After listening to Ye An, Hei Qin spoke up. "I understand what you said and what you need, but what do I get in return?"
It was extremely risky to ask such a question, but Hei Qin wasn't afraid to do it.
Ye An smirked. "Don't worry, I'm not heartless like your master. Though I haven't shown it yet, I am very generous."
Hei Qin hesitated for a moment. "What can you offer?"
"What do you want?"
"Huh?"
Hei Qin stumbled over Ye An's words. He genuinely didn't know what he wanted.
"It seems you don't even know what you think you want," Ye An continued. "Alright, I have some amazing artifacts; I will offer them… but this is all just a taste. If you help me and we actually discover the Realm of Death, the one who benefits most will be you."
Hei Qin tilted his head. "How so?"
Ye An's lips curved upward. "Your cultivation will reach a higher stage without you doing anything at all."
Hei Qin was stunned for a moment. "Is that even possible?"
"Yeah, according to my theory," Ye An answered.
Hei Qin let out a long sigh before saying, "Just a theory, huh."
Ye An rebuked him, "Hey, don't discard my words like that. My theories have a track record of being one hundred percent right."
***
They exchanged some general information at the conclusion of their long conversation. Afterward, they both turned back to their respective work.
Hei Qin sat on the stone, cultivating. Ye An, who had been watching him, yawned and slowly walked out of the cave.
Eventually, the night turned into day. However, not even a sliver of light broke through because of the thick canopy.
Inside the cave, Hei Qin opened his eyes. The turbulent Qi subsided slowly. Ever since he had stepped into this forest, his cultivation speed had increased tenfold because of the surrounding Yin Qi and energy.
Is he telling the truth?' Hei Qin wondered. 'I can't fully believe what he said. Even if it is true, so what? It isn't going to change anything.'
Hei Qin turned his head to look for Ye An, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is he?"
Hei Qin decided to go outside and search for him.
'He said the connection between me and the Realm of Death would help him find it. But how will he do it? Don't tell me he has to kill me to find it.'
Hei Qin smirked and shook his head slightly. 'If that is the case, I won't be able to avoid my death.'
As he reached the mouth of the cave, a figure emerged from the distance of the forest; it was Ye An.
Once Ye An noticed Hei Qin, he waved cheerfully with a bright smile.
Hei Qin smiled wryly. 'He doesn't look like someone who would kill.'
But that was the exact reason he had to fear him.
"Good morning!" Ye An said cheerfully. "How do you feel after your cultivation?"
Hei Qin didn't know how to act in front of him. It was strange; if possible, he didn't want to be near the man at all.
Hei Qin replied in an even tone. "Thanks to the abundant Yin Qi in this forest, I find it much easier to cultivate."
Ye An nodded. "Anyway, this is not the time to cultivate. Let's go; we are going to search for the connection between you and the Realm of Death."
"But how…"
Ye An gestured for Hei Qin to follow him. "It is hard to explain. I will show you."
Hei Qin moved forward, following Ye An, and he noticed the various formations hovering around them as they moved deeper into the cave.
Hei Qin controlled the sparkling in his eyes. "These formations are all so strange. It's the first time I've seen something like this. It looks like a Yin-gathering formation on the outside, but it also functions like a transmitter. And there are many bizarre connections I don't understand at all."
Walking ahead, Ye An turned back with a smile. "Ah! You noticed my wonderful work. I didn't expect you to be knowledgeable about formations. And I can practically see your eyes sparkling! It seems I really am talented. Haha."
Hei Qin's expression returned to normal as he asked, "Can I learn them?"
"You can, you can. But not now."
As Hei Qin nodded, a strange sensation tugged at his heart—as if someone were slowly clenching it. Weirdly enough, it didn't feel uncomfortable, and that was exactly what made him feel so uneasy.
Ye An's gaze landed on Hei Qin, who was now clutching his chest with a twisted expression.
Ye An asked with a look of confusion, "Hey, what happened?"
Hei Qin's breathing was ragged. "Huh? No, nothing."
The two of them made their way deeper into the cave.
As their footsteps reverberated through the cave, the strange unease in his heart intensified, spreading to every corner of Hei Qin's body.
Finally, their footsteps came to a halt. Hei Qin gazed upon an even more complex and intricate formation than the ones outside.
All of the formations were interlinked into one huge whole. It was like a painting brushed onto the wall with deep black ink. If one's gaze lingered for too long, it would create an illusion as if it were spreading across the cave wall.
"W-what's happening to… me?"
Suddenly, Hei Qin felt a strange sensation and turned nauseous. His breathing grew more rapid.
"Hey, what's happening to yo—"
The world spun. The last thing he remembered before fainting was Ye An shouting.