"You brat..." Emperor Jingtai shook his head.
Qing Chen immediately cupped his hands solemnly. "I am humbled and apprehensive, Your Majesty."
"Enough." Emperor Jingtai waved a hand. "It is only the fourth painting. Since you have presented the Yinghuo Illumination-of-the-World Dream Scripture and handled matters capably, I shall permit you to view it. As for how much you can discern from it, that will depend on your own comprehension."
Joy flashed in Qing Chen's eyes, and he immediately bowed with utmost respect. "Thank you for your great grace, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Jingtai said nothing more. He merely raised his right hand and pointed from afar at the black gold wall at the far end of the Profound-Nurturing Hall.
A thread of dark gold magic power, as fine as gossamer, flew from his fingertip.
The magic power landed in the center of the wall and turned into a rune resembling an eye.
The rune spun rapidly, and countless fine ripples actually spread across the surrounding black gold wall, which had originally been seamless.
Immediately afterward, the entire Profound-Nurturing Hall began to shake.
Qing Chen could clearly sense at least nine nested spatial restrictions activating simultaneously ahead of him.
A moment later, a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through opened in the center of the wall.
Beyond the crack lay only an exceptionally deep darkness.
Emperor Jingtai rose and walked inside. The instant his everyday robe touched the darkness, his entire figure rapidly blurred, as though he had stepped underwater.
"Follow."
Without hesitation, Qing Chen immediately stepped through the crack.
The scene before his eyes changed.
The Profound-Nurturing Hall, which had originally stood only a little over ten zhang tall, had vanished, replaced by a long green stone corridor suspended in a boundless sea of stars.
There were