Chapter 6176 - 6179

Chen Ping said calmly, “I know.”

Yun Yao bit her lip and whispered, “Young Master, if I may be so bold as to ask… who are you trying to save?”

Chen Ping was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Two friends.”

Yun Yao looked at him, a complex emotion welling up inside her.

This incredibly powerful man would actually travel thousands of miles to the Holy Land of Light to seek help from the Divine Hall for his friends.

She suddenly felt that the coldness and aloofness Chen Ping possessed wasn’t his true nature. It was merely a protective shell.

The real him was loyal and righteous.

“Young Master, although Yun Yao’s strength is low, if there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Yun Yao said earnestly.

Chen Ping glanced at her and nodded.

“Thank you.”

Yun Yao felt a surge of emotion.

To receive Chen Ping’s words of thanks made her feel that this trip had been worthwhile.

…

The two traveled swiftly and soon arrived at the foot of Holy Light Peak.

This mountain peak was majestic and towering, piercing the clouds.

The mountain was covered in lush vegetation, rich in spiritual energy, and filled with a faint fragrance.

Chen Ping stopped and looked up at the summit.

There, a massive palace could be vaguely seen, appearing and disappearing in the clouds.

“The Divine Hall…” he murmured.

Yun Yao stood beside him and said softly, “Young Master, there are restrictions on Holy Light Peak. You can’t fly up directly; you can only climb on foot. This is the rule of the Divine Hall, to show respect.”

Chen Ping nodded and began to walk up the mountain.

Yun Yao quickly followed.

The two climbed the stone steps step by step.

Along the way, Chen Ping remained silent, only moving forward in silence.

In his mind, the figures of the monsters in the dense forest kept appearing.

Monsters formed from the fusion of divine and demonic bloodlines.

Trapped in the dense forest, unable to leave, they could only kill and devour each other’s flesh and blood.

What secrets were hidden behind this?

And what role did the Divine Hall, this ancient force revered by countless righteous cultivators, play in all of this?

He raised his head, gazing at the palace atop the mountain, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

The Holy Land of Light, a gathering place for righteous cultivators.

Yet, along his journey, he had witnessed far more than just light.

The forced marriages of the Holy Purity Sect, the hellish landscape of the dense forest…

Was the so-called righteous path truly so upright and honorable?

For the first time, Chen Ping harbored doubts about the Divine Hall.

He suddenly stopped.

Yun Yao was startled and quickly asked, “Young Master, what’s wrong?”

Chen Ping looked towards the mountaintop, remained silent for a moment, and said calmly, “Nothing. Let’s go.”

He continued walking towards the summit.

Yun Yao watched his retreating figure, a strange feeling welling up within her.

She felt that Chen Ping had hesitated for a moment.

But she didn’t ask.

She knew Chen Ping had his reasons.

The two continued upwards, soon reaching the mountainside.

Just then, a white streak of light descended from the sky, landing before them.

He was a young man, dressed in a white robe, with a handsome face and an otherworldly air. He emanated a faint light, as if he were bathed in holy light.
He glanced at Chen Ping and Yun Yao, nodded slightly, and said in a gentle yet distant tone, “Fellow Daoists, this is a sacred place of the Divine Hall. May I ask what brings you here?”

Chen Ping looked at him and said calmly, “We request an audience with the Lord of the Divine Hall.”

The young man smiled slightly and said, “The Lord is currently in seclusion and does not receive guests. If you have anything to say, please inform me, and I will pass it on.”

Chen Ping frowned slightly.

Seclusion?

He looked at the young man and suddenly asked, “Does the Divine Hall have any demons?”

The young man’s smile froze instantly.

After a moment, his expression returned to normal, and he said calmly, “Fellow Daoist, you jest. The Divine Hall is a sacred place of the righteous path; how could there be any demons?” Chen

Ping looked at him without speaking.

The young man felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze, coughed lightly, and said, “If you have nothing else to say, please return. During the Lord’s seclusion, the Divine Hall does not receive guests.”

Chen Ping was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Alright.”

He turned and walked down the mountain.

Yun Yao was startled and quickly followed.

“Young Master, are we just leaving like this?” she asked in a low voice.

Chen Ping didn’t answer, but simply walked quickly down the mountain.

Although Yun Yao was full of doubts, she didn’t ask any more questions and just silently followed behind him.

On the way down the mountain, Chen Ping suddenly stopped.

Yun Yao was taken aback and was about to ask when she saw Chen Ping turn around, his gaze fixed on the mountaintop, a cold glint in his eyes.

“Young Master?”

Chen Ping said calmly, “That young man… there’s something wrong with him.”

Yun Yao was taken aback: “What’s wrong with him?”

Chen Ping said, “His expression changed when he heard the word ‘Demon Clan’.”

Yun Yao recalled the scene just now and nodded: “Indeed, he seemed… a little nervous.”

Chen Ping was silent for a moment, then said, “The Divine Hall is probably not as simple as it seems on the surface.”

Yun Yao’s heart skipped a beat, and she whispered, “Young Master, you mean…”

Chen Ping didn’t answer.

He turned around and continued down the mountain.

Yun Yao followed behind him, a sense of unease rising in her heart.

She suddenly remembered the monsters in the dense forest, those twisted beings possessing the aura of both gods and demons.

If those monsters were truly related to the Divine Temple…

she shuddered, afraid to think any further.

The two descended the mountain, quickly returning to the foot of Holy Light Peak.

Chen Ping stopped and glanced back at the majestic peak.

The palace atop the mountain, shrouded in mist, appeared and disappeared, sacred and inviolable.

But now, in Chen Ping’s eyes, the palace’s light seemed veiled in shadow.

“Let’s go,” he said calmly.

Yun Yao nodded.

The two transformed into streaks of light, speeding away into the distance.

Behind them, Holy Light Peak still stood, shrouded in mist, as if nothing had happened.

But Chen Ping knew that beneath this seemingly sacred mountain lay untold secrets.

Those secrets might be even more terrifying than he imagined.

But he would not back down.

To bring Mu Sha and his wife back to life, whatever lay ahead, he would forge ahead without hesitation.　　At the foot of Holy Light Peak in the Holy Realm of Light,

Chen Ping, with Yun Yao in tow, stood in a secluded mountain hollow, gazing up at the mountain shrouded in divine light.

The mountain wind howled, stirring up wisps of spiritual mist, yet it couldn’t dispel the heavy atmosphere in their hearts.

“Young Master, shall we… still go up?”

Yun Yao asked softly, her voice tinged with barely concealed worry.

She gently took Chen Ping’s arm, and the instant her fingertips touched his sleeve, she sensed something amiss.

Although Chen Ping’s expression remained unchanged, and his eyes were even sharper than before, she could feel a faint chill emanating from him.

It was a chill that seemed to emanate from the deepest hell, clashing with the omnipresent divine aura of the Holy Realm of Light, even showing signs of mutual repulsion.

In the distance, Holy Light Peak soared into the clouds, its palace atop the peak appearing and disappearing in the mist, like a celestial palace.

Golden light shone through the clouds, sacred and solemn, illuminating every inch of the land.

But at this moment, the light seemed exceptionally dazzling to Chen Ping, as if countless golden needles were piercing his retina, making him feel inexplicably irritated.

Chen Ping remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the faintly visible palace complex on the mountaintop, as if trying to see the truth within through the layers of restrictions.

“Go up.”

His voice was calm and even, yet it carried an undeniable firmness, like metal striking the ground.

Yun Yao was startled, her brows furrowing, and she said urgently, “But that young man said the God Lord is in seclusion, and no one is allowed to disturb him, not even approach him.

If we force our way up, we might bring about our death. The Divine Hall’s protective array is renowned throughout the Fourteenth Heaven; it’s no joke.”

“Seclusion?”

Chen Ping’s lips curled up slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The smile held no warmth, only a mocking glint. “He says he’s in seclusion, and we believe him? He says we can’t use the main gate, and we’re really just left to sigh in despair?”

He turned to Yun Yao, a hint of amusement and resolve flashing in his eyes: “I said we’ll go up, but not through the main gate.”

Yun Yao froze, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

Not through the main gate?

How would they get up then?

The Holy Light Peak was surrounded by the “Nine Heavens and Ten Earths God-Slaying Array,” said to be impenetrable even to True Immortals.

The infamous “Blood-Handed Butcher” of the Demon Clan had once attempted to sneak in from the side, only to be shredded into mincemeat by the array, leaving not even a soul behind.

Chen Ping didn’t explain; he simply raised his right hand slowly.

Golden light flickered faintly in his palm.

This light wasn’t the pure golden hue of Holy Light Peak, but rather a deep, dark gold, as if flowing with ancient dragon blood, mysterious and ancient.

He closed his eyes, his divine sense spreading out like invisible tentacles, instantly enveloping Holy Light Peak.

At this moment, his world changed. The once impenetrable barrier revealed a different face in his eyes.

To ordinary people, Holy Light Peak w　　Anyone attempting to force their way through would be reduced to ashes in the terrifying storm of spiritual energy.

However, in Chen Ping’s perception, the so-called “Nine Heavens and Ten Earths God-Slaying Array” was nothing more than a net woven from countless lines of spiritual energy.

These lines appeared seamless, but in reality, they contained countless nodes and connections.

Each node, each flow of spiritual energy, produced minute fluctuations.

To ordinary cultivators, these fluctuations were negligible and impossible to detect.

“Too crude,” Chen Ping muttered to himself, his tone tinged with disdain.

His spiritual sense followed the lines of spiritual energy, like a fish swimming in water, quickly discovering several extremely subtle flaws.

These flaws weren’t design defects in the array itself, but rather extremely subtle imperfections left by the person who set up the array when connecting two points of spiritual energy with different attributes.

It was like a perfect painting with a drop of undried ink in the corner; though inconspicuous, it disrupted the overall harmony.

To ordinary cultivators, this imperfection was completely negligible, even undetectable.

But in Chen Ping’s eyes, it was like an ink dot on a blank sheet of paper, crystal clear.

“So that’s how it is.”

He opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them, as if he had seen through the century-long scheme. “The foundation of this formation actually borrows the power of a fallen light-elemental demon beast.

Unfortunately, that beast’s power wasn’t pure; it was mixed with a trace of yin energy, causing the entire formation to freeze for a moment every three hours, during the transition between yin and yang.”

This momentary freeze was the location of the Gate of Life.

He calculated the time precisely and looked up at the sky.

It was currently the third quarter of the Si hour, half an incense stick’s time before the transition between yin and yang.

Time was of the essence, and there was no room for delay.

“Follow me.”

He moved, transforming into a faint golden stream of light, and swept towards the side of Holy Light Peak.

That direction led to a sheer cliff, where the wind howled, making it difficult for ordinary people to even stand, let alone climb.

Yun Yao quickly followed, her heart filled with turbulent emotions.

Watching Chen Ping’s effortless movements, she felt her understanding being repeatedly overturned.

The two followed the mountain’s contours, ascending upwards.

Chen Ping chose an extremely cunning route, deliberately traversing the weakest points of the invisible defenses.

Sometimes, he would squeeze sideways between two massive rocks, a seemingly tiny gap that perfectly avoided two intersecting killing formations;

other times, he would pause briefly beside a withered tree, waiting for a gentle breeze to blow and the leaves to obscure the array’s detection before swiftly passing through.

The protective formations set up by the shrines were as useless to him, like paths

in his own backyard. He was like a master strolling through his own garden, intimately familiar with every path and every trap, effortlessly defusing countless dangers.
as as solid as a fortress, with numerous restrictions, like an iron barrel.　Yun Yao followed behind him, her heart filled with growing shock, even a sense

of unreality. She discovered that Chen Ping’s understanding of restrictions was simply unbelievable.

Those seemingly flawless restrictions always had a slight flaw in front of him.

And he could always seize that flaw and easily pass through it, as if those lightning beams, powerful enough to kill even a Celestial Realm expert, were nothing more than a gentle breeze.

Even when he occasionally touched the edge of the formation, he would merely flick his finger, and the originally violent lightning beam would obediently bypass them like a tamed snake, instead striking the open ground in the distance, stirring up a cloud of dust.

“Young Master, how…how do you know the restrictions of the Divine Hall so well?”

She finally couldn’t help but ask, her voice trembling with tension and shock. “This Nine Heavens and Ten Earths God-Slaying Array is a masterpiece of the Divine Hall, painstakingly crafted by three True Immortal Realm elders.

Even disciples within the Divine Hall, without a specially made pass token, could never pass through so easily. Even the elders themselves would have to be extremely cautious.”

Chen Ping didn’t turn around, his steps still light, as if he were walking on a flat road, not a sheer cliff.

“Not familiar. These restrictions are just too crude,” Chen Ping said dismissively.

Yun Yao’s lips twitched, almost choking on her own saliva.

Too crude?

This is the mountain-protecting array that the entire Holy Domain of Light is so proud of!

Throughout the Fourteenth Heaven, countless forces have tried to imitate it but failed.

Countless powerful figures have tried to infiltrate it but have all returned empty-handed, some even perishing within, their bodies never to be found.

Yet, in Chen Ping’s words, it’s “too crude”?

She suddenly realized that she knew far too little about Chen Ping.

How many secrets did this seemingly young man harbor?

Who exactly was he?

Why did he treat even the highest secrets of the Divine Hall like child’s play?

Could he have been a reclusive master of formations?

“Young Master,”

Yun Yao took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but her doubts only deepened, “Since you could break the seal so easily, why did you go up and ask? Wouldn’t it have been better to just come up directly? Why go through all that trouble and arouse his suspicion?”

Chen Ping paused slightly, turning his head to glance at her.

A deep meaning flashed in his profound eyes, as if concealing endless calculations.

“That was a test. I wanted to see if the temple was as good as the rumors suggested.”

He paused, then continued, “If I could just walk in confidently from the front, it would mean there’s a serious problem inside, or they’re deliberately luring us in, waiting for us to walk right into their trap.

But it seems they’re very vigilant, with a tight frontal defense, but this lateral breach exposes their arrogance. They think no one can break this defense, hence this single blind spot.”

Yun Yao felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.

So, it was a test.　　” Young Master’s cunning is truly unfathomable.

” “Arrogance?”

Yun Yao repeated, still somewhat bewildered.

“Yes, arrogance,”

Chen Ping sneered, his voice exceptionally clear in the mountain wind. “They think their formations are unparalleled, yet they don’t understand the cycle of nature, the reversal of extremes.

The more they pursue perfection, the easier it is to leave flaws in the details. These flaws can only be discovered by those who truly understand the essence of formations. In their eyes, everyone else is foolish, only they are supreme—this is their path to death.”

As they spoke, the two had reached the edge of the mountaintop.

Chen Ping stopped, hiding behind a huge bluish-gray rock, his gaze peering through the cracks in the rock towards the palace complex atop the mountain.

The sight before her made Yun Yao gasp.

The architecture of the temple was even more magnificent and grand than what she had seen from below, exuding extravagance and power.

At the center was a massive temple, entirely constructed of an unknown white jade.

The jade shimmered with a soft, milky-white glow under the sunlight, seemingly possessing a sacred quality that made one hesitant to look directly at it.

The temple ceiling was inlaid with countless luminous pearls, not ordinary gemstones, but specially refined “spirit-gathering pearls.”

Arranged in a specific star-pattern, they refracted the sunlight with dazzling brilliance, making the entire temple appear like a celestial palace, radiating

auspicious energy. Surrounding the temple were dozens of side halls of varying sizes, each exquisitely carved and painted, exuding an imposing aura.

The eaves and brackets were carved with various mythical beasts: phoenixes poised for flight, majestic unicorns, and ferocious dragons.

These statues were so lifelike, as if they might come to life at any moment, guarding this sacred temple.

And in the plaza before the temple, hundreds of cultivators were gathered.

These people were dressed in various styles. Some wore fine robes, clearly from prominent families, exuding an air of distinction;

others were ragged, their faces sallow, resembling down-on-their-luck rogue cultivators, their eyes filled with weariness.

But they all shared one thing in common: their eyes were filled with longing and tension, as if facing imminent judgment.

They formed a long queue, proceeding one by one to a massive stone tablet in the center of the plaza.

The tablet stood three zhang tall, entirely black, covered in intricate runes, faintly radiating a chilling aura.

Each time someone approached the tablet, two disciples of the Divine Hall, dressed in white robes, stood by, their expressions indifferent, like high-ranking gods scrutinizing the ants below.

The test was simple: place your hand on the tablet.

The runes on the tablet would flash, displaying different colors.

Some were blue, representing lower bloodlines; some purple, middle bloodlines; some gold, upper bloodlines.

The color of the light determined their fate.
A

low, rumbling sound began, initially faint, like the buzzing of a mosquito, almost imperceptible unless one listened carefully.

But in an instant, the sound amplified exponentially, becoming a deafening roar, as if the drums of an ancient war had been struck.

The runes on the stone tablet instantly lit up, bursting forth with dazzling light.

The light was initially azure, gentle and mild, like a spring breeze caressing willows.

The surrounding cultivators were about to mock this as a low-grade bloodline when they saw the azure light quickly turn purple before it dissipated.

The purple light was as thick as ink, carrying an aura of majesty that caused those around to involuntarily take a few steps back, secretly astonished.

“Purple! It’s a purple bloodline!”

someone exclaimed. “This is a mid-grade bloodline! This child actually possesses a mid-grade bloodline; his future is limitless!”

The expression of the Divine Hall disciple also changed, his disdain turning to surprise.

A mid-grade bloodline, while not top-tier in the Divine Hall, was enough to make one an inner disciple, enjoying decent resources, and worth cultivating.

However, the changes didn’t stop there.

The purple light lasted only a moment before suddenly exploding into a dazzling gold!

The golden light was intense and domineering, like the blazing sun, blinding everyone.

The temperature in the plaza instantly rose, and the spiritual energy in the air became restless, as if ignited by this power.

“Gold! It’s a golden bloodline!”

“Heavens! It’s actually a superior bloodline! This is a genius that only appears once in ten thousand years!” ”

The Divine Hall is about to have a great event! Quick, go inform the elders!”

The crowd erupted in excitement.

Those previously envious and disdainful gazes instantly transformed into envy, awe, and even flattery.

The cultivation world is so realistic; strength and bloodline determine everything.

The Divine Hall disciple who had received Chen Ping was flushed with excitement, about to step forward to flatter him, but saw that Chen Ping remained expressionless, his hand on the stone tablet showing no sign of loosening.

His expression was terrifyingly calm, as if all of this was within his expectations.

Then, a sudden change occurred!

“Roar…”

A deafening dragon’s roar resounded from the stone tablet!

The dragon’s roar was as powerful as a thunderclap, echoing throughout the entire mountaintop.　The voice contained an ancient, desolate, and extremely domineering aura, as if it came from the primordial era, carrying the majesty of a supreme ruler.

The crowd in the square felt a sharp pain in their eardrums, their blood surging, their faces changing drastically, and they all retreated.

Those with weaker cultivation covered their ears, crouching on the ground in agony, cold sweat pouring down their faces.

“What…what’s going on? How could the bloodline test elicit a dragon’s roar?” ”

Could it be…could it be the legendary…”

No one dared to utter that name, for it was too unbelievable, too shocking, existing only in fragments of ancient texts.

Then, a colossal golden dragon shadow soared into the sky from the stone tablet!

The dragon shadow was tens of feet tall, with sharp claws, jagged horns, and scales that shimmered with a metallic luster in the sunlight, each scale seemingly containing the power to destroy the world.

It exuded a terrifying dragon’s might, a kingly aura that transcended all things, making all living beings want to prostrate themselves in worship.

It circled once in mid-air, then roared to the sky, its cry shaking heaven and earth, echoing throughout Holy Light Peak and even reaching the town at its foot.

The entire mountaintop fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Some gaped, their jaws nearly dropping;

others trembled, barely able to stand;

still others were so overwhelmed by the dragon’s might that they fainted, foaming at the mouth.

That golden dragon shadow, that terrifying dragon might… what… what kind of bloodline is this?

In the legends of the cultivation world, bloodlines are divided into six major realms: Mortal, Spirit, Earth, Heaven, Saint, and God.

Above these six realms lies a legendary bloodline existing only in ancient texts—the royal bloodline.

The five-clawed golden dragon is the king of the dragon race, symbolizing supreme power and strength.

Those who possess the five-clawed golden dragon bloodline are born with the pride of heaven, their cultivation speed increasing by leaps and bounds, invincible among their peers, and even able to challenge those of higher levels, looking down upon all living beings.

“A five-clawed golden dragon…it’s the bloodline of a five-clawed golden dragon!”

Someone shouted first, their voice trembling with fervor.

This shout was like igniting a powder keg, and the entire square erupted in chaos.

Exclamations, whispers, and shouts of worship filled the air; everyone was stunned by this unprecedented sight.