Pathway

The illusion covering the whole place appeared to have disappeared. The falling snowflakes and the frost, seemed to have vanished too. Ju Feng could now see the place for what it was. There were portals everywhere, hundreds of them. Portals of different nature, reeling with powerful energies. The amount of energy in this place was scary. Ju Feng was shocked by the sheer power of the energy in this place.

"Uh!"

"Now that you can see through the illusion, seeing this place for the first time can be intimidating for any mortal, I know."

The Yakshasan god swiped his hand around, gently. He encompassed tge whole area while watching the reaction of the boy. There was no need to hide it from him. Since he had done him a great service, he should know what was happening.

"This place, is truly known as Aculum Divinis. Which means, Time Divinity. This conjecture was an artefact that belonged to the Jade emperor. It was a divine artefact for minor spacetime teleportation. Teleportation to and from specific places on the three planes of mortal, heavenly and nether. As time passes, the Jade emperor had friends who are spacetime artists, to work on this place. Celestials and gods alike. Using different rare techniques, portals to realms, dominions, domains and hidden places, were added. The energies and elements expended during the rework of this place, changed this place drastically. It became a conjecture of portals. Where we are right now, is the heart of the conjecture. The portals in this place are only used by true immortals. Ascendants, hegemons, gods and celestials. Mortals or evanesce immortals, use the outer conjecture. The outer conjecture was the one that leads to places where mortals reap various rewards. Unlike this place."

With a nod of his head, the god observed Ju Feng, keenly.

"You are now getting the sense of it. Yes, you shouldn't be here in the first place, child. With the illusion uncovered, you can see where you entered from. It's a broken gateway, never been used since I've been the guardian of this place. Hegemons and ascendants from the mortal plane, use the gateway on the opposite side. When I saw you arriving, I started asking myself different questions. Then I realized it must be fate."

The Yakshasan god tilted his eyes as he reminisce in the past.  After a long pause, he directed his gaze to the far distant.

"You see. To enter the house of riddles for the scroll of sentience, would have killed someone like myself. The scroll was the missing piece in the four of us. I have asked a number of ascendants and gods to help out but they either gave up or met bad fate. The Karmic string in the house of riddles was a divine threat. No possible way for me. As I was contemplating of what could be, there you were. Out of the thin air. A mortal cultivator of the Zhuji level with a glowing halo of Karmic virtues. Immediately, I came to the realization of your importance. There were no treasures here as you can see.  But for you to be of service, I gave you personal destinations of few items that were no part of any conjecture rewards. And with a little cajoling, here we are with the Scroll. Agreed, you could have died in there but your journey coming here, was fate. Fate brought you here, child. Whatever you get from your adventure, I believe, is the reason why you came. Me making use of the opportunity? Call it what you may, we are who we are. Now, back to the present issue."

Said the Yakshasan god as he swirled around, facing Ju Feng.

"Divinis Ordis you invoked, Divinis Ordis you get. Three you gave me before and one you brought me now. Only of the three that were yours can you ask. So, what would it be?"

Bowing low again, Ju Feng replied.

"Senior, this humble one ask for the Heavenly Solitude spirit fruit."

"Heavens tears. I was hoping of getting to keep that one. You have no idea what it is, do you? Assuming you said this moment ago, I could have killed you. But now, I see why others liked you. Strange isn't it? Yes, existence can be strange sometimes. Anyway, here is the fruit."

The Frost-Dreamer flicked his fingers, sending the fruit towards Ju Feng.

"I hope you have your means of leaving this place, child. Don't tempt me by lingering around. I will close my eyes to meditate now, by the time I open them, I don't expect to see you. Fate brought you here but don't tempt it child.

Ju Feng fell on his knees and bowed deeply. He definitely had a means of living that place. A means that he couldn't wait to use.

"Thank you senior. Thank you. I won't forget your kindness."

"En."

The moment the Yakshasan god closed his eyes, Ju Feng looked around the place once more. Aculum Divinis. It was time to leave the gods forsaken frost place. He had seen many places in his short life, but this death place was high on the list. He slowly uttered the safe word and was immediately transported to the safe place. Some of the members of his group were already there, waiting.

"Hello, Ju Feng!"

"Hey, Ju Feng."

"You are back. How was your time in there?"

"You must have been enjoying yourself like Da Xia, for you to stay longer."

The sight of Chenric, Da Xia, Ying Jie and elder Wang Xiu, was a soothing relief to Ju Feng. Oh, how much he missed them. Instead of replying, he hugged them one by one to strange looks in return.

Though elder Cao Wang Xiu was a little reserved of the hugging reunion, she allowed it with utmost curiosity. 

"Ju Feng, you were only gone for few minutes. Few minutes."

"I've been gone for eternity, elder Cao Wang Xiu. Been gone for eternity."

They conversed among themselves as they await Zhang Xiu Ying. After another minute, she finally came out.

Dargehk looked at them all with unconcerned and emotionless eyes.

"This will be the last time on the mortal plane. Farewell to you all."

After a brief conversation  with the two adults, the giant residuum made some hand seals and a massive portal was opened under an archway. They all returned their farewell and entered the portal. They emerged on a clearing, a few kilometres from the Last-Sages premises. 

"And from adventure, we returned."

Elder Cao Wang Xiu beamed from the sight of a familiar terrain. She inhaled the air before turning towards the direction of the sect.  She didn't want to appear to be anxious in the presence of all the others, but as an elder who just confronted one of the demons of her past, she found it difficult to contain. About her leaving their home for the sect. But in as long as she was inside the sect boundaries, it was alright with her. However, to be certain of her true safety, she had spread her divine sense around, outside the sect's premises, to know of anytime her enemies would be outside the Last Sages' premises. Although they wouldn't be able to penetrate the defense of the sect. 

Earlier that morning, she had been notified of disciple's presence through her divine sense. Immediately she sensed them, she had used a disguise to follow them at a safer distance from their position. She knew they were on a mission but wasn't sure. She had decided to determine the situation of things before acting.

After close examination with her spiritual sight, she had come to the conclusion of the disciples being in a group of something resembling, adventurers. Adventures? That sounded like fun. Despite them being kids, they were also allowed to have a safe adventure. The vicinity around the sect was safe enough for the kids. She hadn't believed they could encounter everything they had. Yes, the blood rogue might not come back in the time being, there were still many other sources of danger out here. 

Although she wanted to keep a keen eye on the situations from now on, she didn't want to appear as an obtrusive element to the adventurers union. Things with being young cultivators. She could have been more relaxed is she had been aware of their sect elder who was secretly monitoring them. She had overlooked the possibility of that, probably due to her not sensing any form of danger in the vast area her spiritual sense was covering. They would just have to be extremely careful whenever they were outside the sect's premises. 

Now that the she was with them, their group was reasonably covered. She would wait for a bit more time before returning home. Or She could just continued watching them to be certain of their true safety. Nonetheless, her presence as a member of their group should come a huge relief. She relaxed her mind and continued towards the school premises.