Absolute Destiny Game

At this moment, Xiao Jie felt both joyful and fearful.

He glanced around. Gu Yun State was composed of many fragmented islands, and this one, located at the furthest edge, wasn't particularly large.

Ahead lay a barren plain, and further ahead grew weeds and trees. Surprisingly, Gu Yun State had vegetation, which made Xiao Jie feel much more at ease.

What made Xiao Jie even happier was that the Storm Thunder Eagle could also fly here in Gu Yun State.

Xiao Jie took out the Heart Compass, and it immediately pointed in a certain direction.

Without lingering too long, Xiao Jie meditated on the spot to replenish his Mana and Inner Power Value, then once again transformed into the Storm Thunder Eagle and embarked on the Immortal Road.

Flying above, Xiao Jie surveyed the scenery below.

Compared to the Land of Nine States, Gu Yun State presented another kind of scenery. Though the earth was fragmented, forming a series of floating islands scattered across the great void, strange flowers still grew resiliently. The outer regions of the islands were quite desolate, yet the closer one got to the island's center, the more vitality appeared. Every now and then, flickering light spots could be seen, marking areas ripe for gathering.

But Xiao Jie was in no mood to collect materials at this moment, focused entirely on flying towards the direction indicated by the Heart Compass.

Soon, he leapt over this island, followed by a second and a third. Xiao Jie reached the largest island in Gu Yun State, where a majestic immortal mountain emerged in his view, shrouded in clouds and mist, standing tall at over a thousand meters. The grandeur and magnificence of the scenery were awe-inspiring.

What further amazed Xiao Jie was the faint outline of towers and pavilions at the mountain's summit.

The compass pointed directly in this direction.

With a swift flap of his wings, Xiao Jie flew towards the mountain.

As Xiao Jie reached the top of this majestic mountain, the map markings changed again.

[System Prompt: You have discovered Fangzhang Immortal Mountain]

Soon, a vast array of palaces and buildings nestled amidst the mountains appeared before Xiao Jie's eyes. This palace complex occupied an extremely large area, taking up nearly one-tenth of the island's area. Hundreds and thousands of palaces layered atop each other, perched atop peaks and nestled within valleys, spreading across the entirety of Fangzhang Mountain.

[System Prompt: You have discovered Yunmiao Immortal Palace]

But as Xiao Jie got closer, he found these palaces looking particularly desolate; some were already ruined, while others appeared intact at first glance but were covered with strange charred marks on the ground and between eaves, as if splashed with black ink everywhere.

There was also a faint black mist swirling within, and although Xiao Jie wasn't sure what it was, his intuition told him it was nothing good, best not to land recklessly.

The entire mountain peak's palace complex presented a gloomy, dark tone, combined with the empty buildings, creating a sense of inexplicable eeriness.

It's a pity that if not for these dilapidated scenes, within these clouds and beyond the void, this palace would still possess some taste of the Immortal Realm's celestial palace.

At this moment, as Xiao Jie flew above the palace group, the Heart Compass began to spin wildly.

It seemed the Immortal's retreat was here, but as Xiao Jie looked at the palace group below, he was troubled by the fact that there were hundreds of palace buildings, so where should he start looking?

As he soared, Xiao Jie pondered that slowly searching through each palace would take forever. Moreover, the Immortals were hiding, so how could he determine even if he found their hiding place?

Furthermore, there might be hidden dangers in these palaces; that black mist seemed suspicious.

Suddenly, Xiao Jie discovered something, "Eh, why does that mountain look so familiar?"

It was a rather inconspicuous peak, with no palace or pavilion on top, just a platform built with bluestone, surrounded by carved railings and painted pillars. A waterfall from the adjoining peak flowed down beside it, creating an exceptionally beautiful scene.

Yet, in this fairyland of a place, such scenery isn't particularly remarkable. What captured Xiao Jie's attention was the composition's structure, suddenly evoking a sense of inexplicable familiarity.

Like he'd seen something similar somewhere.

He suddenly remembered something and promptly opened his backpack to examine the Hidden Immortal Map.

Xiao Jie often took out this map to look at, becoming quite familiar with the scenery depicted. At this moment, comparing the two, he realized with astonishment that the Hidden Immortal Map depicted the palaces before him.

The painting portrays a group of Immortals drinking and making merry, with a backdrop of immortal mountains, flowing water, palace towers, auspicious clouds, and cranes dancing...

Xiao Jie gently landed on the platform, continuously searching for angles to compare with the scenery in the painting.

No mistake, it's right here. Xiao Jie looked around; this was precisely the spot where the Immortals in the painting were drinking and making merry.

The water still flowed, the positions of the palace towers matched precisely, except for the absent drinking Immortals and flying cranes. The painting's palace towers were complete, whereas the ones before him appeared somewhat dilapidated.

But it's certain the place depicted in the painting is this exact location.

Mysteriously, as if by heavenly mandate, this Hidden Immortal Map fell into his hands and led him here.

Heart Compass, Hidden Immortal Map, Dragon Transformation Skill, Corpse Language Skill, Beast Language Skill... every step on his quest for immortality now connected together. Even missing one crucial element might have prevented him from finding this place.

Could it be that he truly was the chosen one?

No, more like the chosen one selected by the Wuming Taoist?

That Wuming Taoist seems to have accounted for everything...

Initially, Xiao Jie just used this rhetoric to deceive Shen Jizi to garner his vigilance to assist himself, not actually fully believing it himself. But now, he felt as if all of this was commanded by destiny.

"So... I surely can find where the group of Immortals are hidden!" Xiao Jie muttered to himself, gazing around as his eyes suddenly fixed on something.

Beside the waterfall, amidst the grassland, stood a small thatched cottage.

Although the cottage was small, it was exceptionally clean and tidy, contrasting sharply with the surrounding dilapidated palaces. The cottage sat beneath a peach tree, with lush and lively branches, surrounded by verdant grass. A beam of sunlight penetrated the waterfall, bathing the cottage, even making the lighting seem especially pleasant.

In this desolate end-time world, this sight resembled a corner of paradise.

Xiao Jie felt a connection here; this was it!

He hurried into the cottage. Inside were tables, chairs, stools, a wooden bed, and bookshelves—simple yet conveying a touch of elegance. On the living room wall hung an ancient painting.

Xiao Jie approached the ancient painting for closer examination.

The painting depicted a vast ocean with an immortal mountain rising from it, covered with strange flowers and grasses, surrounded by clouds and mist, beside palace towers, cranes flying around, exuding an airy, ethereal essence.

Xiao Jie wondered, could this be another Painting Realm world?

These Immortals really weren't that creative, hiding within paintings?

But how to open this Painting Realm?

Xiao Jie clicked with his mouse, and the ancient painting instantly enlarged on his screen, drawing his particular attention to its missing corner.

[System Prompt: This is an incomplete painting. You can try to complete it.]

Then a brush icon appeared on the screen. Xiao Jie moved the mouse slightly, and the brush followed.

Damn... do I have to finish this painting to open the Painting Realm?

I can't do it, wait a minute!!! Feels like I have something...

Suddenly inspired, Xiao Jie opened his backpack, scrounged around, until finally locating what he sought at the very bottom—a detached corner page of a painting scroll.

[Mountain and Sea Painting Realm Fragment (Trash)

Item Introduction: A corner fragment of an ancient painting, seemingly of no particular significance.]

Previously obtained after Xia Yi the Unrivaled solo-defeated the Puppet Master, Xiao Jie casually picked it up, finding no use for it then.

But at this moment, Xiao Jie was astounded to find this Painting Realm Fragment matched precisely with the missing part of the ancient painting before him.

Xiao Jie right-clicked the fragment, which then transformed into a ray of light, seamlessly fitting onto the ancient painting, completing its missing corner and causing the painted scene to come alive.

The ocean emitted sounds of waves, and the cranes' cries resounded softly; even the clouds in the painting slowly began to move.

Viewing the ancient painting that now seemed like a living three-dimensional art, Xiao Jie's heart surged with emotion.

"Alright, now I truly believe I am the chosen one," Xiao Jie murmured to himself.

The next moment, the ancient painting emitted a gentle white light, absorbing Xiao Jie into its scene.