Chapter 768

“Hm?”Lu Qing, who was flying through the void with Xiao Li, sensed movement and his expression shifted.

Before he could figure out what was happening, a stream of light burst out from the Spatial Qi Bag, enveloping him and Xiao Li.

The light then tore open space and plunged forward, diving into the endless void.

Given Lu Qing’s current strength, he couldn’t immediately break free.

By the time he reacted, he was already deep inside the void, surrounded by chaotic spatial currents.

“Ah Qing, what’s going on? What happened?” Xiao Li clutched Lu Qing’s arm tightly, alarmed.

“It’s fine. I have a rough idea.” Lu Qing patted Xiao Li gently to calm it.

In truth he was surprised.

The stream of light had of course been the Void Flying Boat in transformed form.

He hadn’t expected that the treasure he had been controlling for so long would suddenly undergo such a change and catch him off guard.

It seemed this unusual treasure, which had the essence of a Dao artifact, still held secrets he hadn’t touched.

Looking out at the endless spatial turbulence, Lu Qing realized that even if he could break free from the light’s grip now, it would be useless.

Without a grasp of the Laws of Space and without the Void Flying Boat, he would immediately get lost in the boundless void.

Fortunately he could sense that the stream of light enveloping him posed no threat.

The Void Flying Boat’s mutation appeared to be a response to some kind of summons, an instinctive change.

It was not that the boat had suddenly gained sentience and meant to harm him.

“Could it be that something changed in the Gui Xu Secret Realm that caused the Void Flying Boat’s mutation?” Lu Qing guessed to himself.

That was the only explanation he could think of.

The Void Flying Boat was part of a powerful Dao artifact from the Gui Xu Secret Realm. If such a strange change occurred, it might be that the Dao artifact was calling it.

He didn’t expect that, despite the immense distance and despite having suppressed the boat inside the Spatial Qi Bag, he still couldn’t prevent the change — the boat had even dragged him along.

“This is troublesome.” Lu Qing felt helpless.

Originally he had no interest in the Gui Xu Secret Realm. Who would have known that one careless moment would pull him into this?

Thinking of the many powerful figures he might face ahead, Lu Qing’s chest tightened.

The Gui Xu Secret Realm had been sending out waves across the starry sea for years; now countless experts must be paying attention.

Although his strength had grown by leaps and bounds over the years — even a Five-Tribulation Nascent Soul wouldn’t be his match — he still had no confidence about handling those truly ancient monsters.

“Xiao Li, hide in the Li Huo Cauldron for now.” Lu Qing made a decision at once.

“Ah Qing, where is the Void Flying Boat taking us?” Xiao Li asked, gripping his arm.

“I can’t be certain yet. I’ll explain when we arrive.” Lu Qing said gravely.

“Then be careful.” Seeing the seriousness on Lu Qing’s face, Xiao Li didn’t hesitate and nodded.

It knew that if even Ah Qing was so cautious, the place the boat was taking them had to be extraordinary.

At its current strength it could probably do little to help and would more likely become a burden.

“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.” Lu Qing stroked its head and placed it into the Li Huo Cauldron.

He then changed his aura; it quickly turned ethereal and unpredictable.

A heavy fog seemed to coil around him, truth and illusion intermingled so that no one could clearly see him.

Even his appearance shifted into a guise that had never appeared before: fair-faced, long-haired, dressed in noble clothes like the son of a great household.

His aura was simulated to the level of a Five-Tribulation Nascent Soul, looking quite formidable.

He could not simulate a level far beyond his own for two reasons: first, his cultivation still wasn’t enough to convincingly imitate a much higher level; second, levels above Five Tribulations involved genuine comprehension of rules, an area where Lu Qing was still lacking.

Besides, he had met only a few beyond Five Tribulations — that old man and the Demon Sovereign back in the trial space of the Nether Realm — and those encounters had been too brief to feel authentic.

If he forced himself to imitate those higher experts, the cracks would likely be noticed.

After the change was complete, Lu Qing put on an ornate robe patterned with star-array diagrams.

Instantly his mien and bearing were completely altered.

Even if Xiao Yan and his master were present, they might not recognize him at once.

Having done all this, Lu Qing stared ahead and quietly waited for whatever would appear next.

While the Void Flying Boat carried Lu Qing through the endless void, many powerful figures beyond the Sea of Annihilation were exhilarated.

Just now the ripples from the Starry Sea had intensified by hundreds or thousands of times.

At the same time the entire Star River Formation began to shift.

With earthshaking rumbling, a huge vortex slowly rose at the very center of the starry sea.

At the vortex’s center a faint phantom of an immortal palace floated.

The palace seemed small at first glance, but it was actually concealed within countless layered spaces.

Its true form was probably vaster than a small world.

Seeing the palace’s phantom appear, all the experts grew more excited.

“That’s the Gui Xu Immortal Palace — the palace of the Dao-transcending immortal who created the Gui Xu Secret Realm!”

“Our sect’s records say that the Gui Xu Immortal Palace might itself be an immensely powerful Dao artifact!”

“The Gui Xu Secret Realm has appeared twice in history already; this is the third time!”

“Rumor has it that in the previous two appearances those who entered only reached the palace’s outer rings — no one truly reached the palace’s core. I wonder if anyone will break that record this time!”

The gathered experts murmured and stared at the palace phantom with rapt anticipation.

“It’s finally manifesting.” On the Flying Sword Sect’s vessel, Yujian in white stood at the bow and watched the distance.

“Yujian senior brother, be careful.” Qing Xi’s voice came.

“You too, senior sister.” Yujian replied under his breath.

“Ha! It’s finally starting!” On the black-and-white vessel Magu Shan laughed. “This time the treasures of the Gui Xu Secret Realm will belong to our Black-and-White Sect!

“I’ll say this now — if anyone dares mess with our Black-and-White Sect, they’ll be slaughtered without mercy!”

“You talk big.” Black Ming’s voice sounded. “Someone hearing you might think your sect already rules the starry skies. Treasure-seeking depends on strength, not bluster.”

“Indeed, Tushan senior brother — although I’m but a woman, I won’t yield.” The coquettish voice of Peach Immortal rang out.

“Fine. Let’s see which of our families is stronger. How about a contest to see who can enter the secret realm first?” Tushan’s fighting spirit only grew when provoked.

Faced with his oppressive aura, Yujian and the rest naturally refused to back down; powerful energies erupted from their vessels in response.

Thus, before the secret realm had fully opened, the strongest sects were already at odds.

The other forces behind them had to take a few steps back; compared to these major sects their foundations were shallow.

There was no point in fighting over shadows of treasure they hadn’t even seen.

“Finally it’s appeared. Remember — our primary objective is the side hall marked in our ancestor’s secret record. Everything else is secondary for now!” The man in a purple dragon robe aboard the Dragon-Head vessel ordered his clan members.

“Yes, clan leader!” the crowd replied in unison.

The man in purple looked at the Star River Formation and thought of the records his ancestors left behind.

According to those writings, an inconspicuous side hall outside the palace contained a Dan Hall holding an unsurpassed immortal pill left by that Dao-transcending immortal.

If he could obtain and consume that pill, he would be confident of breaking through directly to the Nine-Tribulation level!

At that time, Yujian, Black Ming, Tushan and the like would no longer be his match. The palace’s treasures would belong to his Immortal Clan.

The Star River Formation kept rotating; the palace phantom still drifted in the vortex, not yet stabilized.

Although everyone was intensely excited, they could only wait patiently.

“Huh — the Gui Xu Secret Realm’s ripples actually reached this deep into the void?” Lu Qing, carried by the Void Flying Boat through the void, suddenly felt a familiar Gui Xu fluctuation and was startled.

He was far, far in the void’s depths — yet he could still sense that ripple?

But he soon noticed something strange.

“No — it’s not that the Gui Xu Secret Realm’s ripples reached the void. The Void Flying Boat is traversing upwards!” Feeling the waves growing stronger and clearer, Lu Qing realized their destination was close and steeled himself for whatever might happen.

He quickly sensed the massive Star River Formation outside and the many nearby formidable auras.

Boom!

At almost the same moment, a shock that shook the stars surged out, and the Star River Formation around the Sea of Annihilation finally stopped turning.

The palace phantom stabilized, gently floating in the vortex’s depths.

At the same time, those outside who held the tokens noticed their tokens pulse.

“The formation has stabilized. Tokens indicate you may enter!” Those with tokens rejoiced.

The leading vessels among the major sects instantly unleashed surging auras and tried to rush in first.

But then something none of them expected occurred.

A spatial fluctuation rang out in the starry sky. A small silver vessel flew out from the deep void.

It transformed into a streak of light and dove headlong into the Sea of Annihilation.

It had dashed in ahead of all the major forces and charged toward the Gui Xu Secret Realm.

The sudden sight stunned everyone.

No one had expected that, in front of all those experts, someone would be bold enough to lurk in hiding and then rush in first.

What was more astonishing was that none of the assembled experts had noticed that concealed little skulker.

After a brief stunned silence, astonishment followed.

Especially Black Ming and Tushan — they were furious.

Earlier they had boasted who would enter first. In a blink they had been outpaced by an unknown petty figure.

How could proud men like them tolerate that?

“Let’s go in and see who dares toy with us like this!” Tushan could not stand it and drove his vessel toward the Star River Formation.

He activated his token, and a strange fluctuation surged from it, enveloping his vessel.

Other leading sects followed almost instantly, igniting their vessels and activating their tokens as well.

Under the tokens’ protection, the vessels entering the formation were allowed passage as the dense black spatial whirlwinds parted to make way.

“Someone hid in the dark and got in first — who is it?” The man in the purple dragon robe aboard the Dragon-Head vessel was astonished.

He hadn’t expected anyone to hide and avoid detection by so many strong figures.

He thought of the rumors about a few missing tokens.

Could this be that mysterious power revealing itself now?

Seeing that the Flying Sword Sect and others had already entered the formation, the purple-robed man had no time to ponder. He steered his vessel forward.

But at that moment, a vessel cut in front of the Dragon-Head vessel and blocked it.

Soon two more vessels zoomed in and flanked its sides, forming a pincer.

“What are you doing, Heng family?” the purple-robed man’s face darkened when he saw the marks on the opposing vessel.

He recognized the sigil — they were a powerful clan from another Immortal Domain.

The vessels on the left and right were from the same domain.

“The Great Yuan Immortal Clan, right? We’ve heard you possess a token to enter the Gui Xu Secret Realm. Hand it over, or we’ll blow your vessel to pieces and leave you all to die in the stars!” a calm voice came from the opposing vessel.

“You intend to seize the token from me?” the purple-robed man snarled.

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