The Darino Gang was known for gathering all sorts of cultivators with production-related occupations, so it was no surprise that there was a tier 4 protection array around the area. Shui could also sense a tier 4 detection array with a wider range than the protection array, but neither of them daunted him. The protection array was set up to activate automatically against foreign threats, but if he wanted to, it would be possible to break through it with brute force. Still, Shui chose to land and slowly make his way forward.
He wasn't able to pull off aura dilution as well as when he attained enlightenment at Storm Sky Manor so it would be hard to fool the detection array with just that. Nonetheless, the detection array couldn't find him once he entered its range. When arrays of the same tiers clashed, the skills of the array masters behind them was put to the test. Generally, the more skilled array master's array would cancel or at least suppress the other array, and that was the fact which Shui was proving with a tier 4 concealment array. However, Shui hadn't drawn the array on anything and carried it. Instead, he purposefully chose the more exhausting method.
While maintaining the image of the concealment array drawn in his mind, Shui walked through the protection array since it wouldn't activate without knowing of his presence. Shui already knew that this was possible in theory, but the astral will required was almost equal to the astral will of the best tier 5 array grandmasters, so it wasn't very efficient. Moving while keeping the mental image of the array stable was several times harder than mentally drawing inscriptions, almost like painting a realistic portrait with every hair follicle visible while running down a hill. Furthermore, he also had to fuel it with his own energy even though the consumption was small. Shui felt nervous, but he was confident that he could keep it up as long as he maintained his calm.
He went deeper into the hilly region until eventually, he spotted someone else. The person he spotted was a man who appeared to be peacefully camping in front of a cave, but Shui knew that this was the right place. If the man had his guard down then Shui might have been able to completely evade his notice, but his concealment array was more effective at hiding his presence than his image, so he could still be seen.
Since he was already this close, the protection array wouldn't be of much use so he could stop maintaining the concealment array and easily force his way through, but Shui wanted to keep his invasion secret at least until he entered the Darino Gang headquarters. Killing the sentry might set off an alarm, so he chose a relatively low effort method of distracting him. Shui picked up a few stones and threw one of them towards a tree to his right.
"Who's there?"
The moment he heard a rustling sound, the man immediately swept the area with a sharp gaze and his spiritual sense. Even animals were rare here so he was very suspicious of the sound, but he couldn't find anything strange after his scan. He considered making a report, but without evidence he would merely be laughed at. Additionally, if the detection array hadn't noticed anything then he could have just been hearing things.
"Maybe I'm too nervous. I should go visit some girls after my shift."
Just as he seemed to release his vigilance, there was another rustle from the same area.
"I found you!"
At that moment, the man had detected movement so he quickly went in search of it, but he found nothing. Meanwhile, Shui had slipped past him to get further into the cave. The cave only went on for a couple cales before Shui met a dead end. He used spiritual sense to check, but he detected no abnormalities. If it was adamantine of a high enough purity then he wouldn't be able to detect anything behind it, but to his senses all that was present were ordinary rocks and minerals. He knew that this was fake, but he was still surprised that he couldn't detect anything.
However, that surprise paled in comparison to what he felt when he checked the glowing necklace beneath his clothes. Shui had kept the necklace with the shiny blue stone on his person ever since his mother's death, but this was the second time it had a reaction. With the Primordial Library being responsible for first time, Shui gulped in anticipation and excitement.
He was no longer able to maintain the concealment array in his mind, but he stopped caring about being stealthy or making this raid challenging. He was confident in his ability to remain calm and rational at all times, but faced with the possibility of finding another divine inheritance, even Shui shed his aloof attitude. However, at the same time, fear entered his heart.
"Could one of them have obtained the inheritance already?"
Shui didn't dare be arrogant if there was a possibility of someone in the Darino Gang having such a fortune, but he couldn't bring himself to give up either.
"Worse case scenario, I'll use the speed essence to run away. Here goes."
Shui turned to his left and walked into the wall. As he suspected, before he had a chance to take a look inside, a barrage of weapons and spells were heading straight towards him.
"Kill him!"
"Don't let him escape!"
He had seen it coming, so none of these attacks made it past his barrier, but their side wasn't daunted either. While they continued their relentless attack, Shui wondered why there wasn't a trap at the entrance, but once he started spreading his spiritual sense, the reason became clear.
"So this is an inviolable domain."
Domains were considered the summit of all spells and techniques, as they were like personal worlds of the users. Among the many types of domains, inviolable domains were spaces where nothing could be changed without the creator's consent. Even air couldn't be inhaled if the creator did not allow it to be. The most common rule set in inviolable domains was the prevention of decay or aging of inorganic materials. Although there was a high requirement on comprehension to learn how to create one, it consumed little energy so it was often used for storage purposes by the gods and mortals who had touched on that level.
Inviolable domains appeared like ordinary space, but they could be easily distinguished as spiritual sense wasn't able to identify anything within the space. Spiritual sense worked by releasing faint gas-like traces of one's soul to pass through or touch objects, but in an inviolable domain, nothing could be sensed, as if it didn't exist in the first place. While this was also the case with shoddy illusions, not even the air could be detected in an inviolable domain.
Shui was now certain that this place was related to the divine so he shed all complacency and grew cautious. First, he had to deal with his attackers. Although spiritual sense didn't work, his eyes could still clearly see their number and cultivations. Perhaps he would even be able to see the true structure of this place if he pushed himself, but that would have to wait until he cleared the Darino Gang out. There were only cultivators in the Soul Realm and a few in the early Earth Realm, so Shui tested how well his fist could work by punching at half of his full force.