"This secret realm is far too vast." Xichen muttered with some discontent, for despite having searched for an entire half-day, he still couldn't find Yun Che, and they only had a few hours left before the Heaven Basin Secret Realm closed.
"If I'd known this, I would have stayed and fooled around with Mu Lanyi to get some points." Xichen sighed, but his senses soon detected many people gathered together, and they didn't seem to be fighting, which piqued Xichen's curiosity.
Without hesitation, Xichen changed his course and flew swiftly towards the gathering place.
Upon arrival, he saw many people from the various sects and clans that had entered, and they all seemed to be staring at a stone platform holding a box made of 10,000-Year Cold Jade, which alone was a treasure.
"Damn it, this stupid barrier is preventing us from reaching the 10,000-Year Cold Jade box," muttered one person from the Burning Heaven Clan with frustration, clearly exhausted as his breath and energy were greatly disturbed.
"The box itself is an extremely precious treasure, which makes us very curious to know what's inside it," added someone from the Xiao Sect, staring at the box with barely concealed greed.
"..." Xichen stared at the scene below for a moment before deciding to descend and see what was happening up close. He was also interested in the treasure; there should be an opportunity for a Favored Child of Heaven, even though he didn't know if it was meant for Yun Che or Mu Lanyi.
"Your Highness the Prince." Upon seeing Xichen's arrival, everyone quickly bowed to greet him, even Fen Juecheng.
Xichen smiled lightly, waving his hand at them casually, then landed on the stone ground with steady steps, contemplating the shining box in the center of the platform.
Although, in his view, he couldn't find any problem, as if he could simply reach out and take the box, the moment he extended his hand, a yellow barrier appeared surrounding the box and the platform, preventing him from touching it.
"...Huh?" Xichen's eyebrows rose slightly as he stared at the golden barrier that suddenly materialized the moment he approached the box. There were no energy fluctuations or any warning signs... just a barrier that completely prevented his touch at the very last moment.
"A reactive barrier? No... this is something else." He muttered, pressing his hand lightly against the barrier, trying to sense its nature. But immediately, a wave of counter-energy rebounded, pushing him back a step, even though he had only used a gentle touch.
"..." Xichen stared at the barrier, his golden eyes narrowing. This barrier reminded him of Yun Che's technique called Moon Star Restoration. What had pushed him back was the very power he had exerted through his hand when touching the barrier, but it was several times stronger.
'Is this also related to the Heretic God's inheritance...?' Xichen thought, retreating slightly. It was clear that obtaining what was inside the box through ordinary means was impossible for him, and it would be better to let the others cause chaos until he found a solution.
As Xichen took a calm step back, he didn't miss the looks of greed and frustration filling the faces of those present, especially Fen Juecheng, who wasn't hiding his overwhelming desire to obtain the box's contents, no matter the cost.
'System, can you destroy the barrier around the box?' Xichen asked, sensing Yun Che's aura approaching them; he would arrive here within a few minutes.
[Ding! No problem.]
[Does the Host wish to pay 120,000 Destiny Points to destroy the barrier?]
[Y/N]
"..." Xichen stared at the system notification, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. It was clear this black-hearted system was trying to rob him of his points.
'Damn you, you greedy system,' Xichen cursed, not hesitating to press N. He could obtain the box without destroying the barrier; all he had to do was steal the box's contents when Yun Che picked it up, or perhaps Yun Che would gift it to him in exchange for some benefits.
While everyone was busy futilely trying to shatter the barrier, Xichen and Fen Juecheng sensed Yun Che's arrival. He quickly reached the side of the Burning Heaven Clan members.
"Young Master." Yun Che clasped his hands respectfully towards Fen Juecheng. He could still benefit from the Burning Heaven Clan and didn't mind giving them a little false respect to get what he wanted.
"Brother Yun, you've arrived just in time." Fen Juecheng nodded with a smile upon seeing Yun Che and quickly noticed his increased strength. A flicker of envy and greed appeared in his eyes, but he quickly hid it behind a fake smile. "Congratulations on your breakthrough to the Spirit Profound Realm, Brother Yun."
"Thank you." Yun Che nodded. He hadn't missed Fen Juecheng's glance but decided to ignore it for now and turned his gaze towards the box, as the latter was beginning to leave to search for other treasures before their time in this secret realm ended. "Is this it?"
'It seems the Heretic God's imprint surrounds the box, forming a barrier to protect it...' Yun Che thought, feeling the familiar energy around the box.
"No one knows. Everyone has tried to obtain it, but there's an extremely powerful barrier surrounding it that reflects any attack against it," Fen Juecheng said with poorly concealed frustration. He wanted to see what the box contained more than anyone else but lacked the ability. "It's best not to trouble yourself; it's better to search for other treasures before we're expelled from this secret realm."
"I see. However, my luck has been abundant already, and I will try to study the barrier around the box, even if I cannot obtain it," Yun Che said hypocritically, smiling inwardly. He knew he could easily get the box just by approaching it, but he decided not to do so while so many people were still around.
Yun Che continued standing calmly before the box, appearing as just a curious person, while his eyes glowed with a faint light that only a few could see.
The closer he got, the more the Heretic God's energy within him resonated... as if something inside was calling out to him.
'A soul imprint... no, it's more than that...' Yun Che thought as he observed how the barrier didn't react to him with the same aggression it had shown others. Instead, it seemed to hesitate... or recognize him.
From the side, Xichen narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Yun Che's every move, then muttered to himself with a calm smile:
'Just as I expected... this thing belongs to him. However, it's fine if he takes it first. As long as it's in his hands... I can take it later.'
"It seems obtaining this box is impossible, so this Prince will take his leave now," Xichen announced. Golden flames enveloped him, and he flew away before everyone's eyes. But he had no intention of letting the matter go. He quickly moved beyond everyone's perception, concealed his presence, and returned to hide nearby.
Seeing that Xichen had given up, everyone quickly departed. Only Yun Che remained, calmly contemplating near the box's location. Although everyone had left, he didn't move immediately to seize the box.
...
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