Whether the shift in the turbulent currents was normal or a result of Su Zinan forcibly opening Wuwang Hall remained unknown.
Qin Sang maintained his caution.
After passing the node from before, a different scene unfolded within the turbulence.
Su Zinan continued forward, circling the outer perimeter of the turbulent currents with an unclear purpose.
The depths of the ruins should be above.
Just then, Qin Sang felt a prickle of intuition. Looking up, he saw a dark shadow hurtling down from overhead. He darted aside at once, narrowly brushing past several streaks of turbulent current in that split second.
Focusing his gaze, he realized it was a massive boulder.
The rock was squarish and tumbled through the turbulence, the faint glow of runes flickering over it. Only the protection of ancient restrictions had kept it from being ground into dust by the currents.
Qin Sang noticed colorful, intricate patterns engraved across its surface. Their meaning was unknown, but they were clearly carved by human hands—most likely a fragment of some structure.
The building itself had long since fallen apart.
After that giant boulder hurtled past, even more specks of light emerged from above. They were clearly all manner of fragments, erupting through the turbulent currents like a mountain-toppling tidal wave.
Qin Sang drew a sharp breath and dodged frantically.
The debris was extraordinarily dense, but fortunately, he was not in the direct center of the torrent. Even so, it was a harrowing trial. At first, he could still weave between the pieces, but eventually, he had no choice but to envelop himself in demonic fire and forcibly plow a way through.
To keep Su Zinan from noticing him, Qin Sang did his utmost to suppress the ripples of his demonic fire, nearly losing his quarry in the process.
Relying on his cultivation and divine abilities, Qin Sang emerged unscathed, but the others were not nearly so fortunate.
Many of the Nascent Soul cultivators who had made it this far were already straining. Struck by the deluge of debris, they were instantly thrown into disarray, and a good number suffered injuries and were forced to retreat in defeat.
After spewing out that wave of debris, the secret realm calmed down for a moment.
It was too chaotic here. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly had to focus entirely on Su Zinan's movements and could not afford any distraction, leaving Qin Sang to watch for unexpected dangers in the depths of the turbulence on his own.
*Could the entirety of Wuwang Hall have been shattered? There should still be things preserved inside. What is Su Zinan circling around for, and why hasn't he gone in yet?*
Just as the thought flashed through Qin Sang's mind, a mental message arrived from the Heavenly Eye Butterfly a moment later: Su Zinan's group had changed direction and was heading upward.
***
In the group ahead.
Su Zinan led at the front, flanked by Mo Xingdao and the Dark Moon Guards on either side. Behind them were the helpers Su Zinan had recruited, including Cave Master Qiling.
Reaching this position was hardly easy, even for late Nascent Soul cultivators.
Amid such violent currents, maintaining a formation was exceedingly difficult; a single misstep could see them swept apart.
Cave Master Qiling remained silent, covertly observing Su Zinan.
When the debris flew past, he sensed the commotion behind them, glanced back, and clicked his tongue in wonder. "It is truly fortunate that we have Brother Su to lead the way and did not charge in recklessly, allowing us to avoid that wave of impact. I heard that back then, Bajing View and Ganlu Zen Monastery were scattered by a single surge. They should have invited Brother Su to be their guide long ago, and they wouldn't have suffered such heavy losses."
Su Zinan replied indifferently, "The Cave Master overpraises me. I merely inquired about the circumstances of the previous opening, took lessons from the past, and planned accordingly."
Cave Master Qiling nodded slightly, though he did not believe a word of it.
He had been an eyewitness to the previous excursion.
Back then, fragments had only begun spewing out quite some time after Ganlu Zen Monastery and Bajing View had charged inside.
The ruins were fraught with chaos everywhere. Deducing any pattern from a single previous opening was utterly impossible.
Unless Su Zinan had possessed prior knowledge.
After replying, Su Zinan fell silent.
With his back turned to the crowd, his expression was somewhat grim.
He could only blame Old Demon Lu for not explaining things clearly back then, and Su Zinan had not dared to press him with questions.
The ferocity of the turbulent currents in the ruins of Wuwang Hall far exceeded Su Zinan's estimates, proving even stronger than during the previous opening.
Even if these helpers aided him with all their might, reaching that specific place would still be impossible; he would have to abandon one of his objectives.
Unknown to many, the secret realm underwent periodic changes.
When the strength of the turbulent currents dipped to its weakest, the realm's spatial beacon remained stable, and its connection to the outside world became clearest. During that window, it was relatively easy to locate. The last time Bajing View and Ganlu Zen Monastery opened the realm, they had seized precisely such a moment.
A single cycle spanned centuries, and missing the window increased the difficulty of locating the secret realm exponentially.
For that very reason, after the ruins vanished the last time, countless cultivators had come to the Chinan Island Chain, only to leave empty-handed.
By forcing the realm open now, Su Zinan was bound to encounter far stronger turbulence.
They were still nowhere near the core of the ruins—merely on the outermost fringes—and were already struggling to keep up.
If nothing changed, they likely wouldn't even make it past this stretch of turbulence before being forced to turn back.
One could well imagine how dangerous the interior of the ruins was.
No wonder his foster father, after discovering the ruins of Wuwang Hall back then, had weighed the matter repeatedly and refrained from forcing his way into its core.
Su Zinan sighed internally, gloom flickering in the depths of his eyes. He stole a glance at Mo Xingdao out of the corner of his eye, yet his outward demeanor remained completely normal. Putting on an air of ease, he struck up a conversation with Cave Master Qiling. "I had originally planned to visit Nanzhou after this matter concluded to call upon several Daoist friends. I hadn't expected to meet you here, Cave Master, and it happens that I have something to ask."
Cave Master Qiling was rather surprised. "Whatever it is, Brother Su, speak freely. I shall certainly tell you all that I know."
While keeping an eye on the shifting turbulence, Su Zinan said, "I wish to inquire about someone. This person's cultivation is on par with mine, proficient in swordsmanship, with considerable mastery in fire-controlling arts as well, wielding two peculiar kinds of spiritual fire."
"A Great Cultivator! Mastery of fire!"
Cave Master Qiling's eyes narrowed slightly, and he pressed, "What kinds of fire does he wield?"
Su Zinan gave a soft sigh. "I did not engage this person directly in combat, so my knowledge is limited. One is a black spiritual fire bordering on the demonic path, while the other is exceptionally violent. Both are extraordinarily potent, unlike anything I have seen before..."
After hearing Su Zinan's description, the urgency in Cave Master Qiling's eyes faded, replaced by thoughtful reflection. "There are no few Daoist friends in the cultivation world who are skilled in controlling fire, but all of them have clear backgrounds. I truly cannot think of anyone capable of cultivating such spiritual fires on their own. Since this person is a Great Cultivator, even if he hailed from the Western Desert or the overseas islands, it would be impossible for him to remain nameless! What background does he possess, and how did he offend you, Brother Su?"
"One of my elders was slain by this person; I share an irreconcilable feud with him!" Su Zinan's tone turned chilling and laden with murderous intent.
"To be frank with you, Cave Master, I have conducted open inquiries and secret investigations across the Northern Wilderness and Zhongzhou for many years, yet to this day I have turned up nothing. It is as if this person leapt out from a crevice between stones. You and I both know that divine abilities of such caliber cannot be achieved overnight; they are bound to leave traces behind. I firmly believe that sooner or later, I will find him."
Cave Master Qiling started, a flicker of shock crossing his eyes. "Could that elder of yours be Old Wu?"
Within Luye, those qualified to be addressed as elders by Su Zinan could be counted on one hand.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, Old Demon Lu could not possibly have been slain by a mere Nascent Soul cultivator.
Surprised, Su Zinan asked, "You have an acquaintance with Old Wu as well, Cave Master?"
"I have long admired his renown, but sadly, fate never granted us a meeting." Cave Master Qiling's gaze flickered. Lowering his head slightly, he pondered for a moment before asking, "I heard that Old Wu followed Senior Lu ever since the Core Formation stage and was deeply valued by him. Since Old Wu was murdered by a petty scoundrel, why hasn't Senior Lu personally avenged him? No matter how immense that person's divine abilities might be, he could never hope to escape with his life."
"It is temporarily inconvenient for my foster father to take action," Su Zinan said after a brief silence, deliberately keeping his answer vague.
Cave Master Qiling understood and refrained from probing further, returning to the earlier subject. "In my view, a Great Cultivator appearing out of thin air defies all reason—unless this person deliberately conceals his true origins. Yet his fire-controlling arts are so formidable that even Old Wu was no match for him. If that isn't even his fundamental divine ability, it would be far too terrifying! Has Brother Su ever considered that he might have come from the outer realms?"
"The outer realms?"
Su Zinan froze, a thoughtful look appearing on his face.
The outer realms Cave Master Qiling referred to were not places like the Western Desert, the Northern Wilderness, or the Eastern Sea, but rather other domains beyond Zhongzhou, protected by barriers within the storm belt.
In this world, Zhongzhou was not the only land!
Cave Master Qiling grunted in assent. "Beyond Zhongzhou, there are other cultivation worlds. Though contact was severed due to the barrier of the storm belt, legends have nonetheless trickled down over countless years. I have heard that Deity Transformation cultivators can move the celestial workings and directly refine the chaotic worldly vitality within the storms, suffering far fewer constraints. The vast world is theirs to roam, so the storm belt surely poses no threat to Senior Lu. I have only ever heard of the Western Lands, and my humble knowledge is too shallow to show off before you, Brother Su."
With that, Cave Master Qiling looked at Su Zinan expectantly, hoping to confirm the matter from his lips.
Su Zinan pondered for a long while before speaking: "Many thanks for the reminder, Cave Master! My foster father did mention once that the Western Lands truly exist, and that there are other domains surrounding Zhongzhou—and not just the Western Lands alone."
The two had made no effort to keep their discussion private from the others.
Cave Master Qiling was not surprised.
The rest of the group—especially cultivators like Mo Xingdao who did not hail from prominent sects—were both startled and delighted upon hearing this, visibly thrilled to learn such closely guarded secrets.
Though they had heard whispers before, they had always treated them as mere rumors. Hearing it confirmed firsthand by Su Zinan, the successor of a Deity Transformation cultivator, was an entirely different matter!
"Can we go to the Western Lands?"
"Did Senior Lu visit the Western Lands in person?"
"Where are the Western Lands?"
The crowd pressed with question after question.
Su Zinan did not hide anything. "Have any of you traveled west of the Western Desert? Beyond the barrier there lies not sea, but a torn and shattered continent, brimming with boundless, rolling magma. In ancient times, the unbroken continent was vast beyond our imagination, and the Western Lands sit at the opposite end of that landmass. Whether by rumor or by my foster father's own eyes, Zhongzhou remains the sacred ground of cultivation, unmatched by any other place; there is no need for you to forsake the root for the branches. My foster father did not say much, only mentioning that the Western Lands are far narrower and more barren than Zhongzhou, and that it is the domain of the Buddhist sects."
Pausing, Su Zinan continued, "To journey to the Western Lands, one must traverse land covered in magma, where it is extraordinarily easy to lose one's way. Unless one possesses other means, none beneath the Deity Transformation stage can cross it. What is certain is that Ganlu Zen Monastery and Zen Master Huiguang definitely know of the Western Lands. As for whether there is contact between the Buddhist sects of the Western Lands and those of Zhongzhou, that remains unknown."
It took the group a while to digest this information, and someone pressed further, "Could Ganlu Zen Monastery's enduring prosperity be due to monopolizing the resources of both domains? I wonder if any eminent monks from the Western Lands were guided over by them."
Cave Master Qiling chimed in, "Reflect carefully, everyone—among those eminent monks who were once completely unknown before suddenly shooting to fame, perhaps some hailed from the Western Lands."
"Besides the Western Lands, how many other places has Senior Lu visited? Just how vast is this world?"
The speaker was Mo Xingdao, who had remained silent all along.
This was the first time Mo Xingdao had spoken since entering the turbulent currents.
Su Zinan glanced at him. "My foster father only ever visited the Western Lands, and returned in disappointment. There are rumors that a similar place exists north of Zhongzhou, even farther away than the Western Lands. Do not think Deity Transformation cultivators are omnipotent; once inside the storm belt, even my foster father must proceed with utmost caution and will not travel far without good reason..."
"There is another reason as well: Deity Transformation is not the end of the Great Dao. Heavenly tribulations hang overhead like suspended swords—advance or perish. Even Deity Transformation cultivators dare not slacken in the slightest and must devote themselves to seclusion and bitter cultivation," Cave Master Qiling remarked with deep feeling, his words carrying an undertone of hidden meaning.
The others cast sidelong glances at him; this man seemed to know a great deal.
Just then.
A tremendous roar erupted from above, cutting short their conversation.
The grey turbulent currents condensed into vast swathes of grey mist that descended like an overarching canopy, leaving only a few narrow fissures in between.
"Careful!"
Su Zinan shouted. Bringing his palms facing each other, the veins along his arms bulged violently. His meridians turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye, coiling beneath his skin in an exceedingly eerie fashion.
In the end, all ten of Su Zinan's fingers turned pitch-black, and a sphere of black light manifested between his palms. Terrifying kinetic force churned within it, its howling winds even drowning out the roar of the turbulence.
The sphere of light was aimed squarely at a gap between two curtains of grey mist.
Even before the force was unleashed, the edges of the grey mist trembled under the shockwaves, testifying to its sheer power.
Seizing the right moment, Su Zinan jolted his arms forward. The black light transformed into a black demonic dragon with formidable horns. Roaring forth, it surged into the gap between the grey mists in the blink of an eye.
*Boom!*
The force detonated, forming a vortex between the swathes of grey mist. As it brushed against the edges, strands of grey mist were shredded and swallowed, widening the gap.
"Quick!"
Su Zinan charged upward.
The others also lent their aid with magic treasures and divine abilities, successfully passing through that stretch of grey mist.
Once they were safe, Cave Master Qiling praised, "What marvelous Dragon-Slaying Devil Force! It truly lives up to its reputation!"
Su Zinan withdrew his power and looked at Cave Master Qiling. "This is no place for a detailed discussion. Once we leave Wuwang Hall, I shall pay a visit to your abode, Cave Master."
"It's a deal!" Cave Master Qiling nodded with pleasure. "I have matters to discuss as well, and was just about to invite you to be my guest, Brother Su."
A strange glint flickered in Su Zinan's eyes, and he gave a slight nod.
***
Farther behind.
Qin Sang found tracking them becoming increasingly difficult.
He could not follow brazenly in their wake, and having to resist the impact of the turbulent currents all on his own left him stretched thin.
Having followed them this far, Qin Sang was already beginning to consider retreating.
Su Zinan had numerous experts by his side, possessed far greater knowledge of this place, and held the advantages of timing, terrain, and harmony.
Moreover, as they continued upward, the strength of the turbulent currents was increasing at an alarming rate. Qin Sang judged that unless Su Zinan had some other trick up his sleeve, they would not be able to get much farther.
After a brief contemplation, Qin Sang decided to wait a little longer.
Less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn had passed when Qin Sang suddenly heard a muffled, thunderous rumble echoing from high above.
Sensing something abnormal, Qin Sang felt a pang of shock. He quickly bade the Heavenly Eye Butterfly look toward the sound, only to see a massive grey tide surging out from the depths of the void at some unknown moment.
That expanse was completely cloaked in murky grey.
All the turbulent currents in its path crumpled and were swept into its embrace.
The great tide poured down from the heavens, sweeping away everything in its wake!
*Rumble...*
Heaven and earth shook violently.
Every cultivator who had entered the secret realm shared the terrifying illusion that the entire realm was about to collapse.
Beneath that colossal tide, Su Zinan and the others appeared utterly insignificant. Staring blankly upward for a single instant, they made a split-second decision.
Flee!
Chapter 1584