The old man and the woman finally revealed their true appearances, looking no different from human beings, unlike the bizarre-looking denizens of the trading zones.
Audrey had long suspected the old crone had deliberately altered her looks, so when she presented herself as a stately woman whose charm had not faded with age, Audrey showed no surprise.
As Shi Yan was unlocking the spatial lock, his secondary soul had been covertly listening to their conversation, thus discerning the truth as well, and he was equally unperturbed.
“Truly useless, making me trapped for so long.” The old man glared, then frowned, scrutinizing Shi Yan, suddenly exclaiming in astonishment, “This brat is merely at the Initial God realm, yet he could unravel the spatial lock?”
The woman he addressed as Ya Yun smiled, “They hail from the Desolate Domain, child. Although his realm isn't profound, his strength is certainly noteworthy. He broke the spatial lock using just a single Spirit Condensing Pill.”
Pausing, she gazed deeply at Shi Yan and chuckled, “How does it feel? The myriad esoteric formations engraved within that spatial lock contain profound spatial mysteries. Cracking it should have significantly boosted your comprehension for your current realm?”
Shi Yan bowed respectfully, stating earnestly, “The sheer profundity and mystery contained within the spatial lock alone is worth the fee for this endeavor. Combined with the remaining Spirit Condensing Pills, I have already profited immensely.”
The spatial barrier and hundreds of esoteric formations within the lock included formations far beyond anything he had previously encountered. The process of decoding them was akin to gaining insight into those very mysteries. He felt exceptionally good now, realizing his mastery of spatial mysteries had likely climbed by a considerable margin.
Because of this, he felt he was the greatest beneficiary, to the point where he felt almost embarrassed to demand the Illusory Realm Stones.
“I said we wouldn't treat you poorly, and we won't. Those of my Xuantian Clan never go back on their word.” Ya Yun snorted, flicked her finger, and seven Illusory Realm Stones dropped directly toward him.
Shi Yan froze for a moment, then smiled faintly, “Thank you.”
He raised his hand, grasping them, and the Illusory Realm Stones vanished into his Initial Realm, stored in a special location.
“To harness the marvelous power of the Illusory Realm Stones, they still require tempering, to imprint your soul mark within them so you can control them at will,” Ya Yun explained.
While she spoke with Shi Yan, the old man remained silent, focusing his gaze intently on Shi Yan.
Suddenly, the old man’s figure flashed, and in an instant, he gripped Shi Yan’s arm, a surge of warm, intense energy flowing into Shi Yan’s body.
Shi Yan’s expression shifted. He was about to counter-attack with full force, but then he realized the warm flow carried no malice; it seemed only to be investigating the condition of his divine body, so he frowned and refrained from further action.
“Old man, what did you discern?” Ya Yun asked casually.
The old man released his grip, his eyes displaying a multitude of complex emotions—shock, incomprehension, and horror—swirling within them. After a long silence, he suddenly let out a wry laugh, “You foolish woman, you probably don't realize the extent of this child’s life transformation. It is in no way inferior to ours—perhaps, it even surpasses ours by a slight margin.”
At these words, Ya Yun’s face paled in shock. “How is that possible?”
“Nothing is impossible,” the old man took a deep breath, then seriously introduced himself, “My name is Tu Shiqi, and that is my wife, Ya Yun. We are both members of the Xuantian Clan. Our realms are identical, both at the Triple Heaven of Immortality—a very high level. I am delighted to meet you. Well, if you are interested, I can extend an invitation on behalf of the Xuantian Clan: to become an outer Guest Elder of my clan, enjoying all the privileges afforded to Xuantian Clan Guest Elders.”
“Old man, what madness possesses you? An outsider of his realm cannot possibly serve as our Guest Elder! Not a single Initial God qualifies to be a Guest Elder of our clan. If the higher-ups learn of the invitation you issued, they will certainly say you’ve lost your mind, and they will absolutely never approve it,” Ya Yun cried out.
The status of a Xuantian Clan Guest Elder was immensely prestigious, reserved only for powerful experts from other races. Every Guest Elder possessed a unique identity token, enjoying various preferential treatments from the Xuantian Clan when operating in the Void Sea of Nothingness or other domains. They were treated as honored guests by clan members, receiving a steady supply of rare cultivation materials, and were qualified to study the many secret scriptures and profound techniques accessible only to the Xuantian Clan.
Among the stars, many martial artists at the Second or Third Heaven of Immortality, and even the patriarchs of second or third-rate forces, might not qualify for the status of a Xuantian Clan Guest Elder.
Although Tu Shiqi held some standing within the Xuantian Clan and was authorized to invite Guest Elders, he still required approval from above. If he carelessly issued an invitation, it would only make the Xuantian Clan leadership view him as incompetent. Thus, Ya Yun was utterly bewildered as to why the old man was suddenly acting so erratically by extending such a formal invitation to an Initial God.
“I am not mad, I am perfectly clear-headed, acutely clear-headed. I know exactly what I am doing,” Tu Shiqi snorted, then sincerely stated, “If you just nod, I can guarantee you will break through to the Immortal realm incredibly fast. Our clan still possesses a few remaining Immortal Pills, and I can promise you I will secure two for you. Besides the Immortal Pills, I will provide you with twenty Spirit Condensing Pills, and we can allocate territories within the star domains, beauty from all races, and even land within the Void Sea of Nothingness.”
“You are insane! You must be insane! We have only a handful of Immortal Pills left, reserved for the younglings of our clan. How can you possibly requisition any?” Ya Yun shrieked.
Audrey was also astonished. These two were members of the Xuantian Clan, one of the seven greatest races dominating the Star Sea, possessing formidable power. They were both at the Triple Heaven of Immortality. Given their status and strength, why would the old man suddenly lose his composure and issue such an invitation? She simply couldn't comprehend it.
Shi Yan was equally bewildered, standing dumbfounded, “Senior, have you perhaps mistaken something?”
“Mistaken?” The old man chuckled strangely, his eyes blazing, “A future powerhouse who is destined to enter the Ancestor of Domain realm—is he not worthy of such special treatment?”
“Destined to enter the Ancestor of Domain realm?” Ya Yun shrieked, “You still claim you’re not mad? In the vast Star Sea, across countless domains, Ancestors of Domain are extremely rare. You and I are at the Triple Heaven of Immortality, still far from that realm—perhaps it will be unattainable in this lifetime. What virtue or merit does he possess? That Dragon Lizard has been stuck at the peak of Immortality for countless eons, yet it still has no hope of breaking through. And he is destined to reach the Ancestor of Domain realm?”
“If it could comprehend the true meaning of Dark Energy, the Dragon Lizard would have broken through long ago. The most difficult hurdle to overcome to become an Ancestor of Domain is the mastery of Dark Energy,” Tu Shiqi declared solemnly, shouting out, “He already possesses Dark Energy!”
Upon hearing this, Ya Yun suddenly quieted, turning to look at Shi Yan with shock plastered across her face.
Tu Shiqi grinned widely, chuckling, “Young fellow, you are still a bit too green; you don’t know how to conceal your power, otherwise, I truly wouldn't have discovered the astounding level of your life transformation, nor that you have comprehended the true meaning of Dark Energy. As long as you successfully integrate the complex mysteries, a single Immortal Pill will suffice to advance you further.”
“Senior’s insight is remarkable,” Shi Yan sighed, impressed.
What impressed him was Tu Shiqi’s vision and sheer nerve. Upon discovering Shi Yan’s peculiarity, he didn't hesitate to offer rich incentives to invite him as a Xuantian Clan Guest Elder, immediately promising two Immortal Pills, dozens of Spirit Condensing Pills, beauties from various races, star domain lands, and territory within the Void Sea of Nothingness. The old man’s boldness was astonishing.
“How can this be? How is this possible? He is only at the Initial God realm, how could he have comprehended the true meaning of Dark Energy? There is no rhyme or reason!” Ya Yun murmured, convinced by her husband's judgment. She finally understood why Tu Shiqi was acting so fanatically. A Guest Elder destined to become an Ancestor of Domain was worth such a price for the clan. She immediately recognized the old man’s mettle.
“What do you say?” Tu Shiqi looked at him deeply.
“I cannot promise you anything right now. Please allow me time to consider this matter carefully. However, I can promise you that if I must choose a side among the Seven Great Races, it will definitely be your Xuantian Clan,” Shi Yan responded seriously after long contemplation.
He feared that a wrong answer might provoke Tu Shiqi into extreme action, perhaps eliminating him and Audrey outright to prevent them from becoming antagonists to the Xuantian Clan in the future—that would be too costly.
“You are cautious, but we are not the sort of people you imagine. Regardless, you saved me, and even if you do not agree, I will not repay kindness with malice,” Tu Shiqi laughed heartily, patting his shoulder, “You are a magical little fellow. I know that cultivating a good relationship with you benefits our Xuantian Clan, and we do not pursue extreme paths. That extreme route, the Soul Clan prefers; we Xuantian Clan does not. That is the reputation of the Xuantian Clan, and you will understand it later.”
Shi Yan smiled but said no more.
“Ya Yun, what reward were you preparing for him originally?” Tu Shiqi turned and called out.
“A set of armor forged by our clan.”
“Unnecessary,” he shook his head. “The toughness of this little fellow’s divine body is beyond your imagination; that armor will offer him little improvement. Hmm, they must have just arrived and are unfamiliar with the Void Sea of Nothingness. How about this…”
A silver beam of light shot from his sleeve, revealing a shimmering, star-like compass. He handed it to Shi Yan, saying, “This is the Heavenly Illusion Star Compass forged by our Xuantian Clan. It serves as a compass within the Void Sea of Nothingness, marked with the orientation of many regions. With this, you will not get lost, and you will know which areas to avoid, which are passable, and which factions control what.”
“Old man, you are truly generous. The Heavenly Illusion Star Compass is difficult even for our Xuantian Clan to forge; very few within our own clan are qualified to possess one,” Ya Yun marveled, her gaze toward the old man flickering with strange emotion, deepening her admiration for him.
She had always admired the old man’s nerve; this kind of charisma does not diminish with age.
Accepting the Heavenly Illusion Star Compass, Shi Yan moved his divine sense, and a strange light filled his eyes. His consciousness descended into the compass, as if entering a projection scaled down by billions of times. There were clusters of star sea regions, detailed markings, explaining the peculiarities of every area in the Void Sea of Nothingness—it was a vivid, living star map.
This item was absolutely the most suitable wondrous artifact for him, and certainly a treasure yearned for by all races.
“Senior’s magnanimity and spirit truly leave me in awe,” Shi Yan said sincerely, holding the Heavenly Illusion Star Compass. Because of Tu Shiqi and Ya Yun, his impression of the Xuantian Clan had become unexpectedly positive.
...To be continued.