"Come with me." The Ancient One called out, then stepped into the mirror-like space.
Huo Yuhao twirled the Suspension Ring between his fingers. He took one last look at Tian Meng and his other companions, their expressions varied behind the barrier, then drew a deep breath and followed the pale-robed figure into the mirror.
One step was all it took to turn heaven and earth upside down. The hall before him was a perfect silver copy of reality, down to every floating mote of dust.
Huo Yuhao looked around. The Ancient One's voice rang out again. "The Illusion Space is an extra dimension attached to the real Universe. Here, we can amplify our own power and easily do things that are utterly impossible in the outside world."
The Ancient One stopped and lightly set down her bare foot.
"Rumble!!!"
The entire hall seemed to come alive in an instant! Space turned into a raging Mangekyo. The walls twisted like giant serpents, the floor fractured and curled like a chessboard, and the ceiling peeled back layer by layer like a flower, the whole dome blossoming open to let in the light from outside.
Before Huo Yuhao could recover from the shocking sight, the floor beneath him suddenly surged upward, carrying him into a seemingly endless void. Countless inverted spires and abstract buildings hurtled past him!
"Heav..." Huo Yuhao's cry was swallowed by the roar of space as he watched the entire world spin, shatter, warp, and reassemble before his eyes!
A barely perceptible smile tugged at the Ancient One's lips. She flicked her fingers.
The next moment, the torrent of Twisted Space abruptly froze, then rapidly rewound like footage playing in reverse. The Mangekyo contracted and collapsed, while the flying buildings sank back into place.
In the blink of an eye, everything had returned to how it was when they first entered, so still it seemed like a mere illusion.
Huo Yuhao's feet touched the ground. The dizziness still lingered, and a cold sweat had already broken out across his back.
The Ancient One, however, swept one hand through the air in a smooth arc. Golden-red sparks burst from the void, swirling together to form a blazing Portal.
"Let's go." The Ancient One stepped into the ring of fire. Huo Yuhao looked back at the now-stable Illusion Space, took a deep breath, and followed her through.
As the Blazing Light faded, they appeared on a quiet terrace.
The Ancient One gave Huo Yuhao a little time to calm down, then continued, "Besides general spells that use your own power and Cosmic Energy, most of the more powerful magic requires a special kind of power to cast."
"We can't obtain those special powers through our own cultivation, nor can we draw them from Cosmic Energy. So we have no choice but to borrow them."
"For example, even a basic resurrection spell requires borrowing power from Vishanti, the White Magic God. That power is like borrowed money: you have to repay it with your health or your lifespan!"
Huo Yuhao frowned. "I've encountered the Guardian Mages of the Sacred Hall before. They didn't seem any weaker than the gods!"
"The White Magic God I'm talking about may be different from the gods you know," The Ancient One said. "Now that you're here, you've probably realized that the planet you used to live on isn't the only place where life can emerge."
"Likewise, this star system—and even the Universe we inhabit—isn't alone."
"Beyond the Universe, there are other universes and dimensions. The rulers of those Outer Dimensions are known as Dimensional Demon Gods. Vishanti, whom I mentioned, is one of them."
"Some Dimensional Demon Gods are benevolent and allow us to obtain spells and power through deals. Others are savage, doing everything they can to breach the Sacred Hall's defenses and devour all of reality."
The Ancient One spoke calmly. "The Sacred Hall is this Universe's first line of defense against the outside. We are the guardians of reality. We trade for power with the Dimensional Demon Gods to resist their watchful gaze and invasions..."
"Powerful magic can reverse life and death, disrupt space and time, and create miracles... It's almost omnipotent."
She smiled. "The power of magic can extend a person's life by a thousand years, yet Guardian Mages rarely live past a hundred. That's the price of miracles."
Standing beside the Ancient One, Huo Yuhao spoke with determination. "If it can truly make miracles happen, then I think the price is worth it!"
The Ancient One smiled faintly. "Then go to the Library. The knowledge inside will make you stronger."
"What about my companions?" Huo Yuhao asked.
The Ancient One waved her hand and turned to leave. "The restraints on them have already been lifted. Once you're strong enough, you'll naturally be able to restore their bodies and give them life again."
Huo Yuhao in the Heavenly Screen had gone to the Library to borrow books, but the countless viewers on Douluo Continent were left reeling by the sheer amount of information this scene had revealed.
For the various major powers on Douluo Continent and the top officials of the Four Great Empires, the information in this scene left them with complicated feelings.
The good news: they finally no longer had to guess what kind of power the so-called Sacred Hall was, or whether it would affect the current balance of power on Douluo Continent.
After all, they talked about the safety of the Universe as if it were their business, and barely even regarded the gods of the Divine Realm. They wouldn't spare a glance for a tiny place like Douluo Continent.
The bad news: an Evil Existence known as a Dimensional Demon God wanted to invade the real Universe. If anything went wrong, forget the balance of power on the continent—the entire Douluo Star would be done for!
And those monsters that had appeared in the Extreme North in the Heavenly Screen earlier were likely the minions of those so-called Dimensional Demon Gods. Just looking at their style, it was clear that if disaster struck, surrendering and becoming their dogs wouldn't even be an option!
For a time, many people who had once been ambitious suddenly felt dispirited.
Because none of it mattered anymore.
It was like a frog at the bottom of a well who had glimpsed the vast sky beyond, then lost all interest in ruling over the frogs in the well.
Why did ambitious people stir up trouble? To fulfill their aspirations, rise to the top of the continent, and be remembered for generations! To become the most noble or greatest person on Douluo Continent! To prove themselves!
But once they considered the scale and grandeur of the Sacred Hall, then compared it to all their painstaking schemes, suddenly it seemed far less appealing to throw their weight around in the little pond of Douluo Continent.
So what if they unified Douluo Continent and established the Sole Kingdom? They still wouldn't be worth a second glance from the Mages who guarded reality.
If the Dimensional Demon Gods really invaded, they wouldn't spare someone just because he was Co-Lord of Douluo Continent.
Some even began to feel that the gods of the Divine Realm—including Huo Yuhao, the Son of Destiny supposedly fated to Become God—weren't all that impressive.
So what if he could Become God? In the eyes of the Guardian Mages of the Sacred Hall, wouldn't he still be looked down on and considered a prisoner trapped in the Divine Realm, unable to live freely?
From that moment on, the thinking of many powerful factions and imperial officials began to shift.
They still needed to find ways to grow closer to Huo Yuhao, but their goal was no longer to ascend to the Divine Realm alongside him. Instead, they wanted to see if they could use the boy to make contact with the Sacred Hall!
There was no helping it. The way into the Sacred Hall shown in the Heavenly Screen was too bizarre. If you didn't meet the requirements, you couldn't find it no matter what; once you did, you could walk right in.
That made it impossible to even begin searching for the location of the Douluo Sacred Hall. Their only hope was to see whether Huo Yuhao, who had entered the Sacred Hall in the future shown on the Heavenly Screen, would still have a chance to return now that he knew his future had changed.
Before you continue