Chapter 2065: Chapter 2062: Shrine
"Grandfather, is Big Brother Feng going to succeed?" Watching Ling Feng’s solitary back as he ascended the mountain, Mia couldn’t help but ask.
The Elf Clan Leader shook his head and said, "I don’t know, but... his chances of success are very slim! Over the countless years, how many talented Outsiders have perished on this Path to Godhood? Only two have finally succeeded in obtaining Divine Status and achieving Godhood; the rest have become sacrifices on this path!"
Mia was slightly puzzled, "Then why are so many people willing to walk the Path to Godhood? Don’t they know this is a dead end?"
Mia’s eyes carried a trace of worry; after all, Ling Feng had saved her, and she couldn’t understand why Ling Feng was determined to walk this doomed path!
"Everyone has their own choices in life. Some pursue greater power, others protect cherished people or things, and still others challenge themselves to pursue the Heavenly Dao!" The Clan Leader sighed and said, "But no matter what type of person they are, as long as they dare to step onto the Path to Godhood, they deserve our admiration!"
"They forsake everything and ascend with unwavering belief. They know the Abyss lies ahead but press forward for their faith, regardless of what that belief may be—such people deserve respect!"
Mia nodded thoughtfully.
"Alright, that’s enough about Ling Feng. Whatever his future holds, it’s his own choice!" the Clan Leader said. "Let’s head to the Goddess of Nature’s Shrine. You need to receive the Goddess’s blessing and baptism to truly become the next Clan Leader of our Dark Feather Elf Clan!"
As he spoke, the Clan Leader clasped Mia’s hand, and the Spirit Pearl Treasure in his hand emitted a dark green glow. In an instant, their figures vanished, and the next moment, they appeared inside the Goddess of Nature’s Shrine.
Meanwhile, Ling Feng was steadily climbing up the Holy Mountain’s path.
There was a unique pressure on this Holy Mountain. Ling Feng initially could exert some strength, but once here, he found himself like an ordinary person, incapable of using any powers.
Moreover, the path on the Holy Mountain was exceedingly rugged, with the Abyss looming below. A single misstep, and it would mean disaster.
The Holy Mountain was vast—boundless even. Ling Feng traveled along the path for ten entire days, during which he saw not a single living creature, let alone other people.
"The path to Elemental Magic Godhood should be within the Elemental Magic God’s Shrine, which is located southeast on the Holy Mountain," Ling Feng thought, gasping, wiping sweat from his brow.
With all his powers suppressed by the Holy Mountain, Ling Feng realized reaching halfway up was no easy task; at his current pace, it would take him over two months.
Thinking of this, Ling Feng felt a headache coming on. But the one bit of good news for Ling Feng was that upon entering the Holy Mountain, not only was his power suppressed, but even the curse within his body was subdued—barely good news at best!
However, if he spent too much time and couldn’t return before Earth was unsealed, it would all be for naught. Thus, even without the curse’s restriction, Ling Feng had to return within one or two years.
But Ling Feng knew it wouldn’t do to rush things.
As Ling Feng rested, a patch of dark clouds suddenly appeared in the sky. Ling Feng looked up curiously, a shock flashing across his eyes.
This was no dark cloud; it was clearly a gigantic Great Sculpture.
This Great Sculpture, with its enormous body, flew as if blanketing the sky like dark clouds. What shocked Ling Feng even more was the extremely disquieting aura emanating from the Great Sculpture.
Even the Holy Mountain’s suppression couldn’t subdue the aura of the Great Sculpture, so just how powerful was this Great Sculpture!
"Or perhaps, could this Great Sculpture be a creature from one of the shrines?" Ling Feng wondered.
Just as Ling Feng marveled, he suddenly felt a strong sense of foreboding. Abruptly raising his head, he found himself meeting the vast eyes of the Great Sculpture.
The Great Sculpture was indeed looking at Ling Feng, causing a shiver down Ling Feng’s spine. Was the Holy Mountain so vast, and yet the Great Sculpture still discerned him—was it to kill him?
In that moment, Ling Feng’s heart was filled with reluctance as he tightly clenched his fists. However, under the Great Sculpture’s gaze, Ling Feng seemed bound and couldn’t move!
"No, I can’t let this happen!" Ling Feng bit hard on his tongue, the metallic taste of blood and the pain waking him. He resisted the oppressive force and turned to run toward a cave.
He recalled a cave nearby, and if he could get inside, he might be saved. Perhaps the Great Sculpture would also spare him.
But Ling Feng barely ran ten meters before a whirlwind enveloped him, lifting him off the ground.
Ling Feng struggled, but it was all in vain as he was swept toward the Great Sculpture.
"Brother Sculpture, let’s make a deal. Look, I’m scrawny with little meat, wouldn’t taste good at all, so just let me go, will you?" Ling Feng commented shamelessly when he realized resistance was futile.
The Great Sculpture’s eyes flashed with a human-like mirth, but it didn’t release Ling Feng. Instead, a flap of its huge wings sent a gale that knocked Ling Feng unconscious.
Ling Feng didn’t know how much time passed before he slowly regained consciousness.
"Hey, I’m not dead?" Ling Feng was overjoyed to find himself alive upon waking.
"Buddy, you’re not dead, but it’s not much different than being dead!" a stranger’s voice suddenly echoed in Ling Feng’s ears.
"Who are you?" Ling Feng became alert immediately, noticing the speaker was a middle-aged man sitting nearby with a weathered face.
The middle-aged man glanced at Ling Feng and replied indifferently, "Who I am doesn’t matter. Haven’t you noticed where you are now?"
Ling Feng paused and took a careful look around, realizing he was lying in the center of a grand hall. At the front was a towering sculpture, although no matter how hard he tried, Ling Feng couldn’t see its features which remained indistinct.
"Where is this place? Is it a shrine?" Ling Feng asked.
The middle-aged man chuckled, "Seems you know quite a bit—indeed, this is a shrine!"
Ling Feng’s eyes widened. This was indeed a shrine, apparently where Brother Sculpture had brought him. But why do this? And... who is this desolate and hopeless-looking man?
"Brother, I’m Ling Feng. May I ask what shrine this is?" Ling Feng inquired.
