SFS Chapter 34 Palace Complex
Chapter 34 Palace Complex
After a period of dizziness from the intense spatial teleportation, Wang Tianlong regained his footing and stabilized himself.
He immediately looked around alertly and found himself in a completely unfamiliar, self-contained, and vast space.
The sky was a soft, milky white, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, yet bathed in a uniform, bright light. Beneath our feet lay soft, spiritual soil, where rare spiritual herbs and trees grew, young yet vibrant with life. In the distance, the outlines of undulating mountains were faintly visible through the wispy spiritual mist, and nearby, the gentle sound of a babbling brook could be heard! The concentration of spiritual energy in the air was several times greater than that of even the most prestigious blessed lands outside, each breath feeling like the inhalation and exhalation of pure spiritual essence.
This is clearly a meticulously constructed, independent miniature grotto-heaven, a scene of peace and tranquility befitting a celestial realm.
However, Wang Tianlong's divine sense quickly swept across a radius of dozens of miles, and his brows furrowed slightly.
It's too quiet.
Apart from the sounds of wind, water, and the faint rustling of grass and trees, there was no sign of any living thing in this space. There were no birds, beasts, insects, or fish, and no trace of any other cultivators.
"Is spatial teleportation random? Or does the Void Heaven Palace itself disperse those who enter?" Wang Tianlong immediately understood his situation. He and the other Nascent Soul cultivators who rushed in together seemed to have been randomly teleported to different locations in this cave world by some kind of spatial law power the moment they passed through the palace gate.
This brings both advantages—avoiding immediate chaos upon entry; and risks—being alone means losing immediate reference points, having to explore everything on your own, and potentially encountering unknown dangers or other equally alone competitors at any time.
He looked up towards the very center of this space. There, the spiritual mist was densest, and faintly visible were the shadows of a continuous palace complex, exuding an ancient and majestic aura. Clearly, that was the core of this grotto-heaven world, and the place where the greatest opportunities might lie.
"First, scout the surrounding area to confirm it's safe, then head towards the central area." Wang Tianlong quickly decided on the strategy.
Similar to Wang Tianlong's experience, the other Nascent Soul cultivators who entered the Void Heaven Palace also found themselves in different corners of this vast cave world after a brief period of teleportation dizziness, looking around and finding themselves all alone.
Some cultivators, like Wang Tianlong, who were cautious or skilled at concealment, did not act immediately. Some quickly hid themselves and blended into their surroundings; others climbed to higher ground to survey the terrain and the flow of spiritual energy; still others carefully examined the ground beneath their feet and the surrounding vegetation, searching for possible clues, markers, or hidden dangers. For them, rash action was often the greatest peril.
However, many more cultivators, especially those who were confident in their own cultivation, strength, or eager to seize the opportunity in the central palace, after a brief moment of astonishment and observation, did not hesitate to transform into streaks of light and rush straight towards the palace complex shrouded in dense spiritual mist at the very center of the cave world! For them, time was of the essence, and seizing the initiative was of paramount importance.
Ling Yunchen, the master of the Star Palace, is one of the best among the latter.
He appeared on a flat grassland. After confirming that he was in good condition and instantly determining that his separation from his fellow disciples was due to spatial teleportation, he hardly hesitated. His gaze, sharp as lightning, locked onto the outline of the majestic palace in the distance.
"The core area must be where the opportunity lies. Delay will only bring change." Ling Yunchen murmured, and a starlight flashed around him. A cloak shimmering with starlight moved without wind, wrapping around his figure. The next moment, he transformed into a dazzling starlight, breaking through the spiritual mist at an astonishing speed and shooting straight towards the central area! As the master of the Star Palace, he had rich experience in exploring ancient ruins and knew that the core area often meant the greatest challenges and rewards.
Another undisguised, powerful demonic aura surged into the sky from another direction, its target the central palace. It was none other than the patriarch of the Five Dragon Sea Flood Dragon clan! He revealed some of his true form: a single horn on his forehead, scales covering his face, and demonic clouds beneath his feet. Wherever he passed, the spiritual herbs and trees below bowed slightly. Dragons are naturally sensitive to the aura of treasures, and he could clearly sense the precious aura emanating from the central area. How could he fall behind?
In addition, Tianyu Sanren, a rogue cultivator from Tiannan, transformed into an invisible feather shadow with incredible speed; Bingpo Fairy from Xiaoji Palace in the far north was surrounded by a chilling aura, and tiny ice crystals condensed in the air wherever she passed, yet she also approached the center with unparalleled speed; Xuanqingzi of the Three Elders of Kunwu appeared more composed, stepping on an ancient array plate. Although he seemed slow, each step secretly conformed to the rhythm of a certain array, and he resolutely headed towards the core.
Some monks, though also drawn to the central region, chose more circuitous or cautious routes, traveling along the edges of mountains and rivers in an attempt to avoid potential direct conflict or unknown traps.
Wang Tianlong lay in wait on that small hill, which was rich in spiritual energy, and observed for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
He pushed his divine sense to its limit, repeatedly scanning the area within a radius of dozens of miles, from the soil beneath his feet to the flow of spiritual energy in the air, to the veins of plants, not missing any abnormal energy fluctuations or human traces.
The result was surprisingly calm.
This area truly seemed to be a pure "blessed land." Aside from the incredibly dense spiritual energy, no hidden restrictions, traps, or guardian beasts were found. Of course, no rare treasures or legacies from previous generations were found that would tempt a Nascent Soul cultivator. The spiritual herbs and medicines growing here were relatively young and of common varieties. They might be a considerable fortune for future Nascent Soul or Core Formation cultivators, but for Wang Tianlong, they were utterly useless.
"It seems that the true secrets and opportunities of the Void Heaven Palace are not in these outer areas, but concentrated there...." Wang Tianlong stood up, his gaze once again turning towards the very center of the cave world. There, spiritual mist swirled, and the outline of the palace became increasingly clear in his perception.
He no longer hesitated, but he didn't fly away at full speed. In an unknown place, staying vigilant and conserving his magic power to deal with unexpected situations were the primary principles. He used the escape technique from the "Wind-Treading Technique," his figure transforming into a nearly transparent pale blue shadow, skimming the ground, moving silently towards the central area at a moderate yet extremely agile speed.
As he traveled, he increasingly sensed the purity and abundance of spiritual energy in this place, far surpassing any so-called sacred cultivation ground in the mortal realm. If he were to cultivate in seclusion here, his cultivation speed would surely increase several times over. Unfortunately, now was definitely not the time for quiet cultivation.
Along the way, he discovered a few small herb gardens or valleys with special spiritual plants, but after careful examination, he was still greatly disappointed. These spiritual items were of low quality and almost useless to someone of his cultivation level.
"This Void Heaven Palace is arranged like a garden on the outside, but there are no dangers or great treasures. What is the purpose of this? Is it to test patience? Or is it that all the dangers and opportunities are hidden within that palace complex?" Wang Tianlong wondered to himself.
After traveling for about half an hour, and crossing a mountain ridge that resembled a natural barrier formed by spiritual energy, the view suddenly opened up before us!
Before them stretched an incredibly vast plain, at the edge of which stood a magnificent and sprawling palace complex, like a sleeping ancient behemoth, lying silently upon the earth!
The palace was constructed of an unknown material, neither gold nor jade, but possessed a dark golden hue. Despite the passage of countless years, it still exuded an aura of antiquity and majesty. There were likely hundreds of palaces of varying sizes, arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, all surrounding the central, towering, and imposing main hall! The entire palace complex was shrouded in a faint, almost imperceptible, yet slightly stinging transparent light barrier that caused Wang Tianlong's divine sense to sting slightly.
Above the palace complex, the spiritual energy was so dense it was almost liquid, forming a continuous, seven-colored glow. An indescribable, ancient Taoist aura emanated from the depths of the palaces, inspiring awe in all who beheld it.
At this moment, several streaks of light could be seen arriving before him, hovering in front of the light barrier surrounding the palace complex, seemingly studying how to enter. Wang Tianlong could vaguely recognize a few of these auras as those of the top cultivators who had set off first, including the Star Palace Master and the Flood Dragon Clan Chief.