Chapter 1796: Chapter 1823: Four People Walking, Five Footsteps Heard
The two of them penetrated through the shattered void. Inside, it was all pitch black, swirling with mist, with an invisible passage stretching beneath their feet, surrounded by turbulent void currents blocked by invisible barriers.
“Is this the cosmic starry sky?”
“What if one were inside?”
Li Xiaobai gazed at the darkness beyond the barrier, a trace of yearning in his eyes. Roaming the starry sky was the privilege of the strong.
“If the body isn’t strong enough, it will instantly be torn apart by the void turbulence. Even if the body’s strength can resist the power of the void turbulence, the internal organs must be strong enough to be self-sufficient, because it’s impossible to breathe in deep space.”
“I remember there was once a master with the surname Lin who wrote an article called ‘Deep Space in a Nutshell’, which elaborated on this view. The density of the ‘Qi’ flowing in deep space is different from that within the human body, so ordinary people will instantly explode upon entering deep space. That master named this phenomenon atmospheric pressure.”
Yu Huan Shui’s face showed a hint of admiration; despite having authored countless books, he hadn’t thought of leaving written records of the mysteries of the starry sky.
That master’s perspective was unique, truly talented.
Li Xiaobai asked, “What was that master’s name?”
Yu Huan Shui replied, “Lin Yin!”
“Hmm, besides atmospheric pressure, did he also name the Baihe Effect?”
“Indeed, you’ve heard of him? The secret of Baihe Boy remains a mystery, even if one can surpass him, it’s hard to unravel the mystery of his abilities. Rumor has it that among past masters, only Lin Yin knew the secrets and solutions.”
Yu Huan Shui nodded, deep space holds many secrets, some of which he had only heard rumors about and understood superficially.
Li Xiaobai was speechless; Third Senior Brother Lin Yin was talented, continuously creating such obscure terms like atmospheric pressure — he really wanted to experience it.
“There’s someone ahead!”
Yu Huan Shui suddenly stopped and spoke in a low voice.
“How can there be someone in this place?”
Li Xiaobai became alert, meeting someone in this passage was not a good thing. If someone struck him out from here, death awaited him.
“There are two people in total. I was wondering why the space barrier seemed so weak. Someone broke through the space to enter here before us, just a step ahead.”
“Make the first move to gain the upper hand!”
Li Xiaobai’s mind raced, summoning a golden chariot, and without a word, he steered it to charge forward.
“Amitabha, dare I ask who is here, and why do you strike?”
A Buddhist chant resounded, the dark space rippled with golden waves, halting the chariot’s advance, the passage illuminated for an instant, allowing them to see each other.
“Master Li!”
“Master!”
The two people ahead were slightly surprised.
These two were none other than Master Liaowang and Ma Niubi.
“I merely mentioned heading west, yet these two managed to understand to this extent.”
Li Xiaobai quickly approached, “Master Liaowang, obedient disciple, how did you know I’d come here?”
“Seeing the commotion the uncles and masters caused in the sky, Master Liaowang guessed that the master would follow them away, so he broke through the space in advance waiting.”
Ma Niubi was very excited; after wandering in Pure Land, he finally found his group.
“Amitabha, leaving Pure Land, my Divine Soul is clearer.”
Master Liaowang still wore a blank, wooden expression and spoke calmly.
Ma Niubi asked, “What’s outside this passage, is the master leaving the Immortal Gods Realm?”
“The Immortal Gods Realm is just a single star in the starry sky. I, as the master, intend to go to broader heavens to refine myself.”
Li Xiaobai said, Ma Niubi’s cultivation level was at the third layer of the Divine Passage Realm, still some distance away from the Four Parts Observation. As for Master Liaowang’s cultivation level, it was already a mystery, he had been under the Buddha’s teachings for crazy brainwashing, not fully recovered yet, but his cultivation level was continuously skyrocketing.
“Before master arrived, Master Liaowang and I studied the outside, besides the void turbulence, occasionally some oddly-shaped creatures approached, clinging to the invisible barrier and observing us. These entities floating deep in the starry sky harbored great terror.”
“No matter, we have this passage blocking us, we are unharmed.”
The four continued forward.
As they walked, Li Xiaobai felt something was amiss.
Four people walking, he heard footsteps of five people.
“Do you feel there’s an extra person here?”
Li Xiaobai asked softly, perhaps due to the cosmic silence, he subconsciously lowered his voice.
“Five people?”
“It’s just us four, where’s the fifth?”
Yu Huan Shui looked around carefully, but detected nothing unusual.
Ma Niubi removed the Money Tree from his shoulder, sweeping it across the air, a thick golden light illuminated the passage, but found nothing, though many floating creatures outside were startled and fled in panic.
“Did I hear wrong?”
Li Xiaobai frowned, muttering to himself.
“Brother, why are you paranoid? There’s no obstruction in this passage, and it is only wide enough for two people to pass simultaneously; if a fifth appeared, it couldn’t escape our Dharma Eye.”
“Besides, Yu senses no human presence.”
Yu Huan Shui patted Li Xiaobai’s shoulder, thinking he was too sensitive. Li Xiaobai said nothing, burying his head and continuing forward, several breaths later, he stopped again.
“Did you really not notice?”
“There’s something wrong with the footsteps; from the sound, it should be clear there’s a fifth person here!”
Li Xiaobai said sternly.
“Didn’t we check just now? There are only us four. Is it your first time witnessing the vastness of the Universe causing your nerves to be overly tense?”
“Quickly exit this place, don’t waste time. Just thinking about Yu soon returning to his homeland makes even his excitement difficult to contain.”
Yu Huan Shui casually said, indifferent, but still sensed for any anomaly, finding nothing.
Master Liaowang asked, “Has Master Li discovered something?”
Li Xiaobai slowly drew out a Longsword, his gaze growing sharp.
“The footsteps of us four aren’t chaotic; Ma Niubi and Master Liaowang have almost synchronized pace frequency, while I deliberately matched my steps with Mr. Yu’s after realizing the fifth person’s footsteps. In other words, the footsteps of us four should be divided into two groups, and just now, I heard three groups of footsteps!”
“There’s someone lurking in the shadows, he’s here; if I don’t uncover him, I won’t be at ease!”
Seeing him so serious, the others calmed down.
The cultivation technique subtly circulated within the three, and they began vigilantly observing the surroundings.
Is there really a fifth person?
But thinking back to the footsteps, it indeed seemed like three groups, just as Li Xiaobai said, and with Li Xiaobai’s mental acuity, it’s impossible for him to make baseless claims. Since he’s ready for battle, it means there must be someone.
The darkness silently enveloped them for several seconds, then an indistinct, neither male nor female eerie laughter rang out.
“Ha ha ha, you discovered me, but you still haven’t realized you’ve already stepped into the domain of my visualized item!”