ETR | Chapter 95

What was taken from Xiao Xueman wasn't his spiritual power, but something even more crucial—his spiritual source, or rather, his talent.

His spiritual power hadn’t decreased; it was just the way he used it that was being taken back. But in this situation, even if he had spiritual power, he couldn’t use it.

It was a feeling of being restricted and bound.

This was a gradual process. Once he was restricted to the point where he couldn’t use any spiritual power, he would… disappear.

Talent is the foundation, the vessel that holds spiritual power. When all of this is taken away, Xiao Xueman naturally ceases to exist.

All the spiritual power would be reclaimed by the rules, just like those spirit gods who tried to break through to higher realms but failed, their accumulated spiritual power re-entering the world’s cycle.

Qin Lou first noticed it when Xiao Xueman's figure could no longer keep up with him.

Although they didn't need to fight here and weren't trying to intercept the light spheres, they were always searching for something special in this place.

Xiao Xueman's original speed was very fast, slightly faster than Qin Lou. He had just begun to be affected, and if you didn't look closely, it wasn't very noticeable.

But Qin Lou noticed. He was always most afraid of this. As soon as Xiao Xueman fell behind by a few steps, he immediately guessed it.

When he asked, Xiao Xueman didn't lie or hide it from him.

Xiao Xueman felt that Qin Lou's reaction was much bigger than his own. He had already anticipated it, so when it actually happened, although it was hard to bear, he could only calmly accept it.

But Qin Lou held his hand, repeatedly checking his condition. Xiao Xueman felt that he was trembling more than himself.

"We still have time, Qin Lou," Xiao Xueman said, seeing that he had almost finished checking, and held his hand in return. "Don't be too nervous."

He thought continuing this topic was dangerous. The more they discussed it, the more uncomfortable it would make him, so he started looking for other topics to divert attention and help Qin Lou relax a bit.

"When will the Illusion Realm end?" Xiao Xueman asked. "So much has happened since we came in, I haven't been counting the days."

They had been unconscious before, making it even harder to keep track of time.

The opening time of the Illusion Realm is much shorter than the mines in the Middle Realm.

Xiao Wan went to see Tianyin, which had been excavated by so many people for three or four years without closing, but the Illusion Realm usually lasts only two or three months.

According to the pattern, the more precious the resources produced by an Illusion Realm or mine, the shorter its existence.

This Fusion Secret Realm probably has an even shorter existence.

Xiao Xueman and Qin Lou had already spent about twenty days reaching the center of the Secret Realm, and once inside, they lost track of time, experiencing a period of almost no progress and wasted time.

Moreover, the appearance of light spheres was becoming less frequent. All these signs indicated that this Illusion Realm was nearing its end.

Even though they had considered that this time they might not gain much—even if they reached the center of the Illusion Realm, they could only bring back some resources, still unable to touch the rules—when time ran out, Xiao Xueman suffered another blow.

And both of them couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

"There will be a way," Qin Lou said, holding Xiao Xueman's hand, then pulling him into his arms, as if murmuring to himself, comforting both Xiao Xueman and himself. "I will find a way..."

Xiao Xueman was held in his arms and didn't push him away. He felt Qin Lou's grip was especially strong, as if by holding him tightly, he could keep him from leaving.

Qin Lou's hand injury should be healing by now, right?

Xiao Xueman even let his mind wander to other thoughts, then sighed softly in his heart.

Why wasn't Qin Lou in the prophecy either?

He actually didn't need to face such a predicament, nor was there any life-threatening danger. No matter how bad things looked, theoretically, he wouldn't disappear with him.

Meanwhile, outside the Illusion Realm, Xiao Wan was waiting anxiously.

When his emotions were unstable before, he used cultivation to divert his attention and calm himself down. But now he couldn't cultivate. Xiao Wan knew that cultivating at this time would be like a death sentence for Xiao Xueman, so he could only stay idle.

But staying idle made it easy to overthink.

Xiao Wan initially stayed at the arena for a while, then went to Wangtian Immortal Gate. Yin Ying knew about this matter, and he was very careful, often coming over to chat with Xiao Wan.

"Don't be afraid," Yin Ying said, looking at the face that was a spitting image of Xiao Xueman's, his words softening. "I know Xueman. He always turns danger into safety and will come back to see you safe and sound."

Shen Guan didn't venture into the Illusion Realm either. Because of this matter, he postponed some things with the Fox Clan and often came over to accompany him, telling him stories of how Xiao Xueman turned the tables in the past, adding hope to each other as they talked.

With these elders around, Xiao Wan's time was a bit less difficult. Moreover, Yun Rong had returned from the Purple Cloud Lynx's territory to accompany him, making Xiao Wan feel a bit better.

But whether it was the arena, Wangtian Immortal Gate, or the Demon Clan, none had a method to prevent spiritual power from growing without harming oneself.

Xiao Xueman could feel his talent being taken away at the center of the Illusion Realm, and Xiao Wan's feeling was even more pronounced.

That day, he watched as his vines appeared uncontrollably, and his domain reappeared in a non-combat state, though its coverage wasn't large, just in the area where Xiao Wan was sitting.

Although Xiao Wan quickly retracted everything, his panic and despair were so evident that it startled Yun Rong in the other room.

Yun Rong heard a "bang" from that room and rushed over to see that the table in front of Xiao Wan's chair was shattered, pulverized.

It wasn't intentional on Xiao Wan's part. The domain he had just released covered that table, which wasn't a good spiritual instrument, just a decoration, and naturally shattered under the pressure of the domain.

And Xiao Wan stood there, his panic and despair so clear.

He immediately ran to tell Shen Guan about it.

Shen Guan's face changed after hearing it, but he still forced a smile, telling Xiao Wan not to worry too much. This didn't mean the domain was mature, and Xiao Xueman still had time.

“Why hasn’t Daddy come back yet?” Xiao Wan sat there hugging his legs, feeling a bit safer only when holding himself, and the panic on his face didn’t fade at all with Shen Guan’s words.

“I heard someone say yesterday that this Secret Realm is very special, not giving much time. It’s not even two months yet, and it feels like it’s already ending. But there’s still no news from Daddy and them.”

Previously, Yun Heng had returned, giving Xiao Wan some confidence. He said Daddy and the others were already near the center of the Secret Realm.

He was afraid of dragging them down, so he came back. The favor with the Demon Clan was enough, but the Alchemist Association, Zong Manluo, was still waiting.

Yun Heng had dug up enough treasures and returned, and later, others from various forces returned early due to severe injuries, unable to compete any longer.

Some had also approached the center of the Secret Realm, but when asked about Qin Lou and Xiao Xueman, they all said they hadn’t seen them.

They couldn’t help at all from outside, only waiting, always hoping for some progress inside.

But Xiao Xueman had promised Xiao Wan before leaving that regardless of whether he touched the rules in the Secret Realm, he would return, and they would face it together.

Yet as time passed, there was no sign of Xiao Xueman and Qin Lou returning.

Xiao Xueman and Qin Lou were at the center of the Secret Realm, unable to break through the light membrane. But not being able to break through didn’t mean they couldn’t leave the Secret Realm.

Leaving the Secret Realm was relatively simple. Many spiritual instruments could instantly eject someone, and those entering the Secret Realm would have such items as a backup, a lifesaver at critical moments.

Of course, once ejected, re-entering meant starting from the edge again, and entering the center of such a Secret Realm again would be troublesome and time-consuming, so Xiao Xueman and Qin Lou would try to stay until the last moment no matter what.

Xiao Wan and the others would worry, and Xiao Xueman knew that, but he was helpless too.

Every moment they spent at the center of the Illusion Realm was spent searching. Qin Lou, after discovering the changes in him, was almost frantic in his search, yet after so long, there was still no progress.

Everything here, down to the smallest blade of grass, was unaffected by them. Xiao Xueman and Qin Lou thought the river that brought them here was problematic, but no matter how they tried to dive in, they were always lifted back up.

Time passed like this until the Secret Realm was about to close.

The closure of a Secret Realm has very obvious signs, which everyone inside should feel—the spiritual energy gradually thins, and the light grows dimmer.

Xiao Xueman and Qin Lou, at the center of the Secret Realm, felt it differently from those outside, but they could still notice some changes.

First, although the appearance of light spheres had no pattern, the interval wasn't too long. Xiao Xueman had been here for some time, and once the time exceeded a critical point without any light spheres appearing, he became alert.

The absence of such treasures emerging was a sign that the Illusion Realm no longer welcomed visitors.

After realizing this, he waited a while longer to confirm that no light spheres appeared for a long time.

But there were other signs.

The waterfall that brought them here had less and less water flowing out. Initially, it was surging, but after a while, it lost its momentum, and the river gradually calmed, no longer flowing, becoming a stagnant pool.

The Secret Realm was closing, and they could be said to have gained nothing. Even if they obtained some rare treasures, it did nothing to alleviate Xiao Xueman's situation.

His talent was being taken away more and more, and soon, he could only use half of his original abilities.

Xiao Xueman rarely felt so powerless, and it was the first time he was so helpless.

Indeed, the idea that one could touch the rules within the Secret Realm was just a myth.

"It's time to leave and find another way," he said to Qin Lou. "Otherwise, when the Secret Realm closes, we won't be able to leave."

Such situations had occurred in the Secret Realm before, where some people, due to unconsciousness or other reasons, didn’t leave before it closed and disappeared along with it.

Their families or clans might have life tokens to determine their members’ safety, and these tokens shattered the moment the Secret Realm disappeared, confirming their death.

No matter how much they wanted treasures, they couldn't be flexible; they had to leave before the Secret Realm ended. Everyone knew this rule.

But Qin Lou stared at him, shook his head, and said, "I can't leave now."

"Qin Lou?"

"I want to take a gamble."