Strange and unusual events (Part 3)

As soon as Lin Shi arrived at the seaside, a huge number of pearl clam beasts, giant clam king beasts, lighthouse jellyfish beasts, starfish beasts, leatherback turtle beasts, horseshoe crab beasts, and other creatures crowded together and surged into the seawater in front of her.

"You carry the scent of our people!"

"The aura of our kin in other small worlds."

"Who are you?"

Lin Shi squatted down by the sea, chatting with the sea beasts and exchanging a batch of materials for refining weapons and arrays. She exchanged unique materials from the Dream Heaven Small World, the Blessed Heaven Small World, and the Yuan Shu Realm, all useful to the spirit beasts of the ocean. The sea beasts of the Blazing Heaven Small World, like those of the Dream Heaven Small World, were both lively and talkative. Lin Shi managed to glean a wealth of useful information from her conversations with them, mixed with a bunch of gossip only good for passing the time.

A few days later, Lin Shi found a lifeless island and went into seclusion to cultivate. She planned to ascend to the Yuan Shu Realm again after some time.

The lifeless island, shaped like a giant tortoise lying on the azure waves, features a natural cave running east to west, its surface rugged with jagged rocks. The cave entrance resembles the gaping maw of a beast, with massive rocks piled on either side. Sunlight struggles to squeeze through the narrow gaps, casting a soft, hazy glow around the dark cave. Occasionally, puddles lie quietly on the ground, reflecting the scene above. Above, stalactites hang densely, some milky white, some pale yellow, some light brown; some resemble sharp icicles, others blooming flowers, layered upon each other, delicate and exquisite. These stalactites shimmer with an eerie light under the dim illumination. Inside the cave, the salty sea breeze occasionally wafts through the air, carrying wisps of dampness and the cool, ancient scent of rocks. The gentle, continuous lapping of waves, like shattered jade, also reaches the ears from time to time. Occasionally, the deep, resonant sound of giant waves crashing against the rocks can be heard.

In this secluded and tranquil island cave, Lin Shi sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, her palms facing upwards on her lap. A halo of light surrounded her, faintly emanating spiritual energy.

Suddenly, the person who had been sitting quietly with their head bowed, seemingly in deep meditation, suddenly had their eyelids twitch and their eyes snap open, their gaze piercing the thin mist like the first rays of dawn, pointing straight into the void.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Lin Shi shouted. She gripped the Demon-Slaying Sword in her hand, its spiritual energy swirling around it. The chilling aura emanating from her seemed to freeze the air around her. Her eyes were fixed on a certain direction from the cave entrance.

As soon as Lin Shi finished speaking, the air she was staring at rippled subtly, like water, and then a tall, handsome young man appeared before her. He wore a white robe embroidered with various demonic beast totems, but it didn't seem to be the attire of any sect or cultivation family in the Lie Tian Small World. His hair was all tied up in a jade crown, and below the crown, one could see a majestic and domineering face. He had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, with narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes that slanted to the corners, but his lips were tightly pursed, and there were shallow frown lines on his forehead.

"A human cultivator, yet possessing the intuition of a demon beast! Not bad!" The newcomer clapped his hands and praised Lin Shi.

Lin Shi looked at the other person expressionlessly, and then asked directly, "Are you the Heavenly Dao of the Lie Tian Small World, or an ordinary demon cultivator?"

"You actually guessed my identity?! That's right, I am indeed the Heavenly Dao of the Lie Tian Small World, originally a demon cultivator. Are all human cultivators in other realms as clever as you?" The young man, transformed from the Heavenly Dao of the Lie Tian Small World, raised an eyebrow and confirmed Lin Shi's identity once more.

Lin Shi's expression remained unchanged. She merely looked at the other party with a hint of wariness and said calmly, "I have been in the Lie Tian Small World for several years. From the words of many demon cultivators, half-demons, spirits, and monsters, I pieced together the information about the Heavenly Dao."

"That's for the best. Then I'll get straight to the point." The young man, a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao of the Lie Tian Minor World, frowned and said, "The Lie Tian Minor World does not welcome you. You cannot ascend to the Yuan Shu Realm from here. The passage from the Lie Tian Minor World to the Yuan Shu Realm was already sealed, but you managed to break through it from above, and now it's sealed again. The ascension passage from the Lie Tian Minor World leads to another demon-cultivation middle world, and that middle world also has another ascension passage leading to a major world dominated by demon cultivators and spirits. You either ascend to the middle world where demon cultivators reside, or you can only ascend to the Yuan Shu Realm from another minor world. If it weren't for the lack of killing intent on your body, your merits, and your aura of friendly coexistence with pearl clam spirits and other marine spirit beasts, you would have been expelled or killed the moment you fell into the Lie Tian Minor World."

Lin Shi tilted her head slightly, looked directly into the other person's eyes, and asked, "So, are you here to kill me right now?" There was no fear in her expression.

The young man frowned slightly: "That's not the case. Everything has a cause and effect. Once the cause and effect are severed, there will be no more ties or intersections. Since you have no ties with the races of the Lie Tian Small World, I can send you directly to another Small World to ascend."

Lin Shi stared intently at the young man and tentatively asked, "What if I don't want to?" She gripped the Demon-Slaying Sword tightly, the veins on her fair hand bulging faintly. A tense atmosphere immediately filled the air, as if a sword was about to be drawn.

Anger instantly surfaced on the young man's face. He said in a low voice, "Human cultivator, I advise you: a wise man submits to circumstances. If you don't know what's good for you and meddle in other people's business, you'll die sooner or later!" His oppressive aura was overwhelming, almost suffocating.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shi relented: "Alright, then I want to go back to the Dream Heaven Small World. Take me there!"

The young man's emotions calmed down a bit. He said, "No rush, I have another matter I need your help with. I'll reward you after it's done."

Lin Shi asked curiously, "What is it?"

The young man looked at Lin Shi, pursed his lips, and said seriously, "I need your help to locate the sea beasts in the Dream Heaven Small World, and then I will take them back to the Blazing Heaven Small World."

Lin Shi was a little surprised, raised her eyebrows, and said, "They might not be willing."

The young man, however, remained steadfast in his opinion and unmoved: "We'll have to try to find out. If they're unwilling to come to the Lietian Small World, I'll still give you the corresponding reward."

Lin Shi then smiled, a smile as bright and warm as melting snow. She said, "Alright. It's a deal!"

As Lin Shi finished speaking, the two reached an agreement.