Chapter 1779: The Lonely One (II)

Unexpectedly, Li Yan’s final attempt was successful. This led him to believe that the answer wasn’t just simple; the master of this secret realm must have been very lonely or possessed an eccentric, solitary nature.

Aside from cultivation, they likely spent their time tending the spirit fields. Furthermore, this person must have been an expert in mechanical puppets or artifact refining. In their leisure time, they would refine magical treasures, puppets, or formations. For some reason, they had fashioned their puppets into the likeness of scarecrows. When they later set the trap, they included these scarecrows. These scarecrows might not have been as powerful as they appeared.

This was a simple logic; much like when Li Yan entered the Earthen Patch, he could magnify his own strength many times over. Thus, outside the courtyard, the scarecrows were invisible. That obscuring black shadow was likely the protective layer of the magical treasure. Those scarecrows existed within the treasure, and their devastating power was drawn from the treasure itself.

This demonstrated the terror of the magical treasure. However, none of the three attempted to claim it after leaving, for they knew they couldn’t. The treasure was tied to the entry teleportation array and the secret realm itself, acting as a connecting link. They had no power to alter a secret realm, especially after sensing the terrifying danger beyond the treasure’s southern wall.

Even if they could take the treasure, was it acting as a mountain gate? If they removed it, no one knew what would happen to the secret realm. Thus, they could only explore first. They didn’t dare touch the treasure; if something went wrong and the living land turned into a dead zone, they would regret it forever.

And after hearing Li Yan’s explanation, the sisters realized it matched their own guesses. They felt that if an Undead Nether Phoenix had truly lived here, then even if the treasure was a trap, it showed that the owner likely lived alone. The place was a reflection of their internal desolation and boundless loneliness. Due to the unique nature of the Undead Nether Phoenix, the owner was unwilling to associate with others. These seemingly mischievous or pointless acts were perhaps a true portrayal of their inner heart.

‘Must the Undead Nether Phoenix truly be excluded from the world? Is it fated to suffer the wrath of heaven?’ A faint sadness rose in Ming Qi’s heart. Although they were on good terms with the Green Phoenix clan, other phoenix races clearly didn’t want to get too close. In the records of the Undead Nether Phoenix, the clan was too powerful, capable of easily suppressing the other two phoenix races through bloodline alone.

Everyone knew the greatest skill of the phoenix races was rebirth through fire, yet no other phoenix race ever dared to call themselves “Undead.” Only the Undead Nether Phoenix dared to claim immortality and even used the name of the Netherworld, showing no fear of the ghosts that claimed souls.

“These spirit fields have been abandoned,” Ming Qi said softly, suppressing her sadness as she looked at the weeds below. The master here was either gone or in a deep, permanent meditation. Regardless, they had harvested all the original herbs before leaving or entering seclusion, leading to this state.

Looking at the situation, it was possible the master had perished; it had been too long since anyone had appeared here. This was a sight Ming Qi both hoped for and dreaded. Although the Supreme Elder had risked his longevity to deduce this place, it was still not certain if the owner was truly an Undead Nether Phoenix.

Perhaps the master was an enemy of the clan. Because of the karmic connection, the divination showed traces of the clan. If the master wasn’t a clan member and was still in seclusion, their fate was sealed if he woke up. But if it was a powerhouse of the clan, Ming Qi hoped they were alive, as it would offer more hope for their clan’s true inheritance.

Li Yan also surveyed the area. He felt his previous judgment might be correct; the master had either left long ago or vanished along with the Inheritance Ancient Hall. There were no traces of recent activity. If the owner were still alive, the hall wouldn’t be this quiet given their means.

Li Yan valued Ming Qi’s clan, not the potential powerhouse here. Such power was not something he could borrow. He hoped the original master, whether an Undead Nether Phoenix or not, was dead or absent.

“Let’s check that large mountain at the back!” Li Yan “accompanied” the sisters in flight over the fields. After a brief search, he pointed toward the end of the fields where a massive mountain loomed between heaven and earth.

There was naturally nothing to find in the fields. Ming Qi and Ming Yu needed confirmation, so Li Yan symbolically searched with them for a while. Then, he looked at the mountain. He had already scanned it; the mountain seemed to be the end of this secret realm, as his Divine Sense couldn’t cross its peak.

Thus, the scope of this secret realm wasn’t particularly large. Aside from the fields and the mountain, the area was only about three hundred li across. The mountain was about six hundred feet high, covered in dense, varying trees and weeds. Here, they still sensed no signs of life. If not for the sunlight and spiritual energy, it would feel like a dead zone.

They couldn’t guess where this secret realm was located relative to the hall, as it was a space teleported from within a secret realm. A hundred breaths later, the three stood atop the mountain peak, perched on the crown of a giant tree. From here, they could overlook the fields and the distant, nearly invisible courtyard.

“This should be the end of the secret realm. I sensed danger at the boundaries in several directions again,” Ming Qi said softly. An invisible barrier had blocked them. They had flown east and west along the ridge and were stopped each time. From the peak, they could only see half the mountain and the panoramic view to the south.

“Indeed. For now, do not try to break the boundaries in those three directions. Let’s search this place thoroughly first!” Li Yan agreed. They had briefly tested the barriers on three sides and felt that same unsettling sense of danger. Breaking them would likely be catastrophic.

Because this wasn’t a magical treasure trap, the barriers in the other directions might be spatial walls or formation barriers. Ming Qi and Ming Yu felt they might be able to use Spatial Laws to break through, but they chose not to. They had the divine ability, but it was limited by their cultivation. In an unknown secret realm, if it was a spatial wall rather than a formation, they weren’t confident they would survive the exit.

“Unless this is entirely a trap, the master wouldn’t have placed themselves in a trap,” Ming Yu noted, looking at the rising and falling trees. “Though there would be no danger for them, a cultivator wouldn’t normally cultivate in such a place. The spiritual energy here is only decent. Therefore, the courtyard might be the entry trap, while the master’s true residence is elsewhere.”

She didn’t believe the whole place was a trap—only the courtyard. If so, they were in the right place. They just hadn’t found the inheritance yet.

“Forget the fields for now. Logically, a cultivator builds their cave residence in the mountains, and this is the only mountain. Let’s spread out from west to east and push forward. No need for a full scan; we’ll push forward step by bit!” Li Yan’s eyes flashed; he felt Ming Yu was right.