During the recent ice coffin transfer.
Zhu Yuhao and Su Bai were temporarily stationed at home due to the nature of their work:
Zhu Yuhao managed logistics for the Qinling exploration project, and his tasks in Qinling required his attention, preventing him from returning to the Damo Realm.
Even though the rabbits had already discovered Panghu Cave, a significant site.
Who knows if there might still be further discoveries?
As for Su Bai, he belonged to Modu's defense system, replacing Lin Ziming's position.
Therefore, he wouldn't be traveling to the Damo Realm either.
Besides that.
Cui Xiaofeng also followed Panghu to the Ju Mang Base—after all, one can't be too much of a scoundrel and must take responsibility to the end.
Like finding it a suitable mate and letting it become the protagonist of a novel or something.
What's the word to describe this kind of harem life?
Oh right.
Same goal, different paths.
Anyway.
Because these few people couldn't go to Qingqiu, the camp selected some new warriors and researchers.
Forming a brand-new exploration team.
The team configuration was as follows:
Lin Ziming leads the team, with Lu Chaoyang and Ouyang Dongshan providing real-time information guidance, and Patriarch Wei as an honorary consultant.
As for the analysis task of the fox skeletons, it was assigned to a fox professor named Yi'an and his team.
For the remaining team's combat strength, the command arranged for fifty warriors to accompany them.
These fifty individuals were all above the Fifth-Layer Qi Cultivation realm, with diverse professional backgrounds.
Besides combat, they also had skills in sampling, reconnaissance, and other electronic information tasks.
Cao Yi and Chen Rong were also among them, considered the two strongest cultivators currently at home—the title of second-strongest and first in the Qi Cultivation realm consecutively fell to Chen Rong after Cao Yi's breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Apart from this.
A team of experts from the laboratory would conduct real-time analysis but wouldn't enter the Qingqiu Space.
After all, this here was the rabbit's domain, and the configuration came together quite well.
Personnel, equipment logistics, and information exchange were more smoothly handled than they were at Qingcheng Mountain Celestial Palace back then.
At least there was no need for helicopter lifts and high-risk operations.
Once everything was prepared.
The exploration team officially entered Qingqiu Space.
The ice coffin entrance was located midway up a low peak in Qingqiu, suspended about seven or eight meters above the ground—for a clearer picture, think of a maintenance worker accessing an uncovered manhole.
Drip drop—
With the safety ropes ensuring protection.
The members of the exploration team descended to the ground one after another, quickly establishing a perimeter.
Given the extreme cold within Qingqiu.
Each warrior wore custom-made insulated clothing and was equipped with a "Pure Yang Talisman," commonly used in low-temperature expeditions in the Damo Realm.
Adding the cultivators' special physique made the equipment lighter, making movement easier than it was inside Panghu Cave previously.
Upon landing.
Lin Ziming first approached the edge of the hillside, observing the entire space's internal landscape with his naked eye:
The space covered a large area, with the furthest peaks visible being at least seven kilometers away from their location.
As for whether the peak's rear marked the space's boundary remained uncertain, requiring further exploration.
Numerous peaks formed a circular perimeter around the space's center, conservatively estimated to cover no less than forty square kilometers.
The low peak Lin Ziming's team occupied was on one side of a corner, approximately a hundred meters high.
Though not very tall, the surrounding ruins were plentiful.
From the layout of some of the remaining ruins, it wasn't hard to tell this used to be an important site in Qingqiu.
This point isn't difficult to understand:
After all, this is the entrance to the entire Qingqiu Space, failing to prioritize it would indeed be problematic.
Although it's unclear what level Qingqiu civilization reached at its peak.
The presence of the Qingqiu entrance inside the ice coffin hinted at some connection with that precursor civilization.
Therefore, at a conservative estimate.
The most influential figures in Qingqiu should possess humanoid forms and anthropoid intelligence.
Perhaps even more sophisticated.
Thus, near the critical entrance, evidence of systematic buildings and defensive measures wasn't surprising.
However, apart from these building traces, only a small path descending remained at the low peak's midsection.
No cave dwellings or similar structures.
Nor were there any fox skeletons.
Then Lin Ziming looked back at the suspended entrance, then gazed at the 'sky' of Qingqiu.
He clicked his tongue softly, puzzled, and asked Lu Chaoyang, who had just reached his side:
"Professor Lu, I have a question I'd like to ask...
Why isn't the entrance located at the topmost part of the space?
I remember Qingcheng Mountain Celestial Palace's entrance was near the boundary, though it was on the side boundary.".
As Lin Ziming mentioned.
The Qingqiu entrance wasn't positioned at the extreme height of the space, merely appearing out of nowhere in the vicinity near the ground, far from the boundary.
Imagine a spacetime crack appearing at the height of your third floor; its height doesn't define the height of the 'sky'.
The sky of Qingqiu is a pitch-black space boundary, with its structure indiscernible.
However, according to laser rangefinder readings, the 'sky' had a minimum height exceeding two thousand meters—here, two thousand meters didn't refer to the space's end, but to where the light could only reach that high.
Beyond that lies the physical end, an unknown barrier, maybe even black holes; further investigation is needed for specifics.
In response to Lin Ziming's question, Lu Chaoyang instead smiled:
"Colonel Lin, did you know?
This is actually good news.
Because it indicates that our hypothesis is correct—the Qingqiu Space was indeed created by a zero-point energy explosion, related to the vacuum.".
Seeing Lin Ziming still somewhat confused, Lu Chaoyang patiently explained:
"Colonel Lin, do you recall the discovery at Qingcheng Mountain Celestial Palace?
The boundaries of Qingcheng Mountain Celestial Palace continually underwent tangential radiation and annihilation reactions, producing vast amounts of Y-particles.
We just don't know from which side the other high-energy rays come from for now.
Later we speculated that the Celestial Palace was a spatial bag and barely explained the architectural style within.
And a spatial bag is like a wallet; the opening or zipper has to be at the boundary.".
Then he paused, extending his left hand's five fingers straight and close together.
Then suddenly spread them open, making an explosion gesture:
"Qingqiu Space is different.
It was created by a zero-point energy explosion, and in physics, an explosion in space is chaotic, irregular, and nondirectional.
This involves a normality basis concept; just because we see the space above the ice coffin entrance—or rather the area around the foot of the coffin—is empty with our naked eyes doesn't make it the 'lower' boundary of the space."
Seeing Lin Ziming still a bit perplexed, Lu Chaoyang thought of another example:
"Colonel Lin, if mere theory doesn't help you understand...
Think of the light gate at home.
If you set the ice coffin upright, doesn't the space entrance somewhat resemble the light gate?
Seen from home, it's a space entrance.
But once you pass through to come to the Damo Realm, what you see is the boundary of the Damo Realm?"
Lin Ziming was suddenly enlightened by Lu Chaoyang's explanation—truly understanding, not just feigning comprehension.
Indeed.
The shape of the light gate resembled the Qingqiu entrance quite closely.
Rabbits going through the light gate neither fell from the sky nor emerged from the deepest ground.
All around the light gate, whether front, back, left, right, up, or down, there were vast spaces.
The end is even yet unknown.
The light gate was like this.
The Qingqiu entrance was naturally easy to comprehend, too.
Understanding these concepts, Lin Ziming felt considerably more at ease—not that he had a keen interest in learning, but rather some truths bothered him if not understood.
He then turned, seeing over fifty people had all descended, and ordered:
"Alright, each group, pay attention and act according to the command's plan!
Wu Zitong, take Group A to explore the ground area on the left!
Cao Yi, you lead Group B to explore the right!
Ye Jian Country, take the information group to assess the space boundary situation, report any occurrences immediately!
As for Researcher Ouyang, Professor Yi An, Professor Chaoyang....
Let's go check out the state of those skeletons on the ground.".
........
