The Divine Urban Physician Chapter 3726 - 3712: The Final Attempt

"Hmm?"

A flicker of curiosity sparked in Ye Chen as he sensed an unspoken hesitation from Wu Duan Cang. Could something have transpired concerning the other half of the Sacred Origin Heart, which was supposed to be under the custodianship of the Six Paths Sect?

"What exactly are you implying?"

Ye Chen directed his gaze toward Wu Duan Cang.

"The other half of the Sacred Origin Heart… it lies directly beneath us."

A wry smile touched Wu Duan Cang’s lips as he shook his head, revealing the truth to Ye Chen.

"Beneath us?"

Ye Chen’s eyebrows arched in surprise. They were standing within the main hall of Six Paths Peak; the ground beneath them was, by definition, Six Paths Peak itself.

"Precisely. After its acquisition, our Grandmaster divided the Sacred Origin Heart into two portions. One was entrusted to the Zhenyuan Palace, while the other was interred within a sealed underground altar right here at Six Paths Peak."

"To safeguard it from any unauthorized access, the altar has been permanently sealed by us. Only our Grandmaster possesses the means to open it."

Wu Duan Cang explained, his tone laced with helplessness as he looked at Ye Chen. "In truth, all these years, we have harbored the hope that the Grandmaster would one day return to unseal the altar. Yet, there has been no word of him."

This revelation left Ye Chen in a state of mild astonishment. He had originally anticipated that retrieving the other half of the Sacred Origin Heart from Zhenyuan Palace would be the primary hurdle. He had never imagined that the more significant challenge would reside with the portion held by the Six Paths Sect.

"How might one access this altar? Pray, guide me there so I may observe it."

Ye Chen’s eyes gleamed as he voiced his request.

Despite Wu Duan Cang’s explicit statement that only Xiao Shuihan could breach the altar’s seal, the prospect of the other half of the Sacred Origin Heart being within reach ignited Ye Chen’s resolve. This artifact was intrinsically linked to Ye Luo’s memories and the formidable powers within the Chong Guang Divine Radiance Palace. He could not simply abandon this pursuit.

"Opening it is beyond your capabilities."

Wu Duan Cang met Ye Chen’s gaze, a hint of persuasion in his tone. However, perceiving the unwavering determination in Ye Chen’s eyes, he could only offer a sigh.

"Very well, I shall escort you to witness it."

With that, Wu Duan Cang rose. He walked toward the center of the grand hall and produced a token from his palm—a symbol of his authority as the Sect Master of the Six Paths Sect.

"This Sect Master Token is the sole key to unlocking the altar."

Wu Duan Cang informed Ye Chen before firmly stamping his foot multiple times on the polished stone slab at the hall’s center.

"Boom!"

A deep rumbling sound reverberated through the hall. The floor beneath them began to ascend, section by section, eventually forming the shape of an Eight Trigrams. At the heart of this formation was an indentation, precisely shaped to receive the Sect Master Token.

Without a moment’s delay, Wu Duan Cang inserted the Sect Master Token into its designated place. Instantly, brilliant light erupted from the Eight Trigrams.

In the surrounding void, intricate runes materialized, swirling around Ye Chen and Wu Duan Cang, coalescing into a slowly rotating array formation.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz…"

The Eight Trigrams emitted a series of peculiar hums, accompanied by streams of multi-colored light flickering in the air. Wu Duan Cang then addressed Ye Chen, "Step onto this Eight Trigrams."

Comprehending his instruction, Ye Chen joined Wu Duan Cang at the formation’s center. They watched as the runes around them flared with an intense, blinding white light, and then their surroundings plunged into darkness.

After a fleeting sensation akin to their souls being inverted, Ye Chen found himself and Wu Duan Cang standing within a dark, cavernous space, which faintly resembled a grand hall.

"This is the altar situated beneath Six Paths Peak."

Wu Duan Cang’s voice echoed as he activated mechanisms within the chamber, causing ethereal, emerald flames to ignite spontaneously, pushing back the enveloping darkness.

Indeed, Ye Chen and Wu Duan Cang were now within a vast hall, its ceiling and walls seemingly hewn from rock. A passageway stretched out directly before them.

"Follow this passage, and you will arrive at the altar’s stone door. Beyond it lies the other half of the Sacred Origin Heart. However, the stone door is sealed; it stubbornly refuses to yield."

Wu Duan Cang’s voice conveyed a sense of finality.

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed. He could discern, in the distance at the passage’s end, a stone door faintly etched with patterns of a vivid crimson hue.

"I must make an attempt."

Ye Chen shook his head and proceeded into the passage, Wu Duan Cang following closely behind.

At the termination of the passage stood a formidable stone door, intricately adorned with several striking blood-red patterns. These patterns appeared to be rendered in fresh blood, its vibrancy undiminished despite the passage of time.

This blood pulsed with immense power, exuding an overwhelming pressure, as if originating from a supreme entity whose vitality remained potent even after countless ages.

The blood had been used to carve a complex symbol onto the stone door. Occasionally, it would flash with light as the blood circulated, its reach extending to encompass the entirety of the stone surface.

This was the Restriction Array guarding the stone door. Merely gazing upon it invoked a profound sense of subjugation, a testament to the terrifying potency of this formation.

Ye Chen's gaze was fixed upon the stone door, his teeth clenched in a display of his mounting frustration. The sheer might required to budge it eluded him, his current strength proving insufficient. Yet, having journeyed this far, the thought of abandoning his quest before giving his all was unacceptable. In the very next moment, a resolute action was taken.

"Destruction Divine Dao, shatter for me!" he commanded. The Slaughter Sword unleashed a sudden, devastating wave of destruction, its overwhelming force directed squarely at the stone door. However, in the succeeding second, Ye Chen became acutely aware of a formidable prohibitory force swiftly rising to meet his attack. This power instantaneously dissolved the destructive energy and nearly overwhelmed the Slaughter Sword itself. Concurrently, the speed at which his spiritual energy circulated within his body experienced a drastic reduction.

"This is not good," Ye Chen muttered, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He recognized that this restrictive array was attempting to turn his own destructive power and that of the Slaughter Sword against him, aiming to suppress them directly. Its dominant authority was undeniable.

Ye Chen's power surged forth, shattering the encroaching restraining force. Nevertheless, the backlash from this exertion propelled him several steps backward before he could regain his footing and stabilize himself.

"Phew..." A sigh escaped Ye Chen's lips, his complexion noticeably pale. Even that single, brief exchange had inflicted damage upon him, a stark testament to the immense power of the restriction array, a force that could drive one to utter despair.

"Is my only recourse to await Xiao's arrival to bypass this seal?" Ye Chen's eyes betrayed a moment of hesitation. Then, his aura suddenly intensified. With the uncertainties surrounding Xiao Shuihan's fate, placing reliance on him was no longer a viable option.

"I refuse to be defeated! I will not believe I cannot open this!" Ye Chen let out a defiant roar, sending the Hongmeng Sound Symbol soaring into the sky. The Golden Light of Silence descended like a torrent, swept along by immense surges of spiritual energy.

Simultaneously, Ye Chen drew forth the Dust-falling Dragon Subduing Sword, channeling all his accumulated strength into it. Above him, two blood moons ascended in the sky. The sight of these blood moons caused Wu Duan Cang's expression to alter subtly; they instilled in him a profound sense of utmost danger, bordering on outright fear.

This deep-seated apprehension originated from the very nature of the blood moons. Ye Chen's current cultivation rank remained too low, and even his firm grasp of the fearsome Blood Moon Slaughter Sky Slash was insufficient to unleash power capable of truly frightening Wu Duan Cang. This apprehension stemmed from the blood moons themselves.

"It is futile; even if you employ this technique, you will not breach this restriction," Wu Duan Cang could not help but voice his opinion. He could discern that Ye Chen's execution of the Blood Moon Slaughter Sky Slash was a strenuous endeavor, likely representing his ultimate trump card. Yet, even this formidable move proved incapable of undermining the altar's Restriction Array. In times past, the combined might of several grand elders from their sect had failed to open this very stone door.

Now, as Ye Chen’s gaze met the austere, cold light emanating from the blood moons suspended above, his eyes gleamed with unwavering resolve. At this critical juncture, he was determined to seize the opportunity and give it his absolute best, regardless of the outcome!