Pure Land

After a few twists and turns, Qian Qizhou and Guang Ling had finally completed their Soul Hunting.

By then, Qian Qizhou's Soul Power had reached Level 25, making him a two-ring Soul Grandmaster.

But...

The moment the two of them arrived at the foot of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's mountain, they spotted the sealed spatial entrance.

There was no other reason—it was simply too conspicuous, and the aura kept spilling out of it.

Qian Qizhou stared at the spatial rift before him, puzzled. Unable to resist, he reached out to touch it. "What is this...?"

That aura felt so familiar.

Seeing this, Guang Ling's brows drew together slightly. He raised a hand and slapped Qian Qizhou's away. "Don't be reckless. You'd reach out and touch an unknown object just like that?"

That was a bad habit. If there was danger, he'd already be trapped inside by now.

Just then, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin walked over side by side.

Both of them looked rather weighed down. A lingering weariness and worry clouded their brows.

When Ning Fengzhi saw Qian Qizhou, he stopped first, trying hard to squeeze out a warm smile. But the smile never reached his eyes, and instead seemed strained.

"You're back? Did everything go smoothly?"

Qian Qizhou and Guang Ling exchanged a look instinctively, both seeing the same bewilderment in the other's eyes.

Ning Fengzhi took in their subtle exchange and gave a bitter laugh. Then he briefly explained what had happened.

When he finished, Qian Qizhou's pupils trembled, and he froze.

He'd only let the thought cross his mind, yet Ei had actually gone and done it? That was just...

Guang Ling, standing nearby, couldn't keep his expression in check either. The corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Still mulling it over, Qian Qizhou found himself walking up to the entrance, now reduced to a slender vertical line.

He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he reached out and gently touched it with a fingertip.

The instant his finger made contact, however, an abrupt change occurred!

The dormant line suddenly glowed with a deep light and spread open on both sides, restoring the entrance to its original form—a profound, swirling vortex.

More astonishingly, at the same moment the entrance reopened, a faint yet unmistakable sense of connection welled up inside Qian Qizhou. It was as if a single thought would let him sense, or even influence, the state of this space.

Feeling that strange connection, he took a deep breath and said to the others, who were still reeling in shock, "Let's go in and have a look."

With that, Qian Qizhou didn't hesitate any longer. He stepped forward first, his figure vanishing into the slowly spinning vortex of energy.

The moment he passed through the vortex, the light and shadows around him twisted violently, and space seemed to fold in on itself before instantly unfolding again.

A fleeting sensation of weightlessness and dizziness later, the view before him suddenly opened up.

He had set foot on an incomparably vast platform.

The platform seemed to be made entirely from some kind of warm, lustrous jade. Its surface was as smooth as a mirror, without a single seam, and it stretched so far that the eye couldn't find its edge.

Guang Ling and the others followed close behind, emerging from the vortex beside him. They were all too stunned by the sight to speak.

This platform, floating in the boundless void, was actually larger than the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Beyond its sides and overhead stretched the deep, cold expanse of the universe, with no end in sight.

Ning Fengzhi's expression turned grave. He looked at Chen Xin beside him and was just about to speak. "Uncle Sword..."

Before he could finish, Qian Qizhou up ahead slowly closed his eyes.

The next second, the entire boundless platform began to tremble.

The endless, profound starry sky around them faded rapidly like a painting losing its color, then vanished into pure nothingness.

Next, boundless, warm, holy golden radiance spread from the far reaches of the void, replacing the cold starry sky and gently enveloping the entire space.

Qian Qizhou could clearly sense that the moment he set foot here, the contingency Ei had left behind was already triggered.

The core authority over this domain, first shaped by Ei, had been transferred to him without reservation.

Like the Plane of Euthymia, this place was entirely governed by his will.

It had become a "Pure Land" belonging solely to Qian Qizhou. The structure of the space, its laws, and even every form it could take were all within a single thought of his.

Guang Ling also took in the space around them, a trace of unmistakable amazement flashing through his eyes.

He gave a slight nod. "It really is remarkable. This place is vast enough to serve as a battlefield."

"It's just empty in every direction. If you look at it for too long, it's bound to feel stifling."

Qian Qizhou nodded, then turned to Ning Fengzhi, who was still stunned. "Sect Master Ning, I'll have to trouble you with what comes next."

"I'll leave it to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to provide all the materials needed to build a complete complex of buildings here. You can have them delivered straight to this place."

Though he could control this place however he pleased, he couldn't conjure physical objects out of thin air. He could only trouble this Sect Master, with whom he had a deal.

Ning Fengzhi came back to his senses and instinctively looked around at the enormous platform beneath his feet. Its area even exceeded that of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's main grounds.

He fell silent for a moment. The gentle smile on his face finally turned into a thoroughly helpless, bitter smile, but all he did was shake his head. "...All right."

What kind of colossal complex would have to be built across such a vast area? The construction materials alone would cost a fortune... This kid really didn't hold back.

Still, it wasn't wise to linger here. If he stayed any longer, who knew what other trouble the boy would come up with?

With that thought, Ning Fengzhi composed himself and said to Qian Qizhou, "Since there's nothing else you need from us for now, Uncle Sword and I will take our leave. There's still plenty of business to attend to within the sect."

Qian Qizhou smiled warmly and replied with perfect courtesy, "Then I'll leave it to you, Sect Master Ning and Sword Douluo. Take care."

The two men said no more. They turned and quickly left the space.

With a flick of his wrist, Guang Ling conjured a soft, plush sofa that looked exceptionally comfortable. It appeared in a flash of light and settled firmly nearby.

Qian Qizhou quite naturally fell backward, sinking into the soft cushions with a satisfied sigh.

Guang Ling didn't sit down. He folded his arms, his brows slightly furrowed as he asked, "This place... don't you think it's too quiet? Apart from the Holy Light you've created, there's nothing here."

Rather than feeling uncomfortable, Qian Qizhou adjusted his reclining position with ease and shook his head. "I don't think so. It's only empty for now."

"Once Ning Fengzhi brings over the materials we need, the buildings will go up one by one. We can recruit some people too. Gradually, this place will come alive, and it won't feel so empty anymore."

But Guang Ling didn't seem to have noticed yet that the density and purity of the natural energy in this space—shaped and transformed by Ei—far surpassed anything outside.

The moment he entered this space, Qian Qizhou had suppressed its energy. Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo had probably been too busy marveling at everything to notice it at all.