Chapter 6: Desiring a Withdrawal

Moxuan had no choice but to accept it; after all, it was not a bad thing.

“Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Lan Bing. This one beside me is Gu Kai, at the ninth level of the Earthly Nether Realm. This sturdier one is Si Qing, at the eighth level of the Earthly Nether Realm. So, have you thought it through? Do you want to become my disciple?” After a brief introduction, Lan Bing returned to the question from before. Even the two standing beside her did not quite understand what she was doing.

Moxuan actually wanted very much to grow stronger, but he did not believe Lan Bing had the ability to teach him. “You’re only at the Earthly Mystic Realm. What qualifies you to be my master?”

Indeed, for someone her age, around twenty years old, reaching this point was already remarkable. No one had expected her to be refused to her face.

“Ah, ah, if you don’t want to, then forget it!” Gu Kai on the side consoled him in a gentle voice.

“How strange. This little guy has improved so much. The two of you wouldn’t be... ah.”

Si Qing had only just spoken when Lan Bing suddenly kicked him hard, her tone sharp and fierce. “How could that be? Say that nonsense again and I won’t be polite.”

Seeing this, Gu Kai on the side secretly smiled.

What Moxuan wanted most was still to leave as soon as possible. As for how much these people could teach him, he did not care.

Moreover, these people seemed not to investigate how he had secretly come here, and later they never stopped him from coming back again and again.

Yet they still would not let him leave. Later, when Moxuan went out, he discovered that this place truly was Guyou Village, exactly the same as the one he had encountered in the illusion, which shocked him greatly.

What was more, outside the perimeter there was also a maze-like forest that no one could ever walk out of. Thinking to himself, he wondered what these three people’s identities really were. They were certainly no ordinary figures.

All three possessed the strength of the Third Earth Realm. Though the Third Earth Realm was not extraordinarily rare, in Luochuan City it was enough to enjoy the status of elders. Yet why would they willingly become thieves? And two of them were at the Earthly Nether Realm, practically among the strongest in Luochuan City.

While casually searching here, he came across some records concerning the three of them and only then learned that, in the cultivation world, they were known as the Three Ghost Thieves.

“Ghost” meant they came and went without a trace, and they specialized in striking under cover of night.

For three months, Moxuan had been striving to raise his strength, but for some reason the resistance that had once hindered his cultivation had suddenly vanished without explanation.

No matter what, he had to leave this place as soon as possible.

Now he fell into thought for a while, then decided to try once more to see exactly what this Absolute Zero Domain was.

He had tried many times before, but with little effect, and he still did not know how to continue cultivating it. This had long troubled him. This time, because his overall strength had improved greatly, he wanted to try again.

“It’s the same again!” Every time he activated the deeper layer of the Absolute Zero Domain, a tremendous resistance appeared, and the scene before his eyes nearly dragged him in completely.

In only a quarter of an hour, his spiritual power was almost exhausted. This time, he discovered something very strange: while his spiritual power was being consumed, his spiritual essence was also draining heavily. That puzzled him greatly. Illusions should act upon spiritual power; even if spiritual essence were consumed, it should not be to such a degree, should it?

He then carefully recalled everything from before: the first time he made contact, the first time he woke up, the first time he met Lan Bing, and when Lan Bing caught the flying dagger with her hand. At that time, blood was still seeping from her hand. Could it be that entities could be condensed into physical form within the illusion?

If so, that would be terrifying. If someone fell deeply into an illusion, that would surely be their weakest state.

If attack techniques or artifacts could be inserted into the illusion at that moment, then even if the opponent truly surpassed him in strength, there would still be a chance to turn the tables in a desperate counterstrike.

This could be considered a blessing in disguise, though the clock that had suddenly appeared in his spiritual space remained beyond his explanation.

During the time that followed, he immersed himself in mastering how to use this zero domain. Though not yet fully proficient, he had already reached the limit of his ability.

Unknowingly, nearly half a year had passed.

Moxuan felt that since the zero domain was so powerful, he ought to be able to rely on it to leave this place.

This time he decided to try. Through observation over this period, he had roughly grasped the three people’s routine. Basically, every seven days they would all go out together and return very late, while the rest of the time Lan Bing stayed behind to guard the place.

This handover window was brief, but worth a try.

Late at night, under the dim moonlight, Moxuan quietly moved outward.

With the help of the zero domain, he quickly discerned the structure here.

The arrangement of this forest was highly similar throughout; once inside, it was easy to get lost, and there were even hidden passages.

But before the zero domain, all of that became especially vivid. Moxuan felt everything here lay naturally before his eyes.

Just as he was about to leave, he unexpectedly collided head-on with Lan Bing.

“You. Looks like you’ve really gained some skill to make it this far! Trying to run away?”

Lan Bing was first startled, then spoke in a teasing tone.

“I was just walking around. Huh? How did I end up here?” At this point, Moxuan could only pretend to be confused.

Just as Moxuan was about to turn back, Lan Bing shifted and caught his shoulder, her gaze icy. “Don’t try to fool me. Since you’re so eager to leave, as long as you bow to me as your master, I might consider it. Otherwise, I won’t be polite!”

“Ah...” Moxuan thought this sounded like a good bargain, but he still was not quite willing. “An agreement reached through a deal like this... is it really reliable?”

“I don’t care. If you don’t agree, don’t even dream of leaving,” Lan Bing said, unmoved.

“Is that so?”

In a one-on-one fight, Moxuan had no power to resist at all. But if it was something else, then... So Moxuan poured out nearly all of his spiritual power at once. A mighty force of thought surged forward and swiftly enveloped Lan Bing.

Lan Bing had never expected Moxuan’s spiritual power to be so formidable. In a moment of carelessness, she fell into the illusion and could not break free.

Moxuan knew this state would not last long, so he wanted to leave quickly. But suddenly, from behind him came wave after wave of sobbing. He did not know what Lan Bing was experiencing in the illusion, but from the look of it now, perhaps it was an extremely painful memory.

“No, no!” Lan Bing knelt on the ground as though in a dream, crying bitterly, so pitiful that it stirred one’s compassion.

Moxuan softened a little and wanted to dispel the illusion, but if he did, he might no longer be able to leave. In any case, no one would die. In the end, gritting his teeth, he chose to flee into the distance.