Chapter 634

Chapter 634: Time and Space Hall

“The Time and Space Hall? It must relate to spatial laws. Going now shouldn’t pose issues,” the Ancestor of the Sword Path remarked.

“Only when the treasures from the extreme east, north, south, and west manifest will the array fully activate. The other spots offer minor opportunities. These four represent thunder, fire, ice, and space—clearly Xumi Daoist’s intentional design,” Ye Yun observed, recognizing these four spiritual powers as the core of the Xumi Treasure.

“Limit teleportation to three miles initially. Caution remains vital,” the Ancestor warned, sensing spatial fluctuations around Ye Yun. “The Xumi Treasure holds many opportunities but equal dangers. A misstep could kill. Though we travel together, my current form offers limited aid. Stay vigilant.”

“I value my life more than most,” Ye Yun replied. His robes billowed as the Purple Shadow Divine Sword at his waist glowed softly, enveloping him in protective light for post-teleportation safety.

His figure vanished—the first use of the minor teleportation technique inherited from the dragon egg. Uncertain of its efficacy, he decided to test it.

In the unfamiliar terrain, Ye Yun surveyed landscapes mirroring the dragon egg’s memories. Each teleportation refined his grasp of spatial laws.

“Golden Core cultivators can teleport here. The spatial laws are dense yet unrestrictive—ideal for practice. At full power, I might reach seven miles.” He counted this as his first gain in the Xumi Treasure.

After flying awhile, Ye Yun glanced downward. “Three hours at this pace should suffice.”

“I’ve no objections, but don’t exhaust yourself. Knowing the coordinates removes urgency,” the Ancestor cautioned, wary of competitors.

“I’ll rest when needed. Let’s advance while I’m fresh.” Ye Yun wouldn’t approach the Time and Space Hall unprepared. His figure flickered as he teleported in intervals.

Approaching the hall, he found crowds drawn by treasure rumors. A hundred miles out, hundreds bustled—some hawking wares on grass mats, others exchanging tips. A purple-robed man commanded attention, flanked by followers.

“The Time and Space Hall has three layers: eighteen divine beasts guard the first, nine withered king flowers the second. The final layer tests law mastery. Share three top-tier Immortal Spirit Stones per person for this intel.”

Landing discreetly, Ye Yun masked his presence while replenishing true qi. He strolled casually, scanning vendors.

An antique book caught his eye. As he browsed its pages, the owner froze in terror.

*Do they sense something? What could a Golden Core cultivator hide?* Ye Yun feigned nonchalance, noting nervous smiles from nearby Nascent Soul cultivators.

When a Third Level Nascent Soul blocked his path, another hastily intervened: “Make way! He’s Golden Core!”

The offender’s friend dragged him aside, apologizing: “Forgive my brother’s rudeness, Daoist friend!”

“No harm done,” Ye Yun said, deploying the Ancestor’s spirit perception to eavesdrop.

“Why yield to a Golden Core runt?” the Nascent Soul grumbled.

“Fool! Yesterday, a Seventh Level Nascent Soul mocked a seventh-level Golden Core youth. That white sword of his turned the old monster into a limbless torso! He still hangs by the hall’s entrance. Crave that fate?”

“Impossible!” The Nascent Soul paled.

“Times change. True extraordinary geniuses emerge daily. Our best hope’s finding fortune here—maybe reach the Earth Immortal realm.”

“White sword… seventh-level Golden Core… swift strikes. Du Jianyin!” The Ancestor withdrew his mental intent, chuckling. “Fated foes always cross paths. That pinnacle Nascent Soul who clashed with Du Jianyin? Chopped to pieces. No wonder they fear Golden Cores now.”

“Du Jianyin’s here too. Interesting.” Ye Yun remained calm despite their rivalry.

As he turned to leave, a voice called: “Daoist brother! I’m Lanshan. Heading to the Time and Space Hall?” A Sixth Level Nascent Soul cultivator in opulent robes approached, smiling.

Lanshan had monitored Ye Yun since his arrival. *Is he another wolf in sheep’s clothing?* A testing gleam lit his eyes.

Faced with the man’s inquiry, Ye Yun simply cupped his hands with a smile and remained silent. The Nascent Soul stage cultivators here regarded him warily, so staying longer would waste time. He left, noting most belonged to major sects, particularly the Sword Seeking Villa.

Ye Yun had just learned of Sword Seeking Villa from hushed conversations. Their disciples carried longswords on their backs, appearing ethereal. The finely-dressed man who approached him had a blue slender sword revealing his identity. Clearly, Sword Seeking Villa dominated the Time and Space Hall, explaining Du Jianyin’s earlier violent reaction to their probing tactics.

“Brother Lanshan, do you think this Golden Core wandering cultivator could aid Nascent Soul experts?” Ye Yun smiled, knowing Lanshan’s invitation hid ulterior motives but avoiding conflict. “Or will treasures obtained in the hall be shared regardless of my contribution?”

Lanshan hesitated. “Treasures belong to their claimants. If you obtain one, none here will rob you. But dangers abound—going alone risks your life.”

“My decision stands. I vowed to reach Nascent Soul here. Your concern is unnecessary.” Ye Yun turned to leave, done with pleasantries.

Lanshan maintained his smile. “Then I congratulate Brother Ye Yun on soon breaking the pill and being reborn, attaining supreme cultivation.”

“Your kindness is noted.” Ye Yun transformed into lightning, streaking toward the distant Time and Space Hall.

As Ye Yun vanished, malice twisted Lanshan’s face. “Foolish ant! You’re no Golden Core Sword Demon! Hmph!”

Resuming his cheerful facade, Lanshan addressed his gathered group. “Brothers, knowing the hall’s dangers, shall we proceed?”

“We’ve awaited your command!” cried a bought follower. “Let Brother Lanshan lead the Sword Seeking Alliance!”

Lanshan surveyed the crowd smugly. *Fools. Once I claim the Stagnation Stone, you’ll all die. The entire Xumi Treasure will be mine.* He’d grant minor rewards to sect brothers, but outsiders deserved death for daring to seek shares.

“Perish, all of you!” Lanshan thought viciously as figures surged toward the hall, his smile masking venom.

Upon arriving, Ye Yun found not a grand hall but a corpse nailed to its gates. The skeleton bore sword marks radiating relentless sword intent defying time itself. *He’s grown stronger,* Ye Yun mused. *Without Purple Shadow Divine Sword’s Born as a Sword technique, I couldn’t withstand that strike.*

The hall loomed as a circular blue veil flanked by tiger and leopard statues. Above hung a fleshless skeleton. Studying its sword marks, Ye Yun recalled Du Jianyin’s attack—the image lingered stubbornly. *Expected. Du Jianyin, reborn from Ancient Sword Intent, surpasses my foundations. But with Purple Shadow Divine Sword, Born as a Sword, and Thundercloud Lightning Sword, I won’t lose.*

Du Jianyin’s sword emphasized speed and unpredictability, while Ye Yun’s embodied heaven-earth unity—unyielding advance. The Ancestor of the Sword Path within him maintained this conviction until death, believing his path’s potential remained unfulfilled.

“No delays,” Ye Yun muttered, stepping through the blue veil. His Golden Core blazed, gilding him gold. Inside, time stagnated—even a dropped Immortal Spirit Stone fell sluggishly.

Slashing the blue floor with Purple Shadow Divine Sword, Ye Yun watched his sword arc crawl despite swift swings. “Ancestor, explain this!”

The Ancestor frowned. “A reverse time array? Centered on a high-grade Stagnation Stone amplifying spatial laws. Outer layers slow, inner faster. Only the core flows normally. I sought such a stone long ago…”

Ye Yun trudged onward, spatial laws suppressed. “Why did you need it?”

“To master dual sword intents—fast and slow. The stone let me internalize both states.” The Ancestor smiled nostalgically, though centuries of resignation tinged his voice.

"An artistic conception?" Hearing the melancholy in Ancestor of the Sword Path’s voice, Ye Yun didn’t know how to respond. A cultivator’s path was governed by life and death. No matter how high one’s cultivation level, calamities always followed. A single mistake could drag one into inescapable quicksand.

"Forget it, just old memories. No use dwelling on the past." Watching Ye Yun trudge forward, Ancestor of the Sword Path chuckled. "If the Stagnation Stone was born within Xumi Treasure, you’re in luck. When activated, the entire treasure’s space will freeze except for you. Complete invincibility, wouldn’t you say?"

"Freezing Xumi Treasure entirely? No wonder you crave this Spatial system treasure." Ye Yun marveled. Noticing he’d only moved a hundred zhang from his starting point, he grimaced. "Do you know this reverse time array’s range? We’ve walked forever yet made no progress."

"Xumi Daoist’s handiwork." Ancestor glanced at surrounding blue jade stones reflecting Ye Yun’s image. "They say when trapped in reverse time array’s slow realm, relaxing is key. The slowness tests patience. The real torment comes when time accelerates."

"Relax?" Ye Yun exhaled, sheathing Purple Shadow Divine Sword. His palm touched the floor as lightning flashed in his cold eyes.

*Crackle!*

Transforming into lightning, Ye Yun’s Thunder Spirit Qi surged while true qi merged with crackling energy around him. Despite his Golden Core stage cultivation and transformed spiritual power, his speed remained snail-like.

*Huff! Huff!*

Sweat-drenched and panting, Ye Yun sat cross-legged at Time and Space Hall’s edge. He produced an Immortal Spirit Stone to replenish depleted true qi.

"Told you to relax! Look at this mess!" Ancestor mocked, enjoying Ye Yun’s disheveled state. "All effort, zero results!"

"Du Jianyin entered this slow realm a day earlier. Without haste, he’ll claim Stagnation Stone." Ye Yun glared. "Any way to move faster? My Illusory Thunderlight Escape only gained hundred zhang. Outside, this Thunder Spirit Qi expenditure would cross thousands of miles!"

"Relax! Can’t help impatience. Enjoy this leisure time – the real battle comes during Stagnation Stone’s scramble." Ancestor shrugged.

"Scramble… I wonder who’ll prevail." Feeling replenished Thunder Spirit Qi, Ye Yun smirked.

"Don’t we already know?" Ancestor grinned, stirred by Ye Yun’s fighting spirit.

"Let’s move. Though progress seems hopeless." Suppressed by spatial laws, Ye Yun trudged forward. The unchanging blue jade had grown familiar, yet held strange vibrations.

Though identical to others, Ye Yun saw the jades as parts of grand artwork. Ancestor had claimed ignorance of spatial laws, but Ye Yun studied the stones while traveling.

"These flow marks… something’s odd." Fully replenished, Ye Yun suddenly froze. His eyes locked onto a black-marked jade.

"Not natural!" The endless black line seemed mundane to others, but Ye Yun saw eternal imprints on Time and Space Hall’s exterior. This was the slow realm’s secret!

Seizing this inspiration, Ye Yun focused completely. Time slipped through his fingers as spatial truths became clearer.

"Time and space… interconnected?" Exhaustion overwhelmed him. Biting his tongue till blood flowed, he glared at the markings – third attempt couldn’t fail.

"Can’t quit after coming this far." Turning back, the once-clear flow marks now blurred into countless overlapping lines.

When Ye Yun reopened his eyes, he floated on azure seas beneath storm-ripped skies. Without using true qi or spiritual power, he stood firm. Time became meaningless until the apocalyptic storm arrived.

Unflinching, Ye Yun gripped empty air.

*Whoosh!*

Storm vanished. Hundreds of whirlpools drained the sea as Ye Yun disappeared with a smile.

"Ye Yun! YE YUN!" Ancestor’s roar shook him from trance. "What happened? Thought you went crazy!"

"My life’s tough. Heaven can’t claim me yet." Ye Yun paused, spatial fluctuations rippling from his hands as spirit perception expanded through Time and Space Hall.

"Monster! You actually comprehended reverse time array?!" Ancestor gaped as Ye Yun teleported away.

The spatial dragon egg had helped, but this surpassed expectations. Meanwhile, Nascent Soul cultivators rejoiced as array’s pressure lifted – they thought trials ended.

"Brother Lanshan! This Spatial treasure lives up to its name! Our perseverance paid off!" A Fourth Level Nascent Soul cultivator bowed to pale-faced Lanshan.

"Indeed…" Lanshan forced a smile.

“I won’t delay any longer. Brother Lanshan should hurry on his way,” said the cultivator at the Fourth Level of the Nascent Soul stage, noticing Lanshan’s altered expression. After exchanging brief pleasantries, he swiftly departed, fearing others might seize the treasures of the Time and Space Hall.

“What went wrong? The estate master’s information shouldn’t be incorrect. The reverse time array should’ve remained active longer—at least until the Stagnation Stone was retrieved. How could the slow realm vanish so abruptly?” Lanshan’s mind raced, yet he couldn’t grasp why the array in the Time and Space Hall had collapsed prematurely.

“Ye Yun, since you’ve broken the reverse time array, restore its original range. Excluding yourself, this should be simple now,” the Ancestor of the Sword Path remarked as Ye Yun regained his strength.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Yun asked, puzzled.

“I sensed disturbances earlier. Many must’ve already entered the Time and Space Hall. Letting them waltz in unchallenged would be a waste,” the Ancestor chuckled.

“True. These opportunists think they can snatch a share without effort? They’ll pay a price,” Ye Yun agreed. “The slow realm’s perimeter is guarded by eighteen specters. Though I could reactivate it alone, letting these Nascent Souls idle feels unjust.”

“So you’ll blend in with them?” the Ancestor teased.

“Naturally. Free labor shouldn’t be wasted.”

Within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Ye Yun refrained from teleportation via spatial laws. Instead, he transformed into lightning, advancing steadily with the Illusory Thunderlight Escape. Behind him, the aura of Nascent Soul cultivators surged—a horde racing forward with dazzling techniques that lit the blue jade around them.

None noticed the black threads Ye Yun had woven into the jade. Had he not lifted the array’s restrictions, someone might’ve investigated those endless strands. Though confident in his setup, caution remained.

Opportunities could be stolen. If someone stumbled upon the threads’ purpose, Ye Yun’s advantage would crumble—an outcome he refused to allow.

“There! That Golden Core brat is here!” A Nascent Soul cultivator’s spirit perception swept over Ye Yun’s lightning form. Noting his aura hovering near the seventh-level Golden Core stage, the man barked, “Halt, junior!”

“Hooked,” Ye Yun thought, feigning surprise. “Did you Nascent Soul seniors dismantle the Time and Space Hall’s anomaly?”

“A seventh-level Golden Core knows a thing? Impressive,” sneered a Nascent Soul Second Level cultivator. After confirming Ye Yun’s cultivation, he crossed his arms. “Since you’re here, join us. You might get a scrap of the spoils.”

Ye Yun pretended hesitation. The cultivator—Yanhuo—yanked him into the group, whispering to his companion, “Qian Shui, we’ve found a sacrificial lamb. Let him test the eighteen specter pillars first.”

“A brilliant plan, Yanhuo,” replied Qian Shui, a plain-faced man waving a feathered fan.

Noting Ye Yun’s reluctance, Yanhuo unleashed his Nascent Soul pressure. “Listen, junior. You’re here to risk your life. But we’re fair—if you survive the specters, I’ll reward you.” He produced a golden armor gleaming with subdued light.

Ye Yun swallowed greedily. “What… what must I do?”

“Good. Take this low-quality Immortal artifact armor now. No one will say I bullied you,” Yanhuo said, tossing it over. “But cross me, and you’ll beg for death.”

Ye Yun dripped blood onto the armor, donning it while the Ancestor mimicked Yanhuo’s aura to mask his purge of the armor’s hidden controls. Yanhuo smirked, certain Ye Yun’s fate was sealed—either devoured by specters or crushed by his own hand.

“Qian Shui, we can’t lag behind!” Yanhuo urged, darting across the blue jade. Qian Shui gripped Ye Yun’s sleeve, binding him with true qi to prevent escape.

Unseen, Lanshan watched from concealment. Though wary of Yanhuo and Qian Shui’s scheming, his sharper suspicion fell on Ye Yun. Yesterday, a seventh-level Golden Core had killed a Nascent Soul cultivator. Lanshan’s caution toward all in the Xumi Treasure had saved him before—unlike his late brother, whose carelessness led to death and disappearance of the spirit.