Xuanwu War Sovereign

The Chaos Divine Thunder Array was in place! For the proud geniuses of the All Stars Academy, it was like an uncrossable chasm separating them from the Spirit Refining Hall. All they could do was wait and watch helplessly. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

After seeing Liu Canyang’s miserable state from being struck by the Chaos Divine Thunder during his failed attempt to breach the array, the other young prodigies abandoned any similar notions.

Gloomy gazes filled with helplessness and anxiety lingered on the array before the Refining Spirit Hall. They had no choice but to wait before the Chaos Divine Thunder Array.

"Brother Xiao, what in the world is going on? Isn’t this array supposed to test a Martial Artist’s physical body? Don’t tell me even someone with Liu Canyang’s aptitude can’t get past it?"

Li Qiubai frowned at the thunderbolts, which emanated a faint gray light and a feeling of extreme danger. He turned to Xiao Yuchan beside him and asked his question.

All the geniuses in their group came from extraordinary backgrounds, but in terms of sheer scholarly knowledge, if Xiao Yuchan claimed second place, no one would dare claim first.

Xiao Yuchan studied the altered array for a moment before speaking. "The array has changed. The original Sky Thunder Refining Array contained only ordinary Celestial Thunder. That faint gray lightning, however, is the much higher-tier Chaos Sky-breaking Divine Thunder. The power of the two can’t even be mentioned in the same breath!"

"What? Chaos Divine Thunder?" The color drained from Li Qiubai’s face. It was common knowledge that a typical Thunder Attribute Innate Martial Artist would only grasp a mere trace of the Power of Heaven and Earth Thunder after breaking through to the Innate realm.

As for Celestial Thunder, only experts at the Condensing Vein Realm had any ability to control it!

And Chaos Divine Thunder was a tier higher than even Celestial Thunder, possessing the power to annihilate all creation. Against something so dangerous, even an expert from the Sea of Reincarnation Realm would be killed instantly on contact!

"I’ve studied the way of Profound Arrays to some extent. If I’m not mistaken, someone has tampered with this array before us. It’s been upgraded from the Sky Thunder Refining Array into the Chaos Divine Thunder Array!" Xiao Yuchan’s gaze was sharp as a torch, and it didn’t take him long to grasp most of the intricacies of the Chaos Divine Thunder Array.

Yet, this very realization was what made Xiao Yuchan feel so helpless.

The Chaos Divine Thunder Array was a Level 4 Array of terrifying power. Unless a titan from the Nirvana Realm intervened, or a Fourth Grade Great Xuan Master made an appearance, no one would be able to break it anytime soon.

"Tampered with it? Who? Could it be Qin Feng?" Li Qiubai’s eyes widened. "He’s only a First-Grade Xuan Master. How could he possibly deploy a Fourth-Level Profound Array like the Chaos Divine Thunder Array?"

"That’s what I can’t figure out either." Xiao Yuchan gave a wry smile, a hint of bitterness in his eyes.

"But are we just going to wait here?" Li Qiubai asked, his face a mask of frustration.

"Of course not. It’s impossible for Qin Feng to hog all the benefits for himself!" Xiao Yuchan’s gaze was cool, his eyes holding a sharp glint. "Since we can’t get through here, we’ll just go around. We don’t need to abide by the Lingxu Sect’s rules. It will just cost us a bit more time. I’m sure this isn’t the only path to the Spirit Refining Hall in this entire ice chasm!"

...

After crossing the arched bridge and walking about a hundred paces, Qin Feng entered a wide-open area. It was another world entirely behind that bridge.

A vast complex of temples and shrines spread out before him, like a small city that had sunk into the earth. The entire area was deserted, tangled with cobwebs, and permeated by a sense of desolation.

The ground was littered with skeletons—those of Barbaric Beasts and Martial Artists alike. Some human skeletons still had corroded weapons protruding from their bones. The earth all around was scarred with the marks of sabers and swords, remnants of a fierce battle.

Clearly, these individuals had experienced an exceptionally brutal battle before their deaths.

Some of the buildings had been destroyed, leaving only crumbling walls and shattered tiles. The scene was particularly desolate.

Before entering, Qin Feng had sensed the faint traces of an array. He guessed this might have been the third trial, but the array had lost its power, worn away by the passage of time.

’Or maybe,’ he thought, ’the array was shattered by force!’

’I wonder what kind of terrifying enemy the Lingxu Sect faced before its downfall. The battle must have been horrendous.’ Qin Feng’s expression was grave as his gaze swept across the long street. Every corner reeked of brutal conflict.

The long street was paved with bones. Qin Feng saw many human skeletons with missing limbs, and even several pairs locked in a death grip, clearly having killed each other in a final, desperate struggle.

Qin Feng followed the bone-strewn street. The sight was startling, but even for someone like him who had killed his fair share, he only gave it a few extra glances before moving on. After several hundred paces, he saw a large, quaint, and ancient-looking palace. The plaque above its entrance read: Spirit Refining Hall.

’I’ve arrived!’ Qin Feng’s eyes lit up, and he hurried forward.

CREAK. He pushed open the two large, closed doors.

’The Spirit Refining Hall is a vital, secret location for the Lingxu Sect. It holds the mysteries of the Spirit Ruins’ Refining Spirit. Please don’t let it be destroyed!’ As he pushed the doors, Qin Feng felt a knot of anxiety in his stomach.

He had gone through hell and back to get here; if the Spirit Refining Hall was destroyed, all his efforts would have been for naught.

WHOOSH. The long-sealed doors swung open, revealing a pile of white bones just inside.

Qin Feng spared them a single glance before striding into the Refining Spirit Hall.

Stepping into the Refining Spirit Hall was like entering a land of giants. The hall was unbelievably immense.

Cyan Dragon to the left, White Tiger to the right, Vermilion Bird above, Xuanwu below. Four massive beasts, carved from stone, occupied the four corners of the hall. They were so lifelike, exuding an ancient, majestic aura, that as Qin Feng looked at them, he felt as if he were seeing the true Four Spirit Beasts.

The sheer grandeur was staggering. One could only imagine how powerful the Lingxu Sect must have been in its prime.

’They’re practically indistinguishable from the real thing!’ Qin Feng marveled.

Qin Feng went to investigate. Not far off stood rows of stone cabinets. He walked over, pulled one open, and to his disappointment, found it empty.

As he was closing it, however, he noticed a line of small words unexpectedly carved into the stone.

"First-level Barbaric Beast, Ice and Snow Celestial Wolf Essence!" A Barbaric Beast was a terrifying Fierce Beast whose ancient bloodline had fully awakened, enabling it to command its innate Talent Divine Abilities.

A First-level Barbaric Beast like the Ice and Snow Celestial Wolf was a lord of the Snowfield; even a Martial Artist at the Condensing Vein Realm would have to give it a wide berth.

Qin Feng’s gaze sharpened. He quickly discovered similar inscriptions on the other stone cabinets.

"First-level Barbaric Beast, Three-Eyed Fire Fox Essence!"

"First-level Barbaric Beast, Gold-Feathered Eagle Essence!"

"First-level Barbaric Beast, Purple-Haired Earth-Burrowing Rat Essence!"

"Second-level Barbaric Beast, Earth Spirit Rhino Essence!"

"Second-level Barbaric Beast, Divine Fire Crow Essence!"

...

This was where the Spirit Refining Hall stored the sealed Barbaric Beast Essences.

A flash of surprise flickered in his eyes. Qin Feng knew that Spirit Refining required one to fuse with a corresponding Barbaric Beast Essence. The Lingxu Sect’s resources were clearly profound for them to have been able to capture so many Barbaric Beasts with such powerful bloodlines.

Qin Feng even saw labels for Level Three Barbaric Beasts.

A Level Three Barbaric Beast, that was a Beast King! The King among Barbaric Beasts! That the Lingxu Sect could capture a Beast King in its heyday was truly terrifying.

However, all the Barbaric Beast Essences that had been stored here were gone, plundered without a trace. Every last cabinet was empty!

In the center of the hall, encircled by the four Stone Beasts, Qin Feng saw an altar crafted from pure jade. This Jade Platform was exquisitely translucent, like a small Jade Mountain rising from the floor. It stood several men tall, perfectly square, and emitted a lustrous jade glow that could not be concealed.

The Spirit Refining Platform! With just one glance, Qin Feng knew this Jade Platform was the legendary Spirit Refining Platform.

With a single leap, Qin Feng flew up and landed on the Spirit Refining Platform. The fervent excitement in his eyes was impossible to hide, but his expression soon changed.

An ugly scar ran across the Spirit Refining Platform, splitting it completely in two.

The scar was grotesque, like a centipede, and exceptionally hideous to behold.

’The Spirit Refining Platform is damaged?’

Qin Feng’s excitement died down, replaced by a surge of anger. The greater the hope, the deeper the disappointment.

Abruptly, Qin Feng’s heart skipped a beat. He sensed something amiss—the distinct feeling of being watched, like needles on his back. He whirled around. Staring at him was a Giant Dragon—a stone one!

Or to be more precise, it was a Stone Man pinned beneath the stone dragon’s claw!

The Stone Man had the appearance of a young man. What was most bizarre was that, despite being completely petrified, his face was a mask of tragic desperation, as if he were trying to wink and grimace at Qin Feng.