Myriad Realms Gatekeeper

"This is the Nine Palaces Bagua Dan Furnace from Penglai Immortal Mountain back in the day."

"I targeted Nangong Wantu because that fool always wants the best of everything, and then he became involved with this furnace."

Saintly Honor looked around and saw the elders showing puzzled expressions, so he continued,

"This furnace is a peak creation of ancient times, indestructible."

"There is a secret compartment on the furnace that cannot be opened."

"Only with the treasure key of Penglai Mountain, the 'Formation-Breaking Holy Staff,' can this compartment be opened to retrieve what's inside!"

The elders then understood.

"Did Yun Ni take away the Formation-Breaking Holy Staff?" one elder asked.

"Exactly, and to my fury, just when I finally found the staff, she stole it in the blink of an eye—and she died in the Indefinite Layered Universe!" Saintly Honor gnashed his teeth as he spoke.

The mood among them grew solemn.

—To think it was such a crucial matter!

They exchanged glances, stood up, and paid their respects,

"Saintly Honor, calm your anger. We shall head to the Indefinite Layered Universe immediately to find a way to retrieve the Formation-Breaking Holy Staff."

"No," said Saintly Honor.

"Your meaning is—?" The elders were puzzled.

"Based on the intelligence continuously being fed back, I feel there might be some mysterious workings within the Indefinite Layered Universe. Instead of you continuing to probe, I might as well make the trip myself."

Saintly Honor suddenly turned and walked back to the high platform, gazing at everyone.

"My Heart Demon body will remain here, monitoring some cats and dogs daily, rather than going to the Indefinite Layered Universe!"

"With the power of the Supreme Binding Life Refining Soul Palace, no piece of intelligence can escape my eyes!"

"—You all stay here to guard our sect."

"Yes, Saintly Honor," the elders responded in unison.

Saintly Honor nodded, his physique shook with vigor, and he shot up into the sky, disappearing in an instant.

The elders gathered to discuss various affairs, then they prepared to depart.

"How should we deal with this furnace?"

An elder suddenly asked.

"Saintly Honor didn't say when he left," another elder replied.

"Then let's leave it here until Saintly Honor returns."

"That makes sense!"

The elders dispersed.

The Formless Heavenly Demon waited a while, seeing no other activity, and planned to return.

Yet Shen Ye had a sudden thought.

—The Void Flame gradually vanished from the ground around him.

This indicated that the Supreme Binding Life Refining Soul Palace had left the Taoist Palace and accompanied Saintly Honor to the Indefinite Layered Universe.

What a great opportunity—

Shen Ye made the Formless Heavenly Demon walk up to the furnace.

There was no one around.

Not only had Saintly Honor left, but the elders had departed as well.

The perfect moment to retrieve the content of that secret compartment!

The Formless Heavenly Demon circled the furnace, located the secret compartment, and was about to act when it suddenly stopped.

—There's no one here!

Not even a Law Enforcement Cultivator!

Could it be a trap?

Saintly Honor was an extremely suspicious person; what if this furnace was deliberately left behind—

After a brief hesitation, Shen Ye made up his mind rather than backing down.

Damn it!

Watching and testing over and over!

You can't detect my Formless Heavenly Demon; if this is a trap, I might as well jump right into it!

The Formless Heavenly Demon extended its hands—

One hand aimed at the secret compartment on the furnace, the other hand pressed into the void.

Deep breath.

One,

Two,

Three!

Suddenly, a door appeared on the furnace, and the Formless Heavenly Demon reached in to grab something, then, moving its entire body, crashed into the void that the other hand was pressing.

The door on the furnace vanished.

But another door appeared elsewhere.

It crashed through this new door and disappeared instantly.

The door also vanished.

All this happened in the blink of an eye!

In the Scripture Pavilion.

A row of glowing small characters appeared in front of Shen Ye's eyes:

"The Primordial Formless Fiend has all your abilities."

"The Formless Heavenly Demon opened a Gate of Heaven in front of the secret compartment, bypassing all obstructing barriers, and retrieved the content within."

"The Formless Heavenly Demon dissolved the Gate of Heaven in front of the secret compartment."

"It opened a new Gate of Heaven with its other hand and entered, crossing directly into your Dharma Aspect."

Success!

There was no need for the Formation-Breaking Holy Staff; the Gate of Heaven directly allowed for the retrieval of the items inside.

Shen Ye kept his cool, having the Formless Heavenly Demon place the jade slip from the secret compartment into his Dharma Aspect before reappearing before him.

"Go back to the Council Hall and see if there's any situation," he murmured to himself.

With a flash, the Formless Heavenly Demon soared into the sky.

In a moment.

It returned to the front of the Council Hall.

As the Formless Heavenly Demon observed the scene inside the hall, Shen Ye couldn't help but curse silently.

He saw Saintly Honor crouched on the furnace, his face a mix of puzzlement and wariness, his hands continuously forming techniques, releasing various Dao Techniques to probe his surroundings.

Damn thief!

You really came back!

No matter how many schemes or traps you set—

You cannot see the Formless Heavenly Demon!

Shen Ye let out a quiet breath.

What made the whole operation seamless was actually the secret compartment on the furnace.

It remained undamaged on the surface.

None of the various bans added to the furnace had been triggered either.

In other words—

No one discovered what I took from inside!

"Strange... there seemed to be traces of energy movement just now..."

Saintly Honor muttered to himself.

The Formless Heavenly Demon stood outside the hall, coldly watching Saintly Honor.

Opening the Gate of Heaven to take the item from the secret compartment caused a bit of commotion.

Other than that, Saintly Honor actually couldn't detect anything.

Shen Ye willed the thought.

The Formless Heavenly Demon then turned away and swiftly left the main peak to fly back to the Scripture Pavilion.

Indeed—

The Formless Heavenly Demon wouldn't be discovered.

But who knows what that paranoid Saintly Honor might do?

Now that the item was acquired successfully and the secret compartment remained intact, there was no need to take further risks.

—From this point on, I'm out of the game!

Saintly Honor, no matter how much you probe, deliberate, or set traps, I don't care anymore.