CHAPTER 285: CHAPTER 270 HOLY QUEEN

"Big brother... I... I seem to have been here before..."

The memories in her mind kept shifting, and Ai’ai seemed to remember something.

"You’ve been wandering in the Cosmos for who knows how long. It’s normal to have been to the Central Star Domain," Wang Xu looked at Ai’ai’s confused eyes, the expression of hard thinking, he knew she had a long past. Although her memory was gone, she vaguely had impressions of places she had visited.

The Space-Time Whale quickly approached, and Lu Chen and Wang Xu were ready.

"This is the Wu Meng Central Star Domain, the center of the entire Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos. As long as we can reach the exclusive point of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion and hand over Ai’ai, we can exchange for a thousand pieces of Wu Meng Spirit Essence," Wang Xu thought to himself, "Although this is unfair to Ai’ai, this is the only way for now. Otherwise, if her identity is exposed, not a single one of us will survive."

A thousand pieces of Wu Meng Spirit Essence meant that Wang Xu could not possibly keep Ai’ai by his side. Even if not for his own sake, he had to consider the lineage of Earth’s humanity within the Holy Image Mixed Cosmos.

......

Putting away the Space-Time Whale, the three of them landed on the largest Main Star.

"That is the Wu Meng Divine Hall. Do you see that Suspended Ladder? I was once one of them." Brother Lu Chen pointed into the distance, and Wang Xu followed his gaze to see a majestic palace mansion standing in the void, with a wide and long Suspended Ladder leading straight to the palace.

On the Suspended Ladder, tens of thousands of Wu Meng Warriors were moving forward, either quickly or slowly. Some Wu Meng Warriors couldn’t bear it, fell to their knees, retreated repeatedly, and chose to abandon by flying off the Suspended Ladder.

"To climb this Suspended Ladder, you must endure the Life Suppression emitted by the statue in the Wu Meng Divine Hall above," Brother Lu Chen explained, "Life Suppression tests the Life Index. The higher the Life Index, the greater the possibility of passing. Unlike the Sumeru Celestial Ladder you’ve experienced, the Wu Meng Warriors climbing the Suspended Ladder undergo different Life Suppression according to their different realms. However, in the Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos, the generally low Life Index of Wu Meng Warriors means that out of a million, it is not certain that even one can pass."

"Brother Lu Chen, with my current strength, I should have no problem climbing the Suspended Ladder, right?" Wang Xu asked, gazing at the Suspended Ladder from a distance.

"Naturally, there’s no problem. Your strength has already surpassed the Demigod Chaos Realm. Just based on this point alone, you can pass the Suspended Ladder," Brother Lu Chen smiled, "But don’t get too happy too soon. Passing the Suspended Ladder is only the first step into the Wu Meng Divine Hall. You will still face challenges from the Divine Hall Guards after that. With your strength, the probability of victory is high."

"After winning, if you want to fight for the Wu Meng Divine Stone, the next challenge will be the most brutal competition. So, after entering the Wu Meng Divine Hall, do not easily choose to compete for the Wu Meng Divine Stone. Wait until you have enough strength," Lu Chen advised.

Wang Xu nodded, looking thoughtful at the majestic palace mansion in the void.

"Let’s go, first to the exclusive point of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion to hand Ai’ai over to them."

Then, Lu Chen took the lead, with Wang Xu and Ai’ai following unhurriedly behind.

......

"What?!"

Lu Chen frowned, "Brother Lu Ya is not here?"

The exclusive point of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion is essentially a mechanical building dedicated to receiving disciples from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion and handling related affairs.

Wang Xu and the others had just arrived and were eager to meet the person in charge of the exclusive point, "Brother Lu Ya."

But unexpectedly, Brother Lu Ya had ventured outside 25,000 years ago and had not returned since.

"Brother Lu Chen, isn’t there anyone besides Brother Lu Ya who can contact the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion at the entire exclusive point?" Wang Xu frowned.

Brother Lu Chen shook his head gravely, "No."

"You should know that those who want to enter the Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos from outside, their Cosmic Martial Artist realm must be below the Celestial God Realm..."

Wang Xu nodded. Cosmic Martial Artists below the Celestial God Realm wouldn’t be detected by the super-strong beings in the Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos. Conversely, if an outsider in the Celestial God Realm enters, it will immediately alarm the super-strong beings of the Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos—however, before the super-strong beings arrive, the person in the Celestial God Realm will first be obliterated by the Cosmic Law.

Any presence exposed to the outside world will be targeted for obliteration by the Cosmic Law.

"Brother Lu Ya’s realm is in the Demigod Chaos Realm, but his true strength has already reached the ’Peak Initial Celestial God,’ making him the strongest among the many disciples of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. Thus, the elders of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion entrusted him with the contact method, making him responsible for the exclusive point," Brother Lu Chen explained, "But unexpectedly, Brother Lu Ya has been away for 25,000 years, surely encountering some problem, or he would not have remained away for so long."

The Initial Celestial God Realm is when someone in the Demigod Chaos Realm has just broken through to become a Celestial God.

Above the Initial Celestial God, there are "Hundred Generations Celestial Gods," "Eternal Generations Celestial Gods," and "Billion Era Celestial Gods."

And within the Initial Celestial God, there are four sub-realms: Ordinary, Elite, Peak, and Absolute Pinnacle. Brother Lu Ya was at the Peak Initial Celestial God stage.

For someone whose strength has already reached the peak initial stage, 25,000 years is like a blink of an eye. However, since Brother Lu Ya is the one responsible for the exclusive point, 25,000 years is long enough for several waves of newcomers. This indicates that Brother Lu Ya encountered some trouble outside and cannot easily extricate himself.

"As long as Brother Lu Ya doesn’t return, we cannot contact the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, and Ai’ai cannot be handed over!" Wang Xu felt an inexplicable anxiety in his heart.

Ai’ai is like a time bomb; nobody knows when she’ll explode. Initially, we planned to hand her over to the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, but who knew we wouldn’t be able to contact them now!

"There’s another way," Lu Chen suddenly spoke.

"What way?" Wang Xu asked.

"Wu Meng Spirit Essence," Lu Chen said, "As long as we hold the Wu Meng Spirit Essence, the people from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion can sense our location and transport us back, but..."

"Holding the Wu Meng Spirit Essence only allows it to be sensed, meaning if the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion doesn’t notice and contact us, we still have to stay in the Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos and continue waiting for Brother Lu Ya to return."

Wang Xu furrowed his brows deeply.

This method fundamentally doesn’t work. Leaving aside whether we can find a piece of Wu Meng Spirit Essence, just trying to hold it securely so the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion people can sense it—who would dare to be so brazen?

Fear that as soon as you take out the Wu Meng Spirit Essence, you’d be surrounded by numerous superpowers, instantly blasted to bits, and they’d snatch the Wu Meng Spirit Essence.

"Other than that, we can only wait for Brother Lu Ya to come back," Lu Chen sighed helplessly.

Wang Xu looked down at Ai’ai. Her big eyes blinked in confusion about their conversation, not understanding what it meant.

"Since that’s the case, let’s stay settled here for now and wait quietly."

With no other choice, they must accept the reality. As for Ai’ai, as long as they don’t let her contact others and discover the prokaryote of the Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos, they won’t see through Ai’ai’s identity.

......

The two chose a secluded place and bought two adjacent Palace Mansions to start planning.

"Let’s go climb the Suspended Ladder tomorrow. Entering the Wu Meng Divine Hall will bring many benefits, significantly helping enhance our strength," Lu Chen suggested.

"But what about Ai’ai?" Wang Xu patted Ai’ai’s head while she was savoring a piece of lollipop, happily squinting her eyes, "I can’t put her into any Folding Space. Leaving her here would only expose her identity."

"It’s indeed a problem," Lu Chen also pondered.

Ai’ai is their biggest issue now. Let her go carelessly, and the thousand Wu Meng Spirit Essences are lost, leaving both of them unwilling. But continuing to take her means they can’t enter the Wu Meng Divine Hall.

A moment later, Lu Chen spoke.

"Let’s try it," Lu Chen looked at Ai’ai, "Ai’ai is the Heart of Wu Meng, and the test of the Suspended Ladder is Life Suppression. Perhaps there will be special conditions."

The Heart of Wu Meng is the hub of the entire Wu Meng Sacred Cosmos, where the prokaryote resides.

Her life level is undoubtedly high; she might truly cross the Suspended Ladder successfully!

Wang Xu’s eyes lit up, looking at Ai’ai’s sugary, flowery face, "Great, let’s take her to challenge the Suspended Ladder together!"

......

Meanwhile, inside the Wu Meng Divine Hall.

This was a grand hall, immensely spacious, centralized within the Wu Meng Divine Hall, made entirely of silver; the ground, walls, ceiling, beams, and columns were all a sheet of silver.

But only above the grand hall was a solitary chair shrouded in golden mist.

The chair was entirely gold, engraved with mysterious patterns and symbols. Each corner of the chair had lifelike sculptures of Star Giant Beasts, either roaring, angry, long howling, or lamenting—

This seat could only be occupied by the most dignified person in the entire Wu Meng Divine Hall, but it’s been ages since anybody sat on it.

"Lord Wuer, the Holy Queen has left us for sixty Law Eras, and the Wu Meng Divine Hall hasn’t held a Genius Selection for sixty Law Eras. Continuing like this, the people of the Wu Meng Divine Hall will wither, becoming few and far between," a Divine Hall Envoy wrapped in a silver robe said respectfully.

Opposite the Divine Hall Envoy was a seductive woman in a red robe, with a graceful figure, noble and icy demeanor, exuding an aura as cold as an iceberg, making her hard to approach.

"The Holy Queen said that as long as she doesn’t return, the Genius Selection won’t be held. Only the person she chooses can enter this ’Wu Meng Silver Hall,’" the seductive red-robed woman Wuer said indifferently, "The Wu Meng Divine Hall doesn’t lack geniuses. If you think geniuses are dwindling, you can select suitable ones from the Wu Meng Warriors who pass the Suspended Ladder, without needing me to intervene."

"Yes, Lord Wuer," the silver-robed Divine Hall Envoy answered respectfully.

"The Holy Queen said she will resolve all her wishes within a hundred Law Eras and return to the Holy Seat. We just need to wait patiently."

(To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote a recommendation ticket or monthly ticket on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)