1125 Pushing the Door Together, Hearts Aligned
The Immortal Forbidden Land in the depths of the Prison Department was originally one of the main palaces of the Ancient Sovereign Mystic Nether which were spread over the Wanggu Continent. In the past, every place was a holy palace.
Only the imperial family could stay there.
There was only this one place in the entire Holy Wave Large Region.
However, with the arrival of the god's fragmented-face and the departure of the Ancient Sovereign Mystic Nether, that place had been occupied by the fishbone god. Hence, the Imperial Immortal Palace became Immortal Forbidden.
The many treasures inside were also corroded by the anomalous substances.
It was very difficult for mortals and even cultivators to step into it. Even the Human Sovereign of the Eastern Triumph era wasn't willing to start a war with the god for this immortal palace.
It was only a few years ago when the Human Emperor ordered the activation of the Immortal Forbidden that Crimson Goddess awakened in Zhang Siyun and devoured the Immortal Forbidden god that this place was controlled by the human race again.
After Fenghai County became autonomous, it naturally pioneered its development. Although most of the treasures had been emptied by the Seventh Prince, even the remaining ones were extremely valuable to Fenghai County.
At that moment, at the lowest level of the Prison Department, on the catacombs where the sealing array formation was once located, Xu Qing and Zi Xuan's figures slowly appeared.
Regarding Zi Xuan's request, it was impossible for Xu Qing to refuse. This was especially so since he also wanted to know why that sigh would echo after he obtained the Time Bottle.
That sigh seemed like an illusion but when Xu Qing recalled it now, he felt that it might have really existed.
Most importantly, back then, he had lost three days of his memories there.
In fact, when he recalled it now, he wasn't clear about the phoenix hall. Only the Time Bottle was the most eye-catching.
This feeling caused Xu Qing to have many thoughts.
After experiencing many things in the Moon Offering Region, especially after comprehending the domain of forgetfulness, he had a greater understanding of memories.
'When I was there, I probably saw some scenes that I couldn't endure, so I couldn't remember them.'
He had also told these to Zi Xuan on the way. Hence, after arriving here, the two of them didn't hesitate at all. They immediately stepped into the seal and their figures instantly landed inside. A vast underground palace was reflected in their eyes as the two of them descended.
This place was a little different from what Xu Qing had seen when he arrived back then.
Back then, this place was filled with anomalous substances that were as dense as fog. Everything was blurry and distorted, and the ground was covered in flesh and blood.
However, 90% of the anomalous substances here had dissipated now, and the ground was no longer covered in flesh and blood, revealing the true appearance of the ruins.
As far as the eye could see, there were very few complete buildings. Most of them had collapsed.
The ancient feeling and traces of the passage of time were especially obvious here.
There were also huge pillars standing on the ground, emitting light that illuminated everything.
Perhaps it was because she had come here many times, Zi Xuan was familiar with this place. At that moment, she stood in the air and took a deep breath. Her body swayed and she headed straight down.
Xu Qing followed behind.
The two of them moved at a very fast speed.
Not long later, a collapsed ruin appeared in front of Xu Qing and Zi Xuan.
"This is the place."
Zi Xuan came to a halt and spoke softly.
Xu Qing's heart also stirred. The place he obtained the Time Bottle was here. Hence, after staring at it, Xu Qing didn't speak and walked forward.
Step by step, he arrived in front of the ruins.
The strange changes that happened here back then didn't happen.
'After I took the Time Bottle away, the changes in this place dissipated as well. It's not that it will become clear when I get close, but it has truly become ruins.'
Xu Qing mumbled inwardly. As he walked through the ruins, he looked at the dilapidated walls in his surroundings. Some were unfamiliar, and some were familiar.
However, there was unfamiliarity in the familiarity.
All of this caused the feeling of Xu Qing's memories being changed to gradually intensify.
This lasted until he arrived at the place in his memory where he had asked the head and stone lion to retrieve the Time Bottle.
Here, Xu Qing turned his head and glanced at Zi Xuan behind him.
Zi Xuan stood not far away. Her clothes were whiter than snow and her face was beautiful and cold. Her eyes were like cold smoke enveloping the deep pool of black jade, revealing a deep sense of confusion.
Vaguely, a sense of loneliness seemed to slowly rise from her body.
This feeling caused waves in Xu Qing's heart.
A long time later, he suddenly spoke.
"Zi Xuan."
This time, he didn't call her 'Fairy'.
Zi Xuan gently turned her head and looked at Xu Qing.
"I obtained the Time Bottle from this location. I don't know what will happen if I put it down again. My memories have been affected before. Are you… sure you want to pursue the source of familiarity?"
"Is it possible that the reason why you were only familiar with it in the dream was because you chose to forget everything in the past?"
Xu Qing's words caused Zi Xuan to fall silent.
After a while, she raised her hand, brushing aside the strands of hair near her ears. Her eyes, as blue as a tranquil lake, focused on Xu Qing's face as she spoke softly.
"The dream has troubled me for many years. I want to know… what connection that lantern has with me."
Xu Qing closed his eyes. After a while, the divine repository behind him rumbled and the Time Bottle flew out again. It floated in front of him and slowly landed.
The moment it touched the ground, the Time Bottle suddenly trembled and erupted with endless splendor, completely illuminating this ruin. At the next instant, this place became blurry and everything changed.
Many phoenix halls rose from the ground, accompanied by a circle of vermilion high walls. This ruin transformed into a courtyard. There was also a phoenix hall that was much larger than the other halls. It was formed in the center and stood in the courtyard.
All nine phoenix halls appeared.
Xu Qing looked at these and felt a tearing pain in his mind. It was as though a memory was reviving in his sea of consciousness with the scene in front of him.
As for Zi Xuan, her body was trembling. She looked at the phoenix halls and everything in the surroundings, and her heart stirred intensely.
"I've been here before…"
"In the dream, I appeared here…"
Zi Xuan's breathing was hurried. As she muttered, she instinctively walked forward. After passing by many halls, she stopped in front of the phoenix hall in the middle and turned her head to look at Xu Qing.
"I… think I used to live here."
Zi Xuan's voice was also trembling. The greatest secret of her life was the pitch-black dreams that kept appearing.
This made her instinctively want to search for light, for warmth that could dispel this darkness.
Today, the reason for all of this seemed to be right in front of her. However, for some reason, sadness rose in her heart.
That sorrow grew denser and denser until it finally transformed into loneliness that drowned it.
When Xu Qing heard this, his soul also fluctuated endlessly. His gaze followed Zi Xuan and looked at the main hall. At the next instant, it was as though lightning flashed in his mind, resurfacing an erased memory scene.
That was a flash of memory from the three days he had lost here.
On the scene, Xu Qing saw that he had pushed open this main hall before.
However, his recollection of what was inside was blank.
Xu Qing fell silent. Looking at Zi Xuan's trembling appearance, he couldn't bear it. Usually, the Zi Xuan in his eyes would always be flirtatious, confident, and peerless.
She would always be the one taking the initiative. It was as though the word 'fragile' would never appear on her.
However, today, he saw another side of Zi Xuan.
She was like a little girl. As she trembled, nervousness, trepidation, sadness, and deep loneliness spread from her.
Xu Qing silently walked to Zi Xuan's side and reached out to hold her cold and soft hand.
He used his warmth to melt the coldness of Zi Xuan's hand.
Zi Xuan instinctively turned her head. Her eyes were filled with tears as she tightly grabbed Xu Qing's hand. It was like the instinct of a drowning person in the face of life and death. Even when her hands turned white, she didn't let go at all.
A moment later, she took a deep breath and forced a smile at Xu Qing.
"I lost my composure."
Xu Qing shook his head but didn't let go.
Zi Xuan closed her eyes. A few breaths later, when she opened them again, she put away all her weakness and revealed determination in her eyes. She was about to push open the door of the main hall in front of her.
Xu Qing lifted his other hand and pressed it on the door with her.
"I'll accompany you."
Zi Xuan's soul trembled as she looked at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing also looked at her.
After a long time, the two of them exerted force at the same time. As the creaking sound echoed, the door of the phoenix hall in front of them slowly opened.
A pitch-black darkness spread out from the door like ink, enveloping the two of them.
At the same time, the Holy Wave Large Region, the former imperial capital of the Heavenly Wind Dynasty, now belonged to the Seventh Prince.
He had opened a residence here and had many subordinates.
Other than his own followers, his maternal clan had also arranged numerous aides to assist him. Moreover, with the divine might of King Tian Lan, he was unquestionably dominant.
It wasn't much different from a fief.
Even the Grand Duke Holy Wave avoided King Tian Lan. Although he wouldn't submit, they were harmonious with each other.
Hence, to the Seventh Prince, the only thorn in his soul at this instant was Fenghai County.
Originally, he wouldn't care about a mere county. However, Fenghai was different.
There, he experienced the first setback in his life.
Over there, he remembered a person called Xu Qing.
Hence, he paid special attention to Fenghai County during the conscription. Everything was going very well. According to his thoughts, Fenghai County was slowly being divided and invaded.
Under the momentum of the Black Heaven Race's war, Fenghai County's final direction was either to submit or be suppressed.
Hence, he was both surprised and not surprised that he had lost contact with the army that had gone to Fenghai County.
Because the news had been completely sealed, he didn't understand the details of the loss of contact with the army. This surprised him but he could also sense that even now, Fenghai County still had a considerable foundation.
As for what he wasn't surprised about, it was Fenghai County's choice. It was within his expectations.
Hence, after receiving the news that the army had lost contact, the Seventh Prince's eyes revealed coldness. As he arranged for his subordinates to report this matter to King Tian Lan, he looked outside the hall.
There were two people dressed like scholars waiting for an audience.
One of them was the original Eight Sects Alliance's alliance leader.
"Chen Yangzi!"
The Seventh Prince calmly spoke.
When the alliance leader outside the hall heard this, he immediately bent his waist and walked in. In the main hall, he respectfully bowed and cupped his fists.
"Subordinate is here!"
The Seventh Prince played with the jade token in his hand and casually said.
"Go to Fenghai County to get the vessel you mentioned last time. I want to see if it's really as profound as you said."
When the alliance leader heard this, he felt a little reluctant. However, he quickly understood and calmly bowed.
"I obey the order!"
