Soul Emperor Awakening

Once all the seawater had receded—or rather, had been sucked into the Divine Martial Hall—a protective barrier formed around it. This cleared out a large, open area, allowing them to descend.

Tuo Shengfeng grabbed Lin Xuan and leaped down. The drop was immense; a careless Essence Pill Stage cultivator could be smashed to a pulp. It was safer for Tuo Shengfeng to guide him down personally.

’That was just their assumption,’ Lin Xuan thought. He wouldn’t have had any trouble at all. Even without using his Elemental Power Wings, he could have relied on his Phoenix to descend. Besides, with his formidable Physique, the fall posed no threat.

Lin Xuan didn’t object. Tuo Shengfeng was leading the way and ensuring his safety for the entire journey anyway.

Tuo Shengfeng immediately manifested his Elemental Power Wings. Carrying Lin Xuan, he became the first to fly toward the Divine Martial Hall, leaving an afterimage in the sky. The other Core Formation Stage Elders followed suit, forming their own wings and charging in with their disciples.

None of them brought many disciples. Numbers were largely meaningless here; a high Cultivation was what truly mattered. The Elders were perfectly capable of treasure hunting on their own, making it pointless to bring too many disciples.

As Tuo Shengfeng led the way, Lin Xuan got a clear view of the Divine Martial Hall. Even from high above, he could see the ground below littered with what looked like Spiritual Artifacts. They covered the entire landscape, but all of them were rusted. It would be impossible to tell whether they were still Spiritual Artifacts or mere common weapons without reforging them.

The Elders weren’t interested in these items. They already looked down on ordinary Spiritual Artifacts, let alone these rusted-out weapons whose Level was now impossible to discern.

Just as they began their descent, Lan Qinghua and his group followed, manifesting their Elemental Power Wings. They gave chase at once, tailing them closely.

Tuo Shengfeng was flying at an extreme speed, putting all his strength into it. Time was of the essence; the first to reach the interior would be the first to claim the greatest treasures! He maintained his top speed, intending to charge all the way to the inner hall.

Along the way, Lin Xuan observed the interior of the Divine Martial Hall. It was a labyrinth of countless passages, a twisting maze where one could easily get lost. Although he had inherited the Martial God’s memories, that inheritance didn’t include a map of the Divine Martial Hall. He had no idea which way to go; wandering aimlessly would be a surefire way to get lost.

Beyond its grand and majestic appearance, he could feel a faint layer of Martial Intent emanating from the very surfaces of the Divine Martial Hall. ’To think that the structure itself can radiate Martial Intent... it’s truly staggering,’ he thought.

No wonder this place showed no signs of corrosion from the sea. Even powerful Cultivators like them couldn’t shatter this layer of Martial Intent, let alone the ocean’s water.

It was just like the Ice and Snow Tower, where even Void Spirit Level experts—or stronger—could be struck down by Celestial Punishment for entering recklessly. This Martial Intent was no different. If one were to attack it, the rebound force alone would be enough to kill them.

It was a testament to the Martial God’s glory, something that could never be desecrated or violated.

"The main gate to the inner hall is just ahead!" Tuo Shengfeng’s eyes lit up. This was the moment they had been waiting for. They had waited far, far too long.

Lin Xuan looked up and saw a massive, thick Stone Gate ahead. Its surface was covered with dense, intricate patterns and featured a large bas-relief of the Martial God. Lin Xuan recognized him instantly. This wasn’t the Martial God in his youth or as a young man; this was him in his prime—the Martial God at the absolute peak of his strength!

His eyes overflowed with the power of his will. Just meeting the gaze of the relief carving was enough to leave them utterly shaken, as if the true Martial God were staring right at them, peering into the very depths of their souls.

"Such powerful Martial Intent. The Divine Martial Hall truly lives up to its name," Lin Xuan marveled. He was almost at a loss for words; the sheer presence it exuded surpassed his wildest imagination.

"Of course. And this is only a sliver of Lord Martial God’s true power." Tuo Shengfeng flew down with Lin Xuan. The moment their feet touched the ground, he said, "Go on. All you have to do is touch the Stone Gate. You don’t need to manipulate anything."

Without a second thought, Lin Xuan placed his hand on the Stone Gate. He knew time was short and that there was no reason to delay.

The moment his hand made contact, a surge of Martial Intent Power flooded into his body. An instant later, the massive gate erupted in a dazzling light. Lin Xuan didn’t feel any discomfort, just a rush of Martial Intent that entered his body and quickly dissipated. ’It must be verifying that I’ve passed the Seventh Layer of the Martial God Tower,’ he thought.

In the past, anyone else who touched this gate would have been violently thrown back by a terrifying backlash of Martial Intent. Minor injuries were the best one could hope for; death was the more likely outcome. Such was the price for touching it without being worthy.

RUMBLE...

The massive Stone Gate finally began to grind open, the sound it made almost seeming cheerful. It had waited for a very, very long time, and at last, its moment had come.

The gate was enormous, so it opened slowly. But the moment the gap was wide enough for a person to slip through, Tuo Shengfeng charged in, shouting over his shoulder, "I’ll clear the path! Stay right behind me!"

No one knew what lay ahead. The first one in might get the best treasures, but they would also be the first to face any dangers. That was why Tuo Shengfeng took the lead. Lin Xuan didn’t mind. ’Even if I went in first,’ he thought, ’what’s the point? Without their protection, I wouldn’t be able to get any treasure out of here safely.’

BANG!

As Tuo Shengfeng charged through the opening, he was sent flying backward by an invisible barrier! He had rushed in with such force that the impact sent him staggering back a full step. His face flushed red—he had suffered a minor internal injury.

"What’s going on?" Lin Xuan froze.

THUD!

The next moment, another figure shot through the gap. With a sickening thud, he too was thrown backward, tumbling through the air before regaining his balance. It was Lan Qinghua, who had been hot on their heels. He had fared even worse than Tuo Shengfeng—his nose was bleeding. If not for his resilient body, the impact would have surely broken it.

"W-why is there a barrier?!" Lan Qinghua was dumbfounded. He had been trying to beat everyone inside. When he saw Tuo Shengfeng inexplicably rebound, he didn’t have time to react before slamming into the very same barrier.

Tuo Shengfeng signaled for his men to hold back. He took a step forward and tentatively reached toward the empty space. His hand stopped abruptly, blocked by a thick, unseen shield.

"What in the world?" Tuo Shengfeng was flabbergasted. ’There’s a barrier here?’

The entrance to the Divine Martial Hall was right there, but they were completely blocked from entering.

Lin Xuan walked forward as well. When he reached out to touch the barrier, his arm passed right through it. He took a step, and his entire body slipped through the shield with ease, landing him inside the hall.

Seeing this, both Tuo Shengfeng and Lan Qinghua were utterly dumbfounded. Lin Xuan could actually get in!