Gu Qing Shan observed the monk statue.
——after removing the dust, the other party’s body could be clearly seen to be wearing a simple Buddhist robe, but his leg was being held down by a pair of black shackles and buried underground, his entire body pinned down and unable to move at all.
Gu Qing Shan had never seen a situation like this before, so he couldn’t help but stay cautious.
This is definitely not a simple individual.
“Amitabha, the wraiths are going to arrive soon, benefactor would have to quickly ascend to have any hope of bringing the world of Kunlun with you and escape” the monk said.
Gu Qing Shan looked at the black thread on his hand.
The other end of the thread was emanating a very faint power of Causality, seemingly trying to remind him of something.
——the pursuing troops were coming.
Gu Qing Shan nodded to the other party: “Then I’ll think of a way to ascend now, farewell”
The monk said: “Wait!”
“Is there anything else?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
The monk explained: “The path of ascension that the Seven Institute had set up includes a total of 81 obstacles, only by going through them all would you be able to climb onto the ascension deck, then proceed up to the Jasper Pool Heavenly Palace—— but the pursuing troops are going to arrive very soon, you most likely won’t be able to pass through those obstacles”
“Then what now?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
The monk replied: “I was the preparation that the heavenly beings left numerous years ago, specifically for emergencies like these. Benefactor, I will now help you ascend immediately”
Gu Qing Shan doubtfully asked; “I heard that ascension is an exceptionally tough matter that requires one to face numerous hardship, it is a trial comparable to Heaven’s Tribulation itself. When you’re stuck here like this, how could you help me ascend the heavenly palace?”
There was reason for him to doubt, after all, this was their first meeting, and the other party was being trapped in this hall, unable to move at all.
The monk didn’t care too much about that and clasped his hands in front of his chest: “Benefactor, in the past, this humble one met a miraculous person, whom I became the disciple of”
“My master said that the world of Kunlun would eventually face a great trial, so master taught be a few techniques in order to face this enemy also entrusted a certain task to me”
“What task is that?”
“If one day, I were to be trapped within a temple, and in my hand were holding a foreign object that came from the sky, and standing in front of an outsider, I will have to chant an incantation to prove that I am their ally, not enemy”
Gu Qing Shan nodded: “Please show me”
The monk chanted the incantation in a low voice: “Time, you are the lord of all living beings, but also my closest friend”
Following the incantation, drifting sand manifested from the void of space, circled around the monk before flying into the air and displayed the form of a dignified woman.
Sensing the familiar power in the void of space, Gu Qing Shan clasped his fist and bowed: “Lady Fusi, I did not think I would meet you here”
———an Awaiting from the [Order] faction, controller of time, the Unextinguishing Sand, the Legendary Lady, Sovereign of the Elemental Fairies, the Fairy of Time, Fusi.
She looked at Gu Qing Shan and smiled: “At the time that the wraiths and the Eternal Abyss fought one another, I once traversed the River of Time in order to sneak a peek into the Wraith realm, but their world was protected by a unique barrier that not even I could completely see through”
“However, out of coincidence, at a certain corner of time, I discovered this cultivator with temporal talents——- this was an exceptionally rare talent”
“Right now, he is my disciple, as well as a part of our new force, you can trust him’
Gu Qing Shan replied: “Very well, I understand”
Fusi continued: “The Awaitings will awaken soon, so I must remain here to guard and protect them”
“The wraiths are a very mysterious bunch, take care of yourself”
After saying so, she nodded to bid Gu Qing Shan goodbye as her body turned back into a sand storm and disappeared.
Gu Qing Shan looked at the monk again.
“So that was the reason. I was wondering why you carried such a familiar power, but then, why exactly were you trapped here?” his voice now carried a bit more intimacy.
“There is little time, let me first take you to Jasper Pool, we’ll talk again later tonight” the monk said.
Gu Qing Shan clasped his fist: “Then I thank you”
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble.
As if some sort of immense force was shaking the foundations of Kunlun itself.
The sky became dark, from afar, one could see a gigantic shadow slowly manifesting itself
——it was an unbelievably huge warship, the hull of the ship completely black, with a fanged yaksha mask being hung at the head of the ship.
The monk’s gaze became sharp and spoke: “Not good, the wraiths have arrived”
He formed a hand seal with both hands.
The dust on the ground completely scattered away, showing a large formation right at the monk’s feet.
Innumerable golden runes continuously swirled around the monk, giving off immense power to the point that Gu Qing Shan could feel his heart beating faster.
“[Time Withdrawal]!” the monk shouted.
A golden flash of light appeared from his hand and flew straight to the horizon.
Instantly, the gigantic warship disappeared without a trace as it was struck by the golden light.
After unleashing this golden flash of light, the formation around the monk all shattered.
——-but a single strike to eliminate the enemy, that is too powerful!
“Did you just erase that ship?” Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but ask.
The monk wiped the sweat from his forehead and explained: “That’s not the case, thanks to the formation that the heavenly beings left behind, my temporal ability was reinforced numerous times, which allowed me to send that gigantic ship back in time by fifteen minutes——- the wraiths will have to travel for fifteen more minutes until they could once again reach Kunlun”
Gu Qing Shan’s heart jumped.
A temporal ability!
The Thaumaturgy that this monk possessed actually had relations to time itself, as expected of Lady Fusi’s disciple.
Most likely, he knows the entire world of Kunlun like the back of his hand.
It’s a good thing that he’s an ally.
The monk looked at Gu Qing Shan again, then urged him: “Hurry, benefactor, take out your sturdiest weapon, then fly to the top of the temple, I’ll directly send you through ascension to the Heavenly Palace”
“Alright, then thank you”
Gu Qing Shan took out the Six Paths Great Mountain sword, flew to the top of the building, then looked down.
“I’m already in place, may I ask how fellow Dao seeker will send me through ascension?”
Gu Qing Shan asked.
At the next moment, the monk took out an ancient-looking giant club from the void of space.
As soon as the club appeared, the monk’s entire body sank down a few centimeters, showing just how heavy it was.
Some heavenly aura and energy could be seen drifting around the long club.
“Is that your weapon?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
“Correct, this is a Divine Armament that the heavenly beings created specifically for my sake, it has the ability to go through all barriers” the monk replied.
“Have you confirmed that?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
“Naturally”
The monk displayed a bright smile, then explained: “81 obstacles is a lot of annoying formalities, we won’t make it through all of them in time, so I’ll be able to send you through ascension with just the basic power of this club—— but you have to make sure to block it”
Block… it?
Gu Qing Shan abruptly felt uneasy right at that very moment.
The monk raised his club and shouted: “Amitabha, here you—- GO!”
Instantly, Gu Qing Shan understood the other party’s intentions.
His pupils dilated, then shouted out loud: “Monk, wait a moment——-”
But it was too late!
While the club was heavy, the monk’s strike was completely unaffected by the weight, instantly reaching its maximum speed and power at the beginning.
The giant club left a series of afterimages as it violently swung towards Gu Qing Shan.
Gu Qing Shan put his sword in front of himself to block it.
Bang!!!
The sound resounded throughout the entire hall.
Gu Qing Shan was sent flying in a single strike, quickly turning into a small black dot in the sky as he flew through the numerous layers of invisible light and went above the clouds.
——-this was his ascension!
Gu Qing Shan continued to fly upwards through the clouds.
Barrier after barrier appeared in the void of space, but couldn’t stop Gu Qing Shan at all.
He quickly made it through all the magical barriers and entered a layer of space full of glowing runes.
——this was the ascension warp layer.
One could not reach Jasper Pool simply by flying, because the Heavenly Palace might be visible from the ground, but it actually resided in a completely different space.
Gu Qing Shan formed a hand seal to stabilize himself.
Right as he stopped, the runes swiftly surrounded him while slowly flying around him.
A second later, Gu Qing Shan’s figure disappeared from the sky.
Within the tattered temple, the monk cupped his hand above his eyes as he looked above the broken roof to see the sky, appearing sympathetic.
“Amitabha, that swing was quite decent”
A miniature array of runes suddenly appeared and circled around the monk’s body.
A second later, the monk also disappeared from the hall.
