Chapter 1720: The Spirit God Appears Again

This weapon, resembling a jade plate or a tortoise shell, made contact with the thin threads binding everyone. All felt a tingling numbness in their bodies, and their internal energy surged uncontrollably along the threads.

"So it's not about killing?"

Just as he was about to control the Soul-Stealing Lock to counterattack and slay the many alien tribesmen, Zhang Xuan saw this and stopped.

He had thought the so-called sacrifice would kill all hundred-plus humans, which was why he willingly let himself be captured, waiting for an opportunity to strike... but it only drained their energy.

Since there was no danger, he ceased his actions, pretending to be controlled, letting his energy flow with the others into the Soul-Stealing Lock.

Soon, the energy formed a circle.

Hum!

The Soul-Stealing Lock shone with dazzling light, merging with the runes on the ground.

Rumble!

The light ring on the altar expanded several times, as if empowered by everyone's strength, surging toward the sky with even greater force.

Clatter!

The seal, struck by the light, emitted a sound like flowing water, but still did not break.

The black-armored man narrowed his eyes. With a twist of his wrist, a long blade appeared in his palm, and he made a light cut.

Blood gushed out, falling onto the altar.

In an instant, the light grew even brighter!

"I, Bo Hong of the later-born Ling tribe, offer my blood as sacrifice, beseeching the Spirit God to help me break the seal!"

An obscure voice rang out, as if chanting a special incantation. The light on the altar became more glorious and dazzling, and then a massive portal slowly appeared before everyone.

A powerful aura emanated from the portal, one that even someone of Zhang Xuan's strength felt could easily crush him.

"He's summoning the Spirit God?"

His pupils contracted.

He had witnessed this once before with Tianye King, back when his cultivation was low. Now, even at his current level, he felt he might not match a single thought from within that portal.

Whoosh!

The portal slowly opened, and as before, a back figure appeared before them.

It gave a feeling that crushed the soul; even with his mental state at 29.9, he felt somewhat unstable.

Just the back was so powerful. If it turned around, likely without any sacrifice, everyone would collapse, their minds shatter, and die on the spot.

"So strong..."

His face pale, Zhang Xuan's body stiffened.

He had seen ancient sages, but this Spirit God was clearly stronger than them, even more terrifying than the Cruel One!

It seemed that if it truly stepped out from behind the door, the entire Master Teacher Continent would be unable to bear the pressure and turn to ashes.

"But... that back looks familiar!"

Amidst the shock, that familiar feeling from before surged again.

Earlier, at Qiuwu Palace, when Tianye King summoned the Spirit God, he had this illusion, as if he had seen this being somewhere. Now, the feeling resurfaced, lingering in his mind.

However, it seemed someone deliberately concealed it, or his memory was erased. The more he tried to think, the fuzzier it became. After a while, he couldn't recall anything.

Knowing he couldn't figure it out, he stopped dwelling on it and looked up again.

With the Spirit God's appearance, everyone's energy drained faster, and soon their faces turned pale.

"I beseech the Spirit God to help me break the spatial shackles..." The black-armored man named Bo Hong called out again, blood continuing to flow as his body trembled.

Swish!

As the words ended, a beam of light shot from the portal. The seal that the altar had failed to destroy began to melt slowly like ice.

A passage just wide enough for a person to pass through appeared visibly.

The Spirit God had accepted his sacrifice and acted!

"Thank you, Spirit God!"

Bo Hong prostrated himself, his attitude sincere.

Whoosh!

The portal slowly dissipated, and the figure vanished. Bo Hong struggled to his feet, looked around, and said, "This passage will only last thirty breaths. Everyone, move quickly!"

"My lord, what about these humans who witnessed our sacrifice to the Spirit God? Should we..."

An alien tribesman made a throat-slitting gesture.

"Lord Chen Yong has ordered that we not harm the master teachers for now. Their energy is spent, so they can't cause trouble. Don't create complications; let's go!"

With a snort, Bo Hong leaped toward the broken seal.

"Get down here..."

Seeing him about to leave, Zhang Xuan couldn't let that happen. No longer hiding his cultivation, he extended his arm and grabbed at the man.

Swish!

Though they were a hundred meters apart, under his grasp, distance seemed to vanish. His fingers caught the other's ankle, and the upward momentum immediately weakened.

"You... hid your cultivation?"

His pupils contracting, Bo Hong felt himself falling. The force from the other's palm was even stronger than his own. He twisted his long blade and slashed down.

Whoosh!

Space shattered like paper. Seeing that the opponent's hand showed no sign of dodging, Bo Hong's eyes lit up, and he increased his strength.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks flew. The long blade struck the opponent's hand, producing a series of sparks, but didn't even leave a white mark.

"How is this possible?"

His pupils shrank.

This long blade, though not at the Great Sage level, was a half-step Great Sage treasure. Even an Indestructible Realm cultivator of the same level would have his head lopped off with one slash. Yet now, it left no trace. Just what level had the opponent reached?

"Retrieve..."

Knowing he couldn't win with just this blade, he reached for the Soul-Stealing Lock.

With that Great Sage divine artifact in hand, no matter how strong the opponent's defense, it would be nothing to fear.

His hand hovered in the air, his mind communicating, but after a moment, there was no response. Bo Hong quickly looked and saw that his Soul-Stealing Lock had somehow appeared at the opponent's fingertips, slowly moving.

"You... you refined my artifact?"

His mind exploded.

To enter the Confucian Temple, Chen Yong had specially lent him this item. He could only command it, not refine it... How could an artifact he couldn't even refine submit to the other so easily?

"Heh!"

Ignoring him, the young man tapped again.

Whoosh!

The Soul-Stealing Lock immediately shot up and bound him like a dumpling.

"Everyone, flee..."

Seeing that the opponent was not only strong but had also refined his treasure, Bo Hong knew they couldn't win. He shouted loudly.

After shouting, he realized that on the snowy plaza, five powerful sacred beasts had appeared, and his dozens of tribesmen were already slaughtered, with no survivors.

"You... ugh!"

Without needing to think, he knew it was the young man's doing. Bo Hong couldn't hold back and spat a mouthful of blood.

"Retrieve!"

Knowing this man was still useful and could provide information, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, stowing him into folded space. Then, with a grab, he also collected the altar and the ice-attributed spirit stones into his ring.

Only then did he turn to the crowd: "The area around the Confucian Temple is too dangerous. You'd better stay here; it's safer."

With that, he shook his body and shot straight up through the passage above.