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

Chen Yang suddenly opened his eyes, and his vision quickly became clear.

He found himself still standing in the pawnshop's study, his posture unchanged, as if the long conversation and exchange just moments before had been a fleeting illusion. But the cold sweat on his forehead and a slight weariness in his mind reminded him that it was not a hallucination.

He immediately looked down at the desk.

The lid of the dark purple brocade box remained open, revealing a thick layer of fine, pinkish-purple powder inside—presumably the "illusion dust" the girl had mentioned. And in the center of this powder lay a... comb.

It was an exquisitely crafted jade comb, pure white with fine, even teeth. The back of the comb was carved with intricate patterns of phoenixes and auspicious clouds, and was also adorned with several tiny red gemstones.

The comb itself did not have any strong spiritual energy fluctuations, but it exuded a warm and ancient charm, as well as an obscure aura that was faintly connected to the girl's soul.

"Is this the object your soul resides in?"

Chen Yang picked up the jade comb and examined it carefully.

He could sense that the girl's remnant soul was curled up in the comb, weak and filled with fear.

The jade comb trembled slightly, and a girl's soft, ingratiating voice emanated from it.

"Yes, my lord. My name is Li Yue. In my previous life, I was the daughter of the last city lord of this Cloud Misty Immortal City."

This 'Dream-Guiding Box' and 'Soul-Ghosting Comb' were... backup plans my father prepared for me back then. The restrictions on the box are to protect the 'key' and to select those destined to be... no, to select those who can be of use to you, sir."

She quickly changed her words, afraid of angering Chen Yang again.

Chen Yang played with the jade comb and asked.

"You told me before that you wanted me to go to the deepest island, break the seal, and retrieve a crystal coffin. The reason was that your people were killed by the people on that island, and you wanted revenge. Now, I'll ask you one more time: tell me the truth."

"What exactly do you want? What's inside that crystal coffin? Why don't you go there yourself? Also, this brocade box has such powerful restrictions, why can't it restrain your soul residing within it? Don't give me that nonsense about it not functioning for a few days each year; it's full of loopholes."

The remnant soul of Li Yue in the jade comb remained silent for a moment. Knowing that in front of Chen Yang, this "underworld messenger," any further concealment would likely result in her being taken away and refined. She had no choice but to confess honestly, her voice filled with bitterness and hatred.

"My lord, please understand... What I said before was only half true. My clan... was not killed by the people on that island, but... we were originally a vassal family of the sect 'Xuanyou Palace' on that island, and have lived in this Cloud Misty Immortal City for generations, providing them with resources and services."

When the great calamity struck, time and space froze, and the Xuan You Palace itself could not survive. However, at the last moment, their Palace Master activated the most crucial protective array, sealing and concealing their main hall along with their most important inheritance and treasures—the very place you are about to go, my lord.

As for us, these vassal cities... we were completely abandoned, becoming 'cover' and 'sacrifices' on the outer perimeter of the great formation... All the living beings in the city, along with my father, brothers, and clansmen, were frozen here, their souls unable to find release, gradually dissipating...

Only I, thanks to this 'Dream-Guiding Box' and the 'Soul-Transferring Comb,' have managed to retain this wisp of my soul, yet I am forever trapped in the illusory dust within this box, bound to this dead city.

Her voice was filled with endless grief and indignation.

"Inside that crystal coffin are not the remains of my clansmen, but... but the most beloved youngest daughter of the Xuan You Palace Master! She was sealed in the deepest part of the core array, at the cost of freezing all the living beings in the city, to maintain the 'absolute stillness' of her body and a sliver of life!"
They want to wait until the calamity passes, or until someone else breaks the seal and revives her! Why?! Why should my entire city perish for them, while they still want to preserve their own bloodline?!

"I want you to take out the crystal coffin, not to save her, nor to seek revenge, but to destroy it directly."

Li Yue's voice turned cold and venomous.

"I want you to take her away from that sealed place! As long as she leaves the range of the core array, the array that sustains her life will fail! I want her to taste the bitterness of shattered hope and utter ruin! I want her to be punished for the sins of her ancestors!"

Chen Yang listened calmly. In the cultivation world, the strong prey on the weak, and it's not uncommon for vassal forces to be sacrificed as pawns by the main sect.

The resentment of Liyue is quite reasonable, and the motive is much clearer—it is a venomous obsession stemming from an inability to retaliate directly, which can only be vented by disrupting the other party's important plans.

"As for why I can't enter on my own..."

Li Yue continued, her voice tinged with helplessness.

"The sealing power of that core array is extremely sensitive to and repulsive to souls. If I get close, I will be immediately detected and annihilated by the array's power. Moreover, without the 'key' and sufficient power to break the internal restrictions, I cannot enter the main hall. And the restrictions on the brocade box..."

It truly cannot bind me, for it is not a cage, but a 'sanctuary'. When my father crafted this box, he set it so that my soul could freely enter and leave the illusory dust realm.

It's just that it can't stray too far from the brocade box, nor can it remain untouched by the nourishing illusory dust for long. My previous explanation was that I feared the master would think I had ulterior motives and be unwilling to help.

Chen Yang nodded; this explanation sounded much more reasonable.

He weighed the jade comb in his hand.

"So, you want to use me to complete your revenge."

"Yes... If you feel that this matter is detrimental to your virtue, or do not wish to be involved in such grievances, I would never dare to force you. I only ask that you, in consideration of my honesty, allow me to continue to reside in this place, so that perhaps... perhaps I may have the opportunity to reincarnate in the future."

Li Yue's tone was pleading, but also tinged with resignation.

Chen Yang did not answer immediately.

He was weighing his options. Li Yue's motives were clear, and the risks seemed equally evident. As for the moral implications... the Xuan You Palace's act of sacrificing its vassals to protect its own core was, in his view, not worth upholding.

Helping Liyue in exchange for a "key" that might unlock the treasure and guidance from someone in the know seems like a fair trade.

Of course, he would never completely trust Li Yue.

This woman is cunning and harbors deep resentment; one must be constantly on guard against her.

"Okay, I'll take you there."

Chen Yang finally said.

"However, you shall follow my orders in all actions. If there is any unusual behavior, or if I discover any concealment or deception on your part, you know the consequences."

The jade comb trembled violently, and Li Yue's excited yet awe-inspiring voice rang out.

"Thank you, my lord! Li Yue will never dare to have any disloyal thoughts again! I will follow your arrangements!"

Chen Yang placed the jade comb back on the dust of the brocade box, thought for a moment, and then closed the box again. He could sense that as long as the box wasn't completely destroyed, Li Yue's remnant soul could be nurtured within it.

"You can stay inside for now. I'll ask you if I need anything."

"Yes, my lord."

Chen Yang put the brocade box into his storage bag. He glanced around the study, which he had now emptied, and didn't linger.

He quickly left the pawnshop along the same route, exited the silent and luxurious dead city, and arrived outside the city.

Following Li Yue's previous guidance and his own judgment, he flew towards the "deepest part" of this floating fairyland, where the flow of spiritual energy was most obscure and the spatial structure seemed most stable.

Along the way, the floating islands gradually thinned out and became smaller in size, and the environment became darker and quieter, as if approaching some kind of boundary. After flying for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Chen Yang felt as if he had passed through an invisible, extremely slight membrane, and the scene before him suddenly changed.

He stopped at the edge of a near-empty zone. Ahead, there were no longer countless floating islands, but a deep, dark void that resembled a starry sky backdrop.

Only in the far distance could a few scattered lights appear, like distant stars. And below and to the left and right, there were no islands to be seen.

"This is it, sir."

Li Yue's voice came directly from the brocade box in the storage bag, and was transmitted to Chen Yang's ears through a faint resonance of soul power.

“We have reached the deepest edge of this ‘small grotto-heaven.’ The core of the Xuanyou Palace is hidden just ahead, concealed by an extremely strong ‘void illusion barrier.’ It is completely invisible to the naked eye and divine sense.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang once again activated his Fiery Eyes of Truth to their fullest extent. His eyes shone with a brilliant golden-red light as he gazed into the deep, dark void.

Sure enough, under the keen eyes of the observer, the "nothingness" before them underwent a dramatic transformation! Layer upon layer of twisted, folded, and seemingly formed a massive invisible barrier, like a mixture of water ripples and a mirror.

It covered an extremely vast area in front of it. And behind the barrier, there was no void at all, but a vast, unimaginably large...land!
That can no longer even be called an "island".

It floated silently in the depths of the void, with clear outlines of mountains and rivers, and patches of color in the forest vegetation. Its scale was comparable to a small province in the outside world! Dense, almost tangible, multicolored spiritual light swirled and flowed above the land.

The magnificent glow of the sunset, though silent, exudes boundless vitality and spiritual energy! Unlike the "frozen" islands outside, everything here seems to be slowly "breathing" and "growing"!
"This is... the core of this fairyland? The true blessed land?"

Chen Yang was deeply shocked.

The concentration of spiritual energy here is more than a hundred times stronger than that of the Qingwei Sect's mountain gate! If one could cultivate here, one's progress would surely be rapid!
Li Yue seemed to sense his shock and thoughts, and her voice drifted over.

"Your Excellency is right. This is the true core of the 'Mysterious Netherworld Cave Heaven,' and the foundation of the Mysterious Netherworld Palace. The thousands of floating islands outside are merely appendages formed by the dissipated spiritual energy, or rather... decorations and cover."

This core landmass is concealed and protected by the most powerful array, and seems to... maintain a relatively normal flow of time and ecosystem. If the adult has the ability, perhaps...

It truly allows this core landmass to 'recognize its master,' at which point it will become your personal abode, an independent little world.

Chen Yang's heart trembled violently! A portable cave dwelling? An independent small world? The temptation was simply too great! Far more enticing than any magical treasures or elixirs!

But he immediately calmed down, looked in the direction of the storage bag, and sent a mental message there.

Why are you telling me this? What good will it do you?

Li Yue's voice carried a hint of complexity and resignation.

"Because my life and death are now in your hands. The stronger you are, the better you might be able to give me a better future, considering my small contributions today. Besides, isn't letting outsiders take over the core assets of the Xuan You Palace a form of revenge against them?"

Chen Yang didn't ask any more questions. Regardless of whether Li Yue had deeper intentions, he couldn't ignore the enormous opportunity before him. However, one must take things one step at a time.

The current goal is to first enter this core land, find the main temple, complete the transaction with Liyue, and then see if there is any possibility of the so-called "treasure" and "recognition of a master".

"Give me directions. Go directly to the location of the main hall you mentioned."

Chen Yang said in a deep voice.

"Yes, sir. You have seen through the illusion. Simply fly forward. Once you enter the land area, fly towards the highest mountain range in the center, where the spiritual light is most concentrated. The main temple is located at the summit of that mountain range."

Liyue guided him.

Chen Yang took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement and vigilance. With a swift movement, he transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the vast, miniature continent-like core blessed land hidden by illusions. The thousands of floating, lifeless islands behind him were quickly left behind and disappeared from sight.

Passing through that invisible illusion felt like passing through a viscous water curtain; the resistance was considerable, but it was nothing to Chen Yang.

Upon entering the core land area, the dense spiritual energy immediately enveloped him like a tide, and with each breath, he felt his cultivation level subtly pulsating.

Below lies a continuous, verdant ancient mountain forest, with waterfalls cascading like the Milky Way, gurgling springs, exotic flowers and rare herbs, and rare birds and animals.

Time here doesn't seem to be completely "frozen," but rather becomes extremely slow, or is in a special "dormant" state.

Chen Yang had no interest in appreciating the beautiful scenery. Following Li Yue's guidance, he increased his speed to the maximum and sped towards the most majestic mountain range in the center of the land, shrouded in seven-colored spiritual light.

Chen Yang's state of mind was relatively calm at first. But as he went deeper and got closer to the mountain range shrouded in seven-colored spiritual light in the center, the uneasy feeling in his heart became more and more obvious.

The surrounding spiritual energy was excessively dense, and the scenery was unrealistically beautiful. Everything seemed too "perfect," as perfect as a meticulously arranged stage. Moreover, he vaguely sensed that deep within this seemingly "normal" land...

It seemed as if something was "watching" the intruder. The feeling didn't come from any specific direction, but rather permeated the air, carrying an indescribable sense of antiquity and indifference.

However, he didn't voice this feeling; he just sneered inwardly.

Since he was already here, wouldn't it be a wasted trip if he didn't see the whole show and find out what that girl, Li Yue, was really up to? He wanted to see what kind of "surprise" was hidden in this so-called core main hall.

During the flight, his sharp gaze swept across the lush forests and undulating terrain below. Soon, he noticed some discordant "points".

In a relatively flat clearing in the woods, he saw an area of ​​stone slabs, clearly man-made, displaying intricate geometric patterns. At the center of the patterns and several key points, were inlaid crystals that had long lost their luster and were riddled with cracks. (End of Chapter)