“ qiáo nǐ zhè huà shuō de ……” tài yǎn zōng xiū shì piē le yǎn fāng zài jì 。
“瞧你这话说的……”太衍宗修士瞥了眼方再济。
"Look at the way you're talking..." a Taiyin Sect cultivator glanced at Fang Zaiji.
“ zhè me duō nián guò qù ， jiù suàn shì zhǐ hóu zi ， yě gāi chéng jīng le 。 gèng hé kuàng zán men de 【 huà dào shí mǔ 】。”
“这么多年过去，就算是只猴子，也该成精了。更何况咱们的【化道石母】。”
"After all these years, even a monkey should have become wise. Not to mention our [Mother Transformation Stone]."
tā men duì fāng zài jì de yí wèn chī zhī yǐ bí 。
他们对方再济的疑问嗤之以鼻。
They dismissed Fang Zaiji's doubts with a sneer.
rán ér fāng zài jì què shì duì xǔ bái shǐ le gè yǎn sè ， chuán yīn dào ：“ zōng zhǔ ， yǒu diǎn gǔ guài 。 wǒ jì de dāng nián ， tài yǎn zōng kě shì duì yú 【 huà dào shí mǔ 】 dàn shēng zì wǒ yì shí zhè jiàn shì ， fēi cháng jì huì de 。”
然而方再济却是对许白使了个眼色，传音道：“宗主，有点古怪。我记得当年，太衍宗可是对于【化道石母】诞生自我意识这件事，非常忌讳的。”
However, Fang Zaiji gave Xu Bai a subtle signal and whispered through their minds, "Master Sect, something feels off. I remember that back in the day, Taiyin Sect was very wary of the Mother Transformation Stone developing self-awareness."
“ bì jìng xiū shì shòu yǒu xiàn ， ér huà dào shí mǔ shòu wú xiàn 。 rú guǒ tā zhēn de chǎn shēng líng zhì ……”
“毕竟修士寿有限，而化道石母寿无限。如果它真的产生灵智……”
"Given that immortals have finite lifespans while the Mother Transformation Stone has an infinite one, if it really developed consciousness..."
“ zhè tài yǎn zōng jiū jìng shì shuí shuō le suàn ， hái zhēn bù hǎo jiǎng 。 zán men hái shì xiǎo xīn diǎn de hǎo 。” fāng zài jì tí xǐng dào 。
“这太衍宗究竟是谁说了算，还真不好讲。咱们还是小心点的好。”方再济提醒道。
"This Taiyin Sect is hard to say who's truly in charge. We should be cautious," Fang Zaiji warned.
xǔ bái wēi wēi diǎn tóu ， biǎo miàn què shì bù dòng shēng sè 。
许白微微点头，表面却是不动声色。
Xu Bai nodded slightly but remained expressionless on the surface.
yòu zhuāng zuò shí fēn hào qí de wèn dào ：“ shuō shí huà ， wǒ děng jì rán yuǎn dào ér lái ， qí shí shì duì nǐ men tài yǎn zōng yǒu xiē liǎo jiě de 。”
又装作十分好奇的问道：“说实话，我等既然远道而来，其实是对你们太衍宗有些了解的。”
He pretended to show great curiosity and asked, "To be honest, since we've traveled such a long distance, I actually have some knowledge of your Taiyin Sect."
“ tài yǎn shén suàn ， suī shuō néng tōng guò wú jìn suàn lì ， tuī yǎn wèi lái 。 dàn yě xū yào zuì chū de shù jù zhī chēng 。 nǐ men duǒ zài zhè tài xuán jiè nèi shù qiān nián ， yǔ shì gé jué 。 xuán huáng jiè zhōng ， zǎo yǐ shì tiān fān dì fù de biàn huà 。 rú hé yòu néng bǎo zhèng tuī yǎn jié guǒ de zhǔn què xìng ？”
“太衍神算，虽说能通过无尽算力，推衍未来。但也需要最初的数据支撑。你们躲在这太玄界内数千年，与世隔绝。玄黄界中，早已是天翻地覆的变化。如何又能保证推衍结果的准确性？”
"The Taiyin Divine Calculations can predict the future through infinite computing power. But it still needs initial data. You've been isolated in this Great Xuan World for thousands of years. How can you ensure the accuracy of your predictions?"
nà míng tài yǎn zōng zhōng nián xiū shì tīng dào xǔ bái de huà ， pǒ wèi chà yì 。 ér hòu liǎn shàng xǐ sè gèng shèn ：“ yuán lái nǐ hái lüè dǒng tuī yǎn zhī dào ？ kàn lái guǒ zhēn shì wǒ tài yǎn zōng de yǒu yuán rén ！”
那名太衍宗中年修士听到许白的话，颇为诧异。而后脸上喜色更甚：“原来你还略懂推衍之道？看来果真是我太衍宗的有缘人！”
The middle-aged Taiyin cultivator was surprised by Xu Bai's words and his face brightened further: "You actually understand something about prediction? It seems you are indeed a person fated to join our Taiyin Sect!"
“ zhì yú nǐ suǒ dān xīn de ……”
“至于你所担心的……”
"As for what you're worried about..."
tā yǒu xiē yáng yáng dé yì de shuō dào ：“ shuí shuō zán men tài yǎn zōng yǔ shì gé jué jǐ qiān nián le ？ qí shí měi guò yī duàn shí jiān ， zōng mén dū huì pài chū zhuān rén ， wài chū dǎ tàn xuán huáng jiè de zhǒng zhǒng qíng bào 。 yǐ qī duì 【 shí mǔ 】 de tuī yǎn jié guǒ jìn xíng xiū zhèng 。”
他有些洋洋得意的说道：“谁说咱们太衍宗与世隔绝几千年了？其实每过一段时间，宗门都会派出专人，外出打探玄黄界的种种情报。以期对【石母】的推衍结果进行修正。”
He said with some smugness, "Who says we've been isolated from the world for thousands of years? Actually, every now and then, the sect sends out specialists to gather information on the Great Xuan World. We do this to adjust predictions regarding the Mother Transformation Stone."
“ yào bù rán ， wàn xiān méng zhēng tǎo wàn jiè yě mò guò qù duō jiǔ 。 ruò bú shì zǎo yǒu yù qī ， zěn me kě néng zhè me kuài jiù fǎn yìng guò lái 。”
“要不然，万仙盟征讨万界也没过去多久。若不是早有预期，怎么可能这么快就反应过来。”
"Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken so long for the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance to mobilize against the myriad worlds. If we hadn't anticipated it, how could we react so quickly?"
“ xiū zhèng me ， yuán lái rú cǐ 。” xǔ bái ruò yǒu suǒ sī diǎn tóu dào 。
“修正么，原来如此。”许白若有所思点头道。
"So, you're saying that's how it works," Xu Bai nodded thoughtfully.
“ hǎo le ， gēn nǐ shuō le zhè me duō 。 nǐ dào dǐ yuàn bù yuàn yì jiā rù wǒ men tài yǎn zōng ！”
“好了，跟你说了这么多。你到底愿不愿意加入我们太衍宗！”
"Well, I've told you all this. Will you join us in Taiyin Sect?" At this point, everyone was almost flying outside the floating city of Heavenly Floating City. One short and hunched cultivator among the Taiyin disciples finally grew impatient.
cǐ shí zhòng rén yǐ jīng kuài yào fēi dùn zhì tiān shàng fú kōng chéng wài ， tài yǎn zōng yī zhòng dì zǐ zhōng ， yǒu yī wèi shēn cái ǎi xiǎo 、 wān yāo tuó bèi de xiū shì zhōng yú yǒu xiē bù nài fán le 。
此时众人已经快要飞遁至天上浮空城外，太衍宗一众弟子中，有一位身材矮小、弯腰驼背的修士终于有些不耐烦了。
"I'm actually a bit tempted," Xu Bai ran his hand over his chin.
“ wǒ hái zhēn yǒu diǎn xīn dòng 。” xǔ bái mō le mō xià bā 。
“我还真有点心动。”许白摸了摸下巴。
Fang Zaiji glanced at him immediately.
yī páng de fāng zài jì ， dùn shí piē le yǎn tā 。
一旁的方再济，顿时撇了眼他。
The other Taiyin disciples' faces brightened with joy upon hearing this.
tài yǎn zōng zhòng dì zǐ wén yán ， bù yóu miàn lù xǐ sè 。
太衍宗众弟子闻言，不由面露喜色。
"But I still have some concerns. In fact, before coming here, I had already joined another sect. And due to certain special reasons, I can't leave. Do you mind?" Xu Bai said sincerely.
“ bù guò wǒ hái yǒu xiē gù lǜ 。 qí shí zài lái cǐ zhī qián ， wǒ yǐ jīng jiā rù qí tā zōng mén le 。 ér qiě yīn wèi mǒu xiē tè bié yuán gù ， wú fǎ tuō lí 。 bù zhī dào nǐ men jiè bù jiè yì ？” xǔ bái shí fēn zhēn chéng de shuō dào 。
“不过我还有些顾虑。其实在来此之前，我已经加入其他宗门了。而且因为某些特别缘故，无法脱离。不知道你们介不介意？”许白十分真诚的说道。
"Huh?!" The Taiyin disciples collectively froze in surprise, their flying bodies suddenly stopping mid-air as they turned back to look at Xu Bai.
“ ń ？！” tài yǎn zōng dì zǐ jí tǐ lèng le lèng ， yī shí jiān lián fēi xíng de shēn qū dōu měng rán zhǐ zhù 。 fēn fēn huí tóu kàn zhe xǔ bái 。
“嗯？！”太衍宗弟子集体愣了愣，一时间连飞行的身躯都勐然止住。纷纷回头看着许白。
"Are you trying to cause trouble?!" the short cultivator was furious.
“ nǐ shì lái zhǎo chá de ba ？！” ǎi gè xiū shì gèng shì dà nù dào 。
“你是来找茬的吧？！”矮个修士更是大怒道。
Just as he was about to challenge him, a middle-aged cultivator stopped him with a hand.
zhèng yù fā nàn ， què bèi zhōng nián xiū shì shēn shǒu lán zhù 。
正欲发难，却被中年修士伸手拦住。
"The senior master didn't say this wasn't allowed when assigning tasks," he thought for a moment and then carefully studied Xu Bai again. He finally gritted his teeth and said, "I can't make the decision myself. Let's go back to the sect first. The senior master will decide."
“ shī xiōng jiāo dài rèn wù de shí hòu ， dào yě méi shuō zhè yàng bù xíng 。” tā wēi wēi sī suǒ le piàn kè ， yòu zǐ xì dǎ liàng le yǎn xǔ bái 。
“师兄交待任务的时候，倒也没说这样不行。”他微微思索了片刻，又仔细打量了眼许白。
Xu Bai hadn't expected Taiyin Sect to be so eager to recruit new members, but he wasn’t afraid. He nodded.
jìng rán yī yǎo yá ， zhí jiē shuō dào ：“ cǐ shì wǒ yě zuò bù liǎo zhǔ 。 zhè yàng ， nǐ xiān gēn wǒ huí zōng mén ！ xíng bù xíng ， ràng shī xiōng dìng duó 。”
竟然一咬牙，直接说道：“此事我也做不了主。这样，你先跟我回宗门！行不行，让师兄定夺。”
Outside the floating city, Xu Bai discovered that the entire city was encased in a layer of transparent crystal for protection. When his image appeared on the crystal wall, it emitted a familiar blue light that Xu Bai recognized.
xǔ bái yě méi xiǎng dào ， zhè tài yǎn zōng shōu tú zhī xīn jū rán rú cǐ qiáng liè 。 zhè dōu néng rěn 。
许白也没想到，这太衍宗收徒之心居然如此强烈。这都能忍。
Instantly, the middle-aged cultivator transformed into a streak of blue and entered the city. The other disciples did the same.
bù guò tā dào yě méi yǒu shén me wèi jù de ， zì wú bù kě de diǎn le diǎn tóu 。
不过他倒也没有什么畏惧的，自无不可的点了点头。
"You can come inside," the middle-aged cultivator said through the crystal barrier from not too far away.
lái dào tiān shàng fú chéng zhī wài ， xǔ bái zhè cái fā xiàn ， yuán lái zài zhěng zuò chéng chí wài wéi ， dōu bāo guǒ zhe yī céng tòu míng jīng tǐ zuò wéi fáng hù 。
来到天上浮城之外，许白这才发现，原来在整座城池外围，都包裹着一层透明晶体作为防护。
Fang Zaiji flew in ahead of Xu Bai.
dāng qí shàng yìng zhào chū zhōng nián xiū shì miàn páng de shí hòu ， tòu míng jīng bì shàng fàn chū yī mǒ xǔ bái shí fēn shú xī de lán sè guāng máng 。
当其上映照出中年修士面庞的时候，透明晶壁上泛出一抹许白十分熟悉的蓝色光芒。
As they approached the transparent crystal wall, it seemed to vanish entirely as he passed through without any hindrance.
ér hòu zhōng nián xiū shì chà nà jiān tóng yàng huà zuò yī dào lán guāng ， dùn rù chéng zhōng 。 qí yú dì zǐ yě jù shì rú cǐ 。
而后中年修士刹那间同样化作一道蓝光，遁入城中。其余弟子也俱是如此。
Fang Zaiji looked around but found no abnormalities. He then signaled for Xu Bai to enter.
“ nǐ men zhí jiē jìn lái jí kě 。” bù yuǎn de qián fāng ， zhōng nián xiū shì gé zhe jīng bì shuō dào 。
“你们直接进来即可。”不远的前方，中年修士隔着晶壁说道。
Xu Bai's flight through the crystal barrier felt like passing through a space composed of countless mirrors. He saw numerous versions of himself experiencing different events.
fāng zài jì jiàn zhuàng ， qiǎng zài xǔ bái zhī qián ， fēi rù chéng zhōng 。
方再济见状，抢在许白之前，飞入城中。
In an instant, he returned to reality.
fēi yuè kuài yào chù pèng dào tòu míng jīng bì de shí hòu ， nà dōng xī què fǎng fú gēn běn bù cún bān ， háo wú zǔ ài de jìng zhí chuān guò 。
飞跃快要触碰到透明晶壁的时候，那东西却仿佛根本不存般，毫无阻碍的径直穿过。
"Come on," the middle-aged cultivator smiled and said, "I'll take you to see the senior master."
fāng zài jì zuǒ yòu kàn le kàn ， méi fā jué shén me yì cháng 。
方再济左右看了看，没发觉什么异常。
Walking through the floating city, Xu Bai could see many Taiyin Sect cultivators with varying levels of cultivation—from Qi Refining to Spirit Transformation. Even a few old men with white beards caught Fang Zaiji's attention, indicating they were at the Dao Unification realm.
zhè cái shì yì xǔ bái ， kě yǐ jìn rù 。
这才示意许白，可以进入。
They seemed very relaxed, chatting quietly among themselves or calculating something on their own. Some held an object in their hands that resembled a Rubik’s Cube, and the ever-changing images suggested it was similar to the Heavenly Lock Treasure Box Li Fan had found in Yin Xing's tomb.
xǔ bái fēi yuè jīng bì de shùn jiān ， fǎng fú chuān guò le yī chù yóu wú shù jìng zi zǔ chéng de kōng jiān 。
许白飞跃晶壁的瞬间，仿佛穿过了一处由无数镜子组成的空间。
As Xu Bai and his group passed by, they only glanced at them briefly before turning away, showing no particular interest in Xu Bai's extraordinary appearance.
kàn dào le wú shù gè bù tóng de zì jǐ ， sì hū zhèng zài jīng lì zhǒng zhǒng bù tóng de shì jiàn 。
看到了无数个不同的自己，似乎正在经历种种不同的事件。
More strangely, when they greeted those leading the way, everyone called each other "Senior Brother" or "Junior Brother."
chà nà zhī hòu ， huí dào xiàn shí zhī zhōng 。
刹那之后，回到现实之中。
Even the old men with white beards used these terms.
“ zǒu ba ， wǒ dài nǐ men qù jiàn shī xiōng 。” zhōng nián xiū shì kàn le yǎn xǔ bái ， xiào zhe shuō dào 。
“走吧，我带你们去见师兄。”中年修士看了眼许白，笑着说道。
Xu Bai frowned slightly.
zǒu zài xuán kōng chéng zhōng ， kě yǐ kàn jiàn zhōu wéi bù shǎo tài yǎn zōng xiū shì 。
走在悬空城中，可以看见周围不少太衍宗修士。
"Sector Master, have you noticed anything amiss," Fang Zaiji whispered through their minds.
xiū wèi yǒu gāo yǒu dī ， cóng liàn qì dào huà shén 。
修为有高有低，从炼气到化神。
"Yes, something feels off. Taiyin Sect's strength is preserved too well. We've seen at least ten or more Dao Unification cultivators on our journey. How deep are the sect's roots?"
shèn zhì ǒu yǒu yī liǎng gè bái hú zi xiū shì ， ràng fāng zài jì dōu miàn lù níng zhòng zhī sè 。 xiǎn rán shì hé dào xiū wèi 。
甚至偶有一两个白胡子修士，让方再济都面露凝重之色。显然是合道修为。
"And, Dao Unification great sages actually call each other by brotherly terms with Qi Refining cultivators..."
tā men sì hū dōu shí fēn yōu xián ， yǒu de bǐ cǐ xiǎo shēng jiāo tán ， yǒu de zì gù zì qiā zhǐ tuī suàn zhe xiē shén me 。
他们似乎都十分悠闲，有的彼此小声交谈，有的自顾自掐指推算着些什么。
Xu Bai’s face showed a hint of interest.
hái yǒu de shǒu zhōng ná zhe yí gè wù pǐn bǎ wán ， zhuàng rú mó fāng 。 cóng shàng miàn bù duàn biàn huàn de huà miàn lái kàn ， sì hū gēn lǐ fán céng zài yǐn xíng mù zhōng zhǎo dào de 【 tiān suǒ bǎo hé 】 yǒu xiē xiāng sì 。
还有的手中拿着一个物品把玩，状如魔方。从上面不断变幻的画面来看，似乎跟李凡曾在尹行墓中找到的【天锁宝盒】有些相似。
"No, no!" Fang Zaiji sounded urgent.
kàn zhe xǔ bái yī xíng rén zǒu guò ， tā men yě zhǐ shì suí yì piē le yǎn ， jiù shōu huí mù guāng 。
看着许白一行人走过，他们也只是随意撇了眼，就收回目光。
"When I first entered, I didn't realize it. But after careful observation, I've noticed..."
gēn běn méi yǒu duì xǔ bái nà jué shì de róng yán yǒu guò duō zài yì 。
根本没有对许白那绝世的容颜有过多在意。
"This is a ghost place!"
gèng qí guài de shì ， tā men gēn qián fāng dài lù de jǐ rén dǎ zhāo hū de shí hòu 。
更奇怪的是，他们跟前方带路的几人打招呼的时候。
Xu Bai's steps paused slightly: "Ghost place? What do you mean, Elder Fang?"
bǐ cǐ jiān de chēng hū ， quán dōu shì “ shī xiōng 、 shī dì ” zhī lèi 。
彼此间的称呼，全都是“师兄、师弟”之类。
"Master Sect, take another look at these people. They're not truly existing!" Fang Zaiji’s voice was shaky.
nǎ pà shì nà xiē bái fà hé dào lǎo zhě ， yì shì rú cǐ 。
哪怕是那些白发合道老者，亦是如此。
"Even this city beneath our feet might be fake!"
xǔ bái bù jīn wēi wēi zhòu qǐ le méi tóu 。
许白不禁微微皱起了眉头。
Hearing Fang Zaiji's warning, Xu Bai's eyes narrowed.
“ zōng zhǔ ， nǐ yǒu méi yǒu chá jué dào yǒu shén me bú duì de dì fāng 。” fāng zài jì qiāo mī mī de chuán yīn dào 。
“宗主，你有没有察觉到有什么不对的地方。”方再济悄咪咪的传音道。
As he followed slowly, he began to observe more carefully.
“ shì yǒu diǎn qí guài 。 zhè tài yǎn zōng de shí lì ， bǎo cún de wèi miǎn yǒu xiē tài wán hǎo le 。 jiù wǒ men zhè yī lù shàng kàn dào de ， jiù yǒu bù xià yú shí duō míng hé dào le ba ？ tài yǎn zōng de dǐ yùn jū rán rú cǐ shēn hòu ？”
“是有点奇怪。这太衍宗的实力，保存的未免有些太完好了。就我们这一路上看到的，就有不下于十多名合道了吧？太衍宗的底蕴居然如此深厚？”
Xu Bai's talents were indeed among the top in the world. With focused attention, he detected some anomalies.
“ ér qiě ， hé dào dà néng ， jū rán gēn liàn qì xiū shì zhī jiān chēng xiōng dào dì ……”
“而且，合道大能，居然跟炼气修士之间称兄道弟……”
The cultivators in this floating city, from Dao Unification down to Qi Refining, all emitted a faint aura that was identical!
xǔ bái liǎn shàng fú xiàn chū yī sī ráo yǒu xìng qù de shén sè 。
许白脸上浮现出一丝饶有兴趣的神色。
It was as if they were one and the same person, just with different faces.
“ bú shì a ！” fāng zài jì de shēng yīn yǒu xiē jí pò 。
“不是啊！”方再济的声音有些急迫。
At this moment, the middle-aged cultivator leading them seemed to sense Xu Bai's reaction. He turned around and revealed a chilling smile: "What is it, friend? Do you have any questions?"
“ wǒ gāng jìn lái de shí hòu ， hái méi yǒu yì shí dào 。 dàn xiàn zài zǐ xì guān chá le yī zhèn ， zhè cái fā xiàn ……”
“我刚进来的时候，还没有意识到。但现在仔细观察了一阵，这才发现……”
---
“ zhè ge shì guǐ dì fāng a ！”
“这个是鬼地方啊！”
Wrote until 2:30 AM yesterday, slept all day today.
xǔ bái de jiǎo bù wēi wēi yī dùn ：“ guǐ dì fāng ？ fāng zhǎng lǎo nǐ shén me yì si ？”
许白的脚步微微一顿：“鬼地方？方长老你什么意思？”
Rushed to type up more.
“ zōng zhǔ nǐ zài zǐ xì kàn kàn ， zhè xiē rén 。 qí shí dōu bú shì zhēn zhèng cún zài de ！” fāng zài jì de shēng yīn yǒu xiē fā xū 。
“宗主你再仔细看看，这些人。其实都不是真正存在的！”方再济的声音有些发虚。
Still two regular updates tonight, will try my best to write the extra chapter for the 10,000th review.
"Look at the way you're talking..." a Taiyin Sect cultivator glanced at Fang Zaiji.
"After all these years, even a monkey should have become wise. Not to mention our [Mother Transformation Stone]."
They dismissed Fang Zaiji's doubts with a sneer.
However, Fang Zaiji gave Xu Bai a subtle signal and whispered through their minds, "Master Sect, something feels off. I remember that back in the day, Taiyin Sect was very wary of the Mother Transformation Stone developing self-awareness."
"Given that immortals have finite lifespans while the Mother Transformation Stone has an infinite one, if it really developed consciousness..."
"This Taiyin Sect is hard to say who's truly in charge. We should be cautious," Fang Zaiji warned.
Xu Bai nodded slightly but remained expressionless on the surface.
He pretended to show great curiosity and asked, "To be honest, since we've traveled such a long distance, I actually have some knowledge of your Taiyin Sect."
"The Taiyin Divine Calculations can predict the future through infinite computing power. But it still needs initial data. You've been isolated in this Great Xuan World for thousands of years. How can you ensure the accuracy of your predictions?"
The middle-aged Taiyin cultivator was surprised by Xu Bai's words and his face brightened further: "You actually understand something about prediction? It seems you are indeed a person fated to join our Taiyin Sect!"
"As for what you're worried about..."
He said with some smugness, "Who says we've been isolated from the world for thousands of years? Actually, every now and then, the sect sends out specialists to gather information on the Great Xuan World. We do this to adjust predictions regarding the Mother Transformation Stone."
"Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken so long for the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance to mobilize against the myriad worlds. If we hadn't anticipated it, how could we react so quickly?"
"So, you're saying that's how it works," Xu Bai nodded thoughtfully.
"Well, I've told you all this. Will you join us in Taiyin Sect?" At this point, everyone was almost flying outside the floating city of Heavenly Floating City. One short and hunched cultivator among the Taiyin disciples finally grew impatient.
"I'm actually a bit tempted," Xu Bai ran his hand over his chin.
Fang Zaiji glanced at him immediately.
The other Taiyin disciples' faces brightened with joy upon hearing this.
"But I still have some concerns. In fact, before coming here, I had already joined another sect. And due to certain special reasons, I can't leave. Do you mind?" Xu Bai said sincerely.
"Huh?!" The Taiyin disciples collectively froze in surprise, their flying bodies suddenly stopping mid-air as they turned back to look at Xu Bai.
"Are you trying to cause trouble?!" the short cultivator was furious.
Just as he was about to challenge him, a middle-aged cultivator stopped him with a hand.
"The senior master didn't say this wasn't allowed when assigning tasks," he thought for a moment and then carefully studied Xu Bai again. He finally gritted his teeth and said, "I can't make the decision myself. Let's go back to the sect first. The senior master will decide."
Xu Bai hadn't expected Taiyin Sect to be so eager to recruit new members, but he wasn’t afraid. He nodded.
Outside the floating city, Xu Bai discovered that the entire city was encased in a layer of transparent crystal for protection. When his image appeared on the crystal wall, it emitted a familiar blue light that Xu Bai recognized.
Instantly, the middle-aged cultivator transformed into a streak of blue and entered the city. The other disciples did the same.
"You can come inside," the middle-aged cultivator said through the crystal barrier from not too far away.
Fang Zaiji flew in ahead of Xu Bai.
As they approached the transparent crystal wall, it seemed to vanish entirely as he passed through without any hindrance.
Fang Zaiji looked around but found no abnormalities. He then signaled for Xu Bai to enter.
Xu Bai's flight through the crystal barrier felt like passing through a space composed of countless mirrors. He saw numerous versions of himself experiencing different events.
In an instant, he returned to reality.
"Come on," the middle-aged cultivator smiled and said, "I'll take you to see the senior master."
Walking through the floating city, Xu Bai could see many Taiyin Sect cultivators with varying levels of cultivation—from Qi Refining to Spirit Transformation. Even a few old men with white beards caught Fang Zaiji's attention, indicating they were at the Dao Unification realm.
They seemed very relaxed, chatting quietly among themselves or calculating something on their own. Some held an object in their hands that resembled a Rubik’s Cube, and the ever-changing images suggested it was similar to the Heavenly Lock Treasure Box Li Fan had found in Yin Xing's tomb.
As Xu Bai and his group passed by, they only glanced at them briefly before turning away, showing no particular interest in Xu Bai's extraordinary appearance.
More strangely, when they greeted those leading the way, everyone called each other "Senior Brother" or "Junior Brother."
Even the old men with white beards used these terms.
Xu Bai frowned slightly.
"Sector Master, have you noticed anything amiss," Fang Zaiji whispered through their minds.
"Yes, something feels off. Taiyin Sect's strength is preserved too well. We've seen at least ten or more Dao Unification cultivators on our journey. How deep are the sect's roots?"
"And, Dao Unification great sages actually call each other by brotherly terms with Qi Refining cultivators..."
Xu Bai’s face showed a hint of interest.
"No, no!" Fang Zaiji sounded urgent.
"When I first entered, I didn't realize it. But after careful observation, I've noticed..."
"This is a ghost place!"
Xu Bai's steps paused slightly: "Ghost place? What do you mean, Elder Fang?"
"Master Sect, take another look at these people. They're not truly existing!" Fang Zaiji’s voice was shaky.
"Even this city beneath our feet might be fake!"
Hearing Fang Zaiji's warning, Xu Bai's eyes narrowed.
As he followed slowly, he began to observe more carefully.
Xu Bai's talents were indeed among the top in the world. With focused attention, he detected some anomalies.
The cultivators in this floating city, from Dao Unification down to Qi Refining, all emitted a faint aura that was identical!
It was as if they were one and the same person, just with different faces.
At this moment, the middle-aged cultivator leading them seemed to sense Xu Bai's reaction. He turned around and revealed a chilling smile: "What is it, friend? Do you have any questions?"
---
Wrote until 2:30 AM yesterday, slept all day today.
Rushed to type up more.
Still two regular updates tonight, will try my best to write the extra chapter for the 10,000th review.