Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 1103 - 480: The Opening of the Nine Luminaries, All Gather
"Nine Luminaries Heaven?" Master Pang was momentarily stunned.
"This Qiankun Tripod belongs to the Gu God. Where did she get it?" The Heavenly Emperor pointed at the bronze tripod and said slowly, "And that altar..."
"They are all closely connected with the Nine Luminaries Heaven! Could it be that even the Qiankun Tripod originates from the Nine Luminaries Heaven?" Master Pang realized, "Are you saying that the Nine Luminaries Heaven also conceals secrets from the first era?"
"Indeed, if there’s a place left in the Xuanwei Realm where such scripts might exist, it would likely be in the Nine Luminaries Heaven."
Everyone nodded lightly, involuntarily looking in the direction of Haori Mountain.
...
Zheng Fa was also waiting for the Nine Luminaries Heaven to open, but this group of Lu Clan people was really taking their time.
Beneath the golden peak of Haori, the Lu Clan people were gathered around the altar, standing in concentric circles.
They bowed their heads, chanting the incantations softly as they circled the ancient remains.
"Lu Yan" mouthed the words along, yet his sidelong glances never left the area beneath the altar.
The elders of the Lu Clan were casting spell patterns with exaggerated movements, their voices even louder than the others.
Beside the altar lay three long tables holding offerings.
On the right was a Mystic Turtle, and the middle and left each had a cultivator laid upon them.
Their eyes were closed, facing the primal statue, seemingly in a coma, but expressions of terror were etched on their faces.
All three were at Divinity Transformation Cultivation, a rare assembly even for the Lu Clan’s powers.
In fact, they had hardly gathered these at all.
The Yun and Luo Clans were keeping a constant watch on the Lu Clan, leaving them with no time to hunt for sacrifices.
The Mystic Turtle and one cultivator had been captured long ago and had been imprisoned since.
The cultivator in the middle, however... bore the Lu surname yet was not of Lu bloodline, but an outsider granted the Lu name through his efforts.
Because of the Shi Nandang incident, these outsiders already found themselves in an awkward position, and now with one less Divinity Transformation sacrifice, the Lu chief elder feared the longer he waited, the dream might be ruined, so he simply picked someone unfortunate.
Seeing the familiar face under the altar, most Lu disciples averted their gaze, unwilling to look longer.
"Lu Yan" watched intently.
He saw streams of spiritual power flowing from the noses and mouths of the three, rising like smoke into the vortex above.
The red of the vortex deepened, and the chest of the ancient remains heaved more evidently, as if it had truly come to life.
The incantations of the elders rang even louder, making "Lu Yan" want to cover his ears.
Suddenly, the eyelids of the ancient remains twitched.
The three Divinity Transformation sacrifices abruptly shattered into blood mist, turning into two streams of red smoke, surging into the nostrils of the ancient remains.
An indescribably terrifying aura permeated the peak of Primordial Venerable.
"Open..."
A low voice reverberated across Haori Mountain.
"The holy land is open!" proclaimed the chief elder, "Those with the Holy Ancestor lineage, and cultivation above Divinity Transformation, follow me into the Nine Luminaries Heaven!"
"All others, hold the ground here. With the Sun-shooting Divine Bow present, your lives are safe!"
"Yes!"
This was something the Lu Clan had planned long before.
The treasures of the Nine Luminaries Heaven were almost impossible for the lower-level Lu cultivators to obtain, better to wait here.
They could preserve their lives and control the great array of Haori Mountain to prevent their ancestral home from being stolen.
"Lu Yan" watched as eight Divine Transformation cultivators of the Holy Ancestor lineage rushed out, worry filling his heart for his Sect Leader.
...
Zheng Fa was standing at the entrance of the Nine Luminaries Heavenly Gate.
The gate of Nine Luminaries had already opened, beams of red light streaming forth.
Luo Yun and Yun Fan, with the Yun and Luo clans, stood worriedly beside him.
"The Lu Clan has finally opened the Nine Luminaries Heaven," Yun Fan whispered, "If they truly acquire the Lu Clan’s treasures, we..."
He left his words unfinished, but the Yun and Luo clan members exchanged glances, understanding his concern.
At this point, the three clans were nearing a split, but since the great array of Haori Mountain was still in the Lu Clan’s hands, they dared not engage in full-scale conflict.
Should the Lu Clan indeed find a powerful treasure, it would spell disaster for them.
"We must enter as well!"
A Yun Clan Divinity Transformation cultivator suddenly declared, his eyes flashing with greed, "As members of Haori, that treasure is ours too!"
Yun Fan wavered slightly, but his gaze turned to Zheng Fa, as if seeking approval.
Zheng Fa pondered slightly, "We must observe the situation in Nine Luminaries Heaven. Perhaps we should wait a bit longer..."
"Wait?" To everyone’s surprise, the Yun cultivator sneered, "Opportunities wait for no one, Stone Ancestor, you’re too cautious."
Without waiting for others to speak, he plunged headlong into the Nine Luminaries Heaven.
Witnessing this, others from the Yun and Luo clans became restless as well.
Zheng Fa remained stoic, merely watching the man’s back.
The Nine Luminaries Heaven seemed to be repelling him; his progress was laborious. Yet consumed by greed, he mustered his mana and charged forward, nearly reaching the entrance.
Suddenly, a golden flame burst from the entrance, accompanied by the man’s scream.
As the fire dissipated, his figure had completely vanished.
The onlookers were filled with shock, instinctively stepping back. To them, the entrance appeared as a monstrous mouth, devouring all that dared approach.
Zheng Fa furrowed his brows slightly. The Nine Luminaries Heaven had an admission mechanism, but that flame resembled his Great Sun True Fire a bit.
"You think you can enter our holy land?" a voice came from behind them as eight Lu clan members surged toward the entrance, with the chief elder shouting laughingly, "None but Lu Clan can enter!"
They entered the doorway, each step slow, unperturbed by the possibility of Zheng Fa and others attacking from behind.
Zheng Fa was tempted to test a little further when suddenly his heart tensed, and he glanced skyward.
In the sky, a black crack suddenly appeared.
A massive divine eagle emerged from the crack, its golden wings dazzling atop the Haori peak.
Golden Winged Great Peng?
Why did it come here?
Zheng Fa’s mind stirred, abandoning his plan to engage.
This Golden Winged Great Peng wasn’t alone; on its back stood a young man in white robes, baldheaded, watching the Nine Luminaries Heaven with indifference. He asked, "Is this the Nine Luminaries Heaven our Master left behind?"
Master?
Judging by the title, it seemed he was Lu Yao’s disciple. His appearance suggested he might be a monk... from Leiyin Temple?
Zheng Fa subtly sensed, but found himself unable to discern the young man’s strength. Yet for the Golden Winged Great Peng, known for its mighty prowess and unruly demeanor, to carry him there, this monk clearly wasn’t simple.
The duo seemed unconcerned with the people of Haori Mountain and instead flew straight toward the doorway.
The Lu Clan’s chief elder seemed anxious, saying, "This place is our Lu Clan’s secret realm; none but us may enter..."
The monk pulled out a golden Treasure Bead and tossed it toward the entrance, emitting a golden light that enveloped the two, allowing them to gently fly into the Nine Luminaries Heaven.
The Lu Clan onlookers gaped, softly murmuring, "Holy Ancestor Essence Blood!"
Their expressions mirrored that of a husband returning home to find a mistress on his bed.
Though they seemed enraged, none interfered; instead, they gritted their teeth and continued toward the entrance.
Zheng Fa understood then that the Nine Luminaries Heaven entrance held some mystery that forbade conflict. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
The place even seemed to resist the Lu Clan and the monk. Though they weren’t burned by the golden flames, their progress was arduous, as slow as elders.
Zheng Fa waited a while longer, noticing the Nine Luminaries Heaven’s entrance beginning to shrink, as if to disappear.
Seeing no newcomers, he nodded to Yun Fan and Luo Yun before stepping forward.
"Shi Nandang, you also desire to seek treasure?" chortled the Lu Clan’s chief elder within, "You have no ties to the Holy Ancestor; it’s wishful thinking!"
Even the Golden Winged Great Peng and the monk glanced back.
Zheng Fa took a few steps forward, feeling a repelling force from the entrance resisting his entry.
He paid the others no heed and revealed his palm, showing his Holy Blood Seal.
"Holy Blood Seal..." The Lu Clan chief elder’s voice seethed with anger, "You think the seal grants entry? Know that even the two Ancestor Masters of Yun and Luo cannot enter the Nine Luminaries Heaven!"
Indeed, though the Holy Blood Seal had some effect, the repelling force from the Nine Luminaries Heaven persisted.
"I told you..."
Zheng Fa ignored the Lu Clan’s chatter and subtly unleashed his mana, letting the Fusang Wood’s aura emanate from him.
The Lu Clan members, the Golden Winged Great Peng, and the monk all watched as a figure seemed to flash past them like lightning.
Both parties halted, staring blankly ahead.
