Journey to the Forbidden Land

"Your Majesty, is this really a good idea?"

An aged voice drifted over from afar. An old woman hobbled in, leaning on a cane.

A trace of ruthlessness and wariness flashed through Fu Ya's eyes as she said solemnly, "There is no other way. The arrival of such an expert is a tremendous opportunity for us."

The old woman's cloudy eyes gazed helplessly at the graceful purple figure in the distance.

"There is no other choice. Have the Saintess accompany them tomorrow. While she is at it, let the Saintess gain control over the world as well. Then you can properly go out and see the world beyond."

Fu Ya nodded calmly. "Mm, I will notify the Saintess. I will also have her lead these people to the land of opportunity. Otherwise, I am afraid..."

The old woman nodded and slowly made her way toward the depths of the palace, leaving behind a voice. "This is good too. Good... Ten thousand years is more than enough..."

"Candied hawthorns for sale!"

"Top-quality medicinal herbs! Clearance sale!"

"I can calculate a thousand jin, the heavens, the earth, even the air! One hundred gold coins per reading!"

After Xiao Yi Xian left the palace, what lay before her was entirely different from the noble and elegant palace gardens she had seen earlier.

Ancient-style buildings stood everywhere, and the streets were full of simple, honest people. Yet that was not the important part. Some had long, pointed ears, while others had transparent wings growing from their backs...

Some were exceptionally tiny, seemingly no larger than a palm... But even that was not the most important thing. The important thing was that every single one of them was female...

There were even lightly dressed girls standing before some storefronts, fluttering handkerchiefs through the air as they blinked invitingly...

Xiao Yi Xian did not know what to say as she looked at this market that resembled Women's Country...

Xiao Ling'er expressionlessly clutched Xiao Yi Xian's sleeve as she walked beside her, though the way her eyes darted about betrayed her true thoughts.

Even Liu Yan, who had not seen such sights in who knew how many years, felt his blood stir at the sight of all these beautiful women.

Chi Han even darted out from Xiao Yi Xian's sleeve. It was extremely curious as it looked over the scene before it.

This was its first time seeing a kingdom populated entirely by female beasts. It even urgently wanted to take human form, and then...

The blue-clad maid walking ahead led them along respectfully. From time to time, a gentle breeze lifted the veil covering her face.

The face beneath that veil was stunning as well. As expected of the Queen's maid!

Before long, after walking for an unknown amount of time, the blue-clad maid led Xiao Yi Xian to the outside of a residence.

The writing appeared to be from some unknown era, but when she probed it with Soul Power, she understood that it read: Qingyun Hall.

As Xiao Yi Xian looked at those three ancient characters, she could sense an intense Dao aura within them. It was as though she could see the figure of an expert through them.

That pitch-black silhouette held the sun and moon in one hand and plucked stars with the other. The overwhelming pressure vanished in a flash, yet in that instant, Xiao Yi Xian's back was already drenched in sweat.

When the blue-clad maid saw Xiao Yi Xian standing there in a daze, waves rose in her heart as well. Could this expert have entered the legendary state of mind contained within that plaque?

She had once heard the Queen say that this place contained traces left behind by an ancient expert. Being able to see them meant one was fated with this place.

The blue-clad maid secretly made a note in her little notebook. She absolutely had to report what happened today to the Queen.

Xiao Yi Xian entered the light-brown room. The framed painting bearing the character "Dou" at its center was particularly eye-catching, while the inscriptions on the Four Treasures of the Study atop the desk seemed not to belong to this era.

The quiet night passed without a sound, as though nothing had happened!

Xiao Yi Xian sat cross-legged on the bed. After circulating her cultivation technique through one full cycle, she stopped and swept her pale violet eyes over the room.

For some reason, she had always felt a faint sense of foreboding. This venture into the forbidden land was not merely for the sake of leaving quickly; this small world was filled with mysteries everywhere.

With her current strength, she could only leave them to resolve in the future. Getting out quickly before they were discovered was the proper course...

A faint glow radiated from Xiao Yi Xian's right hand, and a figure darted out from it.

"Big Sister?"

Xiao Ling'er looked at the serious Xiao Yi Xian in confusion. What could possibly trouble her sister so much?

Xiao Yi Xian smiled faintly, gave Xiao Ling'er a reassuring look, then carried her out of the room...

A group of people had gathered outside a light array, each of them at least a Da Dou Shi.

A figure stepped out from the crowd, came before Xiao Yi Xian, and respectfully placed a hand over her chest. "Senior, my name is Yue Lin. I am the Saintess here. Allow me to lead you on this journey!"

"Mm. But where is that little girl Fu Ya?" Xiao Yi Xian asked blandly, her eyes beneath the mask glancing at this elven divine maiden.

Yue Lin was initially stunned. She called the Queen a little girl? Then she smiled and said, "Her Majesty the Queen has matters to attend to and cannot accompany you for the time being, Senior!"

Atop a mountain peak, four elders surrounded Fu Ya from the east, south, west, and north like a formation!

Fu Ya looked at the elders and nodded. Her fingers formed an incomprehensible seal as dense Dou Qi poured into the strange symbols beneath her.

Fu Ya's clothes fluttered without wind, her long hair streaming behind her. Even the veil concealing her face drifted loose, revealing her beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.

At that moment, the white barrier before Xiao Yi Xian emitted a brilliant radiance, and a white gate appeared before them.

Xiao Yi Xian frowned slightly at the rotating curtain of light within the gate. This was a gate for entering a world, wasn't it?

Could there be an Inner World within this world?

Yue Lin took the lead and entered. Seeing that even the Saintess had gone in, Xiao Yi Xian and the others followed after her.

In an instant, the gate of light closed. Countless people discussed it in hushed voices, some even worrying for their Saintess. She was the future Queen, after all.

On a mountain peak, the five people were panting as they half-knelt on the ground. Sweat quietly slid down Fu Ya's forehead along her disheveled hair.

Her lovely face was covered in sweat, yet her eyes shone with boundless hope as she glanced at the unchanging sky.

She wanted to tear away this world's mask and journey to the true world...

Xiao Yi Xian and the others were suddenly thrown into turmoil before arriving beneath a dim sky.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but dark gray skies and uneven, pitted ground. Rotten armor and broken weapons littered the land everywhere.

Even the soil beneath their feet was as red as blood. From time to time, silver-white dead trees could be seen impaled upon long spears.

"This..."

Yue Lin stared at the scene in shock. Wails of grief continuously echoed in her ears, and even the scene before her seemed to tremble.

Slap!

Xiao Yi Xian patted Yue Lin on the shoulder, snapping her awake...

Once Yue Lin was startled awake, she looked at the worn mask with gratitude in her eyes. It seemed that the guidance of her bloodline had drawn her into some sort of illusion.

Liu Yan narrowed his eyes behind them. He had also sensed an unusual Soul Power just now, but it was too weak.

Yue Lin was merely at Dou Zhe Three Stars, so it was only natural that she had been affected.

Crack!

Crack!

Skeletons of white bone crawled up from the ground one after another. Blue ghostfire burned ceaselessly, while cries like the wailing of ghosts echoed all around them.