368 Stairway to Heaven
Indeed, the strength and influence of these individuals were of great importance. He couldn’t afford to be caught off guard while concentrating on his cultivation. A surprise attack from a hidden adversary could land him in a world of trouble. With caution, Qin Huai navigated through the forest.
Suddenly, a figure darted towards him. At the sound, Qin Huai instantly turned his head, spotting an individual garbed in animal skin racing towards him with surprising speed.
No, not just speed, there was something uncanny about the figure’s movement. The figure seemed to flicker in and out of existence within the forest, appearing in completely different places with every step.
An illusion?
Qin Huai quickly deduced that this person was no ordinary individual, likely having considerable understanding of the ancient azure illusion force.
“I’m Zhou Cunzhong, a rogue cultivator from Qingzhou. May I ask your name?” Qin Huai called out, standing his ground as his palm filled with the power of longevity, ready to strike if necessary.
“I’m Yang Tianhan of the Ghost Ox sect,” the figure replied, landing not far from Qin Huai.
Yang Tianhan had smooth, long hair and clear eyes. His face, though, looked somewhat aged, seeming well over thirty. Recalling She Wanshan’s words, Qin Huai surmised that Yang Tianhan must have been a prodigy from Qingzhou who had entered the academy a decade or two ago. His animal skin attire, however, seemed somewhat out of place.
“Your face suggests a new decade has begun,” Yang Tianhan observed, his eyes sharp.
While Qin Huai sized him up, Yang Tianhan did the same. A vigorous, handsome man with a resolute blood aura, there was an indiscernible power residing between his eyebrows. He was clearly an expert.
Yang Tianhan offered a light smile, his eyes revealing little surprise. It was understood that anyone capable of entering this place was an expert, top-notch among their peers.
“Junior has just entered this place, so I hope Senior will be generous with your guidance,” Qin Huai said, his tone humble.
He was aware that his king’s force might not hold much weight here — there were many others who possessed the king’s force. At the very least, She Wanshan, the first living person he’d met, possessed the king’s force cultivated from the true lotus technique.
“In this place, there’s no need to distinguish between seniors and juniors,” Yang Tianhan said, dismissing the formality with a wave of his hand. “If you don’t mind, call me Brother Yang.”
“Brother Yang,” Qin Huai responded, courteously raising his fists.
“That’s right.” Yang Tianhan sighed, a satisfied smile on his face. “Let’s discuss this further at my place. Follow me.”
Leading the way, Yang Tianhan began to explain, “This place is known as the bronze realm… The ground here is composed of a divine-powered, mysterious bronze. This entire world is an ancient scripture crafted in bronze. I presume you’ve already experienced its power.”
Qin Huai offered a wry smile and nodded.
“And the place we were in earlier,” Yang Tianhan continued, smiling, “was an illusion realm created by the ancient scripture. Essentially, you and I exist simultaneously on the same island but in different realms. Many things are identical, yet due to the illusion realm, we can neither see nor touch each other.”
Qin Huai felt his head spin slightly. By his understanding, this illusion realm sounded akin to a folded parallel world, controlled by the bronze realm.
With Yang Tianhan’s clarification, Qin Huai was beginning to understand.
As they continued their journey, fearsome beasts several meters long occasionally swooped past in the sky or prowled nearby. These creatures were fifth-level bone pattern realm beasts but significantly smaller in size.
“These beings are what we refer to as bronze beasts,” Yang Tianhan explained. “They are creatures that emerged from the ancient scriptures. Essentially, they’re no different from the giant beasts in the illusion realm. They pose a threat to us, but they also serve as our source of sustenance.”
Curious, Qin Huai asked, “If these creatures are mere illusions, why do we feel full after eating them?”
“I don’t know,” Yang Tianhan replied, shaking his head. “But if we’re getting into details, you could ask how we were transported instantaneously from Qingzhou to this bronze realm. How far away is this place from Qingzhou City?”
Speechless, Qin Huai mulled over these mysteries. Through their brief interaction, he’d gained some insight into Yang Tianhan’s knowledge of the bronze realm.
Their journey was slow, and they soon arrived at a makeshift campsite nestled against a massive mountain wall. The wall, bronze like the rest of the surroundings, was adorned with intricate bronze patterns, forming a strange scripture.
Although the scripture consisted of only about twenty words, Qin Huai understood that comprehending these twenty runes could take a genius several years, if not decades.
In front of the mountain wall sat more than a dozen individuals — men and women, young and old. They each emanated a commanding aura, their power evident.
“They seem to be cultivating. We can talk later,” Yang Tianhan suggested with a chuckle. “Do you have any more questions?”
“Have you found a way or a clue to leave this place?” Qin Huai asked abruptly.
Caught off guard, Yang Tianhan paused before motioning Qin Huai to follow him. They walked to an open space where Yang Tianhan stepped onto thin air, his body seeming to hover mid-air.
Qin Huai’s eyes widened, and he reached out, only to touch something transparent. He asked in surprise, “An invisible staircase?”
“Follow this staircase straight up. You should be able to exit at the end,” Yang Tianhan explained, ascending a few steps. “However, I suspect there’s a perilous trial awaiting at the top of the heavenly stairs… Otherwise, more people would have left, and they wouldn’t have lost their memories.”
Yang Tianhan jumped back down and clapped Qin Huai on the shoulder. “Instead of risking your life trying to leave, why not cultivate this ancient scripture here? Look at this bronze realm and consider the illusion realm we experienced! What tremendous power!”
His eyes sparkled with fanaticism as he spoke, “After mastering this ancient scripture, there will be no obstacles on your path to cultivation in the future. I doubt anyone in Qingzhou would be able to match that power.”