Chapter 1376: You're Not My Brother-in-Law

The wind whistled past their ears. Although they had only ascended two or three meters high just now, it now felt as if they were plummeting from thousands of meters in the sky. Their speed was increasing, and the spatial pressure around them grew steadily stronger.

Their vision blurred as they passed through a tiny spatial distortion, and the next moment, they found themselves in an area covered with lush green grass.

Blue skies, white clouds, and lush vegetation surrounded them. Taking a deep breath, they felt the abundant spiritual energy, as if standing in the midst of a spiritual vein, making every cell in their bodies thrum with involuntary excitement.

"Those at Saint 8-dan truly cannot enter..."

The spatial distortion they had just passed through could only be entered by those of their current strength; it would collapse if a cultivator reached the Void-Realm.

After his brief reflection, he looked ahead and saw Yuan Xiao and the others standing nearby, their eyes wide with confusion. They were clearly just as astonished by the scene before them.

Many elders of the Saint Son Hall possessed a profound understanding of space, yet they could only set up folded spaces that merely resembled reality. For the spiritual energy to be so incredibly rich here was simply unimaginable.

"The senior who left this ruin must have somehow integrated the spiritual veins of this mountain range into this space," a voice behind him stated. "Otherwise, how could a treasure like the Void Gourd possibly be nurtured here?!"

Luo Xuanqing had also followed them in.

"Integrated spiritual veins into space?"

Yuan Xiao and the others were all dumbfounded, and even Zhang Xuan found it incredibly unbelievable.

He had seen many folded spaces, even possessing one himself, but they were usually isolated from reality. To integrate real spiritual veins into a space and allow them to continuously generate spiritual energy... such a method was simply a work of divine craftsmanship, truly astonishing.

"Brother Luo, do you know who the powerful cultivator who left this ruin was?" he asked, puzzled. To have set up such a formidable ruin, this person must have left a significant mark in history, even with countless powerful cultivators emerging throughout the Master Teacher Continent over tens of thousands of years.

"I'm not entirely sure who left it," Luo Xuanqing paused before replying, "but it should be related to Ancient Sage Qiu Wu!"

"Ancient Sage Qiu Wu?" Zhang Xuan was startled.

"Indeed," Luo Xuanqing affirmed. "For tens of thousands of years, those with a profound understanding of space, besides Kong Shi and my Luo family ancestor, include only Ancient Sage Qiu Wu. This place is arranged so exquisitely, and it has even cultivated treasures like the Void Gourd, which takes tens of thousands of years to grow. Other than him... I truly can't imagine who else it could be!"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder when he entered, he felt that the spatial distortion outside could be analyzed using the realms from the Path of Heaven's Spatial Manipulation. It turned out it was very likely left behind by this super powerful cultivator.

Last time, he had a very pleasant conversation with that cultivator's will, but unfortunately, he couldn't stay long. Now that he might meet them, he would definitely ask for some proper guidance.

"The Void Gourd is right ahead," Luo Xuanqing explained. "However, there's a formation blocking it. Last time I came here, I studied it for days but couldn't get in..."

He pointed forward. The group walked along the lush green grass and, indeed, saw a long river suspended in the sky not far away. From one slender vine, a jade-green gourd hung.

It wasn't large and didn't look particularly special, but as it floated within the long river, it caused the surrounding space to distort. It seemed that even if it were right before them, they couldn't pick it, as if it existed in a different dimension.

Everyone's eyes lit up. They had expected numerous dangers, but unexpectedly, this item was so close.

"Let me see..."

Yuan Xiao, curious, stepped forward. Just as he was about to fly up and pick the gourd, his hair suddenly stood on end, and he rapidly retreated.

However, it was already a bit too late. A surge of energy, seemingly from nowhere, struck him in the chest in the blink of an eye.

Before he could even react, he was sent flying backward, landing behind the group and sliding for dozens of meters before finally stopping. His face had turned pale.

If not for his naturally strong defense and extremely quick reactions, he would probably have died on the spot.

"Is this a formation?" Everyone's pupils contracted.

Attacked before even getting close, it was clear that the seemingly easily accessible gourd was not so simple to obtain. The surroundings were filled with various formations.

"Last time I came," Luo Xuanqing nodded, "I was trapped here and couldn't get in!"

Last time he came, relying on his comprehension of space, he advanced much further than Yuan Xiao, yet he still couldn't get close to the gourd in the air. It was as if this treasure could only be admired from afar but not touched.

"Master Zhang, can you identify what kind of formation this is?" Bi Hongyin asked.

"This isn't a formation!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"It's not?" Everyone was puzzled. If it wasn't a formation, how could one be sent flying just by approaching it?

"It's a spatial application," Zhang Xuan explained, "somewhat similar to the seals used to restrict the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. The stronger one's cultivation, the stronger the backlash. If there's no cultivation, the attack ceases to exist!"

When Yuan Xiao walked over just now, Zhang Xuan had checked it with the Library of Heaven's Path. What was before them was not a formation but, as he had stated, a spatial application.

"Suppress cultivation?" Frowning, Luo Xuanqing glanced at the injured Yuan Xiao. "I'll give it a try!"

Regardless of whether it was right or wrong, someone had to experiment. With Yuan Xiao injured, Luo Xuanqing had to do it himself.

Taking a deep breath, he sealed his internal power, now looking no different from an ordinary person. Cultivators at his level could hide their true qi within their dantian without any leakage, appearing like ordinary people. The method he used was clearly a special secret art, suppressing his cultivation even more thoroughly. Without prior knowledge, even the Eye of Insight couldn't detect it.

"What a brilliant method..." Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. He had seen many who suppressed their aura, but under his Eye of Insight, their true forms would always be revealed. This one, however, he couldn't even discern, which was truly terrifying.

"This is a method created by my ancestor," Luo Xuanqing explained, seeing their shocked expressions. "It uses the technique of creating folded spaces to seal power, so even divine sense cannot detect it!"

"Understood!" Zhang Xuan nodded, marveling inwardly. He instructed, "Once inside, no matter what you see, you must not use any power. Otherwise, the stronger your power, the stronger the repulsion you'll face!"

This space before them was like a piece of wood floating on water: the harder one pressed it down, the faster it would spring back, and the greater the force of the rebound. Only by having the strength of an ordinary person could one enter without being attacked.

"Understood!"

Luo Xuanqing nodded, then gritted his teeth and walked forward.

With his cultivation sealed, he indeed wasn't attacked. However, after only a few steps, his face turned pale, as if he had experienced something incredible, filled with terror.

"Whatever you do, don't release the seal..." Zhang Xuan frowned, seeing his appearance.

However, before Zhang Xuan could finish his sentence, he saw his brother-in-law unable to hold back any longer. True qi surged out from his body.

Boom!

With a violent roar, he was sent flying backward, just like Yuan Xiao earlier. Blood stained the corner of his mouth, and his face was pale.

"Brother Luo..." Zhang Xuan quickly went over, took out a healing pill containing Heaven's Path true qi, and handed it to him.

After taking the medicine, his injuries eased somewhat. Luo Xuanqing opened his eyes, shook his head, and his face was full of apologies.

"I'm fine..."

"I just told you not to release your power, so why did you..." Zhang Xuan frowned. He had specifically said that no matter what happened, he must suppress his cultivation and not release it. Yet, he was thrown out after only two or three breaths inside... Was his temperament really that unstable?

"There was an illusion inside," Luo Xuanqing said, a little embarrassed. "I saw... someone bullying my sister, so I couldn't hold back!"

He had originally intended to control his power once inside, but seeing his sister being bullied with his own eyes, he still couldn't resist.

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. As expected of a doting brother, he couldn't stand it, even knowing it was an illusion.

"The little princess's strength is much greater than yours," Bi Hongyin scoffed from the side. "If she was bullied, what good would your intervention do?"

Yun Lianhai and the others wore similar expressions. The little princess was not only highly talented but also possessed outstanding personal strength. More importantly, she had refined the Stillness Pearl; with a thought, space could be sealed, and even Saint 9-dan experts could be easily crushed. He only had Saint 7-dan strength; what good would he be? Even if protection was needed, wouldn't it be her protecting him?

"My strength may not be as good as my sister's," Luo Xuanqing said, his eyes filled with tenderness. "Our mother died early, and she's the only one I truly care about. I will never allow her to suffer any grievances!"

"Is that why you're hostile towards the Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Yes," Luo Xuanqing grumbled, not denying it. "That so-called 'genius' from the Zhang Clan—according to external reports, his pure bloodline indeed makes him worthy of my sister, but... he's too arrogant! Since the engagement was arranged, he hasn't shown up even once... He's utterly conceited. How could someone like that not make one angry?"

"That fellow is indeed arrogant!" Remembering the person who had "stolen" his girlfriend, Zhang Xuan was also filled with anger and couldn't help but agree. If he had an engagement with Luo Ruoxin, he would have eagerly rushed out long ago, certainly not acting high and mighty like that fellow, putting on airs!

"Exactly!" Luo Xuanqing said furiously, "If I ever meet him, I'll smash his head in!"

"Precisely!" Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan declared righteously, "Count me in! If I really see him, I'll beat him until he's spitting teeth!"

"This..."

Looking at the two indignant and fuming men, Yuan Xiao, Bi Hongyin, and the others exchanged bewildered glances, all a little confused. Especially when looking at Zhang Xuan, they were completely baffled.

Luo Xuanqing was worried his sister wouldn't be happy... But as an outsider, why was Zhang Xuan getting so involved? And to be so angry about it... Was it even necessary?

Unable to hold back any longer, Yuan Xiao looked over. "Ahem, Master Zhang, it seems... that young genius from the Zhang Clan hasn't offended you, has he?"

"I..." Zhang Xuan was startled and immediately speechless. "I'm upset on behalf of Brother Luo!" he stammered. "For a good person like Brother Luo to be so angry, that guy must definitely be a shameless, despicable, and brazen scoundrel! As a Master Teacher, I have a responsibility to teach such a person a lesson and make him understand his place!"

"This..." Everyone exchanged glances. Although his words weren't problematic, why did it feel so strange?

Luo Xuanqing was also startled. He looked closely and saw that Zhang Xuan was genuinely angry, not just putting on an act, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"What a good brother!" he thought. "Why isn't such a good person my brother-in-law?"