Break and Rebuild: The Altar of Sacrifice (Part Two)
Finally, Zhuge Xiang stepped onto the Altar of Sacrifice and climbed the ninety-nine steps. Li Zhi, standing below, looked up at the figure on the Altar of Sacrifice and couldn't hide his admiration.
His towering figure seemed to reach the heavens and stand tall. The Altar of Sacrifice, the Heaven-Piercing Tower opened once every ten years, a feat rarely seen even once in a century. Yet Zhuge Xiang had succeeded.
Thump...
However, before Li Zhi could even rejoice for Zhuge Xiang, he saw the figure standing atop the Altar of Sacrifice collapse like a mountain of gold and jade. Upon seeing this, Li Zhi's expression changed drastically. He wanted to save the person, but he was not capable of climbing to the top of the Altar of Sacrifice.
"Brother Zhuge!" Li Zhi called out loudly, looking at Zhuge Xiang had collapsed on the top of the Altar of Sacrifice. But Zhuge Xiang lay there, seemingly unconscious, without any response.
The Altar of Sacrifice truly exhausted Zhuge Xiang's entire mental energy. The terrifying pressure even caused Zhuge Xiang Divine Sense to completely shatter at the last moment. Shattered Divine Sense meant a broken soul, which was no different from death. He had successfully ascended the Altar of Sacrifice, but at the last moment, Zhuge Xiang Divine Sense was completely crushed...
As Zhuge Xiang had foreseen, his Divine Sense completely shattered when he ascended the Altar of Sacrifice. With the shattering of his Divine Sense, Zhuge Xiang could feel his soul disintegrating into countless fragments. His Purple Mansion Spiritual Platform was also rapidly collapsing. With his soul shattered, the physical body Zhuge Xiang left behind was nothing more than a shell of its master...
However, just as Zhuge Xiang's Divine Sense was about to completely shatter into countless fragments and perish, these shattered fragments rapidly coalesced, began to merge, and transformed...
Zhuge Xiang might not know that the so-called immense benefit gained from passing through the Altar of Sacrifice refers to the reorganization of Divine Sense and the reshaping of the soul. In reality, regardless of the circumstances, everyone who passes through the Altar of Sacrifice experiences the shattering of their Divine Sense on this final level, but that is precisely the benefit.
The shattered Divine Sense was reassembled. The collapsed Purple Mansion Spiritual Platform was also rapidly rebuilt. In just a moment, Zhuge Xiang's Divine Sense was completely reorganized, and the new Divine Sense was more powerful, his consciousness clearer. Many things that were usually incomprehensible seemed to become very simple at this moment...
The Purple Mansion Spiritual Platform became wider, clearer, and cleaner. This soul reshaping did not improve Zhuge Xiang's cultivation level in the slightest; he remained at the Fourth Layer of the True Essence Realm. However, Zhuge Xiang could clearly feel that he had become different. This mysterious feeling was difficult to express clearly in words.
Within the Purple Mansion Spiritual Platform Divine Sense lay horizontally, gleaming brilliantly. Its Sword Light illuminated the entire Purple Mansion Spiritual Platform. The Sword Soul, formed from Zhuge Xiang's Sword Intent, became even more radiant as the Sword Soul reassembled. Its dazzling light could reduce all illusory thoughts to ashes...
"So this is the function of the Altar of Sacrifice. It's indeed very powerful..." Taking a deep breath, Zhuge Xiang carefully considered the benefits of ascending the Altar of Sacrifice and finally understood just how powerful these benefits were.
For Cultivator, every step of cultivation is like walking a tightrope on a precipice; the slightest misstep will result in utter destruction. However, what truly leads to Cultivator's annihilation is mostly not external factors, but internal ones—in simpler terms, Heart Demon...
Externally, no matter the crisis, one can always find a way to solve it with one's own cultivation, treasures, abilities, wisdom, and so on. However, Heart Demon are a terrifying existence that all Cultivator fear. From the Void Realm Great Expert to the Cultivator have just comprehended Qi Energy, Heart Demon are absolutely terrifying.
The path of cultivation is different for everyone, and it's inevitable that many negative emotions such as hatred, resentment, grievances, and unwillingness will arise in one's heart...
Normally, these negative emotions accumulate without being felt, but there will always be a time when they erupt. When that happens, they form Heart Demon, which come on fiercely. Unless one reaches the level of Gods and Buddhas of all Heavens, it is difficult to escape the erosion of Heart Demon.
Back then, Senior Sister Ice Maiden was said to have suddenly developed Heart Demon, causing her to lose her mind. Countless people felt sorry for her, but no one doubted why. Why? Because Heart Demon is something that everyone is likely to encounter. Throughout history, countless talented Cultivator have perished under the influence of their own Heart Demon.
This Altar of Sacrifice, Immortal Deity oppressed the Divine Sense, was shattered and then reshaped, removing the dross and retaining the essence. It can be said that the soul was reforged. This shattered and reshaped soul, while not immune to any Heart Demon, at least has greatly enhanced resistance. Moreover, the crystal-clear mind has immeasurable benefits on the path of cultivation.
"No wonder they say that those who have walked across the Altar of Sacrifice are all renowned powerhouses..." Having truly experienced the benefits brought by the Altar of Sacrifice, Zhuge Xiang suddenly realized the truth.
On the path of cultivation, one can largely be immune to the troubles caused by Heart Demon, and the reshaped soul can remain crystal clear for a long time, possessing a pure and exquisite heart. This benefit to the path of cultivation is absolutely comparable to any Treasure Artifact, Cultivation Technique, or innate talent and bloodline.
Having passed the Altar of Sacrifice, obtained the benefits, and completed the mission, Zhuge Xiang stood atop the Altar of Sacrifice, overlooking the Battlefield on the Ninth Layer of the Heaven-Piercing Tower. His gaze locked onto Mo Lingna and the others. He then rode his Flying Sword Immortal and soared towards them.
Indeed, Mo Lingna and her companions are strong, but it is precisely because of this that they have attracted the attention of those powerful Fire Control Tribe. Now, they are surrounded by several powerful Fire Control Tribe.
"Everyone, don't scatter! Gather together and form a battle formation..." After fighting for so long, both human Cultivator and Fire Control Tribe had suffered considerable casualties. The Second Prince Li Buling, shouted loudly, urging the Cultivator to unite.
The Second Prince's status is indeed very prestigious, but while the Cultivator present may outwardly respect him, in reality, who would willingly obey his commands?
If Li Buling spoken up and told everyone to gather together when the battle had just begun, no one would have paid any attention to him. But now, with the number of dead and wounded, and the remaining Cultivator also suffering heavy losses, they all realized, following Li Buling's words, that only by gathering together could they survive longer. Therefore, one by one, they obeyed Li Buling's words and consciously moved closer to each other to gather together.
The Cultivator began to gather in twos and threes in an orderly manner, forming small groups. Then these small groups slowly gathered together, and more and more Cultivator gathered together, cooperating with each other. Sure enough, the pressure was greatly reduced.
However, the Cultivator also knew that under the relentless attacks of the Fire Control Tribe People, this was merely a delay in their deaths. But even so, the instinct for survival drove everyone to fight hard, and living for even a quarter of an hour longer was always a good thing.
Gradually, all the Cultivator gathered together. Zhuge Xiang glanced around and felt a heavy weight in his heart. When they arrived at the Ninth Layer, there were more than a thousand Cultivator, but now, looking around, there were only three to five hundred. In such a short time, more than half of the Cultivator who had entered the Ninth Layer of the Heaven-Piercing Tower had been lost.
Could they defeat the Fire Control Tribe? To be honest, Zhuge Xiang didn't have such high hopes. If it were before, Zhuge Xiang would have given it a try with great determination. But after seeing the Fire Control King and learning that he was comparable to Void Realm Great Expert, and that there was even a mastermind behind him, Zhuge Xiang knew that with their strength, it was impossible to defeat the Fire Control Tribe.
Void Realm Great Expert, with a difference of one Major Realm, is enough to crush everything.
Zhuge Xiang originally wanted to share the news about the Fire Control King, but after hesitating for a moment, he remained silent.
Unaware of the existence of the Fire Control King, these Cultivator still had the courage to continue fighting. But if they knew of the Fire Control King, who was comparable to Void Realm Great Expert, they would probably lose all courage to fight.
However, now that he thinks about it, Zhuge Xiang is quite puzzled. If the Fire Control King wanted to kill all humans, wouldn't his strength alone be enough? With strength comparable to Void Realm Great Expert, who could stop him?
But why would he specifically need a Flame Mountain to enhance the strength of all the Fire Control Tribe? Was it merely to hone the skills of his Fire Control Tribe?
In fact, Zhuge Xiang was not entirely right. On one hand, the strong have their dignity. The Fire Control King had no intention of taking action against the thousands of Cultivators who had not reached the Void Realm. Just like in a battle, if it were Qi Refining Stage Cultivator or an ordinary Monster Beast, Zhuge Xiang would not have the intention to fight.
On the other hand, the Fire Control King also knew that powerful beings were emerging one after another in the human world. Although he had closed the passage from the outside, he believed that human Cultivator would soon be able to open another passage. His target in battle was these people.
All the Cultivator gathered together and formed a formation. Based on Zhuge Xiang's experience in Battlefield, this was a good formation. It should be able to withstand the impact of thousands of the Fire Control Tribe in a short period of time, provided that the Fire Control King, Ming Yan, did not make a move.
"Brother Zhuge's strength is quite impressive. I wonder if you could lend me a hand later? Open Spatial Rift?" While presiding over the operation of the Formation, Li Buling an eye on the outstanding Cultivator. Therefore, he noticed Brother Zhuge and asked Zhuge Xiang.
"Open Spatial Rift?" Zhuge Xiang looked at him in surprise.
The Second Prince Li Buling, was only at the Gathering Origin Stage in cultivation. How dare he attempt to open Spatial Rift? Who would dare speak so recklessly if their strength was below the Void Realm?
Li Buling naturally understood the meaning behind Zhuge Xiang's gaze and explained, "Every member of the Great Tang Imperial Family possesses a jade talisman, separated from our Imperial Clan Mother Jade. It can be used for survival in critical moments. The Mother-Child Jade Talisman inherently possess the ability to transmit information through Space Rend, but currently, they are within the Heaven-Piercing Tower, separated by a spatial barrier. It will take some time to prepare before their full power can be activated." (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote and give it a monthly pass on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.)