When Chen Yan spoke these words, he unconsciously imbued them with the power of heaven and earth that only Grandmaster Realm could mobilize.
Although Chen Yan did not intend to take his life, the difference in their cultivation levels was still evident at this moment.
"Hmm!"
Shopkeeper Wu let out a muffled groan, and the protective aura he had barely managed to maintain shattered like fragile glass.
He felt as if an invisible hammer had slammed into his mind, and in an instant, the world spun around him, he saw stars, his ears rang, and he almost lost his balance.
Just as he was about to stagger and fall...
"Smack!"
Suddenly, a crisp sound of shattering cups and saucers came from the private room on the second floor. Immediately afterward, a cold snort, like ice water being poured, spread out instantly.
In an instant, the invisible pressure vanished as if gently wiped away by an invisible hand.
The pressure suddenly dissipated, and everyone in the lobby breathed a sigh of relief, looking around with suspicion and uncertainty.
The mysterious young man who was just sitting comfortably in the booth has vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there at all.
If it weren't for the still-present pool of foul-smelling liquid on the ground, and Shopkeeper Wu's deathly pale face covered in cold sweat, one would almost think that everything that had just happened was a collective hallucination.
A chill ran through everyone's hearts.
This place... is not safe to stay in!
Chen Yan was no longer in the main hall of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
He was following the two guiding auras when he quietly appeared in a dark room a hundred meters underground at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
He was led here by two powerful experts at the Heavenly Human Realm.
Chen Yan looked at the two people in front of him with a hint of curiosity.
On the left is a woman with a graceful figure, wrapped in a crimson gauze dress that is like smoke and mist, with exquisite features.
Her eyes possessed a captivating, alluring charm, and she toyed with a jade pipe in her delicate hand, a faint smile playing on her red lips.
The woman who just deflated his pressure and tested him in the main hall of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion was this very woman.
On the right is a monk, wearing a faded gray robe, with an ancient face and half-closed eyes.
Holding a string of ebony prayer beads, his aura was as deep and solid as a mountain, a stark contrast to the woman's charming and lively demeanor; he possessed a dignified and solemn appearance.
A woman of worldly charm and a man of Zen-like tranquility—such a combination is truly quite peculiar.
The vixen's gaze swept over Chen Yan, shimmering with an alluring light, and a subtle, almost imperceptible, spiritual charm subtly permeated the air, attempting to stir his heartstrings.
However, Chen Yan's eyes were as clear as an ancient well, and his handsome face remained calm, letting the seductive arts brush against him like a spring breeze on Bedrock.
A moment later, a hint of surprise flashed in the woman's eyes, then she smiled sweetly and deliberately stopped her probing:
"Your divine sense is so refined and stable that it is truly admirable."
"Although my ' Red Dust Attraction ' is hardly a sophisticated tactic, even the Master Wuxiang beside me has to silently recite the Heart Sutra to maintain his Zen mind; he cannot remain as calm as Your Excellency."
Her voice was soft and alluring, a natural charm, yet it carried a peculiar honesty.
Chen Yan stared coldly at the two of them without saying a word.
The monk known as Master Wuxiang finally half-opened his eyes, a flash of golden light appearing in them, his voice like an ancient bell:
"Amitabha. Your cultivation is profound and extraordinary. On behalf of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, I, along with Master Meng Ran, wish to have a discussion with you."
The alluring woman took over the conversation, her smile fading slightly, replaced by a more formal tone. "Let's not beat around the bush. Since you've come to our door, you must have already experienced the power of the Painting Saint Mountain domain."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yan couldn't help but recall his previous embarrassing moment.
If it weren't for the Chaos Myriad Laws Golden Core, he might not have been able to escape!
"Your strength is formidable, your cultivation at the Heavenly Human Realm is unparalleled in this world. However, my Heavenly Mystery Pavilion has dominated the Blood Moon Realm for hundreds of years, serving as the world's largest eyes and ears, and its foundation cannot be shaken by the power of one person alone."
Meng Ran paused, observing Chen Yan's expression, and continued:
"Although our Heavenly Mystery Pavilion possesses the key to enter and exit the 'domain' of the Secret Realm, we still need strong reinforcements if we wish to explore Secret Realm. Especially someone with extraordinary divine sense like yourself, which is exactly what our pavilion urgently needs right now."
"Cooperation is the best option for both of us."
Although the words were tactful, the implied meaning was quite clear.
If Chen Yan agrees to cooperate, they can Secret Realm together.
If they do not comply, then we will have to fight them two against one.
The combined power of two Heavenly Human Realm experts, equivalent to Grandmasters, is enough to make anyone wary.
Chen Yan ignored the subtle threat in their words. These two were indeed among the top in this world, but they were still a bit short of the skill to control or measure him, Chen Yan.
Chen Yan pondered to himself.
This so-called key to the Secret Realm is clearly just a pretext used by the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.
Since the key is frequently released, it means it can be reused and sustained in the long term.
However, the limited quantity is simply to control those martial artists who crave opportunities, selecting, controlling, and even exploiting them.
The bizarre and terrifying encounter he, Bai Lingshuang, and the Broken Eagle Squad had experienced on the outskirts of Painting Saint Mountain was most likely caused by the chaotic "domain" that Shopkeeper Wu had mentioned.
Now that Heavenly Mystery Pavilion has a relatively safe way to deal with this, instead of risking another attempt to force our way in, temporarily cooperating and using their channels to get deeper in is a shortcut.
Thinking of this, Chen Yan raised his eyes and said calmly, "How do we cooperate?"
Seeing that Chen Yan's tone had softened, a hint of relief flashed in the eyes of both Heavenly Human.
May I ask how you are addressed?
"... Hou Ze."
"Fellow Daoist Hou."
The seductive woman Meng Ran, said seriously:
"Since it's for cooperation, we should be completely honest with each other. Heavenly Mystery Pavilion always keeps its promises and keeps its word."
To avoid mutual suspicion, the three of us may jointly Heavenly Dao Oath, agreeing to assist each other during the exploration, refrain from harming one another, and distribute the benefits according to the agreement.
If you disobey, your inner demons will retaliate, the Five Decays of Heavenly Humans will arrive prematurely, and you will die and your spiritual essence will dissipate!
After speaking, she and Master Wuxiang simultaneously raised their right hands, and an aura that seemed to subtly influence the rules began to condense.
Chen Yan's eyes flickered slightly, and he followed suit, raising his hand and mimicking the other person's actions to swear an oath.
As the three recited the oath in unison, and the last sentence, "If I break this oath, Five Decays of Heavenly Humans, death, and the dissipation of my spiritual essence," fell into place, Chen Yan clearly felt a strange and magnificent binding force emerge out of thin air, silently binding his soul's origin and faintly connecting with some vast rules of heaven and earth.
However, before this power could stabilize, the Chaos Myriad Laws Golden Core stirred again, suppressing and devouring the binding force completely.
Throughout the entire process, Chen Yan remained calm and showed no sign of anything amiss.
With the oath made, the expressions of the seductive woman and Master Wuxiang softened considerably, and even the alluring charm that the woman unconsciously exuded diminished significantly.
"Three days later, at noon, we will meet again in the backyard of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion," Meng Ran said. "At that time, several other skilled fighters from my establishment will also be there."
As she spoke, a glint of light flashed at her fingertips, and a Talisman floated toward Chen Yan.
"This talisman is the highest-grade Painting Saint Mountain Secret Key, crafted by our Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. Its effects are far more stable and its duration longer than those circulating outside. You may familiarize yourself with it first."