Chapter 65: Paradise

The carriage moved toward the Silent Thunder Sect. The structures atop the main peaks could faintly be seen in the distance.

Theo gazed at the mountain scenery. Yet his mind involuntarily replayed the scene from earlier.

Half an hour ago...

The beggar girl removed the cloth covering her eyes. It revealed a pair of clear, grayish-white pupils beneath. Innocent and untouched by the world. Reminiscent of a newborn’s gaze.

Yet there was also a hint of timidity and humility in them, as if she dared not meet another’s eyes.

A pale face appeared in his line of sight.

Her hair was a tangled mess. Her clothes ragged. It created a stark contrast with her delicate features.

Theo remembered this scene. Not just because of the girl’s breathtaking beauty.

She stood there, her small hands fidgeting awkwardly. Her fingers twisting together.

Like a lone white flower swaying in the wind, emerging from a desolate wasteland.

"The color of her fate hasn’t changed. The imperial guards shouldn’t notice her."

"I wonder how long it will take her to discover the secret of the Ancient Brass Ring."

Theo’s thoughts churned.

Suddenly, he slapped his thigh.

"What is wrong, Theo?"

Kaelen lifted his head. His drowsy expression scrunched his features together.

"I forgot to tell her to bind the ring with a drop of blood!"

Theo was filled with regret.

To make it more convincing, he used a classic trope when crafting the backdoor to his World Seed. It required a drop of blood to attune to its user.

But when he left...

The moment he saw her face, he completely forgot about it.

...

That night.

Smoke rose from the cooking fires in Mudhorn Alley.

The disabled urchins bustled about, tidying up the dilapidated courtyard.

Before, this place had been a temporary shelter. But now, it was different. Theo said that from today onward, this was their home.

A home naturally had to be kept clean.

"Sister has been spacing out all day."

"Do you think she is thinking about Theo?"

"I miss him too. His cooking was the best."

"Sister, no matter how much you polish that ring, Theo won’t see it."

Elara sat with her knees drawn up. She carefully wiped the brass ring on her finger, afraid to let it get dirty.

Hearing the children, she froze.

Oh.

Though the ring was delivered by Theo, she assumed Liana prepared it.

Why would Liana give her such a ring?

It wasn’t a spatial artifact she recognized. It didn’t seem to have any other special properties.

"Liana wouldn’t do something meaningless."

"This ring must be important."

Elara bit her pale lips. Her heart grew uneasy.

"Could it be that something is wrong with me?"

In the past, the world was vibrant in her eyes.

She saw an extra layer of energy. But after her Blade Core was taken, the color vanished.

"Am I going to disappoint them?"

"It is all my fault."

Elara clenched the ring tightly. Her knuckles turned white. The sharp pain in her palm made her feel slightly better.

Drip.

Crimson blood seeped from between her fingers.

And with it, the Ancient Brass Ring took on a faint glow.

Hum.

Suddenly, she felt dizzy. The world before her began to spin like a whirlpool.

What is happening?

The thought barely formed in her hazy mind.

The voices of the little ones echoed in her ears.

"Sister, what is wrong?"

"She fainted!"

Then.

All sound vanished. Silence enveloped everything.

She groggily opened her eyes. She shielded them from the sudden burst of light, before finally taking in her surroundings.

An endless expanse of white mist. As if she had been transported beyond the domains.

The space wasn’t large. No more than five hundred meters in radius.

Yet pavilions and towers stood in harmonious disorder. They exuded effortless elegance, as if shaped by nature itself. Even in the capital, she never saw such refined architecture.

A dreamlike paradise.

"Where am I?"

Elara rubbed her eyes. Her face filled with bewilderment.

"Hah."

Suddenly, a deep, resonant laughter echoed through the air.

"Young one, since you have come from afar, you are a guest. Step inside."

"M-me?"

Elara cautiously crossed the threshold.

There, in the courtyard beneath an ancient tree, a figure sat leisurely upon a bluestone.

He wore snow-white robes. His face was concealed behind an ancient bronze mask.

He was surrounded by cosmic energy and Dao rhythms. As if he existed since the dawn of creation, observing all living beings.

He seemed like the root of this realm’s existence. Capable of stirring the heavens with a mere wave of his hand.

"Senior... where is this place?" Elara asked timidly.

"Here? Just a humble abode I carved out beyond the domains to pass the time."

The man’s voice was calm. Unperturbed.

Elara’s mind short-circuited.

Beyond the domains?

She crossed an unfathomable distance to arrive outside the known universe?

"A minor trick. No need for alarm."

"If I can bring you here, I can certainly send you back."

The man’s ethereal voice drifted over once more.

With a wave of his hand, a stool materialized on the ground. A tea set appeared on the stone table.

"Sit."

Dazed, Elara walked over and sat down. It took her a long moment to regain her composure.

"Who are you?"

"Why did you bring me here?"