Asura Emperor Venerable

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Tianxia Sect

The elder roared again, and with a bang, bang, Shi Hao and Xia Mengyin were both sent flying and the entire passage trembled violently before collapsing with a thunderous crash.

The ground melted rapidly like snow encountering heat, revealing a massive palace.

Shi Hao and Xia Mengyin tumbled along, crashing to the ground before finally coming to a halt.

Both of them groaned in pain.

It wasn’t from the impact, but from the elder’s roar, their skin felt like it was about to crack open, and their souls were shaking, as if about to be extinguished.

Fortunately, they both managed to endure.

Hastily, they climbed to their feet, only to find that the old man had disappeared.

“Where is he?” Xia Mengyin asked.

Shi Hao shook his head, “I didn’t see him.”

Both were shaken, thankful that the elder did not have a killing intent; otherwise, they would have had no choice but to face death.

The more critical reason might be that Shi Hao answered the elder’s question.

Just think, how many people would stay calm and answer after seeing the elder’s appearance, instead of screaming in panic or turning to run away?

The people from the Kuangsha Sect were all dead, most likely because their incorrect “actions” had infuriated the elder, resulting in them being drained dry.

For the moment, the two of them dared not act rashly; that elder was too terrifying. It was unclear what level of being he was, to make even an almighty individual from the Founding King Court unable to withstand a single roar.

Besides, they were still unable to move as their souls were constantly in turmoil, and the discomfort was beyond description.

After a long time, they finally recovered somewhat, at least to the point where they had the ability to fight.

However, the elder, like a ghost, did not appear again.

The two of them looked at each other, feeling as though they had narrowly escaped with their lives.

What kind of place was this, so mysterious and strange?

The Cursed Land, could it be cursing those who died unjustly?

“That elder definitely couldn’t be alive!” Xia Mengyin said, “Even a great being who Ascended to Heaven Ladder would be only left with death if they were seriously injured.”

Shi Hao nodded; unless the elder was deliberately fooling them and the sword hadn’t actually pierced his brain.

But the problem was, foul blood was still oozing out.

And why foul blood?

Shouldn’t it be fresh blood?

This place was truly bizarre to the utmost!

Shi Hao looked at Xia Mengyin, “Do you know anything about this place?”

Even though she was not a native of this place, being from a Great Sect and able to understand even the texts of the Po tribe, she certainly knew more than he did.

As expected, after a moment of contemplation, Xia Mengyin said, “In fact, over a thousand years ago, this place was not the Cursed Land but a martial arts Sacred Land. A supreme strongman named Gu Shiyun emerged here. In his youth, he left this island and eventually returned to establish the Tianxia Sect, attracting Myriad Sects to pay homage.”

“However, at the end of his life, Gu Shiyun suddenly disappeared. Afterwards, this island seemed to come under a curse from heaven and earth; people with Spirit Roots capable of cultivation became fewer and fewer. So, although initially Myriad Sects came to pay homage, they gradually departed, leaving the island almost like a Ghost Domain.”

“I didn’t expect that this place could rekindle the flame of the stars.”

Shi Hao was surprised, “You suspect that the curse of heaven and earth is related to Gu Shiyun?”

Xia Mengyin shook her head, “No one knows, but Gu Shiyun had already become an Almighty of the Heaven Building Ladder. What being could possibly cause his disappearance?”

“Didn’t you say that after building the Sky Ladder, one could enter the Immortal Realm?” Shi Hao replied, “Could it be that he succeeded and entered the Immortal Realm, leading to his sudden disappearance?”

“Indeed, some people speculate this, but if Gu Shiyun had entered the Immortal Realm, wouldn’t he raise others to a divine state as well?” Xia Mengyin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, “But instead, this once martial arts Sacred Land came under the scorn of heaven and earth, turning into the Cursed Land.”

It really is strange.

Shi Hao nodded, speculating, “Could that old man who was unfathomably strong be related to Gu Shiyun and the Tianxia Sect?”

Xia Mengyin’s heart couldn’t help but race, “Are you saying that this place is the former site of the Tianxia Sect? If that’s true, then it’s normal for an unbelievably strong guardian to appear, after all, it was once the number one sect!”

She became excited, mumbling to herself, “As long as one masters ‘Ascending to Saint Position,’ they possess a lifespan of two thousand years. Therefore, theoretically, such a strong person could very well be alive to this day. However, I wonder why that strong man was heavily injured and buried within this ancient relic, only to be awakened when the Kuangsha Sect unearthed this place.”

This explanation wasn’t perfect, but it at least gave a direction.

Mainly because she wanted to believe, she overlooked her prior judgment that if one’s head took a sword, even a Sky Ladder warrior wouldn’t survive.”

Shi Hao looked up, “How about we go take a look inside the palace?”

This guy really has nerves of steel. Aren’t you afraid that the old man from before is inside the palace?

But if this is really the Tianxia Sect, then it’s possible to find supreme Cultivation Techniques, Martial Techniques, and the like here, treasures beyond description.

She often ventured into ancient relics for these very reasons, didn’t she?

Does that mean there are no dangers in ancient relics?

“Alright!” Xia Mengyin, able to become the Holy Maiden, certainly didn’t just rely on her martial arts talent and wasn’t lacking in the required decisiveness and bravery.

The two proceeded forward and soon came to the main entrance of the palace, looking up to see three bold characters on the plaque: “Heavenly Palace.”

Heavenly Palace?

“Could it be that this really is the site of the old Tianxia Sect!” Xia Mengyin was immensely excited.

She quickened her pace, heading towards the inside of the palace.

Shi Hao followed her in, entering the grand hall.

Damn!

He quickly came to a halt, his gaze drawn forward, only to see that the center of the hall had turned into a massive pit, unfathomably deep, with a pillar emerging from within it, reaching up to the surface level of the palace floor.

Hmm, there was light flowing over this pillar, emitting an indescribable charm.

Xia Mengyin, however, showed a look of disappointment. Was this the once-commanding hall of the Tianxia Sect?

How did it become like this?

“Look!” Shi Hao pointed at the pillar.

Xia Mengyin looked over, only to see that on the seemingly empty pillar, a figure had suddenly appeared.

That old man!

He looked dazed, seemingly laughing and crying at the same time.

“Let’s go!” Shi Hao and Xia Mengyin quickly retreated. That old man was too terrifying. If he went mad again, the two might not be as lucky to survive like they did before.

The two stepped back cautiously, thankfully the old man remained in a daze and didn’t come after them.

They left the palace and surveyed the area, which had turned completely into ruins, unlikely to yield any further discoveries.

This place was too dangerous, and they didn’t dare linger, quickly continuing their retreat.

Only after they had completely left the ancient relic did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The old man… surely wouldn’t come after them again, right?

However, just when they thought to leave, they suddenly saw the old man’s figure appear in front of them once more.

With a sword stuck in his head, blood streaked across his face, his expression seemingly laughing and crying, he looked at Shi Hao and Xia Mengyin.