Chapter 273: Encountering Danger

The passage of time never yields to the will of any powerful being; even those strong enough to reverse time and space to resurrect the fallen cannot truly halt time.

In the following few years, no particularly outstanding geniuses emerged in the Cosmic Human Peak Genius Tournament, so Lu Qingshan naturally did not need to spend much effort paying attention.

After allocating a sliver of his energy to preside over the Genius Tournament, Lu Qingshan devoted more of his energy to creating secret arts, comprehending laws, and exploring Secret Realms.

The process of creating secret arts and comprehending laws was quite ordinary; it was nothing more than following the established steps.

Without enough points to activate the Dao-Comprehension Boost function in the Chat Group, Lu Qingshan's cultivation speed naturally could not increase much.

As for Secret Realm exploration, one did need to be a bit careful.

Although Lu Qingshan had been exploring Cosmic Secret Realms alongside other powerful beings of the Human Clan for over a hundred thousand eras, gaining considerable experience.

Yet the dangers contained within each Secret Realm differed, so those so-called experiences held only a little reference value.

Thus, Lu Qingshan, Zifeng Zunzhe, and Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe explored the Ancient Secret Realm for over three hundred more years before finally encountering a rather special situation.

"Natural wormhole detected!"

The detector, having sensed the anomaly, quickly alerted the three of Lu Qingshan.

"A natural wormhole?"

The three of Lu Qingshan, who had been flying as three streaks of light, quickly slowed down, then swiftly flew toward the coordinates provided by the detector.

After flying for over three million kilometers, the three of Lu Qingshan soon arrived within a mountain range tens of thousands of kilometers high.

And on the mid-slope of this mountain range lay a natural wormhole, with the space surrounding the wormhole completely distorted.

"It's actually a spatial wormhole?"

The three of Lu Qingshan all gazed at the spatial wormhole ahead.

Such wormholes were quite common in the universe; every wormhole connected two regions, and one could reach the distant other end simply by stepping into the wormhole.

However, this spatial wormhole held no record in the information queried by the Human Clan, and since it was located within the perilous Cosmic Secret Realm, no one knew what lay on the other side of the wormhole.

For a moment, the three of Lu Qingshan all halted before the wormhole.

After a moment of silence, someone finally spoke.

"I wonder where this spatial wormhole leads?"

The first to speak was Zifeng Zunzhe: "Should we enter and explore?"

"Isn't our exploration of Cosmic Secret Realms precisely for opportunities?"

Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, standing nearby, quickly said: "This spatial wormhole has never been recorded in our Human Clan's data; perhaps there is a precious opportunity on the other side of the wormhole!"

"Even if there is some danger, if we retreat into a top-tier palace-class treasure, we should be able to withdraw safely! In that case, what is there to hesitate about?"

"Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe speaks well!"

Lu Qingshan likewise said: "Venturing into Cosmic Secret Realms is originally for opportunities; although I do not know where this spatial wormhole leads, I certainly intend to try!"

"Very well!"

After hearing the words of Lu Qingshan and Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, Zifeng Zunzhe quickly said: "In that case, let us go together to see what situation lies on the other end of this spatial wormhole!"

Thus, after making plans, the three of Lu Qingshan soon cautiously flew into that wormhole.

Passing through the spatial wormhole, the three of Lu Qingshan quickly arrived in another space.

This was a vast basin with a diameter of fully over one hundred million kilometers, and in the center of the basin lay a huge lake with a diameter of over one million kilometers; and in the center of that huge lake floated a lotus emitting seven-colored light.

"That is... the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus!"

After observing the seven-colored lotus in that huge lake through the detector, the faces of the three of Lu Qingshan instantly showed expressions of delight.

Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus: A rare treasure of heaven and earth born only in extremely special places in the universe, one of the precious materials for refining soul-class supreme treasures.

In the long history of the Human Clan, only twelve Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotuses have ever been recorded, illustrating just how precious the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus is.

Contributing any single Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus to the Human Clan Treasury would yield a reward of 1,800 Ordinary Ordinary Zhibao Points.

However, the gestation of a Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus generally lasts a very long period; if it is taken before it is fully formed, it will become a useless item.

Furthermore, the special environment nurturing the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus must not be destroyed, or the gestation of the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus will likewise be interrupted.

"It is actually a Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus!"

Upon seeing that lotus emitting seven-colored light, Zifeng Zunzhe quickly said excitedly: "Hahaha, it seems the three of us are going to get rich this time!"

Contributing a single Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus to the Clan Treasury would fully yield 1,800 Ordinary Ordinary Zhibao Points; even if Zifeng Zunzhe received only thirty percent, that would be 540 Ordinary Ordinary Zhibao Points, nearly one-third of his entire fortune.

"Exactly!"

Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, standing nearby, likewise said with a smile: "Although this Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus has not yet fully gestated, according to the records in our Human Clan's data, it should not take much longer!"

"I estimate we will need to wait at most ten thousand-plus years; from now on, everyone just needs to ensure no one discovers this area!"

"We had better first check the specific situation of this place!"

Lu Qingshan quickly said seriously: "We must at least ensure no other powerful beings appear nearby!"

"Correct!"

After hearing Lu Qingshan's suggestion, Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe and Zifeng Zunzhe both nodded.

Subsequently, the three of Lu Qingshan quickly inspected the surrounding environment to ensure no accidents would occur during their wait for the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus.

However, everything within this space was perfectly normal; after sweeping the area, the three of Lu Qingshan encountered no accidents whatsoever.

Thus, they quietly waited within this space, awaiting the day the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus fully matured.

Thus, time continued to pass, and soon over ten thousand more years had elapsed.

During this period, Lu Qingshan even took time to hold a new Cosmic Human Peak Genius Tournament; unfortunately, still no particularly outstanding geniuses emerged.

However, this was quite normal; after all, even within the entire Human Clan, geniuses like Cotty or even Boran from the original story were extremely rare.

Otherwise, such geniuses would not be described as appearing once every tens of millions of eras, or once every tens of thousands of eras!

This day...

Under the anticipation of Lu Qingshan, Zifeng Zunzhe, and Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, the lake nurturing the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus suddenly boiled completely.

Immediately, the seawater composed of the purest energy surged toward the Seven-Colored Heart-Unity Lotus in the core region.

Crash!

The endless seawater below was completely absorbed by the seven-colored concentric lotus, which had a diameter of only ten-plus meters, in just half a quarter-hour, marking the complete successful gestation of the seven-colored concentric lotus.

"Hahaha!"

Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, who had been wrapping the seven-colored concentric lotus in divine power to guard against accidents at all times, let out a hearty laugh and then moved to store the fully gestated seven-colored concentric lotus.

But just then, an accident suddenly occurred!

A far more powerful surge of divine power instantly scattered the divine power emanating from Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, followed immediately by a giant claw snatching the seven-colored concentric lotus into its grasp and directly storing it within a spatial ring.

"What boldness!"

"Who is seeking death?"

Facing this sudden turn of events, Lu Qingshan and the other two were first slightly stunned, then flew into a rage.

Then...

"Hahaha!"

A bold voice suddenly rang out: "It should be you three human race scum who are seeking death!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than a terrifying figure, over ten kilometers long, covered entirely in golden scales, with a wolf-like head bearing a single horn, and intricate secret patterns carved within the scales on its head, suddenly appeared before Lu Qingshan and the others.

"Kong Jin Hou?"

"Suo Jin Zunzhe?"

Upon seeing this figure, Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe and Tianfeng Zunzhe's faces instantly changed, and even Lu Qingshan's face wore an expression of Solemnity.

The figure before them was one of the Meng Yao Zu imperial clans, a famous universal hegemon of the Kong Jin Hou lineage, Suo Jin Zunzhe!

"Scum of the human race!"

At this moment, Suo Jin Zunzhe had completely sealed off the surrounding space-time, then spoke in a cold voice: "Did you think the seven-colored concentric lotus was discovered by you?"

"If I had not feared interrupting the gestation of the seven-colored concentric lotus, I would have already killed you three scum the very moment you appeared here!"

In truth, tens of thousands of years ago, Suo Jin Zunzhe had already discovered the seven-colored concentric lotus while it was still gestating.

However, since the seven-colored concentric lotus was still gestating at that time, he could not take it away and could only wait here patiently.

Who would have thought that just as the seven-colored concentric lotus was about to be born, Lu Qingshan and the other two suddenly arrived here.

"But it is not too late now!"

Suo Jin Zunzhe roared directly: "Now, I shall take the lives of you three human race universal hegemons to celebrate my acquisition of this precious seven-colored concentric lotus!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than Suo Jin Zunzhe, standing over ten kilometers tall, instantly thrust a claw toward the direction where Lu Qingshan and the other two stood.

Just then, Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe waved his hand, and a temple emitting a green light instantly appeared behind Lu Qingshan and the other two, completely enveloping them; it was the top-tier palace-class treasure borrowed by Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe.

"Suo Jin Zunzhe!"

Hiding inside the top-tier palace-class treasure, Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe quickly said: "The three of us do not wish to fight you. Since you have now obtained that seven-colored concentric lotus, why not have both sides disperse?"

In Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe's view, now that the three of them were hidden inside the top-tier palace-class treasure, it would be impossible for Suo Jin Zunzhe to deal with them.

In this case, both sides retreating would naturally be a good choice.

As for the three of them, they had merely wasted over ten thousand years here; it was hardly a major matter.

"It is actually the 'Tushen Zunzhe's' Tushen Temple!"

Upon seeing the green palace produced by Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe, Suo Jin Zunzhe was not alarmed but delighted.

"Hahaha!"

Suo Jin Zunzhe instantly laughed loudly: "Originally, letting you three little insects escape would have been fine, but I did not expect you to have borrowed the Tushen Temple of Tushen Zunzhe. In that case, I certainly cannot let you leave this time!"

Tushen Zunzhe was one of the human race's universal hegemons, who had once caused Suo Jin Zunzhe some trouble on the Primitive Star. Now that he had the chance to take revenge on Tushen Zunzhe, he was naturally very willing.

"Tushen Zunzhe, Tushen Zunzhe, this time I shall see what you look like without your Tushen Temple!"

"Did you three never wonder why you did not discover me when you were scouting the surrounding environment earlier?"

Having finished speaking, Suo Jin Zunzhe quickly laughed loudly: "Now I shall let you witness the most precious treasure upon my person!"

Having finished speaking, a pitch-black pagoda instantly appeared in Suo Jin Zunzhe's hand.

This pagoda had seven layers, with incredibly complex secret patterns carved upon its body.

Held in Suo Jin Zunzhe's hand, divine power seemed utterly unable to probe it; if not for seeing it with their own eyes, Lu Qingshan and the other two would have been completely unable to detect it.

"You three are very lucky!"

Holding the pitch-black pagoda, Suo Jin Zunzhe quickly said with a smile: "Since I exchanged for this 'Void Pagoda', you are the first enemies to ever see it!"

"To be suppressed by my Void Pagoda is also your fortune!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than Suo Jin Zunzhe instantly ignited his divine power to activate the Void Pagoda.

Then, the ink-black Void Pagoda flew directly to the sky above Lu Qingshan and the other two, and an invisible suction force instantly acted upon the Tushen Temple where they were hiding, beginning a frenzied absorption.

Boom!

That overwhelmingly powerful suction force instantly made the Tushen Temple teeter on the brink of collapse.

Inside the Tushen Temple.

"This time we are in big trouble!"

Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe quickly said: "Suo Jin Zunzhe possessed the strength of a universal hegemon countless ages ago, and even once killed a universal hegemon. I did not expect him to now possess a true palace-class supreme treasure!"

"It seems the three of us can only flee separately this time; I hope someone can escape his grasp!"

"I never expected to encounter this madman, Suo Jin Zunzhe!"

Tianfeng Zunzhe quickly said: "I have already requested help from Master Ningshuang, but Master Ningshuang will certainly need some time to arrive. Facing Suo Jin Zunzhe, I fear we will hardly be able to hold out!"

"I have also requested help from Tushen Zunzhe!"

Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe quickly said: "But now we must also go out and fight desperately, otherwise we will certainly be directly suppressed by Suo Jin Zunzhe!"

"Once we leave this Tushen Temple, the three of us will scatter and flee; whoever can escape, escapes!"

Facing Suo Jin Zunzhe, who had killed a universal hegemon, Lord Lord Tiequan Zunzhe and Tianfeng Zunzhe currently had absolutely no intention of fighting him.

(End of this chapter)