Chapter 462 - 459: The Ancient Ruins Open

Chapter 462: Chapter 459: The Ancient Ruins Open

「Two days later, at dawn.」

Morning light enveloped the mountains, casting a faint golden glow on the ancient structure half-buried in the basin.

Hundreds of figures stood scattered around the edge of the basin.

"It should be opening today, right?"

A young man spoke in a low voice filled with anticipation.

"Based on the timing, it should be today."

Another young man chimed in, his gaze fixed on the structure buried deep in the earth.

Just then—

HUMMM...

A low, prolonged hum emanated from deep underground.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it seemed to vibrate directly in everyone’s hearts, causing the expressions of the hundreds of people present to turn grim.

All eyes snapped in unison toward the ancient, half-buried structure in the center of the basin.

On the dome, the ancient and mysterious patterns suddenly lit up.

Light spread outward from every node of the patterns, flowing across the dome’s surface like ripples on water, growing brighter and more brilliant.

Immediately after, the patterns on the edge of the jade gate that slanted into the ground also began to glow.

The light spread along the patterns, converging from the doorframe to the door itself, finally coalescing into a huge point of light in the very center of the jade gate.

RUMBLE—

Amidst the heavy rumbling, the jade gate slowly opened to both sides.

Behind the gate was not a deep passage, but a translucent barrier.

The barrier was a pale gold, like a giant screen of light, completely obscuring the scene within.

Faint streams of light flickered on the barrier’s surface, as if countless tiny runes were flowing within it.

This barrier was how these Ancient Ruins filtered out those not on the Celestial Pride List.

It would only allow those on the Celestial Pride List to enter. Anyone who didn’t meet the requirement, even a Grandmaster Powerhouse, could forget about breaking through the barrier.

"The Ancient Ruins are open!"

Someone shouted, and the young people from the various factions at the edge of the basin immediately grew restless.

Hundreds of figures stood up almost simultaneously, their gazes burning as they stared at the open jade gate.

An impatient person was the first to dart out.

WHOOSH!

A young figure shot out from the crowd at an astonishing speed, reaching the jade gate in just a few leaps.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the screen of light.

The light screen flickered slightly, and his figure vanished as if he were a stone sinking into water.

—He was in.

Then came the second figure, the third, the fourth...

Figure after figure darted from the edge of the basin and disappeared into the pale golden light screen.

WHOOSH!

From the Thunderlight Pavilion’s group, Xue Wu glanced in the direction of Mad Saber, then led several sect disciples out. Their agile forms vanished after entering the light screen.

The disciples from the major influences of Songquan County also set off one after another.

"Let’s go."

Over with the Celestial Essence Sect, the elegant-looking disciple in the lead turned his head slightly and nodded at the eleven fellow disciples behind him.

Twelve moon-white figures shot out simultaneously at an astonishing speed, their forms like white bolts of lightning in the morning light.

When they entered the light screen, the pale golden barrier merely flickered before letting them pass through.

"Let’s go, too."

Fang Han withdrew his gaze and looked at the members of the Qingxuan Sect beside him.

He took the lead, striding toward the jade gate, with Luo Yuntian, Yun Muyao, and the others following closely behind.

The nine figures sped through the morning light and soon arrived before the jade gate.

HUMMM—

Fang Han didn’t pause, stepping straight into the light screen.

The moment he passed through the light screen, he felt a gentle yet irresistible force sweep over his entire body, as if some invisible gaze was examining and identifying him.

The sensation vanished in a flash. The next moment, his vision cleared.

He was in a massive hall.

The hall was circular, with a dome soaring hundreds of feet high. It was forged from the same material as the Martial Arts Stele, smooth as a mirror and gleaming with a cold luster.

Countless Luminous Pearls were embedded in the four walls, emitting a cold brilliance that brightly illuminated the entire hall.

The floor was made of the same material as the Martial Arts Stele, as flat and reflective as a mirror.

Directly ahead was a passageway.

The passageway was about thirty feet wide and twenty feet high. The walls on both sides were smooth and flat, with only Luminous Pearls embedded in them and no other decorations.

Deep within the passageway, two puppets shaped like Demon Beasts could be clearly seen.

One resembled a fierce tiger, forged entirely from some kind of dark gold metal. It was nearly ten feet long, with thick limbs and claws that gleamed with a cold light.

Its scarlet eyes were coldly watching the crowd at the entrance of the passageway.

The other resembled a giant wolf, similar in size to the Tiger Puppet. It was pitch-black, with eerie green eyes that gave off a chilling feeling.

The two puppets stood guard in the middle of the passageway, one on the left and one on the right.

They didn’t release any aura, but their bodies, forged from metal and mysterious power, along with the cold light in their eyes, made everyone present feel a chill.

"This is the first trial."

A young man who knew a fair bit about the Ancient Ruins said.

"These two puppets are incredibly sturdy. It’s said that no matter the level of Cultivation behind an attack, they can’t be damaged."

"Fortunately, the power they can unleash is restricted to the Early Stage of Fourth Grade. The way to pass isn’t to destroy them, but simply to get through the passageway to the other side."

Inside the hall, hundreds of figures stood scattered about, their gazes focused on the passageway.

The twelve disciples of the Celestial Essence Sect took their rightful place at the very front.

The elegant young man, Bai Yan, stood with his hands behind his back, calmly sizing up the two puppets in the passageway.

"Let’s go!"

Bai Yan was the first to step into the passageway.

The Tiger Puppet’s scarlet eyes suddenly lit up. It kicked off the ground with its four paws, its massive metal body lunging forward like a flash of dark gold lightning.

Its claws tore through the air with a piercing shriek.

Bai Yan’s expression didn’t change; he didn’t even draw his sword.

He simply sidestepped casually, dodging the Tiger Puppet’s pounce by a hair’s breadth, and continued walking forward without breaking his stride.

The Tiger Puppet missed, and before it could even land, the Wolf Puppet pounced from the other side.

Its eerie green eyes flickered with a cold light as it opened its giant metal jaws and snapped at his waist.

He still didn’t draw his sword, simply flickering once and slipping past the Wolf Puppet’s side like a phantom.

Both puppets’ attacks missed completely. Without even making a move, he had already passed through the passageway and reached the other end.

The second Celestial Essence Sect disciple to attempt the trial, a beautiful female disciple, also passed with ease.

She drew her sword and slashed at the Tiger Puppet’s lunging claws.

CLANG—!

With a clang of metal on metal, the Tiger Puppet’s forward momentum was forcefully halted, and it stumbled back two steps.

She used the momentum to shoot forward, passing through the passageway before the Wolf Puppet could pounce.

The third, the fourth, the fifth...

One by one, the twelve disciples of the Celestial Essence Sect stepped into the passageway.

Some fought, some didn’t, but without exception, all of them passed with ease.

Even the weakest among them passed through after using no more than three moves.

"The disciples of an Overlord-level Influence really live up to their reputation!"

Witnessing the twelve Celestial Essence Sect disciples pass the trial so easily, a young man from Songquan County spoke in a low, grave voice.

Over the past two days, he had learned from the elders in his sect that these twelve were from an Overlord-level Influence, and he now understood what that meant.

"All twelve of them passed... and the weakest one only used three moves."

Another young man added, his voice filled with unconcealable shock.

The strength displayed by the twelve Celestial Essence Sect disciples created an indescribable sense of pressure in the hearts of the prodigies from the various counties.

After the Celestial Essence Sect, the prodigies from the other counties began to attempt the trial.

A disciple from one of Donglu County’s influences was the first to step into the passageway.

He drew his sword and fought the Tiger Puppet for over ten moves, then narrowly avoided the Wolf Puppet’s pounce, barely managing to make it through the passageway.

He passed, but was in a sorry state.

Immediately after, another prodigy from Songquan County stepped into the passageway.

His strength was clearly inferior to the previous one. After just a few moves against the Tiger Puppet, he was ambushed by the Wolf Puppet, which swiped a claw onto his shoulder.

He was sent flying backward, crashing heavily at the entrance of the passageway.

He coughed up blood, his face deathly pale.

Trial failed.

The third, the fourth, the fifth...

Figure after figure stepped into the passageway. Some passed, some did not.

Many of those who passed were in a sorry state, covered in injuries.

As for those who failed, just before they could be killed by the puppets, they were enveloped by the golden barrier and sent out of the Ancient Ruins.

Apparently, even among those on the Celestial Pride List, not everyone could pass the first trial.

The trial process was swift, and soon it was the turn of Fang Han’s group of nine.

CLACK, CLACK—

Fang Han was the first to move, walking toward the passageway.

The moment he stepped into the passageway, the eyes of the Tiger Puppet and the Wolf Puppet suddenly lit up.

Their massive metal bodies transformed into two streaks of dark gold lightning and lunged at him.

Fang Han’s expression remained unchanged as his right hand went to his sword hilt.

SHING—

The Cloud Splitting Sword was unsheathed.

A flash of sword-light.

Before anyone could even see how he had drawn his sword, they heard two loud CLANGS.

The lunging bodies of the Tiger Puppet and Wolf Puppet were sent flying backward as if struck by giant hammers, crashing heavily into the passageway walls with a dull thud.

CLACK, CLACK—

Sheathing his sword, Fang Han walked on without pause, passing through the passageway. From entering to exiting, it had only taken a few breaths’ time.

He stood at the other end of the passageway with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the passageway.

’I wonder how many of the nine from the Qingxuan Sect will pass this first trial?’

Luo Yuntian was the second to step into the passageway.

He drew his sword. His sword-light was steady as he fought the Tiger Puppet for several moves before seizing an opening and forcing it back with a single strike.

Before the Wolf Puppet could pounce, he darted forward and passed through the passageway.

He passed, and with considerable ease.

Yun Muyao was the third to enter the passageway.

Her Swordsmanship was cold and detached, and a chilling aura spread out from her. After a few exchanges, the surfaces of the Tiger Puppet and Wolf Puppet were covered in frost, slowing their movements.

She also passed with ease.

Kuang Tu was the fourth to enter the passageway.

His great saber left its sheath, delivering a series of slashes, each heavier than the last. He forced back the Tiger Puppet and Wolf Puppet in the most brutal fashion, then strode through the passageway like a meteor.

Chen Wuhen was the fifth to enter the passageway.

With his folding fan closed, his figure was erratic. He continuously dodged the puppets’ pincer attack, and after a moment, found an opportunity to pass through the passageway.

Su Yuwei was the sixth to enter the passageway.

Her expression was grave. She drew her sword and fought the Tiger Puppet, taking dozens of moves before she barely managed to get through.

As she passed, a wound had already been carved into her left shoulder by the Tiger Puppet’s claws, and blood soaked through the front of her clothes.

Mo Chen was the seventh to enter the passageway.

His face was cold and stern, his Swordsmanship sharp and fierce. He fought the two puppets for a long time, accumulating several wounds before narrowly passing through.

Liu Ruyan was the eighth to enter the passageway.

After only a few exchanges with the Tiger and Wolf Puppets, she was struck on the shoulder by a claw and sent flying backward.

She coughed up blood, her face deathly pale.

Trial failed.

Wang Miao was the ninth to enter the passageway.

His strength was even a bit weaker than Liu Ruyan’s, and he also failed to pass.

After fighting the Tiger Puppet for a few moves, he was pounced on from the side by the Wolf Puppet and sent flying, crashing heavily at the entrance of the passageway.

Trial failed.

The two of them were enveloped by the golden barrier and sent out of the Ancient Ruins.

Of the nine from the Qingxuan Sect, only seven ultimately passed the first trial.

And of the hundreds of people who had originally entered the Ancient Ruins, only just over two hundred remained after the first trial’s screening.