206: Chapter 206 Time Labyrinth

The darkness of the Eternal Forbidden Zone was deeper than he imagined.

The light of the spacetime flying boat was like a faint firefly in the darkness.

Shen Zhao stood in front of the porthole, staring at the gray Chaos outside.

Intelligence from the Investigation Department said that the edge of the forbidden zone was the first test.

The Time Labyrinth.

No one knew the exact location of the labyrinth.

Because the path of every entrant was different.

Shen Zhao closed his eyes and circulated the Three-Spirit Resonance.

Golden, silver, and azure lights surged out from his body.

Producing a faint resonance with the surrounding Chaos.

He perceived the direction.

Not east, west, south, or north, but the direction of time.

He opened his eyes and controlled the flying boat to fly toward that direction.

The flying boat shuttled through the Chaos, and the surrounding gray light grew brighter and brighter.

Suddenly, the scenery ahead changed abruptly.

It was no longer Chaos, but a huge space.

Countless points of light floated in the space, and each point of light was slowly rotating.

The points of light varied in size, some like fists, some like stars.

Shen Zhao stopped the flying boat and walked out of the cabin door.

Floating in the Void Realm, he looked at those points of light.

Intelligence from the Investigation Department said that these points of light were time nodes.

Every point of light represented a time fragment.

Some led to the past, and some led to the future.

Some led to a completely unfamiliar spacetime.

Taking a wrong step would trap one in the turbulent currents of time.

Never able to escape.

Shen Zhao took a deep breath, and the Three-Spirit Resonance operated at full capacity.

In his eyes, gold, silver, and azure lights flickered.

Those points of light presented different colors in his eyes.

Some were red, representing danger.

Some were black, representing a dead end.

Only a faint golden light flickered in and out of view.

That was the correct direction.

Shen Zhao stepped forward and walked toward that golden light.

As soon as he took his first step, the surrounding scenery changed abruptly.

He stood on a battlefield.

Countless ancient Cultivators were fighting fiercely with the Ash-Eater Clan.

Screams, explosions, and the clashing of weapons intertwined together.

Fresh blood dyed the earth red, and corpses littered the field.

Shen Zhao knew this was an illusion.

It was the test of the Time Labyrinth.

He did not dare to stay and continued to walk forward.

The second point of light lit up, and he stepped into it.

This time, he came to the future.

The Sea of Stars had already perished, and Yongning City had turned into ruins.

The Monument of Heroes collapsed, and the names on the monument were covered with dust.

Shen Zhao's heart ached fiercely.

He saw his uncle's corpse lying in front of the Council Hall.

He saw Director Su Yun's Investigation Department token shattered into two halves.

He saw the Martial Arts Arena of the Guardian Academy deserted.

He wanted to rush over and do something.

But he forced himself to calm down.

This was not real; it was just an illusion of the Time Labyrinth.

He closed his eyes and refused to look at those tragic sights.

Continuing to walk forward.

The third point of light, the fourth point of light, the fifth point of light.

Every step he took brought a new illusion.

He saw various domains of the Sea of Stars being destroyed.

He saw the common people being devoured by the Void Clan.

He saw the entire Realm Guardian Army wiped out.

He saw the light of the Monument of Heroes of the progenitor Bai Yunzhou go out.

Every illusion was so real and so cruel.

Shen Zhao's tears silently slid down.

But he did not stop his footsteps.

Because he knew these were all fake.

He could not stop; stopping meant losing.

He gritted his teeth and walked forward step by step.

Not knowing how long he walked, the golden light ahead became brighter and brighter.

The surrounding illusions began to blur.

Those screams, explosions, and cries gradually faded away.

Shen Zhao accelerated his pace.

When he passed through the last point of light, the scene before his eyes suddenly opened up.

He stood in an open space.

There were no illusions, no points of light, only endless Void Realm.

In the center of the Void Realm, an illusory figure floated.

That was an old man with white hair and beard, and a peaceful expression.

He wore an ancient azure robe and held a long sword in his hand.

A qinglian flower was carved on the sword body.

Progenitor Bai Yunzhou.

Shen Zhao was stunned.

He knelt in the Void Realm and kowtowed deeply toward that figure.

"Progenitor!"

That figure did not respond.

Just looking at him, eyes full of scrutiny.

Shen Zhao knelt for a long time, so long that his knees were already numb.

That figure finally spoke.

"Latercomer, why have you come?"

The voice was very light, yet it clearly entered Shen Zhao's ears.

"This Disciple has come for the Primordial Power."

"Come to protect the Sea of Stars."

"Come to fulfill the mission of past guardians."

That figure was silent for a long time.

"Are you not afraid of death?"

"Afraid."

"Then why still come?"

Shen Zhao raised his head and looked at that figure.

"Because I am afraid, I must come all the more."

"Because I am afraid I cannot protect it, afraid those names were carved on the monument in vain."

A trace of approval flashed in that figure's eyes.

"What is your name?"

"Disciple Shen Zhao."

"Shen Zhao, are you willing to accept this seat's test?"

"Disciple is willing."

That figure raised a hand, and a long sword emerged from the Void Realm.

Floating in front of Shen Zhao.

The sword body was entirely azure, and the hilt was carved with a qinglian flower.

"This is this seat's personal sword from back then — the qinglian sword."

"It followed this seat for thousands of years, slaying countless enemies."

"Later, this seat left it in the Eternal Forbidden Zone."

"Waiting for someone fated."

"Hold it. If it recognizes you as its master, you will pass the first test."

Shen Zhao reached out and grasped the hilt.

The qinglian sword was icy cold, without any reaction.

He closed his eyes, and the Three-Spirit Resonance operated at full capacity.

Golden, silver, and azure lights surged out from his body.

Pouring into the qinglian sword.

The sword body began to glow, and the azure light grew brighter and brighter.

The qinglian flower on the hilt seemed to come alive.

The petals bloomed one by one, emitting a soft light.

The qinglian sword emitted a crisp sword hum.

That sound pierced through the Void Realm and reverberated in the Time Labyrinth.

That figure smiled, smiling with incomparable gratification.

"Good, very good."

"The qinglian sword has recognized you as its master."

"From today on, you are its master."

"Use it to protect everything you want to protect."

Shen Zhao gripped the qinglian sword tightly and felt a warm energy.

Passing from the sword body into his body, merging into one with his spiritual Qi.

His cultivation was climbing.

From Early Stage Foundation Establishment, to Mid Foundation Establishment, to Late Stage Foundation Establishment.

Finally stopping at Peak Foundation Establishment.

Just one step away from a Breakthrough to the Golden Core.

That figure looked at him, eyes filled with expectations.

"Shen Zhao, you have passed the first test."

"But the Time Labyrinth is not over yet."

"You must find the exit to truly leave."

"Where is the exit?"

"In your heart."

That figure slowly dissipated, turning into countless azure points of light.

Drifting away in the Void Realm.

Shen Zhao kowtowed deeply toward the dissipating light.

"Thank you, Progenitor."

He got up and gripped the qinglian sword tightly.

The Three-Spirit Resonance operated once more, perceiving the direction of the exit.

This time, he no longer needed the guidance of the golden light.

Because he could perceive that the exit was right in his heart.

In his attachment to the Sea of Stars.

In his longing for his uncle.

In his promise to those names on the Monument of Heroes.

He stepped forward and walked toward that direction.

The surrounding illusions emerged once more.

But this time, Shen Zhao was no longer afraid.

He walked past the battlefield, past the ruins, past the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Every step was firm, every step was composed.

Because he knew these were all the past.

They were all history that had already happened.

He could not change the past, but he could protect the future.

When he finished taking the last step, the scene before his eyes suddenly opened up.

He stood in the depths of the Eternal Forbidden Zone.

Behind him was the exit of the Time Labyrinth.

In front of him was the endless Void Realm and the faint, flickering light.

That was the direction of the space debris area.

Shen Zhao took a deep breath and put the qinglian sword into his storage ring.

Then he stepped forward and walked toward that direction.

The Time Labyrinth, he had passed it.