1001 Nine Spirits Road

Mo Wen was shocked at the fact that a native from the preliminary ancient lands had managed to escape. He was very aware of how difficult it was to escape from this place. Due to its connection with the Creation Pool, not even the Huatian Palace had much sway here.

"We of the Multicolor Clan live in the preliminary ancient lands, so it's natural that we'd find a solution—you can even call it a loophole—no one else can think of," the Multicolor Queen said. There were loopholes in any world. Even a space that had evolved naturally would have imperfection. It was impossible for the preliminary ancient lands, a place as created by a Heavenly Path Sage, to be flawless.

"And what's that solution?" Mo Wen asked curiously. It was indeed very impressive that the Multicolor Clan had been able to find a loophole.

"You have the Light of Creation within your body. This will allow you to surpass rules and take me to the Nine Spirits Road." The Multicolor Queen looked firmly at Mo Wen. The Nine Spirits Road was the place where human preliminary cultivators were tested. It was not somewhere the natives of the ancient lands could enter.

However, there were exceptions to every rule. Those who had the Light of Creation within them could sneakily change the rules for the world of the preliminary ancient land, and then let natives of the ancient land smuggle themselves out to the Nine Spirits Road.

"Natives of this land can enter the Nine Spirits Road as well?" Mo Wen asked.

"Not under normal circumstances, but this restriction can be broken with a secret method cultivated by humans with the Light of Creation within them. In the past, our ancestor fell in love with a human preliminary cultivator. That human cultivator had a god-given talent, a one-of-a-kind genius rarely seen in the past and today. He, too, had the Light of Creation within him.

The Multicolor Queen stared at Mo Wen with bright, piercing eyes. This was why she had immediately changed her mind when she found out Mo Wen harbored the Light of Creation within him.

The Light of Creation was something that rarely appeared in the ancient land, both in the past or in modern times. Those who possessed this were few and far between, even in the Creation Sect. Such people, once discovered by the Creation Sect, would immediately be taken in as core disciples. There was no need for them at all to even set foot on the Path of Creation.

In the past, the human cultivator had been extremely lucky to have been enlightened with the Light of Creation. This was also why the Multicolor Queen was so certain Mo Wen had obtained a creation talisman in the second test.

"Was that human cultivator in love with your queen?" Mo Wen asked, confusion written all over his face.

The human cultivator had arrived in the ancient lands and taken a liking to the Queen of the Multicolor Clan. As such, he had stayed behind in the preliminary ancient land until he found a way to bring the queen away with him. The pair left together, hand in hand. This had made for quite the tale in the preliminary ancient land back then.

"Even if you make it to the Nine Spirit Road, there's no way you will be able to escape from there," Nie Junxue remarked coldly. She bore no warmth towards the Multicolor Queen who had captured her, so it was only natural that she did not wish the queen to escape from the ancient land.

"Of course I can't do that under normal circumstances, so just possessing the Light of Creation is not enough. On the Nine Spirits Road, we natives are subject to the same restriction of the rules. However, the help of a human cultivator who possesses five creation talismans is enough for us to get away with it and escape from the Nine Spirits Road," the Multicolor Queen remarked.

It was only natural that she knew about the situation in the Nine Spirits Road. The Nine Spirits Road was a preliminary ancient land for humans. If a native like her made her way there it would mean she was subject to the restriction of the rules for that world. However, at the end of the Nine Spirits Road was the Ninth Spirits Platform. If she could break through to that platform, she could use the five creation talismans to trigger a special hypnosis stratagem. That stratagem had the power to break the rules and transport her out.

"Five creation talismans! It's not just that. You also have to make it to the Ninth Spirit Platform at the end of the Nine Spirits Road! Nie Junxue drew in a cold breath. To her, this was practically impossible. There was also the fact that, throughout history, no one had ever attained five creation talismans. Even the Ninth Spirits Platform alone was something far beyond their imagination.

There were nine Spirit Platforms in the Nine Spirits Road, going from the first to the ninth, and anyone who possessed a creation talisman could head to the Creation Pool through any one of the nine platforms. However, the higher Spirit Platforms would take you to a different part of the Creation Pool. It was rumored that the higher the Spirit Platform, the closer to the core of the Creation Pool you would be taken to. Naturally, this meant that you reaped more benefits. But, in the history of the Huatian Palace, there had never been anyone who had made it as far as the Ninth Spirit Platform. The records reflect that the furthest anyone had got to was to the Fifth Spirit Platform.

With her abilities, it was difficult enough just to make it to the Third Spirit Platform. Making it to the Fourth Spirit Platform was virtually impossible. Even the strongest of them, Xiao Jinghe, could probably only make it to the Fourth Spirit Platform.

Her master had told her a long time ago that the Ninth Spirit Platform was a mission that cultivators could never accomplish. Even the Three Great Kings of the current ancient land were not powerful enough to make it to the Ninth Spirit Platform, let alone cultivators.

"The Ninth Spirit Platform, Your Majesty. You think too highly of me," Mo Wen remarked helplessly. He knew a little about the Nine Spirits Road. Even if he were strong enough now, he wouldn't be able to make it all the way to the Ninth Spirit Platform. The only way to do this was to cultivate to the Primordial Soul Realm and reach the pinnacle of that realm before taking on the challenge of the Nine Spirits Road once again.

But that was impossible. There was no way he could make such a huge sacrifice for the Multicolor Queen. After all, the greatest benefit could only be reaped if he made his breakthrough at the Creation Pool. This carried a different significance for practitioners.

The human genius had fallen in love with the queen of the Multicolor Clan so he was willing to make that sacrifice, but Mo Wen was not in love with the current Multicolor Queen so, naturally, he was unwilling to make the same sacrifice.

"I obviously have some sort of certainty if I'm asking you for your help. With your current power, as well as my assistance, it's not impossible. Besides, if you make it to the Ninth Spirit Platform, you can earn yet another creation talisman. Don't think of it as just another creation talisman—when you get to the Creation Pool, this will make all the difference."

Another piece of Creation Talisman meant that Mo Wen would have even more benefits at the Creation Pool. There was a big difference between four and five pieces of creation talismans.

It was not just that. Now, Mo Wen only had four creation talismans with him, and he would only have five if he attained the one from the Ninth Spirit Platform. Without it, even if he made it to the Ninth Spirit Platform, there was no way for him to trigger that special hypnosis stratagem.

"This is…" Mo Wen was a little hesitant. The Nine Spirits Road was rather dangerous, after all. There were more people who had died there than there were people who had died in the ancient land. There had been an innumerable number of human cultivators who had perished in the Nine Spirits Road.

"If you don't agree to this, I'll kill Nie Junxue. Since there's no hope for me, she will go down with me. I won't rest until there is death."

Murder flashed in the eyes of the Multicolor Queen. She extended her arm to clutch at Nie Junxue's throat, preparing to kill her at any moment.

"You…" Nie Junxue had not expected the Multicolor Queen to burn her bridges at the drop of a hat. Wave after wave of fear hit her body as she felt death approaching.

"Are you not afraid of burying the whole of the Multicolor Clan along with her after you take her life?" Mo Wen's face chilled somewhat as well.

"Hmph, I've lived for tens of thousands of years, trapped in this prison my entire life. My greatest dream is to break out and see the outside world. I will stop at nothing to fulfill this dream of mine. If you don't agree to this, what does it matter if I bring the world down with me?"

The Multicolor Queen's gaze was stubbornly communicating to Mo Wen that she was not joking around. Aggravating her at this moment was not a wise move. There was no telling what she was capable of doing.

With her talent, the Multicolor Queen would have cultivated to the greatest realm a long time ago if it had not been for this cruel world and its rules. This world had firmly blocked her path of cultivation, and no one wanted to leave it more than she did.

The Three Great Kings were equally pitiable, even though they were standing at the pinnacle.

"So you won't think about your tribe?" Mo Wen lamented with a sigh.

"You're strong, Mo Wen, but I can definitely kill you if I'm willing to toss aside my life."

The Multicolor Queen's eyes were illuminated with something maniacal, and Mo Wen was wary. At the same time, he felt a sense of grief when he looked into the stubborn yet manic gaze of the queen.

"Alright, I can give it a try. Let Nie Junxue go." Mo Wen nodded. He would discuss it in further detail, but only after Nie Junxue was released. Whether he could help the Multicolor Queen escape could be discussed later.

"I hope you keep your promise."

The Multicolor Queen fixed Mo Wen with a firm gaze before releasing the prohibition she placed within Nie Junxue's body, not worried in the slightest that Mo Wen would go back on his word.

Nie Junxue's face was filled with joy. After regaining her freedom, she sped to Mo Wen's side in a flash, gazing warily at the Multicolor Queen.

"Mo Wen, are you really promising to help her?" Nie Junxue asked. She had her freedom back now, and the Multicolor Queen had no other hold over him. If Mo Wen went back on his word, he could use his power to transport them both out of the palace. As such, what Nie Junxue was really asking was whether he intended on honoring his word, or if they would be taking their leave now.

"Multicolor Queen, deal with what you have to. I will look for you in three days."

Mo Wen stood up, casting a glance at the queen before finally turning to leave the palace. Nie Junxue followed closely behind him.

The Multicolor Queen looked at the pair as they left, making no move to stop them.

"Can those humans be trusted, my queen?" From inside the palace, a lady dressed in palace robes stepped forward. One glance was all it took to show that she was of no ordinary standing.

"Qing Li, Mo Wen is a person who is willing to attack Multicolor City for his partner. This means that he values sentiment and loyalty. People like this rarely go back on their word once they make a promise," the Multicolor Queen remarked. She chose to believe in Mo Wen. She was not too sure why, but she felt that he was someone he could trust.

The lady dressed in palace robes had a gaze with a touch of sadness, but she did not speak further. There was a large possibility of death for those who challenged the Nine Spirits Road. If they succeeded, they lived, and they and died if they failed; there was no third outcome.

"Before I leave, Qing Li, I will pass the throne down to you. The fate of the Multicolor Clan will rest in your hands from here on in."

The Multicolor Queen stared out into the distance. It was a simple declaration, but it was a decision that would affect the entirety of the Multicolor Clan. A change in leadership was a momentous incident for any clan but, as Qing Li had said, there was no way for the Multicolor Queen to return once she stepped foot into the Nine Spirits Road.

...

Mo Wen and Nie Junxue did not stop after they left the palace. They left Multicolor City right away.

"Thank you, Mo Wen," Nie Junxue looked at Mo Wen. To her, the past few days had been terrible. She had been living a life worse than death. Now, however, she was free again. Fate was a truly unpredictable thing.