Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 546 - 529: Eternal Presence

Zhou Leng glanced at the Undying Knight and surveyed the palace.

This place looked like a huge palace, about a hundred meters long and thirty to forty meters wide.

Many things in the Magic Spirit Bag shared a similar style with this place.

It seemed that whatever could be taken had already been taken by the Undying Knight.

Zhou Leng checked again and entered the side hall next to the palace.

He found nothing.

Finally, he walked to the throne, reached out his hand, and touched the skeletal throne.

An aura of undead swarmed towards him, cold to the bone.

He looked closely, using Qi manipulation to isolate the undead aura, then began various attempts.

Pushing, smashing, prying, pulling...

Despite all efforts, the skeletal throne remained motionless.

It seemed this thing was at least the creation of a Demigod; it couldn’t be taken away for now.

He scavenged the palace once more, picked up some valuable items, and started to leave.

Skeletons covered the ground, and ghosts were scattered everywhere.

With the Taiqing Sea Robe on his body and the Dragon Bone Lance in his hand, Zhou Leng swept all along the way.

Not only was he unharmed, but the Dragon Bone Lance was able to continuously absorb undead power, becoming increasingly radiant.

Exiting the ancient tomb, reaching the surface, Zhou Leng mounted the Hell Warhorse, holding the Dragon Bone Lance with his right hand and shaking the reins with his left. The Hell Warhorse galloped forward.

Along the way, countless members of the Undead Race watched this human martial artist.

Was this what the Undying Knight, who swept through the Land of Sleeplessness, actually looked like?

Galloping out of the Land of Sleeplessness, he continued forward.

Unlike the previous battle-filled journey, once out of the Land of Sleeplessness, he had smooth sailing ahead.

Soon after, he returned to the Flayed Forest.

As quiet as an empty cinema, it was dark and cold.

Celestial Bone City.

Xu Ming, covered in wounds, emerged from the purple mist.

Though he hadn’t managed to breakthrough into the final land like Zhou Leng, he successfully met the passing standards and completed the first trial.

Ahead, the Celestial Bone Warrior He Pengfei approached.

"Xu Ming."

"You are... Senior He, He Pengfei?"

They looked each other in the eyes.

He Pengfei stood straight and slowly said, "A thousand lights."

Xu Ming also stood to attention, putting his hands at the sides of his pants, responding, "Burn forever."

"Comrade Xu Ming."

"Comrade He Pengfei."

They shook hands.

The two moved to a deserted place, where Xu Ming reported on the matters of the Demon City Army and the National Mansion to He Pengfei.

He Pengfei explained everything that could be shared from Celestial Bone City and handed over a micro hard-drive.

"Inside, are the data accumulated by many comrades over the years, including... contributions made by your father."

"My father, he..."

"He sacrificed himself."

They remained silent for a long time.

Holding the micro hard-drive in his hand, Xu Ming hesitated to place it into the Magic Spirit Bag.

He Pengfei furrowed his brow, saying, "Your talent surpasses both me and your father. You must not stay here."

"How does my talent compare to Zhou Leng?"

He Pengfei rebuked, "In any case, you must not remain here."

"Why can’t I stay here?"

"Because your father has already stayed here forever."

"Then what?"

He Pengfei opened his mouth but was at a loss for words.

Xu Ming said, "With me here, there is a friend named Wang Xiong, whose strength is nearly the same as mine."

"He once said that if he could walk out of the Great Battlefield alive, he could obtain an Intermediate Headless God."

"Perhaps it is the dream of all martial artists below Martial Saint. If I had the Headless God, I could fight the Volcanic Giant Tortoise, maybe even match the Undying Knight."

"But outside the purple mist, he said he would stay behind and wanted me and Zhou Leng to leave."

"No particular reason; he just felt that me and Zhou Leng staying on Blue Star would benefit the Human Race more."

"Later, he sacrificed himself."

He Pengfei paused for a moment, "No need to rush; others will also pass and enter Celestial Bone City."

"But among the Keepers of the Thousand Lights, only I remain."

He Pengfei said, "In emergencies, I have the right to choose new Keepers of the Thousand Lights."

"Provided all current Keepers of the Thousand Lights are deceased."

"What are you thinking?" He Pengfei sighed.

"Give this hard drive to Zhou Leng, let him return to Dragon Country and hand it over to the organization. Wang Xiong trusted him, I trust him, we both do."

"He is already being watched from above, it is almost impossible for him to leave," He Pengfei said.

"Back then, the Grand Marshal of Huang Xuan Pavilion also had no chance to leave, yet he still did," Xu Ming said.

"Let me think about it," He Pengfei said.

Xu Ming said, "I hope what you’re guarding is the thousand lights, not personal interest."

He Pengfei’s face turned grim, he said nothing.

He turned, looking into the distance.

He thought of Xu Yong’s gaze before dying.

Xu Yong said nothing, but he knew that Xu Yong didn’t want Xu Ming to enter, didn’t want Xu Ming to stay.

He couldn’t convince himself to keep Xu Ming here.

Even as a member of the Keepers of the Thousand Lights, even having solemnly sworn an oath, he didn’t want Xu Ming to stay.

Why must it be Xu Ming?

Why must it be Xu Yong?

Have all others died?

Why can’t your sons and daughters come!

They are willing, I am willing, but I am not willing for them.

He Pengfei gritted his teeth.

"Let’s wait and see." He Pengfei said.

Xu Ming said, "I have only one bottom line, and that is Zhou Leng must leave, he is one of the hopes of the Human Race."

"He is strong, but still far from being the hope of the Human Race." He Pengfei said.

"Because too many people perish halfway before becoming hope." Xu Ming said.

He Pengfei remained silent.

Suddenly, He Pengfei looked up, seeing the city ruins outside the purple mist appear in his eyes.

A tall Hell Warhorse came galloping through flames, and Zhou Leng, with a massive Dragon Bone lance in hand, leapt heroically into the territory of Celestial Bone City.

"Zhou Leng is back." He Pengfei said, projecting the scene in front of the two.

Xu Ming glanced at Zhou Leng, then at the Hell Warhorse and Dragon Bone lance, smiling slightly.

"I haven’t seen this lance, but I have seen this warhorse. Can you guess whose it is?"

He Pengfei said nothing.

"It’s the Undying Knight’s, that strongest Great Innate Undying Knight. We joined forces with twenty Great Innate warriors to hunt him down, yet he escaped easily."

He Pengfei stared at Zhou Leng, after a long time said, "His power seems to have increased significantly again, already Great Innate."

"It seems his second layer trial was very successful."

He Pengfei said, "The more success he achieves, the slimmer his chance of leaving here. Everyone who has conquered the final place is closely monitored, unable to leave. Huang Xuan Pavilion is strong, but compared to the top geniuses of all realms, there’s still a gap."

"There must be a way." Xu Ming said.

Zhou Leng stepped across the vast city ruins, rushed into the purple mist, entering Celestial Bone City effortlessly.

Seeing He Pengfei and Xu Ming, he reined his horse to a stop.

Zhou Leng packed away the warhorse and lance, walking over.

Xu Ming laughed heartily, said, "Well done, but how did it turn out this way?"

On Zhou Leng’s skin surface, thick blood vessels were like a layer of heavy armor.

"The power is a bit much, needs to be slowly digested and absorbed." Zhou Leng said.

He Pengfei carefully sensed for a while, exclaimed, "Did you pass the Dragon God Trial?"

"Unsure if passed, but left safely."

"What is your highest record as Dragon Blood Guard? 30, 40, or 50?"

"107." Zhou Leng said.

He Pengfei looked shocked, having lived in Celestial Bone City for many years, he knew well what the Dragon God Trial represented.

In Celestial Bone City’s legend, Dragon God Trial is the core of the Great Battlefield.

Even the Divine Spirit who created the Celestial Bone Trial cannot compare to that Dragon God.

Legend has it, that Dragon God survived the great battle of a hundred gods, left the Dragon God Trial, then successfully escaped.

Eventually, ascended to a higher level.

The adult he occasionally met, always spoke of the Dragon God Trial with great respect.

To kill 107 Dragon Blood Guards, one must certainly be touched by that presence.

Although Xu Ming did not know what this number meant, he knew it was very strong, and said repeatedly, "Good! Good!"

He Pengfei said, "Let’s go. Xu Ming, you need to enter the second trial, Zhou Leng, you need to receive the Celestial Bone Blood Mark."

"Receiving the Celestial Bone Blood Mark, will I become like you?"

Zhou Leng looked at He Pengfei, almost all Celestial Bone Warriors’ bodies had varying degrees of ossification.

He Pengfei said, "We are too weak, the skeleton cannot absorb enough power to form power overflow. The strongest Celestial Bone Warriors can control this power as they wish."

Xu Ming said, "You should be fine. However, you need to wait a few days, to properly absorb the power in your body."

Zhou Leng looked at He Pengfei.

"Then let’s wait first, I’ll arrange a room next door for you two."

He Pengfei took them both to arrange their identities, temporarily settled.

The two entered the room, Xu Ming carefully recounting the recent events of the Residual Celestial Bone Trial.

After killing all demons and giant dragons, the other races lived in harmony, finally joining forces for study.

The whole process was very positive, clearly Otherworld beings, yet they were like friends.

Zhou Leng also recounted some events that happened at the Tujun Star Monument and Dragon God Trial, but omitted some private information.

After Zhou Leng finished speaking, Xu Ming was somewhat stunned.

"You mean, you slaughtered all the demons and most of the giant dragons at the Residual Celestial Bone, Tujun Star Monument and Dragon God Trial?"

"That’s indeed the situation." Zhou Leng said.

"Though the demons’ Great Innate are innumerable, there aren’t many true top geniuses; most went to the Great Battlefield. Based on the current estimate, you killed at least half, maybe more."

"There’s still many left." Zhou Leng said.

"Come, let’s go outside and spar."

The two walked out of the room, standing on the open ground outside.

The two grabbed each other’s hands, fingers interlocked and raised.

"I’ll give it my all, be careful." Xu Ming said, starting to exert force, pushing forward.

Zhou Leng also began to increase power.

Initially, Xu Ming only used physical force, soon circulating True Qi, then using full body power.

His whole body turned slightly red, veins bulged, skin swelled from immense power, like carrying a giant mountain.

But throughout, Zhou Leng’s body did not change much.

"Keep increasing power." Xu Ming growled low.

Zhou Leng looked at Xu Ming’s determined eyes, then began constantly enhancing power, gradually triggering various Odd Bodies.

In just a moment, Zhou Leng kept advancing, Xu Ming was pushed back repeatedly, like sliding backwards on ice.

Both feet were like two hard stones, leaving deep marks on the ground.

Until now, Zhou Leng’s body surface still hasn’t changed much.