Warm light stones illuminated the vast underground cave, their gentle yellow glow washing over everything like an eternal dusk. Thick, sharp stalactites hung upside down from the ceiling, jagged and uneven.

The Twelve Golden Eyes Dragon Leviathan Fish swam slowly at the center of the cavern, its massive body coiling in the air. Golden light surged across its scales, growing brighter with every breath.

It looked like a ritual.

The enormous body of the Dragon Leviathan Fish began to rotate. Slowly at first—then faster, faster still—until its entire form blurred into a whirling golden halo. Strips of radiant symbols poured out from its body, each line composed of ancient golden characters, dense and profound.

Original Dao Text.

The symbols gathered in front of the beast, intertwining and overlapping, forming a complex inscription that pulsed with an indescribable authority.

The moment the inscription touched the invisible boundary before it, the space trembled.

Layers upon layers of spatial barriers—dozens of them—appeared like transparent walls stacked together. As the golden inscription pressed forward, the barriers began to open one by one, unfolding with a low, thunderous hum that echoed through the cavern.

This inscription was a key.

And the space maze barrier before them was a door.

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

The Dragon Leviathan Fish continued spinning at high speed, the golden light inside its body becoming brighter and brighter, illuminating even the deepest corners of its internal world.

"What is this guy doing…?" Ethan muttered, his expression solemn.

A jade token floated up before him.

The jade surface glowed softly—responding.

Elara and Kara were close.

"Senior Sister Kara and the others are nearby," Ethan thought.

"This must be the underground edge of the space maze."

He injected mental energy into the sound-transmission jade token.

"Senior sister, I'm probably right below you. Come find me."

Kara, who had been sitting cross-legged beneath the swamp with her eyes closed, frowned slightly.

The jade token trembled.

Ethan's voice rang clearly in her ears.

"Junior Brother Ethan?!"

Kara's eyes snapped open.

"You're down there?" she asked quickly, surprise and relief mixing in her tone.

"We'll come right away."

She immediately woke Elara and Risa.

"Junior Brother Ethan sent word. He's below us."

Elara exhaled deeply, the tension she'd been carrying for so long finally easing.

"Then let's go," she said. "We'll meet Mr. Ethan underground."

Risa stood up, her expression determined.

"Thanks to Mr. Ethan's elixir, my injuries are about seventy percent healed. With the Heavenly Net Demonic Pearl, I can supply energy without any problem."

The Heavenly Net Demonic Pearl was controlled by Kara, while Risa supported it with her spiritual energy to maintain stability.

The three of them were not on land—but submerged within the swamp itself. Remaining above ground was too dangerous; sinking into the depths offered concealment and safety.

"Let's move," Kara said.

With a thought, she injected demonic energy into the Heavenly Net Demonic Pearl.

Purple light erupted.

The barrier strengthened, the rotating stream of light accelerated, and a terrifying cutting force erupted around it. The dense, sticky soil was shredded apart, the strange cohesive resistance vanishing instantly.

"Down!"

The pearl plunged.

The three of them descended rapidly, tunneling through the earth like shadows, vanishing into the depths.

.....

Inside the body of the Dragon Leviathan Fish, Ethan quietly formed seals with his hands.

Four different Strange Flames appeared around him, flickering silently.

He began arranging a formation within the beast's body.

The Heaven-Burning Ten Thousand Fire Formation.

This was only a miniature version, but once activated, it would be enough to severely injure the Dragon Leviathan Fish and temporarily cripple its combat ability.

Ethan was precise and calm.

He had no intention of killing the Dragon Leviathan Fish.

On the contrary—he wanted it alive.

A Twelve Golden Eyes Dragon Leviathan Fish refined by Original Dao Texts was too valuable to destroy. Once tamed, it would make a terrifying guardian beast.

In Ethan's mind, its future was already decided: it would be thrown into the Serene Mirror Lake of Dao Sect and become a protector of the sect.

After completing the formation, Ethan clasped his palms together.

Golden light flashed in his eyes.

"The laws of heaven and earth."

His body shrank rapidly—smaller and smaller—until he was no larger than a mosquito.

In the next instant, he slipped out along the intestines of the Dragon Leviathan Fish, escaping its body unnoticed.

"What a fool," Ethan thought calmly.

As he exited, a violent centrifugal force flung him away.

He steadied himself midair, feeling slightly dizzy, then activated the breathing technique. His tiny form drifted silently through the cavern like a speck of dust.

The scene before him made even Ethan pause.

The underground cave was unimaginably vast.

The walls were embedded with countless rare ores—materials so precious that even Holy grade weapon refiners would lose their minds at the sight of them. Veins of shimmering metal crisscrossed the stone like constellations.

If Elara and Risa saw this, they'd probably scream.

Half of the cavern was sealed by massive spatial barriers.

Ethan looked east.

Beyond the barrier was pitch-black darkness, like an endless abyss swallowing all light.

A single wall separated two completely different worlds.

Behind him, the Dragon Leviathan Fish continued spinning wildly, its golden inscription slowly prying open the layered space barriers.

"So it's opening the door," Ethan mused, stroking his chin.

"A rather unique method."

The process was slow.

That alone showed just how terrifying and complex the layered space barriers were.

A living key forged from a Twelve Golden Eyes Dragon Leviathan Fish. A super space maze. A door composed of dozens of spatial layers.

Such extravagance could only belong to an emperor.

Knowing it would take time, Ethan moved upward, passing through layers of stone and soil to meet Kara and the others.

Less than two minutes later, he sensed a familiar aura.

Ethan halted.

His body returning instantly to normal size.

A purple light slammed toward him.

Ethan raised a hand and pressed it down.

The Heavenly Net Demonic Pearl stopped abruptly.

"Junior Brother Ethan!" Kara exclaimed.

"You're safe?" Ethan asked, smiling.

Risa stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Thanks to Mr. Ethan's elixir, my injuries are mostly healed. I cannot repay this kindness now, but if you ever need me in the future, I, Risa, will not hesitate."

Her admiration was sincere and unreserved.

Ethan nodded calmly.

"Good."

He glanced around, his expression thoughtful.

"It seems the people from Palace of the Four Cycles haven't reached this place yet."

He looked back toward the depths of the cavern.

"They're probably still there." Ethan said.

A/N:

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 1 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 2 Extra Chapters

Dragon - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

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