Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

Yan coldly observed that the troops stationed here were all fully armored, every soldier armed to the teeth. Regardless of their individual strength, their superior equipment alone was enough to prove that they were definitely the elite of the army.

Yan followed the others through the guarded military camp to the foot of the Heavenly Pillar. The Heavenly Pillar supporting Tianzhu Island was not straight upwards, but slightly tilted towards the center. Only when you got close could you see that there were steps that had been carved out on the Heavenly Pillar.

Before this staircase, eight white-clad figures dressed in the attire of the Zhongtian Tuoyin Palace stood guard. After bowing to Shangguan Longyin, they carefully checked each person's Heavenly Bead Token before allowing them to pass.

Shangguan Longyin said calmly, "During the process of landing on the island, no friction should occur between the teams; otherwise, they will be disqualified from this competition."

After uttering this simple sentence, his figure vanished into thin air, disappearing from the Heavenly Pillar in the blink of an eye. The four teams exchanged glances, not daring to delay, and immediately began their ascent simultaneously.

Leading the pack were the Zhongtian Team and the Wanshou Team. The sixteen members of these two teams leaped up almost simultaneously, charging ahead without giving an inch. The eight members of the Danton Team followed closely behind, while the Feili Team strolled leisurely at the very back.

"We don't need to chase after them, it's unnecessary."

Considering that Minghua and Caicai were relatively weak in combat, Yan put his arm around one of them, enjoying himself immensely. Noticing that Caicai seemed hesitant to speak, he whispered something, and the latter immediately fell silent.

As they moved quickly, the ground receded further and further away, and the things below became increasingly indistinct. As they continued upward, the pillar of heaven became steeper and steeper, almost touching the stone steps ahead with a simple gesture.

After traveling a kilometer, they found themselves surrounded by swirling clouds and mist. As they increased in altitude, the temperature began to drop. Minghua and Caicai, being of relatively weaker cultivation levels, relied entirely on the warmth emanating from Yan to ward off the chill, which unconsciously drew them closer to him.

Gradually, the thick fog around them began to dissipate. After climbing for more than half an hour, the scenery suddenly changed, and the fog was now beneath their feet.

The strange sight before the Feli team members unfolded before them. They could clearly see that the sky above them was even clearer and bluer, and there were vast expanses of clouds and mist beneath their feet. The sunlight was incredibly dazzling.

About two thousand meters above their heads, a huge island, Tianzhu Island, was suspended in mid-air and supported by sixteen incredibly thick pillars.

"Is this Tianzhu Island? It's magnificent!"

Cai Cai, the weakest among Yan's companions, was practically clinging to him, her pretty face pale. Gazing at the beautiful scenery in the distance, a faint blush appeared on her face.

Minghua murmured, "Tianzhu Island is known as the number one miracle on the continent, and it truly lives up to its reputation. It's simply a paradise on earth!"

Most of the members of the Emerald team were seeing such a strange sight for the first time, and their hearts were filled with excitement. Seeing this incredibly magical island with their own eyes filled them with awe and satisfaction.

Yan was also observing Tianzhu Island up close. The area of ​​Tianzhu Island was not very large, at least not as exaggerated as Zhongtian City below. Judging from the distance, it was about the same size as the inner city of Zhongtian City.

From their current position, they can only see its dark brown body; as for its appearance, they will need to observe it further.

"Let's continue up."

After Yan waited until Cai Cai's oxygen deficiency had eased a bit, he spoke up. By this time, the others had also mostly recovered their strength, so they naturally followed him and set off again.

After another half hour, they finally reached Tianzhu Island, which was at least 5,000 meters above the ground. After another inspection and registration by the Tianzhu Token, they were able to set foot on Tianzhu Island.

At the entrance to Tianzhu Island, the other three teams were already waiting. They were all somewhat impatient with the slow pace of the Fei Li team and made no attempt to hide their hostility.

Shangguan Longyin addressed the group again, saying, "You have now arrived at Tianzhu Island. Tianzhu Island is located high in the sky, and coming up like this all at once can easily cause physical problems, so I have arranged for everyone to rest for a while."

The final round of this Heavenly Bead Competition will be held three days later. During these three days, you are free to move about on the island, but please be aware of the taboos.

As he said this, he deliberately glanced at the Emerald team, "There are guards all over Tianzhu Island who will warn you that if you force your way into places that are not allowed, you will be treated as an intruder..."

After Shangguan Longyin finished speaking, his figure once again turned into a phantom and disappeared from the spot, but Yan could sense that this old cunning fellow was secretly observing them.

"You're not feeling well; your bodies probably haven't adjusted yet. Let's go and rest!"

Yan supported Minghua and Caicai on either side, possessing two beauties all by himself, and they were currently in a weakened state, practically at his mercy. After he finished speaking, he didn't even give them a chance to object, and just carried them into Tianzhu Island with them on his left and right.

The environment on Tianzhu Island was surprisingly good. Despite its high altitude, it didn't feel cold at all; the temperature was only slightly lower than that of Zhongtian City.

Along the way, the surroundings were lush with green grass, and all kinds of plants grew very abundantly. Looking into the distance, there were rolling hills on the island.

This wonderful place, a paradise on earth, is so beautiful that people linger there. If it weren't for the churning clouds and the faintly visible pillars of heaven behind them, it would be hard to imagine that they were more than 5,000 meters above the ground.

Chapter 510 Impressions of the Island

Located thousands of meters above the ground, Tianzhu Island is a unique and wonderful place. Although it is oxygen-deprived and extremely cold at high altitudes, Tianzhu Island presents an extraordinary scene with a beautiful environment and a spring-like climate all year round.

Since it was their first time visiting Tianzhu Island, the members of the Fei Li team were filled with curiosity. The members of the other three teams, however, had likely received information about the area before, and many of them had even been there before, so they seemed quite familiar with it.

However, the arrangements made by the Haomiao Palace were very appropriate. Four staff members came to the four teams and led them to their resting places.

It must have been a deliberate arrangement by the Vast Palace that the four teams were not placed in the same area; no one knows what their plan was.

The white-clad man leading the Fei Li team appeared to be easygoing and in his thirties. Yan arranged for a sociable, chubby member of the Fei Li team to approach him and ingratiate himself with him. They managed to obtain a considerable amount of information about Tianzhu Island, which was probably deliberately leaked to them.

"Everyone is curious about Tianzhu Island, and I am very willing to be your guide and introduce it to you."

The white-clad man leading the Emerald team smiled slightly, then continued in a loud voice, "Everyone, congratulations on reaching the semifinals. In all these years, you are the first non-seeded team to reach the semifinals of the Heavenly Pearl Tournament. It's a pity I have to stay on duty on the island and won't be able to see your match..."

This man quickly established a close relationship with the people from the Emerald Empire through a series of polite words, before getting to the point: "Gentlemen, on our Tianzhu Island, there are three most famous places: the Vast Palace, the Condensing Pavilion, and the Imprint Palace."

The Vast Expanse Palace, needless to say, is the largest sect in our Zhongtian Empire. It is not open to the public and is a sacred place on the island. Generally speaking, no one is qualified to go to the Vast Expanse Palace.

The guests who come to our Heavenly Bead Island mainly visit the Form Condensation Pavilion and the Imprint Palace, especially the Form Condensation Pavilion, which is a sacred place that countless people yearn for. Many Heavenly Bead Masters compete for the Heavenly Bead Token, mostly for the precious resources within the Form Condensation Pavilion.

When the man in white introduced them, Yan's gaze unconsciously fell on Minghua and Mingyu. Mingyu quickly became a little irritated and almost started a fight with Yan, while Minghua, although feeling uneasy, kept her feelings hidden.

Yan followed the white-robed man and found an opportunity to approach Minghua. "Minghua, you're in charge of the Heavenly Evil Sect's procurement on Tianzhu Island this time."

“Yan, the sect has its own arrangements for such important matters, and I cannot speak of them casually.”

Minghua gave an ambiguous answer, probably because she was afraid of being tricked by Yan before. She was extra careful about everything Yan did, especially when trying to get close to him, for fear of being tricked by Yan again.

However, judging from Minghua's reaction, Yan already had the answer in his heart. Unlike the other four holy lands that could stand in the present world, the Heavenly Evil Sect was treated with hostility due to its special circumstances, and had not dared to reveal too much information about the sect until now.

Because they cannot openly recruit soldiers and build their forces outside, although their overall strength is no less than that of the other four holy lands, they are indeed lacking in talent cultivation and the acquisition of some precious resources, especially the various precious resources on Tianzhu Island, which they are very short of.

Because they lack precious resources and the Heavenly Bead Token is hard to come by, these people won't let go of a buying opportunity. If Yan's guess is correct, they won't miss the chance to take advantage of Minghua and Mingyu's visit to the island this time, and will surely provide them with a lot of money and valuables.

"Even a fool would understand why you're buying up rare resources all by yourself on Tianzhu Island, or why you're splitting the purchases among two or three people."

Yan suddenly pulled Minghua aside and whispered, "You, Mingyu, and I, as long as we have enough money, we can each carefully buy a batch..."

Yan's words finally moved Minghua. In fact, she was also worried about how to spend all the money she had and exchange it for the precious resources she wanted.

She actually had a lot of money, but if she spent it without permission, it would definitely attract attention, just as Yan said. Now that Yan had provided a solution, Minghua breathed a sigh of relief and trusted him even more.

Minghua breathed a sigh of relief and handed over her valuables. Yan had already made a plan after accepting them. He would use money to pave the way for shopping sprees for the next period of time. He wanted to investigate Tianzhu Island more thoroughly, and he couldn't do it without good friends.

The best way to quickly build connections is naturally to get close to people through connections. With the money from the Heavenly Evil Cult supported by the little rich woman Minghua, Yan felt that he would soon become a guest of honor at the Ningxing Pavilion on Tianzhu Island.

"Gentlemen, the area where you live is not far from the Condensing Pavilion and the Imprinting Palace, both of which are in the central area of ​​the island. Only the central area is open to you. You are not allowed to go to the wild areas outside the central area, otherwise you will be regarded as invaders."

Yan was quickly taken to temporary accommodation by the Fei Li team, and by then the introduction by the man in white was basically over.

After hearing the introduction, everyone had a general idea of ​​Tianzhu Island. Undoubtedly, the central area was Tianzhu Island's trading zone, where a large amount of precious resources were traded.

However, this is clearly not the true strategic location of Tianzhu Island. In fact, it could be said that the central area is the place with the worst cultivation environment on Tianzhu Island.

Everywhere Yan and his companions encountered on Tianzhu Island was pleasant and rich in spiritual energy. It was foreseeable that the environment of the Vast Expanse Palace would be even better, and the areas they were warned against visiting would certainly be even more wonderful.

There must be many secrets hidden in the wild areas that are not open to the public. It is said that there are dragons on Tianzhu Island, and Haomiao Palace has information about the Thirteen Dragon Caves. There are also countless treasure lands where various natural treasures and rare minerals grow.

Yan was very envious of these places. If he could wreak havoc on these areas to collect intelligence, it would be of great benefit to his database.

Unfortunately, Tianzhu Island is the core of the Vast Palace and even the Central Heaven Empire, so not many people have the ability to cause trouble here.

Yan and the rest of the Fei Li team followed the man in white and quickly arrived at the center. The further they went into the island, the more comfortable the air became—fresh, moist, and filled with the faint fragrance of plants. Coupled with the pure sunlight, it was simply like a paradise on earth.

Yan was quite satisfied with the beautiful environment and weather. He squinted his eyes and looked lazy, occasionally bothering Minghua and Caicai, which made the white-robed man who was leading the way quite envious.

This thirty-something old man was no match for Yan, and he was well aware of his own limitations. After leading everyone to the finish line, he disappeared.

They followed him to the so-called central area, which looked more like a small city than a town, except it lacked city gates. But what need was there for city gates on Tianzhu Island?

They entered the city through the passage, and surprisingly, there were shops on both sides of the wide streets. The shop owners all looked like the white-clad man who had led them there.

These shops have no direct connection with dzi bead masters; they are either places to eat or places to sell clothing.

The man in white on the way explained that the restaurants on Tianzhu Island served only the finest delicacies, and the clothes they sold were made from extremely precious materials and crafted with exceptional skill. After confirming that Yan would be a major client, this man enthusiastically invited Yan to patronize his shop.

To build a closer relationship, Yan generously contributed some money from the evil cult, and in return, he obtained more information. When they arrived at the hotel they were assigned to, they witnessed a scene of bustling prosperity.

Because sleeping on the streets is not allowed on Tianzhu Island, and the Fei Li team doesn't have much of a foothold there, they can only stay in hotels.

Tianzhu Island is rich in resources and opportunities, but if someone wants to live and cultivate here long-term, and make good use of the Imprint Palace and Form Condensation Pavilion on Tianzhu Island, then they must prepare an astronomical amount of gold coins.

This is actually a tactic used by Tianzhu Island to restrict guests who possess Tianzhu tokens, but for truly wealthy and powerful patrons, it's nothing. Of course, it can also be seen as a money-making scheme by the Haomiao Palace.

Yan and the members of the Fei Li team quickly spotted the Ningxing Pavilion and Tuoyin Palace, which were located on one side of the central area of ​​Tianzhu Island, not far apart.

On the other side of the central area, however, a large expanse of mist swirled, obscuring the view. Clearly, that was the Vast Palace, which was shrouded in mist due to some kind of sealing or restriction.

The Fei Li team stayed at an unnamed hotel on Tianzhu Island, arranged by Haomiao Palace, which was not far from Ningxing Pavilion and Tuoyin Palace.

The hotel's facilities are by no means luxurious; at best, they're just clean. For a hotel like this, it costs 1000 gold coins per person per day, and that's not even for a single room—the price is outrageously high.

Before leaving, the man in white told everyone that while accommodation was free during the Heavenly Bead Competition, meals would still cost money. As for what to eat, that was up to the members of the Emerald Team.

After the man in white left, Yan and the others were assigned rooms to rest, and then went to their own rooms to do their own things. Everyone had been under a lot of stress lately, and now that they had finally arrived at Tianzhu Island, shouldn't they be allowed to relax and have some fun?

Of course, people like Yan, Mingyu, and Caicai couldn't rest. After observing the street from the window, Yan went to Caicai's door and knocked.

"Yan, is something the matter?"

The door opened, and Cai Cai's bright face came into his view. Compared with when she first arrived at Tianzhu Island, she looked much better now, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

"Cai Cai, let's go out to Ningxing Pavilion and Tuoyin Palace later, together with Minghua."

Yan called Cai Cai and Ming Hua, and they prepared to go to the Condensing Form Pavilion. Not only to obtain resources, but also to scout out the location and acquire more valuable knowledge about the Condensing Form Scroll, which would be very useful to him.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 511 The Final Battle of the Light and Shadow Space

"Yan, wake up! Everyone's gathered here..."

Early in the morning, outside Yan's room, Minghua's lively and adorable voice was unusually loud. Yan, who was usually grumpy when he woke up, casually lifted his hand out of the quilt and pulled a soft, fragrant body into his arms.

"Ah! No..."

A shy, timid voice rang out, and Yan relentlessly savored the resistance of the beauty beneath him, but after a while he realized something was amiss.

"Hehehe... Sister Cai, isn't she gorgeous...?"

Minghua's voice could still be heard outside, even carrying a hint of triumphant laughter. Yan subconsciously lowered his head and met the gaze of Princess Caicai, whose face was flushed red.

Although Yan really wanted to let things slide, there was a smug little third wheel outside, and the finals were about to begin, so after thinking it over, she decided to get up.

"Sister Cai, how are you feeling?"

As soon as Cai Cai was released from bed by Yan, Ming Hua, the plastic sister who had just tricked her, quickly stepped forward, took her good sister's arm, and asked curiously.

Cai Cai feigned anger as she pinched the ghost flower, "You wretched girl, if you're so eager to know, why don't you try it yourself? You actually pushed me out to take the blame! I'm a princess, how dare you, you traitor..."