A Nighttime Exploration of the Mysterious Space and Fooling Zixuan

"Then might I ask whether the Divine Feather Holy Son also came for the unparalleled treasures inside this space?" Yuan Zhexian asked.

"Unparalleled treasures have appeared, and every major power wants a share of the spoils. Naturally, I'm no exception. But the great emperor dynasties and holy lands of the Heavenly Billows Realm have all sent their experts, and my strength is limited. If you could join me, young master, I believe we'd come away with a rich harvest." The Shenyu Divine Son wore a helpless expression as he spoke.

"Oh, I forgot that you've only just entered the world, young master, so you probably don't know much about the situation in the Heavenly Billows Realm. The realm is divided into one palace, two pavilions, three dynasties, and four lands. The one palace is the Dragon Palace. The two pavilions are the Myriad Demon Pavilion and the Eight Desolations Pavilion. The three dynasties are the Supreme Emperor Dynasty, the Great Xia Emperor Dynasty, and the Qin Emperor Dynasty. The four lands are the Blood Slaughter Holy Land, the Four Symbols Holy Land, the Great Wilderness Holy Land, and my own Divine Feather Holy Land."

Saints had emerged from every one of the palace, pavilions, dynasties, and lands. At present, the Dragon Palace alone had six Quasi-Saints. The two pavilions each had four, the three dynasties had three, and each of the four great holy lands had two.

Yuan Zhexian was briefly stunned to hear there were more than thirty Quasi-Saints. The Heavenly Billows Realm actually had over thirty of them. He quickly recovered, however. Now that he was at the fourth stage of the Samsara Realm, he was practically invincible against anyone below the Saint Realm. His only concern was Yuan Ruochu and the others, since they had yet to advance to the Samsara Realm.

When Yuan Ruochu and the other three heard there were over thirty Quasi-Saints, a chill ran down their spines. Back in the canyon secret realm, the Qi of a single Quasi-Saint vicious beast had been enough to make them terribly uncomfortable, yet now there were over thirty of them. But when they remembered that their divine son was with them, they felt somewhat better.

Yuan Zhexian then said, "A space this mysterious, with so many unparalleled treasures—we can't help but be tempted as well. Divine Feather Holy Son, you're right. There's strength in numbers. We'll explore it together this time."

"Good. With you joining us, young master, we're certain to come away with a rich harvest. Now all we need is that young man to lead the way." He then said to Yuan Zhexian, "Leave that person to me. It's getting late today, so I won't disturb your rest."

He then said to the middle-aged man, "Elder Feng, take the young masters and young lady to the heaven-class guest rooms to rest." The middle-aged man respectfully led Yuan Zhexian and the others to their rooms.

Night fell!

In Yuan Zhexian's room, Yuan Ruochu and the other three stood side by side. Looking at Yuan Zhexian in front of them, they asked in confusion, "Divine son, what is it, this late at night?"

Yuan Zhexian replied, "I've decided we should go take a look at that space tonight after all, and see how far we can get without Lin Yan, a person of great fortune, leading us in."

When Yuan Zhexian finished, the four said, "We'll follow your orders in everything, divine son."

"There's no time to lose. We leave at once." With that, the five vanished from the room in a flash of light.

Deep within an enormous forest in the northwest of the Heavenly Billows Realm, a huge vortex gate radiating blue light spun ceaselessly. The Yan Kingdom happened to lie right next to this mysterious space, so Yuan Zhexian soon arrived before the gate. Because so many experts had previously perished inside, this place seemed to have become a forbidden area. There was not a soul outside the vortex gate.

"Divine son, this should be the place," Yuan Ruochu said, looking at the vortex gate before him.

"Mm, let's go in and take a look," Yuan Zhexian said at once. The five then stepped through the vortex gate and entered the space.

As soon as they entered, a dense wave of Spiritual Qi swept over them. Sensing it, Yuan Zhexian said, "It's actually an Inner Heaven and Earth. No wonder such dense Spiritual Qi hasn't leaked into the outside world at all."

"What's an Inner Heaven and Earth?" Yuan Yan'er asked in confusion.

"An Inner Heaven and Earth is an independent world outside the Heavenly Dao's jurisdiction. It may form naturally or be created by some supreme expert. Our Lineage's ancestral land, for example, is an Inner Heaven and Earth. This one seems to have formed naturally."

As Yuan Zhexian spoke, he continued walking farther in, with the four following close behind. The five soon came to a peach grove, where pink petals drifted down on the breeze without end. It was a most tranquil sight.

Just then, all the fallen peach petals rose from the ground and danced through the air, giving off waves of pink light before shooting toward the five. Yuan Zhexian casually waved a hand, covering them with a golden energy shield. The petals struck it with a series of clangs, showing that their power was not to be underestimated.

While the peach petals continued to batter Yuan Zhexian's shield, branches as thick as a waist began spreading out from underground. The five could not guard both front and back at once, so they had no choice but to split up and dodge.

Yuan Zhexian flew straight into the air and stood with his hands behind his back, surrounded by a round energy shield. It blocked the spreading branches and the peach petals that kept striking it. Ji Jingtian used his Void Body to perform Void Transformation, allowing the petals and branches to pass straight through his insubstantial body. Yuan Ruochu continuously devoured the petals and branches with a vortex of Samsara space.

Yuan Zifeng's approach was far simpler and more brutal. A Saint saber appeared in his hand, and he hacked wildly at the petals and branches coming for him. Four enormous pillars of ice rose around Yuan Yan'er, protecting her from all sides.

But as the number of peach petals and spreading branches continued to grow, their power increased as well. Yuan Zifeng and Yuan Yan'er were somewhat weaker than the others among the five, and they were beginning to struggle. Yuan Zhexian flashed to their side, grabbed them, and tossed them straight into his energy shield. Then he said to Yuan Ruochu and Ji Jingtian, "Let's get out of here first."

The five dodged the peach petals and branches as they moved away from the area. Before they knew it, they had entered a swamp.

Yuan Yan'er panted. "We finally got out of there. If it weren't for the divine son, I nearly wouldn't have been able to hold on. Should we rest before going on?"

After looking around, Yuan Zhexian immediately said, "Don't let your guard down. I have a feeling there's something wrong with this place too."

No sooner had he finished than thunder suddenly rumbled across the sky. Countless bolts of lightning filled the heavens, and everyone but Yuan Zhexian frowned at the terrifying pressure.

Boom. A bolt of lightning came streaking down at them. The five hurriedly dodged, only for another bolt to strike. Then countless bolts poured down from the sky. Shielding Yuan Zifeng and Yuan Yan'er, Yuan Zhexian immediately activated his Double Pupils, forming a barrier with their power to withstand the lightning.

Yuan Ruochu unleashed the Six Paths of Samsara Fist, punching straight at the countless bolts. Ji Jingtian brought out the Void Refining Pot, continuously absorbing the lightning coming at him.

Then came a bang and a clang. Yuan Ruochu's Six Paths of Samsara Fist had actually failed to overpower the terrifying lightning, and he was nearly struck. On Ji Jingtian's side, the lightning knocked the Void Refining Pot, an Emperor Weapon, straight out of the air and into his hands.

Both men were shocked and terrified. Yuan Ruochu and Ji Jingtian possessed the fourth- and fifth-ranked physiques among the three thousand physiques. Though their cultivation was currently only at the Dao Body Realm, they could definitely fight Samsara Realm experts and even kill them. They had already used their strongest moves, yet still could not withstand the lightning. They were terrified by its dreadful power.

Boom. With Yuan Ruochu and Ji Jingtian's resistance broken, countless bolts of lightning struck at them again. Watching the lightning race toward them, the two prepared to draw on their spiritual power to its limits and resist once more. Just then, a figure appeared in front of them and punched at the sky. When the countless bolts collided with the fist, a dazzling light burst forth. He then said to Yuan Ruochu and Ji Jingtian, "Ruochu, elder kinsman, Jingtian, stay close to me."

A quarter of an hour later, Yuan Zhexian and the other four were back at the vortex gate.

Looking at the four, exhausted and drained of spiritual power, Yuan Zhexian said, "Just as I thought, only someone of great fortune like Lin Yan can come and go freely in this Inner Heaven and Earth."

"Divine son, what exactly is this Inner Heaven and Earth? How can it be so terrifying? If I went into that space alone, I might die in there," Ji Jingtian said.

"Jingtian, if you went in alone, it wouldn't be a question of might. You'd definitely die in there," Yuan Zhexian said.

He continued, "I just swept the place with my Double Pupils. We were only in the middle area of that Inner Heaven and Earth, still a long way from the core. Yet every strike from those peach blossoms and branches was already comparable to a full-force blow from a fifth- or sixth-stage Samsara Realm expert. And almost every bolt of lightning afterward was equivalent to a full-force blow from a peak Samsara Realm expert."

The four sucked in a breath. Only now did they understand how outrageous this Inner Heaven and Earth was. It was already so dangerous in the middle area, before they had even reached the core, and that lightning was actually comparable to a full-force blow from someone at the peak of the Samsara Realm. Wouldn't the dangers in the core area be on par with a full-force strike from a Quasi-Saint or even a Saint? Fortunately, the divine son had been there this time, or the four of them would have died without even knowing how. They silently swore that once they returned, they would hurry into seclusion to improve their cultivation. They couldn't keep relying on the divine son to protect them.

Yuan Zhexian went on, "It seems this Inner Heaven and Earth is the target we've been looking for. Fortunately, I have the card that is Zhao Zixuan, and now it's time to play it."

He then said to the four, "Let's go back first. Everyone should get a good rest today." With that, he and the four returned to the Gathering of Fate inn in the Yan Kingdom.

A few more days passed. Then a young man arrived at the Gathering of Fate inn. As soon as he entered, a waiter came up to greet him. "Will you be dining or staying, honored guest?" He then repeated to the man, word for word, the same speech he had given Yuan Zhexian.

"I'm looking for someone. Little brother, are there four men and one woman at this inn, about my age? Every one of them has an extraordinary bearing, and the one leading them seems like someone from the heavens."

"Yes, yes! Honored guest, are you friends of theirs?" the waiter asked.

"That's right, we're friends. I've come to see them about something important."

"So you're a friend of that lord. My lord, your friends are staying in heaven-class rooms. Would you like me to show you the way?" the waiter said obsequiously.

"Then sorry for the trouble, little brother." As he spoke, he took out a low-grade spirit stone.

"Oh, thank you, my lord. This way, please."

The man followed the waiter upstairs and through a maze of turns to the door of Yuan Zhexian's room. The waiter bowed and withdrew. The man was just about to knock when a voice came from inside. "Since you're here, Young Master Lin, please come in for a chat."

After entering the room, Lin Yan said to Yuan Zhexian, "Young master, you certainly have the leisure to tour ancient scenic spots and places of interest. Do you know that after you killed Huo Xing, my Lin Lineage was wiped out?"

"Oh? Aren't you still alive? Besides, I can see in your eyes that you aren't particularly saddened by the Lin Lineage's destruction. If anything, there's a hint of relief." Yuan Zhexian spoke unhurriedly.

Lin Yan was slightly surprised to hear this. Yuan Zhexian had actually seen through him so completely. When Lin Yan said nothing, Yuan Zhexian continued, "Young Master Lin, you came here this time hoping to use my help to escape your present predicament, didn't you?"

Lin Yan found Yuan Zhexian harder and harder to read. He felt only that this man was too terrifying; Yuan Zhexian could see every feeling and thought he had at this moment with absolute clarity. He said, "Then may I ask what you intend, young master?"

"I know a little about your situation. Since you're the only one who can enter that mysterious space, why don't we make a deal? I'll keep you safe, and you lead us into that space. What do you say?" Yuan Zhexian continued.

"Young master, although you're the successor of a hidden Lineage, your cultivation is still too low. The situation is already pressing, and I have no control over my circumstances. Rather than choose you, I'd be better off pledging myself directly to a Quasi-Saint expert. That way, not only would my safety be guaranteed, but I might even become a Quasi-Saint's disciple."

"Oh. Since that's how you feel, Young Master Lin, I won't force you. Rest assured, I won't tell anyone where you are," Yuan Zhexian said magnanimously.

"In that case, I thank you for your understanding, young master." Lin Yan badly wanted to leave the room. The more Yuan Zhexian acted like an upright gentleman, the less at ease Lin Yan felt. Without another word, he left the room and departed in haste.

Yuan Zhexian watched Lin Yan leave, a faint smile on his lips.

A few more days passed. One day, a slender, shapely woman appeared at the entrance to the Gathering of Fate inn, her face covered by a silk veil. Just as when Lin Yan had come, the same waiter greeted her with the same practiced speech. She soon arrived at Yuan Zhexian's door.

The woman took a deep breath, then gently knocked on Yuan Zhexian's door. Before long, Yuan Zhexian's utterly perfect face appeared before her. Looking at him, she felt her pretty face flush slightly beneath the veil, while her heart thumped rapidly in her chest. She immediately said to him, "Young master, it's been a few days. Zixuan has missed you terribly."

Yuan Zhexian said, "Oh, it's you, Zixuan. Please, come in."

Before, Yuan Zhexian had called her Miss Zixuan. Now he addressed her as Zixuan, and she could not help feeling secretly happy. She entered the room and found Yuan Ruochu and the other three there as well.

She then said, "Have I come at a bad time? Are you discussing something?"

Yuan Zhexian replied, "It's all right, it's all right. Zixuan, you're not an outsider, so it's fine."

Hearing Yuan Zhexian say she was not an outsider, Zhao Zixuan felt that perhaps he had accepted her. She was even happier now.

Without a blush or a flicker of his heart, Yuan Zhexian said, "Zixuan, there's something I want to tell you. We'll be going back soon. Our original task this time was to explore that mysterious space. Many experts went in before and perished, and only later did we learn that Young Master Lin Yan was the only one who could enter safely. I spoke to him about it afterward, to see if he could take us in, but perhaps he felt we had nothing of value to offer him in return. He refused, so this mission has been a failure."

Zhao Zixuan hurriedly asked, "What will happen when you go back after failing? Will you be able to come out again?"

Keeping a perfectly serious face, Yuan Zhexian continued spouting nonsense. "I'm not entirely sure what will happen. But one thing is, if this mission fails, I may never come out again for the rest of my life. I'll remain in the Lineage."

"Isn't there any other way?" Zhao Zixuan said, her heart in knots.

Seeing how anxious Zhao Zixuan was, Yuan Zhexian hurried to strike while the iron was hot. "There is. It depends on whether you're willing to help me, Zixuan."