Han Jue's position in the Sixth Battlefield wasn't far from the core area, the Lotus Continent.
With the Crimson Light Boat propelling him forward, the palace-type treasure cut through space at incredible speeds. Within a matter of hours, Han Jue arrived at the Lotus Continent and met up with King Burning Hand and the other human representatives.
Seven limit Kings from the Hong Alliance had gathered here.
Besides King Burning Hand and Han Jue himself, using his identity as Star Stream King, the remaining five limit Kings presented an interesting mix. Only one was a pure human; the other four came from affiliated races that had joined humanity's banner.
"King Burning Hand, King Star Stream! We've been waiting for you," the human limit King said enthusiastically, his voice carrying genuine warmth.
His name was King Golden Shadow, a limit King renowned for his exceptional close-combat skills. He wielded a top-tier melee treasure called the Golden Shadow Blade, a weapon so distinctive that his entire title derived from it. Among limit Kings, he was considered a formidable combatant.
"Will King Thunderous Movement join us this time?" King Burning Hand asked, his tone suggesting this was a question of some importance.
King Thunderous Movement was an Invincible King of the Hong Alliance, one of those rare powerhouses who stood at the absolute pinnacle of the Immortal King realm. If certain top-tier treasures appeared, domain-type, soul-type, or palace-type, these extraordinarily rare and powerful artifacts would inevitably draw out the most dangerous competitors.
When that happened, unless the limit Kings joined forces, they risked being killed in one-on-one combat by alien Invincible Kings who outmatched them completely.
King Golden Shadow nodded, his expression turning serious. "He will enter Lotus City as well. If you encounter other Invincible Kings, you can request his assistance."
"That's reassuring," King Burning Hand said, visibly relaxing.
The presence of an Invincible King serving as insurance fundamentally changed the risk calculation for their expedition.
"Let me explain the situation regarding Lotus City," King Golden Shadow began, looking at each of them in turn. "Among you, only King Burning Hand and I have entered Lotus City before. The rest of you are experiencing this for the first time. This opportunity exists primarily because our Hong Alliance discovered the entrance first, which gave us the chance to assemble this group."
He paused, ensuring everyone understood the significance.
"Otherwise, if the entrance were controlled by the other major factions, we could only enter Lotus City with the help of Invincible Kings. And the only Invincible King currently active in the Hong Alliance on the Sixth Battlefield is King Thunderous Movement."
Han Jue nodded slightly. It was a reasonable explanation that highlighted both their good fortune and their vulnerability.
"The Lotus Flower Ancient City is located in a special dimensional space. We'll enter directly through the entrance," King Golden Shadow continued.
"The city has nine levels. Generally speaking, levels one through three contain ordinary treasures, valuable, but not exceptional. Levels four through six contain top-tier treasures. Levels seven through nine contain domain-type and soul-type treasures. The exact level of these special treasures isn't fixed, you might find something extraordinary on a lower level, or something disappointing on a higher one."
King Golden Shadow's expression grew more intense as he outlined the structure.
"Everyone entering Lotus Flower Ancient City will randomly appear in the first level, a cube-shaped space with sides one million kilometers long. That space may be completely empty, or it may present different trials. Passing the trials allows you to enter the next space from one of four directions."
"When entering the next space, remain vigilant. You may encounter other Kings. If they're from alien races, don't hesitate, attack immediately! This is critical because if more than two entrants appear in the same space, the trial difficulty increases tenfold. It's far easier and faster to simply kill your opponent than to attempt the amplified trial."
The tactical logic was brutal but sound.
"Normally, completing three ordinary trials consecutively will advance you to the next level. Alternatively, completing one difficult trial will also grant you direct access. However, if a treasure trial appears, completing it grants you both the treasure and allows you to skip the current stage entirely."
King Golden Shadow's voice took on a sharper edge.
"For example, if you complete the treasure trial between levels one and three, you'll be transported directly to level four. If you complete it between levels four and six, you'll jump straight to level seven."
"And most importantly," he added, his tone grave, "when a treasure trial appears, every other person on the same level will be notified of its existence. They can then navigate to the space where you're attempting the treasure trial to compete with you for it."
The implication sent a chill through the assembled Kings. Every treasure trial would become a potential battlefield.
Han Jue considered this carefully. The system encouraged aggressive competition while rewarding those skilled enough to complete difficult challenges quickly.
"What happens if someone completes the treasure trial between levels seven and nine?" Han Jue asked.
"There's only one possibility," King Golden Shadow replied flatly. "They'll be immediately ejected from Lotus Flower Ancient City."
The finality in his voice suggested this was an absolute rule, not merely a tendency.
"Any other questions?" King Golden Shadow asked, scanning the assembled limit Kings.
"No more," several peak Kings responded, shaking their heads.
"Excellent. Let's depart then. This time, all the limit Kings from the Hong Alliance on the Sixth Battlefield will enter. It's a rare opportunity for us to have seized the entrance first, we must make the most of it."
King Golden Shadow's dedication to the Hong Alliance was evident in his tone.
"Normally, it's relatively easy for limit Kings to obtain treasures in the first three levels. Ordinary treasures aren't scarce in Lotus Flower Ancient City, some high-level Kings can even acquire them. What's truly scarce, and what will cause battles among limit Kings, are the top-tier treasures."
"King Star Stream," King Burning Hand said, turning to Han Jue with a broad grin, "our target this time is the top-tier treasures after the seventh level!"
"No problem," Han Jue replied with a slight smile.
Top-tier domain-type and soul-type treasures, only artifacts of that caliber held any real appeal for him now.
His Star Stream Sea clone was missing defensive armor. He wondered if Lotus Flower Ancient City might provide what he needed.
The entrance to Lotus Flower Ancient City was located at the bottom of a lake.
A high-ranking King from the Hong Alliance had discovered the anomaly at this location and reported it to the alliance leadership, receiving a substantial reward for his vigilance.
At this moment, hundreds of peak Kings from the Hong Alliance in the Sixth Battlefield had gathered here. This force represented the majority of the Hong Alliance's high-end combat power in this sector. The seven limit Kings, including Han Jue, were still en route but would arrive soon.
"Damn it, someone from the Zerg faction has received word! There's a traitor within the Hong Alliance!" King Heavenly Pride snarled, his expression twisted with fury.
He was also a peak King of the Hong Alliance, currently responsible for guarding this entrance to Lotus Flower Ancient City while waiting for it to fully activate.
"The Zerg Queen is extraordinarily skilled in soul manipulation techniques. Perhaps there are Zerg soul slaves among us here. Exposure is quite normal under such circumstances," King Blackwater said, frowning deeply. "King Golden Shadow and the others will arrive soon."
In the distance, a figure wreathed in blue lightning suddenly teleported above the assembled group, hovering in the air as he surveyed them from his elevated position.
King Heavenly Pride nodded grimly. "The entrance will be fully open in about one day. Then we can enter!"
"The entrance will only remain open for three days total. After three days, unless you're an Invincible King or a Universe Venerable, no one will be able to enter," King Heavenly Pride continued, glancing at King Blackwater. "We only need to hold off the alien races for three days!"
"King Thunder."
In the air, King Thunder frowned, his gaze fixing on a massive figure appearing in the distance.
It was a colossal serpent that blotted out the sky, over 100,000 kilometers long, with an enormously thick body that seemed to devour light itself. This was King Snake-Neck, an Invincible King from the Demon Alliance. Beside him flew several limit Kings, including the infamous King Poison.
The arrival of enemy Invincible Kings transformed the situation entirely.
The battle for Lotus Flower Ancient City had truly begun.
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