There exists another hidden force in Damelia.
To intercept Tinuk, three Half-Step Supremes were dispatched at once. What about the others?
How many would be needed to intercept the Dark Church? How many for the Skeleton Society?
Looking at it this way, this hidden force would need to dispatch at least seven or eight Half-Step Supremes this time.
What kind of power is this?
It's hard to imagine.
"So..."
Chen Fan carefully organized his thoughts before speaking, "Is the hidden force about to emerge?"
He could only think this way.
Not coming out early, not coming out late.
Why now, of all times? What does it mean?
Tinuk shook his head, "I am a lone individual. Let others do the work of collecting information."
It was clear that Tinuk had no intention of rebuilding the Bright Church.
"I understand."
Chen Fan nodded. "Alright, if there's nothing else, you can go and rest. You can go anywhere you like, just remember not to interfere with the lives of ordinary people."
"I know."
Tinuk left, leaving Chen Fan alone in thought.
Something was not right about this matter.
...
After thinking for a while, he cast the matter aside.
After a moment of contemplation, his figure vanished.
He reappeared standing on the Camel's Hump.
He reached out and touched the stone beneath his feet.
"Buzz."
Under the pull of his aura, Chen Fan once again saw the portal suspended in the sky.
A thread connected the void portal and the stone.
"Eh?"
Suddenly, Chen Fan noticed something different.
The difference lay in two other threads.
Those two threads faintly bore a trace of blood, and compared to the previous two times, the threads seemed more ethereal.
"What's going on?"
Why had the threads become so ethereal in such a short time?
Also, where were the other two threads located?
Three characters, three places, three seals.
Sealing the void gate.
...
Chen Fan calmly looked at the other two threads.
"Buzz."
The Dragon Pattern Compass appeared in his hand.
He injected spiritual energy, and the needle spun rapidly.
Spiritual energy was being consumed madly, but the needle showed no signs of stopping.
"This consumption..." Chen Fan was aghast.
His spiritual energy was almost depleted.
"Come."
With a casual grab, the spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius was instantly drained and fell into his palm.
He then slowly injected it into the Dragon Pattern Compass.
The needle's speed finally slowed down and after a long while, it stopped.
The needle had stopped.
On the compass, the Eight Trigrams, Five Elements, Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches... the needle pointed in a direction.
That was the location of one of the threads.
"Swish."
His figure shot up into the sky, heading towards the direction indicated by the Dragon Pattern Compass.
He was very fast. An hour later, an unfamiliar place appeared before him.
"Where is this place?"
Looking at the scene before him, Chen Fan was somewhat surprised.
Snow.
In this tropical region, to still see snow?
Unbelievable, truly unbelievable.
Before his eyes was a snow-capped mountain.
Where he stood was still lush and green, but just one meter ahead, it was covered in white snow.
It was as if a straight thread had cut across and divided two worlds.
Chen Fan did not hesitate and stepped forward, moving as swiftly as entering the snowfield.
"Buzz."
Energy ripples spread out.
Chen Fan's senses were not wrong; he had passed through a formation, a barrier like ripples, separating two worlds.
Entering the snowfield, the cold air hit him.
Skillful arts and bold courage, that's what Chen Fan was like.
Even if it was a mountain of knives and a sea of fire ahead, nothing could stop his steps.
"Hoo hoo hoo."
The cold wind howled, kicking up heaps of snow.
As far as the eye could see, it was desolate and uninhabited.
There were no signs of human life, nor the aura of any cultivators.
Chen Fan looked up at the solitary snow-capped mountain, with its jagged rocks standing tall and imposing, looking very familiar to Chen Fan.
"The second character."
Standing here, the snow-capped mountain before him was precisely the second character he had obtained from the iron fragment.
Not a character, but an image.
The first character, he had found the stone and the thread sealing the void gate.
This was the second.
Chen Fan needed to open the spatial gate and find the legendary Eight Generals of the Ancient Demons and the Bai Gu Forest.
This was the second location.
"City Lord Chen."
Suddenly, a voice came from the snow-capped mountain.
Chen Fan looked up. At the foot of the snow-capped mountain, a figure stood, gazing at him from tens of thousands of meters away.
It was a woman's voice, her appearance unclear.
The white snow was somewhat blinding, seeming to contain some magical power that obscured his vision.
"The Hall of Gods welcomes the City Lord's arrival." The voice sounded again.
"Hall of Gods?"
Chen Fan replied calmly, "What an imposing name. Gods, are there gods in this snow mountain?"
Uncertain of the other party's intentions, Chen Fan did not show any hostility.
If the Hall of Gods was also willing to open the void gate, cooperation was not impossible between them.
"Your arrival, City Lord, is an honor we did not anticipate. The Seventh Divine Lord of the Hall of Gods requests your presence."
Whoosh!
The wind picked up again, scattering the thick snow.
A bright path stretched out to Chen Fan's feet.
Chen Fan hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.
His pace was not fast, his strides not large, as he slowly walked into the snow mountain.
Closer now.
The appearance of the woman opposite him could finally be seen clearly.
A typical Western face, with blonde hair and blue eyes, tall in stature, yet wearing an ancient outfit. It looked plain, but it was a treasure.
"Welcome."
The woman's face was adorned with a smile. She bowed slightly and introduced herself, "I am Laimela, an envoy under the Seventh Divine Lord. City Lord, please."
Laimela gestured to the side.
A portal of light appeared in the snow mountain behind her.
Laimela watched Chen Fan with a smile, saying nothing.
It seemed she was testing Chen Fan's courage to enter the portal.
"Heh."
Chen Fan smiled faintly and stepped into the light portal.
Laimela was stunned for a moment, then let out a chuckle.
This person had immense courage.
Little did she know, Chen Fan's confidence came from the Dragon Pattern Compass.
Good.
The Dragon Pattern Compass indicated good fortune, so what did he have to fear?
Upon entering the portal, the sight that greeted him was not the interior of a mountain, but a vast, two-tiered space.
The first impression Chen Fan had was the sheer size of the place. In front of him stood a palace.
Apart from the palace, there was nothing else.
There were people, but not many, and they were all in cultivation.
Laimela personally led the way, guiding Chen Fan into the palace.
"Welcome, City Lord Chen."
The voice came from the throne within the palace.
Chen Fan looked up at the figure on the throne.
His first glance was one of astonishment.
This woman was too beautiful.
Her beauty seemed to transcend the mundane world; it was a noble, dignified beauty.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
The woman's voice was melodious and profound, echoing through heaven and earth like the voice of a deity. "I am the Seventh Divine Lord of the Hall of Gods, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom."
"You are Athena?"
Chen Fan's voice changed, his mouth agape.
Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, this title was too immense, an indispensable deity in Western legends.
Chen Fan was truly shocked.