Chapter 100: The Fruit of the Meteor Shower

Crossing through a spatial vortex and enduring the onslaught of several spatial storms, the white jade bed beneath Lei Xiang’s feet shuddered violently, as if a ship had struck a reef at sea. Lei Xiang felt a dense, gray void ahead, where a powerful resistance blocked the bed from advancing even an inch further.

Lei Xiang was not alarmed but delighted. He knew he was close to the innermost layer of the Blood-Severing Zone. Once inside, he might escape the pursuit of the Red Elf Tribe chieftain—after all, not everyone dared to enter this realm. He planned to find a "Lizard of Little Courage," follow it, and slip out through a different spatial exit. With this in mind, he drew the Nine-Treasure Lotus Rod from his chest. It elongated to three feet in the wind, and without any flourishes, he thrust it forward.

Whether the rod was too sharp or the spatial barrier too thin, it pierced through easily. However, to Lei Xiang’s frustration, as soon as he withdrew the rod, the void barrier closed up instantly, recovering with unimaginable speed. Lei Xiang frowned.

He tapped his storage bag, and a flash of pink light emerged, unfolding transparent wings. It was his gluttonous pig, capable of devouring anything. Under Lei Xiang’s mental command, the pig reluctantly waddled forward, sniffing the air wildly with its nose. To his surprise, it shook its head and wiggled its tail, returning without interest, seemingly unimpressed by the void barrier.

Was this truly the "devour-anything" pig?

Before Lei Xiang could finish his thought, the pink pig dived into the spirit beast bag and curled up in a deep sleep. Lei Xiang shook his head with a bitter smile; he knew that once this creature fell asleep, no one could wake it. He would have to find another way.

"Bo po mo fu de ta ni le."

Upon reciting this incantation, a plume of black smoke emerged from the back of Lei Xiang’s head, coalescing into a lecherous old man in mid-air. The old man darted his beady, rat-like eyes around, his face showing surprise. "Lei Xiang, have you ascended? Your progress is too fast—don’t tell me you snuck in here illegally?"

Lei Xiang shook his head bitterly. "Master, look closely. This is not the Immortal Realm, but a dangerous area of the Elf Tribe known as the Blood-Severing Zone. Legend says the innermost layer leads to the Immortal Realm, though no one has ever verified it. By your tone, have you been to the Immortal Realm?"

Zhu Chi blinked his rat eyes and replied vaguely, "You brat don't need to know that. Just tell me, did you call me out because you want to pass through this barrier?"

"Master is perceptive. The innermost layer of the Blood-Severing Zone is right behind this. I cannot enter, and a Red Elf chieftain is pursuing me. If you have a way, please hurry."

Zhu Chi turned his rat eyes toward the gray barrier and spoke cryptically: "The barrier is formless; why use a magic treasure?"

Pondering these words, Lei Xiang’s eyes flashed with blue light as he scrutinized the barrier again. He realized it was indeed peculiar; even the blue light from his Divine Thunder Slash could not penetrate it. Perhaps Zhu Chi was right—the barrier was non-existent, requiring something formless to pass through. Otherwise, even an innate spiritual treasure would be useless against it. This explained why the gluttonous pig had no interest; there was simply nothing there for it to consume.

Lei Xiang produced an eyeball-shaped artifact—the Fantasy Pupil gifted to him by Lan Xi. He channeled his spiritual power into it, and the pupil projected a thin gray screen that shrouded Lei Xiang and the white jade bed. With a light tap of his toe, the bed surged into the barrier. There was no resistance, and the barrier’s restrictions were not triggered.

At that same moment, two thunder beads arrived in pursuit, only to be blocked by the rapidly closing barrier. The beads exploded with startling energy. A streak of light followed, revealing a three-foot-tall, red-haired dwarf—none other than the Red Elf chieftain. He inspected the spot where the beads had detonated, but the barrier showed no cracks, proving the beads had caused no damage. His red face turned the color of liver with rage. He spat a breath of crimson fire onto his newly regrown right arm and thrust it into the barrier.

Lei Xiang was unaware of this, as he was completely captivated by what lay before him. He could hardly believe his eyes. Was this truly the treacherous Blood-Severing Zone?

There was no gray void, only infinite spiritual energy and a gentle breeze that felt like perpetual spring. The only drawback was the lack of sunlight.

It was a place of eternal night.

In the endless darkness, Lei Xiang’s blue-flashing eyes took in the surroundings. The space was small, only a few dozen miles across in an irregular strip, filled with exotic flowers, strange grasses, spiritual streams, and fairy lakes—a true paradise.

As they marveled at the stark contrast between the two sides of the barrier, Zhu Chi sent a telepathic message, noting that the place felt familiar, like something from a distant past. He expressed his desire to stay, but Lei Xiang disagreed; they were strangers in a strange land, and with Zhu Chi’s cultivation not yet restored, he could not handle the potential dangers alone.

However, Zhu Chi insisted, claiming the place smelled of the Immortal Realm and would greatly aid his recovery. Helpless, Lei Xiang proposed using the Divine Thunder Slash to remove the "Darkness Soul-Seizing Talisman" from Zhu Chi. Zhu Chi’s rat eyes rolled, and he laughed, "You brat, you actually have a heart and remember your master's suffering. Now that you have formed your core, you can indeed try to help me." Zhu Chi felt a warmth in his heart, certain he had chosen his disciple well.

Lei Xiang nodded and guided the white jade bed two miles away, stopping near a stream and some strange herbs. He set up a spiritual formation, shrouded the area with the Fantasy Pupil, and sat cross-legged with Zhu Chi to begin the process.

After a long while, Zhu Chi stood up abruptly. His withered frame seemed slightly smaller, but his rat eyes burned with a sharper light. The talisman that had plagued him for hundreds of years was finally broken, allowing him to cultivate and restore his power. He glanced at Lan Xi and spoke to Lei Xiang via telepathy. Lei Xiang nodded solemnly. Zhu Chi smiled at Lan Xi, waved his hand, and vanished from the spot.

Lei Xiang then deployed a green silk canopy to cover the bed and instructed Lan Xi to meditate peacefully. He set to work refining the essence blood of the Soul-Invoking Grass to break Lan Xi’s seal.

Five days later, Lei Xiang rose, holding spirit roots in both hands to replenish his energy. Lan Xi wiped the sweat from her brow and looked at Lei Xiang with gratitude. She did not say "thank you"—perhaps she felt no need for such formalities, or perhaps she did not wish to grow too close. No one could tell.

Under his mental observation, Lan Xi had fully recovered to the fourteenth level of Qi Refining. The seal placed by the chieftain was completely removed. As she looked at him with a faint smile, Lei Xiang sighed inwardly and waved his hand. "Let’s go. We’ve wasted too much time. The trial ends in two days at most. We must find a Lizard of Little Courage and leave." Lan Xi nodded gently.

Suddenly, Lei Xiang pressed a finger to his lips. They both fell silent. Lei Xiang withdrew the formation but kept the Fantasy Pupil’s protection active. To any outsider, they would appear to be nothing more than a patch of strange herbs.

Lan Xi was puzzled, but soon understood why. A ball of fire rushed past them like a gale, its powerful spiritual sense sweeping the area. Its target seemed to be to the north.

Only after the fire had moved on did Lan Xi lower her hand from her mouth. She had nearly cried out in alarm; with her cultivation restored, she recognized the person within that fire as the Red Elf chieftain who had harbored such vile intentions toward her. He had finally caught up.

She turned to see Lei Xiang’s bitter smile as he sent a telepathic message: "Don't speak. His spiritual sense is too strong. You saw it—the chieftain is here, but he didn't discover us. It seems he has more important business in the north. Let’s seize this chance to slip away quietly."