Fights Break Sphere: Rock King's Leisurely Journey into the Mortal World

Chapter 13: Earthly Chains
Xiao Yan glanced over and noticed that Zhongli seemed lost in a vortex of extremely painful memories. To have Zhongli's expression become so hazy, those memories must have been filled with endless heaviness and sorrow. Seeing this, Xiao Yan unconsciously smiled, trying to use this gentle smile to ease the slightly solemn atmosphere.

"Ahaha, Master Zhong, look at the sky. It's already late." Xiao Yan spoke softly, his voice filled with a natural intimacy. "Master Zhong and I will go back to the room to rest first. You should also go to bed early. Good night."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yao Chen seemed to have sensed the subtle atmosphere and leisurely returned to Xiao Yan's storage ring.

Xiao Yan moved swiftly and quickly, quickly storing the tub in his storage ring. He then carefully stepped forward, gently closing the door, and then slowly turned around and quietly left Zhongli's room.

As night fell and dusk deepened, Zhongli sat quietly in his room. The flame known as the Burning Thousand Sun Flame danced joyfully in his hands, like a lively child, emitting a spirited aura. Zhongli's eyes were hazy, his thoughts as if gently carried by an invisible wind, drifting to a distant and unknown place. It took an unknown amount of time before he slowly regained consciousness.

"Ha... huh..." Zhongli opened his lips slightly and slowly exhaled, then whispered to himself, "The dead are gone, and the living remain. Since you have chosen me, I will definitely take your place and walk around this Douqi Continent and see for myself."

As Zhongli spoke, the Burning Thousand Sun Flame in his hand seemed to understand his words and instantly quieted down. After he finished speaking, the flames leaped joyfully again, as if actively responding to Zhongli's words, expressing affirmation and recognition.

Zhongli slowly turned his gaze to the window, and through the window, he could just see Xiao Yan's room.

"Xiao Yan is truly an extraordinary child." Zhongli nodded slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes. "The training plan Yao Chen developed today has been very effective. However, it also requires extremely strict willpower."

"Yao Chen was able to skillfully combine the two cultivation methods of building a foundation with medicinal liquids and pounding the flesh. Leveraging Xiao Yan's inner drive to forge ahead, he enabled Xiao Yan to break through the peak of the third stage of Dou Qi and reach the fourth stage. It must be said that Yao Chen truly possesses a wealth of experience and astonishing knowledge in Dou Qi cultivation."

Zhongli pondered for a moment, thinking to himself, "Now that I've accepted Xiao Yan as my disciple, I can't just ignore him." Back 3,700 years ago, when he and the immortals had co-founded Liyue, he had always enjoyed a close relationship with immortals like Ge Chen and Liu Yun, serving as both teacher and friend. However, throughout this long period, Zhongli had always served as the teacher.

"What kind of help can I provide to Xiao Yan?" Zhongli lowered his eyes and fixed his gaze on the Fen Yao Thousand Sun Flame, as if he was discussing with an old friend he had known for a long time.

Zhong Li knew that Xiao Yan's Dou Qi was of the fire attribute. However, the Burning Thousand Sun Flame was deeply bound to his soul and heart, and it was impossible to separate the flame from it and give it to Xiao Yan.

As his thoughts drifted to this point, Zhongli subconsciously reached into the inner pocket of his divine jacket. Suddenly, he touched a very familiar object. He quickly took it out and took a look. It turned out to be the Earthly Chain that had accompanied him for thousands of years.

This Chain of the World was a token of covenant given to him by the Demon God of Dust on the eve of the Demon God War. It contained all the crystallization of her wisdom.

Although the Earthly Chain belongs to the category of magical instruments, under Gui Zhong's wise and meticulous carving and ingenious design, an extremely large storage space has been opened up inside this unique Earthly Chain.

During these long three thousand years, Zhongli stored all the items related to himself and other demon gods into the storage space of the Chain of the Middle Ages.

Zhongli slowly closed his eyes, lost in a tranquil trance. The Rock God's delicate, silky power flowed endlessly through his fingers like a flowing stream, delicately channeling to the palm-sized Earthly Chain.

As if sensing this familiar yet powerful divine force, the Earthly Chain seemed to come alive, like a delicate keyhole perfectly inserted by an invisible key. In an instant, a mysterious power quietly awakened, and a hidden seal slowly began to unravel. As the seal was broken, a wondrous scene unfolded. The once delicate Earthly Chain seemed to be endowed with the power of growth, gradually expanding and growing. Its outline faded in the light, and finally, it returned to its normal size, hovering quietly before Zhongli, emanating an aura of mystery and solemnity.

Zhongli's mind moved slightly, and in an instant, his divine consciousness quietly penetrated the interior of the Chain of the Mortal World. There was a vast and boundless microcosm, full of myriad things and treasures.

Wendy's Sky Harp, which exudes an ethereal aura, hangs quietly in a corner;
Zhongli's own rainbow spear emitted a sharp cold light, while the peak-chopping blade and the sword without workmanship left over from the Demon God War seemed to tell of the war-torn years of the past;

The Ice God's one-handed sword exudes a cold frost.
And Fukaros's hat has a mysterious charm...

Zhongli walked slowly forward, his steps neither hurried nor slow. Soon, he arrived at the most secret and mysterious place in the World Lock. This place had a unique name in Zhongli's heart: the Return Lock.

Thinking back to the past, what Chen Shen Guizhong said:
"This is the token of the covenant and my challenge to you."

"All my wisdom is hidden in this stone lock."

He recalled the first time they met, the girl in the big sleeves pretending to be solemn and excited when she presented the token.

How foolish! There's clearly no formal contract, and we're just acting together on our own...

But he just recalled the scene of their first meeting in the field when the glass lilies were in full bloom.

Although Guizhong sincerely hoped that Zhongli could open the lock, Zhongli always believed that no relevant contract had been signed between him and Guizhong. Therefore, in the following three thousand years, Zhongli never focused on studying how to open the Guizhong lock and enter the space within.

Zhongli turned his head slightly, his eyes inadvertently falling on the two naginata of Lei Dianying and Raiden Zhen.

Zhongli slowly opened a mysterious purple box under the naginata, and what came into view was an old notebook and a yellowed ancient scroll.

After the thrilling war between demons and gods, Raidenjin fell, but her spirit lived on. She bravely died protecting Inazuma, and her soul has since embarked on a dreamlike journey across time. Could it be that the mysterious continent she traveled to is none other than the legendary Douqi Continent?

With a hint of confusion, Zhongli gently unfolded the old scroll. Though covered in dust, it couldn't conceal the distinctive markings of lightning. At the beginning of the scroll, three large characters leapt out before his eyes: The List of Strange Lightning.

(End of this chapter)