With that in mind, Minos quickly pasted another Levitation Talisman on his chest, one that had its guide set in the opposite direction, slowing him down.
Minos soon gently landed on the ground right in front of the light pillar. He looked up at the pillar that stretched endlessly into the sky, and without a single point of hesitation, he stepped inside, being consumed by the light.
Minos shielded his eyes as the light enveloped him, but soon he realized it wasn't so bright anymore. Lowering his hands, he looked outwords at the environment that had completely changed.
Rather than the forestry and mountains of the outer secret realm, this place was instead like the inside of a palace, with a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a large dining table underneath.
The large table had eleven seats total, however the master seat at the very head of the table was occupied, leaving ten behind.
Minos looked strangely at the man who sat in the masters seat, but before he could even ask any questions, the man beat him to it.
"Welcome inheritor. You're the first to arrive! It's quite miraculous given your cultivation level." The man said with an elegant smile.
Minos was slightly shocked that the man could immediately tell his realm. One had to know that even someone at the late stages of the Nine Life Lock realm couldn't know Minos's cultivation unless he purposely revealed it. This required a much stronger realm, one that completely broke through the Nine Life Locks.
"How did you know my realm? And who exactly are you?" Minos asked calmly.
"I'm sure you already know the answer to your first question without me answering." The man smiled, before continuing. "As for the second, I'm the Atman of this secret realm, the one in charge of keeping everything in motion."
"Atman? What is that?" Minos asked in confusion.
"The Atman is the most intimate part of a person's spirit, in a way, it is 'you' in the truest sense. You can see the secret realm as my body, with this palace being my mind." The man answered.
Minos understood slightly, but of course there was still plenty he wanted to ask, but he didn't want to risk annoying this strange powerful being. Fortunately the man seemed to realize Minos's plight, and spoke.
"Since you're the first person here, how about I give you a slight reward. You can ask me any question you want until someone else arrives." He smiled as he finished.
For Minos who never had a chance to really get to understand this world, this chance was of incomparable value. In fact it alone made the entire journey more than worth it, even if Minos didn't claim the inheritance for himself.
"What are the realms beyond the Nine Life Lock? How big is this world? What's the best way to cultivate?" Minos was about to continue, but he was quickly stopped.
"Relaxing young man, I only have one mouth, and can only answer one question at a time, so let's start with your first."
"However before I tell you about the other realms, how about I first explain the supposed 'Nine Life Lock' realm to you."
Minos naturally wasn't so arrogant as to assume he already completely understood the Nine Life Lock realm, he himself had only broken one so far. Also, given the tone of voice the man had used, it was quite clear there were some secrets about the Nine Life Lock realm that Minos didn't understand.
The man smiled as he looked at Minos's thoughtful expression. He appreciated the fact that Minos didn't immediately jump in saying he already understood the Nine Life Lock realms, instead waiting patiently for him to finish.
"In fact, the realms name alone is already a lie, however given the limited qualifications of the people on this small island, it's natural they wouldn't be able to understand the true Life Lock realm."
'Small island? Does that mean the entire Alephora continent isn't even the center of this planet, rather a small island off the coast?' Minos could help but begin to speculate.
"The name 'Nine Life Lock' is wrong. Its true name is the Twelve Life Locks realm. However, most people in the mainland simply refer to it as the Mortal Renewal Realm. Renewing the mortal body, replacing it with one that can properly tread the path upwards to immortality."