That detailed?
Chen Yan accepted the talisman and asked curiously, "May I ask you a question?"
"Please."
"What's the principle behind this thing? Or rather, how did the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion learn how to break the Painting Saint Mountain's domain?"
The foxy woman exchanged a glance with Master Wuxiang. After a moment's thought, she spoke.
Meng Ran's tone grew serious. "There's no harm in telling you. The method for crafting this talisman came at a great cost.
"Our Heavenly Mystery Pavilion once sent three Heavenly Humans into the depths of Painting Saint Mountain. They forced their way in at any cost, hoping to uncover the nature of that 'domain.' Two of them... were torn apart on the spot by its chaotic power, their souls utterly destroyed.
"The prototype of this key and the core method for crafting it were created from the insights and materials brought back by the one senior who survived, at the cost of being gravely wounded and on the brink of death."
Chen Yan nodded slightly and asked no more.
He put away the talisman and cupped his hands. "See you in three days."
Before he had even finished speaking, the space around him rippled faintly like water. His solid form turned insubstantial, as if he had merged with the gap between time and shadow. In an instant, he vanished without a trace, leaving behind not even a glimmer of light or a stir of air.
Only the foxy woman and Master Wuxiang remained in the dim room.
They stood motionless, gazing at the spot where Chen Yan had disappeared. The composure on Meng Ran's face had given way completely to shock.
"What an exquisite escape technique!" The foxy woman put away her pipe and furrowed her brows. "It wasn't simply speed. It seemed to involve