The world spun.
There was none of the brilliant radiance one might expect from passing through a teleportation array, nor any bizarre space-time turbulence.
The moment Gu Chengming's hand touched the rift, it felt as if a hand had grabbed him by the collar and ruthlessly yanked him into that space without any rhyme or reason.
A sense of weightlessness hit him instantly, followed by intense dizziness.
Snap—
A soft sound echoed.
Gu Chengming felt his feet hit solid ground, and the pulling sensation stopped abruptly. His bodily instincts made him react quickly; he slightly bent his knees and engaged his core at the moment of impact. Only the hem of his robe fluttered forward slightly from the momentum before he stood perfectly still.
However, the "master of movement techniques" beside him from the Myriad Thief Sect was not nearly as composed.
"Waaah—!"
With a short cry of alarm, Nuo Tao was "spat" out in an extremely ungraceful posture.
She flailed her arms and legs in the air, trying to find her balance, but the suction had vanished so suddenly that her vaunted light-body technique had no time to activate.
Thud!
A dull sound followed.
Nuo Tao landed squarely on her rear, grimacing in pain as her twin tails drooped listlessly.
She rubbed her bottom, feeling utterly humiliated.
What was wrong with this secret realm? It wasn't friendly at all! Who just throws people onto the ground like that?
Just as she was mentally berating the long-dead founding patriarch for the hundredth time, a hand appeared in front of her.
"Can you still stand?" Gu Chengming's voice came from above, carrying a trace of an imperceptible smile.
Nuo Tao looked up and met Gu Chengming's clear eyes. She subconsciously took his hand and stood up with his help, murmuring reflexively:
"Tha... ugh."
The word "thanks" had barely left her mouth when she seemed to bite her tongue and abruptly cut herself off.
No, Nuo Tao, get a grip! You two are in a competitive relationship now.
She tilted her head up slightly. Although she could only see Gu Chengming's chin due to their height difference, she huffed and said, "Gu, as we agreed before, we are in a competitive relationship now. Whatever we find or obtain later will depend on our own abilities."
"Similarly," she glanced at him awkwardly, "if there really is a trial where only one of us can remain, don't expect me to show mercy just because you beg me."
Gu Chengming found her awkwardness amusing, but he played along on the surface. "Fine, let it be by our own abilities."
Seeing Gu Chengming agree so readily, Nuo Tao felt a bit uneasy instead. She rubbed her still-aching rear and muttered in a small voice:
"Really... I told you before, if you just gave me the token, I'd let you have first pick of whatever we find, whether it's an inheritance or treasure. I would've accepted even if you took seventy percent."
Does he not trust my professional skills, or is he afraid I'll run off with the goods?
Thinking of this, Nuo Tao felt both annoyed and depressed.
Gu Chengming didn't pay much attention to Nuo Tao's thoughts, choosing instead to observe the environment of the secret realm first.
It had to be said that the secret realm left behind by the Myriad Thief Immortal was indeed quite special.
As far as the eye could see, everything was a pure, stark white. The sky was white, the ground was white, and there were no mountains, rivers, plants, or living creatures in sight. There were only countless intersecting lines and various geometric platforms floating in mid-air.
Rather than a secret realm of the cultivation world, this scene looked more like an unrendered modeling space, permeated by an indescribable sense of "dao rhythm."
"Is this the Myriad Thief Immortal's cave dwelling?"
Gu Chengming remembered Elder Yu mentioning that such secret realms were usually formed by the natural evolution of a cave dwelling.
"No."
Nuo Tao explained, "Secret realms in the cultivation world are generally divided into two types. One is as you said, a space naturally evolved from the 'wealth, companionship, laws, and land' left by a great expert after their death. Such places are often filled with the original owner's lingering obsessions and karma, making them complex and dangerous, and no one knows what's hidden inside."
"This is the second type. This kind of secret realm was consciously constructed by the owner while they were alive. It has its own unique set of rules, and everyone who enters is suppressed by these rules. They must follow the process set by the owner and go through one trial after another."
"The benefit is that these realms usually don't have fatal traps. After all, they are meant to select a successor... even if the trial fails, at most you'll be ejected or sustain some injuries. Generally, there's no threat to your life."
After hearing this explanation, Gu Chengming nodded thoughtfully. "I see."
The two walked side by side toward the only white corridor ahead.
"Although the Myriad Thief Immortal left similar secret realms in many places across the Jiuzhou Continent, and each realm exists independently," Nuo Tao said as they walked, "it doesn't mean there is no connection between them. In a sense, they are even linked."
"Linked?" Gu Chengming was puzzled.
"Yes, not spatially, but through karma."
Nuo Tao frowned, seemingly trying to organize her words to describe this profound concept:
"Our sect records that after a Myriad Thief Sect Walker passes a certain secret realm, the other secret realms seem to sense it and undergo certain changes."
"It's as if these realms are a single entity. When someone solves one puzzle, the remaining puzzles automatically upgrade or change their solution."
"So even if we have guides left by our predecessors, they might be completely useless in this realm because every time it opens, the trials inside might be brand new."
Gu Chengming was quite surprised to hear this. It had a cloud-syncing function?
"One more thing. What I just said applies to single entrants."
Nuo Tao bit her lip, looking conflicted. "Cases like ours, where two people enter together, have also been recorded... according to the Myriad Thief Sect's records, if two people enter simultaneously, the rules usually judge their relationship as cooperative until they reach the end to see the final fortune."
"But once the final fortune is revealed, the rules will change." Nuo Tao looked directly into Gu Chengming's eyes and said word by word, "At that moment, our relationship will turn into a competition. Only one person can take the final fortune."
To be honest, when Gu Chengming showed interest in that fortune, Nuo Tao had already guessed his purpose for coming to this secret realm.
But as a descendant of the Myriad Thief Sect, she couldn't just hand over this fortune... some words that would inevitably lead to disappointment had to be said in advance.
However, just as she thought he would show some malicious expression, Gu Chengming simply smiled and reached out to tuck a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. His movements were as natural as taking care of a younger sister who didn't know better.
"Since we need to cooperate for now, let's not worry about what comes later."
"Let's go, Miss Nuo. Whether it's cooperation or competition, we have to see that fortune first."
Nuo Tao stared blankly at his retreating back and then touched her ear, where the warmth of his fingertips seemed to linger.
She puffed out her cheeks in a slight huff and whispered to herself, "When we get to the end, this girl really won't hold back when she starts snatching it!"
Even though she said that, her steps unconsciously became a bit lighter as she jogged to catch up.
...
While talking, the two reached the end of the only white corridor.
Blocking their way was a massive stone door.
The door had no keyhole, no handle, and its edges were so perfectly flush that even a gap was hard to detect. Only the complex circuit of spiritual runes on the door panel, which made one feel dizzy at a single glance, announced that this was the first trial.
"It looks like this is the first trial."
Nuo Tao's eyes lit up. This was her home field!
"Alright, stand back, young Gu."
Nuo Tao was eager to try. She pulled out a pile of strange tools from her storage pouch, her tone full of confidence. "This kind of restriction looks intimidating, but in the eyes of our Myriad Thief Sect, it might as well not exist. Leave it to me!"
Gu Chengming obligingly stepped back a few paces and waited quietly with his arms crossed, while also taking the opportunity to observe his surroundings with interest.
However, time passed minute by minute.
A quarter of an hour, two quarters, half an hour.
Beads of sweat grew more numerous on Nuo Tao's forehead, and her nimble fingers began to tremble. She tried the five elements' mutual generation and destruction, she tried karmic reverse-deduction, but the door didn't react at all.
"This isn't right. These runes are clearly a variation of the Nine Palaces Spirit-Locking Array. Theoretically, it should open once that node is disconnected..."
Was the first trial this difficult?
The lack of progress for such a long time made Nuo Tao, who had been so confident earlier, feel embarrassed and guilty.
She stole a glance at Gu Chengming behind her, only to find him rubbing his chin and staring thoughtfully at the door.
After a moment, he walked straight to the door, pressed his hand against the panel, and gave it a push.
The moment Gu Chengming applied force, a line of large words suddenly appeared on the previously unresponsive stone door:
【The door cannot be opened from this side】
Seeing this familiar prompt, which was filled with a sense of déjà vu, Gu Chengming's expression instantly became a bit subtle.
Oh no, why do I feel like this Myriad Thief Immortal had a bit of a wicked personality?
Gu Chengming changed his push to a grip, hooking his fingers into an imperceptible protrusion on the door panel and giving it a tentative pull toward himself. The door still didn't budge.
But this time, the prompt saying 【The door cannot be opened from this side】 did not pop up.
"As I thought." The ridiculous guess in Gu Chengming's heart grew stronger.
Since the mechanism was correct, the only reason it wouldn't pull open was that he wasn't using enough strength.
Gu Chengming's muscles tensed, and he took a deep breath, circulating his Hundred Bones Resonating, and gave the massive stone door a violent yank!
Boom, boom, boom—!!!
The stone door, which had left the Myriad Thief Sect Walker helpless and was covered in profound restrictions, was actually pulled open by Gu Chengming's raw strength!
As the stone door slowly opened, another prompt appeared before them:
【As a thief cultivator, sometimes you need to look at things from another perspective】
【Congratulations on passing the first trial.】
"..."
Nuo Tao's mouth fell open. She looked at the door that had been pulled open, then at the prompt, and finally at Gu Chengming, who was shaking out his wrist.
What kind of 'other perspective' is that?!
Is this really a trial for a thief cultivator? What kind of thief opens a door by pulling it?
And what were all those spiritual runes on the door for? Were they purely for show?!
As the prompt for passing the trial faded, a stone pedestal slowly rose in the center of the previously empty space behind the door.
On the pedestal sat a treasure chest quietly.
The chest was cast entirely from an unknown purple gold, and its surface was inlaid with various gemstones. Even from a distance, one could feel the dense spiritual energy overflowing from it.
Well, at least the reward for passing looks quite generous.
Setting aside her earlier frustration, this thought had just surfaced in Nuo Tao's mind when she heard a clear sword chime behind her.
Clang—!
Without a word, Gu Chengming raised his hand and pointed.
Ten flying swords instantly whistled out, carrying a sharp sword intent capable of splitting mountains and cracking rocks. Without any hesitation, they flew over Nuo Tao's head and slashed down at the gem-encrusted treasure chest!
Nuo Tao was startled, wondering what Gu Chengming was doing.
However, in the next moment, the sound of blades cutting into flesh was heard. The previously motionless treasure chest suddenly trembled violently.
At the same time, four thin, dried corpse-like arms sprouted from the bottom of the chest, supporting it as it stood up.
By then, Gu Chengming's subsequent nine swords had already arrived.
The monster disguised as a treasure chest didn't even have time to fully stand up before it was hacked to pieces by Gu Chengming's sword array.
Blood sprayed everywhere, staining the pure white ground red.
The "treasure chest" twitched a couple of times before becoming completely still, turning into a pile of mangled meat.
Nuo Tao stood frozen in place, utterly dazed.
And at that moment, the familiar prompt once again appeared in mid-air:
【As a thief cultivator, sometimes you must learn to refuse temptation】
【Congratulations on passing the second trial】
Nuo Tao: "?"
【Red Dust Phantom Step is astounded; Fellow Daoist Gu's caution is truly rare in its experience】
【Red Dust Phantom Step Favorability +10】
【Current Favorability: 30/Friendly】
【Favorability Status Change: Upgraded from [Stranger] to [Friendly]】
【Obtained Permanent Stat Points: Agility +3】
Rate on N.U.
