Chapter 14: Seize the Opportunity, the Supreme Inheritance—the Sacrifice Tower!
"Two thousand three hundred twenty-seven!"
"Two thousand three hundred twenty-eight!"
"Two thousand three hundred twenty-nine!"
"Two thousand three hundred thirty!"
...Above the three thousand stone steps.
Xiao Tu climbed upwards, bowing his head with each step.
At this moment, his handsome face was filled with determination and unyielding resolve.
Even though blood seeped from his knees, and his forehead was covered in broken wounds, with blood flowing down his face, he showed no expression whatsoever.
"Almost there!"
"I'm almost there!"
"I absolutely cannot die here!"
"I will destroy the Jun Family!"
"I will get my revenge!"
Xiao Tu gazed at the Dark Sacrificial Temple, which was now within reach. His eyes grew increasingly bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
He had a strong premonition that within the Dark Sacrificial Temple lay an Opportunity that could change his Heaven-Defying destiny!
Three years ago, the destruction of the Xiao Family had been an insurmountable hurdle in his heart.
As for who exactly destroyed the Xiao Family?
No one in the entire Junlin Dynasty dared to speak of it, but everyone knew that after the Xiao Family was annihilated, their million-strong Xuanjia Army was entirely absorbed by the Jun Family!
Therefore, even a fool would know who was responsible for this matter!
"Two thousand nine hundred ninety-seven."
"Two thousand nine hundred ninety-eight."
"Two thousand nine hundred ninety-nine."
"Three thousand steps!"
After Xiao Tu stepped onto the last stone step, his body stumbled, and he fell to the ground.
"I've arrived!"
"I finally made it!"
Xiao Tu grinned. He lay on the ground, resting for a long while before forcing himself to stand up. He swayed as he walked towards the Dark Sacrificial Temple.
Just then, a chilling sound of footsteps echoed from the stone steps behind him.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
The footsteps were neither light nor heavy, yet they seemed to tread directly on Xiao Tu's heart.
"How is this possible?"
"Besides me, someone else actually found the location of the Dark Sacrificial Temple?"
Xiao Tu turned around in disbelief.
At that moment, he saw a tall figure who had also reached the three thousand stone steps.
The newcomer wore white robes, his posture was upright, and his handsome face was strikingly beautiful. His eyes held a cold alertness that seemed to cut through the long night!
"Who are you?"
Xiao Tu clenched his fists tightly. At this moment, he stared at Ning Ye with extreme vigilance, like a lion guarding its territory.
'The Child of Destiny!'
'Xiao Tu!'
Ning Ye raised an eyebrow as he looked at the man before him, slowly muttering a name in his heart.
Immediately after, a crisp System notification echoed in his ears.
[Ding! Based on the situation, a System dungeon mission has been issued—{Despair}]
[Mission One: If Xiao Tu's despair value reaches 20, the Host will receive a 2000 Heavenly Mandate Essence reward.]
[Option Two: If Xiao Tu's despair value reaches 50, the Host will receive a 5000 Heavenly Mandate Essence reward.]
[Mission Three: If Xiao Tu's despair value reaches 80, the Host will receive an 8000 Heavenly Mandate Essence reward.]
[Mission Four: If Xiao Tu's despair value reaches 100, the Host will receive a 10000 Heavenly Mandate Essence reward.]
[System Reminder: Mission rewards cannot be stacked. Mission rewards will be calculated after one hour.]
Ning Ye looked at the System mission before him and was momentarily stunned, thinking that this Child of Destiny, Xiao Tu, was indeed a huge gold mine, or rather, an extremely superior leek!
'If I can complete Mission Four... I'll get a 10,000 Heavenly Mandate Essence reward all at once!'
'That way, I can effortlessly unlock the second major Bloodline Seal of Reverse Moon—Heavenly Prohibition!'
A slight smile appeared on Ning Ye's lips.
So, what else could he do now?
He could only try!
"Speak!"
"Who exactly are you?"
Seeing the smile on Ning Ye's lips, Xiao Tu frowned and pressed again. At the same time, the true essence within his body roared, as if he was about to fight Ning Ye to the death.
He knew that the Opportunity within the Dark Sacrificial Temple was his only chance to change his Heaven-Defying destiny, and he would never give it away.
"Transcendent Nine Realms!"
"Not bad!"
Ning Ye nodded, sensing Xiao Tu's aura.
"Kill!!!"
Xiao Tu said no more. He stomped his left foot heavily on the ground, launching himself forward like a cannonball. His right fist sliced through the Void Realm, bringing with it a startling sonic boom.
"You're no match!"
Ning Ye shook his head. Starlight essence condensed within his body, and with a flicker, he dodged Xiao Tu's punch with an extremely small arc. At the same time, he counter-punched, landing a fierce blow on his stomach.
Pfft!!!
Xiao Tu suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. His mouth hung wide open, his eyes bulged, and his face was filled with shock and pallor.
'Star Gathering... expert!'
The thought flashed through his mind.
He never expected that this man, who was roughly the same age as him, possessed Star Gathering Realm cultivation.
Could it be that this guy was a Saint from one of the Seven Great Cultivation Clans of the Eastern Barren Continent?!
"Heh heh!"
Ning Ye chuckled, then raised his elbow and struck Xiao Tu hard on the back.
Boom!!!
The immense force sent Xiao Tu crashing heavily to the ground.
Under this heavy blow, Xiao Tu's consciousness became somewhat scattered.
[System Reminder: Xiao Tu's despair value has reached 20.]
Listening to the System notification in his ear.
Ning Ye couldn't help but frown, thinking, only 20 points of despair value for this?
Sigh!
Ning Ye sighed, carefully calculating in his heart. If he were to attack Xiao Tu again, the guy might just kick the bucket, which wouldn't do. It was better to focus on psychological warfare next.
With that thought, Ning Ye lifted his foot and walked towards the Dark Sacrificial Temple.
Just then, a hand grabbed Ning Ye's ankle.
Turning slightly, Ning Ye saw Xiao Tu clutching his left foot tightly.
"Mine!"
"That's my Opportunity..."
"You... get lost!"
Xiao Tu gritted his teeth and muttered.
"Why bother?"
Ning Ye shook his head, raised his right foot, and stomped heavily on Xiao Tu's wrist.
Crack!!!
The sound of bones breaking echoed.
"Ugh!!!"
Xiao Tu groaned. He could only watch helplessly as Ning Ye walked step by step towards the Dark Sacrificial Temple.
His eyes grew increasingly bloodshot, but his heart felt utterly powerless. Through their previous exchange, he already knew that Ning Ye's combat power was far superior to his own.
[Ding! System Reminder: Xiao Tu's despair value has reached 50.]
"Indeed... what you can't get always causes a stir."
"The feeling of almost having something in hand, only to have it snatched away, is the most despair-inducing!"
"However, this is how the world is: the strong prey on the weak, and power reigns supreme!"
Ning Ye said, pushing open the door of the Dark Sacrificial Temple.
Rumble!!!
The bronze door was pushed open.
A breath of ancient, primeval power, as if from a bygone immortal era, assailed him.
Looking up, the Dark Sacrificial Temple was not large. A dozen eternally burning lamps glowed brightly!
In the center of the Dark Sacrificial Temple, a stone statue was enshrined!
The statue was of a woman, but due to the passage of time, her true face was no longer discernible.
The Goddess statue held a small black pagoda, which was bound by a dozen black chains.
"Found it!"
Ning Ye looked at the small pagoda with excitement. This small pagoda was one of the supreme Legacies of Against the Nine Heavens—the Sacrificial Dao Pagoda!
The next second, he didn't hesitate to step forward and grasp the Sacrificial Dao Pagoda directly, under Xiao Tu's despairing gaze outside the Dark Sacrificial Temple.
Boom!!!
At this moment.
The black small pagoda erupted with a sky-filling rain of light.
Streams of Qi containing heavenly secrets burst forth from the small pagoda.
Whoosh!!!
Ning Ye took a deep breath, condensed a drop of Bloodline essence on his fingertip, and then suddenly touched it to the black small pagoda.
At this, the small pagoda trembled slightly, then suddenly transformed into a beam of light, which instantly merged into Ning Ye's glabella.
Sea of Consciousness.
The black Sacrificial Dao Pagoda stood tall within it.
The tall pagoda had nine layers.
Black chains, like Heavenly Dao shackles, firmly sealed it.
And at the entrance of the first layer.
Ning Ye saw two blood-red characters—Sacrificial Dao.
On either side were two lines of ancient script:
Imprison the heavens, imprison the earth, imprison the Heavenly God and demons of the Nine Heavens.
Sacrifice the Dao, sacrifice life, sacrifice the myriad immortals of all realms.
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