Translated by: Hypersheep325 Dazzling light spread out from the Spiritual Treasure Mountain and enveloped the entire mountain range.
The gazes of Mu Chen and the rest were fixed on the sky of the Spiritual Treasure Mountain. As the light gathered, a figure slowly appeared.
There's still someone in the Spiritual Treasure Mountain?
A trace of shock surged in the hearts of Mu Chen and the rest. Could it be that there's still someone alive in the Divine Wood Palace that has been ruined for countless years?
Under the nervous gazes of Mu Chen and the rest, the lump of light in the sky became even more distinct. In the end, it turned into a light figure. This light figure seemed to be a white-haired old man. He stood in the sky without uttering a single word, causing the originally noisy Spiritual Treasure Mountain to turn silent.
No one dared to speak again. Those people who were sent flying in a miserable manner earlier wiped off the traces of blood at the corner of their mouths as they looked at the light figure in shock. Although they did not know what exactly it was, given the strength of the Divine Wood Palace, anything that was left behind by them would not be something that they could deal with.
Mu Chen, Luo Li, and Wen Qingxuan also had Spiritual Energy surging around them. Their eyes were filled with caution as if they were prepared to immediately retreat if the situation wasn't right.
"The Spiritual Mountain is an important place, no one is allowed to recklessly enter. Everything has to be done according to the rules of the Divine Wood Palace."
While Mu Chen and the rest were on guard, the voice of the old man in the sky finally resounded. There wasn't the slightest trace of emotion in the voice, making it seem especially empty. But even so, it made one's hair stand on end.
"It doesn't seem to be a living person …" When Mu Chen heard the voice, his expression slightly changed. He raised his head to look at the old man and realised that there wasn't any expression on the latter's face. Even his eyes were abnormally empty without any human emotions.
"Perhaps this is a spiritual figure left behind by a great figure of the Divine Wood Palace," said Luo Li softly.
Wen Qingxuan inwardly sighed in relief. As long as it wasn't the real body of one of those old monsters, then it's fine. Otherwise, they could only run as far as they could.
"But with it blocking our way, we don't dare to force our way in."
Xu Huang said in a low voice from the side. They clearly saw how unlucky those fellows were previously. Furthermore, there were still some fellows who were imprisoned within. Who knew what awaited them.
"It's not saying that we can't enter the Spiritual Treasure Mountain, but we have to follow the rules." Mu Chen's eyes flickered as he said softly.
"What rules?" Luo Li and Wen Qingxuan were confused.
Mu Chen shook his head, but his eyes were fixed on the light figure.
"The Soul Mountain has a total of nine levels. The higher the level, the rarer the Spiritual Object. Every single Spiritual Object is guarded by a Battle Avatar. Only by defeating the Battle Avatar in a one-on-one battle would one be able to obtain the Spiritual Object. If the disciple fails the challenge, he will suffer the pain of being imprisoned for half a year as punishment for not being diligent in his cultivation and biting off more than he can chew." While everyone was in doubt, the light figure once again spoke in a hollow voice.
"So that's the rule."
Mu Chen and the rest slightly understood. However, they were immediately startled by the punishment. Being imprisoned for half a year?
If anyone was that unlucky, they would probably have nothing to do in the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament.
"Looks like this is the rule that the Divine Wood Palace created to encourage their disciples to cultivate. However, they never imagined that the Divine Wood Palace would end up in such a state. There's no longer a single disciple of the Divine Wood Palace here." Wen Qingxuan said.
"That means … those fellows have to defeat the Battle Avatar guarding the Spiritual Object. If they win, they will be able to obtain the Spiritual Treasure on the stone platform. If they lose …" Mu Chen grinned. Fortunately, they did not recklessly make a move. Otherwise, regardless of who was left behind to accept the challenge, it would be an extremely risky matter for them.
That's because they didn't dare to be certain of the strength of the Battle Avatar guarding the Spiritual Object.
"Let's take a look first."
Mu Chen said solemnly. If the punishment was that heavy, and the strength of the Battle Avatar was rather terrifying, he might have to give up on the Nine Suns Divine Lingzhi that he yearned for even in his dreams, no matter how unwilling he was. That's because he didn't have half a year to be imprisoned here.
Wen Qingxuan and the rest nodded their heads. Right now, they could only take a look.
While Mu Chen and the rest were talking, the layers of stone platforms in the Spiritual Treasure Mountain suddenly surged with light. On the stone platforms that people had entered, a light beam shot out from the ground. A brief moment later, the light dissipated and the Battle Avatar appeared clearly in everyone's eyes.
Those Battle Avatar were pitch-black, as if they were forged from black iron. On their bodies, there were profound runes that flickered with faint light. Vaguely, there were powerful fluctuations that were slowly being emitted.
Mu Chen and the rest's gazes were tightly locked onto those black Battle Avatar. However, the fluctuations around those Battle Avatar were extremely obscure. Therefore, they couldn't completely determine the strength of those Battle Avatar. Furthermore, the strength of those Battle Avatar wasn't the same. The higher the level of the Battle Avatar, the stronger the pressure emitted from them.
Mu Chen took a glance at the Spiritual Treasure Mountain. There were a total of nine levels in the Spiritual Treasure Mountain. No one had entered the Ninth and Eighth Levels. Therefore, there weren't any Battle Avatar there. As for the Seventh Level, there were two people that had entered. As they went further down, the number of Battle Avatars that appeared increased.
Within the Spiritual Treasure Mountain, many people that were trapped on the stone platforms were panicking. They had heard the words of the light figure earlier. If they failed the challenge, they would be imprisoned here for half a year?
Such a price was too severe. That's because, by that time, the Great Spiritual Academy Tournament would have already ended!
"I don't believe that those broken Battle Avatars are that powerful!
After so many years, no matter how powerful they are, they shouldn't be as powerful as before! "
Perhaps the consequences of failure were too severe. On the fifth level of the Spiritual Treasure Mountain, an intruder roared with a pale expression. Shortly after, he took a step forth as boundless Spiritual Energy swept out. The density of his Spiritual Energy had also reached the level of Heavenly Completion Stage Late Phase. He was only a step away from the Human Body Disaster.
He took a step forth as his figure flew out. He threw a palm out. Scarlet Spiritual Energy was like a sky full of flames as it furiously attacked the pitch-black Battle Avatar.
As the scarlet Spiritual Energy surged over, the Battle Avatar's hollow eyes seemed to have light gathering. In the next instant, it also took a step forth. Without any intention of dodging, its black iron-like palm slapped out and clashed with that person's ferocious attack.
Boom!
A deep sound rang out as the light swept out. In the next moment, everyone saw the intruder's body flying out as he violently spewed mouthfuls of blood and heavily fell onto the ground with a pale expression.
Everyone was silent.
Many people had shock surging in their eyes. It was actually just a single move and the intruder had failed. Clearly, the Battle Avatar's strength should have reached the Human Body Disaster. Furthermore, it was only the fifth level!
"Challenge failed, imprisoned for half a year."
In the sky, the glowing old man's indifferent voice resounded. Shortly after, he waved his sleeve and a chain of light shot out, swiftly wrapping around the person who had failed the challenge. Disregarding his miserable shrieks, the ground started to crack, bit by bit, as his figure fell down. In the next instant, the ground returned to how it was before, but the miserable shrieks still lingered in the sky.
Countless people's faces turned pale, especially those that had already entered.
"I don't want to challenge anymore!"
Someone couldn't bear the punishment as he roared with a pale face. Shortly after, he turned around and fled.
"Escaping in the face of battle. Challenge failed. Imprisonment for half a year will be added."
The glowing old man faintly spoke again as he waved his sleeve. Countless chains swept out and those that had turned around and fled suffered the same fate as before, being devoured into the mountain.
At this moment, everyone trembled in fear. Those that had originally intended to flee retracted their footsteps. Escaping in the face of battle. Adding half a year, that would be an entire year. A year of being imprisoned in this desolate place, wouldn't that be worse than death?
"Fight!"
Since they couldn't retreat, they could only fight with their lives on the line. After all, there were still some unyielding people here.
Boom!
Boom!
Waves of vigorous Spiritual Energy erupted at this moment. On the stone platform, figures began to charge towards the ice-cold puppets. Thus, a great battle broke out.
Boundless Spiritual Energy fluctuations erupted from the stone platforms as astonishing attacks were unleashed without holding anything back.
In just a short span of ten minutes, there were people that continuously failed in their challenges. Those that failed were all dragged into the mountain and imprisoned, causing incomparably mournful shrieks to ring out. However, not everyone failed. There were some lucky people that did not rush towards the higher floors. Therefore, the strength of the Battle Avatar that they encountered wasn't particularly strong. Therefore, after a bitter battle, they managed to successfully defeat some of the Battle Avatars.
When they obtained victory, the light barrier around their stone platforms started to dissipate, bit by bit.
When the light barrier dissipated, some people were so emotional that tears started to fall from their eyes. In their panic, they didn't even care about their spoils of war as they frantically fled, not daring to approach this place again.
Mu Chen didn't pay too much attention to the battles on the other floors. His gaze was locked onto the seventh floor, where only two people had managed to enter. Amongst the two of them, one of them had reached the realm of Human Body Disaster. However, with his strength, he was only able to endure a few exchanges under the cold Battle Avatar's attacks before being defeated.
As for the other person, his strength was slightly more tyrannical, having reached the realm of Spiritual Energy Disaster. With such strength, he could already be considered as an elite and could become a Captain.
However, his cultivation of Spiritual Energy Disaster did not allow him to gain much of an advantage against the Battle Avatar's attacks. That Battle Avatar possessed an abundance of battle experience and unexpectedly knew powerful Deity Tier Spiritual Arts. Its boundless attacks had completely suppressed him.
That person had experienced a genuine bitter battle.
This battle lasted for nearly half an hour and he had exhausted all of his Spiritual Energy. However, he still wasn't able to obtain victory in the end. Fortunately, when his Spiritual Energy was completely exhausted and he was unable to move, the Battle Avatar was also heavily injured by him. Its chest was filled with cracks and when it walked, it was swaying, looking as if it was about to shatter.
"A draw, unable to obtain victory. Unable to obtain the Spiritual Item, but able to avoid the pain of being imprisoned."
In the sky, the old man indifferently looked at this scene as he announced.
Hearing the announcement, that person felt heavily relieved. Dragging his body that was covered in injuries and his exhausted Spiritual Energy, he swayed as he flew out. Thereafter, he was hastily received by his teammates.
As the battle of that person came to an end, the battles on the Spiritual Treasure Mountain also came to an end. More than half of those that had charged in were dragged into the mountain and imprisoned.
Outside the Spiritual Treasure Mountain, it was silent. Those teams that had greed in their eyes were already covered in cold sweat. Some of them were constantly patting their chests. Fortunately, they were a step slower. Otherwise, they might have ended up being imprisoned.
Mu Chen was also a little silent. Just a Battle Avatar on the seventh level had forced an expert of Spiritual Energy Disaster to such a state. Furthermore, the Nine Suns Divine Lingzhi that he wanted was on the ninth level.
In this situation, should he charge through or leave?
If he succeeded, he would be able to obtain the Nine Suns Divine Lingzhi. But if he failed, he would be imprisoned for half a year.
What should he choose?!