Chapter 185: The Gate of Origin

"Liu Shen! Have you recovered?" Shi Hao asked excitedly, his eyes filled with reverence and boundless joy.

"Recovery still requires the right timing, but it is enough to handle the great tribulation," Liu Shen said.

Liu Shen's true appearance could not be clearly seen by the crowd; seeing this, Mengchen felt a severe sense of curiosity.

Thus, he quietly activated the Supreme Bone Rune in his head. This head Supreme Bone technique, the Trace of the Heavenly Dao, possessed the ability to see through all falsehoods.

He wanted to use this divine ability to observe and learn Liu Shen's true appearance.

As a result, the moment he activated his Supreme Bone and cast his golden-glowing gaze forward, he saw a dazzling golden light shining toward him. The golden light burned before his eyes, so brilliant that he could not look directly at it.

Mengchen was startled; his divine sense was scorched and began to ache. He could not see the other party's true appearance at all, only feeling as if a great golden sun were burning with divine light.

It could be seen that Shi Hao before him was no different; he took out a Heavy Pupil, also wanting to explore. Yet, just like Mengchen, his divine sense was scorched with pain, and he hurriedly dismissed this unrealistic thought.

"Do not look. How could Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit be someone you can see through at your current level?" The voice of the Vajra Pestle rang out in the depths of Mengchen's heart. Its body swayed in mid-air, its entire form shining brilliantly.

Mengchen felt embarrassed and cast his curious gaze toward the creature that possessed the Kunpeng Nest.

At this moment, that creature with Kunpeng wings flapped its wings and flew over, looking at Mengchen and Shi Hao one by one. Its gaze was profound, and it did not say a single word.

Sensing the gaze cast by the creature with Kunpeng wings, Mengchen felt a chill in his heart. An existence of this level was truly terrifying, powerful to the point of being unfathomable. Just a casual glance made him feel as if he had fallen into a ten-thousand-foot ice cave, piercing his soul.

Mengchen could vaguely feel that as the creature with Kunpeng wings approached, the Kunpeng Rune within his body began to tremble, as if resonating with it.

"If I am not mistaken, this creature is likely the only surviving descendant of the ancient Kunpeng," the Vajra Pestle said. It shared a mental connection with Mengchen, so it naturally understood Mengchen's curiosity at this moment.

"A descendant of the Kunpeng?" Mengchen looked at the creature with Kunpeng wings with some shock, his mind shaken.

The ancient Kunpeng was such a powerhouse that it could extinguish thousands of great realms with a mere movement; its descendant would surely inherit some of its transcendent abilities.

Thinking of this, Mengchen also thought of Heizi and Xiaohuang. Were their parents not also existences on par with the ancient Kunpeng? Their future achievements could be described as immeasurable.

The creature with Kunpeng wings had a sharp expression, radiating pressure. It glanced at Shi Hao and the Small Tower, then shifted its gaze to look at Mengchen and the Vajra Pestle.

It was at this moment, sensing that sharp gaze, that the Vajra Pestle suddenly glowed, causing the creature with Kunpeng wings to tremble and look back instantly.

"Do not look at me and the successor of my Ancient Monk Lineage with such eyes. There are no enemies of yours here," the Vajra Pestle said calmly.

The pressure radiated by the Vajra Pestle caused the creature with Kunpeng wings to withdraw its sharp gaze, becoming less intimidating.

At this time, Liu Shen looked at Xiao Hei and Zhenhuang and said faintly: "I did not expect that the old friends who bathed in blood together back then have passed away, yet today I can still meet their descendants. You are innately powerful and will surely rise strongly in the future, reappearing with the invincible style your parents had back then."

Afterward, she looked at Shi Hao and Mengchen, saying: "Although being innately gifted provides an advantage along the way, growing step by step through acquired experience allows one to see more. If you can ultimately rise, you may become even more powerful."

Mengchen and Shi Hao nodded, taking the opportunity to ask for guidance.

This was a rare opportunity. Facing such a transcendent existence, anything said was enough for them to digest for a long time, so the two were very humble and earnest.

Finally, they were quite surprised that Liu Shen and the creature with Kunpeng wings had transformed into human forms and asked about it casually, not expecting to receive a very serious answer.

They said that being born in this world, some forms are naturally close to the Dao. The human body is one of them, suitable for cultivation, through which one can more easily touch the Great Dao.

This answer shocked Mengchen and Shi Hao.

"Then, although this senior has transformed into a human form, why keep the wings?" Shi Hao glanced at the creature with Kunpeng wings, his eyes full of confusion, feeling that since it had transformed into a human, why keep a pair of wings?

"This is likely because it did not fully transform back then, making the wings one of the most powerful manifestations of its physical body and Dao practice. But it also became a resistance hindering its progress; otherwise, with its bloodline, it would certainly have been able to step into a stronger realm," the Small Tower beside Shi Hao said with a bit of schadenfreude. Clearly, it was very unhappy with the creature with Kunpeng wings' earlier attempt to shift the trouble onto them.

Mengchen was very surprised to hear the Small Tower's words—the strongest manifestation could actually become a hindrance to progress? At this moment, he thought of his own Supreme Bone. It could be said that...! The creature with Kunpeng wings sneered and retorted to the Small Tower: "I do not consider this a shackle. Even if I transformed into a form suitable for cultivation, so what? Would I necessarily be able to take that final step? I kept the golden wings, not fully transforming, and instead, it became one of my strongest means, making my combat power peerless and tyrannical for an age. Is that not more carefree?"

"Then, Small Tower, you are not in a human form either, are you?" Shi Hao heard clearly, his thoughts racing, and he looked at the Small Tower and asked.

Following this, Mengchen also cast his gaze toward the Vajra Pestle, having the same doubt as Shi Hao.

"The tower shape is also suitable for long-term existence; it is naturally a carrier for the Dao," the Small Tower said triumphantly in front of the creature with Kunpeng wings.

"Indeed, mine is the same," the Vajra Pestle swayed slightly in front of Mengchen, shining brightly.

Just then, Liu Shen had a premonition and said: "The strongest aspect may often become the bottleneck that restricts us from breaking through again."

"Is that why you are in Nirvana?" the Small Tower asked.

"How can you conclude that I am in Nirvana, rather than having experienced a life-and-death battle?" Liu Shen said.

Hearing Liu Shen's words, the Vajra Pestle seemed greatly shaken, humming as it hung before Mengchen, and asked with extreme confusion: "Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit, how powerful were you back then? You killed your way into enemy territory several times for the sake of those around you, and the Foreign Realm Kings could not stop you. How can you speak of experiencing life and death?"

"There are heavens beyond heavens, and people beyond people. With my original cultivation, I deeply felt that the path of cultivation is long and far from reaching the end," Liu Shen's tone became profound.

Upon hearing this, the three giants—the Vajra Pestle, the Small Tower, and the creature with Kunpeng wings—could not help but be moved. Their expressions were complex as they looked at Liu Shen, and as if remembering something, they looked up at the firmament, incomparably solemn. The Small Tower asked cautiously: "I have heard that since ancient times, those who want to take that step will encounter great terror and great weirdness?"

Liu Shen nodded, and the divine tree with brilliant green mist behind her also swayed with the wind, the immortal aura hazy, sacred and flawless.

"Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit? No, that's not right. Although I have heard your name, but... who exactly are you? You are not a creature from this world, are you?" The Small Tower suddenly remembered the Vajra Pestle's address for Liu Shen and said this.

Liu Shen smiled and shook her head, saying: "You are overthinking it."

Speaking of this, the divine tree behind her turned into a beam of emerald light, shrinking rapidly, evolving into a divine ring that appeared behind her head, glowing brilliantly and flowing with immortal light.

At this moment, the Small Tower on the side was greatly moved; although it did not fully understand, it could still guess some things.

Mengchen, Shi Hao, and others nearby also seemed to have thought of something, but it was very vague.

Liu Shen looked at him, as if sensing something, her gaze resting on his chest, and said: "You have an extra bone; in the future, your magic power will be infinite and your divine abilities vast."

Shi Hao was startled, having a sudden realization.

Afterward, Liu Shen looked at Mengchen again, seemingly surprised, and said: "Six bones, truly heaven-defying. If you cannot walk out, you will be locked forever; if you can use this to break free from the shackles, you will soar into the sky and step into the supreme realm."

Hearing this, Mengchen felt shocked in his heart, feeling deeply confused.

"It is a pity to cut off Shi Hao's bone," the Small Tower shook its head.

Afterward, the Small Tower looked at Mengchen again and said with some surprise: "These six Supreme Bones of this junior are indeed unseen since ancient times. Perhaps in the future, they will be a shackle, but also a medium for breaking free!"

Once these words were spoken, Mengchen was even more startled, gradually understanding.

"Why cut it, and why think so much? Keep it for your own use, traverse the world, and let it become your greatest reliance in the future. Would that not be joyful?" the Undying Creature laughed excitedly.

"I firmly believe that both of them will have their own achievements in the future, surpassing the ancient kings, reaching a higher realm, and bringing light to future generations," the Vajra Pestle said, its voice filled with hope and excitement.

"The path still needs to be explored by them themselves. On this Great Dao, no one dares to say they are definitely correct. What the predecessors left behind is only a guide, not the end," Liu Shen finished, ending the topic.

Afterward, she fell into deep thought, as if deducing something.

A moment passed, and Liu Shen awoke, saying to the crowd: "I am leaving; I am going in."

"Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit, what did you sense?" The Vajra Pestle made a curious sound, not knowing what Liu Shen had just deduced.

"Eh, did you sense something?" Small Tower asked, as it also very much wanted to know.

"That gate may have appeared again," Liu Shen said.

"What? Could it be that portal which existed in the chaos since the opening of the world?" Vajra Pestle and Small Tower were both shocked.

"It is within this Primordial Treasure Realm?" The Kunpeng-winged creature was also shaken; he seemed to know of that gate.

As for Mengchen, Shi Hao, and the people around them, they were all completely bewildered.

"Lord Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit, you... you aren't planning on breaking in, are you! Since ancient times, everyone who has entered has vanished, with only blood flowing out," Small Tower shrieked.

The Kunpeng-winged creature also revealed a look of shock, his expression flickering between light and shadow.

"I will go take a look first; as for how to decide, I will say after I have seen it," Liu Shen said.

"Lord Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit, let me go with you!" Vajra Pestle suddenly spoke up.

"Very well!" Liu Shen said.

Following this, everyone had a feeling that Liu Shen and Vajra Pestle had suddenly become extremely ethereal, as if they were about to depart.

"Liu Shen! Gangzi!" Shi Hao and Mengchen called out at almost the same time.

"The Original Gate, born alongside chaos, has only appeared a few times, yet it triggered the Primordial War and the Ancient God War; never did I think it would appear again today," Small Tower sighed amidst the crowd.

"Mengchen! The powerful beings here have all been eliminated; with your current strength, you can roam freely here. I will go with Lord to investigate first! Wait for my return." Vajra Pestle's voice echoed in Mengchen's heart, but it had already gone far away.

"Swoosh...", two rays of rosy light flashed, and Liu Shen and Vajra Pestle simultaneously plunged into the depths of the Primordial Treasure Realm, disappearing just like that.

In that very instant, the Kunpeng-winged creature, Small Tower, Mengchen, Shi Hao, Xiaohuang, Yuechan, and everyone else all flew forward.

They only saw that in the deepest part, a magnificent landscape connected with a patch of chaos; it was all hazy and indistinct, impossible to see the scenery, yet extremely spectacular, like a vast ocean.

(End of this chapter)