Standing in front of the celestial gate leading out of the empty city, Xuan Hao decided to not leave for now and instead focused on recovering from the battle he had just gone through. The last thing he wanted was to go back to the demon beast infested forest and encounter a Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beast in his current state.
Although the recovery was going to take a few days, it didn't look like he was going to be forced out of the ancient city. The only unfortunate thing was that the formation that had created the mist was still active to some degree. Preventing him from leaving the plaza and exploring the empty city that surrounded it.
As for destroying the formation and forcing his way through it… Xuan Hao had long since given up on this thought. Not only because the formation itself was far too powerful for him to break through with his current strength, but also because he feared that attacking the formation might result in the formation attacking him in return.
Considering that he had already experienced the terrifying mist generated by the formation just a short moment ago, Xuan Hao was in no rush to face off against it again.
"Guess I can also use this time to see if anything changed about the quest after completing the trial. After all, I still have no idea if this trial was really one of the three trials mentioned by the quest…" Knowing that he would not be leaving the empty plaza for a few days, Xuan Hao decided to also use this time to pull up the quest and see if anything had changed from the last time. Curious about whether or not the trial he had just gone through was really one of the three trials mentioned by the system.
[Side Quest: The Three Celestial Gates, Part 2]
[Description: You have reached the mysterious mountain range hidden behind the mist. To uncover the secrets hidden inside the mountain range, you must find three ancient celestial gates and pass through them. So far, you have successfully passed through the First Celestial Gate, the Gate of the Eternal City.]
[Objective: Seek out the Three Celestial Gates and defeat the guardians within.]
[First Trial: Trial of the Eternal City (Complete)]
[Reward: Starlight Essence]
"Looks like this was indeed one of the three celestial gates…" Feeling relieved that he had indeed happened to go through one of the three celestial gates, Xuan Hao also felt a bit disappointed that the description didn't include any information on how to find the other two celestial gates.
With how dangerous the mist covered mountain range was, it would take a long time for him to find the other two celestial gates if he wanted to ensure his own safety at the same time. Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beasts were still far too strong for him to face with his current strength.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if anything changed about my status…
Feeling a sudden curiosity towards his current status even though his strength had not really experienced any significant change since the last time he had viewed it, Xuan Hao decided to pull up his status. In the first place, it was not like he had much else to do while recovering.
Name: Xuan Hao
Dao Domain: Dao of Ice (Small Success), Dao of the Sword (Small Success), Dao of Corruption (Small Success), Dao of Fire (Small Success), Dao of Space (Elementary)
Sword Intent: Nascent Sword Soul Realm
Talent: ???
Physique: ??? (40% Awakened)
Realm: Intermediate Stage Dao Domain Lord
Professions: Alchemist (Artisan), Formation Master (Expert), Blacksmithing (Expert)
Sect: Star Shattering Sect
Status: Grand Elder of the Star Shattering Sect
Disciples: Qing Yi, Chu Yang, Bai Ning, Mui
Pet: Lazy Winged Lion (Ninth Stage Domain Lord Realm)
Looking through his status, Xuan Hao discovered that there had indeed been a few changes since last time, the most obvious of which was the fact that he had now comprehended the Dao of Space and reached the Elementary level in terms of comprehension.
However, other than this, there was also an unexpected change when it came to his pet, the winged lion. Different from the past, its cultivation realm had changed from the Eighth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm to the Ninth stage of the Domain Lord Realm.
Given that the winged demon beast should still be guarding the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts back at his old mountain peak in the Flying Sword Sect, Xuan Hao could not help feeling a bit confused. Wondering how the winged lion had managed to break through to the Ninth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm within such a short period of time.
From what he knew, the winged lion would at least need a dozen or so years to break through to the Ninth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm without any form of external assistance-
"Unless…"
Remembering the large number of Nascent Soul Realm demon beast that he had the winged lion watch over before entering the mystic realm, a few black lines appeared on his face as he had a feeling that he already knew what had caused the winged lion's sudden explosive growth in strength.
Hopefully his imagination would be wrong, and the winged lion demon beast had just happened to undergo enlightenment and break through to the Ninth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm during his short absence…
"Hah… Who am I fooling, that lazy thing definitely ate a large number of those Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts…" Muttering this to himself with a slightly awkward smile on his lips, Xuan Hao decided to not think about the matter any longer and instead focus his full attention on recovering.
The winged lion would have to wait until he left the mystic realm, but when he left, it better pray that it had broken through to the Ninth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm this way through a sudden enlightenment!
…
Roar!?
Unaware of what was happening in the mystic realm, the winged lion demon beast, who was lazily laying on top of its master's old mountain peak suddenly jumped up before looking around itself filled with fear.
Roar?
However, after seeing that there was no one around it other than the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts that its master had left behind for him to watch over, the winged lion's fearful expression turned into one filled with confusion. Just a moment ago, it had clearly felt a shiver run down its spine, like some kind of terrifying existence was staring directly at it, but… Now that feeling had disappeared like it had never been there in the first place. Rendering it confused as to what had just happened.
Thinking that it might have something to do with the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts, the winged lion turned around and looked over the Nascent Soul Realm demon beast who had been obediently laying on the ground without making a single sound after finding out that it was a Domain Lord Realm demon beast.
Outside of the few Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts who had tried to escape just when its master had left and made his way inside the mystic realm, none of the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts had dared to move a single muscle, too fearful that they would end up in a similar state as those who tried to run away.
As for what happened to those demon beasts… They had all met the same fate. Gathered together inside a certain demon beast's stomach.
Thinking about how delicious those demon beasts had been and the fact that they had allowed it to surpass the Eighth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm and step into the Ninth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm, the winged lion could not help turning around and hungrily look towards the remaining Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts gathered at the mountain peak.
Considering that the demon beast that his master had originally intended to hand over as a reward had been among the demon beasts trying to escape earlier, perhaps he would get another chance to choose a reward among the remaining Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts…
Salivating at the thought of this, the winged lion could not help starting to seize up the remaining Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts on the mountain peak. Especially focusing its attention on a few rather large and powerful demon beasts who were now shivering fearfully.
Even if they had no idea what the winged lion was thinking about, they recognized the expression of winged lion to be the exact same as the one it had before it had eaten the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts who had tried to escape earlier!
Whoosh~!
Whoosh~!
Whoosh~!
Filled with an unknown resolve and gaining new enlightenment in the face of a life and death situation, several large demon beasts suddenly managed to comprehend their own profound body manipulation techniques. Instantly using their newfound technique to shrink their own body and make themselves less appetizing in the eyes of the winged lion…