Before him stood a middle-aged man clad in white, a sword at his waist—it was Xiao Yongling!
The Xiao Yongling before him clutched his sleeve, his expression puzzled as he looked at Li Xuanfeng. In a calm tone, he said, "I thought you would investigate for a while longer. I did not expect you to return so quickly after just diving down. Did you discover anything?"
Li Xuanfeng was struck with alarm and replied in a low voice, "Who are you...?!"
Xiao Yongling frowned, sensing that something was amiss. Li Xuanfeng came to a realization, silently retreated a step, and once again plunged into the sea of clouds.
He took another breath of time to pass through the dense gray clouds, flying upward on the wind. As he emerged, there was yet another Xiao Yongling standing above the sea of clouds. Li Xuanfeng's expression turned complex as he gazed at this Xiao Yongling hovering above. In a quiet voice, he said, "I will remain here. Senior, why not go down and take a look for yourself?"
Xiao Yongling's face darkened slightly. After a moment's hesitation, he gave a brief nod and descended into the sea of clouds. Li Xuanfeng fixed his gaze on him, watching as yet another Xiao Yongling rose from the clouds below. This figure turned around, and the sword, which had been strapped to his left side, remained exactly in place.
Xiao Yongling stood in silence for a moment, his disbelief evident. Finally, he spoke, "Could it be... that this is an illusion? It appears as though we are diving into the clouds, but in reality, we are being transported back by some kind of maze formation... giving us the sensation of traversing two realms."
Li Xuanfeng shook his head slightly and said, "Senior, ride the wind down again. This time, look carefully at the stars in the lower realm."
Xiao Yongling nodded, descending once more. From beneath the clouds rose yet another Xiao Yongling. This figure lifted his head to the sky, his face marked with shock. "The stars above and below are indeed reversed... This is not the same realm. Entering this grotto heaven has created a shadow of ourselves in the lower world..."
"What just occurred on that mountain... it has been mirrored below the clouds, completely intact!" Li Xuanfeng remained silent. He had initially assumed that the reflections conjured by the grotto heaven would differ, akin to the inversion of stars between the realms. Yet, as it turned out, they were perfectly identical.
Once Xiao Yongling had processed his astonishment, Li Xuanfeng softly remarked, "But... how can we be certain... that we ourselves are not merely reflections projected by this grotto heaven?"
The two spent some time experimenting, diving in and out of the sea of clouds. No matter how many times they moved, the figures above and below were indistinguishable. When one descended from the upper realm, the other ascended from the lower. If not for the precautions they had taken to coordinate beforehand, it would have been impossible to tell the difference.
Xiao Yongling fell silent, staring at the sea of clouds in a daze for what felt like dozens of breaths. Finally, with a hint of despair, he murmured, "The divine abilities of ancient cultivators... their power truly defies comprehension."
————
Tu Longjian charged into the hall and seized an item before swiftly exiting. Riding the wind, he flew across the cloud sea for some time. Li Yuanjiao had already revealed his figure, having never entered the mountain. Instead, he had been waiting in the cloud sea all along.
Li Yuanjiao stood amidst the sea of clouds, refraining from joining the fray below. Instead, he focused on identifying Yu Muxian's figure and scrutinizing the overwhelming aura emanating from the person standing beside him. A heavy pressure weighed on his heart. "Two cultivators at the late Foundation Establishment Realm... Who knows what sort of protective artifacts Yu Muxian has on him..."
Tang Shedu stayed close by Yu Muxian's side, not straying a single step. If Yu Muxian were to be killed, it would require dealing with Tang Shedu as well. Li Yuanjiao silently acknowledged that his own strength might not be sufficient for such a task.
His expression darkened. At that moment, Tu Longjian returned triumphantly, clearly pleased with himself. Noticing Li Yuanjiao's troubled demeanor, he spoke up, "Senior, what troubles you?"
Li Yuanjiao's concern was evident, his voice steady but heavy. "I spotted an old enemy... He is already at the late Foundation Establishment Realm. It makes me worry for the future."
Tu Longjian observed him carefully, noting the fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. He lowered his gaze thoughtfully. After they flew together for a short distance, Tu Longjian softly said, "Senior... I have never forgotten the kindness you showed me in the past. Would you care to share the details?"
He paused briefly, watching as Li Yuanjiao cupped his fist in a respectful salute and murmured a word of thanks. Tu Longjian then continued, "May I ask who it is?"
"Yu Muxian of Yuanwu Peak," Li Yuanjiao stated plainly.
As soon as the name was uttered, Tu Longjian fell into a prolonged silence. It was only after what felt like an eternity that he finally spoke, his tone subdued. "That man carries Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifacts... and not just one."
Li Yuanjiao's eyelids twitched. He silently rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, his thoughts racing, This complicates matters...
Tu Longjian hesitated for several breaths, his gaze lingering on Li Yuanjiao. At last, he quietly asked, "Senior... why do you need to kill him?"
Li Yuanjiao recounted the enmity between the Yu and Li families in broad strokes. After a brief moment of hesitation, he added, "For the Li Family to advance further—whether it be for territory or influence—this man must die. If he reaches the Purple Mansion Realm, our family's position will be crushed. Yu Muxian is heartless and ruthless; he will not hold back."
Tu Longjian pondered his words for a moment, his expression becoming slightly inscrutable. Finally, he murmured, "In the end, it is all a matter of interest—taking lives for the sake of gain."