Chapter 918 - 278: Saint’s Traces
The Investiture of the Gods plays a very important role in the entire main storyline.
Without it, the Celestial Gods could not be successfully sealed, and subsequent battles would not go so smoothly.
Previously, Han Zhan was curious about the origins of the Investiture of the Gods, and at that time, Jiang Ziya did not directly answer, he just said that the time was not yet right.
It seems that now is indeed the right time.
"The Investiture of the Gods was given to me by a Saint."
"Therefore, the time I left was not to visit old friends, but because of the Saint’s summons."
"He bestowed upon me the Investiture of the Gods to resolve mortal affairs, this is the decree of the Saint he decreed."
Han Zhan couldn’t help but ask, "Who is the Saint?"
He now had an eighty to ninety percent certainty; this was indeed the Fruit World represented by the Haotian Tower, only conducting the final confirmation.
Jiang Ziya stroked his beard, then replied with a faint smile:
"Naturally, it is Emperor Haotian."
"Emperor Haotian." Han Zhan repeated once, he nodded, indeed, it was exactly as he had speculated in his heart.
"So where is Emperor Haotian at this moment?"
Han Zhan asked again.
Jiang Ziya took two steps forward and said simultaneously:
"This is the third thing I want to tell you, and also the last thing."
"Emperor Haotian, he is over there."
Jiang Ziya raised his hand and pointed into the distance.
There were no Celestial Gods, nor divine retribution, only an expanse of clear blue, cloudless sky.
"The third question also includes the answer to what troubles you now, go and see them, see them, and then you can leave this place."
After Jiang Ziya finished saying this, the Investiture of the Gods in his hand began to emit a dazzling light.
As Jiang Ziya released his hand, the Investiture of the Gods moved by itself without wind, slowly flying toward the sky.
When it fully integrated into that vast sky, Han Zhan suddenly saw an inconspicuous entrance embedded in the sky.
If you didn’t look carefully, it would likely be overlooked.
Then, from the entrance above the sky, a Celestial Ladder of unknown length descended, stretching all the way down to Han Zhan’s feet.
This is... Han Zhan looked at the Heaven-Ascending Ladder beneath his feet, opening his mouth in surprise.
"Does the Investiture of the Gods actually have such an effect?" This was something he had never considered.
"This is what I said, the timing was not yet right."
Jiang Ziya said with a smile.
First, it was about this entrance. The entrance is in the sky, occupied by Celestial Gods; to see and enter this entrance, the problem of the Celestial Gods must be solved.
Then there is the Investiture of the Gods, which serves as the Celestial Ladder, the only bridge connecting heaven and earth. Without the Investiture of the Gods, it would be impossible to reach there.
"Furthermore, there’s one thing you might not have thought of: what the true timing is." Jiang Ziya reminded.
"The true timing?"
"Exactly, the true timing is King Wu’s campaign against Zhou, the extinction of Shang and the establishment of Zhou, you becoming the sole emperor of this world."
"You are the emperor of the mortal realm, Emperor Haotian is the emperor of the heavens, only then are you qualified to ascend this Heaven-Ascending Ladder."
"Otherwise, you would only fall from this Celestial Ladder and be smashed to pieces."
"This is what timing is about."
Jiang Ziya said this and then took a step to the side, giving way to Han Zhan.
"Go ahead, they are waiting for you."
"Who are they? Besides Emperor Haotian, who else?"
Jiang Ziya did not answer this question.
"Revealing everything would strip away the joy and meaning of exploration, wouldn’t it?"
Han Zhan gently nodded and didn’t ask anything more.
He stepped onto the Heaven-Ascending Ladder and began to climb.
As he ascended slowly, everything beneath his feet completely disappeared from view.
Only the increasingly cold temperature remained, the floating white clouds in the distance, and the slightly thin air.
He quickened his pace.
The abrupt entrance in the sky also became clearer and clearer to his eyes.
Han Zhan could see the dark and profound unknown behind the entrance.
Could it be the second Fruit World?
With this thought, he couldn’t help but hasten his steps a bit more.
Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, Han Zhan reached the end of the Celestial Ladder.
This place was completely detached from the world, as if it were beyond the sky, with the dark and profound entrance looming before him.
Han Zhan took a deep breath, then lifted his steps and entered inside.
...
The world behind him was swallowed by darkness.
That wasn’t real.
It was just because he was walking forward, and the world before him was so utterly dark it created this illusion.
The white light at the entrance was becoming smaller and more distant.
Han Zhan seemed to be walking into an abyss, or a world shrouded in darkness.
Above his head was endless darkness, as was beneath his feet and before him.
He maintained his pace,
unsure of how much time had passed.
He couldn’t feel the passage of time.
As if time had lost its meaning here.
Until, before his eyes, a faint light suddenly appeared.
The light was not dazzling, more akin to starlight.
Tiny sparkles of starlight dotted the darkness, adding a bit of life to the originally dead silence.
Upon closer inspection, the starlight seemed to coalesce into a blurry human figure.
There was still quite a distance between that and where Han Zhan was.
He followed the faint light and walked quickly toward it.
"You’ve arrived."
Although Han Zhan had not yet completely approached, a gentle voice echoed by his ear.
That voice relaxed his soul.
There was a sense of the same origin.
This feeling came from deep within Han Zhan’s soul, resonating with one of the Ancient Divine Soldiers, the Haotian Tower.
The identity of the speaker was obvious.
The Saint, Emperor Haotian!
Thinking of this, Han Zhan felt relieved in his heart, thankful that it wasn’t some monster or unknown entity, but a Human Race Saint.
But at that moment, his steps faltered as he moved forward.
A trace of confusion flashed across his face.
That was... Han Zhan uncertainly stopped his steps and focused on sensing.
The confusion on his face didn’t disappear; instead, it became even more peculiar.
"Is it not just the Haotian Tower resonating?"
Han Zhan muttered to himself.
Just now, he sensed within his body, besides the Haotian Tower, the Fu Xi Zither, Nuwa Stone, Shennong Cauldron, Kunlun Mirror, Kongtong Seal, and even the Xuanyuan Sword, were all resonating!
Han Zhan had contracted a total of seven Ancient Divine Soldiers, all of which were resonating.
"Could it be—"
Han Zhan raised his head in disbelief, looking towards the distance.
There, starlight filled the sky, gradually coalescing into one shadow after another, becoming clear.
Apart from Emperor Haotian, Han Zhan actually saw the second, third, fourth...
Each shadow was someone Han Zhan was familiar with, Saints he had previously seen in the Fruit World!
Them.
Them!
It was only at this point that Han Zhan understood who Jiang Ziya referred to as "them."
They were the Saints that had disappeared.
They were all here, in this Dark World!