Chapter 538 - 323: Ice Corpses Everywhere, Touching the Ascension Platform, The Ice Mountain Melts

That was Yun Qinghe’s explanation.

"Your Majesty, you’re finally here."

At that moment, a slender figure in a Black and White Tai Chi Long Robe, holding a Duster, walked out from ahead.

Seeing her, Lu Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Fairy, why are you the only one here? Where’s Mu Xue?"

"She’s helping Divine Distinct Bodhisattva fight the Demon Race army. Your Majesty should hurry over. The Demon Race has already found the Ascension Platform, and Elder Qisheng is currently fighting Dragon Halberd."

Sui Yuqing reported with great seriousness.

"Let’s go. We’ll take a look."

Lu Mingyuan took the lead, walking at the very front.

Before he had taken more than a few steps, he could already feel the ripples of Spiritual Qi up ahead.

Ahead, a Golden Tree bathed in Golden Light appeared on the horizon. Though it was still several hundred meters away, a serene and steady Saint’s Dao Essence washed over him.

The Chess Saint was indeed in the void. He held his left hand high, his fingers haloed with a golden glow. A phantom-like Chessboard slowly emerged from his palm, shooting two streams of black and white energy into the Golden Tree.

Nature’s spiritual energy instantly erupted and dispersed, revealing a Heaven and Earth Chessboard that was ten thousand meters long and a thousand meters wide.

The power contained within the Chessboard was unparalleled, enough to shatter even the stars with ease.

Lu Mingyuan witnessed a Saint in action with his own eyes.

For a moment, his Heart Spirit trembled, and a single phrase came to mind: ’When Immortals fight, Mortals suffer.’

But the man with dragon horns and golden eyes opposite him remained impassive, giving his large sleeves a light shake.

Above the clouds, a colossal Dharma Aspect materialized, reaching tens of thousands of meters into the sky. It radiated a sacred cyan light as clouds and mist condensed from thin air. The sight was ethereal and awe-inspiring.

The Red Blood Dragon Pearl in his palm emanated an ultimate Profound Yellow Qi—the very Profound Yellow Qi of chaos, containing the supreme Dao.

The two clashed in an instant, one attacking, the other defending.

The aftershocks from the trembling Dao rippled outward. A vertical wave of energy swept across the entire mountaintop, and the Spiritual Qi for tens of thousands of miles around grew turbulent.

Amidst the ROAR, the sea of clouds shattered, the earth cracked open, and a pale white scar was left across the sky.

’So this is the Fourteenth Realm.’

Lu Mingyuan murmured. He felt he was already powerful enough, his Realm infinitely close to that of a Martial Saint, yet before a top-tier Fourteenth Realm expert, he was still as insignificant as an ant.

He couldn’t help but recall what Wei the Ninth had once said.

’Only if you are fortunate enough to one day reach the Twelfth Realm will you truly know the vastness of heaven and earth.’

"The Ascension Platform is just behind this mountaintop."

Yun Qinghe’s gaze sharpened. She looked past the two Great Powers and saw two life-bound doppelgangers at the Demon Emperor Realm standing guard.

’They must be doppelgangers created by Dragon Halberd using a Secret Technique. Their strength is considerable.’

"Where’s Mu Xue?"

Lu Mingyuan turned his head and demanded.

"She’s just inside the cave where the Ascension Platform is."

Sui Yuqing replied, her eyes glinting.

Lu Mingyuan said no more. His eyes narrowed as he sent a voice transmission: "We have half a quarter-hour left. Charge!"

Everyone present was stunned to hear this.

They had never expected the ever-prudent Holy Emperor to resort to such a crazed plan.

’There are two experts at the Peak of the Fourteenth Realm blocking the way. How can we possibly get in?’

"Don’t be rash. The Ascension Platform is right in front of us. Why rush things now?"

Yun Qinghe tried to persuade him as well.

"It’s precisely because the Ascension Platform is right here that we absolutely cannot hesitate."

Lu Mingyuan took out the Divine Blade Zhu Xie and the Great Unbinding Martial Saint Armor. He then absorbed another piece of Divine Fallen Blood Jade into his palm to restore his Primordial Qi.

"I’ll help you," Sui Yuqing said softly.

"Alright!"

Lu Mingyuan glanced at her and finally agreed.

Just as they were discussing their plan, a Majesty of the Immortal Spirit emanated from the cave entrance, from within the Seven-Colored Divine Mist.

The Rhythm of the Dao spread out in all directions.

Illusory images of the Thirty-Three Heavens appeared in the firmament.

A great golden gate rested upon a large white cloud. It was tall, majestic, and imposing. The gate itself was a deep, lustrous green, as if crafted from glazed ceramic, and it shone with a brilliant divine light, like it was adorned with precious gems.

"They say the Ascension Platform is the supreme Divine Object that connects to the Upper Realm. The legends are true after all."

Seeing this, Yun Qinghe’s eyes lit up.

"The Human Race is like a cornered beast. They can’t hold out for much longer."

The gaunt Snake Race man withdrew his gaze from Dragon Halberd and began to collect the Treasures from the corpses on the snowy peak.

Lying on a block of ice was an ancient corpse—an old man who looked to be in his sixties, dressed in a golden Python Robe. He was a Prince, but who knows how many years he had been dead?

Just as the Snake Race man reached for a Jade Pendant at the ancient corpse’s waist, its eyes suddenly snapped open. Two beams of black light shot out, piercing through the Snake Race man’s body and leaving behind two bloody holes the size of wine cups.

"What... the dead body... it’s... alive..."

The Snake Race man let out a terrified shriek, then fell down stiff as a board, plunging into the icy river.

A moment later, an iceberg rose from the surface of the water, the Snake Race man’s body frozen within it.

The shriek alerted the other Demon Race Cultivators.

「On the shores of the Ascension Relics.」

More and more Ancient Ships were making landfall.

From one of them stepped a graceful and noble beauty. Dressed in a light cyan palace gown, she looked like a celestial maiden. She flicked out a long tongue, glanced at the commotion on the mountaintop, and sent a voice transmission to the vast Demon Race army behind her:

"I will go investigate what’s happening. The rest of you, continue to intercept the Human Race Cultivators coming from the sea. Do not let any other humans get near the Ascension Platform!"

She stepped onto one of the huge icebergs, pushed off lightly, and took flight, transforming into a beautiful, ghostly shadow as she streaked toward the golden divine light.

If any other members of the Human Race had been present, they would have certainly recognized her.

This beautiful woman was the infamous Snake Consort of the Nine Thrones.

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