First Glimpse of the Great World!
On the fourteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Imperial Concubine entered the city.
On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the imperial concubine went out of the city to explore the mountains.
Chen Lingxi also left Bridge Mechanism Mountain and returned to Yuan River Prefecture.
Once the imperial carriage departed, all the guards and retainers of the city went to escort it, leaving Yuan River Prefecture empty.
The Imperial Concubine was visiting the mountains, and it was possible that she might go to Bridge Mechanism Mountain. Chen Lingxi was Qi Circulation Realm whether his Upper Three Floors technique could detect her location, but to be on the safe side, he put away the Pure Marvel Qi-Pivot Formation, left Bridge Mechanism Mountain, and came to Yuan River Prefecture.
He found an inconspicuous inn in the south of the city and asked for a room to stay in.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, calmed his mind, and his consciousness entered Divine Chamber.
Wandering Sight Divine Ability had been activated.
Immediately, Chen Lingxi's mind stirred.
"Lin Suri has returned; he's in Yuan River Prefecture."
He was also in another inn in the city, only seven or eight streets away from the inn where Chen Lingxi was staying.
That inn was much grander, with upturned eaves, red railings and green tiles, built by the river, and one could see the vast Yuan River from the window.
Through Lin Suri's perspective, Chen Lingxi saw what he looked like at that moment.
This usually composed and calm young master of the Marquis's mansion was now pale and weak, sitting cross-legged on the bed, his chest heaving more rapidly than usual.
"He's injured, and seriously injured."
Chen Lingxi a beat. "Lin Suri was very likely involved in the ambush of Consort Chun."
Just like the letter Lin Suri wrote to Wu Mohe, the purpose was naturally for that Mirror Listening Treasure Mirror.
Lin Suri focused on healing his injuries. Just as Chen Lingxi was about to withdraw her Sight-Roaming, Lin Suri suddenly opened his eyes.
He raised his right hand, palm up, fingers slightly spread.
A faint light shone from his palm. At first, the light was very dim, but in an instant it became bright and blazing, transforming into a lamp.
The lamp was about the size of a palm, made entirely of jade, and covered with intricate patterns that were intertwined, resembling some kind of magic array.
In the center of the lamp burned a small, green flame. As the flame burned, tiny specks of light emanated from it, like countless fireflies flying out of the flame and drifting slowly in the air, swirling and circling.
The spiritual light did not dissipate, but instead surrounded Lin Suri, like a thin veil woven from starlight.
Immediately afterwards, a surge of Spiritual Qi burst forth from the lamp flame, like water bursting its banks, and poured wildly into Lin Suri's body.
Lin Suri closed his eyes and activated the Six-Qi True Method. The Spiritual Qi was gradually gathered, refined, and incorporated into his Qi Sea.
His complexion regained its color at a visible speed, and his listless aura gradually returned.
"Lin Suri has another fortuitous opportunity; I wonder what kind of treasure this jade lamp is."
Chen Lingxi watched with awe.
This lamp was no ordinary object; the Spiritual Qi it contained was no less abundant than the Spirit Stone he had obtained from Xi Mu.
He patiently continued to observe from Lin Suri's perspective.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lin Suri's injuries had recovered considerably.
He opened his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and with a wave of his hand, the lamp vanished.
Instead, a Jade Slip was placed.
The Jade Slip the size of a palm, pure white, and had a warm, smooth texture.
Lin Suri held the Jade Slip slip in his palm, and a golden light appeared in his eyes!
The golden light burst forth from the depths of his pupils, initially just a faint glimmer, but in an instant it spread like wildfire, turning his entire eyes into a dazzling golden hue.
Immediately afterwards, a golden spiritual energy surged from between his brows, solid and almost tangible, leaving a very faint golden trace in the air before falling into the Jade Slip.
"Qi Circulation Sixth Floor Spiritual Qi, Golden Blood Spiritual Qi."
Chen Lingxi was secretly surprised. Just then, Lin Suri's perspective suddenly distorted, and so did Chen Lingxi's!
He felt as if the world had turned upside down, and the light and shadows were distorted. It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed his consciousness, dragged him out of the guest room, and thrown him into a completely unfamiliar place.
When Chen Lingxi came to her senses, the scene Lin Suri had seen had changed, transforming into a pool.
The pool wasn't very large, about ten feet square. The water was milky white, as thick as cow's milk, and a very thin layer of mist swirled around its surface.
Lin Suri's perspective soared out from the pool, like a fish leaping from the bottom of the water to the surface.
My vision suddenly opened up!
Where is this?
Chen Lingxi was extremely surprised.
"Is there such a wondrous place in this world?"
He saw countless mountains, layer upon layer, stretching to the horizon, majestic and towering, each one much larger than Inlaid Gold Mountain and Bridge Mechanism Mountain.
Rivers connect the mountains to the sea, their waters clear and blue like jade, shimmering in the sunlight.
In the sky, cranes cried out in unison, flying in a line across the clouds. In the forest, deer ran about, their antlers adorned with vines. As they ran, the small flowers on the vines fluttered down and scattered all over the ground.
Further away, palaces floated in mid-air, their eaves soaring and their golden splendor gleaming. Supported by clouds and mist, they resembled fairy islands floating above a sea of clouds!
Chen Lingxi watched so intently that she almost forgot to breathe.
"Could this be...?"
"Dao-Below Academy?"
Chen Lingxi had a hunch!
If this were Academy, it would be far too large!
He had originally thought it was just a possibly magnificent academy, at most a bit grand.
But this world before them was no academy; it was clearly a small world, a true fairyland.
Just as he was surprised...
From his perspective, Lin Suri's consciousness transformed into a human figure and landed at the foot of a mountain.
At the foot of the mountain lies a dense forest, through which a winding path leads deeper into the woods.
Lin Suri's consciousness then slowly walked along this path.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the forest suddenly opened up, revealing a clearing.
In the center of the open space, there was a blue stone, and a person was sitting cross-legged on the stone, playing the zither.
The music was melodious, like the babbling of a spring or the sound of wind through a pine forest, clear and far-reaching, making one feel completely relaxed.
Lin Suri stopped three zhang in front of the man, bowed deeply to the ground respectfully, and said, "Uncle-Master."
As soon as he finished speaking, the mist in the forest suddenly dissipated.
The face of the person playing the zither was then clearly revealed.
It was a woman.
She was stunningly beautiful, with long, arched eyebrows, eyes like autumn water, a high nose bridge, and well-defined lips, like a jade figure meticulously carved from the finest mutton-fat jade.
She wore a crimson robe, the fabric of which was unknown, but it shimmered with layers of rosy light in the sunlight, making her appear like a burning flame.
But her eyes were extremely cold; her eyes, as clear as autumn water, revealed no trace of joy or anger, only a bottomless calm.
She flicked her sleeve slightly, and the music stopped abruptly.
The wide sleeves of the robe fluttered gently in the wind, like a red cloud drifting by.
"Have you been able to detect that [Immortal Husk]?"
Her voice was clear and melodious, like jade striking against jade, beautiful and pleasing to the ear.
Immortal Husk?
Chen Lingxi's heart skipped a beat.
Lin Suri came to this Cave Heaven a few days ago in the Truth-Seeking Realm and the Cauldron-Seizing Realm.
The so-called Truth-Seeking Realm is the search for the Cauldron Vessel.
The so-called "Cauldron-Seizing Realm" refers to competing with cultivators from various factions for ownership of the Cauldron Vessel.
But what exactly is this "Immortal Husk"?
It doesn't sound like an ordinary object; it seems even more mysterious than Cauldron Vessel.
Lin Suri replied respectfully, his voice steady. "There is still no news."
The woman in red frowned slightly.
Her frown was extremely subtle; her brows furrowed only slightly, yet it added a touch of dignified authority to her stunning face.
She remained silent for a few moments before speaking, "The fortuitous opportunity of Immortal Husk is hidden, but even the Quexing Xi Family is unaware that there is another immortal Immortal Husk in that Qi-Less Grotto-Heaven."
"You should search diligently, and once you find even the slightest clue, report back to the Academy."
She paused slightly, a faint glint of light flashing in her cold eyes. "The Pool Master will consult the Daoist Master, who will borrow the Cauldron Vessel [Myriad Realms Projection], allowing the Academy's members to project themselves to that Cave Heaven and retrieve the Immortal Husk."
Myriad Realms Projection...
Chen Lingxi silently recited these four words in her heart.
It's another Cauldron Vessel.
He now knew that the Cauldron Vessel were extremely precious treasures in the Great World, each possessing incredible power.
The Candle of Time can exchange lifespan for Spiritual Qi, the Beast-Fighting Palace can exchange life sacrifice for fortuitous opportunity, and the Fated Star Stone can create a nemesis, killing them to rob one of their fortuitous opportunity.
And this Myriad Realms Projection...
"It seems that these powerful beings from the Great World cannot freely enter and exit the Cave Heaven and still need to rely on the wonders of the Cauldron Vessel."
Chen Lingxi thought to herself.
Lin Suri respectfully agreed.
The woman in red looked Lin Suri up and down, her gaze sweeping over him for a moment before she suddenly shook her head.
Her head-shaking motion was extremely slight, yet it carried an undisguised sense of regret.
"You possess the potential to conquer the Golden Grotto."
"It's too much of a burden for you to make you walk through that Rebirth Pool."
"However, the fortuitous opportunity to Immortal Husk is of utmost importance, and we are truly uneasy about entrusting it to an ordinary disciple of the Dao Palace."
Chen Lingxi's heart stirred.
Xi Mu once said that walking through the Rebirth Pool would damage one's life and foundation.
If one does not find the Cauldron Vessel or obtain other great fortuitous opportunity, it will be difficult to establish Dao Foundation Realm in the future, and one will never regain freedom.
The cost was considerable.
The woman in red continued, "It's just that you arrived too late. Only two years have passed, which is somewhat behind other Cauldron-Seizing Realm of the Truth-Seeking Realm and the pinnacle. And that Cauldron Vessel..."
She paused slightly. "The Cauldron Vessel is extremely precious. Even many Golden Grotto figures in the Golden Palace have never had the Cauldron Artifact Fortune."
If you can obtain the Cauldron Vessel from that Cave Heaven, it will be a great fortuitous opportunity, and your future Dao Path will be much broader. If you cannot obtain the Cauldron Vessel that Cave Heaven, but if you have made merit in the quest for Immortal Husk, I will request a Daoist master to use the [Heaven-Determining Brush] to determine your Dao Path, setting a Dao Path of [Cultivation of Myriad Laws] for you!
Lin Suri remained calm and responded in a low voice.
He kept his eyes down, his face showing no emotion.
The woman in red nodded slightly, a faint hint of gentleness finally flickering in her cold eyes. "I know it's rare for you to return to the Great World with your consciousness. You may leave now."
As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding fog rolled in again, engulfing her figure inch by inch.
The crimson robe gradually blurred in the mist, until only a faint red shadow remained, like a flickering flame that had been extinguished for a moment before disappearing completely.
Lin Suri straightened up and looked up at the Void.
A white crane was descending from the clouds, its wingspan exceeding ten feet. Its feathers were as white as snow, and its beak as red as cinnabar. When it landed beside him, it simply flapped its wings gently and stood firmly.
Lin Suri stepped onto the crane's back. The white crane let out a long cry, flapped its wings, and soared into the sky, carrying Lin Suri's consciousness avatar. It flew over mountains, rivers, and seas, past palaces suspended in the clouds, and flew straight into the distance.
Chen Lingxi's perspective followed the white crane, taking in the entire fairyland before her.
The more he looked, the more horrified he became.
The vastness and mystery of this fairyland far exceeded his imagination.
Mountains and Long River!
Palaces float in the sky, resplendent in gold and jade, supported by clouds and mist, like celestial cities floating above a sea of clouds.
Rainbow bridges connect the palaces.
Further away, the sky and earth stretched out in a vast expanse, seemingly boundless and endless.
Chen Lingxi felt as if her mind and spirit were completely captivated by this world.
"This is the real world."
He muttered to himself,
The white crane flew for a long time before finally landing on a Hanging Sky Mountain.
The mountain was extremely high, with a flat, sheer summit, resembling an inverted bowl.
Lin Suri dismounted from the crane and went to the highest point of the Hanging Sky Mountain to look out.
Chen Lingxi followed his gaze and saw another mountain opposite.
That mountain was opposite the Hanging Sky Mountain beneath Lin Suri's feet, its summit was equally flat, but it was several times larger than the mountain beneath his feet.
A sea of clouds surged atop the mountain, and a person sat cross-legged atop the clouds.
The person was dressed in a green robe, which fluttered gently in the wind. She had a slender figure, and her black hair was tied back with a green jade hairpin, revealing half of her fair neck.
She faced the sea of clouds, her back to Lin Suri, so her face was obscured; only her graceful silhouette was visible.
Lin Suri stared at it for a long time.
He stood there, motionless, like a stone sculpture.
The mountain wind made the hem of his brocade robe flutter and his hair into disarray, but he was completely unaware.
Those deep eyes reflected the silhouette of the person in green on the opposite mountain peak. There was no ripple or wave in their eyes, only a profound, almost frozen, calm.
His gaze seemed calm, but beneath that calm lay a deep and complex emotion.
"Who is this? The person from Lin Suri's dreams?"
Chen Lingxi malicious speculations.
As he was pondering this, another person suddenly appeared on the sea of clouds atop the opposite mountain peak.
It was a man, tall and slender, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a jade belt around his waist, handsome in appearance, and with a captivating aura.
He walked slowly out of the sea of clouds, as if stepping on flat ground, and walked to the woman in green. He stood with his hands behind his back and they looked at the sea of clouds together, chatting and laughing.
Lin Suri's eyes finally moved slightly, then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
That consciousness vanished in that instant.
The perspective is shattered; the world turns upside down.
Chen Lingxi's perspective returned to the room at the Riverside Immortal Inn.
Lin Suri remained seated cross-legged on the bed, putting away the Jade Slip.
The sun outside the window had already begun to set in the west, and the river surface shimmered with countless specks of gold. Occasionally, a small boat would paddle by, stirring up a splash of water.
Lin Suri was lost in thought.
Chen Lingxi's thoughts were still on that fairyland.
Fairyland... Immortal Husk...
As he was pondering this, there was another commotion in Lin Suri's guest room.
A wisp of black mist seeped out from an inconspicuous crack in the corner of the wall, and as it surged, it took the shape of a human figure.
The humanoid figure emerged from the black mist. It was thin, dressed in a black robe, and had a mask covering its face, revealing only its eyes.
Those eyes had no pupils; instead, they were completely pale, like two white porcelain beads frozen in ice, looking extremely eerie.
It was the same Chao-surnamed cultivator who had traded with Lin Suri.
He appeared more composed this time than before, as if he had known Lin Suri for a long time.
He walked to the opposite side of Lin Suri, and without any formalities, sat down cross-legged.
Lin Suri opened his eyes, glanced at him, nodded slightly, and said nothing.
The cultivator surnamed Chao spoke without any formality, saying, "It will still be some time before the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi emerges. It is highly likely that Consort Chun to Yuan River Prefecture is not for the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi."
He paused, a faint hint of doubt flashing in his pale eyes. "The Imperial Concubine is unfathomable, and her Mirror-Listening Cauldron is incredibly strange."
"With her here in Yuan River Prefecture, our plans will become much more unpredictable."
Lin Suri frowned slightly. "You mean... Consort Chun also came for that fragment of the Slaying-Force Cauldron?"
The cultivator surnamed Chao nodded slightly. "A fragment of the Slaying-Force Cauldron is a rare find. Even if you can only use it once or twice, you will eventually be able to kill beyond your realm. Not to mention in this Cave Heaven, even in the Great World, it is a rare fortuitous opportunity you can only come across once or twice."
Consort Chun is very likely to have come for this reason.
Lin Suri nodded. "I understand."
The black-clad cultivator said no more, stood up, and his figure dissipated into the air inch by inch, like dissolving black mist.
Lin Suri pondered for a moment, then stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
A river breeze blew in, making his brocade robe flutter and causing the lamp flame on the table to flicker suddenly.
He stood by the window with his hands behind his back, his eyes gleaming with golden light.
Chen Lingxi had seen this golden light before. Long ago, Lin Suri used this Golden Light Art to witness the swordsman assassinating Crown Prince Ying Chi.
Lin Suri's perspective soared out at this moment, passing over the river, through the city walls, through the vast mountains and forests, and landing straight in the far distance.
Chen Lingxi's perspective also widened accordingly.
He saw the imperial concubine's carriage.
The carriage was Jiang Xing, the shimmering sound of its wheels mingling with the sound of the river, making it difficult to hear clearly. Surrounded by armored soldiers, ceremonial guards, and attendants, the procession stretched for a good half-mile.
The carriage traveled westward for more than half an hour before finally stopping at a certain place.
That place is precisely the boundary between the Yuan River and the Candlelight River.
The Yuan River is a tributary of the Candlelight River. It is much wider than the Yuan River, but its water is deeper and darker, like a ribbon of ink.
At that moment, at the boundary, the surface of the Zhuozhao River appeared somewhat gloomy, as if something was sinking at the bottom, swallowing up all the light of day.
Consort Chun stepped slowly out of the jade carriage.
She stood on the riverbank, the glow of the sunset shimmering on her robes, making her appear like a celestial being descended from the heavens to the mortal world.
She gazed at the murky river surface for a long time.
Then, a slight smile appeared on her lips, carrying an indescribable meaning.
It's like a hunter finally finding the tracks of his prey in a dense forest.
Lin Suri's magic dissipated.
The golden light in his eyes slowly faded, and his perspective returned to normal.
Lin Suri stood by the window, gazing at the vast expanse of the Yuan River outside, lost in thought.
The Sight-Roaming was thus shattered.