As Xu Long sensed the mysterious energy that was about to disappear and looked at the rushing river below him, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in his mind.
He had a vague feeling that he had grasped something, but that glimmer of light vanished from his mind in an instant.
It's as if some unseen force is covering something up, keeping those ancient histories forever sealed away, preventing cultivators from exploring them even slightly.
And those things that have been buried for countless years are like this rushing river, emerging from the darkness and quickly disappearing back into it.
All that remains is the rushing sound of the water and the occasional flash of light illuminating the opposite bank!
In the darkness, Xu Long already knew that as long as he crossed this rushing river, the exit would be on the other side. Once he reached the other side of the river, he would have passed through the third gate.
People need to cross the river, and the river also helps people cross.
This side of the valley represents chaos and confusion, while the other side of the river represents order and stability.
Once you cross this river, it means that you have crossed your own heart, leaving everything behind outside the city, with only your Dao Heart remaining inside.
A suspension bridge leads to the other side, which is also a manifestation of the cultivator's Dao Heart. The third gate is under their feet and in their hearts!
Doesn't that surging, turbid torrent resemble the Sea of Suffering and Calamity on the path of spiritual cultivation?
And is that rusty cable car on the bridge a reflection of my own long-dusted Dao Heart?
Xu Long's gaze sharpened. He knew that many powerful cultivators had entered the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, and many of them were intelligent.
Some people, like him, doubted the danger of the iron chain bridge over the flood, so some simply swam across the river using their own Magic Power.
Given the unknown nature of the iron chain bridge, this was already a relatively conservative approach; it's just a pity about that powerful cultivator.
He might have been instantly submerged while swimming across another barrier, and was brought to the barrier where Xu Long was by the changing array. It's just unknown whether he tested the iron chain bridge.
Although Xu Long was also somewhat apprehensive about this strange iron chain bridge, the method of swimming across was no longer feasible, so he could only bite the bullet and try to explore this eerie iron chain bridge.
The clanging sound came from beneath his feet. When Xu Long stepped onto the ancient bridge, the thick cableways collided with each other, producing a series of ear-piercing sounds above the water.
The river was extremely wide, and the iron chain bridge spanning the water must have been extremely long. When someone rashly stepped onto the bridge, it caused an imbalance, resulting in collisions between the long cableways.
The collision between the cable cars caused the bridge to sway on the water. Xu Long inwardly cried out in alarm; if the swaying became too violent, wouldn't he lose his balance in the middle of the torrent?
But since he had already stepped onto the suspension bridge, there was no way down, so he could only keep walking along the suspension bridge.
Xu Long immediately felt that this iron chain bridge was extremely eerie, but he had no time to think about it. The collision between the cables was still going on, and he could not stay on the water for too long. He could only quickly cross the bridge along the cableway.
Otherwise, when the suspension bridge completely loses its balance, he will be completely trapped by the swaying cableway, and at that point, he will be left with no choice but to risk swimming across.
A wave of tension washed over Xu Long as he looked at the seemingly endless cableway. Now he understood the true width of the river.
Thinking too much was useless, so he could only channel his Magic Power into his body to make it lighter, so he could run faster on the cable car and cross the river in one go.
A flash of light appeared on the cable car, and Xu Long's figure soared up like a ghost, rapidly traversing the long cableway.
As he entered, the long cableway lost its balance, the clanging sound grew louder and louder, and the seemingly sturdy iron chain bridge began to sway violently on the water.
Xu Long's figure swayed and bounced up and down with the swaying of the cable car, while whirlpools rose and fell in the turbulent water, their eddies carrying mud and sand and swirling in the river.
A suction force appeared at the center of the vortex. Xu Long on the cableway forcibly stabilized his body. His eyes were locked on what was below the vortex. With a thought, a stream of light was instantly unleashed.
With a "pop," the sword light swirled across the water's surface before its sharp edge plunged straight into the riverbed.
The stirred water vapor rose from the surface, and the sword light, like a curved blade, cut deep around the whirlpool.
The sword's sharp edge shattered the river's surface in an instant. The sword light, as if plucking stars and the moon, caused the whirlpool to vanish within its sharpness, finally reducing its size.
However, the sword light dared not linger in battle. After piercing through the largest whirlpool, it immediately turned back, not yet discovering what lay beneath the river.
With a flash of light, a sword light appeared on the river surface, without a trace of water vapor. After circling the river once more, it swept towards the cable car.
As Xu Long watched the whirlpool disappear, he felt the cable car sway slightly less. He wondered to himself: Is this cable car related to the torrent beneath my feet? Is something beneath the surface driving the whirlpool?
While pondering for a moment, Xu Long did not slow down. When the swaying of the cable car subsided slightly, he darted forward again. He could not linger on the iron chain bridge; he needed to leave quickly and reach the other side.
With a flash of light, Xu Long's figure swept across several rusty iron chains in the cableway, while the torrent beneath his feet continued to roar wildly.
There was nothing else within this barrier; only a man-eating river existed between heaven and earth.
As Xu Long traversed the cable car, he pressed the sword light beneath his body. With a flash of light, the sword light also traveled through the cable car, appearing from a distance like two shooting stars leaving long trails.
At this moment, the roaring torrent began to churn again, as if a hidden giant hand was lurking beneath the murky surface, always trying to overturn the iron chain bridge.
A clanging sound suddenly rang out ahead, and a strong shock came from the other end of the cableway. Xu Long, who had transformed into a beam of light, immediately stopped.
In this turbulence, one cannot move forward, otherwise there is a risk of being thrown off the suspension bridge.
Meanwhile, waves rose up on the water, the turbid river water soared high into the air, and the long cable car inevitably sagged down when it was in the middle of the river.
As the waves surged up, they crashed violently against the central cableway, and the intense shockwave traveled from the center of the cableway to both ends.
The force of the waves was extremely strong, causing the thick cableway to vibrate violently. Xu Long barely managed to steady himself on the iron chain bridge, but he clearly could no longer proceed.
When the will spread across the water's surface, it was discovered that there was no strong wind on the river, which meant that something was amiss underwater!
With this thought in mind, the sword light beneath the cableway was instantly unleashed, flashing towards the waves ahead.
As the waves surged high, hurling countless grains of sand into the air, it seemed as if a giant hand was stirring up the Storm Riders and clouds beneath the murky water, unleashing the immense force of the waves onto the cable car. The already swaying cable car vibrated even more violently under the impact of the waves.
This cableway has existed for who knows how many years. It is covered in rust, which suggests that it has been frequently eroded by waves. There are even rust lines at the joints of each cable ring.
After enduring countless years of wind and rain, it seems to be held together by inertia on both banks. Looking at the mud and sand rising in the air, a huge sound echoes between the cableways.
The waves were truly powerful and swift, rising with the potential to overturn the cable car. Just as the waves were about to crush the cable car, a streak of light suddenly burst forth in the murky river water.
Buzz!
A deep, resonant sword cry echoed across the water. The sword light beneath the cableway had somehow concealed itself beneath the surface, and by the time the towering waves rose, its contact with the water's surface was minimal.
At that moment, the sword light surged out from beneath the water's surface, its rising radiance resembling a whale shooting water, its power unmatched in the rolling river.
With a "whoosh," the rising waves were severed by the sword light emerging from the water, and the turbid mud and sand turned to ashes in the sword's gleam.
Meanwhile, the waves that had been rising in the air were about to fall down after losing the support of the water surface, and the iron chain bridge below was in grave danger.
However, even after the sword light severed the connection between the waves and the water's surface, its power remained undiminished. After rolling once on the surface, it rose straight up, its sword light piercing through the waves overhead.
Amidst the splashing water, stars shone brightly, and a sharp edge flashed across the waves in an instant. With a deafening roar, the rising waves were shattered by a surge of energy.
The towering spray of water transformed into curtains of water beneath layers of sharp edges, and countless water droplets scattered in the air, instantly disintegrating the imposing force of the waves.
As a sliver of light appeared amidst the mist, the sword light swirled back after piercing the waves, instantly filling the water surface with mist. The danger on the iron chain bridge was averted by the sword light.
The violent tremors gradually subsided, and the water below seemed to be suppressed, ceasing to stir. Xu Long seized this opportunity to escape on the cable car.
Having already witnessed the power of the waves, he no longer transformed into a streak of light, fearing that the iron chain bridge would completely lose its balance when it shook.
Below the cableway, the sword light meticulously patrolled the water's surface, its will intently watching the floating eddies. Xu Long was on high alert; he now finally understood the difficulty of crossing the iron chain bridge.
The cableways connecting both banks seem endless, and the ripples caused by the water make the suspension bridge constantly dangerous. When walking on the cableway, one must be extremely careful, lest the waves below sweep one away.
The murky river water has a tremendous suction force; once you fall in, you will surely be completely wiped out by the current.
The mindset required to cross this bridge is truly like that of a spiritual practitioner, facing numerous hardships and dangers along the way, with only the light of a sword to rely on.
Unexpected whirlpools in the undulating river foreshadow the unseen trials in the Sea of Suffering and Calamity.
The swaying and submersion of the suspension bridge also foreshadows the uncertainties and hidden dangers on the path of cultivation.
Xu Long gained a deeper understanding of the suspension bridge, and he noticed that as he moved forward on the cableway, the distance between him and the water seemed to be getting closer and closer, indicating that he was nearing the center of the iron chain bridge.
Xu Long's gaze sharpened. Because the iron chain bridge connected the two wide banks, it inevitably sagged a bit in the middle section. And under the erosion of the flood day and night, this section of the cableway in the middle was already severely corroded.
As they got closer to the center, the waves rising in the river became more and more obvious, and the whirlpools that had just disappeared began to regroup.
Xu Long thought to himself: This is the middle of the river, not far from the other side, so there must be danger lurking here!
Before the thought even settled, a powerful force suddenly gathered in the roaring river, seemingly halting the turbulent torrent in the middle of the river, while the cable car above the water moved automatically without any wind.
The clanging sound continued, and Xu Long's heart sank.
Only then did he realize that the cableway was too close to the water's surface in the middle, and the force of the current in the river was constantly impacting the cableway above, causing the already drooping cableway to collide.
The force generated by the collision of the thick cableways was immense. Because he was straddling the cableways, he was already in the middle of the river. If the flood were to attack again at this moment, he would be in a dilemma.
Xu Long narrowed his eyes. When he saw the river water freeze, he knew something was wrong. There must be an ambush here in this great river.
Seeing the energy condensed in the water, Xu Long finally understood the power of the first wave, and he couldn't help but feel a little solemn on the cable car.
However, in a moment of crisis, there's no time to think about such things. Under the force of the river, the cable car began to sway even more violently.
Xu Long was unwilling to maintain the cableway again, so he abruptly stopped, and a heavy force pressed down on the cableway. The energy rushing from below collided with Xu Long himself.
An overwhelming force, capable of shattering mountains and seas, surged from the river's surface, as if a mighty river were crashing down on Xu Long. The swift and powerful force seemed poised to crush Xu Long completely.
The roar of the torrent and the howling of the river, carrying with them an endless flow of energy, crashed fiercely towards Xu Long. Xu Long was facing an overwhelming force, the impact of a great river!
The figure on the cableway swayed violently, but fortunately he Magic Power to stabilize the cableway beneath his feet, and was not overturned by the rapid impact of the river.
Now he finally understood why the thick iron chains and swords would collide with each other.
In the middle of the river, this terrifying force rolls down day and night; it is an irresistible force of nature, like a great river constantly crashing against the cable car.
For countless years, the water has flowed ceaselessly, and the iron chain bridge has never truly stabilized. It has always swayed under the impact of the great river, bearing this terrifying force of nature all by itself.
Although the section of the river was covered in rust, the cableway connecting the two banks remained intact, its sturdiness exceeding Xu Long's expectations.
He suddenly remembered: who had built the iron chain bridge across this rushing river?
The clanging sound continued. Xu Long came to his senses and looked up at the sky within the barrier. It seemed that someone was watching him from the shadows.
Having endured the onslaught of the mighty river alone, Xu Long dared not sit idly by and await his doom. He gazed at the overly calm surface of the water.
He thought to himself: This must be the flood gradually building up its momentum. If it starts moving again, I will definitely be at a disadvantage on the iron chain bridge.