The voice emanating from Xuanhuang Mountain reverberated throughout the Nine Skies World, heard by every living being, including Qin Chuan and his son.
"Father, this title of Xuanhuang Heaven's Lord—will you compete for it? With your strength and foundation, the odds are very much in your favor!" Qin Zi asked excitedly.
His eyes were glowing with anticipation as he looked at his father, already imagining the scene of Qin Chuan becoming the Lord of Xuanhuang Heaven.
As for himself, he hadn't even considered it.
Firstly, he had a degree of self-awareness, and secondly, with his father around, how could it ever be his turn?
Compared to the risky and burdensome position of Xuanhuang Heaven's Lord, he much preferred the idea of being a second-generation scion, arrogant and carefree!
"Haha, it's not as easy as it seems."
Standing with his hands behind his back, Qin Chuan shook his head, his back facing Qin Zi. "Such an opportunity will undoubtedly attract the attention of truly terrifying existences. To rush into the competition recklessly could easily lead to eternal damnation!"
"What?!" Qin Zi shrank back, then chuckled awkwardly, "It… it can't be that serious, can it? After all, there aren't that many powerful beings left in the Nine Skies World nowadays."
Shaking his head, Qin Chuan responded sternly, "What you see is just the surface. The waters of the Nine Skies World are far deeper than you imagine, and on top of that… there are still experts from the Upper Realm watching closely."
"I see." Qin Zi nodded thoughtfully, his mood turning somber.
Qin Chuan patted his son's shoulder, offering comfort. "But you don't need to be too disheartened. Although we won't vie for the position of Xuanhuang Heaven's Lord, we can still strive for other opportunities within Xuanhuang Mountain."
Hearing this, Qin Zi's fighting spirit reignited.
"Xuan Yuko," Qin Chuan called into the empty space beside him, and soon, an elderly man with an air of sage-like dignity appeared.
"Young Master," Xuan Yuko greeted respectfully.
Though he looked like an enlightened cultivator, there was a sly and mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Tell me about Xuanhuang Mountain," Qin Chuan instructed.
"You don't know?" Xuan Yuko was taken aback. For someone as powerful as Qin Chuan to be unfamiliar with Xuanhuang Mountain was akin to the Heavenly Emperor not knowing about the Celestial Network.
Even more perplexing—how had someone who didn't know such basic facts become such a giant figure?
It was baffling.
"Just tell me," Qin Chuan glanced at him indifferently.
"Y-Yes, of course!" Xuan Yuko no longer dared to hesitate and began to explain, "Xuanhuang Mountain is the origin of our Xuanhuang Heaven and the sacred place of worship. It's said to connect to a world greater than the Upper Realm itself. In fact, all nine Great Heavens are believed to have originated from there."
"Of course, this is only legend. Whether such a world truly exists is uncertain, as no one has ever confirmed it."
"Xuanhuang Mountain is vast and is divided into five regions: the Heaven-Worshiping Platform, the Ascension Grounds, the Valley of Hell, the Bridge of Reincarnation, and the Endless Abyss. The Endless Abyss is the most mysterious of these—it's unreachable, even for those at the level of great rulers. Not even a glimpse into it is possible."
"Typically, whenever Xuanhuang Mountain opens, only one of the first four regions is accessible. Each region is a perilous place where danger and opportunity coexist, with some areas even possessing an eerie nature."
"I've once entered the Ascension Grounds, and let me tell you, I was almost scared out of my wits. That place wasn't the Ascension Grounds at all—it was more like a graveyard!"
"On the surface, the place glimmered with radiant light, filled with the ethereal images of immortals soaring through the air, a scene of tranquility. But beneath the soil, skeletal remains lay exposed, and a thick black mist pervaded the ground, chilling one to the bone."
Qin Chuan frowned. "So, Xuanhuang Mountain isn't exactly a place of benevolence?"
"Not at all. It's practically a land of great malevolence! At least, I never want to set foot there again," Xuan Yuko said with a shiver.
Realizing that his words might have overstepped, he quickly added, "Of course, it's not that Xuanhuang Mountain itself is evil, but that it's too powerful. Once a place reaches such a level, it inevitably involves phenomena beyond the comprehension of ordinary people."
"It's like a sword that slays evil spirits—it might get tainted by their aura, but that doesn't make the sword itself evil."
Qin Chuan nodded thoughtfully.
Fear and strange occurrences often stemmed from the unknown, dictated by one's abilities and understanding.
When you can't comprehend a phenomenon, you naturally fear it. When you can't handle a threat, it terrifies you.
But those with great skills often have great courage!
"Let's go to Xuanhuang Mountain."
After a long pause, Qin Chuan spoke.
"Umm… Young Master, could I stay behind?" Xuan Yuko asked cautiously, still haunted by the memories of his previous experience in the Ascension Grounds.
"You can stay and watch the house," Qin Chuan said calmly.
He was about to embark on a dangerous journey with Qin Zi, and he had no need for additional burdens that might hinder his plans.
Leaving Shui Qingrou behind and keeping Xuan Yuko to guard the house would ensure that no fires broke out in the back. After all, everyone knew that the women of the Heaven's Chosen were the most likely to run into trouble—if something didn't happen, it would almost be a betrayal of their status.
Qin Chuan didn't like wasting time on such matters, so he preferred to nip the problem in the bud.
"Thank you, Young Master! Thank you!" Xuan Yuko was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed in gratitude.
"Let's go."
Ignoring him, Qin Chuan flew into the air with Qin Zi, disappearing into the horizon in an instant.
With his current cultivation at the sixth-tier Heavenly God level, Qin Chuan's speed was terrifying, capable of crossing vast lands in a blink. Even so, it took them quite some time to reach Xuanhuang Mountain.
The Nine Skies World had grown immensely, now showing glimpses of the vast grandeur that Xuanhuang Heaven once held.
"Hiss! Is this Xuanhuang Mountain?" Qin Zi gasped in awe upon seeing the towering peak. Even Qin Chuan almost lost his composure but quickly steadied himself.
He remained calm, as always.
At the far end of their sight stood an incomparably majestic divine mountain. It was so immense that, although it seemed far away, it also felt like it was right in front of them, blocking out the sun and casting its shadow over the four seas.
Though it appeared to be part of the world, it gave the impression that the world existed within it, that it encompassed the heavens and the earth.
Xuanhuang, stretching across the skies, its grandeur surpassing the Five Sacred Mountains, towering tens of thousands of feet. Compared to it, even Mount Tai would seem to tip toward the southeast!
Boom, boom, boom!
Around the mountain swirled sacred golden mists, resembling a vast expanse of smoke, outlining a magnificent celestial map.
It seemed like a star map.
Amidst the starry rivers, small peaks drifted, converging toward one place. Though their movement appeared slow, they were advancing rapidly.
"These small peaks… could they be the forbidden mountains that are returning?" Qin Chuan pondered to himself.
Boom, boom, boom!
"Moo!!"
"Ah! Slow down, you're stepping on people!"
"Roar!"
Suddenly, the ground trembled ahead.
Billowing dust rose from the foot of Xuanhuang Mountain, though it appeared insignificant compared to the grandeur of the towering peak.
Beneath the dust clouds, countless black dots surged, too numerous to count—at least in the trillions.
Such a breathtaking scene was impossible for ordinary people to witness. If they were too close, they wouldn't be able to take in the vastness, and if they were too far, their vision would be too blurred to capture the details.
Only the eyes of a Heavenly God could, from such a distance, take in the sight of billions of living beings in motion, witnessing the grandeur of this moment.
Eagles soar across the skies.
They glide just above the earth.
All creatures under heaven contend freely!
"Hmph, a bunch of ants. They've really come here. Do they think the position of Xuanhuang Heaven's Lord would ever go to them?"
At that moment, a mocking voice echoed from nearby, as though someone was speaking to themselves.