"Traveling" through the Sea of Consciousness naturally did not require walking step by step.
However, Kong Xuan had not discovered where the anomaly in his Sea of Consciousness lay at all, and he was very curious about the greatest change his teacher Yun Ming had mentioned.
After Yun Ming took him away, Kong Xuan felt that he regained control of his body in the blink of an eye.
Once he stood steady, he could not help following Yun Ming's gaze.
This should have been the current edge of his Sea of Consciousness. He could clearly feel that the white mist around him had grown much denser.
At the end of Kong Xuan's line of sight, amid the white mist, an enormous shadow that seemed to span heaven and earth completely filled his vision. It was a colossal pillar holding up the heavens!
Just then, Yun Ming's voice came. "After your spiritual power broke through to the spirit abyss realm, your Sea of Consciousness expanded outward, and only then did I detect its existence. Although it appears to be nothing more than an inanimate object, I sensed a lethal threat from it. This pillar is definitely no ordinary thing."
Kong Xuan stared blankly at the towering pillar standing in his Sea of Consciousness, as though he had lost the ability to speak.
Seeing this, Yun Ming merely assumed Kong Xuan had been overwhelmed by the sight and thought nothing more of it.
In truth, Kong Xuan was indeed overwhelmed, but not because of the staggering sight before him. It was because he had realized what this was!
At that moment, the middle of the pillar before them was golden-red, and ancient, mysterious cloud patterns seemed to cover its surface. Every line seemed to contain some profound truth of heaven and earth.
The pillar's upper end pierced the sea of clouds, hidden within an expanse of white that made it impossible to see clearly.
Its base, however, was brilliant gold, covered in intricate patterns. Most striking of all was a lifelike golden dragon coiled around it!
Just then, the pillar hidden in the white mist suddenly emitted a ray of golden light. Its penetrating power was so great that Kong Xuan could see it perfectly clearly despite the mist's concealment.
The golden light pierced the white mist, projecting five ancient-looking characters into the sky above Kong Xuan's Sea of Consciousness.
Ruyi Golden Cudgel!
If Kong Xuan had still harbored any doubts before, he could now be certain. The towering pillar standing in his Sea of Consciousness was the "Ruyi Golden Cudgel"!
He was also essentially certain of its origins. After all, this particular depiction of the Ruyi Golden Cudgel had left a deep impression on him.
In his previous life, Kong Xuan could have been considered a hardcore gamer.
When Black Myth: Wukong was released, he had cleared it at the earliest opportunity.
Later, when the game's PS5 disc edition came out, he had bought a copy without hesitation.
It was on his way home that time that he had run into a truckload of luck and transmigrated into the world of the Douluo Continent.
So now, looking at the familiar Ruyi Golden Cudgel before him, Kong Xuan knew that this was the Ruyi Golden Cudgel from the Great Sage Set in the final stage of Black Myth: Wukong!
As for why an item from a game had appeared in his Sea of Consciousness, Kong Xuan felt that since he had already transmigrated, there was nothing unacceptable about any other bizarre events.
Just as Kong Xuan was about to investigate the Ruyi Golden Cudgel in his Sea of Consciousness, a clear, ringing cry sounded.
Then he saw a figure suddenly fly out of the white mist ahead, moving very quickly and heading straight for him.
Kong Xuan failed to react, but his teacher Yun Ming beside him made his move.
With a raise of his hand, the Atlas Spear shot out, its target the bird flying toward Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan could not see it clearly, but Yun Ming could see that what was rushing toward his disciple was a small bird.
Naturally, a strike from Yun Ming was no ordinary attack. There was no reason for his spear to miss.
Yet when the tip of the Atlas Spear touched the bird's body, it seemed to pierce nothing more than an illusion, accomplishing nothing at all.
Yun Ming was stunned as well. He had not expected his thrust to produce such a result. Even with his strength, he could not understand what had just happened.
And in that brief instant, the little bird had already landed on Kong Xuan's shoulder.
Seeing that the bird seemed to bear no ill intent, Yun Ming made no further move.
Kong Xuan turned to look at his left shoulder. It was a little bird only the size of a sparrow, its body mostly red, with only its wings and head patterned in black and white.
Its most important feature was its pair of red eyes, each of which actually contained two golden pupils!
"What kind of bird is this?"
Yun Ming could not help asking. Even with his store of knowledge, he had never seen a bird-type Soul Beast like this.
Kong Xuan, however, blurted out, "Chongming Bird!"
He had not recognized the bird before, but after it landed on his shoulder, the name had automatically appeared in his mind.
As soon as Kong Xuan finished speaking, the Chongming Bird on his left shoulder took flight again and plunged straight into his chest.
Yun Ming's expression changed at the sight, and he instantly appeared in front of Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan's eyes were tightly shut, but his breathing was smooth, and nothing seemed amiss. Only then did Yun Ming feel a little reassured.
Before long, Kong Xuan opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
Seeing the smile on Kong Xuan's face, Yun Ming asked, "Looks like it was something good!"
Kong Xuan nodded and smiled. "It was indeed. The Chongming Bird fused with me, greatly improving my eyesight and ability to track movement. Apart from having no Soul Skills, I won't be inferior to someone with an eye Martial Soul."
Yun Ming's eyes lit up at this. He had not expected such a change.
But then he could not help asking, "From the looks of it, you should already know what this pillar and that bird just now are all about?"
Despite having lived two lives, Kong Xuan had still been unable to keep it from showing after learning that information.
He had not expected his teacher's powers of observation to be so keen that he had noticed already.
Kong Xuan considered briefly, then gave a mysterious smile. "Teacher, I never expected something I said before to come true now!"
This left Yun Ming rather puzzled. After all, Kong Xuan had said plenty of things before.
Fortunately, Kong Xuan immediately explained, "Teacher, this pillar is called the Ruyi Golden Cudgel. It's a Super Divine Artifact. As for that bird just now, it involves a god's inheritance!"
Kong Xuan's words could be considered half true and half false.
He had not revealed the actual situation because it really was difficult to explain. After all, Yun Ming did not even know what a console game was.
Hearing Kong Xuan's words, Yun Ming instinctively frowned, and his heart trembled as well.
As the person closest to becoming a god ten thousand years in the future, gods were certainly a sensitive subject for him.
Yun Ming asked, "Which god's inheritance?"
Seeing the change in his teacher's expression, Kong Xuan answered without any change in his own, "The God of War's inheritance."
"The God of War?" Yun Ming's frown deepened. "According to the history passed down by Shrek Academy, the Evil Eye White Tiger, Dai Mubai of the Shrek Seven Devils ten thousand years ago, inherited the God of War's divine position. Could he have passed on his divine position again?"
Kong Xuan naturally knew about what Yun Ming had mentioned.
It was just that, in the brief time he had had, he still felt that the title of God of War in this world suited "Sun Wukong" better.
In response to Yun Ming's question, Kong Xuan explained further, "Teacher, the God of War from ten thousand years ago and the God of War whose inheritance I've received aren't the same."
"Oh?"
Yun Ming grew interested at this and wanted to know what secrets lay behind it.
Kong Xuan continued, "The God of War position Dai Mubai obtained was only that of a Second-Level God, while my God of War's divine position was passed down from an even earlier time. Because there's a Super Divine Artifact, it's a God King's inheritance!"
In truth, Kong Xuan could not quite understand why the God of War in Douluo's Divine Realm was only a Second-Level God. With authority over war and combat strength, the God of War ought to have been very powerful.
Still, this worked out well, making his account more convincing.
Yun Ming did not know much about the Divine Realm, so he could find no fault with Kong Xuan's explanations.
The lethal danger he sensed from the "Ruyi Golden Cudgel" before him did keep him from doubting that it was a Super Divine Artifact.
"To receive a God King's inheritance-you really are fortunate!"
Yun Ming sighed with emotion. While he was happy for his disciple, his heart was also filled with regret.
The Douluo Continent ten thousand years in the future had lost contact with the Divine Realm, and Yun Ming had lost his chance to become a god.
With Yun Ming's talent, he believed that if he had lived in the present era, he too would have had a chance to become a god!
Kong Xuan noticed a trace of dejection in Yun Ming's eyes. After a moment's thought, he said, "Teacher, once I become a god, I'll definitely help you find a path to godhood."
Kong Xuan's words made Yun Ming's eyes light up. His current condition was indeed beyond remedy, but if a god intervened, perhaps there really would be a chance.
Then he smiled. "You brat certainly know how to comfort someone!"