You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

"Uncle Li, let's go!"

Chen Yang gave a shout, and the two of them simultaneously took to the air, transforming into two streaks of light as they sped towards the coordinates given by Gu Jinghui. The desolate stone island below, filled only with skeletons and ruins, was quickly left behind.

The two moved at great speed, traversing this floating wonderland, passing over islands that were either beautiful or desolate.

As Chen Yang approached the coordinates given by Gu Jinghui, he could clearly feel the surrounding spiritual energy becoming more active. It was no longer as still and stable as the previous places, but rather carried a kind of chaotic and intertwined fluctuation, as if two different forces were secretly competing.

"It should be just ahead."

Uncle Li also noticed something was wrong and pointed ahead.

Chen Yang looked up and saw a colossal island standing majestically amidst a multitude of floating islands.

It is so huge, like a majestic mountain range that has been completely cut off and is suspended in the air, its size is at least ten or even dozens of times that of an ordinary island.

The island is covered with verdant peaks and swirling clouds and mist, with waterfalls and springs faintly visible, and the outlines of pavilions and towers hidden among them. Its atmosphere is far superior to those "small mounds" from before.

"Wow, this is a real big spender!"

Uncle Li couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

The two accelerated their flight, finally landing on a relatively flat rocky outcrop at the edge of the giant island. With their feet firmly planted, they could better appreciate the island's vastness and imposing presence. The concentration of spiritual energy in the air was also significantly higher, though it seemed less pure, clashing and intertwining.

"Chen Yang! Uncle Li! Over here!"

Gu Jinghui's voice came from behind a grove of trees to the side.

He flashed out of the woods, his face beaming with the excitement of discovering a new continent, and ran quickly toward them.

Chen Yang went to greet him, his first words filled with disbelief.

"You said on the phone that there are two mountain gates on one island? You're not joking or lying to us, are you?"

This is indeed somewhat illogical. Usually, a single spiritual vein or blessed land is only enough to support one sect. If two sects are crammed onto one island, wouldn't they be fighting tooth and nail for resources every day?

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinghui's eyes widened immediately.

"Why would I lie to you? What good would lying do me? Would it make me grow a bigger limb or get more treasures? Come and see for yourself!"

As he spoke, he pointed towards the depths of the island.

"It's right there, separated by a deep ravine, door to door, face to face, you can see it clearly! At first I thought I was seeing things!"

At this moment, Uncle Li also came over. Gu Jinghui had spoken in a hurry on the phone, so he only caught the gist of what was said and asked.

"Chen Shuai, what's going on? Did Gu Jinghui discover something?"

Chen Yang explained to Uncle Li.

He said there were two complete gate ruins on the island, and they seemed to be quite well preserved. I found it a bit unbelievable, so I asked him a question.

He turned to Gu Jinghui.

“Come on, lead the way, let’s see for ourselves. If it’s really as you say, then this place is definitely worth exploring. We might actually find something of value, which is better than what we’ve been doing wandering around aimlessly.”

Uncle Li perked up when he heard that.

"Two mountain gates? That's unusual! Let's go take a look!"

Seeing that the two finally believed him, Gu Jinghui stopped talking and turned to lead the way.

"Follow me, it's not far ahead, you'll see it once you go around this ravine."

The three walked along a stone path that was clearly carved out by human hands. Ancient trees and spiritual herbs grew densely on both sides of the path. Although it was quiet and deserted, one could still vaguely sense the prosperity of this place in the past. After walking for about fifteen minutes, they passed through a dense bamboo forest filled with spiritual mist, and suddenly the view opened up before them.

They were standing atop a high cliff, facing a vast, bottomless crevice in the sea of ​​clouds that cleaved this part of the island in two. The sight opposite them made Chen Yang and Uncle Li hold their breath instantly.

Across the canyon, another magnificent mountain range stretched out. And atop these two mountain ranges, separated by the gorge, stood clusters of palaces!
On the left, the palaces and pavilions are mostly painted in shades of blue and black, with ancient and imposing designs. Their eaves, like swords pointing to the sky, exude a stern and sharp aura. The mountain gate archway stands tall, with intricate cloud and thunder patterns faintly visible on it. Even after the passage of time, its imposing sharpness can still be felt.

The area on the right appears much more elegant and lively, with buildings mostly in white jade and light gold colors. Pavilions and waterside terraces are scattered in a well-organized manner, and covered bridges meander, all shrouded in a light, seemingly never-ending mist.

Its mountain gate has a beautiful design, with what appears to be a relief of cranes and auspicious clouds, but it is now covered in dust and desolate.

Both architectural complexes are extremely large in scale, with numerous palaces and pavilions standing side by side. Although many places show signs of damage and collapse, with piles of rubble and cobwebs covering the ground, the overall framework and grandeur are still preserved, far surpassing the small villages and temples seen before.

They stood silently facing each other across the misty abyss, like two silent giants still engaged in a silent contest.

"My God... there really are two!"

Uncle Li murmured, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"What...what kind of deep-seated hatred, or what kind of fate, would lead them to build their mountain gates so 'closely'?"

Gu Jinghui then walked over triumphantly, patted Chen Yang on the shoulder, and pointed to both sides of the canyon.

"How about it, Master Chen? I wasn't lying to you, was I? Isn't this scene breathtaking enough? Doesn't it feel like the treasure is beckoning to us?"

Chen Yang snapped out of his shock and slapped Gu Jinghui's hand away in annoyance.

"I see it. It's definitely extraordinary."

He carefully examined the starkly different architectural styles and lingering atmosphere on both sides.

"It seems like two sects with completely different philosophies and cultivation methods have chosen to live next to each other for some reason. They are either extremely close allies or... irreconcilable rivals."

"Whether they are allies or adversaries, this is now no man's land."

Gu Jinghui rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining.

"The key is, these two families seem to be quite wealthy! And they're much better preserved than those dilapidated ones outside! Chen Yang, hurry up, let's see how to get in? Which side should we start with?"

Chen Yang did not answer immediately, but instead focused his attention on the dark blue-black, imposing mountain gate on the left.

He took a deep breath, and a faint golden-red light began to flow in his eyes; his Fiery Eyes of Truth had been activated.

His gaze pierced through the dust and years before the mountain gate, attempting to decipher the array patterns, spiritual energy nodes, and protective restrictions that might be hidden on the building's surface and within its spaces.

Based on past experience, even the most sophisticated formations will reveal traces of energy flow under keen observation, thus revealing weaknesses or entry points.

However, this time, the situation was completely different.

His gaze swept over the mountain gate archway, over the tightly closed hall doors, over every inch of the ground and walls where an array might be set up... but what returned was a blur!
It wasn't empty; rather, it was as if an invisible and intangible yet incredibly strong "veil" shrouded the entire mountain gate complex, tightly concealing all the details and energy flow within.

The golden light of the eagle eyes touched this "veil," but it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea—unable to penetrate or extract any useful information. "Hmm?"

Chen Yang frowned, his golden-red light intensifying as he pushed his pupil power to its current limit. In his vision, the "veil" seemed to ripple slightly, but remained as solid as a mountain, firmly guarding the secret behind it.

Forget about finding the key flaw in the formation, they couldn't even tell whether it was hollow or solid inside, or whether there was any danger.

"You...can't see through it?"

A hint of surprise rose in Chen Yang's heart. Since acquiring the Fiery Eyes of Truth, he had been almost invincible in terms of investigation.

Even with array formations and restrictions of the Special Administration Bureau headquarters or the stone gate of the Changbai Mountain Sky Road, one could still discern some clues. This was the first time I'd encountered a situation where I was completely blocked out, as if I were blind.

"What's wrong, Chen Yang? What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and find the entrance!"

Seeing that he was standing still, just staring at the mountain gate, Gu Jinghui couldn't help but urge him on.

Chen Yang slowly withdrew his gaze, the golden-red light in his eyes dissipated, but his expression became somewhat solemn.

He ignored Gu Jinghui, turned and walked to the edge of the cliff, casting his gaze toward the elegant and graceful white jade gate on the other side of the canyon.

"Hey, where are you going? We haven't finished here yet!"

Gu Jinghui shouted.

Chen Yang didn't turn his head back.

"Let's verify it."

He activated his Fiery Eyes once more, focusing intently on the mountain gate opposite. The same thing happened!
A similar, but more ethereal and supple "veil" enveloped the white jade complex, completely blocking his vision. No matter how he tried to activate it, his gaze could not penetrate even a fraction; he could only see a hazy outline shrouded in soft white light.

"Just as I expected..."

Chen Yang muttered to himself, completely dispelling his supernatural powers, his face turning utterly grim. The failure of his Fiery Eyes of Truth was certainly not a good sign in this eerie space.

At this moment, Gu Jinghui and Uncle Li came over. Gu Jinghui saw that Chen Yang had been looking at the two mountain gates for a long time without making any move, and he couldn't help but get a little anxious.

"Chen Yang, are you even capable? You're usually so quick at breaking formations, why are you so slow today? I've tried everything, brute force, spiritual energy, but nothing works. It's like hitting a cotton wall. That's why I called you. Don't tell me you can't do it either!"

Chen Yang turned around and looked at the two of them, his brows furrowed.

"It's not that there's no way, it's just that the situation isn't right."

"What's wrong?"

Uncle Li noticed the seriousness in his tone and quickly asked.

"My discerning eyes cannot see through the true nature of these two mountain gates."

Chen Yang stated frankly.

“Both are the same. There seems to be a very sophisticated and unique barrier outside that completely blocks my eye technique. I can’t see the array structure inside, the restriction nodes, or even whether the buildings inside are intact or damaged.”

"what?"

Gu Jinghui was stunned.

"Your eagle eyes... have failed? Is that even possible?"

He knew very well how powerful Chen Yang's pupil technique was, and he often relied on it to turn danger into safety and find the key.

Uncle Li was also surprised.

"Commander Chen, do you mean that the defenses of these two mountain gates are more advanced than any of the array formations and restrictions you've encountered before? So advanced that you can't even see through them?"

"It's not a matter of whether it's high-end or not."

Chen Yang shook his head, his sharp eyes scanning the tranquil mountains and forests around him and the mist-shrouded canyon ahead.

"It feels different. In the past, I could 'see' the complexity, but at least I could 'see' it. Now, I simply 'can't see' it, as if someone has deliberately blindfolded me."

He paused, his tone becoming slightly wary.

"Moreover, the two mountain gates use the same level of shielding methods, but the nature of which seems to be slightly different... This is too neat, too deliberate."

Upon hearing Chen Yang's words, Gu Jinghui's excitement faded, replaced by nervousness.

He instinctively moved closer to Chen Yang and Uncle Li, lowered his voice, and scanned the eerily silent woods and cliffs around him with wary eyes.

"You mean...we didn't find this place by chance? Or...someone, or something, deliberately set a trap for us? We were tricked?"

Above the abyss, clouds drifted slowly, making the two silent, opposing gates of the immortal abode appear even more mysterious and unfathomable. The wind howled through the canyon, like some ancient sigh. Chen Yang did not answer immediately, but his silence and solemn expression spoke volumes.

Finally, Chen Yang broke the silence first. He slowly shook his head, his tone calmer than before.

"It shouldn't be that bad. Like I just said, if there really is an owner here, and someone who is conscious and capable of setting up a scheme that even my eagle eyes can't see through, then we wouldn't be able to stand here and discuss this peacefully. We would probably be eliminated when the stone gate's restrictions are broken."

He paused, his gaze sweeping once more over the two mountain gates shrouded in an invisible barrier.

"It's more likely that the protective measures left behind by these two sects are extremely unique and sophisticated, and for some reason we don't know, these measures are specifically enhanced against 'detection-type' supernatural abilities. The purpose may not be to guard against us later intruders, but more likely to guard against each other."

Gu Jinghui felt a little less nervous after hearing this, but he was still puzzled.

"Then why did my brute force and spiritual energy tests not work? It felt like hitting cotton, no, like being swallowed up."

"This shows that the level of protection is very high, and it is not just a simple shielding against detection. It may have the ability to absorb or neutralize the energy of external attacks."

Chen Yang analyzed.

"This makes me even more interested. The sect that can set up this level of protection must have a legacy and things left behind that are far more valuable than we previously estimated."

Uncle Li listened from the side, his face still showing worry; he was more inclined to be cautious.

"Commander Chen, that's true, but this place really doesn't feel right to me. Anything is possible, so we should be careful. What I mean is, since we can't see through this place or get in, why don't we retreat first and look around on other relatively safe islands nearby? These two mountain gates... they're a bit eerie."

"You've come all this way, are you just going to leave empty-handed?"

Before Chen Yang could speak, Gu Jinghui objected, pointing to the magnificent mountain gate.

"Uncle Li, look at this scale, this grandeur! How many treasures must be inside? Ten of those dilapidated islands outside combined probably wouldn't compare to just one side hall here! Giving up just because of this strange, unfathomable thing? What a pity!" (End of Chapter)