The Void Divine Hall.
Of the six great powers in the Primordial World that Ye Chen knew of, this name was the most mysterious. They controlled fifty great worlds, were masters of spatial arts, and moved in secrecy. Their relationship with the Ye Clan was distant, with very little contact between them. Ye Chen had never expected that, only days after he established himself on Black Wind Mountain, they would be the first outside power to seek him out.
"Show them to the Guest Reception Pavilion," Ye Chen instructed. Then he turned to Emperor Xuanwu and Ye Yun. "Uncle Xuan, Ye Yun, come with me to meet this envoy from the Void Divine Hall."
The Heavenly Star Pavilion had only just been founded, and the original Blood Skull Cave was clearly unsuitable for receiving guests. Over the past few days, Ye Ling had directed workers to clear an area beside the main peak and build several elegant stone halls for discussions, receiving visitors, and housing disciples. The Guest Reception Pavilion was one of them.
When Ye Chen entered the Guest Reception Pavilion with Emperor Xuanwu and Ye Yun, two people were already waiting inside.
At their head was an old man in a white robe patterned with clouds, with a lean face and snow-white hair and beard. He held a white jade fly whisk, and his aura was ethereal and otherworldly, as though he had become one with the surrounding space. Without careful scrutiny, one could almost overlook his presence. His cultivation had actually reached the spirit transformation late stage, and his foundation was exceptionally solid—far beyond that of Blood Skull Old Man, who had forcibly raised his cultivation by devouring living flesh and blood.
Behind him stood a young disciple, also dressed in white, with delicate features and lively eyes. His cultivation was at the nascent soul middle stage, and he was studying Ye Chen and his companions with a hint of curiosity as they entered.
"I am Yun He, a deacon of the Void Divine Hall. Forgive this unannounced visit, Pavilion Master Ye." At the sight of Ye Chen, an almost imperceptible flicker of surprise crossed the white-robed elder's eyes. He then stepped forward and offered a Daoist salute, his bearing composed and his tone mild, without a trace of arrogance.
The young disciple behind him hurriedly followed suit.
"No need for such formalities, True Person Yun He. Please, sit." Ye Chen took the seat of honor and gestured with one hand, neither servile nor overbearing. Emperor Xuanwu stood silently behind him, like a mountain at rest. Ye Yun stood on the other side, his aura sharp as an unsheathed sword.
Once both sides were seated, a maid served spirit tea. Ye Ling had pan-roasted it from the tender leaves of several newly cultivated low-grade spirit plants. Though its spiritual energy was faint, its fragrance filled the air, making it a rare treat in this realm.
True Person Yun He took a small sip, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "Pavilion Master Ye, this place truly is a hidden world unto itself. Even the spirit tea carries a rare sense of purity, utterly unlike the world outside."
His words sounded casual, but concealed a probe. News that the Heavenly Star Pavilion could improve its surroundings had clearly already spread.
Ye Chen smiled faintly without taking up the subject. Instead, he asked directly, "What brings you all this way, True Person Yun He? Our Heavenly Star Pavilion has only just been founded. I don't believe we have had any dealings with your hall."
True Person Yun He set down his teacup, his expression turning slightly more serious. "Since you speak so frankly, Pavilion Master Ye, I shall be direct. Our Void Divine Hall has always been exceptionally sensitive to spatial fluctuations. A little over a month ago, the Heaven-Watching Instrument detected unusual spatial ripples at the edge of the Blood-Baleful Wasteland. Their characteristics were not those of anything belonging to our Primordial Realm. Recently, we also heard that you had established the Heavenly Star Pavilion here, possessing heaven-reaching abilities and extraordinary origins. Thus, I came to visit and seek confirmation."
He looked calmly at Ye Chen. "Pavilion Master Ye, might you have come from... beyond this world?"
At these words, the atmosphere in the hall tightened slightly. Ye Yun's gaze sharpened further, while Emperor Xuanwu kept his eyes lowered, like an old monk deep in meditation.
Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged. Turning his teacup in his hand, he countered, "And if I have? What if I haven't?"
True Person Yun He was not surprised by his response. He said slowly, "There is no need for concern, Pavilion Master Ye. The Void Divine Hall explores the mysteries of space. Our interest in matters beyond this realm stems more from a thirst for knowledge than hostility. The Primordial Realm may seem vast, but in truth... it is no more than a cage. The Great Dao is flawed, and the road ahead has been severed. Countless sages of old searched desperately for a means of transcendence, only to find none. If you truly came from beyond this world, perhaps you could introduce a new variable into this pool of stagnant water."
An almost imperceptible weariness and helplessness colored his words. At their level of cultivation, they could feel all the more clearly how this heaven and earth shackled and suppressed cultivators. It was a confinement that bred despair.
Ye Chen heard sincerity in his words, at least on the surface. After a moment's consideration, he said, "For now, I cannot speak openly of my origins. But you are correct, True Person. The Great Dao of this realm is indeed incomplete, like a precious pearl shrouded in dust, or fine jade sunk in mire."
He neither admitted it nor entirely denied it, but the understanding of the Primordial Realm revealed in his words already surpassed that of native cultivators.
A sharp gleam flashed in True Person Yun He's eyes, and he had already formed a few suspicions. Rather than press further about Ye Chen's origins, he changed the subject. "Since you have founded a pavilion here, Pavilion Master Ye, you surely have some purpose in mind. Besides seeking confirmation, I came to tell you something that may prove useful."
"Oh? Please speak, True Person."
"According to our hall's ancient records, the depths of the Demon-Burying Abyss are not merely an ancient battlefield." True Person Yun He's tone grew graver. "The spatial structure of its core region is extremely strange. We suspect it is connected to remnants of some kind of... power exceeding this realm's limits. It may even involve a weak point in the 'world barrier.' Our predecessors attempted to explore it many times, but the demonic energy's corrosive effects and the spatial turbulence forced them to return empty-handed. We even lost quite a few capable experts."
He looked at Ye Chen. "Your strength is unfathomable, Pavilion Master Ye. Perhaps you could attempt it. But you must exercise caution. That core region may hold tremendous danger, and perhaps... a tremendous opportunity as well."
A weak point in the world barrier? Ye Chen's heart stirred. This matched both the direction indicated by the Nameless Fragment and his own suspicions.
"Thank you for telling me, True Person," Ye Chen said, cupping his hands. "I will bear this in mind."
True Person Yun He smiled faintly, knowing that he had accomplished the purpose of his visit. He rose and said, "Then I shall trouble you no longer. Pavilion Master Ye, the situation in the Primordial Realm is complicated. Neither the Sacred Emperor Palace nor the Blood Demon Sect is easy to deal with. As a newcomer, you must remain cautious. Should you have any need of the Void Divine Hall, you may use this token to send us a message."
He took out a token made of neither metal nor jade, engraved with profound spatial runes, and placed it on the table.
"I shall take my leave."
"Take care, True Person."
After seeing off True Person Yun He and his disciple, Ye Chen picked up the spatial token. His gaze grew deep as he sensed the faint spatial fluctuations within it.
"Young Master, what does the Void Divine Hall want?" Ye Yun asked.
"To show goodwill. Or perhaps... to invest." Ye Chen turned the token in his hand. "They've been trapped in this realm for too long and yearn for change. Our appearance has shown them a possibility. Offering a little inconsequential information to forge a friendly connection costs them nothing."
Emperor Xuanwu said mildly, "What he said about the core of the Demon-Burying Abyss should match the fragment's resonance. It seems we have no choice but to go there."
Ye Chen nodded, a flicker of anticipation passing through his eyes.
"In three days, we set out for the Demon-Burying Abyss."
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