I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

Li Bai's knuckles were slightly white as he gripped the broken Green Nether sword. He stared into the older guard's dark green eyes, now etched with complex emotions, and didn't immediately answer the demand to "go with you." The wind in the valley seemed to hold its breath, and the shimmering light from the pool reflected on the guard's dark face. The young guard, slumped on the ground, let out a muffled groan, trying to move his still-numb limbs. Li Bai spoke slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the silence: "Where to? Who to see?" He needed to know whether this step would lead to an answer or into a deeper prison.

The older patrolman was silent for a moment. His gaze shifted from Li Bai's face, swept over his slumped companion, and then fell back on the broken Qingming sword. There was an almost pious scrutiny in his eyes, as if he were confirming the return of a sacred relic.

"Go...where you should go." His words were still stiff, but a little more fluent than before. "To see...the person who can decide your fate."

The answer was too vague. Li Bai frowned slightly, his grip on his sword remaining firm. He needed more information, to determine whether the other party's attitude was a well-intentioned attempt to guide him or a trap. The air was filled with the dampness of grass and trees, the earthy smell of soil, and a strange aroma emanating from the patrolmen—a blend of sandalwood and some kind of metallic ore.

"I need to know more." Li Bai's voice was calm yet firm. "I didn't intend to trespass here; I came only to explore ancient sites and seek power. This sword was something I found unexpectedly at the bottom of the pool." He briefly explained his origins and purpose, but concealed the truth about his time travel and the existence of the wooden plaque. It was necessary to keep his trump card hidden until the situation became clear.

The older guard's dark green pupils flickered slightly after hearing this. He exchanged a glance with his young companion, who had collapsed to the ground—a glance filled with silent communication, seemingly containing shock, confusion, and some indescribable…excitement?

"This... is 'Xiling'." The elder guardian finally spoke, his voice deep and carrying an ancient rhythm. "The outer perimeter of Xiling, a protected area. Unauthorized entry is prohibited." He paused, his gaze returning to the broken Qingming sword. "Your sword... is very special. It reminds me of... ancient legends."

Li Bai's heart skipped a beat: "What legend?"

"In ancient times... there were 'Patrolling Angels'." The elderly guardian spoke slowly, as if trying to recall the words in the elegant language. "They wielded the laws of heaven and patrolled the four directions. This sword... is very similar in style to the 'Patrolling Remnants' they used. But... it has been a very, very long time since any of the remnants that had been lost abroad have been brought back."

A patrolling angel? Or a remnant of the patrolling army?

Li Bai looked down at the broken Qingming sword in his hand. The blade was ancient and simple, and the broken edge had a strange texture, as if it had been torn apart by some enormous force. The patterns on the blade were faintly visible in the dim light, and those patterns... now, upon closer inspection, did not seem to be purely decorative, but rather resembled some kind of ancient, ritualistic runes.

Could the skeleton at the bottom of the pool, now reduced to ashes, be a "Patrol Angel"?

"So, the person you're taking me to see can determine the origin of this sword?" Li Bai asked.

The elder guardian nodded. "We... have no right to decide. We must... see the priest." He spoke the word "priest" with obvious reverence. "Only the high priest... can decipher the things of the 'celestial patrol' and decide... the fate of outsiders."

Priest. High Priest.

Li Bai's mind raced, weighing the pros and cons. Refuse? In this unfamiliar depths of the secret realm, facing two natives who clearly knew the terrain and environment intimately, even if he temporarily subdued them, the subsequent troubles would be endless. Moreover, he knew nothing about this so-called "Xiling," and had no clue how to leave this secret realm. Accept? That meant placing himself in a completely unknown situation, his life and death out of his control.

But... the other party's attitude has subtly changed. From the initial murderous intent to the current complex scrutiny, especially the almost awe-inspiring look in his eyes when mentioning the "Remnant Soldiers of the Sky Patrol." This sword seems to have become a talisman for him.

More importantly, he needed information. He needed to understand this secret realm, to find a way to break through the bottleneck, to... find the way back, or at least, to find a more powerful force to change his predetermined fate.

Risks and opportunities coexist.

Li Bai took a deep breath, the cool air of the valley, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, filled his lungs. He made his decision.

"I can go with you," he said clearly and calmly, "but on two conditions."

The older guard's dark green eyes stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"First," Li Bai pointed to the young patrolman who was still lying on the ground, glaring at him angrily, "heal your companion first. I need to make sure that no one is slowed down by serious injuries on the road ahead, or... stabbed in the back out of resentment."

The older patrolman paused for a moment, then nodded. He moved his still somewhat stiff body, stiffened by Li Bai's acupressure, with difficulty, and took out a dark red pill from a small, seemingly leather pouch at his waist. The pill was only the size of a soybean, smooth in surface, and gleamed faintly with a metallic sheen in the dim light, emitting a spicy yet sweet medicinal fragrance.

He walked over to his younger companion, knelt down, and whispered a few words in that strangely syllableed language. The young guard, though his eyes still blazed with anger and resentment, managed to open his mouth. The older guard placed the pill in his mouth, then quickly pressed and massaged several points on his neck and shoulders. His technique was peculiar; his fingers moved with a rhythmic tremor, as if guiding some kind of energy flow.

Li Bai observed quietly from the side. He could sense a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from the fingertips of the elderly guardian as he performed the massage. This spiritual energy was different from the azure spiritual energy he had cultivated; it was more condensed, carrying a sense of earthy weight, and its color was more of a dark yellow.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the young guard let out a muffled groan, and his previously stiff and numb limbs began to twitch slightly. A moment later, he coughed violently a few times, spitting out a mouthful of saliva tinged with blood, and then struggled to sit up slowly with the help of the older guard.

His face was still pale, but the anger in his eyes had subsided considerably, replaced by a deep weariness and...confusion. He moved his neck and arms; although his movements were still somewhat sluggish, he had clearly regained basic mobility. He looked at Li Bai with a complex expression—hostility, apprehension, but mostly scrutiny, as if reassessing this suddenly appearing, strangely skilled outsider.

"The second condition," Li Bai continued, seeing that the young patrolman was no longer in danger, "is that I need you to guarantee my safety in some way before I see the priest. I don't require you to swear oaths—oaths have no binding force in unfamiliar lands. But I need to see sincerity."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the dark daggers hanging from their waists: "For example, let me keep your weapons for now. Or... at least, tell me your names."

The older ranger exchanged a glance with his newly recovered companion. The younger ranger's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he was stopped by a look from the older ranger.

"My name is 'Rock'," the older guardian said slowly. When he said his name in his elegant manner, his pronunciation was a little strange, like a syllable rolling out from deep in his throat. "His name is 'Gravel'." He pointed to his younger companion.

Rock. Gravel. A very simple name, yet it carries a profound sense of weight associated with the earth and rocks.

"The weapon... I can't give it to you." Yan's voice was firm. "It's the dignity of the warriors of 'Xiling.' But... I can walk in front of you, and let Gravel walk at the back. You walk in the middle." His dark green eyes stared directly at Li Bai. "That way, you can subdue any of us at any time. And... you have the 'Remnant Soldiers of the Sky Patrol.' Before the priest makes his judgment, no one will easily harm the swordsman."

This arrangement certainly demonstrates a certain degree of sincerity. Being in the middle means being surrounded by people, but it also means that both sides could become threats. However, Yan volunteered to walk at the very front—a position that is actually the riskiest, as Li Bai could attack from behind at any moment.

Li Bai pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

Iwa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He reached out and pulled Gravel, who was slumped on the ground, to his feet, and whispered a few words in that strange language. Although Gravel's face was still pale, he nodded, stretched his still somewhat sore and numb shoulders, and stood behind Iwa.

Yan turned to Li Bai, made a "please" gesture, and pointed to the depths of the valley—to the dark passage that Li Bai had previously discovered but dared not explore further.

"Come with me."

***

The entrance to the passage was more concealed than Li Bai had imagined.

It was at the foot of a rock wall deep in the valley, where several huge, moss-covered rocks were seemingly randomly stacked, forming a natural depression. Yan walked to one of the rocks and pressed a few inconspicuous protrusions on its side. His movements were rhythmic, as if he were entering some kind of code.

With a low, rumbling sound, like rocks rubbing together, the boulders slowly moved aside, revealing a dark opening just wide enough for one person to pass through. The edges of the opening were smooth, clearly man-made, and the interior exuded an aura that was cooler and more...ancient than the valley itself.

When that aura rushed towards him, Li Bai felt the azure spiritual energy within his dantian tremble slightly. It wasn't repulsion, but rather a kind of... resonance? It was as if something deep within this passage was calling upon the power within him.

Yan was the first to bend down and crawl into the cave entrance. His figure was quickly swallowed by the darkness.

Li Bai took a deep breath, gripped the broken Qingming sword, and followed closely behind. Li followed behind him, his footsteps very light, but Li Bai could feel the other's gaze fixed on his back, filled with vigilance and scrutiny.

The passageway was more spacious than expected, about ten feet high and wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The rock walls were smooth and cool to the touch, made of neither gold nor stone, and emitted a faint, pale blue glow in the darkness, similar to luminescent stone. It was this glow that provided a barely adequate light source for seeing.

The air here seemed to stagnate. A scent, a mixture of rock dust, damp moisture, and some indescribable, ancient dust that seemed to have settled for millions of years, permeated the narrow space. Footsteps echoed through the passage, making hollow "tap, tap" sounds, adding to the deep and mysterious atmosphere.

As Li Bai walked, he carefully observed his surroundings. The pale blue fluorescent light on the rock face wasn't evenly distributed, but rather spread along certain regular patterns. Those patterns… He squinted to examine them closely and discovered that they were extremely ancient and complex designs—some resembled cloud patterns, some star maps, and others looked like some kind of written symbols he had never seen before. These patterns appeared and disappeared in the fluorescent light, as if they were slowly flowing.

What alarmed him even more was that, as he went deeper, the concentration of spiritual energy within the passage increased significantly. This spiritual energy was not the relatively gentle spiritual energy of heaven and earth that he was familiar with; it was much purer and much more... oppressive. The spiritual energy seemed to contain a mixture of multiple attributes: the earth-like heaviness, the metallic sharpness, and even a trace of... the vastness and coldness as if it came from the starry sky.

The azure spiritual energy within his body involuntarily accelerated, greedily absorbing the pure, exotic spiritual energy. However, the absorption process was not smooth; the exotic spiritual energy seemed to possess its own "will," requiring him to expend more mental energy to guide and refine it. After walking such a short distance, he actually felt a trace of fatigue—not physical fatigue, but mental exhaustion.

"How long is this passage?" Li Bai couldn't help but ask. His voice echoed in the narrow space, sounding somewhat abrupt.

Yan, who was walking ahead, didn't turn around. His voice came from ahead, carrying the unique echo of the passage: "It's not long. But... you need to take the right path."

Are we on the right track?

Li Bai was puzzled, but he soon understood what Yan meant.

The passage wasn't straight ahead. After walking about a hundred paces, three forks appeared in the road. Each fork was exactly the same—the same width, the same pale blue fluorescent patterns, and the same deep darkness.

Yan stopped at the fork in the road. He stretched out his hand, placed his palm against the rock wall at the entrance to the left passage, and closed his eyes to concentrate. After a moment, a very faint, dark yellow halo appeared on his palm. When that halo came into contact with the fluorescent patterns on the rock wall, the patterns seemed to be activated, their brightness slightly increasing, and then... they began to slowly change and recombine!

Li Bai held his breath, watching the ancient patterns writhe like living things, eventually forming a completely new and more complex pattern on the rock face. At the center of that pattern was a symbol resembling an eye.

Yan withdrew his hand, opened his eyes, and pointed to the middle passage: "Go this way."

Li Bai was shocked. This passage was clearly protected by extremely sophisticated formations or restrictions. One wrong step could have unimaginable consequences. He secretly rejoiced that he hadn't rashly entered; otherwise, he would probably have already been trapped and died in this maze-like passage.

They chose the middle path and continued forward.

The journey continued, and they encountered two more similar forks in the road. Each time, Yan needed to use a special method to "activate" the rock face's patterns to determine the correct direction. The entire process was time-consuming and exhausting; fine beads of sweat appeared on Yan's forehead, and his breathing became slightly heavy. Clearly, this task of "guiding" was taking a toll on him.

Gravel followed silently behind Li Bai. Li Bai could sense that as they went deeper, Gravel's hostility seemed to gradually diminish, replaced by... curiosity? Or rather, a persistent focus on the broken sword in Li Bai's hand. Several times, Li Bai caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye that Gravel's gaze lingered on the blade of the Azure Nether Broken Sword, his eyes filled with inquiry.

The air inside the passage grew increasingly humid, while the temperature slowly rose. The fluorescent patterns on the rock walls became denser and brighter. The concentration of spiritual energy in the air had reached an astonishing level; Li Bai could even feel the pure spiritual energy flowing on his skin like a tangible substance, causing a slight tingling sensation.

Within his dantian, the azure spiritual energy had begun to circulate rapidly on its own, forming a small vortex that frantically absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy. However, the absorption rate was far from keeping up with the influx of spiritual energy, and the excessive, unrefined, foreign spiritual energy rampaged through his meridians, causing waves of throbbing pain.

Li Bai had to divert some of his attention to forcibly suppress the restlessness of his spiritual energy, guiding it to circulate and refine in an orderly manner. This process was extremely exhausting, and sweat began to bead on his forehead, his palms gripping the sword becoming damp.

Just as he was feeling that he was about to give up, Yan, who was walking ahead of him, suddenly stopped.

"We've arrived." Yan's voice carried a hint of relief, but also a strange sense of solemnity.

Li Bai looked up.

Ahead lay no longer a deep passage, but a smooth, mirror-like, towering rock wall. The wall's surface was covered with even denser and more intricate fluorescent patterns, which intertwined to form a colossal, three-dimensional pattern that seemed to encompass the entire starry sky. At the center of this pattern was a massive, slowly rotating vortex-like portal of light.

The portal emitted a soft yet bright white light, not dazzling, but carrying a sense of purity that cleansed the soul. At the edge of the portal, space distorted slightly, like ripples on water.

Yan turned around and looked at Li Bai. His dark green eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the light from the portal.

"Once you cross here, you'll reach the edge of 'Xiling'." Yan's voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing something. "Be prepared. What you see... may exceed your understanding."

Li Bai took a deep breath, suppressing the palpitations in his heart and the throbbing pain in his meridians, and nodded.

Yan said no more, turned around, and stepped into the vortex-shaped portal of light. His figure was instantly swallowed by the white light and disappeared.

Li Bai gripped the broken Qingming sword tightly, a slight, resonant vibration emanating from its blade. He glanced back at Li behind him. Li nodded, his gaze complex, but no longer hostile.

Without hesitation, Li Bai stepped into the portal of light.

In that instant, he felt a gentle yet vast power envelop his entire body. That power seemed to penetrate his skin, muscles, bones, and even... his soul. Everything before his eyes was pure white, he could hear no sound, smell no odor; it was as if all his senses had been stripped away in that moment.

But that feeling only lasted for a moment.

next moment--

light.

Endless light flooded into my eyes.

The sounds came in like a tide—the sound of wind, water, faint human voices, and some indescribable, melodious sound that seemed like the soft chirping of metal.

The scents became incredibly rich—fresh, ethereal fragrances of grass and trees, the scent of damp earth, wisps of smoke from afar that smelled like sandalwood or medicine, and a faint, ancient, rusty bronze aroma.

Li Bai stood at the exit of the portal, his feet on solid, warm stone ground with a faint jade-like luster. His eyes widened, his pupils slightly contracting as he received information far exceeding his expectations.

Before him lay a world he had never imagined.

The sky wasn't pure blue, but a deep, purplish-blue dome, as if covered by a thin, crystal veil. Soft light shone evenly across this veil, indistinguishable between sunlight and some kind of artificial illumination. A few wisps of clouds drifted by slowly, their edges tinged with a faint golden-red.

In the distance, there are rolling, verdant mountains shrouded in a light mist. The mountains are rugged and steep, with snow-capped peaks and mist swirling around their waists, where waterfalls and streams can be vaguely seen hanging like silver ribbons.

But what truly shook Li Bai to his core was the scene closer to home.

Enormous bronze architectural ruins, their style so bizarre and indescribable, lie scattered among the mountains and rivers like slumbering behemoths. Some of these structures rise dozens of meters high, resembling layered altars, their surfaces covered with dazzlingly intricate reliefs—human faces, birds and beasts, cloud patterns, stars… some of the designs were beyond his comprehension. The bronze surfaces, covered in mottled verdigris, gleamed with a deep, eerie luster under the soft sunlight, whispering tales of unimaginably ancient times.

Some buildings are low and spacious, like the foundations of palaces, now reduced to ruins, but the remaining stone pillars are still carved with exquisite patterns. At the top of some pillars, fist-sized crystals emitting a soft white light float. These crystals are not static, but as if they possess life, slowly floating and rotating along some mysterious trajectory, casting their light in all directions.

Further away, a group of complete, stylistically unified buildings sit on a gentle slope on the mountainside. These buildings are mostly constructed of massive stones and wood, with a simple and ancient style, yet they coexist harmoniously with the surrounding bronze relics. Winding stone paths connect the buildings, and along these paths grow many exotic flowers and plants that Li Bai had never seen before, some with leaves as clear as jade, and others with flowers that bloom with seven-colored light.

The concentration of spiritual energy in the air reached an unbelievable level. This spiritual energy was no longer the oppressive, alien energy found in the passage; instead, it had become exceptionally gentle and pure, as if it had undergone some kind of natural filtering and harmonization. With each breath, the rich spiritual energy automatically flowed into his body, and the original swelling and pain in his meridians quickly subsided, replaced by a feeling of complete comfort, as if every pore was rejoicing.

What Li Bai found most incredible was people.

On those stone paths, among the bronze ruins, and at the edge of the distant buildings, he saw moving figures.

The people were dressed in ancient styles, similar to those of Yan and Li, but more refined and richer in color. They walked alone or in twos and threes, their steps unhurried and their aura restrained. Li Bai could sense that these people all emanated varying degrees of spiritual energy fluctuations, the weakest of which seemed to be slightly stronger than his, while the stronger... he only caught a glimpse of a figure slowly descending from the top of the bronze altar, the figure shrouded in a faint halo that seemed to blend into the surrounding space, and just a glance at it made him feel a tremor from the depths of his soul.

That is an existence far beyond the Qi Condensation stage.

This place... is the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom.

The true core of the secret realm, or at least its edge.

Li Bai stood there, speechless for a long time. A warm sensation emanated from the broken Qingming sword in his hand; the patterns on its blade seemed to come alive, subtly resonating with some ancient rhythm permeating the world. He felt his heart pounding violently in his chest, the sound of his blood rushing through his ears booming.

Having faced life and death and traversed the mist, he finally... stepped into this legendary land.

And ahead of him awaits the one who can decide his fate and decipher the "Remnant Soldiers of the Sky Patrol"...

priest.