Chapter 508 - 500: Light Attribute Elemental Power

Chapter 508: Chapter 500: Light Attribute Elemental Power

At his words, everyone focused and began to push forward on foot. Flying was forbidden, so walking was their only option—unless someone could magically produce a Land Magical Beast.

They headed north. Fortunately, the distance wasn’t a major challenge for them. In less than an hour, Mu Chen and the others had followed Zhu Jiuqian to the vicinity of Holy Beast Mountain.

The closer they got to Holy Beast Mountain, the denser the concentration of Primordial Power became. A golden mist rose before them, partially obscuring the majestic peaks that loomed in the distance. It was clear that Holy Beast Mountain wasn’t a single mountain, but an entire range. As they approached, the mist seemed to thin, so it wasn’t so dense that they couldn’t see.

Gradually, they entered the pale golden mist. Mu Chen was shocked to discover that it seemed to contain incredibly pure Light Attribute Elemental Power. The moment they stepped into it, a sacred aura washed over them.

"Light Attribute Elemental Power! How can there be such a dense concentration of it here!?" Mu Chen exclaimed. He closed his eyes, focusing on the vibrant energy surging around him, and was completely stunned.

On the Extreme Martial Continent, the root cause of the Light Attribute Martial Artists’ extinction was the near-total disappearance of Light Attribute Elemental Power. Without it, they simply couldn’t survive, which was exactly why Mu Chen’s own Light Attribute Dantian had always been starved. But here! Inside Holy Beast Mountain, this golden mist was nothing but rich, condensed Light Attribute Elemental Power!

"Felt it, did you? Heh heh, you’re not just knowledgeable, kid, your Perception is incredibly sharp, too. The Light Attribute Elemental Power here is ten thousand times denser than in the Outer Realm. That might sound like an exaggeration, but it’s really not, considering the state of Light Attribute Elemental Power out there... Heh, let’s not even talk about it. This whole mountain range is actually a gigantic Array, with each peak serving as a Rune Array Hub. The Array draws all this Light Attribute Elemental Power from the bloodlines and bodies of the Light Attribute Magical Beast ancestors and Great Powers who died here."

"Holy Tomb Mountain should have had its share of Light Attribute ancestors and Great Powers, too. However, the Alien Space Demon Clan seems to be terrified of Light Attribute Martial Artists. When they first invaded, they launched a surprise attack and completely wiped out several of the major Light Attribute sects. Because of that, very few Light Attribute Martial Artists were left by the time of the final Holy War. That’s why when Holy Tomb Mountain assimilated the Primordial Power of the fallen, it just filtered out and devoured what little Light Attribute Elemental Power remained."

"On the other hand, the Magical Beast Army that ultimately fought still had numerous Light Attribute clans among them, which is why Holy Beast Mountain ended up like this. If a Light Attribute Martial Artist were to cultivate here, their progress would be astonishing. They could become a generational powerhouse in just a few years. But obviously, that’s impossible. So just treat it as a magnificent view and nothing more."

Hearing Zhu Jiuqian’s words, the group felt a pang of regret. To see all this incredibly rich Light Attribute Elemental Power and not be able to absorb it was a terrible waste.

But as everyone sighed with regret, one person’s eyes lit up with excitement. The glimmer lasted only a second before he completely concealed it. Who else could it be but Mu Chen?

’Heaven is on my side,’ Mu Chen thought.

He had been nursing a deep-seated worry in his heart: the balance of his Chaos Dantian. Back in the Xuanling Empire, when he had faced three National Guardian Elders from the Celestial Eagle Empire alone, he had succumbed to his rage and transformed. On the surface, the outcome was good—Mu Chen killed the three Elders, saving himself and everyone else. But after his Awakening, he’d analyzed the signs from that transformation and reached a conclusion that worried him greatly.

Why had the light within his Chaos Dantian been instantly suppressed by darkness in that moment of rage, allowing darkness to take control while light was forced to retreat? His anger had certainly been a catalyst, but it wasn’t the root cause of the transformation. The real reason was that over six years of Cultivation, despite his best efforts to limit his intake of Dark Attribute Elemental Power, he had still unconsciously absorbed small amounts. And the Light Attribute Elemental Power? It was practically non-existent. That was the source of the imbalance in his Chaos!

If this went on, Mu Chen was almost certain his Chaos Dantian would eventually be consumed by darkness, transforming into a pure Dark Attribute Dantian. What would become of him then was anyone’s guess.

But now, seeing this sea of Light Attribute Elemental Power, a window suddenly opened in the closed-off depths of his heart—a window that offered a complete solution to his worries!

But even with this window of opportunity, there was a bottomless abyss on the other side that he couldn’t cross. He only had one day. How much Light Attribute Elemental Power could he possibly absorb in that time? And he still had to find a Magical Beast partner...

"Stop standing around like a bunch of gaping fools. Go on up and check in," Zhu Jiuqian said, exasperated. He looked at the group, who were all staring like wide-eyed tourists, and sighed.

"Identify yourselves."

Just as Mu Chen’s group walked a little further, a deep, ancient voice suddenly echoed.

Mu Chen was startled. His keen perception came primarily from his powerful Spiritual Power, yet he hadn’t sensed anyone’s approach at all.

"Identify my ass! I’m talking to you, Feng Chaoming! You know exactly what we’re here for, but every year it’s the same ’Identify yourselves’ crap. Don’t you ever get tired of putting on this act?" Zhu Jiuqian grumbled. He had already taken out his wine pot, and two cups had somehow appeared in his other hand.

He tilted the pot and flicked his wrist, sending one of the cups flying into the golden mist. Mu Chen and the others watched as an ancient figure slowly emerged from ahead. His body seemed to be part of the mist itself, his aura completely masked by it.

The old man was slightly hunched and dressed in simple gray robes. A few sparse white hairs ringed his bald head, but his cheeks were surprisingly youthful, free from the deep-set wrinkles of old age. His twilight eyes were utterly devoid of light, making him seem like a walking corpse. He caught the cup Zhu Jiuqian had tossed, downed the wine in one go, and retorted, "You get to act all high and mighty in front of these little ones every day. I only get to do it once every five years, and just for a moment at that. You really have the gall to complain?"

The old man approached with deliberate slowness. As he drew near, Mu Chen’s gaze froze, his expression turning to one of shock. The old man’s left hand was severed clean at the wrist, leaving only a smooth, rounded stump. His right eye was blind, and a massive scar ran from his scalp all the way down to his jaw, looking as if his head had once been cleaved in two.

As he took in the sight of the old man, Feng Chaoming, Mu Chen also noticed that despite his flippant words, Zhu Jiuqian’s eyes now held a look of deep respect.

"Have your injuries still been tormenting you these past five years? You seem even more worn down than before." Zhu Jiuqian’s playful demeanor vanished, his voice filled with a sigh of concern.

Feng Chaoming let out a hollow chuckle. "It’s an old problem. I don’t know how many more years this body of mine can last. The Dean sent me here to Holy Beast Mountain to recuperate in the rich Light Attribute Elemental Power, but my recovery is still painfully slow. I’m afraid I’ll be spending the rest of my days here. How I miss the old days of battle."

"Hah! I’d rather a madman like you stay put. If you got out, you’d probably blast the entire Elder Space to smithereens," Zhu Jiuqian said, rolling his eyes.

"Heh... are you making fun of me?" The old man held up his stump of a left arm with a bitter smile. "In my condition, going out would be suicide. But never mind that. Let’s not frighten the little ones. We can catch up later. Time for business."

With that, the old man swept his dull, yellow eyes across the group. As his gaze passed over them, each person froze, feeling as if they’d been completely paralyzed.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down their temples. They could feel it clearly—the old man’s gaze was like that of a god, rendering them utterly powerless to resist wherever it landed.

"Eighteen... nineteen... twenty, twenty, twenty... seventeen... seventeen... Hmm, this big one’s physique is terrifying. To think he’s only seventeen... A boy from the Giant Rock Race. The rest of you pass as well. You can go in."

As he spoke, twelve long, pitch-black tokens appeared in his withered right palm. He tossed one to each of them. "Some of you may be well-read enough to judge a High-tier Magical Beast’s Grade by its appearance, but it’s always better to be cautious when making your choice. This Token will change color when you encounter Magical Beasts of different tiers. The lowest in Holy Beast Mountain are Tier Two Magical Beasts, whose strength is equivalent to a Martial Master. For them, the Token will turn crimson. The other colors follow in ascending order: yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, silver, and gold, corresponding to the progression of a Martial Artist’s Attribute ranks."

"If you find a suitable Magical Beast and the Token begins to flash rapidly, it means the beast dislikes you and wants nothing to do with you. You should leave immediately, or it might teach you a small lesson. If a Magical Beast seems willing to approach you, try to communicate with it mind-to-mind to see if you can form a bond. If you’re not interested, move on and find another. You have one day. If you haven’t found a suitable partner by the end of the day, your Token will flash with a rainbow of colors. Thirty seconds after that, you’ll be teleported out, and the Token will be taken back. Understood?"

"Yes!"

Mu Chen and the others replied in perfect unison. It was no surprise—how could they dare to disobey a man who could paralyze them with a single glance?

The old man nodded at their response. With a grand wave of his hand, the golden mist parted, revealing a massive golden screen of light covered in countless esoteric Runes. The group gasped in amazement. So this was the true Holy Beast Mountain, protected by such a powerful Defense Barrier. Judging by its color alone, it was clear that not even a Saint Realm Powerhouse could breach it against its creator’s will.

"Go on. As long as you’re holding the Token, you can pass through easily. Just be aware, this Mirror Screen is itself a Space Transmission Array Map. Once you’re inside, the twelve of you will be completely scattered. There is no possibility of any two of you appearing in the same area."

When he finished speaking, he saw Mu Chen and the others still mesmerized by the golden Mirror Screen. He frowned, and with another wave of his right hand, the group felt a massive force slam into them. They lost their balance and were shoved into the golden Mirror Screen, vanishing in the blink of an eye.