by Dragon King
All the monuments in this palace had ancient scriptures and cultivation techniques engraved on them.
Since the Nine Dragon Palace was locked, and the cultivators nowadays couldn’t unlock the array formations, this Ancestral Dragon Palace was almost deserted.
From the many stone monuments around the Baxia Palace, people could tell that this was a place where ancient scrolls and techniques were stored.
The Ancestral Dragon Palace flew fast. Su Han wasn’t able to maintain her stability, so she firmly grabbed onto the stone monument next to her.
“See if you could decipher one and bring one back,” Hao Ren said.
He was able to read the old texts in the techniques of the East Ocean Dragon Clan, but he couldn’t recognize these ancient ones.
There was something really magical about these stone monuments; the words on them would become brighter or darker depending on the change of lights. The scriptures also didn’t seem to flow as they were always shifting. It might be that the stone monuments had some array formations hidden in them.
Su Han knew that it wouldn’t be easy to decipher these very ancient techniques. If she really wanted to do so, she would have to move an entire monument back and take her time to decipher it.
However, even if she dug out an entire monument, scriptures might not show on it. After all, almost everything in the Nine Dragon Palace was mysterious.
She walked around these stone monuments and finally decided on the smallest one.
“If I try really hard, I can understand a little bit. Let me take time to examine it,” Su Han looked over and said to Hao Ren after she sat in front of it.
She had often read the ancient scriptures in the Dragon God Shrine, so she had some knowledge of these ancient characters that the ancient cultivators used. If she took her time, she might be able to understand it.
Hao Ren stood at the entrance of the Baxia Palace while holding onto the stone pillars tightly. He was looking at what was happening around them.
They flew past all sorts of mountains and rivers underneath them. Other than mountains and rivers, Hao Ren was able to see many fierce beasts gathering across a river.
However, he didn’t see any fierce beasts within the movement area of the Ancestral Dragon Palaces.
From the look of it, the array formation in the Nine Dragon Palace had effects on fierce beasts.
Boom!
The Ancient Dragon Shrine suddenly went into a territory of utter darkness.
Hao Ren was able to hear the sound of the wind, so he was able to confirm that they were still flying.
Su Han was still examining the monuments. When she felt that the shrine had entered into darkness, she was not a bit scared. Instead, she continued to examine the words on the monuments to try to find patterns. Hao Ren was guarding at the entrance, so she felt very safe.
This Ancient Dragon Shrine flew in darkness for a while and still haven’t flown out of it.
Hao Ren suddenly realized that the world inside the Nine Dragon Palace was separated between night and day!
It symbolized Yin and Yang, the foundation of the universe!
When he and Su Han barged into the array formation, they had fallen into the night area of the Nine Dragon Palace. If they fell into the day area instead, they would be in the territory of fierce beasts!
When he realized this, cold sweat dripped through Hao Ren’s back!
At that moment, Su Han was reading the scripture on the monuments through the dim reflective lights. She had understood a bit of the opening sentences on the monument.
This technique was called Sky-Patching Scroll. According to the descriptions on the monument, this technique was used by Nuwa when she patched up the sky in legends.
Su Han was very excited. She realized that even this short technique was very valuable, so she kept reading.
If she were to understand this technique, it might be able to help her withstand the Heavenly Tribulation! Amongst many stone monuments, this one was the shortest, yet it was very suitable for female cultivators!
Su Han focused all her attention on the stone monuments, and she tried to memorize every bit. The scripture on this monument would change every few seconds. However, Su Han was very smart, and she had already figured out how to read it; she had to switch from the front to the end when the scripture changed order.
The whole technique was around 1000 words. Su Han had slowly memorized the words. Then, she read it again and compared it with what she remembered to make sure that there were no mistakes.
Although there were parts where she didn’t really understand, she could go back and take the time to comprehend it
Boom!
The Ancestral Dragon Palace suddenly came out of the darkness.
Hao Ren used his fingers and counted time.
Su Han had memorized every single word in the Sky-Patching Scroll by heart. Then, she came back to Hao Ren’s side. With Su Han’s head, it was a piece of cake for her to memorize every word she read.
“3651, 3652…” Hao Ren mumbled.
Su Han didn’t know what Hao Ren was doing but also didn’t want to disturb him. There was a part of Hao Ren that was rarely shown most of the time.
Su Han was very satisfied already for getting a technique when they had just come in here by chance.
She knew that it was all thanks to Hao Ren, and she decided that when she fully understood this technique, she would teach it to Xie Yujia and Zhao Yanzi as well.
In terms of other techniques on the other monuments, she could only give up because she didn’t have enough time to decipher them, and they were all too long. Even if she could remember the longer ones, it might take her tens or hundreds of years to understand them.
The techniques that were stored in this Ancestral Dragon Palace were probably ones that ancient cultivators couldn’t even fully understand and cultivate.
The Baxia Palace flew along the wind. Sometimes, they would see other Ancestral Dragon Palaces passing by.
Hao Ren was very focused and continued to count.
The palace had returned to the mountain that Hao Ren and Su Han jumped from. When Su Han saw those shattered pieces of wood, she got a little scared.
The Ancestral Dragon Palaces were like super trains controlled by the array formation. Suddenly, it was all dark again.
Hao Ren suddenly raised his hand and pulled Su Han’s hand, making her stand next to him.
He used a bit more force while putting the other hand on her back so that she would be in his arms.
They were hugging face to face, so Su Han’s red lips were so close to Hao Ren’s that they almost touched.
Hao Ren’s expression was still very serious. He continued to count while pulling Su Han’s hands to his waist.
Su Han was slightly discontent with how Hao Ren moved her, but she still hugged onto Hao Ren tightly.
“18586…”
Hao Ren hugged Su Han and suddenly jumped off this Ancestral Dragon Palace!
Almost at the same time, sword energies appeared under his feet.
With the speed of the Ancestral Dragon Palace, they were sent flying for a few thousand meters in seconds. Hao Ren had maintained steady sword energies and held onto Su Han tightly.
Finally, they were able to land on the ground while being surrounded by pitch darkness.
Hao Ren’s lips were pressing onto Su Han’s neck, and a hickey was left on Su Han’s neck due to the strong force. Although it was because he used too much power, it still made Su Han a bit embarrassed.
He had taken advantage over her in all possible ways during this trip to Nine Dragon Palace.
“It was very different when the palace flew in the light versus the dark. The movement in the darkness was much shorter. It meant that the Baxia Palace was much closer to the Origin Dragon Grand Palace in the dark. We have landed in the middle of the movement pattern of the Baxia Palace in the darkness. If we walk perpendicular to the movement pattern, we would be able to reach
the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.”
Hao Ren said to Su Han while looking at her.
“OK.” Su Han wasn’t stupid. After hearing his explanation, she knew his plan straight away.
Imagine that the nine Ancestral Dragon Palaces were circling the Origin Dragon Grand Palace in the shape of an oval. According to Hao Ren’s calculations, they would be able to reach the Origin Dragon Grand Palace by following his plan.
It wasn’t a difficult strategy to understand. However, it was extremely difficult to think of. It took the Baxia Palace so long to fly one round. If they walked on foot, then it would take them years to get to the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.
Su Han looked at Hao Ren and was impressed again.
Just when such thoughts came up in her mind, Hao Ren had acted again without her consent by holding onto her delicate hand and flying forward with her.
The hundun energy was much denser here compared with other places. They could guess that they were getting closer to the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.
Hao Ren’s realm had successfully increased from top-tier Dui-level to mid-tier Xu-level. He was much better at controlling his hundun sword energies.
Now, Hao Ren was able to use his sword energies in such an area where the hundun energy was dense without a break.
Hao Ren felt like he had gone back in time to when he had to searched for the Origin Dragon Grand Palace in the dark with Zhao Yanzi. However, he was only a low-level Li-level cultivator at that time, but he was now a Xun-level.
In this never-ending darkness, it was tough to tell which direction they were going at, making it close to impossible to reach the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.
When he and Zhao Yanzi entered the Nine Dragon Palace last time, they had information from many past cultivators. They also accurately calculated the route and direction to get to the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.
They didn’t know how long they had flown. However, they had reached a big black thing in the mist.
“The Origin Dragon Grand Palace!” Su Han almost shouted out in excitement.
It was a giant-tower-like black building in the dark. If it weren’t the Origin Dragon Grand Palace, then what was it?
However, the four stone doors in all four directions of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace were firmly locked.
The Dragon God Shrine tried to imitate the structure of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace. However, the Dragon God Shrine wasn’t as big and awe-inspiring.
When they were a few hundred meters away from the Origin Dragon Grand Palace, Hao Ren’s hundun sword energies suddenly stopped working. He was caught off guard, and he fell into the cold mud with Su Han in his arms.
He suddenly sensed no hundun energy within a few hundred meters of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace!
The center of the Nine Dragon Palace was the Origin Dragon Grand Palace. It seemed like the Origin Dragon Grand Palace was a large array formation, and all the hundun energy was spreading from hundreds of meters away from it.
Su Han landed and got out of Hao Ren’s arms. Her windbreaker fluttered in the wind and made her look very cool.
Tink!
Her longsword which she held all the time suddenly flew up and went back into her palm!
Hao Ren stood up and looked at Su Han in shock.
Bang!!!”
A strong aura exploded from Su Han’s body.
Hao Ren was immediately blown away by many steps.
Qian-level… peak!
Hao Ren couldn’t believe what he had just seen.
“If you’re brave enough, then come with me. If you’re not, then stay outside and wait for me!” Su Han jumped up and looked back down before saying to Hao Ren.
She was so cold that it seemed like her eyebrows were made from frost, and her eyes were made from snow.
711 Heaven-Reaching Tower!
“I’m going!” Hao Ren responded with no hesitation.
He was a bit slow to react because he was shocked by how Su Han had suddenly recovered her strength and even broke through to peak Qian-level from top-tier Qian-level; he wasn’t hesitating.
When Hao Ren saw how little effort it took Su Han to jump up five meters, Hao Ren jumped up to follow her.
Su Han suddenly grabbed Hao Ren’s collar like how a hawk would snatch a duckling. Then, she lightly jumped a few steps, easily reaching the outer wall of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.
Hao Ren thought Su Han would open the stone gates of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace. However, she moved along the outer wall.
Hao Ren stepped onto the stone stones that made this palace so that he could catch up to Su Han’s speed.
The two were like squirrels that were great at climbing, and they climbed up this great and awe-inspiring outer wall of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace quickly.
Su Han’s speed was especially fast. Her long white boots were moving quickly while her white windbreaker fluttered in the wind. Her white outfit created a sharp contrast with the black wall of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace and made her look even livelier.
Hao Ren tried his best to absorb nature essence to catch up with Su Han.
However, he didn’t understand how Su Han was able to recover her nature essence overnight. More confusing, how was she able to reach peak Qian-level from top-tier Qian-level.
Unless… Hao Ren looked at Su Han’s snow-white face as he thought about how he increased his own realm.
Su Han closed her lips tight. Every time she moved her legs, she would jump up at least six meters. She knew that Hao Ren was guessing how she increased her realm, but she didn’t want to explain to him.
If Hao Ren had thought that of her, then she wouldn’t need to explain much of herself either.
She didn’t expect that Hao Ren’s Vital Yang Physique would help her achieve a breakthrough. Suddenly, she realized that Hao Ren’s physique wasn’t as weak as she had expected.
However, Hao Ren was still looking at her, and it made Su Han unhappy.
It should be a cultivator’s happiest moment when reaching peak Qian-level, but Su Han didn’t seem happy at all.
The material that made the Origin Dragon Grand Palace was obsidian, which was a special material. It was a material that could block all nature essence from the outside, but it was the best nature essence transmitter from the inside.
That was why this type of material was often used for elixir chambers and isolated array formations.
Because of this special material, the hundun energy that filled the Nine Dragon Palace was blocked hundreds of meters away from the Origin Dragon Grand Palace. This made Su Han capable of using her nature essence, but it was still impossible to fly using her sword around the Origin Dragon Grand Palace.
In other words, she could use the nature essence within her body, but the obsidian would quickly absorb it if she were to use it externally.
Hao Ren was chasing Su Han. It took him a lot of energy, and he was breathing hard. He was only at mid-tier Xun-level, so his volume of nature essence was no match for Su Han’s. Therefore, it was tough for him to catch up to Su Han’s speed.
Also, Su Han seemed unhappy, so she ran quicker and quicker.
After chasing her like this for two hours, Hao Ren was still only able to see her figure from afar.
Currently, Hao Ren only had two thoughts in mind. One, chasing this girl sure was tiring! Two, this Origin Dragon Grand Palace sure was tall!
Even though his running speed was about 60 kilometers per hour, he was still far from reaching the top.
He looked up and saw that Su Han was already in the white mist; he almost couldn’t see her anymore.
Hao Ren clenched his teeth and used his nature essence desperately so that he could run faster.
“She didn’t get mad when she should! What is she mad about now?” Hao Ren was confused.
His legs were almost broken from running. Although he had cultivated all five elemental nature essence together, and he had more nature essence compared to other cultivators of the
same realm, he was still no match for Su Han who was at peak Qian-level.
Su Han had run for quite a while. She saw how Hao Ren was trying so hard to catch up, so she finally slowed down to wait for Hao Ren.
“How much further?” Hao Ren asked.
White mist covered the area; it was wet and cold. If one stopped for only a little while, he or she would be wet.
“The Origin Dragon Grand Palace also has another name, and that is the Heaven-Reaching Tower,” Su Han responded.
“Heaven-reaching… How far does it take to reach the sky?” Hao Ren thought to himself.
This section of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace did not look like the square building that they saw from the ground. Instead, it was now a long, tall, never-ending pillar.
Regardless of whether they looked up or down, they could only see the white mist.
They could no longer estimate the height. What they knew was that they were high up in the air.
“If you can’t take it, it still isn’t too late to go back,” Su Han said to Hao Ren while looking at him.
Hao Ren glared at her. Then, he put all his energy into his feet to surpass Su Han before going upward continuously.
Su Han saw how Hao Ren was slightly frustrated but still progressed forward steady. She suddenly smiled and jumped a bit higher.
According to the records in the Dragon God Shrine, there was a godly item at the top of the Origin Dragon Grand Palace. However, there was no mention of how tall the Origin Dragon Grand Palace was.
Su Han had to go through a lot to reach the Nine Dragon Palace. She went through all that because she wanted to get that godly item on the top, but she might trigger Qiu Niu, who was inside the Nine Dragon Palace. She only hoped that Qiu Niu was in a critical moment in his cultivation so that he wouldn’t bother with the two trespassers.
Hao Ren and Su Han climbed up together at the same pace now. The taller the tower, the thinner and smoother it got.
They had climbed for a few hours, and the Heaven-Reaching Tower was now only as thin as an arm. The mist still surrounded them, and this made the smooth black stone even slippery than it was.