"Speak, Daoist, how did you enter here?"
Nuwa looked at the uninvited guest in front of her with great interest—she was genuinely curious about how Xuanqing had entered.
It should be known that Taixu Cave Heaven is not only her cultivation ground but also an Innate Spiritual Treasure, and with her control over this place, there should be no openings.
Even those who are well-versed in the spatial arts would not be able to slip past Nuwa unnoticed.
Yet, Xuanqing appeared out of nowhere, a truly bizarre incident.
What if I told you it was an accident, would you believe me... Xuanqing silently explained to himself.
He almost instantly recognized this place as soon as he arrived at Suiguang Wilderness.
During the meeting at Taiwei Constellation, Wang Shu specifically mentioned this place.
Although Xuanqing had never seen the goddess before him, he guessed her identity based on future legends.
His thoughts racing, considering she might become a "mercenary" for the Lord of Taiwei Constellation, Xuanqing decided to try and make contact in accord with his responsibilities as the Lord.
It would be good to probe her boundaries.
Thus, Xuanqing did not leave immediately; before Nuwa made a move, he preemptively spoke, "The Nine Heavens Moon God mentioned you to me."
"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed in Nuwa's eyes.
"Did she send you here?"
She waved her hand, and nine Heavenly Bright Divine Sabers retracted.
Seeing Nuwa's softened demeanor, Xuanqing breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the chance to communicate.
However, Nuwa's next words immediately tensed the atmosphere again.
"Since Wang Shu sent you, did she also tell you what rules to follow when passing through Suiguang Wilderness?"
What rules?
In an instant, Qingyun stirred.
Nine goddesses each holding a Heavenly Blade appeared, along with Nuwa's own figure, making ten in total.
The ten goddesses looked at Xuanqing with smiling faces: "Rules are rules, even if a friend recommended, exceptions cannot be made."
"And considering you didn't come through the main gate, you don't look like a proper god."
"So..."
The ten goddesses' smiles faded, and they glared fiercely, shouting in unison:
"We're robbing you!"
Xuanqing: "..."
In the void, red glows flickered, thousands of blades aimed directly at Xuanqing.
"Until we meet again!" Xuanqing stepped back abruptly and immediately closed the door.
Thump—
The Heavenly Blades chopped into the void, failing to lock on Xuanqing.
"Eh?" Nuwa tilted her head slightly.
"Is he not on the same timeline?"
She sensitively sensed the space where Xuanqing had just stood and discovered it was a misaligned spacetime, not on the same timeline as hers.
"That's interesting, I'll ask Wang Shu what's going on." Nuwa thought seriously, realizing this seemed to be her first failed robbery attempt.
~~~~
Netherworld, Fengdu Hall.
"This shouldn't be." Xuanqing did not attempt any further trials; the arbitrary gate concept was realized, now the issue at hand was the inverse use of localization at Ghost Gate.
Otherwise, continually intruding other great divine skill practitioners' cultivation grounds wasn't ideal.
In the days that followed, Xuanqing remained in seclusion at Luo Feng Mountain.
He analyzed the characteristics of Ghost Gate, trying to perfect the idea of the arbitrary gate, resolving the localization issues;
while also contemplating the Great Dao it represented, to better integrate the Power of Laws of the Netherworld into constructing a new Netherworld Array.
The previous Netherworld Array was centered around Luo Feng Mountain as the core focal array, arranging the main and numerous tributaries of the River of Oblivion across the Netherworld.
Now with the existence of Du Shuo Mountain, Divine Peach Tree, and Ghost Gate, it was a perfect opportunity to upgrade the Guardian Array.
Under Naihe Bridge.
The Wangchuan River God, humming a tune, suddenly paused, sticking his head out from under the bridge to look up at the heavenly vault.
"Has the Netherworld reconstructed its rules?" It was the first time the River God saw a sun in the Netherworld, though this sun was different from the one above the Primordial Land; the Netherworld's sun was pitch black.
Just like a deep eye filled with desolation and darkness.
Just one glance at it, and Wangchuan felt engulfed by death, a bone-chilling cold making him shiver.
This forced him to close his eyes and retreat back under the bridge.
It looks like the Netherworld Array needs an update.
Wangchuan River God let go of his control over the River of Oblivion, handing everything over to Xuanqing.
"Sleep, sleep!"
Wangchuan cozily chose a comfortable position to lie down.
The master is leading the way; his job is just to lie well.
Why bother trying?
Wake up from a sleep, and his cultivation will have increased.
Du Shuo Mountain.
Divine Peach Tree felt a vigorous Innate Spiritual Breath converging toward it.
As Xuanqing moved, the laws of the entire Netherworld were opening up to Divine Peach Tree, and it could easily comprehend.
Divine Peach Tree did nothing yet received unimaginable benefits.
"It's not that I don't want to escape, but he's giving too much!"
A light and shadow walked out of Divine Peach Tree, glanced at the pitch-black sun hanging in the heavenly vault, hesitated for a moment, then decided to let go of its control over Du Shuo Mountain and moved closer to Luo Feng Mountain on its own initiative.
As for Ghost Gate, Divine Peach Tree said, was that my thing?
That belongs to the Netherworld!
From the day its True Spirit awoke, it had never seen that thing.
Even due to Hong Jun's influence, Divine Peach Tree wasn't even aware that it had ever possessed Ghost Gate.
If it was never possessed, how could it be lost?
Three Thousand Dreams.
The Netherworld goddess felt the changes in the Netherworld, awakening from her enlightenment.
She first looked at a bubble floating in the void, representing a Water Element World, where countless creatures formed from the Water Element Essence had built a civilization.
Wangchuan had sneaked in after falling asleep, currently thoroughly enjoying himself in the Water Element World.
"Young creature, is this golden axe yours, or is this silver axe, or perhaps this broken wooden axe?"
The goddess shook her head.
She waved her hand and flung Wangchuan into a world ravaged by floods.
"Why show off in front of children? There's a water monkey here, go chat with it."
"Ah? Dream sister, I was wrong, please let me go!"
"I'll let you go after you beat it."