Chapter 688: Spectre Prefecture Master
Translator: Radiant Translations Editor: Radiant Translations
Xue Ying had some conjectures regarding the consequences of killing Fei Huo Palace Master's avatar, though he wasn't too mindful of it. He was more concerned about the 'Ancient Shrine'.
Within the hall, Chong-Shi Forefather sent everyone away. He sat opposite of Xue Ying and personally poured a cup of fruit wine for Xue Ying: "Guest Elder Flying Snow, there has always been a legend about the Ancient Shrine, though few knew about it. I have coincidentally learned of it."
"A legend?" Xue Ying looked at him. He was waiting for the other party to continue.
"A world has its rise and fall. Each cycle is called an epoch." Chong-Shi Forefather continued, "The legend goes something like this. A very long time ago, during the earliest inception of this world, there are no lifeforms within. Suddenly, a group of humans has descended into this world at a certain point in time. Among them, there is also a very ancient-looking shrine."
Xue Ying was stunned after hearing that: "The world doesn't give birth to the earliest humans. Rather, they descended here suddenly?"
"As I said, it is a legend." Chong-Shi Forefather continued explaining, "Within the legend, it is said that there are many cultivation techniques within that Ancient Shrine accompanying the descent of humankind, and also large amounts of absolute arts within. The legend also says that almost all our absolute arts originated from that Ancient Shrine."
"Oh?" Xue Ying had some guesses.
He was always mystified.
This world could not compare with the Deity world and Abyss in strength. There were not many Paragons existing here. It was tough for a Paragon alone to create an absolute art, and even if this world emerged along with the formation of the cosmos–this would be at most the eighth epoch. With so few Paragons existing in this world, having two to three absolute arts created by them was something exceptional already.
But how could there be so many of it here! It seemed that there was a high probability of this legend being true. The cultivation techniques and absolute arts had been left behind by a mighty senior, and it could even be Ancestor Devil!
'Ancestor Devil did not even leave behind many absolute arts in the Deity world and Abyss, so why did he do so in this world?' Xue Ying felt something was not right.
"Those absolute arts have been taken from the Ancient Shrine. Today, there is nothing within the Ancient Shrine anymore." Chong-Shi Forefather continued, "Thus, this so-called legend is something which we feel dubious about."
"Other than that…"
"There's also another legend regarding the Ancient Shrine–as long as one conquered the palace, he will become the strongest expert in this world, conquering the entire world." Chong-Shi Forefather sighed, "And precisely because of this legend, 'Paragon Emperor Xu' from the Xu Empire have personally constructed his nation right where the palace was located at, occupying the Ancient Shrine himself."
"Naturally, if we requested to enter, Paragon Emperor Xu might let us in. It's just that the Ancient Shrine is horrifying; the moment we step through the doors of the shrine, we had been forced to kneel on the ground by an unseen pressure. In the end, we had to crawl out of that place." Chong-Shi Forefather recounted his experience while shaking his head in lament, "From what I know, even Paragon Emperor Xu could not proceed deep into the Ancient Shrine."
"Oh?" Xue Ying squinted his eyes.
Chong-Shi Forefather had excellent combat power because he cultivated in absolute arts, yet he was forced to kneel after walking past the doors of the Ancient Shrine. This Ancient Shrine seemed genuinely mysterious and unfathomable.
'Conquering the Ancient Shrine meant one would become the strongest expert and become the overlord of this world?' Xue Ying thought, 'Regardless, it seems that my previous suspicions about the presence of many absolute arts seem to stem from the Ancient Shrine. Even Fei Huo Palace Master and the others have never seen a stage four World Deity opening his Dao. With how powerful I am, they must have guessed that it was related to the Ancient Shrine.'
'This Ancient Shrine… is indeed extraordinary, and could be the final destination led by the marking on Ancestor Devil's star map.' Xue Ying thought.
He had been living in seclusion on this world for more than a thousand years.
After this thousand years, he had finally found out that the Ancient Shrine could be his destination.
"Mn?"
Xue Ying frowned, "Patriarch, I'm taking a walk outside."
Chong-Shi Forefather was slightly alarmed. They were chatting normally when Xue Ying wanted to leave abruptly. Nonetheless, Chong-Shi Forefather did not dare ask him why and just smiled: "I'll not disturb Guest Elder Flying Snow then. If Guest Elder has any matter, do tell me."
"Mn." Xue Ying went out.
...
The current sky was dark. Night had arrived.
Xue Ying walked within the vast mansion of the Chong-Shi World Clan residence. He soon came by a lake. There was a black figure standing by that lake. This black figure was wrapped entirely in black cloth, revealing just a pair of violet eyes.
"If I am not wrong, you should be the Spectre Prefecture Master right?" Xue Ying asked.
"That's me indeed. Guest Elder Flying Snow is amazing. Despite entering stealth mode and slightly extending my senses towards guest elder, I've been discovered straight away." Spectre Prefecture Master said.
Xue Ying sighed instead, "Spectre Prefecture Master's method of hiding is amazing. If not for prefecture master taking the initiative to sense me, I might not know about your presence."
There were five Paragons in this world.
According to the intelligence he gathered, the strongest two were Paragon Emperor Xu and Golden Fire Palace Master–they should have an Apex Paragon combat power. The other three were weaker by a level, and amongst them, 'Spectre Prefecture Master' was slightly special. He could appear and disappear soundlessly and was the only one who could teleport in this world.
According to this intelligence, Xue Ying understood that he must have created his world since he could teleport!
It should be something similar to the 'Mirage World' or 'Shadow world'.
Furthermore, he had just killed Fei Huo Palace Master. According to the distance of this world, it might take eight to ten years to rush form the Spectre Prefecture, yet the other party had arrived here within a single night after knowing that he had killed Fei Huo Palace Master. Such speed could only be achievable by teleportation.
"Haha, we should not flatter each other." Spectre Prefecture Master chuckled, "I came this time to invite Guest Elder Flying Snow to join my Spectre Prefecture. You and I will command the entire Spectre Prefecture with equal statuses. All the treasures within my Spectre Prefecture can be enjoyed by Guest Elder Flying Snow any time. For instance, my Spectre Prefecture has a total of eight absolute arts currently."
Xue Ying sighed after hearing it. A Paragon could obtain eight original copy of absolute arts personally. If in the Deity world and Abyss, a Paragon would be overjoyed to own a single original copy of absolute art.
"Guest Elder Flying Snow, what do you think?" Spectre Prefecture Master said, "You are formidable in front battle, and I can hide in the dark. With both of us working together, how could the Sky Fire Palace and Xu Empire deal with us?"
"Let me think about it." Xue Ying chuckled.
No matter how Spectre Prefecture Master persuaded, Xue Ying did not agree temporarily. Instead, he left his decision hanging.
Thus, Spectre Prefecture Master could only temporarily leave: "If Guest Elder Flying Snow has made your decision, you can contact me via karma."
"Alright." Xue Ying nodded.
...
But three days later, Xue Ying left the Chong-Shi World Clan secretly. He borrowed the Mirage World to teleport continuously, spending just half an hour to arrive at the distant region of Xu Empire. In this world, other than Spectre Prefecture Master who could travel so quickly, the only other person who could do it was Xue Ying.
'Ancient Shrine?'
Xue Ying stood in midair watching that distant location.
There was an ordinary-looking shrine. This shrine was made from rocks which could be seen everywhere. The shrine itself was quite dilapidated, yet this shrine… was emitting an extremely frightening might. The region 5,000 kilometers around the God Palace had been suppressed, with this suppression becoming stronger the closer one got to the palace.
'Ordinary powerful existences could not even enter the God Palace. They will just be forced to kneel.' Xue Ying thought.
The surrounding aura was too powerful. Thus, no living beings could stay here! Even 'Paragon Emperor Xu' could not live in this region since who would be willing to do so when he had to suffer from suppression all the time?
"Xiu."
Using the Mirage World, he teleported once.
Xue Ying arrived at the entrance of this Ancient Shrine. Even though the pressure was intense, it was like a slight breeze to Xue Ying as he had cultivated the initial scroll of Myriad Devil True Body.
'It is indeed mysterious.' Xue Ying frowned as he inspected this God Palace. Borrowing the Mirage World, he could only teleport here. As for the insides of the God Palace, there was an unseen ripple covering it that did not belong to the ordinary world. It had even entered all regions within the Mirage World, preventing Xue Ying from teleporting in.
'It could even suppress the Mirage World?' Xue Ying was clear that even the Rulers–Bloodshed God-Emperor and the rest, could not suppress the entire Mirage World just by relying on arrays!
'The existence who created this Ancient Shrine must be stronger than Rulers.' Xue Ying casually made his way in the Ancient Shrine. During that moment when he passed through the door, the pressure began getting even stronger.