Chapter 5892: Revealing His Edge
Chu Feng and the others arrived at the foot of the highest mountain, where they found themselves standing before an extremely steep cliff face. However, there was a flight of stairs that appeared to lead straight to the mountain peak.
A fog shrouded the mountain, hindering their vision. Chu Feng sensed that it was no ordinary fog; it was intentionally manifested out of spirit power to restrict their vision.
The Three Saints Monstrous Clan’s Clan Chief, Sansheng Qiutian, and Sansheng Xingyu first walked up to the sacred mountain and bowed deeply to it. Only then did they start scaling the mountain with Chu Feng and Zi Ling.
The journey was smooth sailing at the start; there was no hindrance whatsoever. It felt like they were scaling an ordinary mountain. While the mountain was indeed tall, it shouldn’t take long for cultivators of Chu Feng’s caliber to reach the peak at this rate.
But to Chu Feng’s surprise, the peak was still nowhere in sight even though they had been walking for quite some time now. In fact, he sensed that he was still a far distance away from the peak.
There was only one possibility—the mountain was bigger than what it seemed outside!
What they saw earlier was just the sacred mountain’s outer appearance. What they were seeing now was the true sacred mountain!
This was only to be expected, as the sacred mountain was constructed via formations.
After walking for around two hours, they stumbled upon a spirit formation gate on the left of the stairs they were scaling. In front of the spirit formation gate was a stone monument. Inscribed on the stone monument were the words:
There was still spirit power flowing inside the spirit formation gate, but Chu Feng could tell that it was no longer possible to enter it. In other words, the spirit formation gate was closed.
“Is this the formation?” Chu Feng asked.
“Yes, but the formation has been deciphered. We can’t enter it anymore,” Sansheng Qiutian explained.
The group continued to march forward, and they stumbled upon more spirit formation gates by the sides of the stairs. A stone monument stood before each of these spirit formation gates.
On top of that, Chu Feng noticed that there should be spirit formation gates inside the forest too. This suggested that there were plenty of spirit formation gates on the sacred mountain.
After walking for another two hours, Chu Feng suddenly felt his footsteps growing heavy. Needless to say, he wouldn’t tire that quickly. It was the sacred mountain exerting pressure on him, and this pressure was growing stronger the further he ventured.
“Father, I’m nearing my limit,” the panting Sansheng Qiutian said.
He bent his back and supported himself by resting his hands on his kneecaps. Sweat dripped nonstop from his face, and he looked as if he had been drenched by rain. He was in a far worse state than Chu Feng.
The Three Saints Monstrous Clan’s Clan Chief flicked his wrist and took out three compasses. These compasses were identical to the one Chu Feng obtained in the very first spirit formation gate. He kept one for himself and passed the remaining two to Sansheng Qiutian and Zi Ling.
“Fuse your aura into the token,” the clan chief told Zi Ling.
Sansheng Xingyu took out an identical compass of her own.
According to Elder Sheng, this compass was the token that granted one entry into the sacred mountain. So, Chu Feng took out his compass too and infused his aura into it. A gentle energy glowed from the compass and enveloped him, alleviating the pressure on him.
“It looks like we have arrived in the depths of the sacred mountain,” Chu Feng said.
“Yes, but the path won’t be easy even with the tokens. Let me know if you’re at your limit. Don’t force yourself beyond your limits,” the clan chief said before continuing to lead the way forward.
After traveling some distance, Sansheng Qiutian began panting once more, but he chose not to say a word. Instead, he clenched his jaws and tried his best to mask his terrible condition.
It was one thing when he didn’t have the token earlier, but now that they had activated the token, he didn’t want to be the first one to back out here.
Some time later, Zi Ling began to struggle, possibly due to her grievous internal traumas.
“Is it getting tough for you?” Chu Feng worriedly asked.
“Yes, but I’m fine,” Zi Ling honestly replied.
“It’s normal. I told you that it won’t be easy even with the token, and it’ll only get tougher as we venture deeper in,” the clan chief said.
Chu Feng quickly drew out a simple cultivation skill with his spirit power. “Use this method to circulate your martial power before channeling it into the token.”
Zi Ling quickly did as she was told. The token glimmered, and her breathing stabilized.
But before Zi Ling could say a word, Sansheng Qiutian exclaimed in delight, “My gosh, it works! Brother Chu Feng, why didn’t you tell us earlier you had such a trick up your sleeves?”
“You didn’t ask,” Chu Feng replied.
“You could have just said it. Miss Zi Ling didn’t ask you either. You’re playing favorites here!” Sansheng Qiutian grumbled.
“You didn’t ask?” Chu Feng turned to Zi Ling.
“I didn’t,” Zi Ling replied with a sweet smile, knowing that Chu Feng was feigning ignorance.
“Really? Ah, I recall it now!” Chu Feng suddenly exclaimed. “I noticed you were struggling, but you were keeping silent about it, so I thought it would be rude to point it out. I held back out of consideration for you.”
“Y-y-y-y-you!!!” Sansheng Qiutian angrily wagged his finger at Chu Feng.
“Stop arguing.” The Three Saints Monstrous Clan’s Clan Chief turned to Chu Feng and said, “Such tricks will soon fall short. Ultimately, it comes down to your capability.”
With that, the group continued trudging forward.
Soon, even Sansheng Xingyu started to feel the pressure, so she circulated her martial power according to Chu Feng’s cultivation skill. “It works.”
“Little tricks.” The clan chief shook his head.
Soon, the clan chief’s footsteps grew heavy too. The sacred mountain’s pressure was applied proportionately to everyone, indiscriminate of their cultivation level. While the clan chief’s cultivation level was far higher than the others, he experienced a proportionately equal amount of pressure too.
After walking for a while longer, the clan chief finally halted his footsteps and turned around. “Chu Feng, let me see that cultivation skill of yours.”
“Father, what are you doing? You were the one who said earlier that it’s mere tricks. As a veteran in the sacred mountain, I'm sure you don’t need to rely on little tricks.” Sansheng Qiutian looked at his father with a mocking smile.
“Shut up! I should see for myself whether it’s just a little trick or true wisdom. I shouldn’t malign Chu Feng,” the clan chief refuted.
Chu Feng drew out the martial skill once more. “Elder Clan Chief, please give it a try.”
The clan chief took a glance at the martial skill and remembered it. He tried out the cultivation skill, and his eyes soon widened in awe. The pressure weighing on him suddenly lightened a lot.
“How is it, father?” Sansheng Qiutian asked.
“Cough. I guess it’s useful, though further observation is required... but you deserve a compliment for now. Chu Feng, you are at least smarter than your father,” the clan chief muttered before marching ahead.
“Elder, I appreciate the compliment, but may I ask you not to undermine my father?” Chu Feng asked.
“I’ll take note of it. I’m not trying to undermine your father; he has accomplished great feats for our Three Saints Monstrous Clan, after all. It’s just that we have scaled the sacred mountain together many times before, but he never discovered such a way to utilize the token. It is the truth he isn’t as smart as you.
“Of course, regarding our grasp of the token, it’s not just your father who isn’t as smart as you. The same applies to the rest of us as well,” the clan chief explained with a smile.
“Elder, you’re flattering me. I’m a bit more meticulous in my observation as I’m a world spiritist, but I’m bound to be lacking in other aspects compared to you and my father,” Chu Feng replied.
“Not bad, you’re humble. That’s a rare trait.” The clan chief laughed before advancing.
The group journeyed on, and they soon encountered another spirit formation gate beside the stairs, but this one wasn’t closed.
“Chu Feng, this is one of the few formations that hasn’t been breached yet. Do you want to give it a try?” the clan chief asked.
“I’m hoping to enter the Sacred Temple, so I’ll pass on this formation for now,” Chu Feng replied.
“All right.” The clan chief nodded. He was just about to move on when Chu Feng’s words suddenly sank in for him. He hurriedly turned around and asked, “You said you want to enter the Sacred Temple? What does that have to do with breaching this formation?”