Giant Sword Mountain.
Giant Sword Mountain stood at the border of the Tian Ling Empire and Star Luo Empire, cleaving the two nations like a divine blade. Its peculiar shape had made it a renowned landmark.
Remarkably, neither empire stationed troops here. Instead, they jointly cordoned off the surrounding area for tourism development.
In other words, entry required tickets.
"Hello. That'll be two hundred golden soul coins for two people."
Cards swiped, payment made—in one smooth motion.
"Here are your tickets. May you have a wondrous journey."
After Chen Junting and Gu Tianchen took their tickets, the attendant droned mechanically like a programmed machine: "Next! Hello..."
"Why are we here?"
Gu Tianchen—black hair parted in the middle, dressed in a black T-shirt and casual pants under a thin gray windbreaker—removed his sunglasses and looked at Chen Junting with confusion.
"Of course for Giant Sword Mountain."
Chen Junting's attire also diverged from his usual style: casual wear that made him look anything but a wandering cultivator.
Not keeping Gu Tianchen in suspense, he directly stated his purpose.
As they curiously browsed roadside stalls while heading toward the mountain, Chen Junting suddenly asked a question that gave Gu Tianchen pause:
"Old Gu, do you know why I chose Giant Sword Mountain as our first stop?"
"Why?"
Gu Tianchen raised an eyebrow. His mind scrolled through every text he'd read recently before a faintly absurd thought surfaced.
"You can't possibly believe that wild historical account?"
According to legendsl records, a millennium ago, two divine envoys—the Angel Goddess and Asura God—clashed on this border plain. Their battle raged for one thousand and ten nights without victor. During the fight, the Angel Goddess's divine sword was abandoned here. Over ages, it transformed into a mountain—hence the name Giant Sword Mountain.
This "history" was compiled ten thousand years ago.
Whether true or not… legendsl records cared nothing for truth, only for wild tales!
Who knew if this was just gossip spun from thin air?
Seeing Chen Junting's earnestness, Gu Tianchen immediately cautioned against getting hopes up.
"How can that be," Chen Junting chuckled dismissively.
"Wild records aren't baseless. Besides, even if it's false, I already feel this journey was worth it just for this mountain."
As he spoke, he stopped, closing his eyes to feel the "giant sword" standing on the plain.
Nearby vendors and passersby paid it no mind—such scenes, though rare, weren't unheard of.
Unlike ordinary swords' sharpness, Giant Sword Mountain radiated the weight of his own "heavy sword has no edge" technique.
Chen Junting even suspected the ancestor who created the Seven Kill Sword's "heavy sword has no edge" skill had drawn inspiration from this very mountain.
After a brief pause, they continued onward.
Reaching the base, they looked up.
Giant Sword Mountain defied conventional terrain.
Narrow at the foot but widening upward, its base pierced the earth like a sword tip while its sides flared outward into sheer cliffs. Without flight abilities, only Soul Saints or higher could ascend it.
Any misstep… would leave nothing but pulp at the bottom.
Thus, most visitors could only admire it from below.
"We're going to the summit."
Chen Junting glanced at the peak, then told Gu Tianchen: "Best not to draw attention."
"Leave it to me."
Gu Tianchen nodded. They slipped to a secluded spot. After activating his martial soul, his fifth soul ring flashed black. With a flick of his index finger, a void gate opened before them.
Without hesitation, Chen Junting stepped in. Gu Tianchen followed. As their figures vanished into the darkness, the gate collapsed into a dot and disappeared.
Seconds later—Giant Sword Mountain peak.
Amidst spatial ripples, a void gate opened. Chen Junting and Gu Tianchen emerged effortlessly.
Gu Tianchen swept his gaze around. His senses detected nothing but weeds and scattered rocks.
"Seems there's nothing special here," he said, turning to Chen Junting. "Old Chen, you must be mistaken. This mountain is likely just nature's masterpiece."
"Not necessarily."
Chen Junting raised two fingers to his brow. Lightly pressing, a vertical slit opened on his forehead.
The Eye of Fate revealed itself to Gu Tianchen.
Without this divine eye, Chen Junting would never have pursued matters tied to gods.
After all, divine power defied mortal imagination. Only the ethereal might of fate—transcending all forces—could grant mortals glimpses of godly power.
Rudimentarily manipulating the Eye of Fate, Chen Junting soon found what he sought through fate's subtle guidance.
"Old Gu, I'll say it again—wild records have roots. Something's stirring over there. Follow me."
Chen Junting soared on his sword toward the disturbance. Gu Tianchen hesitated but followed through spatial flickers. Within ten seconds, they reached the spot—
The mountain's hilt.
"This is it."
Gu Tianchen, whose spatial sensitivity rivaled Titled Douluos below level 95 thanks to his spatial soul rings, sensed nothing from the empty cliff face no matter how hard he focused.
He frowned. "Old Chen, you sure about this?"
"Certain."
Chen Junting aimed at the cliff. As fate energy rippled again, the rock wall shimmered like water struck by a pebble—spatial ripples visible to both.
"There really is a hidden realm!" Gu Tianchen gaped at the distortion, mouth agape. Excitement soon flooded his face.
After all, legends linked this place to gods!
A deity's legacy—unimaginably tempting to any soul master.
"Hah—"
Gu Tianchen sighed. "Never thought a divine opportunity, unseen for ten thousand years, would appear before two mere Soul Kings. Truly, fate plays tricks."
"But..."
He reached out, feeling spatial forces far beyond his power. His brow furrowed. "We can't enter like this. Judging by these fluctuations, our bodies would be shredded to dust at best."
"Don't worry about that."
Chen Junting closed his eyes—not sensing, but communicating with Ilyas in his sea of consciousness.
Receiving confirmation, he faced Gu Tianchen.
"Old Gu, soon I'll have you envelop both of us in your Void Gate. Ignore what happens—just charge straight into this spatial rift the moment it feels possible."
"What!?"
Gu Tianchen stared in disbelief, as if asking: 'You're leading us both to death?'
"Trust me."
Chen Junting patted his shoulder, giving no time for second thoughts. "Ready?"
"Alright!"
Gu Tianchen clenched his teeth. "My life's yours anyway. I'll follow you through hell."
Soul power erupted across his body. Bone spikes surged forth, encasing them both before a void gate—dark as a black hole—swallowed them whole.
At that moment, grayish energy surfaced. Guided by residual fate energy, it flowed into the spatial ripples.
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