An overjoyed look flashed across Zhao Shanling’s eyes as he said, “You came back from the Shatter Battlefield?”
Surprised by his words, Nie Tian said, “I’ve been back for a while now. Didn’t you hear that Luo Wanxiang’s subordinates imprisoned the Blood Sect disciples and Li Langfeng in the Domain of Forbidden Heaven?”
Dumbfounded, Zhao Shanling shook his head and said, “No, I didn’t.”
Dong Li smiled. “I’d be surprised if he did. It seems that he’s never left this place since we got back from the s.p.a.ce disruption zone.”
A spirited look appeared on Zhao Shanling’s bewildered face. “That’s right. I spent a long time studying these spatial patterns. Now look...”
With these words, he ran his fingers through the carved lines on the hard stony ground in a particular manner.
As he did, the complicated carvings on the stony ground started to emanate a mysterious light, along with intense spatial fluctuations.
Soon, the profound spatial spell formation appeared once again.
Like a glowing millstone, it floated vertically in front of Zhao Shanling, Nie Tian, and Dong Li.
Countless interweaving rays of light const.i.tuted the spell formation, inside of which even brighter lines could be seen. The unusual spatial fluctuations it emanated suggested that living beings could travel through it.
Intrigued, Nie Tian asked, “Is it an accessible teleportation portal? This is why you asked me to come find you, right? Have you entered it or sensed the situation on the other side of it?”
Zhao Shanling smiled bitterly and shook his head. “No, I didn’t enter it. And I can’t tell where it connects by sensing it from this side.”
“What stopped you from entering it?” Dong Li asked curiously.
“I’m just one step away from another breakthrough in my cultivation.” With these words, Zhao Shanling straightened his back in confidence. “I’m going to be the first cultivator from the Domain of the Falling Stars to enter the Saint domain. Also, my mastery of spatial power will rise to a whole new level once I advance to the Saint domain. So I thought I’d go check out what’s on the other side of this portal then.”
“Sorry, even if you enter the Saint domain now, you wouldn’t be the first from the Domain of the Falling Stars to do so,” Nie Tian said with a sincere expression.
Zhao Shanling was taken aback, his chin tilting. “I won’t? Who would it be then? Fan Kai?”
“No, my master,” Nie Tian said.
Upon hearing these words, both Zhao Shanling and Dong Li were flabbergasted.
The two of them had remained in the Domain of the Falling Stars since their return from the s.p.a.ce disruption zone, while Nie Tian had gone to the Shatter Battlefield, where he had found Wu Ji.
It had turned out that Wu Ji had stayed and practiced cultivation by the river of time since he had first discovered it.
For this reason, many in the Domain of the Falling Stars had forgotten about him.
“Your master, Wu Ji, entered the Saint domain?” Zhao Shanling exclaimed with a grim face.
Nie Tian grinned. “That’s right. He advanced to the Saint domain in the Shatter Battlefield. So the Domain of the Falling Stars already has its first Saint domain cultivator.”
“I really didn’t see this coming. I can’t believe it’s him...” Zhao Shanling muttered to himself. “However, he practices time power, which sets him apart from all the others. If he has actually entered the Saint domain thanks to the profound enlightenment he derived from the river of time in the Shatter Battlefield, I’m afraid his future will be beyond measure.”
Dong Li also found this hard to believe.
“Alright.” Nie Tian pointed at the spatial formation in the air. “What do you want us to do with this spatial formation? Do you want us to enter it with you? Do you want to go now, or after you enter the Saint domain?”
Zhao Shanling grew hesitant again.
“You aren’t even sure about that?” Dong Li asked.
“No,” Zhao Shanling said with a grim face. “Perhaps after I enter the Saint domain. I have scruples about us entering now. If the Pei girl was here, her unique spatial treasure might be able to take us in there and back safely.”
“Since you’re confident in the trip yourself, let’s not go now.” Nie Tian didn’t want to dwell on the matter. “We can revisit the topic later. I can go find Senior Martial Sister Pei after you make up your mind.”
Surprised, Zhao Shanling asked, “She’s not here?”
The reason he had asked Nie Tian to come to this place was because he had a.s.sumed that Pei Qiqi would come with him. That way, it would be fairly safe to take this exploration trip even before he entered the Saint domain.
“She was summoned back to her sect,” Nie Tian answered.
Zhao Shanling seemed somewhat disappointed. “If that’s the case, let’s wait till she’s got time.”
“A spell formation that connects to an unknown destination...” Nie Tian thought to himself.
He suddenly remembered the Green Illusion Dimension trial he had taken ages ago. During the trial, he had discovered a spell formation made of several stone columns carved with flame dragons and ice dragons at the bottom of a lake. A Frost Python had left the Green Illusion Dimension through it, while he had benefited a great deal from it.
With these thoughts, he said, “Come on. I’ll show you to a place.”
“Where?” Zhao Shanling asked curiously.
“A portal that may connect to an Ancientbeast heaven and earth,” Nie Tian said. “However, I’m not sure whether it’s still accessible.”
“A portal that may connect to an Ancientbeast heaven and earth?” Zhao Shanling was instantly intrigued.
“Let’s go to the Realm of Flame Heaven first,” Nie Tian said.
“Sure.” With the help of the teleportation portals, their trip from the Realm of Unbounded Desolation to the Realm of Flame Heaven took only a brief moment.
Soon, Zhao Shanling, Nie Tian, and Dong Li arrived at the Spiritual Treasure Sect’s headquarters in the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range, where Nie Tian hoped to ask the sectmaster of the Spiritual Treasure Sect about the entrance of the Green Illusion Dimension.
Now, many years had pa.s.sed. Pan Hongzhen had taken the position of sectmaster of the Spiritual Treasure Sect.
As Pan Bai’s father, Pan Hongzhen had originally been the grand elder of the Spiritual Treasure Sect. The fact that he had been able to rise to the position of the sectmaster had a great deal to do with Nie Tian.
It was just that Nie Tian didn’t know about that.
As soon as Pan Hongzhen learned about Nie Tian’s arrival, he rushed out of the main pavilion and called out excitedly, “Nie Tian! Miss Dong!”
A few others that Nie Tian found familiar appeared after him, among whom was Fang Hui. However, Pan Bai, who Nie Tian was the most familiar with, didn’t show up.
Glancing over the familiar faces, Nie Tian felt as if he had traveled back in time.
Nie Tian bowed respectfully. “Senior Fang.”
Fang Hui hastily waved his hands. “No, no, no. I dare not accept the honor. Given your current status, I didn’t expect you to ever come to the Spiritual Treasure Sect again. Your presence brings light to our humble sect.
“Right, what brings you here?” Pan Hongzhen asked. “What could we possibly have that you want?”
Nie Tian hadn’t visited the Spiritual Treasure Sect since he had left the Domain of the Falling Stars. The few times he had returned to the Domain of the Falling Stars, he had either gone to find his master, Wu Ji, in the Cloudsoaring Sect, or headed towards the spatial rifts that had connected to the Demon realms. Not once had he visited the Spiritual Treasure Sect.
Now that he suddenly showed up, they were both surprised and slightly worried.
“Have things changed with the Green Illusion Dimension?” Nie Tian asked. “I’d like to go there and take a look.”
Pan Hongzhen was taken aback. “The Green Illusion Dimension? It doesn’t even count as a realm. Why do you want to go? All of the spirit beasts in the Green Illusion Dimension are at very low grades. There’s nothing there worth your attention.”
“There’s a special formation that may lead to somewhere interesting. I’m going to take a look at it.” Nie Tian explained. “I came across it many years ago during a trial. I never had a chance to revisit it after that. Earlier, I suddenly remembered it, and thought I might come check it out.”
“Sure, I’ll take you there.” Fang Hui said voluntarily.