While Yan Zhaoge had never personally been to the Marsh of Illusory Sea, he had long since heard of it.
That was an extremely massive marsh in the south of the Lake Domain, spanning the South Mountain, East Lake and West Lake of the Lake Domain's Six Daos.
Illusions abounded within, vast and unfathomable. Those who entered within would be faced with great danger.
Even Martial Grandmasters might not be able to return after entering, getting lost within.
Even Turbid Wave Pavilion, the Sacred Ground that had governed the Lake Domain for many years, had not completely grasped that place.
The Earth Domain that had mutated into 'Hell', the Wind Domain's Great Western Desert, the Extreme Northern Snowy Plains to the north of the Mountain Domain and Thunder Domain, the Southern Underground Palace of the Fire Domain, the endless ocean beyond the sea and the Marsh of Illusory Sea of the Lake Domain, were collectively known as the six great danger grounds of the current Eight Extremities World.
The ten-year period that Yan Di spoke of referred to the fact that the bewildering fog and illusions in the depths of the Marsh would weaken for a period of time every ten years.
During that period, it would be much safer for people to enter the Marsh of Illusory Sea. At the same time, the miraculous phenomenon of the 'Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow' would appear in the depths of the Marsh.
The two rainbows did not overlap, instead going east and west, one north and one south, intersecting amidst the horizon.
Yan Zhaoge received that jade hairpin from Yan Di, looking at the pattern of a snow crane on its head.
Yan Di said slowly, "The appearance of the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow is most likely due to the distortion of space there."
"When space is distorted to a certain extent, a passageway may be opened, leading to other worlds. Ten years ago, when I went to the Marsh of Illusory Sea, while I also saw the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow, there was no spatial passageway opened there."
"There might not be one this time as well, but you should go take a look."
Yan Zhaoge nodded, answering, "Alright."
Raising his head, he saw that the current Yan Di looked a little rarely seen, his expression gentle as it revealed some disappointment.
Yan Zhaoge was well aware that this originated from his mother, Yan Di's wife, Xue Chuqing.
Actually, in Yan Zhaoge's memories, his impression of his mother was very thin, mostly coming from the descriptions of others.
In his innate impression, his mother was a solitary practitioner, but her martial foundation was rather extraordinary, not inferior to the direct lineage of the six great Sacred Grounds in the slightest, also possessing traces of legacies from before the Great Calamity.
Back then, when he had first appeared in the world, many people had mistaken him for the successor of the Painting Saint, Old Man Mo.
Afterwards, the Yan couple and the other Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners had traversed the East Sea, passing by Verdant Pill Island to pay a visit to Old Man Mo. Verdant Pill Island had explicitly denied it, only then had it been confirmed that Xue Chuqing was not of Verdant Pill Island's lineage. Instead, as she had said, she had obtained a martial legacy from before the Great Calamity, forming her own style.
However, twenty years ago, when Yan Zhaoge was still young, Xue Chuqing had already disappeared without a trace.
There were people who witnessed her vanishing into the Swamp of Illusory Sea's Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow that occurred once every ten years.
Glancing at Yan Di, Yan Zhaoge's lips moved, but he did not speak.
Yan Di smiled, "I know what you are thinking about. Still, your mother did not perish in the Marsh of Illusory Sea, nor was she lost there."
"This is not self-consolation."
Yan Zhaoge curiously asked, "Oh?"
"What others don't know is that before Chuqing left, she told me that we might meet again in the future." Yan Di said, "She did not say it in detail, so I did not ask about it. Still, some things that I already know allow me to guess some things."
"Your mother only appeared in the world thirty years ago. While she has always said that she had always been living in seclusion with her Master, only coming out after her Master had passed away, her past thirty years ago was a complete blank."
Yan Di said softly, "It was as if she had never existed in this world."
Yan Zhaoge's gaze flickered, "In other words, mother was active in the Eight Extremities World for a total of ten years? It just so happens to be the period during which the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow appears. "
"You suspect that mother is not of the Eight Extremities World at all, instead hailing from another world?"
Yan Di smiled lightly, "This is not a suspicion, but something that can be confirmed."
"Chuqing seemed to have some misgivings, never saying it clearly. Thus, I also did not ask her. Still, the two of us had a tacit understanding, not saying it out loud."
"It's just that when she disappeared once more in the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow afterwards, whether she returned to the world she was born in or somewhere else, I am still uncertain. Therefore, I say that it is a guess."
Yan Di's gaze fell on the jade hairpin, "When she first disappeared, I searched for a long time in the Marsh of Illusory Sea, not finding any traces of her. I believe that she should not have perished within. Then, the greatest possibility is that it is indeed related to the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow. Therefore, every ten years, I go there to investigate."
Yan Zhaoge sighed, "Sadly, the dimensional passageway there does not seem to be stable."
Yan Di said, "If it really is as stable as that passageway leading to the Flame Devil World on the Outer East Sea, it might not be a good thing for the Eight Extremities World. After all, we do not know what the situation on the other side is like."
Yan Zhaoge nodded, "Mother's martial arts are not inferior to those of the Eight Extremities World's six great Sacred Grounds. This means that the development of the martial dao there is no weaker than here at the very least."
Yan Di looked over, "Let me correct a misconception of yours."
"The true profundities of Chuqing's martial arts are even above our clan's Clear Qi Profound Art and Three Supreme Arts."
Hearing his words, Yan Zhaoge's pupils dilated slightly as many thoughts instantly flashed through his mind, "Oh? This is truly out of my expectations … "
Yan Di said, "It's good that you are aware of this matter. Before today, other than me, only your Grand Master was aware of it. Even eldest apprentice-brother and the others did not know about it."
"While your mother and I did not pass on the martial arts that the other cultivated in, we often interacted and verified them. If I am not wrong, Chuqing's trump card seems to be some supreme martial art from before the Great Calamity that has been passed down in its entirety."
Before the Great Calamity, the martial dao had experienced a long period of development, its civilisation brilliant and glorious. All sorts of supreme martial arts had been unceasingly improved and perfected, the old bringing forth the new as they had attained an extremely high peak.
After the Great Calamity, most of the martial civilisation had been lost.
The current martial civilisation of the Eight Extremities World had begun anew from the foundation of excavating the legacies left behind by their predecessors, still being in the early stages of development.
While it had its own unique areas, it was still lacking as compared to the peak martial arts of before the Great Calamity.
This was not necessarily because the martial practitioners of after the Great Calamity were lacking, but because of the lack of accumulation of legacies and time.
Looking at the jade hairpin in his palm, Yan Zhaoge muttered to himself, "A supreme martial art that has been passed down in its entirety? In the Eight Extremities World, it really is rarely seen. "
After pondering for a while, Yan Zhaoge kept the jade hairpin in his hand, asking, "Father, since the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow appears every ten years, that passageway should have opened more than once or twice, right? Other than mother, is there anyone else like this? Or perhaps in the Eight Extremities World, did someone leave and go to the other side? "
"Whether there are others, that is something that cannot be confirmed," Yan Di answered, "As for who went to the other side? From ancient times till now, there have been many people who have gone missing in the Marsh of Illusory Sea every year. Amongst them, there might be people who have left the Eight Extremities World, but there shouldn't be anyone who has returned after leaving. "
Yan Zhaoge nodded.
Yan Di said, "There is still some time before the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow appears. You should make some preparations, setting off when the time is nearing."
Raising his head, Yan Zhaoge saw Yan Di standing on the mountain ridge, his hands behind his back as he gazed towards the southeast, in the direction of the Lake Domain, slight ripples seemingly appearing within his gaze. (To be continued.)
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