At least I managed to open the doors…
Slowly getting back up again, Xuan Hao began to examine the dark room on the other side of the wooden doors where the terrifying aura originated from. Not taking long to spot the several large bookshelves filled to the brim with all sorts of ancient-looking books and scrolls.
Unlike the rest of the Exchange Hall, the books and scrolls located inside the core section of the Exchange Hall did not seem to have suffered any damage. Making him certain that the enemy who attacked the Exchange Hall in the past, should not have managed to break through to the core section where the formation core was located.
Unfortunately for Xuan Hao, he did not take long to realize that all of these bookshelves were covered by a thin protective layer belonging to the protective formation. From the looks of things, he wouldn't be able to get his hands on any of the secret techniques or possible precious information stored inside the books.
Then again, without the presence of the protective layer, these scrolls and books would most likely have decayed at this point in time…
Shaking his head as he thought about this, Xuan Hao began making his way deeper inside the room. Moving past the large bookshelves that covered most of the room before finding himself in front of the formation core.
The formation core was not a traditional core that would be made up of different precious materials lined up together in a specific manner, but was instead a palm sized crystal sphere, delicately suspended at the center of the room by an ornate golden pedestal.
Observing closer, Xuan Hao discovered all sorts of intricate runes and symbols etched into it, as it pulsed with an ethereal radiance that seemed to resonate with the rest of the formation in a strange manner that also seemed to supply it with the energy needed to keep functioning normally.
Surrounding the crystal sphere, an arrangement of slender jade pillars encircled it, forming some kind of protective circuit that both served as conduits for energy to be more easily supplied to the rest of the formation, while at the same time also serving as guardians that keeping anyone from interfering with the operation of the crystal sphere.
The size of the jade pillars and crystal sphere almost filled up three quarters of the entire space available inside the rather large room. The bookshelves now almost seemed to only serve as a cover to prevent anyone peeking inside from seeing the formation core located on the other side.
Something that might have made sense in the past when trial participants would come to visit the elder in charge for guidance, as the Mirage Sect might not have wanted the exact location of the formation core to leak out… And at the same time also needed the elder to guard it at all times.
Maybe this was one of the reasons why the core section of the Exchange Hall had managed to survive the attack in the past and still remain somewhat operational after thousands of years.
"But… How am I supposed to break through the jade pillars guarding the crystal sphere…?" Muttering this to himself as he felt a sense of helplessness when looking over the slender jade pillars forming a protective barrier around the crystal sphere preventing anyone from approaching, Xuan Hao could not help regretting that he had ever thought he would be able to take control of such a powerful formation with his current cultivation realm.
Even if the formation had been severely weakened over the years, the core itself showed no signs of decay and looked like it hadn't been affected at all. Bad news for Xuan Hao who had been planning on taking control of the formation core and trying to use it to find out where the gate mentioned by the preservation golem was located.
"Hm? The terrifying aura isn't coming from the formation core…?" Focusing all of his attention on examining the crystal sphere and the jade pillars covering most of the space inside the now not so dark room, Xuan Hao realized that the terrifying aura that was still suppressing him did not come from the formation core. Instead, it seemed to come from somewhere behind the formation core at the back of the large room.
On the other hand, the formation core seemed to perfectly retain every bit of energy circulating through, with not a single bit of it leaking out into the surroundings.
Is it perhaps really the elder from the Mirage Sect!? But… If it really is the elder from the Mirage Sect, why has he still not done or said anything over the past few days?
Feeling himself starting to grow nervous as he thought about this, Xuan Hao slowly began making his way around the core of the formation.
"This-!?"
Finally reaching the back of the room behind the formation core, Xuan Hao could not help exclaiming in surprise as he saw a figure sitting in a lotus position in the middle of a small formation connected to the larger formation core.
The figure in question was bathed in a soft, ethereal light as an expression of wisdom was visible in his frozen features. From the outside, it looked like he was meditating. However, the aura of death surrounding his body gave away the fact that he had long since passed away.
"T-the elder from the Mirage Sect!?"
Realizing who the person in front of him was, Xuan Hao could not help feeling a shiver run down his spine as he finally found out where the terrifying aura was coming from.
In a sense, the terrifying aura was not the result of a powerful expert releasing his cultivation to suppress him nor the powerful energy of the formation core leaking out. Instead, it was merely due to the remnant power left inside the body of the elder from the Mirage Sect. Even after thousands of years, this power did not disappear and still lingered in the world!
"How powerful was this elder when he was still alive…?" Muttering this to himself as he looked towards the dead body of the elder from the Mirage Sect. If not for the fact that there was a very clear aura of death surrounding his body, he would have thought that he was merely meditating at the moment. Even the passage of time didn't seem to have any effect on his body.
"Oh? Someone actually managed to reach this place after so many years?"
However, just as he was busy examining the elder from the Mirage Sect, a voice suddenly sounded out inside his head-
"Ah!? Who!?"
Causing him to jump up in shock before looking around himself for the origin of the voice. However, no matter how hard he looked, he found no one other than himself inside the room.
"I'm in front of you."
Hearing the voice again, Xuan Hao could not help looking towards the elder from the Mirage Sect with a shocked expression plastered all over his face. "You- the elder from the Mirage Sect!?"
"Indeed, although my current state won't be able to last for long. Even with the supply of energy from the celestial guardian formation, I will at most be able to keep this remnant part of my consciousness around for another minute.
With that in mind, it's great to see that the celestial trials still have some use for the younger generation after so many years. Although, from the fact that no one came from my sect after all these years, it seems like the Mirage Sect isn't around any longer…"
Feeling a profound sense of sadness in the voice, Xuan Hao decided not to say anything as he quietly listened. Understanding that this was a priceless opportunity to obtain information on what had ended up happening in the past that might have caused the fall of the Mirage Sect.
"Ah, what am I talking about, there is no time for this. Junior, I can see that you have reached the Intermediate stage of the Dao Domain Lord Realm and carry the mark of the Frozen Sovereign and one of the three bloodlines flow through your body, so I won't have to waste energy on checking if you are one of them."
"Frozen Sovereign? Three bloodlines?"
"Huh? You don't know…? What kind of state are those three in that- Ah… I don't have time for this! Before I ended up disappearing, I originally wanted to give you my inheritance, but that is something that would take at least a few weeks if not longer. Because of that, I have instead decided to give you my comprehension of when I went through the Dao Domain Lord Realm in the past.
Although I only managed to reach the Later stage of the Dao Domain Lord Realm before I took on my tribulation in the past, it should still be useful for you. Seeing as you very clearly didn't have anyone to guide you so far, the information on the Immortal Soul Tribulation might also prove useful for when you go through the tribulation in the future."
Whoosh~!
Not allowing Xuan Hao to say anything after he said this, a strange power suddenly erupted from the body of the elder before entering his body the next moment before he had any time to react.