“It doesn’t necessarily have to be an antidote; anything that can neutralize the poison will do!” Dongbo Xueying urged desperately. “Even suppressing the poison would work.”
“Suppressing the poison? Aren’t you already taking the Kuhbailhui antidote? That’s already the best method of suppression available,” replied the green-haired woman, Xi Wei, shaking her head.
“Then, can’t your Hongshishan even cure the weakened Gui Liu Yuan Witch Poison?” Dongbo Xueying was truly anxious now.
He understood that the gifts given to those who passed the simplest and most fundamental trials had a limit to their value. However, things like witnessing ‘Creation of Heaven and Earth’ or entering the ‘Cultivation Paradise’ were extremely valuable—opportunities that could hardly be exchanged for even with hundreds of divine treasures. Yet, the ‘Creation of Heaven and Earth’ was an imprint already existing within Hongshishan. Watching it once posed no loss to Hongshishan. Similarly, the ‘Cultivation Paradise’ was also already within Hongshishan; allowing cultivators to enter for training would not damage the paradise in any way.
That was why Hongshishan was willing to offer them.
Dongbo Xueying believed that the Gui Liu Yuan Witch Poison he had ingested, even weakened, should be something Hongshishan could cure. After all, this place represented the might of a great divine being.
“Of course, there are other ways to neutralize the poison besides the antidote,” said the green-haired woman, Senior Xi Wei. “But those methods are even more valuable than the antidote itself.”
“I… I…”
Dongbo Xueying didn’t know what to say.
“Truly no way at all?” Dongbo Xueying asked again.
“No.”
Upon hearing this answer, Dongbo Xueying fell silent.
In truth, he had mentally prepared for this. Earlier, when he and Chen Jiu had discussed obtaining treasures through the Meteorite Bridge, he had only said, “I hope to obtain an antidote,” just a hope! He had no absolute certainty. Yet, he had always believed that Hongshishan, with its boundless mystery and might, should be able to handle a mere Gui Liu Yuan Witch Poison. But now, reality had proven him wrong.
This was a terrifying witch poison at the peak of god-tier power. Even weakened, it was not easy to neutralize.
“It seems I must proceed with my alternative plan,” Dongbo Xueying mused inwardly.
Why had he wanted to act together with other teams?
Because he feared that even after crossing the Meteorite Bridge, he would still be unable to neutralize the poison!
He had considered many plans.
The first plan,
the easiest, was to pass the fundamental trials and successfully neutralize the poison under the Liantian Vine! Then Dongbo Xueying would first cultivate, striving to breakthrough to the Third Reverberation. Afterwards, he would explore the first leaf of the Liantian Vine, seeking to obtain many treasures.
The Liantian Vine…
had five enormous leaves, each larger than a star.
The first leaf contained dangers, but also countless rare opportunities. For example, the Blackwind Ancestor had obtained divine weapons and the corpses of divine creatures within the first leaf. However, because of the danger, when he faced peril, the Blackwind Ancestor shattered his talisman and was immediately protected and expelled from Hongshishan.
The talisman…
was a treasure given to every cultivator who passed the fundamental trials, before Senior Xi Wei, before attempting the Liantian Vine.
The Liantian Vine was extremely dangerous.
The higher one climbed, the more difficult it became. Even half-gods of the calibre of Chen Jiu or Mountain Master Mei would find it hard to succeed! However, when danger arose, they could shatter their talismans and choose to abandon the trial. By doing so, they could escape with their lives. Thus, in the ancient Divine Realm, although the Liantian Vine was dangerous, cultivators who weren’t overly reckless generally had time to shatter their talismans and save themselves.
Of course!
Chen Jiu, Mountain Master Mei, and others were different. They had been commanded by beings at the World God level, and had sworn sacred oaths! Therefore, they could not choose to abandon the trial; they had to survive and reach the higher world to obtain the treasures desired by the World Gods. If they failed, even if they escaped using the talisman, they would still perish under the punishment of their oaths.
“The first and second leaves of the vine both contain many rare opportunities,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “One of my Xia Clan’s ancestral half-gods once entered the first leaf and left with treasures.”
By immediately shattering the talisman when danger arose, for the Xia Clan’s half-gods, the fundamental trials were actually the most difficult!
“Passing the fundamental trials has been extremely rare for our Xia Clan over the past million years,” Dongbo Xueying thought. “However, Senior Chao Qing was extremely fortunate and successfully reached this place.”
Every three thousand years, a few cultivators would enter to attempt the trials.
Over a million years, many half-gods of the Xia Clan had entered.
But the fundamental trials were extremely difficult. The Floating Island and Meteorite Bridge were practically places of despair for ordinary half-gods.
Therefore, only half-gods strong enough to dominate an era, or those ranked in the top three of the Half-God Rankings, would dare to enter and try their luck.
Statistically,
among ten half-gods strong enough to dominate an era who attempted the trials, usually only one would survive and pass.
As for those ranked in the top three of the Half-God Rankings? Perhaps only one in two or three hundred would succeed!
Senior Chao Qing was one of those rare survivors.
Chao Qing’s method was one frequently used by the Xia Clan’s half-gods—piloting a half-god-tier flying vessel! A half-god-tier vessel was difficult to destroy, so it could withstand several attacks from the ‘Stone Statue Guardians,’ ‘Winged Scorpion,’ and ‘Silver-Armored Blade-Knight.’ Better to endure the attacks than be stopped. However, if one was blocked and trapped, then death was certain. One must rely on speed! Charge through at maximum speed!
The Floating Island was relatively manageable. The Stone Statue Guardians only moved at a hundred miles per second. If only one person attempted the trial, the number of attacking guardians wouldn’t be too unreasonable. A flying vessel might pass through—if luck was on their side.
As for the Winged Scorpion, ten ordinary ones had weak attack techniques; only the god-tier Winged Scorpion was difficult to deal with.
The most difficult was the Silver-Armored Blade-Knight!
Once entangled by his sword techniques, if the vessel’s speed dropped, then death was certain.
Chao Qing had condensed the ‘Thunder God Divine Heart.’ The flying vessel he brought was one of the half-god-tier vessels Dongbo Xueying had looted from the headquarters of the Demon God Cult. The vessel’s runes were lightning-based. In fact, the faster vessels usually had arrays incorporating lightning, light, wind—many elements that could accelerate.
Chao Qing, mastering the ‘Thunder God Divine Heart,’ was especially skilled in lightning. In terms of speed, excluding Dongbo Xueying, he was the fastest among the Xia Clan, reaching five hundred miles per second, since lightning was naturally fast.
With the vessel, he could reach seven hundred miles per second.
Faster even than Fu Shu and Old Rogue.
Relying on speed and sheer determination, Chao Qing barely succeeded. Later, he chose the ‘Cultivation Paradise’ with Senior Xi Wei, and was never heard from again. Now, three thousand years had passed, and his lifespan limit had long expired.
Of course, choosing to ride a vessel was purely gambling on luck! Usually, those who dominated an era wouldn’t do this. For example, while riding a vessel, one couldn’t attack from inside. If blocked and surrounded by a group of Stone Statue Guardians, emerging to fight at that point would be almost suicidal.
“My Xia Clan’s half-gods throughout history who succeeded by luck usually went to the first vine leaf to obtain treasures,” Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “I originally wanted to do the same, but alas, I can’t anymore.”
“I must rely on the first and second vine leaves.”
The five enormous leaves of the Liantian Vine, each larger than a star…
especially the first two massive leaves, were filled with countless rare opportunities. Perhaps the great divine beings of the Divine Realm had created this to attract half-gods to attempt the Liantian Vine, using these opportunities to uncover the potential of half-gods.
“I hope to breakthrough to the Third Reverberation while on the first vine leaf,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “If I can’t, then on the second vine leaf, I’ll search for a place where time flows quickly. Even if it means separating from Chen Jiu and the others, I’ll stay behind to cultivate, and only advance after reaching the Third Reverberation!”
On the second vine leaf… some places had very slow time flow, while others had extremely fast time flow!
Finding a place with fast time flow, a month inside might only be a single day outside!
Dongbo Xueying wanted to use such an environment to cultivate for ten or twenty years. After all, having ingested the ‘Gui Liu Yuan Witch Poison,’ he theoretically had two hundred years to live, and he had only lived a hundred! As for maintaining combat ability, he estimated he could last another fifty years. Thus, he would rather spend ten or twenty years cultivating on the second vine leaf to enhance his strength.
Once he reached the Third Reverberation in Ultimate Penetration, Illusory Realm, and Star techniques, his power would undergo a transformation.
As for reaching the peak of the Third Reverberation? There wasn’t enough time.
Reaching the Third Reverberation would suffice. His strength would surpass Chen Jiu and Mountain Master Mei. Moreover, having the Third Reverberation of the Illusory Realm would allow him to switch between his physical body and his Illusory Realm clone, just like ‘Old Rogue.’ At that point, his survival ability would greatly increase, and he would have the confidence to cross the Liantian Vine.
…
Dongbo Xueying stood there, his mind racing with thoughts.
Senior Xi Wei, the green-haired woman, slightly shook her head. “Young one, I cannot help you neutralize the poison, but you still must choose a gift. How about witnessing ‘Creation of Heaven and Earth’ once? Even in the Divine Realm, this is extremely rare. Alternatively, choosing the ‘Cultivation Paradise’ is also excellent. It is a place for disciple cultivation within Hongshishan, greatly beneficial for cultivation.”
Like Chen Jiu, Wuma Hai, and others in the Divine Realm, they generally obtained good cultivation environments.
Mountain Master Mei, Sword Emperor, and others had all exchanged for good cultivation environments within the Temple of Time and Space.
But the Xia Clan’s half-gods…
They chose ‘Creation of Heaven and Earth’ less often, mostly opting for the ‘Cultivation Paradise,’ since the Xia Clan’s half-gods were from the mortal world, never having truly cultivated in a good environment. Thus, the paradise would be of great help to them.
“I see you have high talent and managed to enter Hongshishan. You must be a cultivator from the Xia Clan’s world, capable of creating secret techniques. In the Divine Realm and the Abyss, you would have already neutralized the poison,” said the green-haired woman, Xi Wei. “Entering the Cultivation Paradise would be quite suitable for you. Your witch poison is far from uncontrollable. You can easily spend fifty years cultivating within the paradise. Didn’t a cultivator from your Xia Clan, nearing his lifespan limit a hundred years ago, enter here? He chose the Cultivation Paradise and, very fortunately, successfully opened his Divine Sea and became a god.”
Dongbo Xueying was completely stunned, his mind going blank.
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