Chapter 167: Remnants of the Open Heaven

“There’s too much commotion, it’s attracting too many people. This isn’t a good thing…”

Standing amidst the vivid sea of the Flower of the Other Shore, the azure-haired youth, his hands clasped behind him, gazed at a strange energy slowly converging in the sky, a serious expression on his face.

Surrounding him were the members of the Shock God Sect, including the highly skilled Teacher Mu, all observing, as if waiting for something.

Just prior, when they entered the Endless Ruins Sea, they fortuitously stumbled into a domain that was autonomously opening. They had barely escaped a harrowing situation not long ago, and now they were unexpectedly faced with this new matter—whether to call it luck or misfortune.

The girl with the twin braids, somewhat inconspicuous in the crowd, was also staring at the gathering mass of energy in the sky, yet she didn’t appear overly surprised; her glance occasionally flickered to a certain white-clad middle-aged man beside her, seeming as if she had something to say but hesitated.

Noticing her demeanor, Murong Yun, who had come first to check the situation and coincidentally met with Teacher Mu and the others from the Shock God Sect, took the initiative to start a conversation.

“Miss Swallow, you seem a bit restless. Are you feeling unwell?”

“……”

After a brief silence, the black-haired girl with a profound background quietly spoke.

“Miss Vilyric and the others… haven’t arrived yet.”

“Well, Miss Vilyric went into a secret realm alone for exploration. The situation inside is unclear, and I can’t be certain when she will come out. If you’re all in a hurry, you can go in first. I can wait here.”

“That’s not what I meant… never mind that. Mr. Murong, you seem very familiar with the Endless Ruins Sea?”

The white-clad middle-aged man smiled slightly.

“Why do you say that, young lady?”

Casting a look at the obviously feigning confusion Murong Yun, Swallow didn’t mind his act of ignorance; she lowered her voice once more, speaking quietly enough for only the two of them to hear.

“When we first entered the Ruins Sea, Mr. Murong was the one who vanished from the scene. Such efficiency and speed can only be achieved by those who frequently travel between reality and the Endless Ruins Sea.”

“Just earlier, when mentioning Miss Vilyric, you said we could enter if we couldn’t wait, but this realm has not yet fully opened. How do you know its condition and that we can enter directly?”

“Mr. Murong, you’re one of the Ferryman’s inheritors, right?”

After a brief pause, Murong Yun helplessly shook his head.

“The Shock God Sect really surprises me; if Miss Vilyric were here, she would surely mock me for being so ignorant, making a fuss over nothing…”

“You guessed right. I do know quite a bit about this realm, but… only from the past.”

Although the white-clad middle-aged man clearly withheld some information, causing the topic to halt, Swallow seemed to have understood something from this incomplete conversation and didn’t expose it.

After their brief exchange, the two fell silent again, waiting for the mysterious realm before them to officially open amid the whispers surrounding them.

The Flower of the Other Shore swayed endlessly in the wind, rippling like waves with swells and ripples. More and more people gathered from all directions around the emerging realm, reminiscent of when they first entered the Endless Ruins Sea in Xinchuan County.

However, this time, the number of arrivals was clearly much greater than before, most of whom were unfamiliar faces, likely those who entered the mountains from other directions.

As they waited, Swallow suddenly spoke up again, engaging the white-clad middle-aged man.

“Mr. Murong, do you think this realm might be related to the Spiritual Fox Priestess?”

Murong Yun appeared slightly surprised.

“Why do you say that, young lady?”

“It’s just a casual guess. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Seeing the girl’s noncommittal mysterious attitude, the white-clad middle-aged man fell into a peculiar silence.

After a moment, he finally revealed a hint.

“It’s hard to say. From what I know of this realm, there shouldn’t be any direct connection, but the situation inside is special, and this is my first time encountering something like this. If we could enter the core area…”

Before he could finish, the strange energy gathering in the sky suddenly surged upward!

In the end, it coalesced into a magnificent door floating in the sky, towering at least a hundred meters high!

Clouds and mist swirled around, and as the Heavenly Gate illuminated the scene, the previously dim Endless Ruins Sea seemed to brighten. The flowers of the Other Shore swayed gently, unfurling their petals as if they were devout followers presenting offerings to the saints.

“Dong ~ Dong ~ Dong ~ Dong ~ Dong……”

The earth-shattering sound of morning bells and evening drums rang out as the Heavenly Gate appeared, reverberating across the Endless Ruins Sea. This world seemed to resonate with the realm before them, as if an unseen river from the void was flowing from afar, almost taking the hearts and souls of those present.

As the various phenomena dissipated, and only a slightly distorted light curtain remained in the air, the crowd finally broke free from the oppressive atmosphere, gasping for breath, as if returning from another world.

“What just was that…”

“The River of Three Ways, that must be the legendary River of Three Ways! This truly is the remnant of the Spiritual Fox Priestess, there must be treasures and inheritances inside!”

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

In the midst of the bustling discussions, those who reacted quickly and dared to act first dashed toward the silver crack, vanishing into it instantly.

“Whoa! Let’s go now!!”

“Why are you running so fast? Wait for me! Aren’t we on the same team?!”

Before the imagined massive benefits, these prominent figures from the outside turned red-faced with excitement, hastily showcasing their abilities, rushing into the newly opened realm like dumplings, as if falling behind would mean missing this rare opportunity.

Of course, some fiercer individuals were more cautious and chose to proceed gradually.

“Teacher Mu, what should we do now…”

Faced with something perhaps related to the Spiritual Fox Priestess, Mu Ze seemed to abandon the idea of mere training, actively taking command of the team.

“This is my first time seeing such a shocking scene in the Endless Ruins Sea. This place is indeed extraordinary, but it may not necessarily be as beautiful as it appears. In any case, we must seize this once-in-a-millennium opportunity, but caution is paramount.”

“Shangguan Hong, I will replace the frontline position from now on. When we move, you and Liu Quan guard the rear. Regardless of what we see inside or encounter, don’t act rashly, all will follow my orders. Is that clear?”

“Yes!”

After a brief coordination, Mu Ze suddenly turned his gaze to Someone who had been drifting outside their team, clearly, his earlier conversation with Swallow hadn’t escaped this high-level leader’s attention.

“Mr. Murong, are you sure you don’t want to join us?”

“Yeah, I still have some things I must do. My apologies.”

Mu Ze slightly cupped his hands, not pressing further.

“Then, please convey my regards to the others. The realm is dangerous; everyone must take care.”

“…Take care.”

Swish! Swish! Swish! The members of the Shock God Sect also stepped into the light curtain one by one, disappearing from view.

Looking around at the dwindling crowd, Murong Yun remained silent for a long while, only letting out a sigh, as if burdened with countless thoughts.

“This should… be the last time, huh? I didn’t expect it would fall on me to fulfill this inheritance responsibility. Ha, the Open Heaven Gate…”

   

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