After the light before them dispersed, Zhang Yu looked up. This time, he and Lin Tingzhi had landed directly inside that Ipal king's vessel.
Unlike the last time they had come, the severed limbs, broken corpses, and floating rubble had all been cleared away. Even the square royal dais above and the statue had been reassembled from their original pieces, with no sign that they had ever been damaged.
The damage in every corner had also been repaired, and everything now looked as good as new. Many birds that seemed to be fashioned from metal and wood clung to the four walls. They had enormous eyes, hooked beaks, and rigid feathers, full of the texture of wood and stone. They kept pecking at certain areas, occasionally flying to another spot to repeat the action, as if inspecting something.
Lin Tingzhi said, "I have restored this king's vessel to its complete state. Compared to its original condition, it should not be inferior in the slightest. As for that place..."
He pointed at the arched gate, his voice turning somewhat grave. "After investigating, I found that an exceedingly powerful force did indeed pass through this gate. After that force traveled through it, the gate was actually somewhat damaged, and it was never used again afterward—until Zhang Tingzhi discovered this place.
"Considering that the Ipal Gods had already occupied most of the Interlayers at the time, yet still chose this place for their passage, this place most likely possesses some special quality. Two eras have passed, and the Interlayers have undergone many changes, but we may as well begin our probing from here."
With a sweep of his sleeve, he released the golden vessel once more and said, "Zhang Tingzhi, please."
Zhang Yu also said, "Please," then entered the flying vessel together with