"You’re to be punished with three years isolation and you’re not allowed to come out!"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe did not even look at the middle aged man as he spoke unhurriedly.
The middle-aged man fell silent. He wiped off the blood at the corner of his mouth and got up to bow towards the Elder. He hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but chose to remain silent in the end and left respectfully. Yet at the very moment he walked to the edge of the mountain and was about to go down…
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe looked at Su Ming standing on the Chain of Han Mountain in the rain and spoke once again."You acted too rashly, spoiled everything and achieved nothing. Three years is too few, go isolate yourself for six years and do not come out!"
This time, the middle-aged man not only did not harbor any resentment, he became more respectful and bowed towards the Elder once again.
"Thank you, Elder."
As the person left, Puqiang Mountain sank into silence once again.
Su Ming looked towards Puqiang Mountain. A cold glare appeared in his eyes. He could feel a chilling aura incessantly traveling forth. He could already tell that once he walked past the first stone pillar, the chilling aura would seep into his body with each step he took and cause his feet to increasingly stiffen up more.
‘The further I go, the difficulty of the Chain will increase, and what happened just now is definitely not a coincidence…’
Su Ming’s eyes grew colder and a chilling smirk appeared on his lips. He stood at the end of the first section of the Chain and lifted his foot, landing right on the first stone pillar. An incredible force erupted from his body and turned into an impact that traveled down his right foot.
The moment that force landed on the stone pillar, a huge boom came from it. Cracking sounds resounded and rifts appeared beneath Su Ming’s foot, which continued spreading down until they penetrated the entire pillar.
The stone pillar had existed for many years. It had never shattered because no one dared to destroy it when they challenged the Chains of Han Mountain. There was also another reason to it, once it was destroyed, they would have no place to rest, and the challenge would become more difficult.
More importantly, there was a strange power within the pillars. This power made them nigh impossible to destroy for other people. However, Su Ming was not one of those people!
That power belonged to Han Mountain’s ancestor. It was a power that was similar to the power of the Branding Art, and since Su Ming possessed the power of the Branding Art, the power within the pillars was not a problem to him.
It would not have worked if Han Mountain’s ancestor was still alive, but since he was dead and most of the strengthening force in the pillars had already disappeared due to time, with Su Ming’s Brand, a crack immediately appeared in the force once he pushed the Brand in, allowing the power of all 979 blood veins in his body to crash into the pillar.
Tremors shook the stone pillar, and as everyone stared at it with their mouths agape, the stone pillar under that Chain crumbled and shattered!
When it shattered, the Chain sank down, but Su Ming was not affected albeit he was standing on it. The moment the stone pillar crumbled, he straightened on the Chain and looked towards Puqiang Mountain located in the distance!
‘Each time you attack me, I will destroy one of your stone pillars!’
Su Ming did not utter the words, but his cold gaze delivered his message.
He did not use words to threaten them. Instead, Su Ming chose to use his actions to respond to Puqiang Tribe’s schemes. He was telling them outright that he had the power to destroy their stone pillars!
When the crowd in Han Mountain City saw what happened, a great uproar immediately broke out among them. They had witnessed many challenges to Chains of Han Mountain, but they had never seen or heard of anyhing like this, much less thought that the stone pillar that had existed for so long would crumble right before their eyes.
"One of the eight stone pillars from Puqiang Tribe has crumbled!"
"It’s said that the stone pillars were built by Han Mountain Tribe in the past and are incredibly st.u.r.dy. They’re very difficult to break! Just how did he do it?"
"What just happened must be Puqiang Tribe’s doing, but… that’s just not worth it. If the stone pillar crumbles, it’ll just be more difficult for the challengers. They won’t have any place to rest."
"You’re wrong. This doesn’t really make things more difficult for him, but this is completely out of Puqiang Tribe’s expectations. Right now, the one who is panicking is not him, it’s Puqiang Tribe!
"Shattering the stone pillars is not against the rules for the challengers of the Chains of Han Mountain. No one can say anything about it. But unless Puqiang Tribe can build the stone pillar like how Han Mountain Tribe had done, then this will be a permanent scar for Puqiang! This is a damage to their reputation. He’s slapping them in the face, and they can’t say anything about it! And this will also be remembered by other people!"
On Lake of Colors Mountain, a sharp glint appeared in the old woman’s eyes. She cast a deep look at Su Ming, who was standing on the Chain in the distance.
By her side, Yan Luan smiled faintly. She did not speak.
Tranquil East Tribe was acting in a similar fas.h.i.+on. They were all looking at the silent Puqiang Mountain.
At the very instant Su Ming destroyed the first stone pillar, besides the Elder and two other people, the others all stood up on Puqiang Mountain. Their expressions were filled with animosity as they glared at Su Ming standing on the Chain of Han Mountain.
"How dare he ruin Han Mountain’s stone pillar!"
"Elder, we must punish such an impudent person!"
"Elder, tribe leader, our tribe’s reputation is ruined because he destroyed our stone pillar! We can’t take this lying down!"
"Enough!" The Elder of Puqiang Tribe frowned and spoke unhurriedly. The moment he spoke, the area immediately fell silent. "It’s just a stone pillar. If it’s destroyed, let it be. We’ll talk if he manages to come here."
The Elder’s expression remained pa.s.sive and his voice was calm, but there was a chill in his eyes.
There was a plump middle-aged man sitting beside the Elder. He looked like a mountain of flesh sitting on the summit. He smiled and narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
"It’s not a bad thing that he destroyed the pillar. Compared to the other two tribes, Puqiang’s Chain will become more difficult for other challengers in the future, and it also sets us aside from the others."
Su Ming could not hear the shock in the three tribes or the uproar of the crowd in the city. He stood on the Chain that was missing the first stone pillar with a calm demeanor, not in a hurry to continue. Instead, he chose to recover his breathing.
After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, thunder rumbled in the sky and the rain became heavier.
At that moment, it was as if there was a basin pouring water from the sky. Rain landed on Su Ming’s body, causing his robes to stick to his skin. The wind also became stronger, but Su Ming was prepared. He did not want others to see his face. The robes covering his face were set in place firmly.
He walked forth once again in the rain. This time, he did not stop. Even if the chill underneath his feet was getting colder, he still took quick and steady steps towards the stone pillar at the end of the second section of the Chain.
Time trickled by. Right at the moment Su Ming closed in on the second pillar and the crowd wondered whether Su Ming would destroy the second stone pillar as they stared at him, suddenly, a lackadaisical and delicate voice traveled forth from Puqiang Tribe.
"Sir, please destroy the rest of Han Mountain’s stone pillars from our tribe. We’re sorry we have to trouble you with this. And if you possess more extraordinary power and strength, then you can try cutting off this Chain so that our tribe will not be bothered by outsiders from now on."
The voice held a velvety tone to it that made it seem as if it held no strength, but when the words fell in people’s ears, it made them feel enticed, as if they were targeted by poisonous snakes.
As the words traveled out, the crowd in Han Mountain City immediately fell silent and looked towards Su Ming. Nan Tian and the others were looking as well. The light in Nan Tian’s eyes flickered. To him, the challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain this time was completely different from what he had seen before.
‘Puqiang Tribe’s words have just forced this person to his doom. If I were him, what would I do..?’
A cold smirk appeared on Xuan Lun’s lips. He looked at Su Ming, who stood at the Chain suspended in midair, and that sneer on his lips became colder. He could already imagine Mo Su’s hesitation. His actions and subsequent counterattack just now had just turned him into laughing stock.
Su Ming stared at Puqiang Mountian coldly. He lifted his right foot and stepped on the second stone pillar. Once he sat down, he closed his eyes, as if he did not hear that voice. He paid no heed to them and started resting.
At that moment, everyone in Han Mountain City fell silent. All of them were looking at Su Ming. Even the ones from Lake of Colors and Tranquil East were staring at him, waiting for the moment he chose to give answer to the statement.
After a while, Su Ming opened his eyes and got up to the move to the third section of the chain. The instant his feet landed, an imposing abruptly pressure spread out from the Chain. That pressure held an aged presence that seemed to have existed for a long time. It would appear each time someone came forth.
The moment the pressure fell upon him, Su Ming faltered for a heartbeat. He circulated his Qi, causing most of the pressure to dissipate. He lifted his foot and moved forward along the Chain.
The more steps he took, the stronger the pressure grew. Su Ming only took five steps forward, and he could already clearly feel a slight decaying sensation in his body due to this pressure. It was as if his entire being was gradually growing older.
‘So this is the true might of the Chains of Han Mountain..? No wonder even those who Awakened will shrink back in its presence… Even power will rot in the face of time.
‘The third section of the Chain will be difficult for those at the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm, but I can still handle it.’
Su Ming walked forth silently. The instant he took his 15th step, the delicate voice traveled out once more from Puqiang Mountain.
"Sir, about the thing we asked of you…"
The moment the voice came, the second stone pillar behind Su Ming suddenly shook and crumbled into a lot of debris. As it let out m.u.f.fled rumbling booms, it shattered.
The voice instantly froze, as if it had just swallowed its subsequent words.
Right till the end, Su Ming did not open his mouth to answer the words from the delicate voice. Even if the second stone pillar behind him crumbled, he still did not turn his head back, and neither did he stop. The Chain sank abruptly, but he still continued onward towards the third stone pillar, facing the pressure brought by time as he approached the pillar.
His silence made all those who saw the stone pillar crumble stunned. It was not only because of the stone pillar shattering, but also due to their suspicions towards Su Ming.
"What’s his name..? He’s definitely not some ordinary person!"
"This person’s personality is scary!"
"I wonder what Puqiang Tribe will do next…"
As the people discussed amongst themselves in low voices, Su Ming was already standing on the third pillar. He only stood there for a moment before continuing onwards.
Rumbling sounds came from behind him, and the third pillar crumbled.
He was still silent as he walked past the fourth and fifth pillars.
When the fifth pillar crumbled, Su Ming’s footsteps on the Chain slowed down. His breathing had become slightly ragged. The aged feeling had enveloped his entire body, causing him to feel as if he had just turned into an old man.