As the old saying goes, the more you fear something in this world, the more likely it is to happen.
Looking at the situation now, it truly holds water.
Before entering, Gu Qingfeng had a sense of foreboding. After entering the Space Tunnel, that feeling grew even stronger. During the teleportation, he had been on tenterhooks, fearing an accident, but he never expected one to occur in the end.
And this matter now might not necessarily be an accident.
First, the inexplicable sea-like stench appeared, followed immediately by the Space Tunnel being impacted as if struck. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like they had jumped into someone else's trap.
Who exactly was behind this mischief, and what kind of mischief was it? Gu Qingfeng didn't know, and he had no mind to ponder the question now. Getting out of this damned place via teleportation as soon as possible was paramount.
But damn it all, once you entered a Space Tunnel, aside from resigning yourself to fate, there was nothing else you could do.
Just then, a thunderous boom!
The Space Tunnel was impacted again. Despite Da Xing the Mad Monk, Water Moon Bodhisattva, Gu Qingfeng, Mo Wentian, and the others doing their utmost to stabilize the tunnel's structure, they couldn't withstand such repeated impacts. Watching as the tunnel's structure grew increasingly chaotic, on the verge of collapse at any moment, Gu Qingfeng hurriedly asked, "Da Xing, how much further to the Little Zen Hidden Realm?"
"This... I'm afraid we still have quite a while to go!"
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng was instantly furious. "I've really been screwed over by you, you bald donkey, this time!"
"Kid Gu, this old monk didn't mean to screw you over! No one expected things to turn out like this. But don't you worry, once we get out, this old monk will properly reward you!"
"Get out? What wishful thinking are you having? Judging by the situation, nine times out of ten we've been set up."
Gu Qingfeng shouted, "Holding on like this isn't a solution. I'm afraid the Space Tunnel will collapse before we reach the Little Zen Hidden Realm."
"Why are the Chaotic Currents outside so intense?"
Just as Da Xing the Mad Monk finished speaking, Mo Wentian suddenly said, "What's impacting the Space Tunnel isn't Chaotic Currents."
"If it's not Chaotic Currents, then what is it?"
"It's a Void Beast!"
As Mo Wentian's voice came through, Gu Qingfeng felt a chill run down his spine. He carefully extended his Divine Sense, bit by bit, to probe outside. This probe was no small matter; it nearly scared Gu Qingfeng out of his wits, making him gasp for breath.
Outside the Space Tunnel were layer upon layer of Chaotic Currents, surging forth like rolling waves. Within these waves was a gigantic monster.
This monster was enormous like a Kun, resembling a giant shark, yet more like a flood dragon churning rivers and seas. Its entire body was crimson, covered in long, drifting red tendrils. With its bloody maw wide open, accompanied by the layers of Chaotic Currents, it was tearing at the Space Tunnel.
Void Beasts were unique creatures of the Endless Sea Beyond the Outer Heaven, and they were extremely terrifying existences within the heavens and earth. These Void Beasts generally only appeared in the Endless Sea. Of course, they occasionally accompanied the emergence of some forgotten Space or relic into the myriad realms. Once these things charged into the cosmos of the myriad realms, they would inevitably cause rivers of blood and widespread suffering among living beings, and could even trigger spatial anomalies, leading to Chaotic Current storms.
Because the existence of Void Beasts was simply too powerful, too immense. Beings of the Great Dao were like ants before a Void Beast, utterly could be crushed with a single blow. One bite could swallow an entire world; a sneeze could shake to death millions of cultivators.
Exaggerated? Not in the slightest.
Gu Qingfeng had once encountered a Void Beast that had charged into the myriad realms. He knew well that these things had thick, tough hides. No matter how powerful you were, it was difficult to shake them even a little. Most terrifyingly, these creatures were born with incredibly dreadful power, almost like divine strength, utterly horrifying.
"Damn it all! How could we run into a Void Beast out of the blue!"
After probing, Da Xing the Mad Monk's heart was also filled with panic.
"A Void Beast would never attack a Space Tunnel without reason."
Water Moon Bodhisattva's face was grim as she suddenly recalled the inexplicable sea-like stench inside the tunnel. She shouted, "It must be that strange smell that attracted the Void Beast."
Everyone supported the Space Tunnel's structure while searching for the source of the peculiar smell. However, no matter how they searched, no one could find where the smell was coming from.
Boom! The frenzied Void Beast, accompanied by rolling Chaotic Currents, tore at the Space Tunnel like mad.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Space Tunnel's structure also fractured one after another under the Void Beast's ramping. Everyone knew the tunnel's structure was now riddled with holes and couldn't hold on much longer.
"There's still some distance to the Little Zen Hidden Realm. Judging by the current situation, we'll never reach it before the Space Tunnel is shattered by the Void Beast's impact!"
Water Moon Bodhisattva proposed, "The Void Beast is attracted by the peculiar smell, but we cannot find the smell's source. The only plan now is to go out and lure the Void Beast away."
Though reluctant, everyone had to admit that what Water Moon Bodhisattva said was true.
The problem was that outside the Space Tunnel was the Endless Sea Beyond the Outer Heaven, filled with all sorts of Chaotic Currents. If they went out, forget about luring the Void Beast away; they would likely be swept into the Chaotic Currents immediately. Perhaps, by exerting all their strength, they could struggle for a bit within the layers of Chaotic Currents.
But it would only be a brief struggle, at best a death throes. Chaotic Currents weren't some kind of power or divine ability, nor could they be resisted just because you were strong. Unless you could comprehend the mysteries of spatial Chaotic Currents.
But.
Do Chaotic Currents have mysteries? Perhaps they do. No one knows. No one is clear.
The only thing known is that the Immortal Dao has mysteries, the Buddhist Dao has mysteries, including nature, and indeed all things in heaven and earth that exist have their own mysteries.
That's because these Great Dao and all things have their own order and laws.
Chaotic Currents have no order or laws to speak of.
Think about it: without even laws or order, existing completely irregularly, how could one fathom their mysteries?
Chaotic Currents, Chaotic Currents—the very words 'chaotic' and 'current' already explain their complete lack of rules.
Moreover, within the layers of Chaotic Currents in the Endless Sea Beyond the Outer Heaven, it wasn't just spatial Chaotic Currents. Besides those, there were also temporal Chaotic Currents. Falling into spatial Chaotic Currents, you wouldn't know where you'd be swept. If you fell into temporal Chaotic Currents, a single thought could span millions of years.
And.
Besides spatial and temporal Chaotic Currents, legends said the Endless Sea Beyond the Outer Heaven also contained all sorts of unheard-of, jumbled Chaotic Currents.
This was precisely why everyone was so terrified of the Endless Sea Beyond the Outer Heaven.
"Junior Sister, do you mean to extend our Divine Sense to lure the Void Beast away? This old monk advises you to best abandon this idea."
Da Xing the Mad Monk said solemnly, "Once Divine Sense is extended and enters the Endless Sea Beyond the Outer Heaven, you won't even have a chance to struggle. Your Divine Sense will immediately be swept into the Chaotic Currents. Once your Divine Sense is swept in, your self-awareness, even including your own soul, will be forcibly dragged in. Then, only an empty shell of a body will remain. Even if you sever the Divine Sense in time, your mind will certainly collapse, your consciousness will certainly blur, and your soul will certainly suffer a setback."