The Ninth Inner World

Most of the people in Hat Bro's current harem are exactly this type.

"That's right, that's what I mean."

Ji Liang nodded slightly.

Chen Xuan's throat moved. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he swallowed the words.

However, Ji Liang noticed this. He smiled lightly and waved his hand, "If you have something to say, say it. No need to hold back."

"Then don't be upset, senior."

Chen Xuan crossed his arms and guessed, "You said that after she gave birth, she almost never came home. Every time she returned, she just brought some rare herbs and treasures. Do you think she might be… outside?"

"Old Chen, don't talk nonsense."

Xu Mu patted Chen Xuan's arm.

"No need. I've thought about it a long time ago. To be honest with you, my daughter-in-law is of a different race, and with her cultivation, she looks at most thirty years old."

Ji Liang sighed deeply, "Ever since she gave birth to Qingge, she's hardly been home. I've had that suspicion myself, but no matter what, she never actively asked for a divorce, so she's still the daughter-in-law of the Ji family."

"Senior is truly magnanimous."

Xu Mu said with a smile.

"The main thing is that we owe her. She married my son in secret. Her parents didn't agree and cut ties with her. But in the end, her parents were still killed by others of their own race."

Ji Liang let out a helpless sigh, then took out more tobacco shreds and stuffed them into his pipe.

"I'm not sure if she's in the Ninth Inner Realm. If she is, please save her. If she isn't, then that means she intends to stay away from us, and I won't waste any more time on her."

"What I want to ask is, senior, why are you having us go over to rescue her? Your own strength is so great—why don't you go yourself?"

Xu Mu asked with a smile, "Even if you don't have time, as the chairman, you could dispatch some experts to go."

"You don't know this—the Ninth Inner Realm has an extremely powerful heavenly-law formation. I feel that even immortals above the ninth rank would find it very difficult to break through."

Ji Liang looked at Xu Mu and explained, "The higher your realm, the greater the restriction this formation places on you."

"There's such a formation?"

Chen Xuan asked in surprise.

"That's right. For example, if you're ninth rank, the formation's restriction is so strong that you couldn't even use the power of first rank."

Ji Liang paused and continued, "After several years of our calculations, breaking into the second rank is the critical line. Meaning: if you're at the breaking realm, second rank, you can use your true strength. If you're third rank, the strength you can use is actually worse than that of second rank."

"Then why doesn't senior find some second-rank people to go?"

Xu Mu asked again. He didn't want to go die for nothing.

"The reason is simple. Besides that restriction, there are other formations in that array, and these others are actually friendly to those of lower realms."

Ji Liang didn't hide anything. He stated the facts plainly.

"I see. Second-rank experts aren't restricted in their strength, but the formations aren't friendly to them. For those of lower realms, the formations are more friendly, but they're in mortal danger—because these second-rank experts won't just watch people below their realm take the treasures right under their noses."

Xu Mu summarized roughly.

"That's right. Those above second rank, like me, fear being killed by second rankers. Second rankers fear being killed by the formations. Low realm cultivators fear being killed by second rankers."

Ji Liang said up to here, then looked at Xu Mu and Chen Xuan, "Talents like you—low realm but able to challenge higher realms with ease—are the most fitting."

"Senior, that's easy for you to say. What if we die?"

Xu Mu smiled and waved his hand.

"High risk, high reward. As long as you help me with this, I'm willing to offer a divine medicine as compensation."

Ji Liang looked at Xu Mu, "This is from me personally. It has nothing to do with the Sanitation Department."

Xu Mu shoved his hands into his pants pockets and looked at Chen Xuan, "Old Chen, what do you think?"

"I want to ask, what exactly is the Ninth Inner Realm?"

Chen Xuan asked curiously, "Why does the name sound kind of strange?"

"The inner realms you've seen before are embedded into our world—that is, they're in constant intersection with it. But there's another type of inner realm that's different."

Ji Liang explained, "They're like satellites, orbiting our world. Every certain period of time, they intersect with our world. After a short intersection, they separate again."

"There's this kind of inner realm?"

Chen Xuan was shocked.

"That's right. Every time we discover one of these inner realms, we record it. The number of this one is Ninth."

Ji Liang smiled and said, "We can now calculate it down to the second. The Ninth intersects with our world roughly every 26 million seconds—around three hundred days—and stays for about 510,000 seconds—around six days—before pulling away."

After listening, Xu Mu asked, "What if we don't get out in time? Then we'd have to wait another three hundred days?"

"That's right."

Ji Liang nodded.

"This divine medicine really isn't easy to get."

Xu Mu was a bit exasperated.

"I'll send a second-rank expert to accompany you. But once you enter the formation, you'll be separated."

Ji Liang asked, "Are you going or not?"

"I'm going!"

Xu Mu nodded.

"I knew you would."

Ji Liang smiled and took out a ring from his person, "Inside is a photo of my daughter-in-law and a recorded message from me. If you truly find her, show her the video."

Xu Mu took the ring, "Time and place?"

"Depart tomorrow. The helicopter will be parked at Old Wei's place as before. Just head over in the morning."

Ji Liang explained, "There are quite a few people who know about this inner realm. You have to be careful."

Xu Mu and Chen Xuan both nodded.

The two jumped down from the rooftop. Yang Lielan was waiting not far away.

"All done talking?"

"Mm."

Xu Mu nodded.

"It must be about the Ninth Inner Realm, right?"

Yang Lielan smiled and sat on the electric bike.

"Did senior look for you before?"

Xu Mu asked curiously.

"That's right. But I happened to be busy last time and turned it down. That place is very dangerous. Old-timer experts definitely don't want to die at the hands of juniors—that would be a real letdown."

Yang Lielan shook his head slightly, "Let's go."

Xu Mu nodded. He and Chen Xuan both mounted their electric bikes as well.

"Why do you two always ride behind me?"

Yang Lielan asked curiously from the front.

"Riding side-by-side would block the passing lane. That's called a lack of etiquette."

Xu Mu answered from behind with a lofty expression.

...

The three boarded the helicopter again and returned to Jiang City.

After arriving back at Wei Jingzhi's estate, Xu Mu and Chen Xuan rode off together on their electric bikes.

On the way.

Chen Xuan said calmly, "Brother Mu, I didn't help much this time. I don't deserve these two ninth-grade treasures."

"Stop being so polite with me. If you hadn't found those two corpses, our mission wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Xu Mu smiled, "With these two treasures, you're definitely going to break into the Transcendence Realm."

"Brother Mu, you're truly my lucky charm. With you, my strength is growing way too fast."

Chen Xuan let out a sigh.

Xu Mu laughed, "You'd be the same even without me."

"Don't joke around. I didn't meet you on the mountain back then, and all those years, my strength never grew this quickly."

Chen Xuan shook his head.

After dropping Xu Mu off at the villa, Chen Xuan handed the two ninth-grade treasures to Xu Mu, asking him to refine them into pills.

Xu Mu didn't stand on ceremony, but before refining the pills, he had something more important to do—the lottery draw.

He had saved up twelve consecutive draws by now, amounting to over twelve thousand points of justice value.

He wasn't about to spend ten thousand points on the premium draw. He'd learned his lesson last time—compared to cultivation techniques, one's own cultivation realm was the real foundation.

Lying on the sofa, Xu Mu tapped the draw button.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you've obtained the Violet Harmony Armor]

"That name sounds a bit... improper, doesn't it?"

Xu Mu muttered to himself.