Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

Watching as the fight for the artifacts left on the towering skeleton continued, Xuan Hao took the opportunity to properly understand the strength of someone at the Peak of the Void Integration Realm who had successfully merged with the surrounding void. Seeing firsthand that someone who had reached this level was undoubtedly comparable to someone in the Star Creation Realm. Not just that, but because of their ability to fully merge with the surrounding void, it was essentially impossible to do any real damage to them without a certain mastery over the Dao of Space or overwhelming strength that could directly shatter space.

Of course, given the fact that everyone that had broken through to the Void Integration Realm had reached a high level when it came to the Dao of Space, the weaker Void Integration Realm cultivators could still join the battle working together and act as a support for the city lord during the battle. Allowing the city lord at the Late Stage of the Void Integration Realm to clash with the Peak Void Integration Realm cultivator without any problems.

In fact, if it wasn’t for the group of weaker Void Integration Realm cultivators not wanting to give the city lord too much of a lead in claiming the artifacts left on the skeleton, he should have been able to overwhelm the Peak Void Integration Realm cultivator with their assistance.

Unfortunately for him, the group of weaker Void Integration Realm cultivators had spotted a clear opportunity to sneak closer while the two powerful figures clashed with each other. Allowing them to make up for the fact that they had fallen behind their two powerful competitors to overtake the two.

By the time the city lord and his opponent realized what was happening, it was already too late, as one of the Middle Stage Void Integration Realm cultivators had directly pulled out some kind of strange ancient looking artifact that directly allowed him and his group to forcibly resist the pressure of the skeleton for a few seconds and rush forth using their full speed.

”Hahaha! The treasures are ours!”

And of course, with the terrifying speed of someone in the Void Integration Realm, even someone at the early stage of the realm could easily cross the vast distance between them and towering skeleton without the pressure around to stop them, causing one of them to laugh in joy as he seized one of the artifacts while the rest were similarly overjoyed as they also picked up an artifact each before rapidly retreating together before the two powerful figures had the chance to rush over and stop them.

Everything happened within only a few short seconds and by the time the two separated and were about to rush after them, the group had already left the skeleton’s sphere of influence and was no longer affected by the pressure. Meaning they could make full use of their spatial abilities to escape before those two terrifying seniors now chasing them from behind had the chance to catch up with them.

To be honest, watching from the side, Xuan Hao couldn’t help feeling a sense of admiration towards this group of obviously weaker cultivators. Knowing that with how everything had just played out that the group had specifically waited for the two seniors to be locked in battle with one another before making their move.

Not to mention, from how everyone had clearly targeted a specific artifact when they got to the skeleton, it was clear that the group had already come to an agreement on how to split the treasures amongst themselves before they had made a move, something that was admirable in its own way considering how every single one of those artifacts was precious beyond belief.

Even with his broad knowledge of artifacts after browsing through things he couldn’t afford within the tower’s different shops, the quality of those artifacts on the skeleton had completely exceeded anything he had encountered so far. Making even him feel tempted to make a move to seize those artifacts.

Of course, aware that this might be some kind of trap set up by the owner of the palace to possess a body and potentially obtain a new lease on life, he didn’t dare carelessly get anywhere close to those artifacts.

Instead, it was better to have the others test the safety of those artifacts first. After all, to leave, they would still have to pass through him first and he could always forcibly seize the artifacts after determining there wasn’t anything wrong with them. In other words, a win win situation for him.

The only real worry he had was that the Peak Void Integration Realm cultivator would be the one to seize the artifacts, as he wouldn’t really have any real way to contend with such a powerful individual that had already merged with the surrounding void.

In other words, the group of weaker cultivators being the ones to seize the artifacts was a best case scenario for him, as they wouldn’t be that difficult to deal with given how he also held the element of surprise on his side and could catch them completely off guard once they attempted to rush out through the gate he had already sneakily hidden himself beside using the Dao of Formations and the Dao of Illusions in tandem to hide himself. Understanding very well that using the Dao of Space to try and conceal himself wouldn’t work against these locals of the fragmented continent who were overly talented when it came to the Dao of Space.

Rumble~

But just as he was about to make a move after seeing how nothing had happened to the group of weaker cultivators that had seized the artifacts from the towering skeleton, the ground all around began violently trembling followed by the large door he had kept open just in case he needed to escape slammed shut before he had the chance to react.

”What... The skeleton is moving!”

”Oh god, it really is starting to move!?”

”Don’t tell me... The pressure wasn’t the challenge, but the skeleton itself!? Taking the artifacts after reaching the skeleton triggered the trial to start!?”

Along with the panicked voices of the group of weaker Void Integration Realm cultivators that ended up slamming headfirst into the closed gate that didn’t budge no matter how hard they hit it, the towering skeleton that had remained motionless on top the mountain sized thrown so far began to slowly get up under the horrified gaze of not just the group of weaker Void Integration Realm cultivators, but also the two senior ones.

The reason for this was simple, the presence surrounding the skeleton far exceeded that of the Void Integration Realm and had directly reached the Void God Realm according to the quiet muttering of one of the weaker Void Integration Realm cultivators.

In simple terms, taking the artifacts from the skeleton had directly resulted in the door out being closed and the skeleton itself revealing itself to be a hidden boss that had reached the Void God Realm in terms of strength.

Although this wasn’t what he had expected to happen, it still wasn’t exactly something he could deal with even if he decided to reveal himself and worked together with the seven Void Integration Realm cultivators to fight against the towering skeleton that seemed to still be in its awakening phase and hadn’t yet jumped out to attack anyone.

Instead of that, his gaze began wandering around the empty hall the size of a small world searching for any other changes that might have been triggered by the awakening of the towering skeleton... And after a good few seconds inspecting the intricate walls and pillars around the edge of this massive hall, he soon enough spotted what looked like a small entrance in at the other side of the hall straight from the towering pair of wooden doors he was currently hiding beside.

But then again, the small entrance in question wasn’t small so to speak but was instead more like a normal hallway designed for someone his size instead of the giant hallway he had travelled through to reach this giant hall with the skeleton inside of it.

A way out, but one that was far from easy to reach given the fact he would have to bypass the skeleton to reach it, something that was far from simple given how the pressure that restricted spatial movement had spread out to cover the entire hall after the skeleton awakened.

Even if he could rely on the Dao of Light-based movement technique to far surpass the locals who relied entirely on the Dao of Space, he doubted he would be able to get past the skeleton that easily.

To make it easier for himself, he decided to wait a bit.

Wait until the group of Void Integration Realm cultivators began fighting with the skeleton.

Giving him an opportunity to slip past the skeletons while they were busy fighting for their life against it...