The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 1330 - 506: The Strongest Soldier God of the Ancients_2

"Clang..."

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

In various nooks of Broken Instrument Valley, bizarre Beast Soldiers caught the eye without respite.

Some were lively in personality, capable of transmitting spiritual fluctuations and discussing the outsiders visiting the valley.

Others were silent and reticent, like logs, completely indifferent even as Ye Hanjun and others rushed by, not taking them to heart at all.

Then, as time in the valley extended and the distance crossed grew further, they approached closer to the Central Area of Broken Instrument Valley.

Ye Hanjun faintly noticed that the number of Soldiers was decreasing.

But every one who had the qualifications to reside here was a Holy Saint Embryo.

"Swoosh!"

That was a flying sword, its edge nicked, cleaving through the air, leaving behind a galaxy-like streak of light that lingered long without dispersing.

"Thud!"

That was an iron boot, large enough to fit a giant, ascending and descending vertically, shaking the ground repeatedly upon impact, as if in awe of its Brute Force.

"Ssch! Ssch! Ssch!"

There was also a Long Spear, its tip burning blood, its shaft crackling with electricity.

It struck a metal wall repeatedly, each time leaving only extremely faint white Marks.

But at least a hundred thousand such traces densely covering that wall, day in and day out, bore witness to its persistence.

"Dang— Dang— Dang—"

Passing by a particular area, the flight pattern of the Nine-Colored Ribbon became unnatural.

This place was exceptionally bright, equivalent to broad daylight.

A lantern hung at the apex, serving as the light source illuminating heaven and earth.

Below the lantern, near the ground, a stone platform spanned ten thousand meters, upon which laid a Hammer, striking repeatedly upon another Soldier’s Holy Spirit shaped like a kitchen knife.

"Hammer Big Brother, please be gentle, your little brother here can’t hold on much longer..."

"Refined into a saint through a hundred trials, into a god through a thousand; to enhance one’s future potential, one must learn to endure pain."

The so-called Alchemy Divine Hammer, a Holy Weapon King, was actually a legitimate Divine Trace Lineage.

It hammered the kitchen knife over and over, from the blade to the back, polishing inch by inch, repairing inch by inch.

Finally, when the kitchen knife’s spirit was close to collapse, the Hammer delivered one last blow, and with a wail, the kitchen knife was flung tens of thousands of miles away.

It plunged into a pool of Medicine, with colorful medicinal fluids infusing into its body, soothing its twisted spirit and soon sinking into the deepest slumber.

"Xu Xuan, long time no see."

"Half an epoch has passed, and the Holy Weapon Kings trained by me have already exceeded ten."

"But still, I cannot break through the barrier and truly ascend to the Demigod Realm."

"I wonder, should I also embark on a trial, and see the great worlds beyond the Broken Instrument Valley with my own eyes?"

The Alchemy Divine Hammer froze on the stone platform, its voice growing deeper and deeper.

Xu Xuan shook the blanket, responding earnestly:

"Hammer, you lack nothing but a stroke of fortune."

"Since you’ve been unable to ascend to Demigod status to this day, it wouldn’t hurt to have a look at the real heaven and earth."

"So be it. After refining this batch of Holy Weapons, I will bid farewell to the Ancestor."

The Alchemy Divine Hammer rose again, with Wild Wind sweeping the ground, and another Supreme Soldier Beast shaped like scissors lay trembling on the platform, at its mercy.

Ye Hanjun took a deep look and continued to follow the Nine-Colored Ribbon’s flight.

This Hammer was no ordinary one; it was not only a Saint King Level Divine Trace Lineage but also possessed Unparalleled Skills that made it invincible among peers of the same Rank.

In other words, it was on the same level as Kun Jie.

Every achievement attainable by the Supreme Saint was within its grasp.

Not a day without probing into the Demigod Realm would pass without experiencing torment.

Broken Instrument Valley—indeed possessed hidden depths.

I wonder if, besides the Time Drum, there are other Soldier Sealing God figures residing here?

Curiosity filled Ye Hanjun’s heart as he passed through fields littered with fragmented remains of Soldiers, spotting a well that stood abruptly at the center of countless Soldier carcasses.

"That is the ’Time Well,’ sustained by the Ancestor’s Laws; it is the most potent Refining Land in Broken Instrument Valley, and also His resting place."

The Nine-Colored Ribbon no longer fluttered, and once it steadied its flight, its lively nature quietly settled:

"The Ancestor did not grant me permission to eavesdrop; you all go ahead, Ribbon will wait here."

"..."

Xu Xuan remained silent for a moment, then, under the gaze of the Twin Jade Bells and other Holy Weapons, lifted Ye Hanjun and his party, slowly approaching the well’s mouth.

"Hum—"

The smooth-as-mirror surface of the well first rippled, then waves surged forth.

A great drum rides the wind, skimming the waves to approach.

As it suspends over the mouth of the well, billions of rays of light burst from within its body, immediately plunging heaven and earth back into chaos, as all things return to emptiness and silence.

"Greetings, Ancestor."

Xu Xuan performs the ritual greeting in the manner of the Beast Soldier race, with grand formality.

"Greetings, Valley Master of Broken Instrument Valley."

Ye Hanjun, Fly Moon, Gui Bang, Kun Jie, their eyes showing respect.

"Whoosh~~"

Hiding within Ye Hanjun’s shadow, Ye Chengfeng suddenly takes shape thousands of kilometers from the great drum, the two facing each other at a distance, silent.

In the end, the first to break the silence is Ye Chengfeng, who pinches his goatee and clicks his tongue slightly:

"Inscrutable, utterly inscrutable."

"In the ways of secret knowledge, the Law of Time truly is impeccable."

"You flatter me, fellow Daoist."

The surface of the Time Drum gently vibrates, sending out a ripple of spiritual fluctuation that flows like water over the heartstrings of everyone present:

"After two Cosmic Eras have passed, the sealed Broken Instrument Valley seems unable to remain uninvolved any longer."

"Oh? You know of our purpose here?"

Ye Chengfeng, wary of the power of time, engages in open and honest communication.

"I have an inkling."

The spiritual fluctuation from the Time Drum carries an inconceivable sense of ancientness.

It glances at Xu Xuan, then at Absolute String, and finally fixes its gaze on Ye Hanjun, murmuring to itself:

"The one favored by destiny appears in the valley of instruments..."

"In you, I cannot capture a trace of the past, nor can I see into the future..."

"You have completely freed yourself from the control of this Origin world, you exist outside the Laws, from ancient times to the present, among the Human Race, only you alone..."

"Time Drum elder, did you already know about the God above God? Did you already know that the Heavenly Dao is not the absolute fairness it claims to be, but secretly manipulated by the Ancient Divine Spirits?"

Ye Hanjun bows with a fist, neither humble nor arrogant, earnestly inquiring.

"How could I be unaware..."

"Without falsehood, I am not an Ancient Soldier God; this is but an illusory title to cover the truth..."

"I was born at the dawn of the Primordial Era, achieved enlightenment in the ancient times, in an age when All Gods were radiant, each vying for supremacy, I too was once full of vigor and ambition..."

Time Drum reveals three segments of its history, causing Ye Hanjun’s temples to throb and his heartbeat to accelerate unconsciously.

Ancient Soldier God...

So it is! Time Drum and Cataclysmic Crow Master, Fallen Eye, Wine Cup Pattern — all from the same Cosmic Era!

No wonder it is so powerful, yet so forbearing!

How exactly has it managed to survive? How has it evaded the surveillance of the Heavenly Dao and continued to exist in All Heavens with the rank of Sealing God?

Ye Hanjun has a hundred questions in his heart.

The Time Drum seems to sense his inner tumult and with a faintly mocking tone, says to itself:

"I was once acclaimed as... the strongest Soldier God of ancient times."

"Now, the holder of the Heavenly Dao’s origin of soldiers, the Divine Punishment Spear, has been defeated by me thrice."

"Regrettably, at that time, I deemed myself invincible, disdaining to slay Competitors of the same system, attempting to claim the ultimate throne in the presence of all Soldier Gods."

"And then... in the transition between Ancient and Remote Ancient times, I was severely wounded jointly by the Divine Punishment Spear, Heavenly Punishment Sovereign, Heavenly Destiny Star Pillar, Heavenly Order Worm King, with the Divine Punishment Spear usurping my place as one of the Nine Heavenly Venerates..."

The Time Drum continues its tale, leaving Ye Hanjun feeling as if there is a thorn in his back, shivering with dread.

The Heavenly Venerate’s position of the Divine Punishment Spear was seized from the Time Drum?

Thinking this through, shouldn’t the two of them have an irreconcilable relationship? How can the Divine Punishment Spear, securely seated on the Heavenly Throne, tolerate Time Drum’s mere survival?

"They think I’m long dead."

"But who knew the Way of Time, capable of altering heavens and earth, would be the most difficult to guard against?"

The Time Drum chuckles to itself and says:

"With the power of Laws, I have sealed Broken Instrument Valley, leaving no place in All Heavens more concealed than this."

"These years, aside from reflecting on my past arrogance and pride, there has been nothing else; cultivating Holy Weapons and Divine Weapons, patiently awaiting an opportunity, that’s all."

"Now, it seems the opportunity has arrived."

"In the Second Epoch of the Newborn Era, you seek to overthrow the rule of Heavenly Dao, and coincidently, I too seek to reclaim the lost power and status."

"We can cooperate, I know how to break the balance of Heavenly Dao, the principle is actually very simple."

"As long as there are three beings at the same time and place, simultaneously breaching a realm equivalent to the Heavenly Venerates, ultimately succeeding, the Heavenly Dao at most sends forth four of the Venerate’s true forms at the same time, wishing to obstruct us with overwhelming advantage, is but wishful thinking."

"Based on this, to slay a god, to seize the rights of a Heavenly Venerate, that Venerate will be abrogated."

"At that moment, even if we slay a god just once, gaining one-ninth of the order of Heavenly Dao, be it to counterbalance the remaining Heavenly Venerates or to amend associated rules, there will be the most fundamental right to speak."