It looked as if Wang Chen had lived an entire lifetime in the blink of an eye.
His eyes—once calm and distant—now carried the quiet erosion of centuries, like the surface of an ancient river stone polished by the river of time itself. Faint exhaustion clung to his expression, but beneath that weariness was a strange stillness… as though he had glimpsed the end of countless paths and returned unchanged.
Zi Han, however, wasn't shocked by his trance-like state. Her sharp gaze trembled for an entirely different reason.
"This aura…" she whispered.
When she had opened her eyes, she immediately felt a wave of power emanating from Wang Chen—familiar, impossibly so.
It can't be…
Her pupils contracted as realization struck.
"One Thought to Cross the World!"
There was no mistaking it. The same aura—her own movement technique—was now circulating through Wang Chen's spiritual body.
But how could that be possible?
That technique wasn't ordinary; it was a secret art constructed upon three intertwined Daos—Space, Thought, and Time. Even understanding its surface principles required comprehension that few in this world could dream of. The more Daos involved in a technique, the more impossible its mastery became.
Her brows furrowed in disbelief. Could he already be familiar with it?
If so, then perhaps it wasn't shocking after all.
But the instant that thought arose, Zi Han dismissed it, because it was even more absurd.
Impossible.
That art had been something she'd found within the hidden archives of her master—the former Demon Queen herself. No one else in this realm should even know of its existence.
Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.
---
Meanwhile, Wang Chen was still reeling from the aftereffects of what he had experienced. Though only a few seconds had passed in the physical world, his mind had endured a year—an entire year of comprehension, solitude, and failure. His internal world still quivered from the strain.
Even so, the sudden change in Zi Han's expression didn't escape him.
After years of human interaction, his instincts had sharpened into something primal—an almost animalistic sense of danger. And right now, every fiber of that instinct screamed at him.
Don't tell me… she's noticed something.
His qi rippled violently, reacting to the chaos in his heart. His meridians thrummed as if struggling to maintain control, and for a fleeting instant, his fingers trembled. He tightened his fists beneath the table to hide it.
A year of isolation compressed into mere moments left his soul hollow, his spirit raw. But Wang Chen had always been a man of iron will. He had survived countless lifetimes of hardship in silence. Despair was not something that could easily break him.
Bit by bit, he steadied his breathing, masking every hint of instability behind an indifferent expression...to avoid being exposed, he focoused on the matter at hand.
What a profound technique, he thought, awe flickering across his mind.
When he had closed his eyes moments ago, he'd entered the first floor of the Tower of Infinite Enlightenment, spending an entire year trying to grasp the essence of One Thought to Cross the World. And yet, even with all that time, he had only managed to comprehend a mere one percent of its structure.
He gazed inward, into his spiritual space.
The rune floating there glowed faintly, but its upper corner had dimmed ever so slightly—evidence that a fragment of its essence had been absorbed.
Once he fully comprehended it, the rune would vanish completely.
"Just my talent…" he sighed quietly, the corner of his lips twitching with self-mockery. He had hoped to instantly master the technique like some legendary protagonist, but reality was merciless. Even with the enlightenment of one year, progress was painstakingly slow.
If Zi Han could hear his thoughts, she would have been speechless. For someone to comprehend even one percent of that art at the level of One thought to cross the world within a decade was unheard of. Yet he had achieved it within a single breath of mortal time.
Taking a slow breath, Wang Chen composed himself and said sincerely,
"What a profound technique! Just one thought to travel anywhere in the world—the senior who created this must be a Heaven Shaking expert…"
---
The words slipped from his lips casually—careless, almost idle. Next moment he turned his head to look in Zi Han direction.. and slightly stunned look appered on his face.
Zi Han looked as if she had been hit by lightning.
Her entire body went still.
The color drained from her face.
Her fingers, resting gently upon her sleeve, clenched so tightly that the fabric wrinkled beneath her nails.
"Heaven Shaking realm…" she murmured under her breath. Her heartbeat quickened, breaking through her centuries of composure.
How does he know of that?
Her pupils quivered. Could he also be from that place?
It was common knowledge that the mortal path of cultivation ended at the Grand Ascension Realm—the pinnacle of what the world could sustain. Beyond that, nothing existed… or so most believed.
But Zi Han knew better.
There was, in truth, a ninth realm—the Heaven Shaking Realm.
A level so far beyond comprehension that even the heavens trembled before it. No cultivator had reached it in over one hundred thousand years. The spiritual fabric of this world had long decayed; it could no longer give birth to such beings.
Her late master—the Demon Queen—had been the last.
And yet, this man before her… had spoken its name as if discussing the weather.
---
Wang Chen, oblivious to her turmoil, only wanted one thing—to end this meeting before it turned into something he couldn't control. The longer she stayed, the more his instincts screamed at him that danger was near.
He clasped his hands respectfully.
"Fellow Daoist Zi Han, now that I have fulfilled your request, I would like to take my leave and return to seclusion. My disciple will ensure you're properly attended to."
Zi Han immediately understood the intent behind his words. She rose gracefully, offering a polite bow.
"There's no need for that," she said softly. "I, too, have matters that require attention."
Wang Chen's heart eased slightly, though his face remained serene.
"Then I wish you safe travels, fellow Daoist."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zi Han turned to leave. But before stepping past the courtyard gate, she looked back and smiled faintly.
"If fellow Daoist doesn't mind," she said, her tone light but her gaze sharp, "my disciple and I would like to visit again in the future. The atmosphere of your dojo seems… unusually conducive to enlightenment."
Wang Chen's expression didn't waver, but his thoughts turned venomous.
So that's how it is, old hag. You want to monitor me.
"Hmph. Dream on."
Outwardly, he smiled warmly.
"Of course! The doors of my humble dojo are always open to you, fellow Daoist. You are welcome anytime."
Xi Yi bowed politely and followed her master. Wang Chen escorted them to the outer gate. The moment the two women stepped beyond the threshold, they vanished like mist under sunlight—gone without a trace.
"Truly an expert I can't afford to offend," Wang Chen muttered under his breath.
just as wang Chen was looking around suddenly his gaze sharpened.
Beyond the gate, half-hidden behind a crooked lamp post, stood a faint figure. Its aura was nearly nonexistent—concealed so perfectly that an ordinary cultivator would never have noticed it.
But Wang Chen's senses prickled.
A Blood Fang Gang lackey? he wondered. But then another, colder thought crept into his mind. Zi Han had left only moments ago... could this be her doing? A watcher to keep an eye on him.
His eyes narrowed, all traces of earlier calm dissolving into silent tension.
The gears in his mind began to turn once more.