The Heaven-Earth Fan flew out, unleashing layers of mountains and rivers, while the Three Yang True Fire Sword transformed into thousands of flying swords, their momentum awe-inspiring.
"Ah—" A miserable cry rang out. It was the junior sister, simultaneously struck by the Heaven-Earth Fan and the Three Yang True Fire Sword. She stared at the two of them in shock, her figure gradually turning transparent, fading away until she vanished without a trace.
At the same time, the scenery around them began to blur, like a landscape painting having its colors wiped away, bit by bit.
Fairy Fengqing was utterly astonished. "What's happening? How can this be?"
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi, however, remained calm. The mountain rocks beneath their feet lost their color, the sky's restrictions disappeared without a trace, replaced by a vast Immortal Palace.
This Immortal Palace stood in an unknown location, surrounded by a sea of white clouds stretching as far as the eye could see, boundless and endless. Raising their heads, they saw a youth reclining lazily on the horizontal plaque above the palace gates. Dressed in elegant white robes that seemed untouched by worldly dust, he was fiddling with a set of Nine-Linked Rings, thoroughly engrossed.
Mo Tiange's heart filled with suspicion. They had been trapped in an illusion, nearly killing each other. Could it be because of this youth?
"Where is this?" Fairy Fengqing murmured beside her. Unlike Mo Tiange and Qin Xi, who had seen through the illusion themselves and broken free, she had been broken out by external force. Thus, she hadn't fully emerged from the act yet; she was still locked in combat with the character from the illusion.
Despite the three of them appearing here, the youth didn't even lift an eyelid, still focused on solving the linked rings.
Qin Xi gently tugged Mo Tiange's sleeve, transmitting his voice. "He has no aura pressure."
Mo Tiange took a closer look. Not only did this youth lack aura pressure, he didn't even have spiritual qi. How could this be? Was he a mortal?
"Casually probing others, how impolite," the youth suddenly spoke. With a casual wave of his hand, the two of them felt a sharp, violent pain in their Sea of Consciousness.
The pain came and went quickly, vanishing the next moment.
Their hearts still racing, they stared at the youth. What level was he? He had no spiritual qi at all, yet a casual gesture could wound their Sea of Consciousness... The Sea of Consciousness was the most secret place for a cultivator. Even destroying the physical body didn't necessarily injure the Sea of Consciousness unless the spiritual sense was severely damaged, which would then affect the Sea of Consciousness. Just now, their spiritual sense hadn't been attacked, yet their Sea of Consciousness had suffered intense pain. With such methods, could this senior be a Deity Transformation cultivator?
Qin Xi stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Junior Qin Shoujing of the Tianji Xuanqing Sect, and this is my Dao Companion Mo Qingwei. We pay our respects to you, Senior."
"Now that's more like it." The youth snorted, put away the Nine-Linked Rings, and looked down at them from his high perch. "I should be asking you, for what reason do you trespass into my Immortal Palace?"
Qin Xi replied, "Trespassing into your Immortal Palace was truly unintentional. Not long ago, Demon Cultivators invaded our Kunwu. The stronghold we were defending was breached by them, so we drifted in the East Sea and accidentally stumbled into your palace. We beg Senior to forgive our rudeness."
"Hmph." The youth said lazily, "So you were defeated by Demon Cultivators. How useless."
Qin Xi smiled apologetically. "This junior's abilities are meager, making Senior laugh."
The youth seemed somewhat curious and continued asking, "What's this about you being attacked by Demon Cultivators? The East Sea? When did East Sea Demon Cultivators become so powerful? Quite impressive."
Qin Xi said, "Senior guessed wrong. It wasn't East Sea Demon Cultivators, but South Sea Demon Cultivators."
"South Sea Demon Cultivators?" The youth frowned slightly. "The South Sea is more than a hundred thousand miles from Tianji. Moreover, the South Sea's richness cannot be compared to Tianji's. Why would South Sea Demon Cultivators travel all the way to Tianji?"
Qin Xi paused, then shook his head. "This junior does not know either."
The youth thought for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed. "South Sea Demon Cultivators? Probably Xumi Sea Demon Cultivators, right?"
Qin Xi was startled. He had previously heard the name Xumi Sea from Demon Cultivators, but had assumed it was a specific sea region within the South Sea. Listening to this youth now, it seemed to be another place entirely?
Mo Tiange had already cut in to ask, "Senior, what is the Xumi Sea?"
The youth said, "The Xumi Sea is a mysterious sea region within the South Sea. It is both within the South Sea and outside of it, quite unique." After finishing, he glared again. "Why should I tell you these things?"
Mo Tiange was baffled. She hadn't begged him to say it. If he didn't want to talk, then so be it.
The youth muttered to himself again, "Xumi Sea invading Tianji? That makes even less sense... Ah, right." He turned his head and asked, "Besides that, do you have any other conflicts?"
Qin Xi and Mo Tiange exchanged a glance, both showing puzzled expressions. How did he know there were other conflicts?
Qin Xi replied, "What Senior says is correct. Not long ago, heaven and earth underwent strange changes, the continents shifted. Tianji connected with Xichi, and now Xichi Demon Cultivators are invading. The demonic path in Kunwu has also risen again..."
"Heaven and earth changed, continents shifted?" The youth was astonished. "What happened?"
"Does Senior not know?" Qin Xi found it strange. "All the continents have moved. Senior, residing within the East Sea, should be aware."
The youth didn't answer this question, only continued with great interest, "Tell me in detail."
So Qin Xi recounted everything, from start to finish.
Whether it was the restriction on the small island or the later illusion, it was enough to prove its master was a cultivator whose realm exceeded Nascent Soul. And just now, the youth's casual move further showed their lives were at his mere whim. Given that, what need was there for schemes? At least, for now, this senior didn't seem intent on harming them. Whatever he asked, they should answer honestly.
After Qin Xi finished explaining the recent situation, the youth sighed from his seat on the plaque. "The world is in great turmoil. Has the time for Reincarnation come again?"
"Reincarnation?" Mo Tiange muttered inwardly. This senior's tone made it sound like it wasn't a good thing.
The youth lamented for a good while, then looked at them and said, "Since you were able to enter my Immortal Palace, it means you have some fate with me. I can't even count how many tens of thousands of years it's been. You are the first people to come in."
Mo Tiange asked curiously, "May I ask Senior's esteemed name and origin? Why have you been trapped here for so long?"
The youth said indifferently, "My name is Amber. As for my identity and origin, telling you wouldn't mean anything to you. As for the rest, you'd better not ask."
Mo Tiange asked again, "Senior said just now, 'the world is in great turmoil, the time for Reincarnation...' What exactly does that mean?"
Amber was somewhat annoyed by her questions. "So many pointless questions. Must I answer whatever you ask?"
"..." Mo Tiange grumbled inwardly. This senior really... he's polite to Qin Xi, but like this to her. Did he have a preference for men?
No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than Amber on the plaque flew into a rage, shouting at her, "What are you thinking?!"
Mo Tiange was stunned, pointing at him. "You... you..." Only then did she remember that cultivators above Deity Transformation could sense the thoughts of lower-level cultivators. Her malicious speculation about him must have been detected...
Seeing Amber's furious expression, she was about to say something to defuse the situation when she suddenly caught sight of his little finger. Her heart skipped a beat, but the next moment she said, "Senior always seems very impatient when speaking to me. Whatever he says, Senior explains kindly. It's hard not to think something is off..."
"You..." Amber stood up angrily, looking as if he was about to make a move. Qin Xi quickly stepped forward, blocking in front. "Senior, she speaks without thinking. Please do not take it to heart."
Amber cried out, "What 'speaks without thinking'? I can read minds!"
"..." For a moment, Qin Xi didn't know how to reply. He didn't know what had happened, nor why Amber had suddenly become so enraged.
He turned his head, hoping to get a hint from Mo Tiange, but she didn't give him a glance. She still addressed Amber, saying, "Why is Senior so angry? Could it be I hit the mark?"
"You, you..." Amber was so angry he stammered, finally roaring, "If I don't teach you a lesson, you really don't know your place!"
He raised his hand towards Mo Tiange. Instantly, Mo Tiange felt as if something struck her Sea of Consciousness, and intense pain flared again.
The pain made her want to cry out, but she clenched her teeth and endured.
"Tian Ge!" Qin Xi saw her clutching her head and squatting in pain, urgently addressing Amber. "Senior, please show mercy!"
Amber only sneered.
Qin Xi wanted to say more, but Mo Tiange tugged his sleeve. Enduring the severe pain, she whispered, "Don't interfere."
Her face pale from pain, covered in sweat, yet her gaze was firm, seeming to hold another meaning. Qin Xi hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Regardless of whether you can endure it, I cannot just stand by and watch."
Mo Tiange's eyes warmed. She smiled at him. "It's fine. I'll really be fine."
Saying this, she slowly straightened up and wiped away the sweat.
Her gaze made Amber somewhat uneasy. Moreover, he knew that if this continued, his secret would be exposed. He wanted to withdraw the spell and say some face-saving words. Unexpectedly, Mo Tiange spoke up first, "Senior, it doesn't seem to hurt much anymore."
Amber flew into a rage again. "Do you truly wish to die?"
Mo Tiange, however, let out a light laugh, stood up straight, and looked up at him. "That would require Senior to be able to kill me first."
Amber was taken aback. Seeing her confident, fearless demeanor, and sensing her thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a chill. "You... you..."
Mo Tiange took a step forward. "Why doesn't Senior make a move? With your cultivation realm, killing us should only require a flick of your finger, right?"
"..."
She smiled faintly. "Amber, called by this name, yet without a surname. How strange. It doesn't sound like the name of a high-level cultivator, more like the name of a servant or a spirit beast."
Amber's face darkened. Then he heard her say, "Senior knows nothing of the changes in the outside world. Presumably, you haven't left this Immortal Palace for a long time. I wonder if you don't want to leave, or if you cannot leave?"
Amber stared at her, his tone gloomy. "What are you trying to say?"
Mo Tiange suddenly smiled gently. "Senior, this junior does not wish to oppose you. It's just that Senior refused to disclose your identity and origin, forcing this junior to resort to this last resort."
Hearing this, Amber was stunned. Sensing her current peaceful state of mind, he grew even angrier. "You were deliberately toying with me?"
Mo Tiange said, "If Senior had been forthright, I wouldn't have needed to resort to this last resort."
Amber snorted, extremely annoyed. "Even if I don't say, what can you do about it?"
His manner was like a child throwing a tantrum. Mo Tiange smiled. "Senior, after being trapped here for tens of thousands of years, isn't it difficult to bear?"
Amber fell silent.
She continued, "If my guess is correct, Senior is that divine beast, the Qilin, correct?"