Chapter 517 - 516: Infiltration
"So, you’re saying the Celestial Nether Altar was just occupied by the Celestial Nether Divine Kingdom, not actually created by them?"
A few new ideas began to form in Yi Tianyun’s mind as he gazed at the Celestial Nether Altar.
"That’s right. The Celestial Nether Divine Kingdom can control the Divine Runes inside the Celestial Nether Altar, so they claimed it for themselves. With their abilities, how could they possibly have built it?" Elder Luo’s voice was filled with disdain as she looked at the altar. "This could probably only have been created by someone at the Divine King level."
’The Divine King level...’
Yi Tianyun’s eyes lit up. The Divine King Stage was a realm of existence far more powerful than the Saint King Stage; they were likely the most powerful beings in the world. But no one had ever seen one. They had all vanished from this world.
Some said they had left this world for a vaster one, while others claimed all the Divine Kings had died out. Whatever the rumor, the title was held in the utmost reverence. Everyone dreamed of becoming a Divine King, but at present, no one could achieve it.
There were several Saint Kings, but not a single Divine King remained in the world. The Celestial Nether Altar before them could likely only have been created by a Divine King. At the very least, the Phoenix Race was currently incapable of creating such a thing.
They had Saint Kings among them, yet they still couldn’t create it. This fact alone led to the conclusion that the Celestial Nether Altar must have been the work of a Divine King!
"Yes, the Divine King Stage—a legendary realm. Our ancestors have always striven for it, but reaching it is simply too difficult. They could never achieve it," Elder Luo said gravely. "The Celestial Nether Divine Kingdom is plundering resources on a massive scale for the sole purpose of trying to brute-force someone to the Divine King Stage! But how could breaking through to the Divine King Stage be so easy? In the entire history of our Phoenix Race, not a single Divine King has ever emerged!"
’Is breaking through to the Divine King Stage really that difficult?’ A stir of anticipation welled up in Yi Tianyun’s heart. ’I wonder what it will feel like when I finally break through?’
He knew he would definitely be able to break through. As long as he had enough EXP, it was only a matter of time. He just didn’t know how long it would take. ’But if I can break through to the Saint King Stage,’ he thought, ’I’ll definitely become an overlord in my own right!’
"Yes, it’s extremely difficult. Among all the Divine Kingdom Powers, there isn’t a single Divine King. That’s how hard it is. There are several Saint Kings, but not one Divine King. The breakthrough is just too difficult," Elder Luo explained. "That’s why we must proceed with extreme caution at the Celestial Nether Altar, no matter what... By the way, didn’t you say you knew about the Celestial Nether Altar? How is it that you seem to know less than we do?"
"Ah, I only know the general routes. I’m not too clear on the history behind it," Yi Tianyun said with an embarrassed smile. He had indeed let that slip.
No wonder the map in the Netherworld Treasure Map was so complex. It was several, or even more than ten, times more difficult to decipher than the Coiling Dragon Treasure Map he had obtained before.
Fortunately, they had mistakenly thought Yi Tianyun wanted to fight his way out from the inside. In reality, his true goal was to destroy the Celestial Nether Altar. Judging by the name, he really had believed it was created by the Celestial Nether Divine Kingdom. Who would have thought they had merely occupied it and not built it themselves?
However, he had previously boasted that he could destroy the Divine Runes. If he were to encounter the Creator’s Divine Runes, it would be awkward. He wouldn’t be able to break them at all.
"Alright then, is everyone just about ready? We’re preparing to infiltrate. The rest is up to you!" The three of them looked at Yi Tianyun with determined gazes, all of them believing he could lead them inside.
Yi Tianyun was a Divine Rune Grandmaster, after all. It was impossible that he was lying, right? They were just worried about him falling into danger, it wasn’t a matter of distrust. As the saying goes, "Where there’s life, there’s hope." That was their reasoning. They didn’t want Yi Tianyun to throw his life away here.
"No problem. Leave it to me!"
Yi Tianyun scanned the area. The Celestial Nether Altar was heavily guarded and would not be easy to breach. Several Void Spirit Stage experts stood guard at the outermost perimeter. Dealing with them would be easy enough, but if they chose the wrong spot, they would be easily discovered.
"The Celestial Nether Altar has six entrances in total. Each one is guarded by Void Spirit Stage experts, and the inside is just as heavily fortified, with numerous Cultivators. According to our intelligence, there should be about three Spirit King Stage experts inside. The most famous among them is the Celestial Nether Divine Kingdom’s Grand General, Ba Long. He possesses a pure Dragon Race Bloodline, and his cultivation has reached the fifth level of the Spirit King Stage. When he unleashes his power, he’s unstoppable!"
Elder Luo knew that Yi Tianyun only knew the routes and wasn’t aware of the specific details inside, so she gave him a general overview.
"Therefore, we must avoid fighting Ba Long if at all possible, or we risk being exposed. If we have absolutely no other choice, we must strike to kill. Otherwise, our presence will be revealed for sure!"
Everyone nodded, now having a general understanding of the situation.
"This is the map the Clan Leader gave us. Divine Envoy, please see if it’s any different from the one you’ve seen," Elder Luo said, handing the map to Yi Tianyun.
Yi Tianyun took it and gave it a casual glance, then nodded. "The map is fine, just a bit crude. It marks out the general routes, but it’s missing quite a few..."
What surprised him the most were the so-called Treasure locations. They were worlds apart from the ones on his map. The locations marked on the Netherworld Treasure Map were all in the central area, but the locations on the map he was just given were all in the outer regions.
"Regardless, let’s force our way in first. No matter which entrance we choose, we’ll have to deal with a Void Spirit Stage expert... I’ll handle it. My Concealing Ability is the strongest. I probably won’t be detected until I’m within twenty feet," Shopkeeper Ye said, stepping forward to take the lead. He looked at Yi Tianyun and asked, "Divine Envoy, which one should we attack?"
Just then, they noticed that Yi Tianyun had his eyes closed in meditation, as if he hadn’t heard them at all.
They exchanged glances but didn’t disturb him, figuring he might be deciding which path to take. In reality, he wasn’t thinking about which path to choose at all. Instead, he was frantically probing the inside with his Spiritual Sense, planning to use Instant Teleportation to get in!
No matter how perfect their plan was, nothing could be as flawless as his Instant Teleportation. That was the only way to get in completely undetected.
After a moment, he successfully scouted the environment inside and locked onto a remote area. Only then did he open his eyes.
"Alright, I know what to do," Yi Tianyun said with a slight, ever-confident smile.
"Which path do we take?" A dagger appeared in Shopkeeper Ye’s hand. It was a High-Grade Sacred Artifact. It seemed assassination was something he had done quite often.
"Grab onto me," Yi Tianyun said, giving a baffling reply.
"Choose... huh!?" They all stared at Yi Tianyun in astonishment, completely baffled by his meaning.
"Just grab my shoulders. Come on!" Yi Tianyun urged them to hurry.
They were confused, but they all did as he said and grabbed his shoulders. The moment they did, just as they were about to ask what was going on, Yi Tianyun’s figure flickered. The four of them instantly vanished, as if they had never been there at all...