Chapter 115: Broken Sky City

It was like a path forged from azure jade, shimmering with a blue mist, covered in intricate symbols like a sky full of stars, rendering the place both mysterious and serene.

As the group stepped onto the path, they felt as if fragments of time were slipping away, the spatial layers were in chaos, and their bodies and minds seemed to be separating and peeling away—a strange and disorienting experience.

It felt like they had traveled through an entire lifetime, yet also like they had just begun their journey. Glimmering fragments of gold and azure light swirled around them, and ahead, a glowing gateway appeared at the end of the path.

The intricate bone carvings and peculiar symbols adorned the brilliant exit, as if divine flames were burning, forming a mysterious gateway. As they emerged, everyone sighed in relief, feeling a sense of security only when their feet were on solid ground.

The azure passage had already blurred, with light rain falling and vanishing from sight.

"Is this the path constructed by the spirit of the sacrifice?" Little Dot looked back, lost in thought.

An elder nodded and said, "The spirit of the sacrifice from our Sky Replenishing Pavilion commands great power over this land, though it has become less active in recent years due to age."

The terrain here was flat, not surrounded by towering mountains. In the distance, an ancient city could be seen at the horizon.

"Didn't we come to go to Broken Sky Mountain? There aren't even any hills here," a genius from the Sky Replenishing Pavilion questioned, puzzled.

"None can predict when that place will open, but it should be within the next few days, and it's quite close. Let's head to that city first," said Elder Taoye, who was leading the group and escorting several young geniuses.

Apart from Taoye and Little Dot, there were five others: three men and two women, all remarkable talents who had been accepted as disciples by the high-ranking members of the Sky Replenishing Pavilion and were rarely seen in the genius camp.

"Ah, so you are the disciples who were taken away for special training by the old monsters," Little Dot said, blinking his big eyes curiously at them.

Upon hearing this, not only did the five disciples give him a glare, but even Taoye looked speechless. If that was the case, he too could be considered one of the old monsters.

"Don’t stare like that. What did those old monsters teach you?" Little Dot approached, trying to make conversation.

"First, we head to Broken Sky City," Taoye said, leading them toward the city.

This was an ancient land that had once been vibrant but had gradually declined due to past wars. According to Taoye, there had once been an incredibly glorious ancient kingdom here that ruled over vast territories but had ultimately vanished with time.

"And what about their spirit of the sacrifice?" one of the geniuses asked.

"Naturally, it has died. Otherwise, the ancient kingdom wouldn't have fallen so quickly," Taoye replied.

As they continued, they soon arrived at the city at the edge of the land, which was quite imposing. The city gate was grand, with high, gray-brown walls.

Broken Sky City was an ancient city marked by many signs of time but still relatively prosperous.

The city was bustling with activity. Streets were lined with various shops, and the air was filled with the sounds of haggling. Besides daily necessities, there were various items for cultivators, such as precious beast bones, aged herbs, weapons, and bone books.

"Many people here are quite powerful," one of them remarked.

"Many have come from distant lands specifically for the opening of Broken Sky Mountain," Taoye explained.

Broken Sky Mountain opened every few hundred years, causing tremors across the vast wilderness, and top powers would escort their geniuses to the event.

In recent days, the city had become increasingly lively, with more and more cultivators arriving, many bringing rare treasures for trade.

"We arrived early enough. If we had come later, we would have had to find a huge rock to sit on," Taoye said with a smile.

The accommodations were in a garden-like setting with beautiful surroundings, including artificial mountains, small bridges, pavilions, and lakes. Such places were only possible for top forces like the Sky Replenishing Pavilion to secure.

Clearly, those who stayed here were significant in some way.

Little Dot turned around and saw a strange sight, momentarily dazed, with a look of curiosity on his face.

Not far away, a palanquin emerged from a secluded courtyard, pulled by several fearsome beasts, with a human cultivator as the driver and numerous guards accompanying.

The palanquin’s curtain was strung with jade stones, barely concealing the interior, where a white tiger sat with a fierce gaze and a murderous aura, attended by two beautiful maidens feeding it fresh meat.

"That little white tiger is actually being carried in a palanquin and has strong attendants. Its master must be incredibly powerful," a female disciple from the Sky Replenishing Pavilion exclaimed in awe.

"Don’t speak carelessly," Taoye’s expression turned serious as he sternly stopped her.

These disciples were not ordinary. They quickly realized that the white tiger was likely a descendant of an ancient species, not a mere pet, given its imposing display.

A deep growl came from the white tiger, its eyes locked onto the female disciple who had spoken, emanating a terrifying aura.

"Apologize immediately, or you will face serious consequences," the driver said sternly.

"Friend, the child is ignorant. Please don’t take it to heart," Taoye said.

"Trouble arises from careless words. This is a lesson. Otherwise, how would she remember? And this is considered a light punishment. If the tiger had acted on its own, you would have lost your lives," the driver said coldly.

The guards stepped forward, their armor glinting darkly, exuding a murderous intent, while the white tiger in the palanquin stared with a menacing glare.

Everyone was startled. This ancient species cub was formidable, with a powerful bloodline that was intimidating, carrying a human-like pressure.

The few geniuses in the Sky Replenishing Pavilion had seen special disciples before, descendants of ancient species, but this was the first time they faced such a situation directly.

"Roar!" The white tiger roared, causing the entire garden to tremble as if in anger.

The driver’s face darkened. "It wants me to tell you that we will meet again once you enter Broken Sky Mountain."

The white tiger turned its head, its eyes filled with cold, murderous intent. Clearly, if they were to encounter it in Broken Sky Mountain, a terrifying bloodbath was inevitable.

"Senior, I was wrong," the female disciple lowered her head and apologized to Taoye, regretting that a careless remark born out of curiosity had attracted such a formidable enemy.

"Don’t worry. It’s just a strange beast. When the time comes, we’ll deal with it together. Tiger meat can be quite delicious," Little Dot said.

Everyone was speechless. It was no ordinary tiger; it was likely a descendant of a powerful ancient species. An encounter would certainly lead to a fierce battle.

"Brother, you’re indeed full of spirit. I like that. If you need help later, come find me," a young man in purple nearby said with a smile, offering a friendly gesture.

Everyone responded politely.

When the young man in purple glanced at Little Dot, a flash of light appeared in his eyes. He appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a profound and inscrutable cultivation level, and he extended an olive branch, suggesting a possible alliance.

"My name is Chu Xia, from the Fire Kingdom," he introduced himself.

"Are you a descendant of the Chu family from the ancient世家 (ancient noble family)?" Taoye asked.

"Yes, senior, indeed," Chu Xia confirmed.

"Truly, heroes emerge from the youth. Impressive," Taoye nodded.

"Creek," a gate nearby was pushed open, and a young man in green walked out, a faint cold smile on his face. "Chu Xia, are you trying to recruit allies?"

"Getting to know more people is always beneficial," Chu Xia replied.

"My Gu family has always looked down on forming alliances," the young man from the Gu family sneered.

"Let’s go," Taoye said.

Little Dot looked back. The two were still in confrontation. The situation here was quite complex. Even teenagers were already entangled in intrigues and conflicts, drawing them into the whirlwind.

"This place is too complicated," a genius from the Sky Replenishing Pavilion grumbled. They had offended an ancient species upon arrival and now were almost involved in a conflict between two ancient families.

Once they entered their own courtyard, Taoye gave him a glance and said, "This is nothing. Once you enter Broken Sky Mountain, it will be even more dangerous. Every step could mean a life-threatening encounter. Talents gather, ancient species appear; surviving is the greatest victory."

He spoke the truth. Those who survived the trials of Broken Sky Mountain eventually became extraordinary figures, making a name for themselves if they managed to live through it.

"This city is not small, and many young heroes have arrived. Senior brothers and sisters, let’s go out and see who’s around," Little Dot suggested.

Taoye initially wanted to stop them, fearing they might cause trouble. But then he thought, entering Broken Sky Mountain would be even more dangerous. If they were afraid of everything now, what was the point of being here?

"Fine, go ahead."

The other five geniuses from the Sky Replenishing Pavilion were all strong, and naturally drew attention as they walked through the streets. As for Little Dot, though he was talented, he was still considered no threat.

Ahead, an argument could be heard. Disciples from two families were facing off, with dozens of people ready to fight in the streets. Symbols appeared, densely packed and dazzling.

"Enough with the noise. If you have real skill, go to Broken Sky Mountain and fight it out there. What’s the point of fighting here?" a young man in a nearby teahouse slammed the table and shouted.

"What’s it to you?" Both sides turned and retorted angrily.

With a long howl, a five-colored spirit bird flew from the young man’s shoulder. It opened its mouth, creating a terrifying vortex that swallowed all the dozen or so people involved.

"Whoosh."

The five-colored spirit bird closed its mouth, and blood splattered everywhere as the people were crushed and devoured instantly.

Afterwards, the bird, now bright with colored light, flew back to the young man’s shoulder and closed its eyes, resting motionlessly.

The young man didn’t even look up. He poured himself a cup of tea and uttered two words: "Noisy."

The street fell silent immediately. People felt a chill; how terrifying was this young man to have such a powerful bird? How strong must he be?

The disciples from the Sky Replenishing Pavilion were startled and wanted to avoid trouble, but they noticed that Little Dot was staring longingly at the spirit bird, drooling.

What expression is that? They were exasperated. Did this kid actually want to eat the terrifying spirit bird? This was an ominous magical beast!

"Let’s go," they tugged at his sleeve.

"Blood and flesh are treasures," Little Dot wiped his mouth and reluctantly left, mumbling, "What a pity, it eats people. I don’t want to eat it anymore."

The disciples from the Sky Replenishing Pavilion staggered, looking back at him with rolled eyes. This junior brother was so unusual.

They quickly left the area, heading towards the center of the city, where many people were gathered and discussing something.

"Hey, what’s happening?" Little Dot squeezed through the crowd to ask.

"A sky-high bounty," someone replied.

Little Dot’s eyes sparkled. "What’s the bounty? What treasures? What needs to be done?"

"Just look at it yourself. The monument clearly states everything."

Little Dot hurried over, but soon retreated in a panic, having discovered that someone wanted to take his head.

"There’s another one, targeting mischievous children, but this one has stricter requirements—alive capture is necessary. Losing arms or legs is acceptable."

Little Dot wandered around, his face darkening. Not only was he targeted by a major force, but many guessed he would definitely enter Broken Sky Mountain, vowing to capture him.

"Those wanting to capture me alive are probably the family that lost the Crimson Feather Fan. It must be a clan treasure. Others can disregard it. We’ll see each other on the battlefield," Little Dot muttered to himself.

He knew that entering Broken Sky Mountain would bring many challenges and fierce battles, but also endless opportunities. After all, this was a place where gods wept and blood was shed, filled with ancient divine springs, martial saint legacies, celestial bones, and holy medicines.

Suddenly, the entire sky darkened as if a black cloud had appeared, accompanied by a vast, ominous aura. People were horrified and looked up in shock.

A fierce ancient beast loomed, its enormous form blocking out the sun, before soaring into the sky and disappearing.

"This ancient species is too terrifying."

People were trembling with fear. The beast must have had the majesty of ancient ferocious beasts; otherwise, how could it be so intimidating?

"It’s sending descendants. Now it has left. The battles in Broken Sky Mountain will surely be extremely fierce. Many talented heroes will shed blood and perish. Only the strongest will survive."

People were appalled and discussed among themselves, even hesitating whether to allow their own descendants to enter Broken Sky Mountain.