The heavy black door groaned, slowly parting to reveal a gap just large enough for a person to squeeze through.

"This... this... I must be dreaming," Xiaohu stammered, on the verge of collapse, his mouth agape. The most notoriously difficult door in the inherited memories had been opened so easily by the Boss?

Xiaohu raised his right paw and slapped the side of his head. Confirming the sharp sting, he took a deep breath to settle the frantic beating in his chest. "Boss, are... are you really you? How could you..."

Chen Feng, watching the widening gap, didn't step inside. His heart hammered against his ribs, as if confronted by the strangest sight in the world. After a moment, he murmured in a voice barely audible to anyone else, "Looking up, I see the bright moon; bowing my head, I long for my homeland! Why would the owner of this pagoda write such a poem? Did he want to return to Earth?"

Five large characters were inscribed on one side of the door: "Looking Up, See Bright Moon." To enter this gate, one had to select the corresponding characters from the floor tiles to form the couplet—"Bowing Head, Long for Homeland"—and insert them into the corresponding slots on the other side!

For anyone else in this world, such a simple puzzle might be an unsolvable conundrum. But for Chen Feng, it was as easy as scratching his own head!

The ancient master of the Nine-Story Pagoda had used a line of poetry known to every Chinese person as the opening cipher. His intent, upon slight consideration, was glaringly obvious!

He was waiting for a Transmigrator! Another Transmigrator just like him! Someone who missed their homeland!

The qi in his dantian circled a few times, and Chen Feng regained his composure. He turned to Xiaohu and said, "Let's go in!"

With that, he strode forward through the now widely opened entrance. The instant his body made contact with the plane of the door, he vanished.

Xiaohu, worried about Chen Feng’s safety, rushed to follow him inside. But as he reached the threshold, a powerful gust of air slammed into him. He tumbled backward twice and fell headlong down the stairs.

"It's a seal..." Xiaohu instantly understood. The great black door not only had a password but also a seal! Judging by the seal’s intensity, even a Dou Shi level cultivator might not pass. But how had the Boss gotten through?

Xiaohu's mind was a chaotic mess: the sudden, inexplicable mission memories; the great door that couldn't be opened, now solved in ten minutes; the specific seal that allowed the Boss entry but barred him...

"What is going on?" Xiaohu stood outside the black door, pacing restlessly, desperate enough to go mad! Inside his mind, he called out repeatedly: "Boss, Boss..."

The moment Chen Feng passed through the plane of the iron door, the contractual link in his mind to Xiaohu vanished, as if evaporated into thin air!

Xiaohu and Chen Feng were bound by a Soul Blood Pact. Such a pact should allow them to sense each other even across vast distances. How could the Boss's trace disappear in an instant?

Xiaohu trembled uncontrollably, praying silently, "Boss, I hope you are well..."

......................................

Chen Feng stepped into the main hall. A familiar warmth enveloped him, intensely comfortable.

He started, then realized the truth: it was a feeling, the sensation of returning home. The elemental fluctuations in this alien world were extremely violent; the quality of the air and light was far inferior to Earth in his past life. Perhaps this 'environmental change affects physique' theory meant this environment fostered beings whose strength vastly surpassed those of his previous world. Yet, deep down, Chen Feng preferred the feeling of his past life. Though he couldn't lift a thousand pounds with ease, the relaxed atmosphere, the genuine affection between people—these were unforgettable.

Everything in this current hall, even the very air he breathed, was identical to Earth in his former life!

All the plants, flowers, and trees were ones he recognized. This feeling made Chen Feng momentarily forget he was in another world! Having various plants cultivated inside a pagoda was astonishing enough, but the fact that they were all identical to those on Earth was simply inconceivable.

Following the winding path through the dense vegetation, Chen Feng grew more shocked the deeper he ventured.

This was literally Earth! A massive magic lamp hung high overhead like a sun, radiating light and warmth to nourish the plants below. Beside the path, a narrow, shallow ditch slowly flowed with clear spring water, its gentle trickling sound providing a comforting ambiance in the silent space.

He walked along this path for about ten minutes, completing a circuit. Though the area wasn't huge, there were tens of thousands of plants and flowers, yet not a single one was the same!

Chen Feng was utterly awestruck. This previous Transmigrator wasn't just profoundly powerful in cultivation; his skill in horticulture must be unparalleled in the world!

After a moment of awe, Chen Feng walked toward the center of this level of the pagoda.

In the middle stood an octagonal, pitch-black platform. Each side featured an iron door of the same dark material Xiaohu had mentioned—Dark Gold Iron.

Chen Feng circled the platform. This time, he found no slots resembling those for character tiles, nor any couplets to match. It seemed entering these iron doors required some other, strange method.

Without dwelling on the method, Chen Feng surged his qi vortex, slightly bent his knees, and leaped onto the high platform.

The surface of the platform was smooth and clean, with only a stone statue, over three meters tall, standing precisely in the center.

The statue stood with its hands clasped behind its back, its face tilted slightly upward. Its resolute features were etched with the ravages of time, and its gaze was fixed directly upon the giant magic lamp above.

The carving was lifelike, especially the expression on the face. Looking closely for a moment, one could almost discern a deep unwillingness, as if the statue held an unfulfilled aspiration.

A strange sensation suddenly washed over Chen Feng, as if he had seen this statue long ago. That look, that sense of desolation, inexplicably caused him a pang of pain!

"Looking up, I see the bright moon; bowing my head, I long for my homeland!"

Without conscious thought, the line sprang into Chen Feng's mind. This statue, gazing at the magic lamp, must have taken it for Earth's full moon. Creating an environment reminiscent of Earth in this alien realm, the intensity of its homesickness was profoundly moving.

This must be the senior Transmigrator!

Chen Feng sighed, speaking to himself, "I wonder which dynasty this senior transmigrated from. How long has he been here? Longing for home but unable to return—such deep loyalty and feeling are truly touching!"

As Chen Feng was musing over the senior’s fate, a voice speaking Chinese suddenly echoed in his ears!

"You are the first person to enter the Nine-Story Pagoda!"

Startled, he spun around frantically searching, but the surroundings were empty; there was no sign of anyone.

"A ghost?" Although Chen Feng now possessed qi vortex power, making his body and spirit a hundred times stronger than in his past life, he felt an inexplicable tension facing such a bizarre occurrence.

"I am not a ghost!" the voice continued in Chinese, though it sounded low, laced with fatigue, and distinctly aged.

"Then who are you? Come out and speak! Stop playing spooky tricks!" Chen Feng steadied himself, constantly spinning to scan his surroundings, his internal qi vortex spinning wildly, ready to strike at the slightest threat.

They were both speaking fluent Chinese.

"No need to look. I am right in front of you!" the ancient voice stated.

"In front?" Chen Feng paused, realizing there was no one in front of him... Wait, could it be...?

"Yes. I am the stone statue standing before you."

Chen Feng recoiled two steps in shock, then stopped and looked ahead. Indeed, the stone statue's mouth was opening and closing; the sound had come from within.

A gigantic stone statue speaking—such a bizarre event sent a chill down even Chen Feng's bold spine, causing the fine hairs on his skin to stand up.

"Who are you?" Chen Feng asked.

"Heh heh!" The statue’s stiff face twitched. "Do not be afraid; I mean no harm. You don't need to know who I am. The fact that you could enter this gate and understand my words proves one thing: we are from the same hometown!"

ps: Whew, just checked, it seems we've reached 21st place on the New Book List. Breaking into the top 15 would get us onto the front page, hehe. Am I being too greedy, Old Ya?... But the difference between the category list and the front page is truly massive... I hope everyone can help me out... Old Ya thanks you all!! Smash those recommendation tickets fiercely!!

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