"Theoretically, it's possible." Murong Ling said, "However, there aren't many successful examples." Boundless cultivators were never as numerous as other cultivation realms. Even someone like Murong Ling hadn't seen or interacted with many peers. With a limited base and spread across various Heavens and Worlds, there weren't many examples to learn from. "I've only heard rumors. I haven't seen any in reality."

"Choosing Boundless is a thorough sublimation from spirit to flesh. It allows us cultivators to better adapt to a certain state, becoming representatives of that trait."

"Rechoosing is like turning a dragon completely into a human from the source. Multiple rechoices mean an individual simultaneously possesses different racial characteristics."

"In short… it's not easy. As for the difficulties, I don't know much." Murong Ling explained comprehensibly.

Ye Xiaoluo nodded.

Meanwhile, Murong Che, who had gone fishing for treasures with the fishing rod, returned with a joyful expression, carrying a Dharma treasure. It looked like a mask with colorful oil paints.

"This is a Spirit Lattice Mask. Choosing a color can almost perfectly mimic a personality and grant a personality boost. I accidentally acquired it while trying to integrate a high monk's relic. It contains a certain world's Heavenly Dao flaw. However, flaws are also gifts. Used well, its effects are extraordinary." Ye Xiaoluo accurately introduced it.

Murong Qing put the mask on, the oil paint shifting to half red, half green.

"I want this. Old Ancestor, pay up." Murong Che said in a strange tone. He then asked Ye Xiaoluo, "How much for this fishing rod?"

Ye Xiaoluo said, "This isn't for sale!"

"Just one isn't for sale? I like using it. Loosen your grip and give it to me!"

Murong Ling, watching the suddenly talkative Murong Che, revealed a surprised expression. "What a great Dharma treasure! It can offset the flaws of our world."

The Heavenly Dao flaw in Murong Ling's world was that cultivation became more reclusive the deeper it went. Of course, there were benefits: they were patient and willing to research. Cultivators in their world were homebodies who disliked socializing, but they excelled in many technical fields and static cultivation methods. The atmosphere was peaceful. Everyone argued online, but in reality, they were quiet and friendly.

Murong Ling and Murong Qing didn't stay long at Cold Mountain. After the transaction, they left.

Seven days later, Ye Xiaoluo received a message from the Cold Mountain Flower Society: the Yuanmu Sect and the Daheng official faction had a violent clash. Over five Intent Realm experts fought, two dying together. Afterwards, the Yuanmu Sect's power, which had been growing due to external support, began to shrink again.

Ye Xiaoluo was most concerned about Ying Ning's situation. After all, Ying Ning held over half of his Boundless hopes. He tried contacting Ying Ning through Heart Elixir, but received no response.

Days later, the Heart Elixir network barely transmitted an image, no words. The image showed burning mountains, obscuring the sky. The red sky was like boiling blood, a sea of oil in a giant cauldron. Three scorching suns hung in the sky, casting a tragic haze.

"This isn't a real scene."

"Ying Ning might be trapped in another dimension but is still in this realm, or I wouldn't receive her Heart Elixir message." Ye Xiaoluo thought.

"Is she asking for help?"

"Or is this a trap, waiting for me to bite?" Ye Xiaoluo pondered, unable to ignore it.

With the six-year mark approaching, Ye Xiaoluo grew uneasy because Luo Chuan, who had attacked him, remained silent. No matter how much Ye Xiaoluo developed the Cold Mountain Flower Society, it didn't trigger strong reactions. The relative peace and silence from various forces could be due to Ye Xiaoluo's strength, but there might be other factors. Besides, borrowing the Yuanmu Sect's power to build a dark web on ley lines and water vapor networks also met no major obstacles. Too smooth.

This felt familiar. It was like when he targeted Jin Budui. Everything went smoothly, but he was blocked at the most crucial point, halting his rise. Now, five years later, it felt similar.

In these five years, Ye Xiaoluo had used his power to gather information but hadn't found more clues. The people to watch remained the same.

"Three possibilities: either Ying Ning wants to set me up, which is simple; I can go with the flow. Or she's in real danger and must ask for help. We're enemies but connected by fate. Lastly, she might be working with Luo Chuan's forces, setting a trap."

Ye Xiaoluo abandoned wishful thinking, choosing the third possibility and considering countermeasures.

"I can't ignore it. In a way, Ying Ning is my weakness."

"Even if it's just a possibility, I can't watch her die."

"Of course, I won't go alone but must prepare to be isolated. If this is a scheme, they'll separate He Gang and Yan Po from me."

"I still have Tang Su Yi's promise as a last resort, but it can't be repeated and is unknown, so it's best not to use it lightly."

Tapping his chin, Ye Xiaoluo quickly combined possibilities and developed responses. He mobilized his forces and located Ying Ning's last known location.

Four days later, Ye Xiaoluo led a large group to Fuhu Mountain. During the day, they searched the mountain but found only signs of fierce battles. At night, golden flowers fell, and immortal lotuses rose from the ground. They were just light effects, but the atmosphere was rich. It felt significant.

Following the light effects, they found a spacious cave filled with large and small stone tablets, each engraved with unique techniques, many useful to Intent Realm cultivators. But to comprehend the techniques, one had to immerse themselves in the corresponding illusion and learn the techniques through it.

Ye Xiaoluo's group surrounded him, not tempted, but they were clearly moved. By the second morning, when half the stone tablets were gone, the group grew restless. They knew there was a trick, but they couldn't bear to let the opportunity slip away.

It was like not buying lottery tickets and not caring if someone won big. Buying them but not winning didn't matter, but losing the ticket and forgetting the numbers felt like missing out on a fortune.

"Go if you want."

"There's no reason to refuse when the meal is offered."

"Remember to stay in groups of three."

"Those who don't want to go can stay with me." Ye Xiaoluo said.

He could only test the waters and avoid forced resentment.

"Be careful. Whoever set this up knows our weaknesses well." He Gang said quietly.

The Cold Mountain Flower Society grew quickly, but it lacked strong cohesion. If Tang Su Yi was the president, they would be united by admiration, even faith. But Ye Xiaoluo was just a successor. Unity based on interests would crack. The solution was shared crises and time. The Flower Society lacked both.

"This is expected."

"If you don't move, I want to know what else they can do to isolate me." Ye Xiaoluo said.

The cave began to spin. The single space was cut apart like a screen, dividing the same scene into dozens, separating people into similar spaces.

"Formation?"

"No! A true spatial anomaly." Ye Xiaoluo's domain sensed the spatial changes.

Formations had spatial properties, but Ye Xiaoluo excelled at them. Now, directly using a spatial anomaly targeted his strengths.

"This is definitely a trap for me."

Ye Xiaoluo formed hand seals and unfurled a painting. Yan Po, He Gang, and other Flower Society experts walked out, while those cut off into other spaces turned to ink. The Yan Po and He Gang who spoke to Ye Xiaoluo were fake, just figures from his painting.

Ye Xiaoluo waited, but there was no more "splitting." He had made the hidden manipulator suspicious. They suspected the Yan Po he summoned were still just paintings.

A figure "permeated" from space and appeared before Ye Xiaoluo.

"Duke Zhenhai?" Ye Xiaoluo recognized him.

Duke Zhenhai looked at Ye Xiaoluo and said, "To save Ying Ning, take the key from me, or you'll never find the real entrance."

"This is completely covered by my domain. You can't stop me from leaving."

"Let's fight fairly. If you win, I'll give you the key. How about it?"

Ye Xiaoluo didn't understand why Duke Zhenhai, whom he had probed and provoked, would initiate a challenge. Was something different this time?
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"Outsiders might think you're Boundless, but we both know you're still Intent Realm."

"But you haven't denied the rumors, showing confidence in your cultivation, confident enough to not be weaker than Boundless." Ye Xiaoluo said, probing.

Duke Zhenhai said, "What others think is their business. What does it have to do with me?"

"Fight or not? Just answer."

Ye Xiaoluo still didn't accept the challenge, saying, "Repeated urging is unusual. I need to reconsider."

"You can wait, but that witch can't." Duke Zhenhai flicked his sleeve, and a scene of Ying Ning appeared before Ye Xiaoluo. Ying Ning was nailed to a burning cliff with two spears, struggling as blood flowed. Ying Ning hanging on the cliff looked pitiful and broken.

"She can only live a few more hours like this."

"If she dies, you'll suffer." Duke Zhenhai said.

Ye Xiaoluo knew. He confirmed that Duke Zhenhai knew something about him to use Ying Ning against him.

"You're indeed Luo Chuan's man. Of course, that was already confirmed. I'm just repeating it." Ye Xiaoluo said and secretly signaled Yan Po.

Without agreement, they attacked. Ye Xiaoluo, He Gang, Yan Po, and Xu Xiaotian attacked from four directions. Ye Xiaoluo and Yan Po engaged in close combat, while He Gang and Xu Xiaotian provided ranged support.

Knife lights formed a cage, curses and spells a net, completely covering the space. But Duke Zhenhai expanded his domain, forcibly stretching the space. Attacks that could fill the space were reduced. The four tried to seal the space again. But Duke Zhenhai's domain rotated the space like a kaleidoscope, breaking the attacks.

"Such a strong Intent Realm domain. His control is top-tier."

"Unlike ordinary Intent Realm domains, he infuses his will, achieving detailed manipulations."

"To cultivators unaware of Boundless, this ability seems like Boundless, powerful and inconceivable." Ye Xiaoluo thought quickly. He wore the Yuanyang set to protect himself and threw out the Divine Artifact Pagoda. Its suppressing property followed his domain. If he was less skilled than Duke Zhenhai, he would make them equal.