"It should be, they didn't come after us anyway."

Elara hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "By the way, Mr. Ethan… what exactly is going on down here?"

Ethan looked toward the depths beneath their feet, his gaze seemingly penetrating layers of soil, stone, and distorted space.

"What lies below should be the exit of the space maze," he said evenly.

"It is also the entrance to a certain set of ruins. Most likely, it's the ruins recorded on the map in your hand."

Elara's breathing unconsciously slowed.

"But," Ethan continued, his tone sharpening slightly, "from this point onward, I'll have to move alone. It would be inconvenient for you to follow me."

Before Kara could protest, a jade bottle shimmering with nine-colored light appeared in Ethan's palm. The light inside flowed like mist, vast and unfathomable.

"This jade bottle contains a world of its own," Ethan said.

"Stay inside for now."

With a flick of his wrist, the light expanded and wrapped around Kara, Elara, and Risa. In the blink of an eye, the three figures vanished, their auras completely sealed away.

Ethan put away the jade bottle, collected the Heavenly Net Demonic Pearl, and turned back toward the depths of the underground cave.

As soon as he returned, he activated the laws of heaven and earth once more. His body compressed rapidly, shrinking until he was no larger than a mosquito.

Ahead of him, the space barrier was glowing with intense golden light. Inscription after inscription—condensed from the Origin Dao Text—was sinking into it. Only the final layer remained.

Ethan hovered silently, choosing his position with absolute precision.

Once the barrier opened, there would be no second chance.

Not long after, the Twelve Golden Eyes Dragon Leviathan Fish finally stopped spinning. The golden halo surrounding its body dimmed slightly as the final inscription struck the barrier.

Neat horizontal and vertical lines appeared at once. Golden threads spread like a chessboard, slicing the barrier into countless square segments. Some bulged outward, others sank inward, shifting and rearranging as if guided by invisible hands.

With a low, muffled tremor, the entrance opened.

A faint smile appeared on Ethan's lips.

Golden light flashed.

A streak of brilliance skimmed across the Dragon Leviathan Fish's massive head with a sharp whoosh.

By the time the beast reacted, Ethan had already passed through the entrance.

For a brief instant, the Dragon Leviathan Fish froze.

Then rage exploded.

All twelve golden pupils flared open as it threw back its head and roared. The sound shook the entire cavern, dust and stone raining down from above.

But the space door was not yet fully stabilized.

No matter how it struggled, its enormous body could not squeeze through.

It could only hover on the other side, roaring helplessly in fury.

Ethan's body returned to normal size as he emerged into the new space. He turned his head slightly and waved.

"Thanks a lot, big guy," he said lightly.

"If I find anything good, I'll share it with you."

Then he turned away without hesitation. The rare ores embedded in the cavern walls behind him were tempting, but Ethan knew better.

The real prize lay ahead.

The space before him was pitch-black and seemingly endless.

Relying on his powerful perception, Ethan sensed a faint, unnatural airflow. Locking onto it, he followed its direction, gliding soundlessly through the void.

At that moment, Alicia's voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

[Detected: Sir has opened a hidden copy.]

[Hidden fishing area discovered.]

[Hidden mission released: Fish for Colorful Ringfish ×20.]

[Mission reward: One mysterious hidden prize.]

Ethan paused midair.

"Hidden copy?" he murmured.

A trace of amusement surfaced in his eyes.

"So this really is an emperor's playground."

He summoned his holographic map. In the dark region ahead, a faint fishing-rod icon flickered weakly.

He tapped it.

The icon was gray.

When expanded, it was filled with question marks. Only a single line of small text appeared at the bottom.

Hidden fishing spot. Minimum level: Platinum.

Ethan drew a slow breath.

"Platinum-level fishing grounds…" he muttered. "If this is truly an emperor's relic, diamond-level wouldn't be surprising."

Expectation stirred quietly within him.

He pressed forward, passing through layers of fog that clung like ancient dust soaked in time. Gradually, a faint glimmer of light appeared ahead.

The darkness receded.

A massive bronze door emerged from the gloom.

Ethan stopped.

Shock flickered across his eyes.

The bronze door was enormous—nearly three meters tall—solemn, ancient, and overwhelming. It was embedded in a gap between earth and stone deep underground, with only its front exposed, standing silently at the edge of a cliff.

Below the cliff stretched a bottomless abyss. Whistling sounds drifted upward, indistinguishable between wind and the cries of unknown creatures.

Ethan descended and landed before the door.

A broad platform extended outward, paved with neatly arranged stone tiles. On either side stood thick pillars carved with exquisite reliefs—ancient spiritual beasts frozen in eternal dominance, each radiating faint pressure.

Ethan stood still, taking in the scene.

Even after countless years, the majesty of the ruins remained undiminished.

He stepped forward and placed his palm against the bronze door.

Cool, yet faintly warm.

Heavy. Solid. Alive with subtle fluctuations.

Golden light shimmered across its surface without a trace of corrosion. Intricate patterns were etched into the metal, each line carrying profound meaning.

Ethan exerted strength.

Nothing moved.

He increased the force.

Still nothing.

After a moment, he withdrew his hand and stepped back, his gaze sharpening.

"This isn't ordinary bronze," he muttered.

Its strength was comparable to a holy-grade spiritual weapon.

Brute force alone would never open it.

He began studying the engravings carefully, tracing every line, every pattern, refusing to miss even the smallest detail. Perhaps the key lay hidden within these carvings.

Time passed, minute by minute.

No mechanism revealed itself.

Brute force proved useless once more.

Then—

A clear fluctuation rippled through the space behind him.

A stream of gray demonic energy tore through the mist, shooting straight toward his back.

Ethan's expression hardened instantly. He mobilized the energy in his body, preparing to defend.

Clang.

The attack struck an invisible wall and dispersed harmlessly, causing only faint ripples.

Only then did Ethan realize—

The area before the bronze door, along with the cliff's edge, was sealed within another layer of space.

A solid spatial barrier isolated the ruins from the outside world.

Moments later, the fog parted violently.

A massive figure emerged.

The Twelve Golden Eyes Dragon Leviathan Fish had followed him.

All twelve golden pupils were open, blazing with fury as they locked onto Ethan. The rage in its gaze was naked and savage, as if it wished to tear him apart.

But the Dragon Leviathan was just floating in the air, spinning around the space barrier.

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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