As the mysterious figure's voice fell, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] immediately narrowed his eyes. He hadn't been to the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness], but he certainly knew about it.
After all, [Perfected One Subduing-Spirits] held a clue in his hands.
Moreover, having reached the level of a Great Perfected Lord, there were very few things in the entire sea of light that he didn't know about, not to mention his background in the Sword Pavilion.
In fact, back when he was trapped at the Middle Stage of Golden Core, he had specifically searched for the coordinates of the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness].
Alas, lacking the opportunity, he returned empty-handed in the end. He turned to taking a risk with the [Eternal Metal Sword]. Later, when his cultivation went awry, he had considered it again.
But the result was still fruitless.
Including [Perfected One Subduing-Spirits]—he had actually asked [Perfected One Subduing-Spirits] for the coordinates of [The Mortal World]. But having only the coordinates without the karma, he simply couldn't enter.
After several failed attempts, he gave up.
Unexpectedly, just when he had long given up on this path, someone suddenly brought up the old matter. And clearly, the other party held the corresponding intelligence.
"...Interesting."
After a moment of silence, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] chuckled lightly. "Before that, why doesn't Fellow Daoist reveal your true body first, and then we can talk?"
"Otherwise, with this appearance of yours, it's hard for me to trust you."
As he spoke, he looked at the figure in front of him again. Formed entirely of cloud qi, indistinguishable as male or female... at first glance, one might even think it was [Sky-Shrouding]!
However, the visitor shook their head:
"My true body is not here; I can only converse with Fellow Daoist using a strand of divine sense... If Fellow Daoist doesn't believe me, I have one phrase. After hearing it, Fellow Daoist will believe."
"Oh. What phrase?"
"[Heavenly Fire]."
The visitor spat out these three words crisply and cleanly, causing [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] to narrow his eyes instantly, gaining certainty about the visitor's identity in his heart.
It should be that old loach, no mistake.
Interesting. Where did the old loach get the intelligence on the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness]... Mu Changsheng? That's right, that rogue cultivator also has a background with the Lord of Heaven.
But why is he looking for me?
Although the old loach is greedy for life and fearful of death, he is never muddled about major matters. If there were truly benefits he was determined to get, how could he think of running over to find me?
In that case, does he have misgivings about that piece of [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness]? Worried about being pitted? But with what could a mere Mu Changsheng pit him? It can only be someone else... [Sky-Shrouding]? Correct, it must be him. Only [Sky-Shrouding] could make this old loach feel apprehension.
That's why he came to find me.
He wants to borrow my strength to check and balance [Sky-Shrouding], making it convenient for him to fish in troubled waters? That sounds very much like the abacus this old loach would calculate with.
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] instantly sorted out his thoughts.
In the next second, he chuckled lightly: "Fellow Daoist, you've come to the wrong person. I have no fate with the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness]; I can't enter even if I want to."
Of course, he wasn't unmoved, but probing. You want me to help you? Fine. You find a way to help me enter the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] first!
If I can't enter, it's all nonsense!
At these words, the visitor frowned instantly. After a moment of silence, they whispered, "Generally, the karma of the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] can only be obtained from four sources."
"First, cultivators of Supreme Dao Fruits."
"Second, holding a seal left by the lineage of the Gatekeepers from back then."
"Third, obtaining help from the Lord of Heaven."
"Fourth, pure destiny—having a karmic connection with the mighty figure who opened up the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] back then through a coincidence."
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s expression darkened slightly upon hearing this.
Did he not know this?
The problem was that he didn't meet any of the four requirements. Otherwise, he would have entered [The Mortal World] long ago. Would it have been [Perfected One Subduing-Spirits]'s turn?
In the next second, the visitor said in a deep voice, "Leaving aside Supreme Dao Fruits for now... the Lord of Heaven... given Fellow Daoist's stance, that is definitely impossible. As for pure destiny, it is illusory and not to be pursued. So there is only the lineage of the Gatekeepers from back then... I actually have a clue about this."
"What clue?"
"[Star Palace]!" The visitor explained, "As far as I know, there is a remnant lineage of Gatekeepers within [Star Palace]. They definitely have a seal in their hands that can be used."
"..."
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] fell silent.
Then, he suddenly changed the subject: "Fellow Daoist knows quite a lot. But as far as I know, the Old Dragon Lord has never left the Immortal Nexus in all these years."
"How would he know about [Star Palace]?"
"Something like a remnant lineage of Gatekeepers within [Star Palace]... one cannot discover it without personally investigating... Fellow Daoist shouldn't be the Old Dragon Lord, right?"
At these words, the visitor laughed instantly, then said softly, "How many years has Fellow Daoist lived? You count as a rising star. To tell you the truth, when the World Honored One crushed the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] with one foot back then, this old man was watching from the side. Would this old man not know about the remnant lineage of Gatekeepers?"
"...So that's how it is."
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] nodded. The reason given by the other party was reasonable and convincing. After all, the Old Dragon Lord was indeed recognized for his longevity.
However—
This person is absolutely not the Old Dragon Lord!
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] silently reached a conclusion in his heart: The World Honored One stepping to destroy the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness]... with the old loach's guts, would he dare run over to watch?
Wasn't he afraid the World Honored One would crush him to death in passing?
This simply wasn't the Old Dragon Lord's character! If it were the Old Dragon Lord encountering such a thing, he would absolutely run as far as possible, wishing he could dig a hole to bury himself.
Also, the tone the other party used to speak with him.
Submissive on the surface, but actually hiding domineering intent in his words, even daring to mock me... this isn't the old loach's style... Who on earth is this person?
Thinking of this, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] stared straight at the figure formed entirely of cloud qi before him, suddenly uttering a name:
"[Sky-Shrouding]?"
Before his voice fell, the cloud qi stopped abruptly.
But in the next second, the visitor chuckled lightly: "Since Fellow Daoist thinks so, then I am [Sky-Shrouding]... Here are the coordinates in my hand."
After speaking, a strand of divine sense flew out.
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] accepted it and began to sense the light sea according to the recorded coordinates. An illusory light and shadow immediately appeared in his divine sense.
"...The coordinates are correct."
Raising his head, he looked at the mysterious person before him again and said faintly, "But without karma, I still can't enter. Why doesn't Fellow Daoist help me all the way?"
The visitor sneered instantly upon hearing this. "I have already told Fellow Daoist the method. [Star Palace], the Gatekeeper lineage. If Fellow Daoist is interested, then figure it out yourself. If not, it doesn't matter to me. However, this [Nourishing Life Master] is very special; it should be of great benefit to Fellow Daoist."
Of course I know there are great benefits!
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] thought in his heart. Besides the coordinates, the visitor had also briefly described the situation of [Nourishing Life Master] in the divine sense.
A library recording information on the Dao Fruits of the world.
If I can enter it and find the book corresponding to [Heavenly Fire], it will be enough to solve my current predicament, perhaps even making further progress.
For this point alone, it was impossible for him to give up.
However, just as he wanted to continue bargaining, he saw that the visitor had long dispersed their divine sense. The cloud qi dissipated; evidently, they had lost interest in talking.
At the same time, it left him with a mystery:
Is this person really [Sky-Shrouding]? Or did I guess wrong before, and he really is the Old Dragon Lord, just deliberately pretending to look like this?
[Nourishing Life Master].
The Old Dragon Lord snapped back to his senses, opened his eyes, and subconsciously looked around. He saw that Lu Yang and [Sky-Shrouding] had also opened their eyes at the same time and were looking around.
Three people, three pairs of eyes, looking at each other.
No one spoke.
The eerie atmosphere made Mu Changsheng beside them feel somewhat out of place. He felt as if something was wrong somewhere, but didn't know what was wrong.
Within the vast secret realm, undercurrents surged.