At Dragon Lord's words—whether they carried the force of law or were driven by his will—the enormous dharma vessel let out a deep hum.
The giant vessel fashioned from Building Tree branches bloomed with ethereal, radiant light, rose from the water's surface, and shot forward like a streak of light.
Rather than turning back and passing through the barrier between heaven and earth, it sped toward a more ancient, untamed land Shen Le had never visited before. Unable to help himself, Shen Le turned to look beside him. Then his left wrist trembled slightly, and Zhong Xiaomei sent out a Beauty Couch from within the Brush Pot, thickly covered in brocade bedding and propped with cushions.
The Silk Skirts carefully settled Shen Le onto the Beauty Couch. The Hidden Abyss Sword remained at his side without leaving so much as a step, half protecting him and half serving as a handrail.
The magnolia spirit dew slowly spread through his body, replenishing his depleted mental and inner strength and restoring him bit by bit. It kept him from immediately collapsing to the ground and left him enough energy to crane his head out and look around:
At first, the surrounding environment still roughly matched his understanding—or rather, it still resembled scenery that could exist on Earth.
Yet before long, as the dharma vessel rapidly drew farther from the barrier between heaven and earth, the sights before him became increasingly bizarre and fantastical:
A towering tree blocked their path, soaring straight into the heavens. The dharma vessel had no choice but to make a wide detour and stay far from the tree's reach.
The enormous tree was red all over, like burning charcoal, and lava seemed to flow amid its branches and leaves.
Layer upon layer of branches spread out like cities.