Preliminary exploration of the site
Madam Qingyue had no idea Xueluo was going to "search for her roots." She was shocked when she heard Nie Xun was going to the Celestial Palace with her. On the Divine Beast Planet, the Celestial Palace was a source of pride and a miraculous wonder. Today, it's no longer open to the public, but those who have been fortunate enough to see its true beauty are invariably captivated.
"Xun'er is quite good at choosing places." Madam Qingyue was quite proud of her son, who used to have no female mosquitoes around him. Now, not only does he have female friends around him, but he also knows to take them on dates to the holy sites in the hearts of their twelve families.
The housekeeper also said with a smile: "It is said that the eldest master has specially lined up to make a reservation for tonight's Fairy Palace in order to bring Miss Xueluo there."
Madam Qingyue acted as if it was a matter of course. "Among the twelve families, they all say that the men of our Nie family are unromantic and rarely bring girls with them. Now, it's only natural that we've reserved a night at the Immortal Palace. I wonder who would dare to gossip about it."
Madam Qingyue frowned again and said, "Xun'er should have told me in advance. One night is not enough to explore the Immortal Palace. Using the Patriarch's badge to make an appointment for three or four days is not a big deal."
The housekeeper just smiled and said nothing. Nie Xun and Madam Qingyue's appointment at the Fairy Palace was, of course, only for the period after the appointment, and no one else was allowed to be received except them.
This is also the privilege of the twelve families of the Divine Beast Star. They guard the Immortal Palace, so naturally they are qualified to live in the Immortal Palace.
The head of the Nie family, Nie Qingrong, came to see his wife and suddenly heard her conversation with the housekeeper. He seemed to be thinking about something. He didn't think his son was a love-brained person, but he was right about one thing: Xue Luo held a special position in Xun'er's heart.
Since I came back, I have been dealing with many trivial matters, and even left tonight's time empty on purpose.
Nie Qingrong was wondering why he had set aside an entire night. You know, Marshal Geng would be coming tomorrow, and the tasks to be handled would be neither simple nor easy.
Aside from his sudden departure without saying goodbye three years ago, Nie Qingrong had always understood his son's true nature. His trip to the Immortal Palace with that little girl was definitely not just a simple date.
Nie Qingrong looked at the attendants who followed him. He came to see his wife, and the attendants were used to waiting outside. However, when they suddenly received a deep and thoughtful look from the general, they immediately stood up straight.
Nie Qingrong approached him and whispered, "Send someone to follow from a distance. Make sure Nie Xun doesn't find out."
The followers were also sweating profusely. You know, the eldest son was already far ahead in both mental strength and supernatural powers before he became a general. Now that three years have passed, the feeling he gave them is even more dangerous.
Nie Qingrong puffed his beard and glared: "Follow from a distance."
Beads of sweat fell from the follower's forehead, and he immediately responded: "Yes, General!"
**
Nie Xun was very low-key when he took Xue Luo out. He refused the escort convoy arranged by the Nie family and simply picked up an automatic driving amphibious flying car from the garage.
The Celestial Palace isn't located in the city proper, but the magnanimous Twelve Families of the Divine Beast Star, upon discovering this ancient relic, abruptly built an outer city around it. Back then, even the Twelve Families fiercely fought for the territories closest to the Celestial Palace. Later, these territories gradually became the primary residences of the Twelve Divine Beast Families, passed down through generations. It's like twelve stars surrounding the Celestial Palace, the moon.
The Nie family is not the closest to the Immortal Palace, but it is not the farthest either.
Half an hour later, the flying car successfully reached the "wall" of the Asgard.
The "wall" shut out the high-tech traffic and the bustling lights of the outside world like an invisible membrane. Flying cars descended from the sky like a rolling wave, and the night sky and the forest vanished in an instant. Xueluo stared at the scene with wide eyes. It was exactly as described on Star Online: when the "wall" fell, the camouflage of the Black Sea forest faded, revealing a towering celestial palace, ablaze with lights, towering and beautiful. It seemed as if clouds drifted in the night, vast and boundless.
Such a great feat!
The appearance of it before your eyes is in no way comparable to seeing its 3D image.
"We're here." Nie Xun said, his indifferent blue eyes also imprinted with this beautiful scene.
Just as the car was speeding past the sentry post and safely passed through the inspection gate above, two young voices were heard: "Good evening, General Nie!"
"Good evening." Nie Xun said.
The other party seemed to have noticed Xueluo in the car. Looking at the green pass in front of him, he smiled and said, "General Nie, this is your first time booking a stay at the Immortal Palace. I hope you and this young lady can have a pleasant evening."
"Thank you." Nie Xun's mouth curled up slightly.
After successfully passing the level, Xueluo's mood also improved. Looking at the fairy palace in front of her, she finally... "I can touch it with my hand."
She was just mumbling to herself, but how could Nie Xun not hear it if he wanted to? At this moment, compared to the brightly lit and beautiful fairy palace in front of him, the girl sitting beside him with eyes like a starry lake was as pure and beautiful as a unique pearl in the world.
"Why are you looking at me?" Xueluo was very excited, but she also noticed that his gaze on her was a little too intense and a little too long. Unexpectedly, after hearing her words, Nie Xun not only did not look away, but his blue eyes, which were always as deep as the icy sea, seemed to absorb even more emotions.
The flying car stopped in front of the ninety-nine steps in front of the fairy palace. He said, "From here on, it's a no-fly zone. We can only walk over. Is that okay with you?"
"I can do this!" If Xueluo had been a bit troubled before, but ever since she recovered from her illness and awakened as a healer, both her physical and mental strength have been steadily improving. In fact, these ninety-nine steps are a piece of cake.
The white jade steps were engraved with auspicious beast patterns, vivid in the lights on either side. Xueluo lowered her head to identify them, listening to the young man beside her introduce them in a deep and cold voice, "...Aside from the twelve surviving families of the Divine Beast Star, there are over 120 ancient beasts engraved here, 80 of which have long since become extinct."
Xueluo was also a little frightened by his words: "Then..."
Nie Xun said, "It's just an ancient beast. There are currently over 10,000 species of beasts on the Divine Beast Star. Are you still worried?"
There was some sarcasm in his words. After Xueluo heard it, she glared at him.
In the gentle summer breeze, the short silver hair was blown into a mess, revealing the smooth chin. A rare pure smile appeared on the young and handsome face, not as reserved and cold as usual.
A bit childish.
He stood on the steps and held out his hand to Xueluo, "We're here."
Besides the personnel dispatched by the twelve divine beast families in rotation, the Asgard was also guarded by the Alliance's most elite humanoid weapons. Anyone lacking certified qualifications was to be eliminated. The dignified and majestic Asgard contrasted with these cruel and cold humanoid weapons, adding a touch of noble and awe-inspiring aura.
Just as they walked over, all the humanoid weapons stationed around the fairy palace headed towards their position.
A light curtain window also appeared in front of Nie Xun, scanning him and Xue Luo.
Nie Xun held Xueluo's hand and could sense her tense and worried mood. "Don't be nervous, it's just a routine checkup."
Besides, with him here, these things really weren't enough to look at. Nie Xun looked at these humanoid weapons with an indifferent look, not taking them seriously at all. He took Xue Luo's hand and walked into the fairy palace.
"This is the Fairy Palace—" As soon as Xue Luo entered, she was attracted by the beautiful scenery in front of her and completely forgot what had just happened.
Nie Xun had only been to the Immortal Palace a few times, but compared to ordinary people, he had been there more often. Moreover, as a psychic with extraordinary memory, just one visit was enough for him to imprint all the scenes in his mind. Although he still felt that these scenes were awe-inspiring, he was no longer shocked.
The changing expression on Xueluo's face at this moment pleased him even more.
It was clearly his first time in the Fairy Palace, but this nostalgic look was so telling.
Coming here feels like returning to my hometown.
Nie Xun watched her look back every step she took, and those things that had completely become relics and history in their eyes were filled with warmth.
After admiring it for nearly half an hour, Xueluo slowly came back to her senses and looked apologetically at the young man beside her who had remained silent the entire time: "Nie Xun, are you tired? How about we sit down for a while?"
"Are you tired?"
Xue Luo: "I don't..." Wandering around in this fairy palace that was modeled after the ancient Chinese palaces, she wouldn't feel tired even if she stayed for three hours, let alone half an hour.
"I'm not tired. If you are tired, tell me and I will take you to rest." Nie Xun said.
He was unexpectedly considerate tonight, but Xueluo, who was too immersed in the fairy palace, didn't notice. She nodded, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"Uh-huh."
To be honest, the palaces I had seen on TV and in movies in my previous life were far more shocking and beautiful than the fairy palace in front of me, but this was the first time I saw it in reality. Those exquisite palace lanterns, jade tables, ceramics, and especially the protective measures specially laid out by the Divine Beast Star, had a sense of history like a museum, but because people probably came to visit them often, it created another kind of vibrant feeling.
It is quite well protected.
The Fairy Palace was large enough that it would take several hours to explore it completely, and even then, it was just a cursory tour. Xueluo only visited the main hall and a few side halls, and she was absolutely certain that these were the ancient ruins left behind from her hometown.
She asked the system, but it never appeared and did not respond.
Only she can find the answer.
Xue Luo looked at the fairy palace complex in front of her and felt a little regretful. It seemed that she would have to wait until she had time in the future to slowly stroll around again.
"Nie Xun, let's go to the bronze door." Perhaps the answer really is hidden behind that door that no one can open.
"Sure," he said.
"The direction to the bronze door is over there. From now on, you can't leave my side for even a step." Nie Xun's voice was serious and his eyes were firm. It was conceivable that the location of the bronze door was really dangerous.
"I will." Xueluo said seriously.
At the end of the fairy palace, there is a whole "wall". Broad red palace pillars support this palace. It is different from the magnificent palaces seen before. It gives people a feeling of desolation and remoteness. The bronze door visible to the naked eye seems to have been built in the ancient times and is bottomless.
Even the desolation and roughness of this palace seem to be the work of nature.
"Can I go over and take a look?" Although she was a little impatient, she still asked Nie Xun politely.
Nie Xun made a gesture of invitation.
Xueluo, who was a little nervous at first, was amused by his action.
She covered her mouth and smiled, "You're not worried about me now?"
"I'm right here with you," he said, his eyes far away, as if etched with a promise. Xueluo turned her head away and coughed. "How about you first tell me about the history of this bronze door on the Divine Beast Star?"
As you get closer to the bronze door, you can feel the vastness and sacredness even more.
It seemed like a temple from the ancient Shang Dynasty was closed before my eyes.
"Ever since the Immortal Palace appeared, this bronze door has also appeared here... Even with the Alliance's advanced technology, no method has been found to open it." Nie Xun's slender fingers traced the bronze door's coarse yet delicately carved animal patterns. His tone was cold and calm. "A family once suggested destroying the bronze door to see what lies behind it. Is this just a trick?"
"What happened next?" Xueluo also became nervous as if she felt the same way.
"It was rejected by the Elders' Council." Nie Xun looked up at her. "My Nie family will absolutely not allow them to do this. The Immortal Palace is not only the Immortal Palace of the Divine Beast Star, but also the Immortal Palace of the Alliance."
This level of awareness is really great.
However, the difficulty now lies with her.
Even if the fairy palace and the bronze door really came from her hometown, how could she open them?
Xue Luo touched his chin and walked around the huge bronze door, looking and touching, but he was still confused and didn't find any opportunity anyway.
Nie Xun looked at her jumping up and down, raised his eyebrows slightly, and raised the corners of his mouth.
"It seems I can't do it." After hesitating for half an hour, Xue Luo wanted to give up and said these words in frustration.
Maybe she was mistaken.
Nie Xun said, "This is only your first time here. Perhaps you haven't found the secret yet. Forget about tonight. There will always be next time."
Xueluo looked at him with a surprised expression.
"What's with that expression on your face?" Nie Xun asked with a frown.
Xueluo said, "Nie Xun, am I right? Were you comforting me just now?"
"Then what?"
"I'm very happy."
Nie Xun had a look on his face that said, "That's it!" It was so cool and proud that it almost healed her previous feeling of loss. When she looked up, her face was filled with a smile, like a peach blossom with a delicate face covered in dew.
"Thank you, Nie Xun."
"polite."
His occasional playful flirtation reminded her that the man before her was only about twenty-six or twenty-seven, only a few years older than she. It was just that he was always so aloof and reserved, his age being completely overshadowed.
"Okay, let's go back and come back next time." Xue Luo looked at the bronze door in front of her, still reluctant to leave. But just when she turned around, there was a slight movement in the air.
Not only Nie Xun noticed it, but even Xueluo heard it. She turned around and saw a shocking scene -
A blue light curtain suddenly appeared in front of the bronze door.
"What is this?" Nie Xun also saw the words on the blue light screen. They were the same as the words he saw when he was eating snacks before, but unfortunately he did not recognize these words.
Xueluo knew him, of course. She was completely attracted by him at first sight. She was surprised and shocked, and slowly explained to Nie Xun, "How do we get in?"
It was once the Blue Star, but this site has been around for nearly a thousand years since the time when it was there.
"Xian Palace" is a fairy palace built by later generations to commemorate Chinese architecture. Later, it became a place to resist natural disasters in the doomsday. The entire fairy palace has defense mechanisms, especially the bronze door of the fairy palace, which is also a refuge for the general public.
After the disaster, the Asgard became a ruin. Later, it was transformed into a museum.
…
Later, the people here left and boarded giant ships to travel into space. The former homeland was left desolate. Thousands of years passed, and the history of the Divine Beast Star began.
After Xue Luo finished speaking, she couldn't help but change to a bottle of mineral water to moisten her throat, but Nie Xun listened in silence.
Xue Luo didn't know if he could accept this fact: "Ahem, according to what was said above, the orcs today should have evolved during the apocalypse. Your writing and history also originated from..."
In those mythological books of the past.
"No." Nie Xun rejected it, looking at the girl in front of him: "But you are the goddess. This is not a myth, it is real and appears before my eyes."
"Goddess of Heaven?" Xue Luo knew that there was such a legend in the history of the Divine Beast Star. In the beginning, it was the Goddess of Heaven who led her companion beasts to create history on the Divine Beast Star. Later, the earth was full of vitality, but the Goddess of Heaven fell into a deep sleep because she was too tired.
Legend has it that she will wake up again after ten thousand years.
But isn't this just a legend?
The Divine Beast Star… was originally the blue star that had been abandoned. Xue Luo's eyes dimmed a little, "I'm not."
Xue Luo placed her hand in the position of confirmation, "In your legend, only celestial maidens can enter behind the bronze door, but unfortunately, this is not true. It's just a museum."
Besides, she no longer has the bloodline she once had.
"You can too..." As Xueluo released her hand, a blue light, as if verifying her credentials as a visitor, fell on the top of her head. Soon, the bronze door slowly opened to both sides, making a loud noise—the entire palace seemed to move together, the gravel on the ground tumbling. She was also a little surprised by the noise. "Nie Xun."
"It's not that simple." Nie Xun grabbed her hand, and soon they were both enveloped by the blue light. The next second, they were like being pushed inside by a strong wind. The wind and sand blinded her, and she couldn't see. But the intense warmth of the other hand holding hers told her that she was safe and there was no need to worry.
The sound of the bronze door moving seemed to carry the low and dull sound of thousands of years, and it was clear yet short, as if it came from the ancient times.
Smoke and dust are flying.
Xueluo sneezed from the choking: "Hey Qiu——"
You can't even see what's in the air!
But Nie Xun had an extraordinary eye. Even before he pulled Xue Luo to stand still, his eyes, as bright as sapphires, were already scanning the surroundings, shaking, like the shining moon brushing away the dark clouds.
"Nie Xun——" Xue Luo called him with a nasal voice, then looked up and saw a shocking scene.
"This is... the gathering point."
No one had expected that behind the bronze gate lay a fortress resembling the city below. No, no, no, I just mentioned on the screen that this place was once a refuge for people.
But this is a living relic.
Time has passed silently. The relics here are not as good as the fairy palace that has been preserved as new. They are very old, and most of them have even collapsed into ruins. The schools, municipal offices, restaurants, streets... the traces of real life here make her feel more intimate.
Unconsciously, I stood there for a long time.
"You--" Nie Xun turned around and saw her red eyes. Her eyes dimmed slightly and she was actually a little at a loss.
Xueluo touched her eyes and said to him with a smile, "Thank you."
"Don't cry." His tone was gentle, "We're already here, you can take your time to look at it—"
But before he could finish his words, his eyes suddenly looked sharply in the direction of the bronze door, as if he had discovered traces of other people coming.
"Xue Luo, we may have to leave early." Nie Xun's voice also became tense.
In fact, there is nothing to see here. Xue Luo also felt the danger after sensing the breath of a stranger and nodded quickly.
It was also the first time she actually saw Nie Xun use his mental power field. Before she could react, the two of them had already evacuated from the bronze door. At the same time, the bronze door was completely closed.
"Walk."
Nie Xun took her hand and left the empty palace. Just as they left, a group of people arrived. It was obvious at a glance that they were the garrison members of the twelve families.
"Nie Xun, we..." Xue Luo knew that this time they must have caused him trouble.
"It's okay." Nie Xun whispered, "Let's go back first. I'll take care of the rest."
Xue Luo looked at the gloomy expression on his face and could only nod.
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