367: Talking useless shit

If he hadn't seen Heaven-Shaking Slave, Maru Go, and the others standing still, Shen Bei would have truly believed the rumors were false.

Neither Shen Bei nor Zhuang Bifan had any idea about the situation at Shenxiu Lake or how to treat severed limbs.

But a fool celebrating New Year's watches his neighbors.

Whatever Heaven-Shaking Slave did, he would just follow suit.

He didn't need to worry or consider anything else.

As soon as Shen Bei spoke, Zhuang Bifan's agitated mood calmed significantly: "I thought we'd been tricked. It's good they're here. Stick close."

"Absolutely."

Shen Bei tried his best to hide his presence, becoming an inconspicuous observer.

Gradually, the weather grew overcast, the lake water's color shifted from azure to dark blue, and the wings of white birds appeared silver-gray in the dim light. They flapped their wings, flying and gliding low over the lake, looking like dragonflies before a rainstorm. Dark clouds also gathered over the surface, completely obscuring the light, as if brewing a violent downpour.

Instantly, above Shenxiu Lake, the previously calm waves surged into towering breakers once more.

Turbid waters rose like a wall to the sky, and the sound of the churning waves was like roaring thunder.

"Look, there's indeed a follow-up show."

Shen Bei said, gazing at the sudden change in weather.

Zhuang Bifan didn't speak, seeming even more nervous than Shen Bei.

Although many of the curious onlookers had left the shore, a considerable number of others still crowded there, their clamor incessant:

"I wonder if the North Mansion will emerge this time."

"Hard to say, sometimes it appears, sometimes it's nowhere to be found."

"And what if it does appear? We can't cross over, we can only watch from afar."

"Isn't what you're saying nonsense? Aren't we just here to watch?"

"The North Mansion is just a bonus; we're here to see the tide surge. It's already worth it."

...

Shen Bei's ears twitched.

North Mansion?

Were there buildings beneath this lake water?

If Heaven-Shaking Slave and the others were still waiting for something, it must be this, right?

He hadn't expected it would require luck; it didn't appear every time after a tide surge.

"Hopefully, our luck will be good," Shen Bei sniffed.

Perhaps it was due to their sincerity.

A moment later.

The lake water suddenly parted to both sides, as if torn apart by an invisible hand. The rift grew wider and wider, and on both sides of the gap, the water cascaded down like a flying waterfall, an astonishing sight.

An ancient crystal palace slowly rose from the bottom of the lake. The palace stood inverted beneath the water, like an upside-down triangular pyramid, or like a reflection of a palace in the seawater.

The inverted palace wasn't exquisitely crafted; it looked as if it had been directly carved from a single, massive piece of crystal. Many warring totems were etched upon it, appearing to come alive in the shimmering reflections of the lake water.

On the roof of the palace, a massive character for "North" was crookedly carved.

Shen Bei looked down in shock. The enormous sea palace crashed into his vision, and even he was moved, his expression as devout as a pilgrim gazing upon this immense miracle.

He felt a slight trepidation looking at this ancient palace suspended in the lake.

Shen Bei felt his own figure was still as tiny as a grain of sand before the crystal palace.

Shen Bei said with extreme excitement: "Old Bi, it seems our luck is good. I think if we enter it, your severed limb will have hope."

"Don't panic. First, see what Heaven-Shaking Slave does. We can't be someone else's cannon fodder."

"There shouldn't... be any danger, right?" Shen Bei asked tentatively.

Zhuang Bifan said with a serious tone: "Whether this North Mansion has danger or not, I don't know, but there's one danger that cannot be ignored: the people who enter with us."

"That makes sense."

Shen Bei twisted his neck: "The evil within human nature is the greatest enemy."

Soon, it was visible to the naked eye.

The scene of watching the tide had been peaceful.

Above the sky, numerous Cultivators had appeared at some unknown time, striving through the Void Realm, rushing towards the North Mansion.

These Cultivators, more or less, all had some disability. It seemed they all wanted to enter the North Mansion for healing.

On the other side, Heaven-Shaking Slave and the others began to take flight, heading towards the North Mansion.

Meanwhile, Shen Bei, carrying his landing mirror, did not strive through the Void Realm but instead submerged himself in the lake water.

He was like a silent, swimming fish in the lake.

The inverted crystal palace expanded with an unscientific proportion in his vision. Once he reached it, he looked left and right, unable to even see the end of the North Mansion.

Shen Bei grabbed an edge and leaped up. The palace gate had already been opened by the earlier arriving Cultivators.

Above the palace gate, countless small, seven-pointed copper bells hung. The wind striking them produced a crisp sound.

Upon closer inspection, this crystal palace was not made of crystal. The bricks and tiles carved with strange totems looked as if they were formed from water.

The totems danced gracefully in the water patterns. Shen Bei felt as if he stood before a colossal illusion. As far as his gaze reached, the only real thing was the motionless long sword above the gate.

"Truly magical..."

Shen Bei sighed.

"Fantastic would be more accurate," Zhuang Bifan interjected.

"Your adjectives aren't great either," Shen Bei said, stepping inside: "With your limited vocabulary, no wonder your book was blacklisted by the editor."

Zhuang Bifan: ...

After entering the North Mansion.

Shen Bei and Zhuang Bifan exclaimed almost simultaneously: "There's something strange!"

"Damn!"

Shen Bei checked himself and suddenly realized that his Martial Artist rank had plummeted. His entire strength seemed to be suppressed by some mysterious power, turning him into an ordinary person!

"Are you also suppressed in the mirror world?" Shen Bei asked, confused.

Zhuang Bifan gave an affirmative answer: "Now, besides being able to freely enter the mirror, all my Martial Skills and strength have vanished!"

Shen Bei gasped, looking at the empty stone path ahead: "Maybe it's not just us who are suppressed; everyone else is too. I think the North Mansion is like a medical hall, and it doesn't like people fighting."

"That makes some sense."

"Then does that mean..." Shen Bei licked his lips, his face full of excitement.

Heaven-Shaking Slave was also suppressed into an ordinary person?

Zhuang Bifan also knew what Shen Bei was thinking and warned him: "I think we should reattach my arm first."

"What a great opportunity."

Shen Bei said with extreme excitement, his words having a double meaning.

"Let's go!" Zhuang Bifan urged several times.

Shen Bei walked on the seemingly endless stone path, his cheeks illuminated by the flickering, changing lights.

He occasionally marked the wall with his finger to prevent himself from walking in circles unknowingly.

But it wasn't as he had thought; this was not some evil trick of a ghost wall. After walking for a long time, Shen Bei reached the end of the path, which branched out like a flower blooming on a stem, leading in all directions.

Shen Bei was somewhat shocked.

Inside this North Mansion, the scenery was truly miraculous.

From the outside, it was impossible to tell that there was even a garden inside.

According to Shen Bei's understanding, it should have been cold crystal.

At this moment, the scenery visible from each path was different.

On the first path, exotic flowers and auspicious plants bloomed, covered in jewels and treasures.

On the second path, there was a faint sound of water and birdsong, fishermen's songs and ape cries.

On the third path, there were beautiful women dancing and singing, with colorful ribbons fluttering. Shen Bei looked at all the intersections, using his Divine Sense to probe each one, but likewise found no clues.

Shen Bei chose the third path.

No other reason, with beautiful women accompanying him, his mood would be better.

After entering the third path, the beautiful women he had seen earlier suddenly disappeared. The surroundings became utterly dark.

However, on the walls, many exquisitely carved murals of beautiful women appeared.

Shen Bei clicked his tongue, still a bit disappointed.

Walking along, looking at the murals, he saw a peerless woman holding a pipa, traveling through the desert with a camel caravan, sand blowing in her face.

There was a female immortal slaying demons and monsters, her flowing robes treading on skull bones.

There was a female swordswoman battling an evil dragon, blood covering the river.

There was a woman painting, and the flowers and trees detached from the paper, soaring upwards.

There was a goddess dropping stones to form mountains, creating a chasm. There was also a Daoist nun walking slowly with a sword, carving paths through the mountains.

As he walked, Shen Bei couldn't help but feel a longing in his heart.

The magnificent paintings were life-sized, but all the figures lacked pupils; their snow-white eyes looked filled with Death Qi.

But Shen Bei had a strange illusion: if they were given eyes, they would step out of the paintings.

"These might be the legendary 'Mingyin Murals'."

Zhuang Bifan acted like a tour guide, continuing: "I once saw similar hand-drawn diagrams in military secret files. According to the legends of Cultivators, the figures in the Mingyin Scrolls have no eyes, but if a skilled painter gives them eyes, they will step out of the scrolls and serve the one who gave them eyes from then on."

Shen Bei exclaimed, somewhat shocked: "Then why don't you choose a good-looking one to be your girlfriend?"

Zhuang Bifan clicked his tongue: "Do you know what Materials are ground into ink to make it effective? I certainly don't."

"Then why are you spouting nonsense!"

Shen Bei rolled his eyes, carrying the mirror, and continued walking inward.