Chapter 647: Ancient God Mountain
Lin Yue struck Pang Long, one of the top three inner disciples, with a single sword wave, causing considerable shock among those present.
Many could not believe their eyes, so they rubbed them with both hands and opened them again, only to see the same calm and composed "Lin Yue" standing in place.
"Senior Brother Lin Yue is incredibly powerful. That move just now must have been the Ten-Pulse Sword Wave, right? The Ten-Pulse Sword Wave is only a spirit-rank upper-grade martial technique, yet it defeated Senior Brother Pang's ghost-rank sword technique."
"Can't you see? Senior Brother Lin Yue has already cultivated the Ten-Pulse Sword Wave to the realm of perfection! His attainment in the Sword Dao seems even higher than Senior Brother Pang's."
"Senior Brother Lin Yue must have broken through to the Fish-Dragon Realm. From now on, he will be a honored Saint-Transmitted Disciple."
...
There were also quite a few female disciples in the Martial Market Academy who had a secret crush on Lin Yue. Seeing "Lin Yue" casually point a finger and defeat the renowned Pang Long, they became extremely excited.
Lin Yue was not only handsome in appearance but also possessed profound cultivation. He was practically the perfect dream lover in the hearts of the female disciples.
Many female disciples even turned into lovesick fools, showing adoring eyes and gazing at Lin Yue with infatuation.
The inner disciples who had previously looked down on Lin Yue all changed expression drastically, as if facing a great enemy. They kept retreating, looking at him with considerable fear.
They finally realized that Lin Yue's strength seemed to have truly grown to a rather terrifying level.
If Lin Yue had any intention of seeking revenge, even if all of them combined forces, they probably wouldn't be a match for him.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze shifted to Pang Long.
Pang Long felt a powerful oppressive force and involuntarily took a step back. However, he quickly suppressed the fear in his heart and said, "Lin Yue, what are you trying to do? Don't think that just because you've broken through to the Fish-Dragon Realm, you're something special. My great-granduncle is Yuan Long Half-Saint. Do you dare to touch me?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly and said casually, "Why are you so afraid? I never said I was going to do anything to you. Aren't we all fellow disciples? Why must we fight each other? I came to the Martial Market Academy only to catch up with Junior Sister Han Qiu. I have no other intentions. Are you leaving now, or would you like to gather together?"
If Pang Long hadn't made the first move, Zhang Ruochen wouldn't have wanted to become enemies with him at all.
Being able to turn conflict into harmony would naturally be the best outcome.
"Hmph! Lin Yue, you're ruthless. Let's wait and see. When I break through to the Fish-Dragon Realm, I will definitely reclaim my honor today. I'll repay the humiliation you've inflicted on me twofold."
Pang Long was a very proud person and completely ignored Zhang Ruochen's gesture of goodwill. Instead, he felt that Zhang Ruochen was deliberately humiliating him.
Therefore, he resented Zhang Ruochen even more and secretly vowed that he would not rest until he had avenged this grievance.
Today, Pang Long had lost face in front of Han Qiu, so naturally he had no face to stay any longer. He slunk away from the Martial Market Academy.
"Alas! Another enemy made." Zhang Ruochen sighed.
Sometimes, one really had no choice.
If someone wants to teach you a lesson, you can't just stand there, let them hit you, and not fight back, can you?
Han Qiu stared at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Your cultivation has improved really fast, and it seems your Sword Dao realm has already reached Sword Heart Illumination."
In just two months, Lin Yue's strength had indeed increased somewhat excessively. Just now, he had executed the perfected Ten-Pulse Sword Wave, which even Han Qiu found hard to believe.
How could Lin Yue's Sword Dao realm be so high?
Zhang Ruochen looked at Han Qiu, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth as he spoke a sentence that left Han Qiu utterly bewildered.
"Haven't you also improved quite quickly in these past few years?"
After saying this, Zhang Ruochen turned and left the Martial Market Academy, heading down the mountain.
"He just left like that? What did he mean by that last sentence?"
Han Qiu stared at Lin Yue's back, her two slender brows slightly furrowed, a look of confusion on her face. She felt that Lin Yue's last sentence seemed to hide some other meaning.
Previously, the impression Lin Yue had left on her had always been extremely poor—not only arrogant and self-righteous but also flirtatious everywhere.
But this time, Lin Yue appeared very restrained, carrying an air of ethereal detachment that made it hard for her to hate him.
Could breaking through to the Fish-Dragon Realm really cause such a tremendous change in a person?
Although Han Qiu still hated Lin Yue, she now felt a glimmer of curiosity about him.
What kind of person was he, really?
"The altar isn't in the Martial Market Academy."
Upon arriving at the Martial Market Academy, Zhang Ruochen had been releasing his Spiritual Power to probe the six sacred mountains of the academy, even examining a hundred zhang deep underground, but he found no trace of the altar.
Since the altar wasn't in the Martial Market Academy, Zhang Ruochen naturally left immediately, not wanting to stay any longer.
Zhao Han'er had been following behind Zhang Ruochen, her two eyes narrowed into slits like two curved crescent moons. For some reason, when she saw Senior Brother Lin Yue defeat Senior Brother Pang Long, her heart felt incredibly joyful.
Senior Brother Lin Yue was just too handsome and too powerful. With a casual sword wave, he had defeated a top expert like Senior Brother Pang Long. From now on, who would dare to question Senior Brother Lin Yue's strength?
Descending the sacred mountain, they arrived at a seven-zhang-wide stone-paved road. Zhang Ruochen stopped and looked toward a convoy not far away.
That convoy consisted of fourth-rank savage beasts, "Mammoth Elephants," pulling the carts. Each cart was tied with ten iron-sheeted large boxes, moving like a heavy metal mountain.
Zhang Ruochen activated his Heavenly Eye and instantly saw that the iron boxes were all filled with Spirit Crystals.
Pretending not to know, Zhang Ruochen asked, "What are they transporting?"
Zhao Han'er, flattered that Zhang Ruochen had taken the initiative to speak to her, quickly replied, "Those are Spirit Crystals transported back from the Abyssal Ancient Mine, about to be sent to the Sword Pavilion. I heard that all those Spirit Crystals are to be used for the Sword Discussion Conference."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Isn't the ninth day of the ninth month still half a year away? Why are they preparing now?"
Zhao Han'er looked at Zhang Ruochen with some surprise and asked curiously, "Senior Brother Lin Yue, don't you know? The Sword Discussion Conference is a grand event held once every hundred years. The sect started preparing two years ago."
Zhang Ruochen realized he had slipped up and quickly said, "I mean, even if the Sword Discussion Conference is grand in scale, it shouldn't require that many Spirit Crystals."
The convoy certainly wasn't transporting Spirit Crystals to the Sword Pavilion for the first time today. It was likely that large quantities were being sent every day.
That was why Zhang Ruochen became suspicious.
"I'm not too sure about that. Anyway, the Sword Discussion Conference requires not only the arrangement of many formations but also the construction of a central altar, which should consume a large amount of Spirit Crystals." Zhao Han'er said.
Hearing the word "altar," Zhang Ruochen's eyes lit up, like a lost person suddenly finding the right direction.
He immediately asked, "Which direction is the Sword Pavilion?"
"It's to the southwest, located on Ancient God Mountain in Shangqing Palace. That is the most sacred place in the Liangyi Sect. It is said that only Saint-Transmitted Disciples have the opportunity to cultivate there... Huh... Senior Brother Lin Yue? Senior Brother Lin Yue? Where did he go?"
Before Zhao Han'er could finish her words, she blinked, and Zhang Ruochen had already vanished without a trace.
"As expected of a Fish-Dragon Realm expert. Senior Brother Lin Yue is really fast."
Zhao Han'er cupped her chin with both hands, her admiration for her beloved Senior Brother Lin Yue growing even stronger.
Zhang Ruochen was rushing toward Shangqing Palace, intending to investigate.
Constructing a Heaven and Earth Altar was an extremely massive project. Once it started, it would inevitably consume a vast amount of manpower and resources. The Liangyi Sect would certainly use the best possible excuse to cover it up.
Preparing for the Sword Discussion Conference was an excellent pretext.
Zhang Ruochen was now almost certain that the Heaven and Earth Altar was likely hidden on Ancient God Mountain in Shangqing Palace.
Arriving at Shangqing Palace, Zhang Ruochen took out his inner disciple token and smoothly entered the palace gate.
"Shangqing Palace" was one of the three palaces, not only overseeing the thirty-six sacred mountains but also occupying the Liangyi Sect's most ancient sacred land, Ancient God Mountain.
Legend had it that Ancient God Mountain was formed from the corpse of an ancient god. The seven sacred springs within the mountain were the seven blood vessels of that ancient god. Drinking the water from these sacred springs year-round could help cultivators comprehend the Sacred Dao and even provide an opportunity to break through to the Half-Saint realm.
Zhang Ruochen gazed toward Ancient God Mountain, seeing a red mountain shadow hidden within the clouds and mist. Only a majestic outline was visible; the full form of the mountain could not be discerned.
Ancient God Mountain had seven layers. Even the lowest, the first layer, was nine thousand meters high, not something an ordinary martial artist could climb.
"Father once said that Ancient God Mountain of the Liangyi Sect hides a great secret from the Middle Ages, and even he once fell within the mountain."
Zhang Ruochen could feel an ancient aura emanating from Ancient God Mountain, inspiring awe in his heart.
Could it be that Ancient God Mountain truly was the corpse of an ancient god?
Back then, the Ming Emperor had studied under the Liangyi Sect. With his unparalleled heroic bearing, he had nearly died on Ancient God Mountain. This showed that Ancient God Mountain was far more than it appeared on the surface; there must be immense danger within.
Zhang Ruochen released his Spiritual Power, attempting to probe Ancient God Mountain.
But before his Spiritual Power could even get close to Ancient God Mountain, it was repelled by an invisible force, instead shaking Zhang Ruochen back three consecutive steps.
"Formidable."
Zhang Ruochen clutched his head, feeling a sharp pain. The force of that counter-shock just now was extremely powerful, nearly causing his forty-fourth-order Spiritual Power to collapse.
It took him half an hour to recover, and he opened his eyes again.
"I can't use Spiritual Power to probe. I'll have to investigate in person."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze became resolute once more as he strode toward Ancient God Mountain.
He had only just reached the outskirts of Ancient God Mountain when he was stopped by two old Daoists guarding the mountain gate.
To the left of the mountain gate, a slightly plump old Daoist said, "Today, no disciple is permitted to set foot on Ancient God Mountain. Withdraw at once."
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the two old Daoists. Both were at the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, their entire bodies radiating a glazed treasure light, like two guardian deities.
A person at the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm was only fit to guard the outer mountain gate.
This Ancient God Mountain seemed truly extraordinary.