"Heh, how could we possibly see her home here?"
These concealed houses seemed as if they belonged to another world. Apart from what the eyes could see, things like satellites could never detect them.
It seems unreasonable that the eyes can see but satellites cannot, yet this phenomenon undeniably exists.
What others might deem illogical, Zhao Lun found quite reasonable.
Although satellites can observe vast distances and monitor broad areas, they have their flaws—these very flaws constitute their blind spots.
While the location hadn't been pinpointed, he could still analyze the situation based on what he saw, examining whether the small hill had any unusual features or hidden elements.
The village here was sparsely populated, with few young people in sight, and only the immobile elderly remained. These elderly inhabitants made the village appear even more desolate.
The place they were near had caught Zhao Lun off guard.
Having confirmed his target, Zhao Lun left, strolling slowly toward his destination.
A few ladies were preparing gifts for a visit and hadn't followed him out, which made Zhao Lun feel somewhat relieved. He wasn't a celebrity, and nobody here recognized him, so he didn't have to worry about obsessive fans blocking his way.
As for the gangsters, upon entering the vicinity of these luxury homes, they had all been warned and were under close surveillance. Therefore, they no longer dared to come near.
Xiangshan wasn't large, and Zhao Lun walked slowly, taking over ten minutes to descend.
Tianma Mountain was famous for its shape, and the scenery within was also delightful. From a distance, it resembled a galloping celestial steed.
Horses held a lofty position in the hearts of Hong Kong people, and a magical mountain like Tianma Mountain should have been bustling. Yet, it remained eerily quiet.
As Zhao Lun entered the area, he immediately felt the difference.
The air was refreshing, accompanied by the pleasant sound of octagonal wind chimes.
A thin mist hung in the air, with rays of dawn breaking through, casting a purple haze that seemed like ethereal light from a celestial realm.
Was this the sunrise? The scene before him resembled a sunrise, but it was even more beautiful and surreal. Zhao Lun found himself lost in the moment.
Turning back to glance at his starting point, the view behind him still appeared the same, vastly different from what satellites had shown him. Zhao Lun believed he had arrived at a completely different place.
This place resembled a world of wizards, where many areas maintained their primal natural beauty.
On a small hill three meters high ahead, there was an ancient octagonal pavilion adorned with wind chimes. The wind chimes appeared to have aged, covered in a layer of green rust.
The pavilion was empty, save for a few stone stumps surrounding a stone table.
Zhao Lun approached the pavilion, climbed up to take in the view, and in the distance, he saw a primitive village. The buildings were low, with only a few tall houses and many thatched cottages.
The village was lively, but most of the inhabitants wore grey, black, or blue clothing, their attire resembling that of the Republican era.
Something felt off. Zhao Lun rubbed his eyes, but the scene before him didn't change. It wasn't an illusion.
Realizing something, he took out his communication device and tried to contact Nicole and the others. However, there was no response. Doubting it, he dialed the number.
"...Out of service area."
"Out of service area?"
Zhao Lun clicked his tongue and sat on a stone stump, staring at the distant village, feeling uneasy.
He knew this place was extraordinary, but he hadn't expected to encounter a location resembling the wizarding world.
"Should I go take a look?"
Zhao Lun considered it but hesitated.
In the end, he glanced at the time, deciding not to investigate further. Instead, he turned around and retraced his steps.
The hot wind in his face reminded him that he had left the area.
It was already noon, with the sun blazing fiercely, and the temperature here was much higher than in the previous place.
Taking out his communication phone, he called.
"Where's Allen?"
"...Tianma Mountain. Got it. Hurry back, lunch is ready."
Zhao Lun ended Nicole's call and headed back toward Xiangshan.
Speeding up, he reached home in no time. Upon his return, the tense atmosphere relaxed. No one questioned where he had been, simply pulling him to the table.
At the dining table, Zhao Lun recounted his experience.
"You went to the Mystic Realm?"
After hearing his story, Mulan could no longer maintain her indifferent expression.
"Mystic Realm?"
"The Western wizarding world, the Eastern Mystic Realm."
Two different names, but they referred to the same strange world that was connected to the planet beneath their feet. Only those with certain 'qualifications' could find it and enter or leave freely. Those without such qualifications, unless guided by someone, would be restricted and never able to leave.
The so-called restrictions involved facing insurmountable events—such as encountering mythical beasts or zombies that devour humans, demons, and other horrors.
This natural limit was strict. 'Qualification' was the key, but passage relied on strength. A person without sufficient power, even if they had the 'qualification,' could still perish.
Zhao Lun being a qualified one didn't surprise Mulan. She had known since learning he was a wizard.
"Then, Mulan, are you qualified?" Zhao Lun asked carefully.
"Not before, but now I am," Mulan said indifferently.
"What does that mean?" Zhao Lun was confused. Wasn't 'qualification' something innate?
"Training," Mulan replied without changing her tone.
Training! Zhao Lun's mind raced, incredulously asking, "Did it happen this morning?!"
"Yes." Mulan looked at him with slight surprise, not expecting that her newly acquired 'qualification' would be noticed by Zhao Lun so soon.
"Ah! Cough, cough..." Zhao Lun, too excited, choked on his food and started coughing uncontrollably.
He had expected this, so he quickly turned his face away while coughing, not making a mess of the food on the table.
"Don't talk while eating," Angela said with a roll of her eyes, handing him a tissue.
Although everyone was curious about why Zhao Lun was so excited, they refrained from asking and focused on the food before them.
Once breakfast ended, they eagerly dragged Zhao Lun and Mulan to discuss the situation.
The silent house was occasionally filled with exclamations, and it wasn't until near dusk that they finally stopped.
"Oh no, we still haven't prepared the gifts!"
They had planned to prepare gifts for their guests this afternoon, but the conversation with Zhao Lun and Mulan had distracted them, and they had forgotten.
"Gifts! We can't go now! But we can ask someone else to handle it."
"That's a good idea."
After hours of fruitless discussions, the issue was solved in just a few sentences.
"..." The earlier preparations turned out to be in vain.