“By the way, Brother Yuan,” Han Qingyu spoke, her tone turning excited. “What about the plans you made about going out to explore the nearby region once the Sect Competition ends? I found this Volcanic Fire Region just some distance away from the sect.”
Wan Ling’s ears perked up, her brows furrowing slightly. “The Fire Region? Isn’t that the place with unstable volcanic Qi? I heard the environment is pretty dangerous, even for Inner Sect disciples.”
“Exactly,” Han Qingyu said, nodding. “But that’s also why it’s such a good training ground. Brother Yuan can also train there, he told me last time that he was searching for Fire and Thunder Regions.”
Shen Yuan swirled the wine in his glass thoughtfully. “Interesting. I have yet to explore the surroundings of the sect so I’m not familiar with this place.”
“Maybe you can learn it from the sect’s library later.” Wan Ling suggested.
Shen Yuan leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly against the chair as he considered their words. “The Volcanic Fire Region, huh? If it’s as dangerous as you both say, then it might just be the perfect place to find what I was looking for.”
[Of course, it’s perfect for you. Dangerous places seem to be your second home,]
Yue Lan chimed in, her tone filled with sarcasm.
[But it shouldn’t be that hard for you considering you have surpassed Inner Sect Disciples by miles.]
She finished saying with a nod of approval.
‘I need to find out more about this place.’ he lightly said before gazing at Wan Ling and asking, “You seem hesitant about this place. What’s on your mind?”
Wan Ling hesitated for a moment before replying, “It’s not that I don’t think you can handle it, Brother Yuan. But from what I’ve heard, the Fire Region isn’t just dangerous because of the volcanic Qi. There are also rumors of fire element beasts lurking there, some of which have cultivation levels equivalent to late-stage Extreme Origin Core Realm or higher.”
Han Qingyu smirked, crossing her arms. “And? That’s exactly why it’s such a valuable place to train for Brother Yuan. If he can handle those geniuses from the Ironwood Mountain Sect, a few fire beasts shouldn’t be a problem.”
Wan Ling shot her a look but didn’t argue. Instead, she turned back to Shen Yuan. “If we’re going, we might as well get prepared first. At least bring some water-type talismans or defensive artifacts. The volcanic Qi alone can be overwhelming without proper measures.”
“Good point,” Shen Yuan agreed, nodding. “I’ll look into some talismans and artifacts before we leave. But what about you two? Are you planning to come along, or is this just an idea you’re throwing my way?”
Han Qingyu leaned forward, her silver eyes flashed with resolve. “I will go with you. A place like that is a rare opportunity to hone my Azure Phoenix Physique. Besides,” she added with a sly smile, “I wouldn’t want to miss the chance to see how Brother Yuan dominates such a huge region.”
Wan Ling sighed softly, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. “I’ll come too. Someone has to make sure things don’t get out of hand.”
[And someone has to keep the peace between these two,]
Yue Lan muttered teasingly in Shen Yuan’s mind.
“Then it’s settled,” Shen Yuan said, raising his glass once more. “We’ll head to the Volcanic Fire Region together. But let’s not go there without any preparation, we need to make sure there are no unnecessary risks.”
“Understood, Brother Yuan,” Wan Ling nodded her head.
“Naturally,” Han Qingyu added with a confident grin. “I’ll check the market later for anything we might need.”
Shen Yuan smiled, satisfied with how things turned out so far. “Good. Let’s meet back here tomorrow morning to finalize everything. For now, let’s enjoy the rest of this wine and the peace of the day.”
[I doubt you can have peace with the two of them here.]
Shen Yuan ignored her remark and peacefully sipped his wine while enjoying the falling cherry blossom with the two of them in his company.
…
“Mmm~ That was quite fun.” Shen Yuan said while stretching his hands.
[Yeah it was fun for me as well hehe.]
Yue Lan giggled.
“You just had fun seeing me making peace between the two of them.” He shook his head while chuckling.
He gazed at the gates where the two of them left not long ago.
[That aside, from what I heard from them, she really chose a good place. It will not only help you but also help Han Qingyu with her cultivation due to her physique.]
Shen Yuan nodded before walking towards the exit of his mansion. “I should go and look around the market, I haven’t visited the Inner Sect Market.”
[There must be better goods than the outer sect which you bought last time.]
“Well, just hope I can find a few fire-resistant treasures there, they will be helpful for Wan Ling.” Pushing open the gates, he exited the mansion before making his way towards the spatial portals leading towards the Inner Sect Market.
[I really want to see how you will show off during your fights with the space intent.]
“Haha it will be epic, that is for sure.” He smirked while saying.
[Just don’t lose control and embarrass yourself when it matters the most.]
“I won’t make such rookie mistakes. I’ve already pretty much mastered the First level of Space Intent.” He shook his head while saying.
Shen Yuan strolled leisurely towards the spatial portals leading to the Inner Sect Market, his hands resting behind his back as he admired the morning sun on the sect’s buildings.
[You know, with your Level One Space Intent, even these spatial portals must feel different, right?]
Yue Lan’s voice echoed playfully in his mind.
He smirked slightly. “It’s… clearer now. Before, the portals felt like structured channels—artificial pathways forced into place. Now, they feel like extensions of the natural fabric of space itself, as if they’re alive, shifting and breathing with the world.”
[Oh, poetic now, are we? What’s next, preaching philosophy about the Dao of Space?]
“Just stating the facts,” Shen Yuan replied with a shrug. “I can even feel the faint ripples of the portals from here. It’s like sensing a current in a vast ocean. Every distortion, every thread of space feels more defined now.”
[Good. That clarity will be critical when you start truly pushing the limits of your techniques. Especially if you want to handle teleportation without ending up in two places at once.]
“Tsk, I don’t need reminders about what happens when you mess up with space. I’ve read enough disastrous attempts by others.” He chuckled lightly as he approached the portal hub.
The spatial portal stood majestically ahead. The disciples guarding the gate bowed slightly seeing him approach.
By this point, everyone in the Sect knew what Shen Yuan had done for the sect. He also gracefully nodded his head and accepted their bow of respect without putting on airs.
He stepped forward as the disciples made way for him, placing a hand gently against the surface of the portal.