Chu Mo exchanged glances with Luo Shan and the others. They scattered, pretending to browse the cultivation manuals on the shelves.
The Blood-Burning Secret Record, the Mountain-Suppressing Art, the Frost Spirit Sword Intent... any one of these Intent Condensation manuals would have sparked a scramble outside, yet here they sat quietly on display.
Chu Mo picked one up at random, his gaze sweeping discreetly over the stairs leading to the third floor.
"Junior Brother Chu, do you feel it?" Luo Shan quietly transmitted. "The materials used to build this pavilion seem to block divine sense."
"Yes, and that's not all. My Banner Spirit and Senior Brother Ji's Shadow Ghost are both being suppressed. It's strange. This doesn't seem like a martial artist's work."
Chu Mo replied through divine sense, inwardly surprised.
Ji Qing nodded, then transmitted, "Junior Brother Luo, you know plenty of secret arts. Can you sneak in?"
"It's risky, but worth a try." Luo Shan narrowed his eyes slightly. "The upper floors hold 'more advanced records.' Perhaps they contain something about this world's core secrets."
"Cover for me."
With that, a Spirit Talisman slipped quietly between his fingers. He left a lifelike illusion standing in place while his real body faded away, slipping silently toward the third floor.
Chu Mo's gaze flickered.
Once Luo Shan concealed himself, the naked eye could no longer catch any trace of him. Only divine sense could barely perceive a blurred outline.
This technique might fall short against cultivators, but it was more than enough against martial artists without divine sense.
I could get my hands on that, he mused.
Before long, Luo Shan returned. A flicker of lingering fear crossed his eyes, and before anyone could ask, he transmitted:
"There's an Intent Realm martial artist stationed on the fourth floor. His perception