Chapter 1474: Diao Nan Yuan

The Path of Divine Descent, as its name suggests, is the route trodden by Mountain Gods and Sea Gods. It traverses mountains and seas, passing from east to west.

The 《Chronicles of Shanhai Beasts》 is a rather fascinating collection of texts. Many of its contents seem to depict the history of the Shanhai Realm, with the vast majority of entries having corresponding realities within the realm.

Among these descriptions, both those with and without counterparts in the Shanhai Realm, a portion can be traced back to ancient histories of the present world.

Of course, there are also some legends found nowhere else, their veracity unknown.

Hence, there have always been some who believe that the Shanhai Realm is, in fact, a minor world that splintered off from the present world during some ancient era. Because it has no human inhabitants, it has preserved its historical appearance.

Naturally, this theory is far less popular than the theories of an extraterrestrial world or creation by Huang Weizhen.

According to the legends recorded in the 《Chronicles of Shanhai Beasts》, the Mountain Gods and Sea Gods residing in various locations would visit each other via this Path of Divine Descent, frolicking within the mountains and seas. Later, when the heavens collapsed and the earth split, this path was severed, and thus the various Mountain Gods and Sea Gods ceased their interactions.

To find this path would ordinarily be a difficult undertaking.

But it so happened that Jiang Wang had already obtained a heritage at Mount Zhang'e, and knew the location of the Mountain God Wall – which was precisely the crucial gateway to the Path of Divine Descent.

Because the Mountain God of Mount Beiji Tiangui was lost, the Mountain God Wall would not appear at all, and thus could not connect to the Path of Divine Descent.

In other words, one must be in a place where a Mountain God or Sea God resides to have a chance of stepping onto that legendary rainbow bridge via the Mountain God Wall or Sea God Wall.

None of those extraordinary beasts granted divine names were easy to deal with.

To rashly invade a mountain, the possibility of a total annihilation of forces was not small.

Jiang Wang pondered for a long time, and finally decided to lead his people back to Mount Zhang'e. After all, it was better to deal with the familiar than the unfamiliar...

Although the directions within the Shanhai Realm were difficult to discern, Jiang Wang could still find his way to places he had already visited.

The Mechanical Mohuraga, without pause, dutifully transported the three to the vicinity of their destination. However, due to its overly conspicuous size, it was put away early.

"Mount Zhang'e, its substance is of jade and jasper."

The mountain covered in precious stones and white jade clearly had excellent appearance.

Looking at this floating mountain, even Zuo Guangshu remarked, "The Mountain God of this mountain must be extraordinary!"

"Although that five-tailed Ezhen's temper is not very good, I believe that with the three of us working together, we can still reason with it a little."

Jiang Wang did not know if he was comforting himself or the other two. In any case, he casually gave this word of encouragement, then led the way to stealthily ascend the mountain.

"Reasoning" was, of course, merely talk. How could Jiang Wang dare to show his face before that Ezhen now?

This time was different from the last.

Being already quite familiar with Mount Zhang'e, Yue Tiannu and Zuo Guangshu displayed profound backgrounds, stacking numerous concealment techniques to deal with various situations.

The three individuals were like a gentle breeze,拂过 Mount Zhang'e without leaving a trace. They did not take a single unnecessary step, heading directly to the Mountain God Wall with clear purpose.

Fortunately, that Ezhen was not guarding this spot. He likely was hiding somewhere sleeping soundly again.

"Why is this Mountain God Wall so pitted and uneven?" Yue Tiannu frowned as she examined it. "A large piece is even missing here."

Zuo Guangshu chuckled, "It's practically like it was robbed."

Jiang Wang's expression remained unchanged: "Let's get to business."

The three almost simultaneously unleashed their Dao arts.

The entire Mount Zhang'e instantly became lively!

A large flock of Yanque chirped and scattered throughout the mountain.

Three puppet warrior monks, wielding wrought iron staves, separated in different directions and recklessly began demolishing the stone forest.

Great floods were also poured onto the mountain, the currents splitting and evolving into dragons, tigers, pigs, and leopards, scrambling everywhere.

In the blink of an eye, the mountain was filled with clamor, with disturbances everywhere. Surely, the five-tailed Ezhen, jolted awake from its slumber, would be momentarily stunned, unsure of where to begin managing the chaos.

Furthermore, the three individuals also laid out many Daoist traps on the path that the five-tailed Ezhen would inevitably take to the Mountain God Wall. Of course, they could not truly block the Ezhen, but they could hopefully divert some attention or slow it down slightly.

Following their pre-arranged plan, as soon as the commotion began, the three immediately broke their concealment and flew to the front of the Mountain God Wall.

Jiang Wang casually formed a Bifang seal and pressed it onto the Mountain God Wall. According to Zuo Guangshu's instructions, in the name of the God of Zhang'e, he opened the Path of Divine Descent.

The snowy white jade wall instantly gleamed with flowing light, and a sacred aura descended upon the area.

Then a long rainbow appeared in the horizon, piercing through miles of clouds and smoke, crossing over Mount Zhang'e, and spanning across the high heavens. Its origin was unknown, and its end was unknown.

In the middle of the Mountain God Wall before their eyes, however, a gateway appeared. It was antique and elegant, inscribed with beast patterns.

Jiang Wang placed his hand on the edge of the gateway and said urgently, "You two go in first."

Without a word, Zuo Guangshu and Yue Tiannu pushed open the door and entered.

Jiang Wang followed closely behind, casually stirring the Samadhi True Fire, and burned down another large piece of the jade wall, very quickly collecting it into his storage box.

He lunged through the door.

Beyond the door was the rainbow bridge.

It was a riot of seven colors, embedded deep within the clouds and smoke.

The power of the Mountain God Wall connected to the Path of Divine Descent, and also led to various "divine residences."

Jiang Wang thought to himself, perhaps this was the correct way to travel within the Shanhai Realm...

But how many people could kill a Bifang, obtain its vital blood, and connect to the Mountain God Wall?

The restrictions on cultivation in the Shanhai Realm also made this path an unattainable dream for outsiders – Zuo Guangshu had originally planned to step onto the Path of Divine Descent by relying on the Nine Phoenix Feather, which was why Mount Beiji Tiangui was his intended starting point.

This plan, which was a chain of links, was broken at the first link. The fact that it could still be connected in this manner was truly strange.

The celestial wind blew, but it could not move the people on the rainbow bridge.

Stepping onto the rainbow bridge, Zuo Guangshu's expression was quite strange. The puppet-faced Yue Tiannu, while expressionless, had flickering eyes.

Clearly, Jiang Wang's casual treasure hunting was not missed by them.

"If I don't destroy this door, I'm worried that that Ezhen will catch up," Jiang Wang explained naturally, then directed, "Look at the road, Guangshu, what are you looking at me for? Do I have a map of Diaonan Yuan on my face?"

Big Brother Jiang still had some authority after all.

Zuo Guangshu obediently turned his head back and, amid the rapidly moving scenery, concentrated on searching for the divine residence of Diaonan Yuan.

High upon the rainbow bridge suspended in the sky, their feet remained still, yet they were carried along by the rainbow bridge at lightning speed, the mountain and sea scenery flashing by. It was a very novel experience.

The speed of the rainbow bridge was too astonishing.

Between each floating mountain in the Shanhai Realm, there was an extremely vast distance. Even floating mountains visible to the naked eye were not easy to reach, as the saying goes, "looking at the mountain runs the horse to death."

However, standing on the rainbow bridge, the floating mountains seemed to be practically adjacent, flashing past their eyes. Area after area of sea inhabited by divine residences also continuously receded in their vision.

But what startled Jiang Wang even more was...

If every floating mountain and every area of sea appearing on the Path of Divine Descent represented one or two Mountain Gods or Sea Gods, then there were far too many extraordinary beasts granted divine names in this Shanhai Realm.

Did the Qi Kingdom have so many Divine Landing cultivators?

Did the entire Eastern Domain have that many?

Only at this moment, with the number of Mountain Gods and Sea Gods spread out before his eyes in such a direct manner,

did Jiang Wang realize how powerful a world the Shanhai Realm was, if it were a real world!

"We've arrived!" Zuo Guangshu suddenly exclaimed.

The rainbow bridge then came to a halt.

Jiang Wang looked up, only to see a pitch-black vortex suspended before them.

Yue Tiannu stepped forward, golden light blossoming little by little on her body: "I'll go in first."

She said only this much, then stepped into the vortex.

Diaonan Yuan was filled with hidden dangers, and she believed her puppet body was sturdier than Jiang Wang's and Zuo Guangshu's, thus going in first to scout the path. Other than that, she said nothing more.

Jiang Wang followed closely behind, stepping into that pitch-black vortex.

His entire body suddenly relaxed!

Jiang Wang almost floated away.

Having to bear the hundred-fold heavier profound energy of the present world in the Shanhai Realm at all times, he had actually become accustomed to it.

However, within this Diaonan Yuan, there was almost no profound energy, as if in the cosmic void.

With the sudden fluctuations, even standing steadily was difficult.

Jiang Wang immediately circulated his energy within his body, causing his body to sink.

But in the very next moment, the profound energy pressing down on his body increased by hundreds of times, as if it would flatten him into a thin pancake!

Crimson smoke billowed around his body, and Jiang Wang immediately activated the Wu Yu Smoke Armor.

This Dao art created by Zuo Guangshu was truly very suitable for such an extremely chaotic profound energy environment.

His Dao essence was rapidly consumed, but he was able to stand steadily.

Only then did he have time to survey his surroundings.

Descending from the Path of Divine Descent, one must arrive at a divine residence.

That is to say, there must be a Mountain God or Sea God guarding the place.

The best-case scenario, of course, would be that the deity was not at home. However, this hope was merely better than nothing...

According to the plan they had made beforehand, their first action upon arrival was to conceal themselves. However, at this moment, they could not afford to worry about such things. If they could not even stand steadily, they could not conceal themselves either.

Yue Tiannu was not far in front of them, the golden light on her body constantly changing, apparently having already adapted to the environment. With her ability to form a Pure Land, she had a greater understanding of the world, and dealing with these things was certainly easier for her than for Jiang Wang.

"Nothing has been discovered yet," Yue Tiannu said, "but we must leave quickly."

The deity of this place must have already learned of the disturbance and was on their way.

Jiang Wang turned his head.

Behind him was a completely black Mountain God Wall.

A gateway was open in the middle, and Zuo Guangshu was walking out of it.

"Quickly take a look, do you recognize it?"

Jiang Wang directly threw a question into the Cloud-Topped Immortal Palace, asking the White Cloud Child to analyze the material composition of this Mountain God Wall.

After a while, the White Cloud Child's somewhat listless response came: "The 《Immortal Methods Classic》 records: If a Sea God dies, its divine body becomes flowing sand. After ten thousand years of cosmic light, it forms wood essence. Immortal Master, this is flowing sand wood, one of the main materials for the Immortal Palace Strongmen."

Jiang Wang was overjoyed, wishing he could immediately summon the Samadhi True Fire and burn it to his heart's content.

Fortunately, he retained some semblance of rationality, knowing that such a burning would create a huge rift, and thus forcefully restrained the eager Dao Seed.

Zuo Guangshu walked out of the dark gateway and quickly sensed the complexity of the environment. A faint blue smoke rose from his body, completing the resistance in an instant.

Facing Jiang Wang's burning gaze, he couldn't help but say, "Big Brother Jiang, your constant oversight makes me nervous instead."

Jiang Wang thought to himself, if you move away, you'll know what I'm looking at.

He was only a step away from the Immortal Palace Strongmen, how could he not be excited...

He gritted his teeth and turned to leave: "Let's leave here quickly for now. We'll come back after we understand the situation."

Speaking of which, the material for these Immortal Palace Strongmen is truly strange. It's either formed from the death of a Mountain God or the death of a Sea God...

Within the Shanhai Realm, perhaps Mountain Gods and Sea Gods are somewhat different.

But in the present world, they are all related to the Divine Dao.

The Cloud-Topped Immortal Palace is not just lording over the Divine Dao. It's completely skinning and disassembling the Divine Dao, developing on the corpses of the Divine Dao.

From this alone, one can almost see the grandeur of the nine great Immortal Palaces during their peak.

One must know that the Divine Dao is by no means a mere sheep path, let alone weak.

Let's not even mention the glorious era.

Even in its current comprehensive decline. There is still a dominant nation bathed in the divine light of the Cangtu God. This dominant nation has now deployed its forces in the flourishing land, and is rolling up its sleeves to fight a great battle with the Jing Kingdom.

Without some ability to protect itself, how could the Cloud-Topped Immortal Palace dare to act like this?

"Big Brother Jiang," Zuo Guangshu said at this moment, "we can leave by a different route when we depart. We don't have to come back."

"No! We must come back!" Jiang Wang said resolutely.

Seeing Zuo Guangshu's astonished face, he softened his tone: "Where you come from, that's where you go. When young people do things, they must have a beginning and an end."

Zuo Guangshu nodded blankly.

Although he didn't quite understand how this was related to having a beginning and an end. But a person like Big Brother Jiang must have his reasons, right?

The three had a tacit understanding. After a brief observation of the environment, they intended to leave.

But almost simultaneously, they stopped in their tracks.

Right in front of them, a tall, strange rock split open.

More accurately. It was the earth and dirt accumulated on a certain extraordinary beast... accumulated for who knows how many years, now bursting open and falling away.

An invisible yet substantial pressure, overwhelming and surging, came forth!

Appearing before them was an extraordinary beast with a strange appearance and chaotic aura.

It had a dog's head, a bear's body, four legs, and was covered in long fur.

Its eyes were large, but dim and lifeless, with no spirit at all, as if it could see nothing.

Its two wide, round ears hung down, and it should also be unable to hear, as Jiang Wang did not detect any sound passing through its ears.

Its abdomen was bloated, its belly skin thin and translucent, faintly showing a rectum that went straight to the bottom, but without any shadows of internal organs.

Looking at its appearance alone, it was not a very ferocious extraordinary beast. But its strength required no further proof.

The golden light on Yue Tiannu's body, and the Wu Yu Smoke Armor on Jiang Wang and Zuo Guangshu's bodies, were directly crushed under this terrifying pressure!

When a person is unlucky, even drinking cold water can choke them.

He never expected the Sea God of Diaonan Yuan to be positioned right across from the Sea God Wall!

If it had been sleeping somewhere else, there would still be a chance to entangle and escape.

How could it be so different from Mount Zhang'e?

Jiang Wang, as the one among the trio who had the most dealings with Mountain Gods and Sea Gods, stepped forward without hesitation.

While densely circulating Dao essence within his body, he countered the unpredictable profound energy within Diaonan Yuan.

He patted himself, then pointed at the other party, and laughed heartily: "I! You! Friends!"

This was a social tactic that had been tested by Huodou and Bifang, and it was very effective!

Zuo Guangshu's confidence in Jiang Wang was now almost blind, and he looked at the opposite side with great anticipation.

But...

The Sea God of Diaonan Yuan remained motionless and did not speak.

The silence lasted for a while.

"Prepare to slip away," Jiang Wang said helplessly. "It's blind and deaf. Even if I step forward, I can't communicate."

"How do we slip away?" Zuo Guangshu, whose smoke armor had been crushed by a single wave of pressure, dared not move: "I feel like if I even move my ankle, I'll die."

Jiang Wang said calmly: "Listen to my command later. Monk Yue will entangle this ugly thing with her puppet. Guangshu will use water-element Dao arts to create a barrier and segment the battlefield. I will clear the path for you. When I count one, two, three, we will act together."

"I am Chaos."

The extraordinary beast suddenly opened its mouth and said, "Not called ugly thing."

It spoke in Dao language.

By listening to its sound, one could discern its meaning.