After listening to Immortal Lord Xavier explain the rules of Ethereal Sanctuary, Evan Yang paused for a moment, then smiled. "I didn't expect Ethereal Sanctuary to have such rules."
"That's just for the Earth-Immortal Star System. If you go outside, there are even more rules and regulations," Immortal Lord Xavier replied with a smile.
"Got it. There's still time before a month is up, so I'll deal with it then," Evan said calmly.
Everyone admired Evan's calm and unhurried attitude. If it were anyone else, they'd probably be anxious about when they needed to return.
"Just keep it in mind. If you're interested, stay in North Sect a bit longer. Let Leonard Lee show you around places you haven't seen yet," Immortal Lord Xavier said with a smile.
"Oh? There are places I haven't visited?" Evan asked curiously.
"Alright, Leonard, take Evan with you," Immortal Lord Xavier said to Leonard Lee.
Leonard Lee had been eager to catch up with Evan, so he led him out of the cave. On the way, he couldn't help but ask, "How are your limbs?"
Evan originally wanted to say he was fine, but worried about leaking his secret, so he smiled, "They're halfway healed. Give it a few more years, and I should be fully recovered."
"You're really tough. After Immortal Lord Lin did that to you, you still managed to thrive in there and even defeated so many people," Leonard Lee praised.
"It wasn't much. Some opponents were strong, but I just got lucky and managed to beat them," Evan said modestly.
"Still as humble as ever," Leonard Lee said with a smile.
"By the way, what did the sect master want you to show me? I feel like I've already explored most of this planet," Evan asked.
"Wrong. There's still one place you haven't been," Leonard Lee replied with a mysterious smile.
"Where is it?" Evan asked, puzzled.
"This place is North Sect's most mysterious spot. Right now, only the sect master and a few important disciples know about it. No one else does," Leonard Lee said with a smile.
"Oh? There's a place like that?" Evan glanced at the planet—it seemed so small, how could there possibly be anywhere else? He looked skeptical.
Leonard Lee smiled and led Evan to another forest. At first glance, it looked like any ordinary forest, nothing strange about it. But Leonard Lee said, "Take a look at these two big trees—see anything different?"
Evan scanned the area and saw two massive trees. These trees had to be at least several hundred thousand years old, so he looked closer out of curiosity. He felt as if the trees could move, but when he looked again, they seemed still. "Can they move?"
"That's right, they really can move. Guess how old they are," Leonard Lee said with a smile.
"Several hundred thousand years, maybe?" Evan guessed.
"Several hundred thousand years? You're way off. These two trees were here even before North Sect existed," Leonard Lee said.
"What? Doesn't that mean they're billions of years old?" Evan exclaimed in shock.
"That's right, billions of years. No one knows their true age. Back when North Sect was almost wiped out, even Emperors couldn't destroy them, no matter what methods they used. Isn't that incredible?" Leonard Lee smiled.
"That's amazing," Evan said in awe.
"Yeah, that's why we call them the Sacred Trees," Leonard Lee explained.
"I see. No wonder you said I hadn't seen everything. I scanned this area with my divine sense before, but never noticed anything special. Now that you mention it, I get it," Evan said.
"That's not all. I'm taking you inside to see something else," Leonard Lee said with a smile.
"Inside?" Evan looked around, but all he saw was forest. The two huge trees looked strange, but there was no path.
"Watch closely," Leonard Lee said, closing his eyes. After murmuring a chant, a void gate appeared between the two trees.
"What the—?" Evan was stunned.
"Come on, I'll take you inside," Leonard Lee said with a smile.
Evan followed Leonard Lee out of curiosity. As soon as he stepped inside, a wave of herbal fragrance washed over him, and the void gate behind them closed temporarily.
What greeted Evan was rows of saplings growing in the space. The area was limited in size, but the walls were covered with mysterious patterns.
"I've heard these patterns are vital to the trees. Some people have even comprehended new techniques here, so this is an important place for North Sect. Only the sect master and a few key disciples have ever entered; no one else," Leonard Lee explained.
Evan glanced at the patterns and at first thought they were like the wordless heavenly book marks from the Genius Pavilion's secret space. But on closer inspection, they were completely different.
Leonard Lee was about to say something when he noticed Evan spacing out, as if he was suddenly comprehending something.
"This kid is a real genius. Others take a long time to enter enlightenment here, but he... I'd better go tell the sect master," Leonard Lee decided to leave and not disturb Evan, letting him continue his enlightenment.
Evan studied the patterns as if reading a wordless heavenly book, scanning each one from the bottom up. He spread his divine sense out fully, following the branching points of the patterns.
What others couldn't do, Evan managed—he could trace multiple pattern routes at the same time.
This was what set Evan apart from others. Focused, he didn't even realize he'd entered a special state, while Leonard Lee quietly left, leaving Evan alone in his trance.
After leaving the secret space, Leonard Lee went to find Immortal Lord Xavier.
Immortal Lord Xavier had just finished arranging future plans for the six people and was about to return to his cultivation when Leonard Lee rushed back, looking urgent.
"What's wrong?" Immortal Lord Xavier asked curiously.
Leonard Lee quickly told Immortal Lord Xavier what had happened with Evan in the secret space.
Immortal Lord Xavier was shocked after hearing it. "That fast?"
"Yeah, he entered and immediately started comprehending," Leonard Lee replied.
"A true genius. Keep an eye on him for me, but don't disturb him. When he wakes up, bring him to see me." Immortal Lord Xavier was even more excited than when Evan returned from Ethereal Sanctuary.
Leonard Lee received the order and waited outside the space, not disturbing Evan inside.
"A genius—sixth tier defeating first-tier Heavenly-Immortal, enlightenment as soon as he enters the space, and his heart technique has already reached the seventh layer," Immortal Lord Xavier muttered.
(End of this section. Please click next page to continue reading the exciting story!)
But in truth, Evan's heart technique had already reached the eighth layer.
At that moment, Evan was tracing the patterns from the lowest layer, following multiple routes that branched and merged again and again. The whole process took him nearly half a month.
After half a month, he'd only managed to memorize the general paths of the patterns, but hadn't figured out their meaning. He sighed, "There are so many patterns, I have no idea what they're supposed to mean."
After muttering to himself, Evan noticed Leonard Lee was gone. He was alone, so he turned around and saw the space behind him open up again.
Leonard Lee entered from outside. Sensing Evan was awake, he eagerly walked in and smiled, "You're awake?"
"Yeah. How long was I out?" Evan knew he'd been in a trance, so he asked out of curiosity.
"It's been half a month," Leonard Lee replied.
"So it's been that long," Evan said in surprise.
"Right. The sect master told me to bring you to him as soon as you woke up," Leonard Lee said.
"No problem, I'll go now," Evan said, following Leonard Lee out of the space.
Just as Evan stepped out, he saw one of his Phantom Spirit Birds return, circling above his head.
Evan curiously communicated with the bird, and it transmitted the images it had discovered to him.
Something seemed to block Evan's vision, and his eyes grew moist. Leonard Lee asked, "What's wrong?"
Evan slowly regained his composure, evaporated his tears, and said excitedly, "Let me ask you something."
"Go ahead," Leonard Lee replied curiously.
"Where is this place?" Evan sent an image to Leonard Lee. But Leonard Lee saw only palaces everywhere, and a person acting crazy, surrounded by onlookers.
"Do you know?" Evan asked eagerly.
Leonard Lee frowned, "I don't know. Where did you get this image?"
"You don't know? Then who does?" Evan said excitedly.
"Don't get worked up. Maybe the sect master knows—he's seen a lot," Leonard Lee explained, seeing Evan's agitation.
Evan realized he'd lost his composure and said, "Let's go find the sect master."
Evan followed Leonard Lee quickly toward Immortal Lord Xavier's location. After a while, they arrived.
Immortal Lord Xavier was about to speak, but Evan interrupted, "Sect Master, I have something to ask you."
"What is it?" Immortal Lord Xavier asked curiously.
"Where is this place?" Evan sent the image to Immortal Lord Xavier.
Seeing Evan's excited expression, Immortal Lord Xavier realized the image must be important. After Evan sent it, Xavier examined it closely.
Immortal Lord Xavier frowned, "That's the Ethereal Sanctuary outside. What's wrong? Have you been there?"
"What? That's the Ethereal Sanctuary outside? Are you sure?" Evan was stunned.
"Yes, I once went there with my master, so I remember it. All their buildings are palace-shaped," Immortal Lord Xavier explained.
Evan finally understood what the place was and said excitedly, "I want to go there."
"You have to reach Heavenly-Immortal first, otherwise you can't go," Immortal Lord Xavier said.
"What?" Evan was frustrated to hear he had to reach Heavenly-Immortal. He wanted to go right away, because the person in the image wasn't just anyone—it was his father, whom he'd been searching for all this time.
He would never forget his father's appearance, no matter how many years passed. At this moment, he desperately wanted to go and find him.
"Calm down for now. What's going on?" Immortal Lord Xavier asked curiously.
Evan told Immortal Lord Xavier everything. When Xavier learned the crazy man in the image was Evan's father, he was shocked.
Leonard Lee remembered Evan had asked him to help find his father, but there had been no news. He didn't expect Evan to receive such an image.
"Sect Master, I really want to go now. Can you tell me what that place is?" Evan said excitedly.
"You can only go once you reach Heavenly-Immortal. If you go now, not only will you be unable to enter, but if others learn he's your father, have you thought about the consequences for him?" Immortal Lord Xavier warned.