Chapter 349: 207 Halfway Up the Mountain

“What artifacts? What kind of artifacts?”

“Since it’s an altar, there should be animals and fruits, right?”

Everyone had also noticed the situation and someone immediately shouted out.

“We’ve tried animals and fruits, they’re useless!”

The person who had just spoken continued.

He was a middle-aged man around forty wearing luxurious clothes. Although he didn’t display his cultivation, he still exuded a strong oppressive aura.

“Is that Shen Wujun?”

Soon, Zhang Xuan spotted a familiar face standing next to the middle-aged man—it was the Seventh Prince, Shen Wujun, who had previously visited the Fu Family.

“He is the Third Prince of the Zouyi royalty, Emperor Shen Ling! Wujun’s third uncle… His cultivation is no weaker than Master Shi’s, ranking among the top in the entire Zouyi City.”

As he pondered, the voice of Fu Qingyao reached him.

“Oh!” Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

No wonder this prince wasn’t with the people from the Fu Family but with the other party. It seemed the royalty had also sent their representatives.

Looking around Shen Wujun, there were seventeen or eighteen people standing around him, all of whom were no weaker than Fu Qingyao. There were also two elders whom Zhang Xuan could barely make out without using the Library of Heaven’s Path.

It was no wonder, the royalty indeed had profound depths. Perhaps only powerful clans like the Heavenly Destiny Hall or the Wanxiang Sect could match them.

“Useless? Could it be that we need artifacts?”

Another person spoke up, “Even if it’s artifacts, the royalty shouldn’t be lacking, right?”

“I’ve tried medicinal herbs, weapons, treasures, and rare gems just now, and none worked!”

Emperor Shen Ling shook his head.

“No need to try anymore. If you guessed right, the way to open the path behind is not ordinary artifacts but Ritual Artifacts!”

Just then, someone shouted from behind the crowd. Zhang Xuan looked back and saw Master Shi Yunjing from the Heavenly Destiny Hall striding forward, followed by a dozen Fate Masters.

In just a few hours, this Master Shi had broken through the shackles of Galaxy 6-dan and reached the Seventh Realm.

It was indeed the Heavenly Destiny Hall, knowledgeable about many internal matters and seemingly also receiving great benefits.

“Ritual Artifacts?”

Emperor Shen Ling was startled.

“Exactly!”

Shi Yunjing strode forward, the crowd in front hesitatingly gave way.

“The Heavenly Destiny of Ceremony not only requires numerous rules but also the corresponding Ritual Artifacts. Only with the rituals and these items combined can the true ceremony be completed!”

Shi Yunjing continued as he walked, “There are six altars here. If guessed correctly, they each correspond to one of six jade artifacts. As long as we find them and set them on, the mountain path that follows will inevitably appear.”

“Which six artifacts are these?”

Curious, Emperor Shen Ling asked.

This was everyone’s question; suddenly, the whole mountain peak was unusually quiet, with no sound at all.

“According to the records of the Heavenly Destiny Hall on the Heavenly Destiny of Ceremony, these six jade artifacts are: Bi‌, Cong, Gui‌, Zhang‌, Hu, Huang!”

Shi Yunjing had now come to the front of the crowd, stopped, and looked around, “Everyone! Anyone who has obtained any of these six Ritual Artifacts, please step forward and join me in activating the passage. Let’s all ascend the mountain summit together. Otherwise, staying stuck here serves no purpose…”

After Shi Yunjing finished speaking, he flipped his wrist, and a Jade Gui appeared in his palm. He then took two steps and gently placed it on the third altar.

Sure enough, as the Jade Gui was placed, the massive wall immediately burst into countless cracks, as if it would split open at any moment.

“So, it was this artifact we also got…”

Emperor Shen Ling suddenly realized, and looked towards his nephew not far away, extending his palm.

Shen Wujun knew what he meant, hurriedly took out a handkerchief-wrapped item from his pocket, and handed it over. Shen Ling gently unfolded it to reveal a jade wall (Bi), circular with a hole in its center.

“Place it first, this is a Jade Bi, needed for celestial rituals. The Jade Gui I had earlier is mostly used for tribute ceremonies…”

Shi Yunjing recognized it.

“Yes!”

Shen Ling nodded, gently placing the Jade Bi on the first altar. He felt that once the item was situated, the stone wall seemed to have been struck, its cracks widened, causing countless specks of dust to scatter.

“It indeed works. Everyone, do any of you have more ritual artifacts?”@@novelbin@@

“We do have…”

Just then, another group approached from the mountain’s base, leading them was none other than Zhang Xuan’s old acquaintance, Mo Baiye!

At this moment, he held a Jade Cong in his hands, cylindrical on the inside and square on the outside.

Currently, Mo Baiye must have found medicine to heal his injuries again. Not only had his severed arm regrown, but his cultivation had also returned to the pinnacle of Galaxy 6-dan. His dark eyes were bright, seemingly on the verge of a breakthrough.

“It’s you…”

Shi Yunjing frowned.

“Master Shi, whatever grievances we have, once we leave this place, I’ll explain them. But for now, we must hurry up the mountain!”

Sensing his displeasure, Shi Yunjing said.

Shi Yunjing nodded, not saying more.

He knew what was most important.

The Mandate Chaos Master surnamed Kong, if all went as expected, had already reached the mountain’s peak. If they didn’t hurry, they’d miss their chance.

Placing the Jade Cong on the altar, the stone wall crumbled even more fiercely, as though it might turn to dust at any moment and scatter across the world.

“Do you have more?”

Knowing three more were needed to fully open the passage, Shen Ling looked around again.

“Bring them over!” Zhang Xuan nodded towards Fu Qingyao.

“Yes!”

Fu Qingyao, now understanding the true significance of the fiercely contested item she’d obtained, stepped forward without saying more and placed her Jade Huang on the last altar.

Mo Baiye, upon seeing her, then glimpsed Zhang Xuan through the crowd, a fierce gleam briefly flitting through his eyes.

All the humiliation and accusations he faced during this time were because of this man. Foes meeting were bound to be jealous.

“Master Shi, I have something to tell you…”

No longer able to hold back, he bowed towards Shi Yunjing.

“Something?” Shi Yunjing frowned, just pondering whether to listen, when a loud voice echoed across the whole mountain peak.

“Master Mo, were you about to say that I am a Mandate Chaos Master, and must be executed on sight?”

Zhang Xuan looked disdainfully over: “Even if you hold a grudge against me, there’s no need to spread such enormous lies!”

Unprepared, his aforementioned words were interrupted and declared publicly by the other party, Mo Baiye was stunned for a moment, then his eyes turned frosty: “So, you’re admitting it now?”

“Admit it? Admit nothing! You try to frame me but try to find a proper pretext, will you? Me, a Mandate Chaos Master? Would I trouble myself by striving step by step, searching for ritual artifacts, wasting words here?”

Zhang Xuan curled his lip.

“You, a person constantly borrowing money without credence, what right do you have to falsely accuse and spout nonsense here?”

Hearing this, Shi Yunjing’s expression darkened: “Mo Baiye, I was almost deceived by you again!”