Chapter 766 - 365: Journey to the Secret Realm (Part 2)

After speaking, the Venerable of Arcane suddenly closed his eyes and pinched his fingers, his lips moving as if chanting an incantation. You Su sensed his demeanor, just like a Daoist calculating something.

Once the talkative Venerable of Arcane stopped speaking, the room suddenly became quiet.

At that moment, Bai Ze, who had been hiding under the bed, finally couldn’t hold back its curiosity and loneliness. It cautiously poked out its furry little head and, after carefully surveying the surroundings to ensure the Venerable of Arcane wasn’t noticing, gradually grew bolder, preparing to crawl out.

It was You Su’s keen instincts that kicked the restless Bai Ze back under the bed.

The Venerable of Arcane seemed to have not noticed any of this, abruptly opening his eyes and suddenly laughing out loud, as if he had obtained an enlightening answer.

You Su was puzzled, "Venerable, did you deduce the secret of Snow Village Tea?"

"Of course not." The Venerable of Arcane shook his head and laughed, "I’m already involved in the matter of Snow Village Tea; my own fate cannot be calculated."

You Su frowned, "Then what did you calculate?"

"I calculated nothing."

Seeing You Su’s look of disbelief, the Venerable of Arcane asked again, "Do you want to know why I laughed?"

You Su raised his eyebrow as an answer.

Unexpectedly, the Venerable of Arcane directly stood up, his smile deepening, "I laughed because even a clever young man like you would believe that a person is genuinely strategizing and divining just by pinching their fingers like this. Truly divining one’s fate is not so simple. I have already instructed them not to disturb you, so get some good rest. Maybe in two days, I’ll need your help again."

After leaving these words, the Venerable of Arcane pushed open the door and walked out. His colorful silhouette vanished into the cold wind in an instant.

You Su carefully closed the door, pulled Bai Ze out, and twisted its ear, causing the little white cat to cry out in pain.

While punishing the mischievous Bai Ze, You Su couldn’t help but feel touched. The Venerable of Arcane was of a profound realm, and could easily detect the presence of other living things in the room, yet he chose not to expose Bai Ze’s existence. This wasn’t because Bai Ze genuinely managed to hide, but rather because the Venerable of Arcane never tried to uncover its secret. This respect indeed moved You Su slightly.

For the next two days, no one disturbed them except for the maid delivering charcoal and meals. Even the Venerable of Arcane himself didn’t visit.

You Su rarefully enjoyed such leisure, choosing not to worry about the future or past but merely practiced cultivating and swordsmanship, just as he had on Lotus Peak.

He also went through all the items in his possession and finally discovered the most crucial one—

The Qiankun Bag obtained from Zixun, inside which was hidden the Celestial Awakening Spiritual Light left by the True Immortal Zhengyang.

You Su had a strong intuition that this was undoubtedly the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding the True Immortal Zhengyang.

He tried to use his Divine Sense to retrieve the item from the Qiankun Bag but in vain, because the original owner, Zixun, was still alive.

Therefore, the only way to unlock the bag was to destroy the restriction technique upon it.

According to common sense, since the Qiankun Bag was made by the Celestial Revelation Divine Mountain in the Nanyang Continent, one should go to the Celestial Revelation Divine Mountain to unlock the restriction. In this light, it corresponded with the terms offered by the Venerable of Arcane. Urgently, the immediate task was to quickly address the mission on the Beiao Continent.

The two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Venerable of Arcane indeed arrived, wearing his usual flamboyant Daoist robe, contrasting sharply with the icy, snowy environment, yet he appeared remarkably eye-catching.

You Su was already prepared; after locking Bai Ze in the room, he followed the Venerable of Arcane out the door.

The City Lord and the owner of Snow Village Inn had been waiting for some time, and for reasons unknown, today they seemed much calmer than before.

They led the way ahead, walking out of Shuocheng, only halting at a secluded icy valley.

The Venerable of Arcane stood at the entrance of the ice valley, gazing at the mysterious land blanketed in white snow, his eyes flickering with complex emotions.

He could distinctly sense the extraordinary fluctuations coming from within; he had never expected that outside of Shuocheng there indeed lies a surprisingly exceptional secret realm, far exceeding his expectations.

You Su was also astonished because previously, he believed these two would use other reasons to conceal or muddle through the matter of the secret realm, yet he hadn’t anticipated the secret realm truly existed?

The Venerable of Arcane’s expression turned solemn, he approached the entrance without the slightest hesitance, but as soon as he got close, a powerful force suddenly repelled him, changing his face dramatically.

"This...?" The Venerable of Arcane steadied himself, his brow furrowing. Despite being a Venerable of the Void Realm with unfathomable power, he hadn’t expected to be excluded by the mere entrance of such a small secret realm.

Qi Tai hurriedly explained, "Venerable, this secret realm seems to have a strong repulsion against those with high cultivation. We have previously tried allowing cultivators with higher cultivation to enter, yet all were bounced off without exception. Only those of lower cultivation can barely enter."

Upon hearing these words, the Venerable of Arcane understood a bit more. Apparently, this secret realm is no ordinary place; it has its own rules and constraints, not allowing external powerful forces to disrupt its internal balance.

"Why didn’t you mention this restriction before?!" The Venerable of Arcane’s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

Qi Tai showed a bitter look, "Venerable, we have never encountered a cultivator of the Void Realm before, nor had we ever considered someone with such profound cultivation would come to explore. The highest cultivation in our entire city is only in the Feather Transformation Realm."

Upon hearing this, the Venerable of Arcane couldn’t argue. He realized he couldn’t forcefully enter the secret realm; otherwise, should it lead to a collapse, claiming Snow Village Tea within would be uncertain, he’d instead become the culprit for destroying the secret realm and might even have to shoulder responsibility.

"Venerable, perhaps it’s best to just let it go..." Qi Tai softly advised.

The Venerable of Arcane gave a cold look at the obsequious City Lord, faintly gritting his teeth.

Just as he was hesitating, You Su suddenly stepped forward, "Venerable, let me try."

Upon hearing this, the Venerable of Arcane was moved. He looked at You Su, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" The Venerable of Arcane asked solemnly.

It’s not that he mistrusted You Su, rather this endeavor is too perilous, and he didn’t want You Su to face any harm. Moreover, in his view, You Su is quite clever, and this matter doesn’t concern him directly, so he shouldn’t volunteer for it.

Little did he know, You Su had his own considerations; looking at the deep cave, a resolute gleam flashed in You Su’s eyes, "I’m sure."

Upon hearing this, the Venerable of Arcane felt a surge of warmth, silently noting that this young man wasn’t as indifferent as he seemed.

He patted You Su’s shoulder, then handed over a talisman, saying solemnly, "If there’s danger, tear it, and I’ll immediately destroy the secret realm."

You Su carefully stowed it away, then slowly advanced to the entrance of the secret realm.

"City Lord, I should be able to enter, right?" You Su tidied up his collar.

Though Qi Tai was curious about this mysterious disciple of the Venerable, he didn’t refuse, instead responded with a smile, "Truly, the master trains outstanding disciples. Little Immortal, you can certainly enter."

With the words uttered, You Su stepped boldly into the cave.

After a brief dizziness, You Su was stunned by the scene before him. Everywhere, bizarre flowers and exotic herbs thrived, the air filled with a gentle Spiritual Qi, as if entering a whole new world.

He cautiously traversed this mysterious land, always alert to possible dangers. Yet, to his surprise, despite being filled with the unknown and danger, it also bore an inexplicable harmony and tranquility.

As You Su delved deeper into his exploration, he gradually discovered some even more precious Spirit Grass and Spirit Medicine. These Spiritual Objects are scarcely seen in the outside world, yet in the secret realm, they seemed to sprout ubiquitously. He marveled inwardly, truly this Snow Village Secret Realm is extraordinary.

However, just as he was immersed in the joy of exploration, an aura of danger quietly approached.