He grew extremely uneasy.
Apart from the crisis related to the Universe Tree, which Ye Fan was still depending on Duanmu Wan'er to help him resolve, he had also made a commitment to assist her in locating her brother.
The promise had yet to be fulfilled, and if something were to happen to Duanmu Wan'er at this juncture, Ye Fan could never find peace.
“Wan'er! Wan'er?”
Anxious and fraught with stress, Ye Fan immediately resumed his search. However, no matter how many times he combed through the area, there was still no sign of Duanmu Wan'er.
Throughout the entire abode, there were absolutely no indications of a struggle or fight having taken place.
Furthermore, the displays and arrangements remained precisely as Ye Fan had left them. It was as if Duanmu Wan'er had evaporated into thin air.
“How could this happen? Where on earth did Wan'er go?” Ye Fan was overwhelmed with profound worry, and in the end, he unleashed a furious punch of frustration against the stone wall in front of him. The resulting deep rumbling resembled thunder, causing the entire cave mansion to quiver ever so slightly, yet it remained completely undamaged.
Ye Fan had already experienced the remarkable durability of this cave, so he wasn't taken aback by its resilience.
“What should I do now? Mucheng hasn't been found, and now even Wan'er has disappeared. And come to think of it, where's Eigetsu?” he mumbled to himself.
Ye Fan suddenly recalled that he hadn't seen Eigetsu around either. He had left Eigetsu in this abode as well.
“Who? Who exactly brought Wan'er and Eigetsu away?” Ye Fan let out an angry growl.
He seldom lost his composure like this, but recent events had put Ye Fan in a terrible mood. His mindset had shifted, and he no longer possessed the serenity and calmness he once had.
However, just as Ye Fan felt utterly powerless, the previously tranquil abode abruptly began to shake.
Then, in an area where the stone wall was securely sealed, a tightly shut stone door suddenly swung open.
A remarkably beautiful young girl peered out, and upon spotting Ye Fan, she emerged from within and approached him.
“Wan'er?” Ye Fan exclaimed with delight, quickly rising and rushing over to her.
“Where have you been, you little rascal? I've been searching high and low for you, and you were nowhere to be found! Do you have any idea how worried I've been?” he exclaimed, a hint of irritation in his tone.
Duanmu Wan'er stuck out her tongue. “I'm sorry, okay? Please don't be mad at me. Come quickly. I need to show you something.”
She apologized to Ye Fan first before taking his hand, and together they passed through the stone gate.
Upon passing through the stone gate, the once-narrow interior of the abode unexpectedly expanded into a vast space.
Before their eyes, was a captivating sight that resembled a hidden paradise.
In the distance, pavilions and towers stood elegantly, while a never-ending stream meandered through the landscape, accompanied by the melodious chirping of birds and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers. Overhead, the sun radiated brilliantly against a backdrop of a clear, azure sky.
Upon witnessing this sight, Ye Fan couldn't help but be utterly surprised. “Wan'er, where... where are we?”
He was so astonished that for a moment, he thought he was hallucinating.
Sensing that the energy in this location far surpassed that of Earth, he deduced that this place was not on Earth.
Furthermore, the spatial fluctuations here were entirely distinct from those outside.
Duanmu Wan'er laughed. “Ye Fan, we are still in the abode.”
“How can this be possible? If this is part of the abode, then what is the place we lived in for several years before?” Ye Fan found it somewhat hard to believe.
After all, the environment here was so drastically dissimilar to the formerly dull and uninteresting cave that Ye Fan found it hard to consider them as the same place.
Duanmu Wan'er explained, “It's true. After you left, I was thinking of sprucing up this abode to welcome your loved ones. But, I stumbled upon a mechanism on the stone wall that could be activated. After entering, I discovered this place. I've been exploring here early in the morning recently. In the end, I arrived at a conclusion. This abode is actually a magical treasure that is lost to the mortal world. Furthermore, it is exceedingly precious and rare, a palace-type treasure of the highest caliber. The region we were previously in was merely the corridor of this palace. This place should be the palace courtyard. As for the sky and the sun above our heads, they are likely not real but an illusion conjured through a certain formation technique. Nevertheless, these plants and animals are indeed genuine. After all, the energy here is abundant enough to sustain these little lives.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Man In Rage