At an unknown location in the central continent, a majestic and godly castle that represented power and authority floated in the ravaging chaotic void, but despite being in such a disastrous location, the castle didn't have any signs of corrosion by the unstable, chaotic particles; instead, it even absorbed the chaotic energies as it caused the castle to radiate with more brilliance and remain stable in the ravaging void. Inside this described floating castle, twelve unknown beings hovered in the space of a large hall with a series of ancient symbols and carvings on the walls; upon closer inspection, these carvings and ancient characters glowed brightly as their illuminant glows produced light in the large hall. Six large pillars supported the hall's immense ceiling; on the pillars were different statues of ancient magical beasts that appeared realistic yet lifeless. The statues of the magical beasts were of different breeds and origins; one couldn't even decern which category these beasts were as they were too ancient.
The twelve unknown figures floated in the space of the large hall with extreme silence; these figures wore long golden ancient robes with multiple patterns and designs signifying their true ancientness. But despite the hall being brilliantly illuminated, the faces and bodies of the twelve beings remained unrecognized as one couldn't even guess their genders, let alone their specific races; the only noticeable fact was that the silhouettes of these figures were in the form of energies, their eyes, arms, and body were entirely constructed of pure energies, with their golden robes being the only describable object on them. Another noticeable fact was that these people didn't exude any form of energy or pressure, not even a ripple in the space; it was as if they weren't living presences. The twelve unknown individuals hovered in the space, forming a circle.
"The 'Desolate Realm' will be opening soon; we should announce the gathering of multi-worldly geniuses to participate."
Suddenly, one of the energy individuals spoke, this person's voice sounding neither male nor female; it was integrated with both the heaviness of a male tone and the charming pitch tone of a female. The other energy figures nodded in agreement; some of the floating beings had folded arms and closed eyes while listening to the others speak. But then, another individual added.
"We have been conducting the Desolate Realm invasion for over a trillion decades now; do you think we will achieve our goal this time?"
"Yes, we will; although the Desolate Realm is infinitely chaotic and plagued with countless unknowns, we now have the Dao children, which I believe can compensate for our previous losses and any future shortcomings." Another energy being spoke as it was the same genderless tone. The others stared at this individual as they calculated their options.
"Off-topic, but has anyone calculated who or what caused that unknown foreboding sensation a while back?"
An energy figure interrupted as he brought up a previous forgotten event, but upon hearing this individual's words, the hall became silent as the others stared at the figure that asked. Some slowly unfolded their arms as they remembered that feeling hours ago. They were busy discussing plans and events when they suddenly felt an overwhelming sensation that caused them to shiver in trepidation, even though they were beings of immense strength and power; for a second, they felt the unbearable pressure of a certain person or object. They had searched the entire immortal realm for the said object or person, but they couldn't discover anything; some immediately ignored the dreadful sensation, but now the topic had resurfaced, causing these unknown energy beings to fall in contemplation.
"I suggest we forget about that event. We all know our strengths; if even we can't sense anything, it only means things are beyond our perception; besides, if that unknown sensation meant us harm, we all know things would have been different." The first energy individual that spoke previously interrupted, debunking any contemplation relating to that unknown sensation. The other eleven figures realized what this person meant as they agreed.
"Well then, we shall meet at the Desolate Realm opening."
The next instant, twelve unknown individuals evaporated like gas from the large hall.
At the scene where the gigantic infinite treasures mountain stood, the burly subordinate ordered to interrupt Patrick, stood stiff at his spot; his eyes widened and in shock as he couldn't comprehend what had happened. Sweat dripped from his face as he slowly looked up to his master, the Ancient Gong family descendant.
The Gong descendant and his other ninety-nine escorts were hovering in the space as the next moment, 'What!?' He exclaimed in his mind as he stared at the particular portal Patrick had entered with a slight baffling expression. But the next instant, he assumed a calm countenance as he hid his shock and bafflement from his subordinates. Clenching his luxurious medium-sized fan, the Gong descendant stared at the specific portal as he thought.
'Who was that kid, and how dare he threaten a descendant of the Ancient Gong family? He was able to pass one of my guards without the slightest struggle, or specifically, he walked through him. All my guards are Star Entities, but they could even hold against a Star Sovereign first-stage with their high-graded treasures and pills. Does that mean that kid was beyond the Star Sovereign first stage? No, regardless of his realm, how can I let someone threaten my Ancient Gong family? At most, I will interfere or even use my heaven-grade artifacts. But I have a better idea.'
"Let's enter the mountain."
The next moment, the Gong descendant and his escorts vanished into the portals; the stunned guard came to his senses when the Gong descendant ordered to enter the mountain, he quickly assumed a less stunned expression as he also flashed into the portals, leaving the outside world.
Inside the infinite treasures mountain, Patrick appeared among the many thousands of cultivators as they all stood facing an endless widespread landmass; it was as if the group was in a different world. There were trees, mountains, and other land properties, but there weren't any moving living creatures within the dimension, like birds, beasts, and many more. It was more like a silent dimension filled with unmovable objects. Patrick and the thousands of cultivators appeared on a large stone platform surrounded by array barriers; they could see the endless widespread landmass but couldn't leave the platform due to the array barrier formations. Although barricaded, the platform was wide enough to fit the ten thousand plus cultivators and even more.
Patrick stood among the disorganized cultivators as he looked at the barrier, Grace's voice sounding in his head.
"Master, this is a tenth-level array formation, and from my analysis, it was set by a level ten array master."
"Level ten, huh? What are the levels of an array master, Grace?"
"Array masters are ranked from levels 1-10, with ten being the highest, but this ranking is wrong. There are no limits to array mastering like martial cultivation and alchemy. There is always a mental barrier to break before surpassing one's current understanding of certain subjects and professions."
"Meaning, a person's mindset, and mental prowess is the only limit?"
"Yes, master."
Patrick interacted with Grace as he understood everything about array formations. There were array formation carvings on the platform that supplemented energy to strengthen the erected array barrier. Patrick watched the array patterns on the platform as Grace's voice sounded.
[Comprehended the barrier sealing formation; Comprehended every array formation in existence and beyond]
[Passive Nature: Absolute Concept Comprehension; If intended or wished, any concept in existence and beyond is instantly comprehended, making you the absolute administrator of that concept or principle]
Patrick read the information as the system interface disappeared. He then stared at the array formation.
'This array formation is filled with countless mistakes and errors; whoever made it was a joke.' Patrick thought, but the next moment.
"The barrier is finally open; begin the hunt for treasures!"
The large barrier that no one could break even when most of them tried and miserably failed finally opened as a person shouted; the next moment, multiple figures flashed at their capable speeds as they disappeared into different directions of the dimension, searching for treasures. Patrick stood hands in his coat pockets as he watched the eager cultivators rushing to get their treasures, but suddenly, a female voice sounded beside Patrick.
"First time entering such a separate dimension?"
"...., No," Patrick replied without sparing the girl a single glance; he had an expressionless attitude as he stared at the rushing cultivators in the distance.
Seeing that the man didn't even spare her a glance, the girl awkwardly smiled; she looked at where this person was looking, seeing the rushing cultivators, she asked.
"Are you not rushing to look for treasures? The others might take everything before you even start looking."
"There are infinite treasures in this dimension, and besides, why aren't you rushing to get yours?"
Patrick spoke with his charmingly manly voice; he slowly turned to the girl as he spoke the last part of the sentence in a low tone, resting his eyes on the girl.
Upon Patrick resting his absolute infinity eyes on her, the girl instantly blushed as her cheeks flushed red and her crystal red eyes shone with admiration, she got lost staring into Patrick's eyes, but just when she was about to reply, Patrick vanished into the distance; at that exact moment, a male voice sounded behind the girl.
"Lady, we have five hours until the mountain closes; what are your orders?"
With the man interrupting her interaction with Patrick, the girl's expression instantly changed to that of serious as she turned to the man, she stared a the man with a bored expression as she spoke.
"You guys can go before me; I will search for treasures alone."
"But, my Lady-"
"That was an order."
Upon their proclaimed lady insisting, the man bowed his head and commanded his group of twenty companions as they headed into the widespread horizon. The twenty-plus men wore yellow armors with swords attached to their sides; they emitted strong Qis as their bodies vanished into the horizon. Standing alone on the array platform, the girl blushed again as she spoke.
"I wonder who that handsome man was; I hope I meet him in the treasure buildings. But time to do what I came for." Vanish! The girl vanished from the platform and into the distance.
The next moment, the Ancient Gong family descendant and his one hundred black-hooded escorts appeared on the array platform; they saw the deactivated barrier and some cultivators vanishing into the distance. The Gong descendant stretched his right arm as a black token appeared on it; the next second, he began speaking on the token as his voice reverberated in the entire dimension of the infinite treasures mountain.
Patrick appeared at a distinct location within the dimension, in his distant view were multiple ancient buildings and towers that stood erected in the skies, there were more than fifty ancient structures on the horizon; there was a large array formation in the sky which acted as the source of light within the dimension in replacement of a sun. Patrick stood as he saw multiple cultivators entering the ancient buildings, the next second, "YES!" An excited shout echoed in the distance and from one of the buildings as a person discovered multiple treasures, but at the same moment, BOOM! A loud booming sound followed. Patrick watched as an explosion occurred from within this particular building.
"It seems the array traps are being activated; how unfortunate."
Patrick spoke; he remained at his spot as he saw the same event occurring in the other buildings. There were multiple shouts for help and painful cries of death echoing within the buildings; some cultivators were fortunate as they discovered treasures without array traps, while some could survive using their artifacts. But while Patrick spectated the distant buildings, a male voice reverberated within the infinite treasures mountain; Patrick and many others were quite familiar with this voice.
"Everyone, it is fortuitous that all of you could enter the Infinite treasures mountain. But while there are indeed infinite treasures, they are merely low-grade and middle-grade treasures, but I, the Ancient descendant of the Ancient Gong family from the countless myriad domain, have a better proposition that would bring you more profits than those low-grade treasures. A silver-haired kid wearing a peculiar black attire has offended this descendant and escaped into the infinite treasures mounting. I am now placing a bounty of one million law spirit stones and five high-grade treasures of your choosing; bring me his head, and the bounty rewards are yours."
The voice of the Gong descendant reverberated within the entire infinite treasures mountain; the ten thousand plus cultivators heard the announcement as their eyes flashed with greed; who wouldn't want one million law spirit stones, which was worth a hundred years of labor, and five high-grade treasures of their choosing? With such rewards, reasons weren't even an option anymore. Although some cultivators dazzled with greed and began searching for this silver-haired kid, some remained rational; one of the rational ones was the girl who had previously chatted with Patrick.
The girl was heading within the deeper areas of the dimension when she heard the loud message, but she thought, 'Silver-haired? Peculiar black attire? Is he talking about that man? Wait, if a descendant of an Ancient family who has over fifty present underlings and multiple personal treasures is issuing a bounty of one million law spirit stones for that person's death, then just who is he?' The girl thought, but seconds later, she ignored the situation as she dashed for the deeper areas of the dimension. 'If he survives these bounty hunters, I will fuck him, but if all he has is looks and no brawns, it will be a huge turn-off.'
Patrick stood in the distance of the ancient buildings; he heard the message as he spoke.
"Not bad, using his reputation to influence the surrounding cultivators while also skeptical of my strength. What a wise ancient descendant. I'm slightly disappointed with how little he offered for my bounty, but since you want to play with brains first, I will show you how a True genius thinks."