He said Tianzhen, "The main hall of the Illusory God Hall... is actually the central hub of the Illusory Star Divine Formation..."
Li Qiang was both annoyed and amused. He had vaguely known for a long time that the Illusory God Hall was the central hub of the Illusory Star Divine Formation. What kind of secret was that?
He interrupted Tianzhen, saying, "Come on, everyone knows the Illusory God Hall is the central hub, what kind of secret is that? The key point is, nobody can get into the main hall..."
Tianzhen looked at Li Qiang with displeasure and waved her hand, saying, "Little guy, don't interrupt, I haven't finished speaking yet."
He suddenly switched to telepathy and said, "Silly boy, of course I know that no one can enter the main hall now, but that doesn't mean they won't be able to in the future. According to legend, as long as you control the main hub of the Illusory God Hall, you can come and go freely in the Illusory Star Divine Formation Array. The miracles in the Illusory Star Divine Formation are the real miracles."
Li Qiang said dismissively, "Sigh, it's not that we can't get in, is it? Do you, old man, have a way to get in?"
Tianzhen revealed a strange smile and continued to transmit his voice, "Kid, you're not stupid. Yes, I have a way to get in!"
Li Qiang said weakly, "Then why did you come all the way here? Wouldn't it have been better to go to the Illusory God Hall?"
Tianzhen raised a finger, signaling Li Qiang to shut up, and transmitted his voice, "You're so stupid! My secret is... the artifact to enter the Illusory God Hall is in the Ancient God Repository!"
Li Qiang suddenly realized why Tianzhen cared so much about the Ancient God Repository; it turned out he had a much bigger ambition.
Li Qiang pondered to himself. Tianzhen wouldn't have told him this secret for no reason; there must be some request. He remained silent for a moment, then transmitted his voice, "You don't mean to ask me to go to the Illusory God Hall with you, do you? You know I might not make it out of Xinbo Cape alive. Hmm, you want me to help you obtain the artifact to open the Illusory God Hall?"
Tianzhen clapped his hands and transmitted his voice, "Kid, you're really clever! That's right, you got me that divine artifact!"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Hehe, since you're coming in with me, are you worried about not getting that divine artifact?"
The Tianzhen boy hurriedly set up a protective barrier, repeatedly saying, "Kid, don't tell anyone! Nobody believes this divine artifact exists yet... I've been searching for a way to enter the Illusory God Hall and the Illusory Star Divine Formation for a long time now. Hmph, I'll become a god faster than them!"
Li Qiang slowly sat down, resting his chin on his hand, and said, "Oh, according to your speculation... there are no Method Formula for becoming a god in the Ancient God Repository?"
Tianzhen shook his head and said, "I don't know about that, but I can be sure of one thing: if there are cultivation manuals in the Ancient God Repository, only three people could possibly obtain them. At most, we can only get some divine artifacts or something similar."
His expression was somewhat somber. After a long pause, he said again, "Actually, there are two other formidable guys... Never mind, let's not talk about that."
Li Qiang pondered that the three people who could truly obtain the scriptures should be the Azure Emperor, the Heavenly Aunt, and the High Person Boju. He couldn't guess who the other two powerful individuals were.
If the Azure Emperor, the Heavenly Aunt, and the High Person Boju, there would probably be no one in the world who could rival them. The three of them could indeed monopolize all the cultivation scriptures.
Tianzhen said innocently, "If you can get that divine artifact, let's go to the Illusory God Hall and the Illusory Star Divine Formation together, how about it?"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "I won't go to the Illusory God Hall. Alright, if I can get that divine artifact, I'll give it to you."
After scratching his head for a long time, Tianzhen said pitifully, "Sigh, you don't understand. No one can receive that artifact except the person who activates it. What use is it to me if you give it to me? You have to go to the Illusory God Hall in person. I just need your promise. As for when to go, that's a long way off."
Li Qiang asked in confusion, "How do you know so much?"
Tianzhen said, "When I was imprisoned in the Beiye Pill Cauldron, I spent a lot of time making calculations. I don't have the great Divine Ability of High Person Yuangu, but I can still figure out some things about the things I care about. Although they may not be very accurate, the general direction is correct. Don't worry, I will definitely not treat you unfairly." His expression was unusually serious, without a trace of joking.
Li Qiang nodded and said, "Okay, if I can return to my hometown alive, I'll see if it's possible for me to go to the Illusory God Hall with you after I've arranged everything." He gave a vague answer.
In truth, he wasn't confident he could leave Xinbo Cape alive; he was only agreeing to Tianzhen's request to put his mind at ease.
Tianzhen jumped up excitedly from the ground, exclaiming repeatedly, "Good! Good! Good! You're really straightforward, young man! Don't worry, I'll protect you with my life; you're my savior!"
Li Qiang shuddered and whispered, "It's so numb. You can be happy after I leave Xinbo Cape alive."
Li Qiang thought for a moment, then said, "I also have a favor to ask of you. No matter what the outcome of this expedition into the Ancient God Repository is, you must help me with this."
Tianzhen asked curiously, "What is it?"
Li Qiang said earnestly, "If something happens to me, my elder brother and my master... you must guarantee that Gu Xing will use the Heaven-Defying Treasure Mirror to reincarnate them, and after their reincarnation, you will also have to protect them."
Tianzhen readily agreed, "Young brother, don't worry, I'll handle this. Also, don't reveal that secret, because no one knows... Sigh, I originally wanted to tell the Patriarch, but he wouldn't let me speak at all. Humph, let's see what he says after I succeed!"
Li Qiang was rather skeptical, but not wanting to disappoint Tianzhen, he nodded and said, "Alright, then we'll see how it goes. I won't say anything untrue."
He stretched and said, "Let's go out and see how these guys managed to run away so suddenly."
Having received Li Qiang's ambiguous promise, Tianzhen's face lit up with extreme excitement. He waved for Li Qiang to leave first, and then circled around the Cool Hall, muttering to himself incessantly, seemingly still caught up in his excitement.
Stepping out of the Cool Hall, Li Qiang wandered aimlessly along the path formed from shattered jade. Tianzhen remained inside the Cool Hall and did not follow him out.
The lush greenery around him was a delight to behold. Many parasitic plants, resembling orchids, hung from the tall trees, blooming with colorful flowers. A pleasant fragrance wafted through the air. Li Qiang took a deep breath and felt that the scent of the flowers here was very similar to the fragrance of jasmine from his hometown. A strong sense of homesickness instantly filled his heart.
Li Qiang couldn't remember the last time he had felt so peaceful and calm. Ever since Fu Shan took him off Earth, he had been constantly on the move and rarely had a moment to quiet down. This tranquility made him feel very at ease.
Soon, Li Qiang turned onto a small path and walked along it.
The world of God-Sealing Plaque is magical. It is very clean and refreshing. The sky is a pure azure blue, and several pure white strange birds fly in the air, making crisp calls. The tall and thick ancient trees have been growing for countless years, and their canopies are hundreds of meters above the ground.
These trees have very peculiar shapes; their branches and leaves are almost indistinguishable, huddled together densely. Pale purple grass grows on the ground, swaying gently in the breeze.
At the end of the path is a small lake. The azure water reflects the distant green mountains. Many lush shrubs grow around the lake, and clumps of wildflowers grow near the path. Pink, snow-white, pale yellow, and bluish-purple flowers bloom in a riot of colors, their graceful forms contrasting beautifully against the azure water.
Li Qiang walked to the lakeside, squatted down, scooped up a handful of lake water, and watched the clear water flow through his fingers. Suddenly, a realization dawned on him.
He slowly sat cross-legged by the lake and quietly entered a meditative state.
Time flew by, and Li Qiang awoke from his meditation. He checked his cultivation level and secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it remained at the Seven Star Heaven realm and had not continued to surge.
He rarely engages in regular cultivation now, basically letting things take their natural course.
Li Qiang stood up and noticed Rong Chenya sitting cross-legged not far away, protecting him. He went over to thank him, saying, "Thank you for protecting me, Brother Rong."
Rong Chenya chuckled, "Hehe, actually, no one will disturb you while you're cultivating inside the Investiture of the God-Sealing Plaque. I'm just worried that some tamed monster might startle you, so I'm guarding this place."
Li Qiang scratched his head sheepishly, realizing he had been careless. He knew he had to take precautions when cultivating in seclusion; this was common knowledge for cultivators, yet he often forgot.
Li Qiang laughed, "The scenery here is so beautiful that I unconsciously entered a meditative state... By the way, where are my master and elder brother?"
Just as Rong Chenya was about to speak, Pu Niu landed and said, "They are already waiting at Yi Platform. Please come over, Brother Li."
Rong Chenya asked in surprise, "Is it time?"
Pu Niu nodded and said, "We've arrived. They've been waiting for a while. The Master told everyone to wait for Brother Li, saying he hasn't yet come out of meditation and shouldn't be called."
Li Qiang hurriedly said, "Okay, let's go." He had been to Yi Platform. With a wave of his hand, a golden light enveloped Pu Niu and Rong Chenya, and they teleported away.
Standing on the Yi Platform were Tianqu, Tianzhen, Mist Star, Qian Shanyong, Xuan Long, Chiming, Mo Huaiyuan, and Qi Junsha; only Dainan Fengyu did not come over.
Li Qiang landed beside Mo Huaiyuan and Qi Junsha, and said with a smile, "Master, Big Brother Mo, what brings you here? Hehe."
Qi Junsha's face hardened, and he said seriously, "My good disciple, don't be reckless. If things go wrong, run away immediately, understand?" He was genuinely worried about Li Qiang.
Mo Huaiyuan also said, "Brother, remember, we'll both wait for you to come back. No matter what happens, we'll be waiting for you."
Li Qiang understood that the only people here who truly cared about him were his master and his elder brother; everyone else had their own agendas. Fortunately, he had already entrusted Tianzhen to take care of his master and elder brother, so he could go to the Ancient God Repository with peace of mind.
He laughed and said, "Don't worry, Master, Big Brother, I will definitely come back."
In truth, he had little confidence. Ever since High Person Boju told him about his current state of cultivation, he had become quite detached from life and death. Now, his only hope was to see if there was a solution in the Ancient God Repository.
Tianqu said, "This time, our group is divided into three parts for the trip to the Ancient God Repository. Tianzhen and Li Qiang will go first, Cold Woman, Qian Shanyong, and Xuan Long will be in the middle, and Chiming and I will bring up the rear..."
Chiming panicked upon hearing this and shouted, "Cover the rear? I won't do it! I want to stay with my elder brother!"
Tianqu frowned, about to say something, when Li Qiang interrupted, " Chiming, come with me, hehe, we two brothers work together better." After saying that, he glared at Chiming fiercely.
Tianqu hearing Li Qiang's words, Tianqu had no choice but to say, "Alright, that's the arrangement. I'll cover the rear. Any objections?"
Although Chiming was arrogant, he knew very well that if he were in danger, apart from Li Qiang, no one else would necessarily lend a hand to him. Therefore, he had to stay with Li Qiang no matter what, only then would he feel at ease.
Seeing that everyone had no objections, Tianqu nodded and said, "Alright, let's arrange it that way. Also, a reminder to everyone: besides those terrifying Ancient God Restriction, this time when the Ancient God Repository opens, any ancient immortals who receive the news will rush here. If you encounter unfamiliar ancient immortals... everyone should be on guard. If you are ambushed in the Ancient God Repository, the consequences will be severe. If you accidentally get trapped in Ancient God Restriction, it will be very difficult to get rescued."
Chiming asked, "What if they attack first?"
Tianqu said, "No, no one dares to act recklessly within the Ancient God Repository. There are too many restrictions there; one could easily get trapped if they're not careful. Everyone who goes to the Ancient God Repository is there for the Ancient God Repository, not to fight."
Tianzhen chuckled and said, "Don't worry, those guys are mostly loners. If they cause trouble, hehe, with so many experts like us, what are we afraid of? We might as well shamelessly gang up on them, haha."
No one paid any attention to Tianzhen's words. He seemed unusually excited, and Tianqu and the others couldn't figure out why. He was like a different person, speaking impulsively like a naughty child. They couldn't understand what was wrong with him.
Mist Star said coldly, "You two stay close. I'll make all the decisions. Going to the Ancient God Repository... your strength is too much for it." She bluntly reminded Qian Shanyong and Xuan Long.
Qian Shanyong's face turned red from the mask; he felt utterly humiliated and cursed Mist Star Cold Woman inwardly, "This wretched woman has no respect for anyone!" But he was also a man of patience, so he gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger, which was about to erupt.
Xuan Long seemed not to have heard anything, standing expressionlessly to the side.
Li Qiang suddenly felt something was amiss. Everyone who went to the Ancient God Repository had different motives; they were like a disorganized mess, their strength greatly diminished. He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but say, "Let's wait a bit before we leave."
Everyone looked at him in confusion.
Chiming asked, "Big brother, what are you doing?"
Li Qiang's expression was very serious. He said in a deep voice, "Since we're going to the Ancient God Repository together, regardless of everyone's purpose or what they want to gain, one thing is clear: we must support and help each other on the way. I've never been to the Ancient God Repository before, and I don't know what we'll encounter on the road. If our group is like a pile of loose sand, I think it's better if we don't go... You are all senior experts, with more experience and deeper cultivation than me. You should all understand this." He actually started to lecture these peerless masters without any politeness.
Everyone listened in stunned silence. Chiming paused for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Yes! Yes! I agree with what you said, elder brother!"
Mist Star Cold Woman, Tianzhen, and Tianqu stood frozen on the stage, seeing Li Qiang speak in such a stern tone for the first time.
Mist Star gave a soft hum, but she was smart enough not to say anything.
Since Tianzhen needed Li Qiang's help, he immediately chimed in, "Yes, it's best for everyone to unite. I agree with what you said, young man."
Qian Shanyong and Xuan Long knew that Li Qiang was speaking up for them, and they both nodded in agreement.
Tianqu replied perfunctorily, "Well, as long as we can enter the Ancient God Repository, there won't be any problems. Alright, let's go." He took flight first and slowly flew westward.
One by one, the group took flight and followed.
Li Qiang turned to say goodbye to Mo Huaiyuan and Qi Junsha, and then specifically instructed Rong Chenya to take good care of them before flying up to catch up with the others.
The exit of the Investiture of the God-Sealing Plaque is controlled by its owner. After Tianqu led everyone through the air for a distance, he directed them to form a line. He then made a hand seal at the very back, and a thunderous sound rang out, causing the surrounding scenery to suddenly distort.
Tianqu hissed, "Don't move, don't resist, let the God-Sealing Plaque send us out."
As soon as he finished speaking, an invisible, immense force surged up from all around and began to spin rapidly. In an instant, thunderclaps rang out one after another, and golden bolts of lightning flew past everyone. The immense pressure made everyone secretly tremble with fear.
A moment later, their vision brightened, then dimmed, and they found themselves in an unfamiliar place.
This is a chaotic and violent space zone, where meteorites fly around like a torrential rain, densely shooting in all directions.
Tianzhen seemed to be very experienced. As soon as he took out the God-Sealing Plaque, he waved his hand and shot out a series of golden light balls, enveloping everyone in them. Almost at the same time, the flying meteorites also crashed into them. The dazzling golden light illuminated the surroundings, and the meteorites were immediately blasted into dust by Tianzhen's protective magic Law Treasure.
The Mist Star Cold Woman used a different method; blue ice Ice Crystal flew out from her body, freezing the surrounding meteorites.
Qian Shanyong and Xuan Long, however, suffered a minor setback. They were enveloped in the protective aura of the Mist Star, and the intense cold made them shiver.
Qian Shanyong cursed inwardly. He straightened his back slightly, and the radiance of the Wrath of the Heavenly God protected him and Xuan Long, thus withstanding the extreme cold of the Mist Star.
Tianqu hovered nonchalantly amidst the swirling meteorites, which effortlessly glided past him, unable to even get close. He calmly said, " Tianzhen, you lead the way; I'll look after you from behind."
"Alright, I'll clear the way... Clear the way? That's strange, why am I always the one doing the hard work... I'm so..." Tianzhen said innocently.
Li Qiang couldn't help but interrupt, saying, "Let's leave quickly, it's too chaotic here."
Tianzhen glared at Li Qiang, seemingly displeased that he had interrupted her, and shouted, "Let's go!"
Tianzhen made a hand seal and flicked his wrist. A silver light flew out, followed by a series of dazzling flashes. The explosions, starting near and moving further away, opened a wide passage through the meteorite cluster.
He took off first, shouting, "Go!"
Li Qiang and Chiming followed closely on either side.
Mist Star Cold Woman waved her hand and followed, with Qian Shanyong and Xuan Long accompanying her on either side.
Tianqu followed behind unhurriedly, appearing completely unconcerned; it was clear he was very familiar with the area.
Soon, the group passed through the meteorite cluster.
Li Qiang suddenly realized something was wrong ahead. He whispered, " Xiao Ming, get your Yeqi Dragon Staff ready. It looks like there's Swift Boiling Current ahead."
Chiming was startled; he knew very well the power of the Swift Boiling Current. He stretched out his left hand, revealing the Yeqi Dragon Staff, and at the same time, his battle armor emitted a faint silver light.
Tianzhen said, "We're going to cross this Swift Boiling Current. You two stay close to me and don't fall in, or it'll be a real problem." As he spoke, he made a hand seal.
Li Qiang watched his rapidly changing hand gestures and suddenly realized that this was an extremely powerful restriction technique. He hadn't expected that the Swift Boiling Current could be bypassed using this technique.
Sure enough, as Tianzhen uttered the incantation, a surging Swift Boiling Current appeared, its silvery-white flow sending chills down one's spine.
As the Tianzhen restriction took effect, the Swift Boiling Current was as if struck by an invisible boulder, suddenly erupting into a hundred-foot-high wave.
With a burst of energy, Tianzhen shouted, "Turn!" He unleashed his final incantation, and the silver giant wave suddenly dispersed, creating a tiny vortex within the Swift Boiling Current.
Chiming asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"
The tiny vortex grew larger and larger. Less than a minute later, Tianzhen raised his hand, unleashing a ball of golden light, and shouted again, "Have pity... have pity on me, open!"
Li Qiang almost burst out laughing. Even at a time like this, this guy still remembered his catchphrase.
With Tianzhen shout, a huge vortex appeared before their eyes.
Tianzhen turned her head and saw that Mist Star Cold Woman had arrived with Qian Shanyong and Xuan Long, while Tianqu quietly stopped not far away.
He said with satisfaction, "Keep up, it'll be much easier once we get past the Swift Boiling Current."
The vortex grew deeper and deeper, gradually forming a huge void. Tianzhen rushed in first, followed closely by Li Qiang and Chiming, and the others followed closely behind.
For the ancient immortals, the Swift Boiling Current was merely a nuisance, not a fatal danger.
Looking at the vortex-like hole created by the restriction, Li Qiang was filled with admiration for the ancient immortal's methods. He knew that he could also use such restrictions now, but he couldn't do it with such precision.
The Swift Boiling Current roared and surged outside the containment area, its "buzzing" vibrations sending chills down one's spine.
The group sped forward like shooting stars, and the Swift Boiling Current behind them collapsed with a roar as the restriction disappeared, then surged forward in pursuit of the vortex cavity.
Tianqu, who was bringing up the rear, continued to follow at a leisurely pace, while the Swift Boiling Current behind him were less than a hundred meters away.
When Li Qiang turned around and saw it, he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "Wow, High Person Tianqu is amazing!"
Tianzhen said, "You're making a fuss over nothing! What's so great about this? Humph!"
After flying at breakneck speed, we finally saw the exit in the distance.
Tianzhen shouted, " Tianqu, you must suppress the surging of the Swift Boiling Current!"
Tianqu calmly said, "Stop talking nonsense, I'll take care of everything."
Tianzhen, choked by his retort, chuckled twice, and said angrily, "You see? Sigh, they always bully me... I'm so pitiful..."
To stop Chiming from grumbling, Chiming roared, "Come out!"
With his roar, the group shot out like arrows, and the power of the restriction on the Swift Boiling Current immediately dissipated.
Tianqu snorted coldly, waved his hand, and unleashed a golden light that forcefully suppressed the Swift Boiling Current.
The entire Swift Boiling Current boiled up, and the roaring, surging Swift Boiling Current created a huge suction force, causing everyone to pause slightly and slowing down their outward flight.
Tianzhen radiated a dazzling light and shouted, "Hurry up!" At the same time, he grabbed Li Qiang and Chiming and shot out like a rocket.
After a short while, everyone finally broke free from the suction of the Swift Boiling Current and hovered in the air.
Tianzhen laughed innocently, "Actually, the Swift Boiling Current isn't difficult to pass through, it's just that the final suction force is really annoying. If you get sucked in, it takes a lot of energy..."
Before he could finish speaking, a bright light flashed, and everyone immediately looked to their left.
There was a fight going on.
Chiming exclaimed excitedly, "Hey, it sounds like there's a fight going on!"
Tianzhen and Tianqu's expressions changed; anyone who could fight here was definitely a master.
Tianqu squinted at them for a while, then said, "Strange, why are they fighting here?"
"Ignore them," Tianzhen said, "Let's go around them."
Li Qiang said, "There's no going around it. They've stopped, and it looks like they're watching us."
Chiming, brandishing his claws, said, "What's there to be afraid of? We have so many experts here. If they're smart, they won't dare to mess with us, hahaha."
Tianqu sighed, "These two are probably beyond our capabilities. Cold Woman, Tianzhen, do you recognize them?"