Chapter 498: Chapter 330 Heavenly Ladder! [Seeking Monthly Pass!]
"Tan Valley!"
"This city is called ’Tan Valley’."
He Hao, who was literate, led Yan Chuan and the others through the ruins of the city. He then took out a small, ancient portal from his hand and threw it forward. The portal expanded with the wind to a regular size, capable of accommodating two or three people walking side by side. The other side of the portal was dark and deep, leading to an unknown place.
"This is—"
The five of them, including Yan Chuan, were amazed.
He Hao squinted and introduced them, "This is the ’Earth Gate’. Through it, you can open it at any point within the King City and, by passing through, reach the ’Underground City’."
Earth Gate!
Underground City!
What kind of concept is this?
"Is it similar to ’Star Stone’ and ’Star Gate’?" Yan Chuan and the others immediately thought.
They guessed right.
He Hao nodded, "’Earth Gate’ is similar to ’Star Gate’. However, ’Star Gate’ connects ’Great Yan’ with the ’Mountain and Sea Realm’, while ’Earth Gate’ connects the ’Mountain and Sea Realm’ with the ’Underground City’."
He Hao explained in simpler terms, "You can compare Great Yan, the Mountain and Sea Realm, and the Underground City to a three-room courtyard. Great Yan is the front yard, the Mountain and Sea Realm is the middle yard, and the Underground City is the back yard."
Goodness!
It’s like a nesting doll!
Yan Chuan blinked. He hadn’t even properly explored the ’Mountain and Sea Realm’, and now there’s this ’Underground City’?
"The Underground City has many benefits!"
He Hao didn’t care what Yan Chuan and the others thought; he continued, "According to research, each king city in the Mountain and Sea Realm suppresses an ’Underground City’! The ’Underground City’ is divided into two concepts—the first refers to the mysterious world in the underground alternate space beneath the king city. It’s full of mysteries, either dilapidated or flourishing, with an ancient desolate atmosphere. It’s mysterious, ruined, revived, and prosperous, like it’s from ancient times. It’s filled with countless dangers, such as the three levels of trials you experienced during the Sword Discussion, which are just common phenomena in the ’Underground City World’."
Demon Barrier!
Evil Qi!
Forbidden Treasure, Absolute Weapons!
The three levels of trials in the Cang Mountain Sword Discussion simulate the Underground City’s environment?
"Not just these three levels."
"Including the twelve [Mist Rain Steles], all come from that mysterious world of the Underground City and have yet to be fully deciphered."
He Hao, who held control over the Mountain and Sea Department, had a thorough grasp of various secrets.
Yan Chuan and the others, being newcomers, listened intently.
Wang Zhengyi couldn’t help but ask, "And the second concept?"
"This second—"
He Hao looked at Yan Chuan and the others, "Bring six hundred Essence Stones."
Huh?
Bribery?
"I’m not soliciting bribes!" He Hao ignored the suspicious looks from the five, pointing to the ’Earth Gate’ in front of him, "Pay attention, there’s a groove on the door. To use it, each entry and exit requires a hundred taels of Essence Stones per person, allowing a one-day stay inside."
"Is that true?"
Yan Chuan and the others exchanged awkward glances.
Yan Chuan said to He Hao with a sheepish smile, "The bonus hasn’t been distributed yet, we—"
We really have no money!
The court has withheld the Sword Discussion bonus for a long time. These few from the impoverished Jian Province couldn’t possibly come up with six hundred taels of Essence Stones!
"Even Master Chen doesn’t have any?" He Hao looked at Chen Ze.
Chen Ze smiled wryly, "I was only at Postnatal Second Layer before coming to the Sword Discussion."
He was probably the poorest Innate in history!
Not to mention six hundred taels of Essence Stones!
Even sixty taels were beyond his means.
"In that case—"
He Hao rummaged through his sleeve and took out about six hundred Essence Stones. His sleeve didn’t look like it could hold that much, so there must be a storage Exotic Treasure inside. Given He Hao’s strength and status, this was not surprising.
But he was stingy!
After taking out six hundred Essence Stones, he was unwilling to take any more, saying to Yan Chuan and the others, "These Essence Stones must be returned!"
"We’ll definitely return them."
Everyone agreed quickly.
Only then did He Hao relax slightly, "Let’s go! Come inside with the old man and take a look!"
...
"Here—"
Yan Chuan stepped into the ’Earth Gate’, seeing nothing but chaos.
Then, a flash of light before him, and brightness returned—
An imposing mountain peak stood amidst the clouds. Atop the peak was an immense, boundless city. Within the city, pavilions towered, flags fluttered, and crowds bustled.
In the city, stone-made Heavenly Ladders twisted upwards in various places, disappearing into the clouds. Each step of the Heavenly Ladder was engraved with intricate patterns and runes, emitting a faint glow, as if a mysterious passage leading to the Immortal Realm.
Yan Chuan looked at the Heavenly Ladder, and scenes appeared with each step—
A swordsman dressed in white strolled leisurely, his swordsmanship flowing like water, each stroke imbued with the momentum of the world. His sword tip traced elegant arcs in the air, seemingly writing a series of captivating landscape paintings. As his swordsmanship accelerated, sword shadows overlapped, resembling a White Rainbow Piercing the Sun, dazzling to the eye.
A burly boxer rushed forward, his punches as powerful as thunderbolts, each capable of shaking the Heavenly Ladder. His fists howled, shadows layered, and each punch accompanied by a thunderous roar, immensely impressive.
A young man in green leaped in three strides, his legs vanishing without a trace, moving fast and accurately. Every step was full of rhythm and melody, his figure appearing and disappearing on the Heavenly Ladder, as if performing an elegant dance, yet each step carried deadly power.
An old man with crane-like hair and a youthful face had his hands behind his back, pushing them out slowly, seemingly gentle and weak but containing immense Inner Strength. With his breath, the surrounding air seemed to ripple, an invisible force field forming around him. Each palm thrust was accompanied by surging airwaves, profoundly moving.
A world-weary hero, unarmed but with a Flying Knife hidden at his waist, his Hand Skills fast as lightning and aimed with divine accuracy. Each Flying Knife in his hand became lethally precise. His movements were almost undetectable, only visible when the Hidden Weapon hit its target, only visible when the opponent had perished.