and developing it, rather than destroying everything as the Atovans believed, leaving behind a desolate and dead world.

Seeing the Elder’s demeanor, it was clear this was a faith passed down through generations. Qian Ye knew that questioning it would be futile and decided to say no more.

Three days were not enough for Qian Ye to explore the entire Holy Mountain. However, finding the secret left by Rex was possible. Since Rex had directed him here, he must have left some kind of marker.

Moreover, during these three days, Qian Ye could infuse three Origin Bullets with his dark golden blood vitality. When facing a fellow Blood Race member like Metatron, Qian Ye’s dark golden blood vitality had already proven to be of a higher rank. The Blood Race’s blood vitality suppression was extremely clear, making the dark golden blood vitality even more effective against Metatron than chaotic Origin Power.

No matter how strong Metatron was, he would struggle to withstand the dark golden blood vitality contained in three Origin Bullets. If he did not die, Qian Ye would have the chance to pursue and finish him off.

In Qian Ye’s mind, the top priority was still to head to the Holy Mountain and find the secret left by Rex. What was the Dark Origin, the core of everything? Understanding this question was key to knowing what to do next.

While contemplating, Metatron’s expression in the Great Tree’s image suddenly changed. His eyes glowed like lightning, meeting the Elder’s gaze directly.

The Elder cried out in pain, closing his eyes tightly, tears streaming down. The Great Tree’s image twisted even more, becoming almost indecipherable.

The Elder shut off the Great Tree’s image, collapsing to the ground. Qian Ye approached and asked, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, though I might not be able to see for a few days. But with the Great Tree, I still have eyes.” The Elder covered his eyes, tears pouring out from between his fingers, clearly in great pain.

“Can we still monitor him in the future?” Qian Ye frowned.

“No problem. He may have discovered we were monitoring him, but he cannot know how we did it. Even if he knew, it would be useless. The Great Tree’s abilities extend beyond trees, to flowers, birds, and even ancient rocks. He cannot destroy everything he passes, so we can still find him.”

Somewhat reassured, Qian Ye discussed the return time and meeting point with the Elder and set off for the main peak of the Holy Mountain, carrying the provisions specially prepared by the Atovans.

As soon as he left the sanctuary, Qian Ye no longer held back, immediately using Void Flash to instantly travel far.

After he left, two Gigantic War Gods emerged from the Strange Trees, looking at each other.

“Did he discover us?”

“It should be impossible. The Great Tree granted us the ability to merge with the ancient trees.”

“Regardless of whether he discovered us or not, we cannot keep up with him. He is too fast.”

“Yes, I never knew there existed a being faster than us Atovans.”

“Let’s return and report everything to the Elder.”

The two Gigantic War Gods communicated in the Atovan manner before merging back into the trees.

By now, Qian Ye was continuously flashing over long distances, each flash covering several kilometers. But the Holy Peak was so enormous that, while visible from afar, it turned out to be much farther when actually flying. It took Qian Ye a full hour to reach the base of the main peak.

Standing at the foot of the main peak, Qian Ye truly comprehended its grandeur. The mountain filled his entire field of vision, as if the earth rose up here to meet the sky.

Roughly estimating, the mountain body was at least hundreds of kilometers wide, with no end in sight.

Taking a deep breath, Qian Ye began his ascent.

Most of the mountain body was shrouded in clouds, and the sky was incredibly flat, like a dividing line between two worlds.

The cloud layer was less than a kilometer from the ground, a mere breath’s distance in Evernight. But in the Inner World, everything was different.

The higher he climbed, the more Qian Ye felt the pressure increasing.

Innumerable active Dark Origin Powers surged from all directions, converging on the main peak. Yet, as if there was a traffic jam, they could not pass through, leading to a dense congestion. By the time Qian Ye reached within a hundred meters of the cloud layer, the density of the Dark Origin Power was terrifying.

Qian Ye felt the Dark Origin Power was so dense that it had a tangible texture, like grabbing a handful of cotton.

The problem was that the Dark Origin Power in the Inner World was not static; it had its own vitality and movements. Therefore, countless Dark Origin Powers were desperately pushing and squeezing, like a writhing mass of invisible worms, making the surroundings unbearably horrific.

These Dark Origin Powers existed between tangible and intangible, extremely hard, almost indestructible. Walking in such an environment, it felt as if countless fine steel wires were constantly pricking every inch of skin, trying to penetrate deeper.

If it were just the pricking, it might be manageable, but the active Dark Origin Power was akin to the most lethal poison for living beings. Once it entered the body, it would instantly transform or activate bodily tissues, equivalent to having dozens or even hundreds of small, instinctive organisms inside. Even an Evernight powerhouse would be instantly dismembered under such circumstances.

Even a Gigantic War God could not survive here. Their massive bodies and relatively weak constitutions became their most fatal weaknesses, with speed and strength rendered useless.

In such an environment, Qian Ye dared not test the active Origin Power with his body, as his armor and clothes could not withstand it either. With a thought, he activated his Chaotic Domain, and the gray, chaotic Origin Power instantly pushed aside all other Origin Powers, displaying an overwhelming dominance.

Using the domain to clear the path, Qian Ye continued upward, finally penetrating the terrifying area of active Origin Power and entering the cloud layer.

Upon entering the cloud layer, it felt like stepping into a whole new world, cold and silent, with no trace of Origin Power. The cloud layer was a barrier, blocking all Dark Origin Powers outside.

The cloud layer was very thin, only a dozen meters thick. In a blink, Qian Ye passed through, and the true face of the Holy Mountain’s main peak unfolded before his eyes.