Ingenious Tricks and Clever Contrivances

A howl—

The sound was incomparably mournful, as though it had been shrieked from the depths of a soul itself. It made everyone's scalp prickle and their hair stand on end.

Everyone was startled. They hurriedly brought out their Dharma artifacts, their eyes fixed tightly upon the Nine-Story Pavilion.

The pavilion's gate was tall and ancient, roughly fifty zhang high and ten zhang wide. From top to bottom, its frame was carved with densely packed Edict Scripts, interspersed with ordinary writing that modern cultivators could still understand.

The Mystic Gate Sky Boat had been built in the Near Antiquity era, an age of surging winds and gathering clouds. The ancient Edict Scripts of the primordial era had gradually changed from intricate to simple.

Someone said in alarm, "Time is limited. We must not kill one another. Otherwise, not only will we fail to obtain the treasures, but the Sky Boat will carry us away as well!"

"Once we're out in the void beyond the heavens, not even immortals can save us."

"Xu Yan, and fellow Daoists from Nine Star Kui Island, if you want to fight, take it outside. Don't violate the Sky Boat's restrictions!"

The group of Daoists had already become sensitive to the extreme.

Before the gates of the Nine-Story Pavilion had fully materialized, no one dared make a reckless move, afraid of triggering the Sky Boat's killing formations and restrictions.

"Once we've taken the treasures here, along with the Great Teleportation Token, it won't be too late to demand an explanation from this Half-Immortal Xu."

A young man from Nine Star Kui Island spoke. His aura was vast and mighty, and his cultivation was the highest among this group—at the Seventh Pulse Opening Stage.

Murong Yan gave a cold snort. His eyes shot a direct glance at Xu Yan, but he said nothing more.

These disciples were not direct-line successors, so strength naturally reigned supreme. Murong Yan had only recently broken through to the Sixth Pulse Opening Stage, and although his cultivation had improved greatly, it was still not enough to stand out among this group.

Xu Yan remained calm and paid them no heed.

"Are there really ghosts hidden within this Sky Boat?" Xu Yan asked quietly.

Qin Yiren seemed thoughtful. She shook her head and said, "A few days ago, the ghostly wails inside the Sky Boat were still very faint. After the Nine-Story Pavilion opened, no cultivator who entered found any ghosts. Some people guessed that it was the power of a Spirit-Born Artifact."

"Spirit-Born Artifacts possess intelligence. If one has no master, it naturally won't want to be refined by cultivators. That guess does make sense," Xu Yan said casually.

The gates of the Nine-Story Pavilion were still taking shape.

At the same time, everyone noticed that the Mystic Gate Sky Boat beneath their feet was slowly raising its prow, as though it were about to flee into the heavens.

At the sight, everyone grew somewhat anxious.

Rumble—

Layer upon layer of ripples of Dharma power spread from within the Nine-Story Pavilion. The Edict Scripts on the gates shifted through a thousand transformations, like swarming ants clinging to the surface, dizzying anyone who looked at them.

A black mist slowly seeped out through the crack in the gates.

Everyone faced a great enemy, gripping their Dharma artifacts tightly. Should any ghostly thing emerge, it would face the combined slaughter of every cultivator present.

"Stay with me later. Don't get separated."

Xu Yan seemed to be pondering something. Feeling the Edict Script in his palm grow hotter and hotter, he spoke in a low voice.

He might be able to try activating the [Wondrous Method] Edict Script to break open the ancient formation on the gates. However, activating an Edict Script consumed an enormous amount of spiritual sense. Such an ancient formation might drain Xu Yan's spiritual sense dry and make him faint on the spot.

At a time like this, such a course of action was undoubtedly foolish—a road straight to death.

"Alright!" Qin Yiren nodded.

Having traveled together before, she knew clearly that Xu Yan possessed some attainments in Mystic Gate arts. Here, he might be able to show his skills.

The black mist pouring from within the gates grew thicker and thicker, sweeping across the entire deck like a tide!

The mist seemed to contain wondrous primordial restrictions that even sealed the cultivators' five senses. If Xu Yan did not activate the Miaoyuan Edict, his spiritual sense could only extend one zhang from his body!

Rustling sounds came from every direction.

Everyone's hearts tightened, yet none dared act rashly.

Gradually, the black mist seeping from the Nine-Story Pavilion spread throughout the entire Sky Boat, enveloping every cultivator. That sinister, lonely stillness left no one daring to relax in the slightest; they steeled their minds and guarded against every direction.

"Something has come out of the gates. Be careful."

Xu Yan's spiritual sense suddenly stirred, and he spoke to Qin Yiren beside him.

"Brother Xu, your spiritual sense can detect it?" Qin Yiren held her sword case close and asked gravely.

"I possess a hereditary Mystic Gate secret art that can awaken spiritual reserves and gather power," Xu Yan casually fabricated. Without activating the Miaoyuan Edict, he could sense only the area within a zhang around himself, just like every other Daoist.

Yet this dark mist was truly bizarre. Even with the [Miaoyuan] Edict Script allowing him to sense a little, Xu Yan felt as though his spiritual sense had sunk into a swamp.

Qin Yiren did not ask further.

The two stood back to back, vigilantly watching their surroundings.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Within the black mist, a Daoist had already become unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere. He was about to use an escape art to flee the Sky Boat.

But in the next instant—

Discordant sounds rang out in midair. The black mist seemed to come alive, directly condensing into a massive divine ability resembling dark-black vines and brutally dragging the Daoist down from the air.

"Aah—"

His scream made everyone's hearts leap. No one knew where he had been dragged, and before long, he fell silent.

Everyone waited tensely for half an incense stick's time.

At last, the gates made a sound. A creak rang out, especially distinct amid the black mist.

Someone whispered, "The gates of the Nine-Story Pavilion have opened!"

"Move!"

Rustling footsteps sounded as quite a few people hurried forward, making their way toward the gates.

No one used divine abilities or Daoist arts, afraid of ending up like the cultivator from before.

Xu Yan and Qin Yiren did not waste any time either, immediately walking toward the gates.

The enormous gates were right before them, and the Edict Scripts along the frame were clearly visible.

Black mist surged out from within like a tide. The interior resembled a black hole, impossible to see through clearly.

Not far away, cultivators had already hurried inside, their figures vanishing through the entrance.

Xu Yan seized Qin Yiren's arm.

Her beautiful eyes flickered. She lifted her gaze to look at him, but did not pull away.

"Go!"

The moment Xu Yan spoke, he raised his foot. In an instant, a powerful suction force burst from within the gates and directly swallowed both him and Qin Yiren.

After the world spun around them, Xu Yan and Qin Yiren landed inside an exceptionally vast hall.

This was clearly the first floor of the Nine-Story Pavilion.

Quite a few cultivators had already entered. Like Xu Yan and Qin Yiren, they looked around in astonishment.

There was no other reason: the interior's structure and decorations were simply fantastical, and many ingenious tricks and clever contrivances left people marveling in wonder!

The hall was roughly thirty zhang high. Its vaulted ceiling was inlaid with countless fist-sized luminous pearls that emitted a soft glow, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as day.

Enormous murals covered the four walls. Some showed cultivators flying on swords, some showed giant vessels crossing the starry skies, and some showed immortals discoursing on the Dao in midair. They were lifelike, as though they might step out from the walls at any moment.

"These... are all relics from the Near Antiquity era?"

A cultivator cried out in surprise. He walked before one of the vivid murals, marveling at its exquisite craftsmanship.

"Don't touch anything!"

Someone shouted.

Unfortunately, it was already too late. The moment that cultivator touched the mural, he was directly swallowed into it, becoming a scene within the painting himself.

"What an idiot!"

As Xu Yan looked around, he noticed that the people from Nine Star Kui Island had entered as well.

Gradually, several hundred cultivators had all gathered on the first floor.

While everyone was still surveying their surroundings, spiritual light flashed from the enormous murals on the first floor. A streak of radiance, wrapped in Edict Script restrictions, shot out like a meteor.

"An upper-grade Dharma artifact!"

A cultivator cried out. It was a huge axe, though no one knew whether it belonged to the Sky Boat itself or to a cultivator previously swallowed by a mural.

Like ripples stirred by a stone dropped into water, after this item emerged, even more spiritual treasures shot out from every direction!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

For a moment, spiritual treasures filled the sky, dazzling the eye.

Everyone's eyes gleamed. They immediately employed escape arts to rise into the air and began gathering spiritual wealth and treasures!

Qin Yiren rose into the air and casually beckoned, catching a bottle of pills.

"Primal Qi Pills?" Qin Yiren raised her brows, a faint smile touching her lips.

Xu Yan did not make a move. Instead, he activated the Miaoyuan Edict, sending out his spiritual sense to investigate. Then he said quietly, "The Great Teleportation Token isn't here. Let's go upstairs. Don't waste time in this place."