Chapter 548 549: True Shadows Linger, Floating Shadows Fade

Zisang Jin was horrified and frantically tried to cover Chen Dong's mouth.

Chen Dong raised a hand to block her and continued shouting, "Old bastard, you undying relic, get out here!"

Zisang Jin exploded with rage. "Shut up! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" With that, she landed a heavy kick on Chen Dong's leg.

However, without her Spiritual Power, Zisang Jin's kick didn't hurt Chen Dong in the slightest.

Chen Dong possessed a super-grade Golden Core, and his physical body was already comparable to that of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. Zisang Jin's kick was powerful, but to someone like Chen Dong who had tempered himself through the Martial Dao, it was nothing.

Then, to Zisang Jin's astonishment, the void rippled, and You, clad in a black robe, appeared before them.

An imperious gaze fixed upon Chen Dong.

"For what purpose have you summoned me?"

Zisang Jin was in disbelief. 'Shouting like that actually worked!' Moreover, Lord You didn't seem angry in the slightest.

Chen Dong demanded angrily, "You're asking what I want? More like, what do you want from me this time? After all, nothing good ever happens when I fall into your hands!"

The perpetually expressionless You actually offered a faint smile. "I did save you this time. Is this your way of thanking me?"

The You he knew had been like a living corpse—cold and emotionless. But the You before him now could actually smile.

Chen Dong was certain he wasn't mistaken; that had definitely been a smile.

But even so, Chen Dong felt no goodwill toward You. If it weren't for You, he might still be in the Jiuzhou Realm, humming a little tune on his way to work. 'What a carefree life that was,' he thought.

Anger was written plainly on Chen Dong's face. "That's not how this works. If it weren't for you… Ugh, forget it. Just spit it out. What do you want from me this time?"

The corners of You's mouth quirked into another faint smile. "Patience," You said lightly. "There is still a lingering issue with you. The after-effects of the Joyful Fragrance remain, and for you, that is a great vulnerability."

'Joyful Fragrance? That must be that strange, ethereal scent,' Chen Dong thought. 'The Spiritual Object Yun Mengshang used to control me.'

Chen Dong frowned. "How do I get rid of these after-effects? Can't even you do anything about it?"

You shook their head slightly. "I cannot. The Joyful Fragrance burrows into bone and rots the marrow. You can only rely on your own will to overcome it."

Chen Dong was taken aback. "Then how will I know when the after-effects are gone?"

You's figure was completely obscured by the wide black robe. 'In my opinion, the exotic clothes they wore before were much more aesthetic,' Chen Dong thought.

"I will tell you when the time comes."

Chen Dong surveyed his surroundings. "Where exactly are we?"

Floating in the air, never once touching the ground, You spread their arms as if to embrace the void.

You said slowly, "My Divine Palace."

This statement left not only Chen Dong stunned, but Zisang Jin as well, her face a mask of confusion.

"This is the Divine Palace where I resided when I was the High Priest. Now that I have returned to the Floating Shadow Realm, of course I would live here."

A strange glint appeared in Chen Dong's eyes. 'Are they showing off?' he thought. 'This palace is massive. Even though it's not built on a Spirit Vein, it's clear the construction costs were astronomical.'

"The seas have turned to mulberry fields, and the world is no longer as it was. The Holy Land of old has become a wasteland."

Zisang Jin, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but ask, "Lord You, are we still within the Human Domain?"

You nodded slightly. "We are."

At that moment, Chen Dong felt a sense of displacement, as if a lifetime had passed. He felt there was a question he desperately needed to ask, but it was as if he had forgotten it.

Then he remembered a flash of red, as vibrant as the groom's attire he had once worn. 'That crimson, flowing skirt was so clearly etched into my heart,' he wondered. 'How could I have forgotten it? And for how long has it been forgotten?'

A figure in red surfaced in his mind, becoming clearer and clearer. Chen Dong remembered the name.

He was desperate to know what had become of her.

But before Chen Dong could even speak, You said flatly, "She is well. Do not ask about her. When the time is right, she will naturally come to find you."

Chen Dong's shoulders slumped in dejection. You had seen right through him.

'It's as if I started forgetting things the moment I arrived in the Floating Shadow Realm,' he thought. 'Just like how Zisang Jin and the others are forgetting about the Hongmeng Dao Artifact. All information related to it is slowly being erased from memory.'

'Does the Floating Shadow Realm alter memories, or is it that beings of a certain Realm simply cannot be retained in one's memory?'

For the moment, Chen Dong had no answer. He fixed his gaze on You.

As expected, You once again read his thoughts, saying lightly, "What is substantial will remain; what is fleeting must fade. Some things are considered taboo in the Floating Shadow Realm. This forgetting is the will of the Celestial Dao."

Zisang Jin was completely baffled, unable to understand the riddles the two were exchanging.

Chen Dong, however, clenched his fists tightly. 'This Floating Shadow Realm… it's so damn strange!'

With a gesture, You drew upon the empty air, and a massive map materialized before them.

"This is a map of the Nether Divine Palace. All the key locations are marked. Memorize it. You two will be staying here for some time."

Chen Dong asked, "If this place is in the Human Race Realm, why won't you let us go back?"

You didn't answer, changing the subject instead. "In the Dao Storage Hall to the east, there are over 320,000 volumes of Secret Techniques, 7,320 volumes of Cultivation Techniques, and 2,807 volumes of Divine Techniques. There are also texts on Side Path Pills, formations, artifact refinement, talismans, beast taming, and item control. Aside from the paths of the Ascension and Immortal realms, which cannot be recorded, the Cultivation Techniques here go all the way up to the Mahayana Stage. You two should cultivate here for a while."

Zisang Jin was overjoyed at this. While she normally enjoyed taking it easy, that was only because she had already mastered everything the Cyan Sky Sect had to teach. But now, with so many new techniques available—and with her pride still smarting from her bout with Yun Mengshang—she was fired up. In her eyes, their draw had been a loss, and she was now determined to grow stronger.

She asked excitedly, "Lord You, what about the ice seal on my soul and Nascent Soul?"