Capítulo 2044: Chapter 87: Taking Action (Part 3)
On the empty steps, for a moment, there was no longer any obstruction…
In the briefest of instants, Li Zhongping, Zu Wenqiu… Lu Shifu… Wei Shucheng… all the cultivators from the Three Realms and the Outer Realm, their eyes lit up!
In the next moment, everyone, as if by tacit agreement, rushed simultaneously toward the top of the steps!
Yet Wang Ba did not hurry to catch up. Instead, he stood aside, allowing the surrounding cultivators to rush past, his expression calm, without sorrow or joy.
His gaze, however, quietly glanced in the direction where the white-maned horse-bodied alien beast had disappeared.
He secretly noted it in his heart.
The surrounding cultivators were all eager to reach the summit first, so naturally, no one paid attention to the direction the alien beast had taken.
However, what surprised Wang Ba a bit was that Li Zhongping did not rush up at the first moment. Instead, under the protection of Zu Wenqiu and others, he came to Wang Ba’s side, raised his hand in a salute, with a tone carrying a trace of respect and politeness:
“Wouldn’t Taoist Friend Taiyi like to go up and have a look?”
Wang Ba smiled indifferently:
“No rush, let everyone else go up for a while first.”
Li Zhongping nodded, indicating understanding, and then said with some embarrassment:
“I am not as adept as Taoist Friend in the art of maintaining composure; Lu Shifu has gone up, so I will go have a look first.”
“You’re too kind, Taoist Friend Li, please feel free.”
Wang Ba gestured with a mild smile.
But at this moment, Zu Wenqiu, who was next to him, suddenly spoke up, staring at Wang Ba:
“Mountain Master Taiyi, have we met somewhere before?”
Wang Ba looked at Zu Wenqiu in confusion, then suddenly realized:
“Where have we met? Oh, yes, the day I went to Jade Pot Workshop in front of Wanbao Pavilion, I was present.”
Zu Wenqiu’s expression was not very good, though his eyes still carried a hint of suspicion:
“Is that so…”
“Wenqiu!”
Li Zhongping reprimanded sternly, then turned his anger into a smile, looking at Wang Ba with embarrassment:
“My martial nephew is pampered by my senior brother, so he speaks without restraint. I hope Taoist Friend can forgive him.”
Though a bit displeased, Wang Ba casually waved his hand, but said no more.
“Thank you, Taoist Friend, for your magnanimity.”
Li Zhongping cast a cold glance at Zu Wenqiu, then bowed respectfully to Wang Ba, before quickly ascending the steps to head towards where the pavilions were.
“Mountain Lord, what should we do now?”
Yu Wuheng, Yu Yu, Chen Xuan, and the Corpse-digging Ghost King, along with Wu Monkey King, all gathered around Wang Ba, the Corpse-digging Ghost King couldn’t help but ask.
Wang Ba did not answer, but looked at Chen Xuan, seriously asking:
“Can you still determine where your clone is?”
Chen Xuan hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the location of the pavilions at the mountain top.
“Over there.”
Wang Ba, seeing this, fell into a brief silence.
There, was also the direction in which he had deliberately let the white-maned horse-bodied alien beast escape.
As waves of cultivators continued to head rapidly towards the mountain top, Wang Ba pondered for a while, looking at Chen Xuan and the Corpse-digging Ghost King, and asked another question:
“What is so special about the secret of the Mirage?”
The Corpse-digging Ghost King looked troubled. Though he had done quite a bit in the market outside the Sea Market in his youth, with a low cultivation base, his knowledge was limited, hesitantly saying:
“I’ve only heard that since the Mirage appeared, no one has ever been able to find its location. Some say it’s the scene outside the Sea of Chaos Realm projected here, indicating there may be a passage from the Sea Market to outside the Sea of Chaos Realm, possibly even to The Heavens… Others claim it might be where the Sea Market’s true secret of its birth is hidden… Still others say it might be the former residence of the immortals… There are many theories.”
Chen Xuan added:
“To my knowledge, on the side of the Three Realms, especially the Jade Pot Realm, there has been continuous exploration of the Sea Market; nearly every time it opens, their undercover infiltrators are quite powerful, so I think the people of the Jade Pot Realm might know something.”
“As for the Double Body Realm, they likely have done some exploring too, but the Holy Desecration Realm is rather inactive.”
“Jade Pot Realm…”
Wang Ba frowned slightly.
Since entering the Sea of Chaos, the Jade Pot Realm seemed to be omnipresent.
“Should we also go take a look?”
Yu Yu asked with a bit of excitement.
Wang Ba glanced at Chen Xuan, who was about to speak but didn’t, then at the seemingly endless stream of cultivators on the steps below, with countless thoughts flashing in his mind, ultimately nodded:
“Go ahead… Taoist Friend Chen’s clone has yet to be rescued.”
“Great! Haha!”
Yu Yu jumped up with joy, devoid of fear, filled only with the excitement and thrill of facing challenges.
Chen Xuan, too, looked up in surprise at Wang Ba, unable to help but say:
“Taoist Friend, you…”
“No need for many words, let’s go!”
Wang Ba took off into the air first.
Wu Monkey King hurriedly followed.
“Wait for me!”
Yu Yu shouted.
Then hurried after them.
Yu Wuheng and the Corpse-digging Ghost King followed closely behind.
Chen Xuan stood there in a daze for a few moments, silently nodded, as if making a decision.
Subsequently, he quickly followed.
Being Great Cultivators, with no obstacles ahead, it didn’t take long for them to catch up with the people in front.
Seeing it was Wang Ba coming, even with the allure of the Mirage’s secret before them, everyone dared not delay, making way quickly.
The path was clear, and Wang Ba soon ascended the mountain top, finally taking in the entire scene of the buildings before him.
Beneath the mist and cloud, immortal energy swirled.
This, unmistakably, was a Fairy Palace.