After opening the stone gate, what Gu Qingfeng hadn't expected was that inside lay a scene of ruins.
Within the ruins was a well. Inside the well, something like a purple-gold flame seemed to be burning. The flame was like water, and floating upon it was a mixed-color crystal ore the size of a thumb.
What the purple-gold flame was, Gu Qingfeng did not know.
What that mixed-color crystal ore was, Gu Qingfeng also did not know.
At this moment, he had no mind to ponder these things either, his attention completely captured by a turtle.
It was a pitch-black turtle, about half a meter long. It was currently standing there, guarding the well, holding two dark axes in its hands. A small head poked out from its shell, eyes wide open, staring fixedly at Gu Qingfeng. Its expression seemed somewhat tense, and also a little afraid.
To be fair, Gu Qingfeng was someone who had seen great things. He had encountered all sorts of strange and wondrous spirit beasts, but a turtle like the one before him, holding two axes, was truly the first time he had ever seen such a thing.
The little turtle was very alert, and very tense. So tense that beads of sweat were forming on its little head.
Gu Qingfeng was almost certain that the creature sealed by the Great Bright King Six-Seal should be this little turtle. He just couldn't figure it out—this little fellow looked completely harmless. Was it worth sealing with the Great Bright King Six-Seal?
"Come here, little guy, come to your master's side."
Gu Qingfeng smiled and crooked a finger.
The little turtle took a few steps back on its short legs, putting on a fierce, snarling expression, and suddenly hurled the axe in its hand.
Gu Qingfeng casually caught the small axe. He glanced at it but couldn't tell what kind of thing this axe was. It wasn't a magic treasure, had nothing to do with cultivation resources, and wasn't connected to immortals or demons either. It was more like a kind of bone. But look as he might, he couldn't see anything particularly special about it.
Having lost both axes, the little turtle grew even more nervous. Seeing Gu Qingfeng approach, it quickly scrambled onto the mouth of the well, opening its mouth to swallow the mixed-color crystal ore.
Gu Qingfeng, quick of eye and swift of hand, flashed forward, arriving instantly. He grabbed the turtle's shell. The little turtle was scared out of its wits, flailing its limbs, its expression one of sheer terror. It stretched its neck, trying to bite, but simply couldn't reach.
Gu Qingfeng just watched the panicked little turtle, feeling quite surprised inside.
He could tell this little fellow had clearly just been born, its spiritual intelligence just beginning to awaken, like a three-year-old child.
In other words, this little guy had been sealed inside the Great Bright King Six-Seal when it was still just an egg.
Could it be that this little fellow was some kind of ferocious existence?
It didn't seem like it.
Between heaven and earth, mysteries abound, and wonders are endless. Humans are not the only ones. Besides them, there are all sorts of demons, ghosts, and monsters, and countless varieties of spirit beasts, every strange and bizarre thing imaginable. Just lions and tigers alone have thousands of different breeds.
As for what kind of existence this little turtle was, Gu Qingfeng couldn't figure it out for the moment.
The little turtle struggled, utterly terrified.
"Little guy, don't be afraid. Your master is a good person, I won't hurt you. Go to sleep for now."
As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng casually formed a few spirit seals with his fingers. A series of crisp crackling sounds rang out, and after a flash of light enveloped the little turtle, it closed its eyes and fell asleep as if hypnotized.
After tossing the little turtle into his storage bag, Gu Qingfeng finally turned his attention to the well.
Inside the well burned the purple-gold flame.
This was Zijin Fire, originating from the sun.
It was absolutely a rare treasure.
"I wonder what kind of master the owner of this cave dwelling was. Not only did they manage to obtain Purple-Gold Heavenly Shining Crystal, they even got their hands on Zijin Fire. Impressive."
The existence of the sun could be called one of the overlords between heaven and earth.
It was something ordinary people, even immortals and demons, dared not approach.
And Zijin Fire came from the sun, hailed as one of the Nine Yang Fires. It was extremely pure, and of course, extremely violent.
Gu Qingfeng pondered for a moment, then waved his hand and began absorbing the Zijin Fire from the well.
Although this stuff was violent, hailed as one of the Nine Yangs, and came from the sun itself, Gu Qingfeng was the ancestor of fire-play. His physical body had been tempered by Nine Nethers Ancestral Fire, so he wasn't afraid of this Zijin Fire.
While absorbing the Zijin Fire, he also probed the mixed-color crystal ore floating in the well.
This crystal ore was about the size of a fist, shaped like a heart. Its surface was crystalline and translucent, with murky colors flowing within.
What this thing was, Gu Qingfeng stared at it for a long time but couldn't make heads or tails of it. After hesitating for a moment, he sent out his Divine Sense to carefully investigate.
It was very mysterious, and also very strange.
Gu Qingfeng probed carefully. His Divine Sense felt as if it had entered a strange space.
Inside, there was nothing. It was empty.
What was this?
A secret realm?
An immortal realm?
Gu Qingfeng suddenly felt his five hundred years had been wasted, because he completely couldn't figure out what this thing was. To be honest, he considered himself quite knowledgeable about spatial matters. Forget cave dwellings, secret realms, or immortal realms—he had even ventured into minor worlds and major worlds.
But he had never encountered such a strange space before.
And this thing didn't really seem like a space either.
As for what it was.
He couldn't figure that out either.
Just as he was puzzling over it, he suddenly sensed something strange, and immediately afterward, a voice came.
"Who are you!"
Hmm?
There was someone else here?
No!
It wasn't a person.
The other party also seemed to be a wisp of Divine Sense.
Yes.
Gu Qingfeng could sense it.
"How did you break into my dream?"
The voice came again, but Gu Qingfeng was somewhat bewildered.
Dream?
What was going on?
Gu Qingfeng asked, "And who are you!"
"How did you break into my dream? Just who are you!"
Communication between Divine Senses required no words; understanding through intent sufficed. Gu Qingfeng could tell the other party seemed very shocked, but he paid it no mind. He just couldn't figure out how probing this mixed-color crystal ore had led him into someone else's dream.
And was this even a dream?
Gu Qingfeng wasn't unfamiliar with entering dreams, both his own and others'. He had done it before. But to say this place was a dream was complete nonsense.
"Speak! Who exactly are you, or I'll erase your Divine Sense!"
Gu Qingfeng gave a silent laugh and responded, "Then erase it for me to see."
Whoosh!
The mysterious space suddenly changed. For no apparent reason, rolling flames appeared. And what Gu Qingfeng hadn't expected was that these flames were none other than Zijin Fire.
The raging flames madly burned Gu Qingfeng's Divine Sense, but to no avail. Not a single hair on his body hadn't been tempered by Nine Nethers Ancestral Fire, and his Divine Sense was naturally no exception. Although this Zijin Fire came from the sun itself, it couldn't do anything to Gu Qingfeng's Divine Sense. Moreover, the Zijin Fire that appeared in this space wasn't the real Zijin Fire; at best, it could only be considered a kind of spiritual fire imbued with Zijin essence.
"Your Divine Sense... is so strong! Just what kind of person are you!"
Gu Qingfeng remained silent.
The other party continued, "Your Divine Sense is so formidable, you can't possibly be an ordinary cultivator. Are you also a reincarnated person?"
Hmm?
Reincarnated person?
'Also'?
So that meant the other party was a reincarnated person?
After pondering for a moment, Gu Qingfeng asked, "Who were you in your previous life?"
"And who are you!"
"Who am I?" Gu Qingfeng replied playfully, "In my previous life, I was Old Heaven."
"Old Heaven? Why don't you just go die! Are you going to tell me or not? Who exactly are you? Why can you break into my dream?"
Just as Gu Qingfeng was about to respond, suddenly, he sensed something was wrong. He quickly withdrew his Divine Sense and was shocked to find that this cave dwelling was violently shaking. It seemed it wouldn't be long before it collapsed.
Focusing his gaze, he realized the Zijin Fire in the well had already been completely absorbed by him. It seemed this thing was the foundation maintaining the cave dwelling. Without hesitation, Gu Qingfeng grabbed the mixed-color crystal ore floating in the well. After sending his Divine Sense to probe it once more, the entire cave dwelling seemed to begin crumbling.
"Better leave first."