NOVPUBThe elder was speaking when he suddenly saw the sea of fire begin to stir again.
Blazing flames surged forth, engulfing everything in sight, and this time their target was clearly Xu Zimei and the Divine Emperor.
The Divine Emperor waved his right hand, and a barrier of Spiritual Energy enveloped them, effectively isolating the sea of fire.
"Someone is manipulating this place," Xu Zimei said.
He looked deep into the sea of fire, where it seemed a pair of eyes had been watching them when the sea had erupted in violence.
"Let’s go in and take a look," Xu Zimei proposed.
The Divine Emperor nodded, casually waved his hand, and another barrier of Spiritual Energy was conjured, enveloping the elders of the Vast Immortal Sect within.
"We are deeply grateful to the senior and young master for your great kindness. If you ever find the time to visit our Vast Immortal Sect, this old one will be indebted," one said from within the barrier.
Relieved, the people inside the barrier hurriedly expressed their thanks.
Watching them depart, Xu Zimei murmured, "Perhaps we will have use for them in the future."
"I sense a terrifying presence," the Divine Emperor said.
Xu Zimei nodded. Just after they had rescued these people, indeed, a terrifying presence seemed to have been warning them.
It was only because of the Divine Emperor’s presence that the other party had not lashed out in anger.
"Then let’s go inside for a look. I, too, want to know what kind of being this is," Xu Zimei said.
As the two of them moved forward, the sea of fire became even more tumultuous.
But all the attacking flames were kept at bay by the Divine Emperor’s barrier.
The entire sky was in turmoil, with the wind and clouds being whipped up by the roaring, blazing flames.
"Halt, visitors," a grand voice echoed through the emptiness as Xu Zimei and his companion walked for a while.
The voice exploded like thunder next to their ears, and the sea of fire grew even more fierce.
"Who are you?" the Divine Emperor demanded, his gaze intense.
"Just a recluse, let us be. Do not disturb my hermitage," the voice replied calmly.
"But you just tried to kill us," Xu Zimei pointed out.
"You trespassed into my territory. That was merely a lesson," responded the voice.
"Since we’re here, let’s meet. I also want to know what kind of existence you are," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
There was no response from the voice as the two advanced further, yet the turmoil in the sea of fire intensified.
It seemed to be resisting Xu Zimei and his companion.
When Xu Zimei finally reached the end of the sea of fire, he saw a scene that was rather shocking.
It was a cliff so tall it seemed unreachable, like a three-thousand-foot drop, with a waterfall cascading down from the top.
This waterfall was not made of water, but the same magma-like river of fire that Xu Zimei had seen before.
This was likely the source of the entire sea of fire occupying this space.
Most shocking of all, at the origin of the waterfall at the very base of the cliff, stood a man within the molten cascade.
The waterfall fell hundreds of meters from the cliff, drenching the man in its flow, then streaming along his body towards the distance, forming the sea of fire.
This man’s limbs were all bound by iron chains, shackling him in place.
He wore no clothes on his body, and his long hair was disheveled and spread out in all directions.
He appeared exceedingly weak and seemed to be at death’s door.
Although the man before them was in this state as Xu Zimei and his companion approached,
Xu Zimei could still feel the power within the man’s body, which, had he been in his prime, he believed would be no less formidable than the Divine Emperor.
Xu Zimei found this man rather unbelievable, seeing that the Divine Emperor was already the strongest being in the Continent.
There shouldn’t be another existence like this.
"You have come," the man spoke, his tone as calm as before.
"There really is someone like you in the world," the Divine Emperor said with emotion.
"Aren’t you the same," the man replied.
"You shouldn’t stay in this world; it’s too restricting for you.
There’s a broader world outside waiting for you."
"I know, it was just an accident," the Divine Emperor said.
"Let’s talk about you."
"What’s there to talk about me," the man said with a laugh.
"Who exactly are you?" the Divine Emperor asked.
"Just a lost soul on the verge of death," the man replied.
"You’re also the first people to come here in tens of thousands of years."
"Let’s talk. We can find a way to rescue you," Xu Zimei said.
"It’s no use; I’m bound to die. What’s locking me up isn’t these chains, but the Myriad Flowers Love Poison," the man said with a bitter smile.
"We can help you find an antidote," the Divine Emperor said.
"The antidote is in the hands of the Myriad Flowers Fairy. How will you get it?" the man said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"Who is the Myriad Flowers Fairy?" Xu Zimei said, slightly taken aback. He looked at the Divine Emperor, as he indeed had not heard of this person before.
The Divine Emperor also shook his head slightly. In theory, they should know something about any famous powerhouse on the Continent.
Now neither the man before them nor the Myriad Flowers Fairy was known to them.
"She is in the Heaven Beyond Heavens. When you go there one day, you will understand," the man said with a faint smile.
"You come from Heaven Beyond Heavens too," Xu Zimei realized instantly.
Heaven Beyond Heavens, that even broader world, with more powerful beings and wondrous places.
It is also the place everyone in the Yuan Central Continent dreams of reaching.
The man smiled and said nothing. He coughed lightly a few times, spitting out a large pool of fresh blood.
"Can you tell us about the situation in Heaven Beyond Heavens?" Xu Zimei asked.
"You’ll naturally know when you go there," the man shook his head.
"But the premise is that with his strength, he can go to Heaven Beyond Heavens, but you may not.
After all, not just anyone can reach that world."
"It seems I am underestimated, but that doesn’t matter. There’s not much to say to a dying man."
Xu Zimei shook his head and said to the Divine Emperor, "Let’s go. I was thinking if he had any last wishes, you could go to Heaven Beyond Heavens to fulfill them for him.
Looks like the man is dying without regrets."
Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, the man’s expression tightened slightly.
Watching the two leave, the man finally called out.
"You won, wait a moment."
"What is it? Is there something?" Xu Zimei turned his head to ask.
"You’re right, I indeed have many things I can’t let go of," the man said.
"If you are willing to make a trade, then let’s talk."
The man had been trapped here for tens of thousands of years, especially with the deadly poison inside him about to become uncontrollable.
He didn’t know who else could come after Xu Zimei and the other left?
Furthermore, in a place like this, normal beings would likely die before even reaching this point.
"What do you want to trade?" Xu Zimei asked.
"Before a trade, you should first deal with your own troubles," the man said with a light laugh.
As his voice just faded, the sea of fire not far away was torn apart.
