# Chapter 1816: The Heroes of Ancient Kunlun Will All Return
Within the Qiankun Realm, beneath the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree.
A nine-inch-tall azure jade pagoda floated in midair, exquisitely delicate, emitting a faint layer of azure light.
The branches and leaves of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree swayed gently, and a vast, ethereal voice emerged: "With your current cultivation, if you undo the seals, you may not be able to suppress the Azure Heaven Floating Tower."
"I want to try. If I cannot subdue it with my own strength, I hope the Divine Tree senior can lend me a hand." Zhang Ruochen's voice was calm.
Having said this, Zhang Ruochen proceeded to break through the layers of seals on the surface of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower.
"Rustle."
The small pagoda trembled violently.
Instantly, heaven and earth in this region quaked, and ripples spread through the air like waves. Zhang Ruochen felt as if he were caught in a spatial storm, unable to steady his feet, his body on the verge of being torn apart by that force at any moment.
He undid the final seal.
"Boom."
A surge of supreme power erupted, crashing into Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen was prepared. He raised the Eight Dragon Umbrella, its canopy spinning rapidly, blocking the supreme power, while his body retreated dozens of miles away.
Lowering the Eight Dragon Umbrella, he looked ahead.
There, the Azure Heaven Floating Tower had grown to the size of a mountain, azure light swirling, its aura terrifying beyond compare, and it came crashing down toward him.
Zhang Ruochen was no longer what he used to be, so naturally he did not fear it. Wrapping his body with the Eight Dragon Umbrella, he transformed into a streak of golden light and charged forward.
"Bang." The Eight Dragon Umbrella struck open the tower door, carrying Zhang Ruochen as they burst inside.
Within the tower was a misty world, with countless stars suspended above Zhang Ruochen's head, arranged in a peculiar pattern.
Ripples spread beneath Zhang Ruochen's feet as he walked, saying, "I've heard that the artifact spirit of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower has long since vanished without a trace. Now, only a wisp of artifact spirit consciousness remains within the tower. A mere wisp of consciousness wants to oppose me? It won't end well."
"Young man, though I am but a wisp of artifact spirit consciousness, I have existed for a hundred thousand years."
"Whoosh."
The next moment, the stars above the sky rapidly descended.
They were like real stars, growing larger and larger, radiating a majestic and awe-inspiring pressure. Even a Seven-Step Saint King like Zhang Ruochen, let alone a Great Saint, would likely be suppressed and killed.
"Qiankun Realm, lend me your power."
Zhang Ruochen formed a palm seal with his right hand and pushed upward with one hand. Instantly, the entire Qiankun Realm became turbulent, dark clouds blotting out the sky, as the vast world power converged toward the Azure Heaven Floating Tower.
The descending stars all disintegrated, turning into fragments of stone that fell.
Behind those stars, a cyan-colored mythical beast, a Bi'an, revealed itself.
"You are the artifact spirit consciousness of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower?"
Zhang Ruochen condensed his Sword Soul and sent it flying outward.
The three-inch-tall Sword Soul appeared above the cyan Bi'an's head, holding a longsword, ready to strike down at any moment.
The Sword Soul could not only attack a cultivator's Saint Soul but also the artifact spirit of a sacred artifact.
The Sword Soul did not strike.
Because the Azure Heaven Floating Tower, retaining its artifact spirit consciousness, would surely unleash far greater power than in its spiritless state.
If it could be subdued, every effort should be made to do so.
The cyan Bi'an suddenly let out a long sigh: "Zhang Ruochen, your growth rate is at least twice as fast as I estimated."
"So, you're not going to resist anymore?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The cyan Bi'an said, "Since you possess the power to destroy me, why should I continue to resist?"
"Weak-willed." Zhang Ruochen wanted to say that, but in the end, he laughed instead and said, "As far as I know, the artifact spirit of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower is the guardian of the Chi Clan. Yet I am an enemy of the Chi Clan. Aren't you afraid that once I take control of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower, I'll go and destroy the Chi Clan first?"
"You cannot destroy the Chi Clan. Once the main body of the artifact spirit returns, no one can control the Azure Heaven Floating Tower. I can already sense the aura of the main artifact spirit; it should return very soon." The cyan Bi'an said.
The fact that the artifact spirits of all the supreme sacred artifacts in the Kunlun Realm had vanished without a trace had always been a great puzzle troubling Zhang Ruochen.
Now, that puzzle seemed about to be solved.
Zhang Ruochen quickly asked, "Where did the artifact spirit of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower go?"
"I don't know."
The cyan Bi'an shook its head, then added, "But the connection between it and me has already appeared. That means it will soon emerge."
Since the artifact spirit of the Azure Heaven Floating Tower had not been destroyed and would reappear, what about the artifact spirits of the other supreme sacred artifacts?
Would they all emerge together?
Where had they been for these hundred thousand years? Why had they left their vessels?
"Sizzle."
Zhang Ruochen unleashed his Purifying Divine Flame, a mix of azure and white, forming a massive fireball that enveloped the cyan Bi'an, bringing it under control.
Then, he withdrew from the tower and opened his palm.
The Azure Heaven Floating Tower, once as huge as a mountain, shrank to only nine inches and landed in his palm.
"With a supreme sacred artifact in hand, there is no place in the Kunlun lands I cannot go." Zhang Ruochen clasped one hand behind his back, a surge of powerful confidence rising within him, his regal bearing fully displayed.
Next, Zhang Ruochen began studying the God-Destroying Cross Shield and the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror.
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power had only just broken into the God-Destroying Cross Shield when he immediately withdrew. The artifact spirit of the God-Destroying Cross Shield was a true artifact spirit, not just a wisp of consciousness.
It was sleeping.
But the aura it emitted was terrifying.
If it were awakened, the consequences would be unimaginable.
It was very likely that before Zhang Ruochen could even mobilize the world power of the Qiankun Realm, he would be destroyed by it.
Zhang Ruochen placed a layer of sealing power on the surface of the God-Destroying Cross Shield and also asked the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree to wrap a root around it, locking it to the ground, before he felt at ease.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror, however, was an extraordinary treasure. Within it were layers of spatial structures, each layer divided into small spaces the size of palaces.
Inside those small spaces, various savage beasts were nurtured.
Ordinary savage beasts were one thing, but in the third layer of space, all were sacred beasts.
In the fourth layer of space, all were eighth-rank savage beasts at the Saint King realm.
Although Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power could not enter the fifth layer of space, in the fourth layer, he could see shadows of savage beasts below, as if separated by a layer of ice.
It was very likely that the small spaces in the fifth layer were sealed with ninth-rank savage beasts at the level of beast emperors. Just the thought of it made Zhang Ruochen feel somewhat horrified.
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power avatar stopped in the fourth layer of space, standing outside a small space containing a blood bat.
That blood bat's cultivation had reached the Nine-Step Saint King realm. Its face was ferocious as it screeched at Zhang Ruochen, spewing thick blood mist from its mouth.
Between him and the blood bat was a spatial wall.
Of course, a spatial wall could block other cultivators, but not him, a master of space.
Zhang Ruochen used Spatial Displacement to cross the spatial wall and appeared before the blood bat.
"Squeak, squeak."
The blood bat became even more frenzied. Its wings emitted flames, and its claws turned crimson as it attacked Zhang Ruochen wildly.
Zhang Ruochen tried to communicate with the blood bat but failed.
In the end, Zhang Ruochen used force to counter force. He used Spatial Displacement to appear above the blood bat's head and struck it with a palm, sending it crashing to the ground, unconscious.
"Logically, mastering the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror should allow me to control the savage beasts inside." Zhang Ruochen was quite puzzled.
In the end, it came down to his insufficient understanding of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror. If Xiao Hei were here, he could surely answer his questions.
"Perhaps I can ask the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree senior."
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his spiritual power from the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror, stood beneath the divine tree, and began to inquire.
A branch of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree drooped down, wrapping around the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror. After a long while, the vast, ethereal voice spoke: "Zhang Ruochen, the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror is actually a special time-space treasure. You should have noticed that the flow of time inside is different from the outside world, almost in a state of time stasis. That is why the savage beasts left inside by that deity from the Middle Ages have not died to this day."
"However, to control the beasts sealed within, two conditions must be met."
"What two conditions?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"First, each small space in the treasure mirror has a seal. Your power must be sufficient to break the seal before you can summon the beasts trapped inside."
"Second, you must become the master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror to mobilize its power and control the beasts imprisoned within."
Zhang Ruochen said, "How can I become the master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror?"
"The Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror has an artifact spirit that will automatically choose its master."
Zhang Ruochen said, "But I haven't discovered the artifact spirit of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror."
"That is because it has already chosen a master. Moreover, the artifact spirit has merged with the master's Saint Soul." The Sky-Connecting Divine Tree said so.
Zhang Ruochen thought of Yinghuo and suddenly understood. He muttered to himself, "So that's how it is."
If he had known that the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror had already recognized Yinghuo as its master, Zhang Ruochen would never have let Qiu Yichi take her away.
"Damn it."
Zhang Ruochen quickly asked, "In other words, I must kill the former master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror before I can become its new master?"
"That is correct."
Then, the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree added, "But merging with the artifact spirit of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror has both advantages and disadvantages. I advise against it. If possible, it would be best for you to control the master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Treasure Mirror, thereby bringing the beasts within it under your command."
Zhang Ruochen did not know what the disadvantages were, but since the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree was so knowledgeable and said so, there must be a reason.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to leave the Qiankun Realm with the Azure Heaven Floating Tower, the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree spoke again: "Recently, I have recalled some things. A hundred thousand years ago, many outstanding figures from various sects and ancient teachings survived the calamity and entered a state of slumber. But their Saint Souls seemed to have been preserved by special methods, waiting for the right time to awaken."
"What?"
Zhang Ruochen's mind shook violently. He was stunned beyond measure by this news. Suddenly, many thoughts came to him.
"Slumber... Saint Souls..."
Zhang Ruochen thought of the Ancient God Mountain of the Liangyi Sect, the Blood God Sacrificial Altar of the Blood God Sect, and the ancient corpses floating in the deep Yin-Yang Sea, frozen within icebergs.
At the Blood God Sacrificial Altar, Zhang Ruochen had even crossed blows with the Blood God's senior disciple from a hundred thousand years ago, "Blood Spirit Immortal."
At the time, Zhang Ruochen had only thought it was a spiritual projection of Blood Spirit Immortal. But hearing what the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree said, a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind. Could that have been a wisp of Blood Spirit Immortal's Saint Soul?
On the Ancient God Mountain of the Liangyi Sect, it seemed possible to preserve ancient Saint Souls, keeping them from perishing.
If it were before, Zhang Ruochen would never have believed that the dead could be resurrected.
But after witnessing the power of the "Chaos Time-Space Lotus," he knew that as long as the physical body and Saint Soul remained, coming back to life was not difficult.
Wasn't that how Xiao Hei had been revived?
Could it be that many peerless experts from the ancient teachings, sects, and medieval aristocratic clans of the Kunlun Realm were about to awaken? Returning in this chaotic era of great strife?