At the mountaintop.
This mountain stood so close to the Constructive Wood that its sky-obscuring canopy was already visible. Fortunately, the Greater Yang Dharma Treasure [White Scenery] served as a source of light, keeping the entire Meng Continent from sinking into darkness.
The green mountain rested on one of the Constructive Wood's main roots. Jia Wood qi soared into the heavens, dense forests overlapped, and flood dragons and serpents coiled among them. Thick Mysterious Yellow Essence flowed across its summit.
Xu Xuan stood still and drew a deep breath.
He had never felt so exhausted before. The strength seemed to have been drained from every limb and bone, while the mountain path was pocked with deep pits, each one left by his footsteps.
The closer one came to the Constructive Wood, the more stable heaven and earth became. Here, shattering even a mountain peak required a Divine Ability, yet he had pressed those pits into the ground through sheer weight.
The [Wu Venerable] rested in the center, its Dragon Horse form standing motionless. Its dark brown eyes seemed to possess Ling, as though they were watching Xu Xuan.
Jiao You hid among the trees nearby, ready to flee at any moment, and warned him:
"Great King, this [Wu Venerable] possesses tremendous spirituality. It is an autonomous artifact, much like Ancient Xia's [Twelve Golden Men] and [Spirit-Earth Soldier Statues]. If it refuses to acknowledge a master, it will resist."
Xu Xuan's heart stirred. Those Golden Men had left a deep impression on him. According to Wei Shuang, at their peak, the Twelve Golden Men could move on their own and suppress all four directions.
If Jiao You was right, just how much could this Wu Venerable accomplish?
Xu Xuan nodded in acknowledgment. He extended his wrist, encircled by purple-black scales, and