Countless clouds covered the sky below, and the entire barrier was filled with a sense of tranquility, as if this place had been sealed off for countless years and the world that had arisen within it had already taken shape.
They were originally meant to be sealed away within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, never to see the light of day, but were only opened today for Xu Long's entry.
Xu Long was unaware of the danger when he stepped into the Sixth Gate; he was now surrounded by towering mountains.
The mountains in these Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram are arranged like spears and halberds, their steep and precipitous slopes resembling sharp swords piercing the sky.
From an overhead view, the mountains appear as if they were giant swords casually planted within the barrier, giving the imposing mountain range a distinct Geng Metal Qi.
A winding river flows through the mountains, the rushing water echoing in the air as it gracefully meanders through the steep slopes.
It was like a supple ribbon, connecting the entire barrier and subtly linking the distant mountains with the mountains beneath its feet, softening the grim atmosphere between the rows of swords and halberds.
Xu Long gazed at the rows of mountains. The danger within this realm had not yet arrived, and it seemed that there were no other anomalies in this space, except that the mountains on the ground were somewhat particularly steep.
His magical Magic Power was now saturated, and the surging energy was impacting his realm. The Sixth Gate was already the core of the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram.
Even without discovering anything unusual, Xu Long still dared not be careless. Based on his previous experience, the more energy the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon could extract, the greater the crisis within the barrier would be.
Anticipating this, Xu Long couldn't help but become wary as he gazed at the overlapping mountains. After Xu Long entered the barrier, subtle changes occurred between the mountain ranges.
The mountain range, which had been perfectly normal, suddenly began to tilt. The steep mountain range fell like a sharp sword, and the rushing river carried a restraining force.
As Xu Long stood amidst the towering mountains, he felt a strong sense of impending doom. The steep mountain ranges, like swords drawn from the ground, caused tremendous tremors as they collapsed within the barrier.
The mountains, which have been rooted in the earth for countless years, have begun to move today, while the great rivers that surround them remain completely unaffected.
They were still rushing within the barrier, but the river, in its roar, swept up countless clods of earth, carrying everything to the distant horizon.
At this moment, Xu Long, who was nestled among the mountains, already sensed the danger. However, the mountains did not seem to be collapsing very quickly. From the sky, the sword and halberd that were piercing the heavens seemed to be twisting themselves, turning the end that was originally aimed at the heavens towards Xu Long.
There were still some gaps between the towering mountains, and the passage carved out by the rushing river gave Xu Long some room to maneuver.
He thought to himself that although the collapse of the mountain range was strange, as long as he followed the river downstream, he could largely avoid contact with the mountain range.
A rumbling sound echoed throughout the barrier, and mountain ranges began to collapse amidst the rolling tremors. The mountains that had stood on the earth for countless years began to change violently today.
Looking out from among the towering mountains, the vast land in the distance resembles a thousand mountains lined up like halberds, with towering peaks spreading out like a screen. The rumbling sounds are endless, and the light above Xu Long seems to have a sense of sudden enlightenment.
As one precipitous mountain range after another tilted across the land, it added some brightness to the originally somewhat gloomy mountain range, but Xu Long was in danger between the mountains.
He knew the changing mountain range was definitely aimed at him, but there was still some space between the mountains to move around, and the river below was still flowing. He could easily escape to the horizon.
The ever-changing mountain terrain had clearly made the area within the barrier incredibly dangerous, and even Xu Long was deeply caught in the shifting terrain, as the mountains gradually closed in on each other.
A surge of Geng Metal Qi was brewing within the barrier, its heavy power descending upon it. The space between the various mountain ranges was becoming increasingly narrow; if the mountains were allowed to close in, Xu Long, who was inside, would surely be annihilated by the Geng Metal Qi.
Feeling the increasingly concentrated mountain ranges and the heavy pressure, he had no choice but to begin his escape. Looking around, all he could see within this barrier were towering mountains and endless rivers.
At this point, the retreat route between the mountains had been blocked, and venturing into it would surely lead to a fierce battle. After a moment's thought, Xu Long decided to go downstream along the river first.
Amidst towering mountains, no matter how the terrain changes, this great river continues its ceaseless flow, its destination seemingly the horizon.
Even the converging mountain ranges couldn't sever it; it roared and rolled through the complex mountain ranges, leaving only a desolate roar between heaven and earth.
Hearing the "whoosh" sound, Xu Long had already fled down the river. Although he didn't know his destination, he did feel much calmer on both sides of the river.
The cascading mountain range also came crashing down on the river, which eased Xu Long's mind slightly. However, the rushing river was quite powerful, Xu Long would inevitably be swept away by it when he tried to escape.
Rivers possess immense inertial force as they rush forth. Emerging from the darkness, they carve a path through the mountains, and as the mighty river roars past, even the ever-changing mountain ranges tremble involuntarily.
Xu Long was enveloped by a tremendous inertial force. Outside the river were ever-changing mountain ranges, and inside the river was an uncontrollable inertial force. He was now somewhat at a loss as to whether to advance or retreat.
Threatened by the mountains, Xu Long had no choice but to follow the river, navigating around the mountain ranges in the rushing waters.
The longer Xu Long stayed in the river, the more he felt his body being swept away by the river's power, as if he were imprisoned in the river and became somewhat sluggish.
He hurriedly extended his gaze forward, only to feel the river beside him flowing faster and faster, as if he were on a downhill section of road. The powerful surge of the river made the surrounding mountains suddenly open up.
At that moment, Xu Long's will detected a dark shadow falling, and his heart tightened instantly, a sense of danger rising within him.
He was swept along and had no time to change his form. It was as if he was firmly grasped by a giant hand and then violently crashed into a mountain range in front of him.
The collapsed mountain range was directly facing Xu Long, who was traveling downstream. Only then did he realize that the river had a very sharp bend here, where the rushing river from upstream suddenly made a sharp turn.
At the bend of the river, there was a precipitous mountain range, and the roaring water in the river was crashing straight up the mountain. Now that I was in the river, I could already feel the power of the mountain range collapsing.
The sharp, Geng Metal Qi above it pierced through the rushing water, and it was swept up by the water, inevitably colliding head-on with the mountain.
At this moment, Xu Long had nowhere to escape. He was swept away by the surging river, with the powerful force of the water crushing him from behind.
The water ahead had already crashed against the collapsed mountain, and as the waves subsided, endless waves surged in the river. The Shockwave from the impact on the mountain were instantly submerged by the surging water.
At this moment, the mountains in Xu Long magnified rapidly, and the Geng Metal Qi even pierced through the water in front of him and reached right in front of him.
He couldn't care less about being caught in the force of the water. The Milky Way above his head suddenly flashed, breaking through the surrounding binding force, and Xu Long's figure paused.
Buzz!
A beam of sword light burst forth from his side in an instant, and the roar of the surging torrent instantly drowned out the sword's cry.
The sword light that burst forth in an instant did not rise high, but instead used the force of the rushing river to open a path for Xu Long in front of him.
The sword light was instantly submerged by the water flow after it flashed out. Xu Long only heard a loud "boom" and vaguely saw through the countless streams of water that water vapor condensed in front of him.
A streak of light flashed through the mist and headed toward the horizon. The water that crashed against the mountain was suddenly stopped, and the turbulent water generated a Shockwave due to the resistance.
The force engulfing Xu Long finally eased a bit, and before he could even catch his breath, Xu Long's figure was swept away by the current and entered a sharp bend in the water.
His heart tightened. The mountain range had already been cleared by the sword light, but the water behind it was still surging in continuously. Being in the waves felt like being trapped in a prison.
When the will reached out, all that was felt was a sudden darkness before the eyes, and a dizzying sensation permeated the soul, as if a sharp sword was churning inside the skull.
His body was swept up by the force of the water flow, and Xu Long almost fainted in the sharp bend. After being swept into the bend, his soul trembled incessantly.
This sharp bend truly felt like it could sever one's soul. He quickly composed himself, not daring to probe the true nature of the river, and simply slowed his pace beside the current.
Looking up, the darkness overhead was already in sight, and there were even several sloping mountain ranges in the sharp bends of the water.
The towering mountains resembled long, sharp blades, sloping down as if to tear the water apart. Several mountain ranges seemed to be deliberately waiting for Xu Long at the sharp bends.
The mountains in his eyes magnified rapidly, like a long sword slashing diagonally down towards the water, and Xu Long's heart sank.
He frowned, thinking to himself: This great river indeed hides great dangers. The exit was blocked by the changing mountains, and we had no choice but to follow the river. I didn't expect there to be sharp bends in the river. The dangers here are even greater than before, but there is no time to retreat now.
Xu Long couldn't help but sigh when he thought about what had just happened. He had deliberately walked into the river and followed the flow, thinking that he had avoided the pressure between the mountains, but he never expected that there were endless dangers in the river.
I was being pushed along by the arrangements along the way, thinking about how to avoid harm and seek benefit within the barrier, but I never expected to step into danger step by step.
The swords and halberds falling from above are all imbued with the Geng Metal Qi, likely prepared specifically for me. If I remain trapped within them, I will surely be unable to escape.
At this moment, the sharp Geng Metal Qi had already reached him, and the rolling river seemed to be parted by someone's hand, all moving away from the falling mountain.
At this point, Xu Long became the target of everyone's criticism!
He forcefully suppressed the thought in his mind, and in the midst of the crisis, he concentrated all his Magic Power into the sword light, causing a ray of light in the sky to surge.
A loud "whoosh" sound suddenly arose, and a sword light even more ferocious than the Geng Metal Qi of the mountain range burst forth instantly. With a thought, Xu Long's sword light, which lit up in the air, did not hesitate, but instead slashed fiercely down at the mountain range below.
Rumble!
A tremendous sound exploded overhead, and the tilting mountain range was instantly severed by the sharp sword light.
Suddenly, a crack appeared in the air, dispelling the darkness and allowing a momentary burst of light to enter.
The river below was instantly shaken by a tremendous force, and even a row of water droplets rose from the turbulent surface.
As the "tinkling" sound of the water droplets subsided, Xu Long seized the opportunity and used that moment to escape from beneath the mountain range.
The rumbling sound continued, and the sword light above their heads constantly churned up the falling mountains.
The sharp sword light instantly cleaved through layers of Geng Metal Qi, its power being rejected by the sword light.
The mountain range, broken in two, continued to collapse, and the raging sword light overhead almost pierced through the darkness.
A powerful Power of Laws manifested within the barrier, causing the severed mountain range to plummet straight down, though the imposing aura it once possessed had vanished.
The curtain wall in front of Xu Long made muffled "thump thump thump" sounds. Looking at the remaining mountain range outside the curtain wall, Xu Long felt a sense of tension.
He felt something strange about the Sixth Gate, but before he could think about it, he heard the sound of rushing water again.
Xu Long looked intently and realized that he was already in the middle of a great river, with the surging current carrying him forward.
The river that had just avoided the mountains suddenly turned back, as if waiting for Xu Long to travel together, causing him to panic and wander into the water.
Xu Long frowned. The mountain range above his head had been completely severed, and countless boulders mixed with Geng Metal Qi were raging in the river, causing waves that made the water surface surge violently.
A muffled rumbling sound echoed from the riverbed as the continuous flow of water carried boulders forward, making the river's power even more imposing.
Perhaps after rushing thousands of miles, these once towering boulders will become sand and gravel in the water, forever joining the mud and sand.
Xu Long stood in the middle of the river, his figure hovering on the water's surface. A glint flashed in his eyes, and the sword's light converged amidst the mountain's contours, swirling back towards Xu Long.
His entire figure fell into the river, now swept away by the surging current. Having just survived the ordeal, Xu Long's will could now probe an even wider area.
Through his will, he discovered that the ground within this barrier was not uneven; in fact, it was relatively flat. The river flowed in from the darkness and ended its journey at the horizon.
The speed of water flow depends on the elevation of the ground, but why did the water flow suddenly accelerate on relatively flat ground?
Xu Long sighed inwardly at how strange this Sixth Gate was. What surprised him even more was the drastic changes in the direction and speed of the great river's flow.
Although its destination has been determined, there are countless obstacles and unexpected events along the way, and it has no choice within this barrier.