Silence hung over the world as if time stood still. None of the countless individuals within the crowd dared to move as sweat poured down their backs and dread took root in their hearts. They could feel countless sharp objects pressed all over their skins, causing interminable goose bumps as if endless ants were crawling upon them.

Down an inconspicuous road near the exterior wall was a small dilapidated building that had now been razed. Its razing revealed a downward staircase made of smooth stone reaching into the bowels of the desert. It resembled a dark abyss only illuminated by the harsh midday sun. Still, with but a look, all knew of the perils to be found within.

Even the three elders could barely sustain its sight, but unlike the clueless crowd, they knew the reason for their apprehension. They turned toward Zou Lan in unison, only to have a renewed appreciation for this woman's strength. This was but a piece of her domain left behind to discourage any would-be explorer, a giant sword hanging over the necks of whoever was brave enough to venture within. As for their fates, there would be no doubt.

Her sword intent is sharper than I thought, Qin Yun thought, showing a slight smile.

Unlike the rest, Qin Yun felt nothing as he gazed upon the abyss. After all, her sword intent only evoked the fear of death in its victims, making them want to turn away from it, if even unconsciously. However, it might as well be just a fresh spring breeze for Qin Yun. The fear of death had long faded from his mind.

“Most of you might not be aware, but this entrance leads to the core of the Frontier: the nodes where the earth veins connect, forming the Dragon Vein,” Qin Yun said, taking a few steps toward the stairs.

Zou Lan, as did the three elders, couldn't help but show surprise. Even for them, seeming so casual under the pressure of Zou Lan's murderous domain was impossible, yet Qin Yun walked easily.

“Usually, this information would be highly confidential, but in lieu of the recent events, and to quell the unrest, Sect Leader Zou was gracious enough to allow you knowledge of it,” he added, standing next to the dark hole.

He gazed within and could feel a swirl of violent energies colliding with each other as if in the midst of battle. Qin Yun frowned before glancing toward Zou Lan, feeling something was wrong, yet only sighed softly. She seemed to pick up on it, only making her more interested in him.

Her sword intent is much too violent, probably forged in this constant battlefield, he thought. Still, she won’t ever reach the essence of intent if she only focuses on its destructive nature. Such a shame... maybe I should show her a glimpse as a reward.

Qin Yun bent down, picking up a nearby stone before tossing it into the abyss. However, just as it passed the threshold, it burst into powder, as if sliced with countless swords before being carried by the wind.

“As some of you might surmise, the core of this city was the Outsiders’ objective all along. As such, Sect Leader Zou felt it necessary to protect those entrances with her own domain. There is nothing to fear, however. As long as one doesn’t try to seek entrance, nothing will happen to you.”

A smile flashed onto Qin Yun’s face before thrusting his hand inside. Zou Lan’s eyes grew wide open, yet was too slow to react. Taken aback, her domain remained at full strength when Qin Yun’s flesh finally made contact.

She expected to see a flower of gore bloom as his hand was torn to shred by the collision of violent sword intent, yet no such thing occurred. In fact, Qin Yun’s hand remained completely intact as it passed the threshold, which couldn’t help but make Zou Lan frown deeply. Still, this display provoked a completely different reaction from the crowd.

Having now been slightly accustomed to the deadly sensation, some began to be able to move, allowing gasps to escape their mouths. Despite not knowing the full extent of a domain’s capabilities, they knew they weren’t brave enough to plunge a hand within.

"Of course, as the domain's owner, Sect Leader Zou is fully able to allow anyone she wishes passage," Qin Yun said, retracting his hand and showing the crowd how intact it was.

Qin Yun offered Zou Lan a slight smile, yet her gaze was now entirely focused on Qin Yun's hand. She had missed it due to how shocked she was, but now she could truly see. Wrapped around Qin Yun's flesh was a slight invisible film protecting it.

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What truly took her aback was that she hadn't felt the surrounding qi move. After all, as long as her domain was present, she remained the undisputed master of her surroundings. Without her consent, none could move it in the slightest, not even if the envoy and the three elders were to join forces against her. All they could use was the pitiful amount of qi that resided in their cores.

Still, Qin Yun seemed able to construct a pseudo-domain to protect himself within the bounds of her domain. This went against everything she knew, yet she couldn't deny reality. The proof was in front of her eyes.

Still, the film dissipated a moment later, and Qin Yun's hand returned to normal. Yet, the feeling of that barrier remained etched into Zou Lan's mind. Somehow, she instinctively knew how important it was to remember it—so much so that she fully immersed herself in it, even filtering out the world around her.

The world began to slow down as if time had reached a standstill. She felt the world around her much more clearly, as if her senses had sharpened substantially. The last time she had felt it this strongly was when she achieved the Soul Formation realm and built her domain, almost as if she had communed with the world itself and touched upon its mysteries.

She looked at Qin Yun in complete shock yet took hold back of herself almost immediately. She knew she couldn't waste this chance. She closed her eyes and drove away all idle thoughts, searing the fleeting image of Qin Yun’s hand into her mind, remembering the moment perfectly.

She remembered the heat of the sun on her exposed skin but also the intermittent breeze that followed. She remembered the shock she felt as his hand plunged into her domain but also the relief she felt as she saw that nothing was wrong. She felt the world become one, formed around the mysterious feeling exuded by the thin film, growing stronger and stronger until it finally became obvious. How could she have not seen it before?

Laws... she thought. I don't know how, but he manipulated laws without a domain...

To say she was shocked would be an understatement. Still, despite how little sense it made, she felt her conclusion was proper. She felt her own world turned upside down; the rigid rules of cultivation ingrained into her since a young age began to erode away, leaving only the truth staring her in the face.

Still, she couldn't grasp it. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed out of reach, just a step away, but she didn't know how to take that step. She felt just like a newborn, seeing the world for the first time, yet it all felt so natural like it was meant to be. But she was lost in a fog of her own design, built on preconceived notions.

All she had to do was strip away the excess to reach the truth hidden within, but it took more out of her than she ever thought possible. She felt her mind swim inside her own head, but all it led to was a profound exhaustion.

Still, she persevered, extending a single hand within the darkness, trying to reach the dim light taunting her. She felt as if she was trapped, an ocean of doubts pressing on her, wishing for her to retreat, to falter. She refused. Within that darkness, the light seemed so attractive, so blinding. She had to reach it. And she did, if only for a moment.

As soon as her fingertips brushed against it, reality came crashing down, and her eyes opened. She gasped, her heart racing, feeling cold sweat running down her back, but she also felt a warmth in her heart, a remnant of the spark she sought. She smiled, yet it soon turned sour, embarrassment creeping up on her as soon as she noticed the countless gazes aimed at her. But more than that, she couldn't stand Qin Yun's knowing smile, as if he had seen through her. Somehow, she couldn't help but now fear this man, but that fear was also laced with admiration.

The three elders looked perplexed as they looked at Zou Lan. Still, their keen senses could feel the change. While slight, the pressure her domain emitted had risen. However, they knew for sure this was no breakthrough. After all, a breakthrough at the Soul Formation realm was always accompanied by some world phenomenon, yet the sky above was still blue, not a cloud in sight.

Qin Yun's gaze turned toward the envoy. He noticed a glint in the man's eye, which disappeared soon after. The man retained the same indifferent attitude as always, so Qin Yun's interest couldn't help but be piqued.

“I dare to ask Sect Master Zou to recede her domain,” Qin Yun finally said, bringing her back to reality. “I’m sure we have made them wait long enough.”

Zou Lan remained silent a while longer, her deep gaze resting on Qin Yun, trying to probe his depths, yet nodded soon after. With a snap of her fingers, the oppressive aura permeating the stairs evaporated into the air, allowing all to finally take a deep breath.

Finally released from their bounds, some mortals couldn't bear the strain and fell to the soft sand unconscious. Others felt a lingering vertigo, while some only felt the sweet release. Even the elders weren't spared. On the other hand, the envoy showed almost no reaction, not even the anticipation Qin Yun had expected. Somehow, he doubted this was the man's true objective.

Without a word, the envoy's gaze rested on the Raging Sect elder, prompting him to move forward. While his reluctance was apparent, the old man still heeded the envoy's wishes, taking a few steps toward the dark abyss, standing next to Qin Yun as he gazed deep within.

“Go ahead,” Qin Yun said with the most benign of smiles. “Now that the domain isn’t there anymore, you should have nothing to fear.”

Most thought nothing of his words, yet some knew the hidden meaning. Zou Lan had to try to refrain from smiling, as did the other two elders. On the other hand, the old man resisted the urge to slap Qin Yun to death, knowing full well what he intended by this. He knew he couldn't, as Zou Lan's gaze was focused on him. He would be dead as soon as he raised a hand.

Still, a few chuckles emerged from the crowd, bringing him further shame. His hand was clenched tightly and his gaze grew darker, but it all evaporated away as soon as he noticed the envoy’s impatience from the corner of his eye.

With a deep sigh, the old elder finally stepped forward on the first step, only for a blue shimmering barrier to emerge from the void, pushing back his limb with a force the old man hadn't expected.

Taken by surprise, he couldn't resist in time. He felt as if a cannonball had rammed into his core, not enough to hurt him, but enough to lift him from the ground, barrelling his body into the distance until he collided with a stone building on the other side of the road, destroying its facade in the process.

The world was deathly silent. Nobody had ever expected to see the old Nascent Soul elder being flung away like a puppet with cut string so abruptly. Even Zou Lan was taken aback, looking toward the shimmering blue barrier with a complex expression. Only Qin Yun remained utterly calm. If anything, he seemed to enjoy the awkwardness. He was also the first to break the silence.

“My apologies,” he said. “It seems the Guardian doesn’t intend to receive guests at the moment. Do you wish to make an appointment?”