Chapter 302: Floating Isle

Gazing at the endless starry sky beyond the island, especially the countless stars constantly shifting along their trajectories, Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but feel drawn in, soon followed by waves of dizziness.

He immediately shut his eyes, and the dizziness vanished.

“How terrifying,” Dongbo Xueying sighed. “It’s indeed as the intelligence reports described.”

“This is the scene of stars created by the master of Red Stone Mountain, a transformation of heaven and earth,” Chen Jiu explained. “It’s said that the changes in the stars contain profound and intricate rules, too abstruse even for World Gods to fully grasp, let alone us. Attempting to observe them directly is not only unhelpful but harmful. However, before we begin our journey, it’s fine to take a look. Once we start moving forward, we must no longer gaze at the stars.”

“Hmm,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

They were at the starting point, a place absolutely safe.

Once they stepped beyond this surrounding area, the entire island would be filled with danger! They must remain vigilant at all times. If one were to keep staring at the stars until feeling dizzy, wouldn’t that be tantamount to seeking death?

“This floating island is truly beautifully arranged,” Dongbo Xueying admired, smiling.

Inside the island, the layout was very exquisite.

Stone bridges over flowing streams.

Stone-paved paths.

Forests and undulating mountains. In the distance, there were occasionally various buildings. Moreover, throughout the island stood countless stone statues! These statues varied in size, most about the height of an average person. Most were humanoid, with a few shaped like beasts. Many of these statues bore marks of carving errors, clearly indicating that the sculptor wasn’t a master sculptor.

“It is beautiful,” Chen Jiu admired. “It’s said that long ago, the master of Red Stone Mountain, that mighty being from the Divine Realm, used to reside on this floating island. Those buildings were his dwelling places! He lived here, manipulating the stars to reshape heaven and earth, cultivating and comprehending the Dao. It’s said that in the earliest days, even a simple cup or table in those buildings might be a treasure! When Red Stone Mountain first fell, many of the earliest half-gods who entered gained significant rewards. But now, heh, those buildings have long been completely looted.”

Dongbo Xueying smiled, recalling the bag of Old Ancestor Heifeng.

That bag, apart from being visible to the naked eye, couldn’t be detected by any other means, not even reflected in the Void Realm. It was likely an everyday item used by that mighty being from the Divine Realm.

“No wonder it’s arranged so beautifully,” Dongbo Xueying remarked.

“Beautiful as it may be… it hides countless deadly dangers,” muttered the old man with a goatee beside them, his gaze still fixed on the stone statues scattered throughout the island. “That mighty being from the Divine Realm wasn’t even a good sculptor. Why carve so many statues for no reason?”

Dongbo Xueying smiled.

The floating island…

The most dangerous part was these statues! Each statue possessed the power to suppress an entire era. The worst part was that there were estimated to be over a hundred thousand statues on the entire island, and they were “unified” in purpose. If one statue detected a cultivator, all the others would immediately know and rush to intercept! Fortunately, the island was large enough! Fortunately, the statues moved somewhat slowly, allowing a glimmer of hope.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be nine out of ten chances of death—it would be certain death!

After all, a single statue could suppress an entire era. If hundreds surrounded them, even Dongbo Xueying and Chen Jiu couldn’t withstand the assault.

These statues were also known as “Stone Statue Guardians.”

“These effigies were wrought by that formidable entity from the Celestial Dominion, and they hold profound mysteries,” declared Chen Jiu. “The Stone Sentinel Watchers perceive through their gaze—a vision that pierces all veils and concealed forms! Yet, so long as you evade their sight, you shall remain unharmed. Old Thief and Fu Shu, you both must exercise utmost caution. Should the Stone Sentinel Watchers truly discern your presence, flee with all haste and seek concealment immediately. Engage them not in combat, for once ensnared, your fate is sealed.”

“We understand,” both Old Thief and Fu Shu nodded in agreement.

“You two can handle other dangers on the floating island, but you must be especially cautious of the Stone Statue Guardians,” Chen Jiu continued. “Dongbo Xueying, you must also be careful. Although our strength is superior, once surrounded by a group of Stone Statue Guardians, more and more will gather, and we will also be finished. Don’t think you can hide in the Void Realm, these Stone Statue Guardians are extremely mysterious—no hiding technique will work against them.”

“I understand,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

“You have it much better than us,” Chen Jiu looked into the distance. “You just need to cross the floating island and the meteorite bridge, and you should be able to obtain the antidote for the Sixfold Ghost Curse.”

“Hmm.”

Dongbo Xueying gazed into the distance.

Far to the left front, at the edge of the island, countless meteors were connected one after another, extending into the depths of the starry sky. These connected meteors formed the Meteorite Bridge!

At the end of the Meteorite Bridge.

There was a long vine, emerald green, stretching through the entire starry sky. This vine extended all the way to the highest point of the stars. Along the vine grew enormous leaves, each larger than those stars themselves.

“According to the intelligence reports,” Dongbo Xueying said, “as long as we cross the floating island and reach the end of the Meteorite Bridge, we can make our request and obtain the treasure we need.” “I hope the antidote for the Sixfold Ghost Curse is there.”

The floating island and the Meteorite Bridge…

This was the path that many half-gods had to traverse upon entering.

Old Ancestor Heifeng and many other visitors from other realms in ancient times had taken this very path. For those who could suppress an entire era, this path was a matter of nine lives out of ten.

“I can’t do that. I need to continue upward along the Heaven-Connecting Vine,” Chen Jiu shook his head. “Surviving the ascent along the Heaven-Connecting Vine to reach a higher spatial realm—there lie treasures that even World Gods desire.”

“Ascending along the Heaven-Connecting Vine?” Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “That’s no ordinary danger.”

“A matter of life and death, indeed. So it’s a gamble with our lives!” Chen Jiu said.

Venturing into Red Stone Mountain.

It was divided into two parts.

The first part: crossing the floating island and the Meteorite Bridge. Successfully completing this part would allow one to make a request and obtain the treasure they needed.

The second part: ascending along the Heaven-Connecting Vine into a higher spatial realm, where treasures even World Gods desired awaited.

“Long ago, Red Stone Mountain was used by that mighty being from the Divine Realm to select disciples,” Chen Jiu shook his head. “Anyone who successfully completed the first stage would receive rewards. The rewards for the second stage were even greater! Therefore, even if one couldn’t become the disciple of that mighty being from the Divine Realm, many half-gods in the Divine Realm still ventured into Red Stone Mountain.”

“Selecting disciples like this?” Dongbo Xueying shook his head with a smile.

Dongbo Xueying knew his own limits well.

His most important goal in coming here was to detoxify and survive! He wouldn’t recklessly gamble his life on ascending further, for his life was also very important to the Xia Clan.

Moreover, his cultivation level wasn’t high enough yet. When he eventually reached the peak of the third stage in all three of his second-tier true meanings, or even attained the “Divine Heart Realm,” his power would be even greater through his secret techniques. It would be better to wait until then, when he was stronger, to attempt the challenge again, making it safer.

As for those mighty World Gods.

Even if there were such powerful cultivators willing to descend here, they couldn’t afford to send them! The cost of transportation was too high. Sending someone like Chen Jiu was already a painful decision, and they couldn’t afford to send two. Let alone sending someone much stronger than Chen Jiu.

…

There were four teams, all very serious, all aiming to ascend along the Heaven-Connecting Vine into a higher spatial realm.

Although it was a matter of life and death, they had to take the gamble!

Therefore, from the very beginning, they had to be cautious, ensuring as many team members as possible survived so they could go further later.

“We must ascend along the Heaven-Connecting Vine and enter a higher spatial realm,” the Master of Meishan Mountain said, his eyes gleaming. For this day, he had chosen to complete three Hell-Level tasks to escape the control of the Temple of Time and Space and come to the world of the Xia Clan!

“A higher spatial realm,” Chen Jiu also looked into the distance at the massive Heaven-Connecting Vine that seemed to pierce through the entire starry sky. His eyes carried a murderous intent. “I must survive and return, revive my Sword Pavilion, and annihilate all my enemies!”

“My clan was destroyed, and I, Wu Ma Hai, have survived to this day. This time, though it’s a matter of life and death, if I survive, I can change everything and turn the tide,” the golden-armored youth Wu Ma Hai clenched his fists tightly, with faint black cracks appearing in his clenched fists.

“This is our chance to turn the tide. After all, it’s only a matter of life and death? We’ve already endured two Hell-Level tasks, haven’t we?” The golden-robed young man, the Sword Emperor, spoke casually, though the tall man and the seductive woman beside him wore serious expressions. They had agreed to come here for the same reason—to take a gamble.

Dongbo Xueying also looked on.

His pressure was relatively lighter; as long as he detoxified, he would have succeeded.

While detoxifying…

Dongbo Xueying also wanted to obtain enough treasures from Red Stone Mountain to increase the Xia Clan’s chances of victory in the impending war.

“Everyone, the Stone Statue Guardians are extremely dangerous. If surrounded by them, it’s all over,” Wu Ma Hai said. “Therefore, it’s not good for us to act together in large groups. We should keep a distance of at least ten thousand miles from each other. We’ll go first!”

After the golden-armored youth Wu Ma Hai finished speaking,

He led his subordinates, Bo Bo and Ba Han, stepping out of the safe area around the dark black gate. They cautiously and swiftly advanced along a seemingly beautiful stone path toward the depths of the forest.