Eternal Reverence Chapter 1009
With every return to the Ancient Stone Star Domain, Li Fuchen experienced a shifting sensation.
Li Fuchen understood this was a consequence of his escalating strength.
During this particular visit to the Ancient Stone Star Domain, Li Fuchen distinctly perceived traces of curse qi permeating the area. His spirit soul power also vaguely detected this presence, but this time, the sensation was considerably more pronounced.
His spirit soul power granted Li Fuchen a unique form of perception, yet it was not omnipotent and was tethered to his current cultivation level. At present, he could only access a fraction of its potential.
Li Fuchen harbored no illusions of wielding his spirit soul flawlessly. It was likely a divine soul, and utilizing such a soul within a mortal body was unrealistic. Furthermore, his spirit soul had ceased its transformation, primarily due to the limitations imposed by the universe itself, which seemed to disallow the existence of such a potent spirit soul.
Though unaware in the past, Li Fuchen now understood that spirit souls below the saint level were typically gray in hue, varying from light to dark gray.
Upon reaching the saint tier, the spirit soul would transition to a green color. Generally, those below the Heaven Lord realm possessed light green spirit souls, which would only mature to a full green upon achieving Heaven Lord status.
At the half-god level, the spirit soul underwent a purification process, often aided by half-god equipment, leading to another transformation into a light blue color.
This indicated that a light blue spirit soul represented the zenith of this universe's capabilities.
Li Fuchen's ability to surpass this limit was attributed to the golden talisman.
“Even with the golden talisman, my spirit soul might not achieve the red color. It could remain the same even after reaching the half-god stage.”
Li Fuchen felt no significant regret, recognizing that excessive greed was unwise. The existing purple-red spirit soul already provided an immense advantage. He believed that merely seeking a more powerful spirit soul without personal effort would render life devoid of meaning.
Li Fuchen traversed at incredible speeds, covering ten light-years with each measured breath.
Before long, Li Fuchen reached the environs of the Forbidden Grotto.
Visually, the Forbidden Grotto resembled an immense mountain, dwarfing even a universe city in scale. Its surface was dotted with numerous openings.
“Such a dense concentration of curse qi?” Li Fuchen surmised that only Heaven Lords could approach the Forbidden Grotto; anyone else venturing too close would inevitably fall victim to its curse.
Selecting an opening, Li Fuchen’s form flickered as he entered.
Within the Forbidden Grotto, various creatures resided, with the Forbidden Stone Monkey being among the more formidable.
As Li Fuchen ventured deeper, two sand creatures, formed from shifting sand, lunged at him with ferocity.
These were the weakest inhabitants of the Forbidden Grotto, known as Forbidden Sandmen, possessing the combat prowess of a regular Heaven Lord.
Bang! Bang!
Li Fuchen paid them little heed. With a surge of his Qi presence, the two Forbidden Sandmen disintegrated into piles of sand, unable to reform.
Continuing his advance, eliminating threats along the way, Li Fuchen swiftly reached the inner sanctum of the Forbidden Grotto.
The creatures inhabiting this deeper region were considerably stronger than those near the periphery, generally matching the strength of city lord-level beings.
Correspondingly, the curse qi concentration here was far more intense.
“I wonder who is responsible for turning the entire Ancient Stone Star Domain into an abandoned realm. That individual must be at least an elite half-god.” Li Fuchen felt a sense of awe at the perpetrator’s power.
“Hm? A battle beast token?” Upon defeating a city lord-level creature, a silver metallic token was dislodged.
This token bore a striking resemblance to the one possessed by Yin Hand Heaven Lord. However, while Yin Hand Heaven Lord’s token was black, this one was silver.
“A beast tamer expert crafts beast battle tokens, but why would one appear in the Forbidden Grotto?” Li Fuchen pondered, perplexed.
He dismissed the notion that the beast tamer expert was the same elite half-god who cursed the Ancient Stone Star Domain. Perhaps the beast tamer, seeking amusement, scattered their tokens in various hazardous locations for fated individuals to discover.
After all, engaging in peculiar forms of entertainment was not uncommon for beings of immense longevity.
“A black battle beast token is capable of taming a standard Heaven Lord-level astral colossus beast. A silver battle beast token likely holds the power to tame a city lord-level astral colossus beast.”
Li Fuchen pocketed the silver battle beast token. For him, such items were mere diversions and not particularly essential to his progression.
Within the confines of the Forbidden Grotto lay numerous items in a state of partial decay. Semi-weathered tables, chairs, structures, and statues were scattered throughout the area.
Rumble!
A canine-shaped statue suddenly detached itself from its base and charged towards Li Fuchen.
“Perfect timing. I can test the might of my Primary Extreme Sword.”
For creatures of the city lord level, a mere flick of Li Fuchen’s wrist would suffice to obliterate them. However, this particular dog-shaped statue possessed the strength of a lord and was not so easily destroyed.
Drawing the Primary Extreme Sword from its sheath, Li Fuchen unleashed a strike upon the dog-shaped statue.
Bang!
The dog-shaped statue shuddered momentarily before disintegrating into a heap of sand.
“In terms of energy density, this dog-shaped statue doesn’t quite match a regular lord. Still, I haven’t exerted my full strength either,” Li Fuchen mused, having channeled his Qi directly into the Primary Extreme Sword for the attack.
As Li Fuchen ventured deeper, he encountered progressively more formidable adversaries. Starting with creatures of the regular lord level, he soon faced those of the superior lord level, and subsequently, the elite lord level.
Ordinarily, a single slash from Li Fuchen was sufficient to deplete the energy of a regular lord-level creature and shatter it into sand. For a superior lord-level creature, approximately thirty to fifty slashes were required. Dealing with elite lord-level creatures proved significantly more challenging, demanding at least ten thousand slashes to vanquish.
Ji Ji Ji…
A piercing monkey cry echoed from the fissures high on the cavern ceiling. A shadowy form then hurtled towards Li Fuchen with astonishing velocity.
Clang!
Li Fuchen swiftly deflected the assailant with a swing of the Primary Extreme Sword, sending it flying backward.
“This must be the Forbidden Stone Monkey.”
Several hundred meters distant stood a stone monkey, roughly human height, adorned with three pole-like stone tails.
Judging from the force of their initial clash, the Forbidden Stone Monkey’s power resided at the pinnacle of the lord level. With its supposedly indestructible body, three such monkeys could indeed contend with and potentially defeat a standard unparalleled lord. However, the ultimate outcome would only be determined after an exhaustive battle between both sides.
“Indestructible, you say? I shall be the judge of that.”
Li Fuchen harbored doubts about the invincibility of the Forbidden Stone Monkey. Now possessing the Primary Extreme Sword, he felt compelled to put it to the test.
Clang Clang Clang…
In contrast to Li Fuchen’s measured assault, the Forbidden Stone Monkey’s combat techniques appeared rudimentary and were continuously stifled from the outset of the engagement.
One hundred slashes, one thousand slashes, ten thousand slashes.
Crack!
A fissure finally appeared on the Forbidden Stone Monkey’s body.
“It would seem the Forbidden Stone Monkey is not truly indestructible,” Li Fuchen remarked with a faint smile.
The moniker ‘indestructible’ was likely attributed to attackers lacking sufficient lethal power. It bore a resemblance to his own Calamity Immortal Body, which, despite appearing immortal, was merely a peculiar attribute.
Several days passed, and the Forbidden Stone Monkey’s form eventually disintegrated, rendering it incapable of reforming.
“Where could the Rock of Forbidden be? Is it perhaps concealed within the Forbidden Stone Monkey?”
Thus far, Li Fuchen had acquired a silver battle beast token, a dagger imbued with curse power, a golden bracelet, and a bronze mirror. Among these acquisitions, the bronze mirror stood out as the most valuable, being an extreme-grade cardinal artifact.
It was highly probable that the Rock of Forbidden resided within one of the creatures, though its exact location, specifically within the Forbidden Stone Monkey, remained uncertain.
Li Fuchen pressed onward, undeterred in his conviction that he would eventually locate the Rock of Forbidden.
…
The presence of curse Qi intensified, leading Li Fuchen to suspect its potency was sufficient to afflict a lord.
Faint sounds of combat reached Li Fuchen’s ears, confirming they were not figments of his imagination.
“The source is in that direction.” Li Fuchen oriented himself towards the sounds.
After half a day’s travel, Li Fuchen observed dozens of Forbidden Stone Monkeys congregating outside a stone chamber. Within the chamber, a man and a woman, both recognized as unparalleled lords, were valiantly defending themselves against the encroaching monkeys.
“Are you perhaps the Sky Saber Dao Lordess and the Earth Sword Dao Lord?” Li Fuchen inquired loudly.
“May I ask who you are?” The individual asking was the woman.
“I am the Primary Extreme Lord. I have been tasked by the Scarlet Fire Sword Progenitor to seek the Rock of Forbidden,” Li Fuchen responded.
“To think we have encountered a fellow Dao friend, the Primary Extreme Lord.”
The pair expressed immense relief. They were also aware of the Lord Rankings within the Forbidden Grotto. The reputation of the Primary Extreme Lord had preceded him, making it impossible for them to remain ignorant of his standing.
“Are the two of you currently confined within the stone chamber?”
The Sky Saber Dao Lordess and the Earth Sword Dao Lord were no ordinary cultivators.
The Sky Saber Dao Lordess hailed from the Saber Alliance and was an unparalleled lordess. Holding the 71st rank on the Lord Rankings, she was a celebrated female lord across the universe.
An unparalleled lord from the Swordsmen Guild, the Earth Sword Dao Lord held a formidable 72nd rank on the Lord Rankings.
They were famously known as the Sky Saber and Earth Sword. Their companionship as dao companions dated back countless years.
Individually, this pair of dao companions possessed immense power. However, when their saber and sword moved in unison, their combined strength multiplied tenfold. It was no wonder the Scarlet Fire Sword Progenitor sought their aid; hiring the two was akin to engaging a pinnacle unparalleled lord.
“Primary Extreme Lord, exercise caution. These Forbidden Stone Monkeys possess indestructible bodies. Do not allow yourself to be surrounded by them,” the Earth Sword Dao Lord issued a stern warning.
“I am well aware of my limits.” Li Fuchen displayed no fear towards these formidable Forbidden Stone Monkeys.
So what if their bodies were indestructible? He himself possessed the Calamity Immortal Body.
Bang!
Propelling himself forward like an arrow, Li Fuchen sent a Forbidden Stone Monkey hurtling backward.
Ji Ji Ji Ji…
In response, at least half of the surrounding Forbidden Stone Monkeys converged upon him.
“Just in time.” Li Fuchen felt no trace of apprehension. His Primary Extreme Sword weaved through the fray with flawless precision, sending several Forbidden Stone Monkeys flying.
“The Primary Extreme Lord exhibits astonishing strength!” the Sky Saber Dao Lordess exclaimed in surprise.
The Earth Sword Dao Lord remarked, “The Primary Extreme Lord ranks 12th on the Lord Rankings. You are aware that when we combine our powers, we are capable of contending with pinnacle unparalleled lords, though we fall just short of their true might.
The Sky Saber Dao Lordess nodded in agreement. When their powers merged, they could only amplify their attack frequency and defensive capabilities; their ultimate killing power still paled in comparison to that of a pinnacle unparalleled lord.
“Let us make our move!”
With merely half of the Forbidden Stone Monkeys remaining, the Sky Saber Dao Lordess felt confident enough to engage them.
Most crucially, they had been trapped in this place by the Forbidden Stone Monkeys for centuries, enduring immense stress.
“Very well.” The Earth Sword Dao Lord acknowledged with a nod and charged out alongside the Sky Saber Dao Lordess.
With over twenty Forbidden Stone Monkeys surrounding him, it took Li Fuchen a full half-month to finally eliminate a single one.
Meanwhile, the Sky Saber Dao Lordess and the Earth Sword Dao Lord could do little more than maintain their undefeated status; they were incapable of dispatching any of the Forbidden Stone Monkeys.
“He is incredibly powerful. This is the very first time I have witnessed someone successfully slay a Forbidden Stone Monkey,” the Sky Saber Dao Lordess expressed her awe.