Chapter 50: The Nine Spaces
The Nine Spaces . . .
When Cha-Eun Xiao had finally regained his full strength and consciousness, his immediate instinct was to delve deep into the recesses of his mind and access the enigmatic Space, seeking answers to the recent tumultuous events that had transpired.
The day he had been forcibly expelled from the Space, he had been gripped by an overwhelming fear that this incredible realm was on the brink of obliteration. The thought of the Space collapsing had loomed ominously, a potential death knell that would have proven catastrophic for Cha-Eun Xiao.
But now, in this moment of respite, his location and surroundings mattered less than the sheer relief of being alive. His first course of action was to re-enter the Space, and what he encountered left him utterly astounded.
"Is this... Is this the same Space I once knew?" Cha-Eun Xiao marveled, for it wasn't destruction that had occurred; it was transformation.
Reconstruction might be too strong a term to describe it; the minutiae of the place remained largely unchanged. Yet, the entire expanse had been divided into nine distinct sections, each of which radiated a unique energy.
At the heart of the Space lay an egg, and it acted as the core, giving rise to the nine distinctive sections. These sections spanned in every direction - front, back, left, right, top - each discernible by its own distinctive color, effectively creating nine distinct spaces within the Space itself.
The topmost region held the Cosmic Hades, exuding a continuous flow of icy-blue frigid qi. This space was conspicuously underutilized, with not even one percent of its capacity occupied.
Beneath it lay an ivory space housing the Pure Heavenly Crystal, similarly underutilized.
To the left, a space brimmed with precious plants, emitting a vibrant cyan qi, yet far from reaching its full potential.
Another space contained the Sky Crystal Sand, sparsely filled compared to what lay ahead. The remaining five spaces, however, stood completely barren.
"The world of nine elements," a realization flashed through Cha-Eun Xiao's mind as he surveyed the nine distinct sections.
In each of these sections, hovering words could be seen in the air, defining the unique attributes of each space.
'Sky Space'
'Earth Space'
'Gold Space'
'Wood Space'
'Flame Space'
'Water Space'
'Soul Space'
'Yang Space'
'Yin Space'
The nine Spaces, each with its own defining essence.
The Cosmic Hades resided in the Sky Space, while the Pure Heavenly Crystal occupied the Soul Space. The Wood Space was home to the Tree of Cultivating Tea and other valuable flora, all contributing to the cyan qi. The Gold Space held the Sky Crystal Sand, though it was not entirely filled.
As for the other five, they remained void, waiting to be imbued with the attributes corresponding to their names.
In the next moment, sixteen words materialized from the ether, whirling at a breathtaking pace before soaring past Cha-Eun Xiao's eyes. They transformed into ethereal purple clouds, which then condensed into a vibrant purple qi, ultimately finding their way into the Space.
"To assemble the nine elements; to reverse the world. The nine return to their origin; the Ruler of the Firmament!" These words, cryptic yet resonant, needed no explanation for Cha-Eun Xiao. He understood their significance perfectly.
To harness the full potential of the Space, Cha-Eun Xiao realized that he must acquire all nine types of qi. Only then could he unlock the gateway to ultimate strength and ascend to unparalleled heights of power.
If Cha-Eun Xiao could successfully fill all nine spaces with their corresponding elemental qi types, he would ascend to become the Ruler of the Firmament, wielding unparalleled power and mastery over the elements themselves. It was an enticing prospect, yet the reality of achieving this feat was daunting.
As Cha-Eun Xiao gazed upon the items within the Space, a sense of overwhelming insignificance washed over him. The treasures at his disposal seemed like a mere drop in the vast ocean of what he needed to fulfill his goal. A wistful thought crossed his mind as he contemplated his predicament, "This Space is going to test me to the brink of despair. Where on earth can I acquire the vast amount of treasures required to 'return the nine to their origin'? Even filling the Space with the entirety of the Qing-Yun Realm might not suffice..."
Amidst his musings, faint voices reached his ears from beyond the confines of his mental sanctuary.
With a sigh, Cha-Eun Xiao withdrew his consciousness from the Space, pondering the enormity of his newfound task. "So many Spaces, each massive in its own right... What am I to do with them? How long will it take me to fill them all?"
Outside, he overheard a girl's voice, laden with relief and admiration. "He must have endured the pain successfully... This man is incredibly resilient. An entire day has passed, and he hasn't broken down... His strength of will is truly commendable."
"I wonder who could have subjected him to such a method..." Another voice chimed in, filled with disapproval. "It's a truly ruthless and cruel approach."
"Hmm. Fetch some water and feed him. We can't allow him to perish from dehydration; that would be quite the ironic outcome."
"Agreed."
The girl rose from her place, leaving to procure water for their guest.
From this brief conversation, Cha-Eun Xiao gleaned several crucial pieces of information. He wasn't in his own abode, the two women believed he had been assaulted, his true identity remained concealed, and the person responsible for blocking his Jing and Mai was likely the girl who had saved him. All signs pointed to him being a captive in this unfamiliar setting.
Despite his predicament, Cha-Eun Xiao found solace in the fact that he had survived the harrowing mutation earlier. He had been utterly defenseless at that moment, vulnerable even to non-martial cultivators. Regardless of the girl's true intentions, she had ultimately saved his life, a debt he felt compelled to repay.
Having disguised himself as Feng Zhi-Ling, Cha-Eun Xiao realized that he needed to perform his martial arts again if he wanted to remove the disguise. In fact, his body would have automatically reverted to its true form during his unconscious state if no one had interfered. However, the intervention of the person who blocked his Jing and Mai had preserved his disguise, though it had subjected him to excruciating pain. For Cha-Eun Xiao, the preservation of his secret and status far outweighed the agony he endured.
As he groaned and slowly awakened, he found himself in the presence of the girl in cyan, the very same individual who had vied with him for the Regeneration Ink Lotus at the auction. It put him at ease to see her, and he pretended to struggle to regain consciousness, casting a grateful look her way. "Lady... Is that you? Where am I? Did you save me?"
Her soft smile radiated warmth as she responded, "It was a small effort, nothing worth mentioning. Brother Feng, there's no need for such gratitude."
Expressing immense relief, Cha-Eun Xiao blushed slightly and extended his hands to grasp hers. With an air of deep gratitude, he spoke, "Lady, your act saved my life. What you've done is akin to granting me a second chance at life. I will forever remember your kindness..."
The unexpected swiftness of his action caught the girl off guard; she hadn't anticipated his rapid response. Her delicate hands, untouched by any man before, found themselves firmly held by his warm palms, a moment both unexpected and filled with intrigue.
A flush of crimson instantly tinted her cheeks, and a surge of mixed emotions swelled within her heart. Instinctively, she yearned to withdraw her hands from his grasp. With a forced smile, she responded, "Brother Feng, you are overly kind. It truly doesn't amount to much..."
Yet, Cha-Eun Xiao continued to clasp her soft hands firmly, releasing a heavy sigh. "My lady, your kindness knows no bounds. You've rescued me from the precipice of peril, and yet you insist on downplaying your role. Your integrity is truly remarkable. However, I am not one to repay kindness with ingratitude, am I?"
He tightened his grip ever so slightly, his voice filled with earnest appreciation. "You possess a kind heart, a ladylike demeanor, courage combined with gentleness, and nobility that radiates joy throughout the world."
The young woman made another attempt to free her hands, but Cha-Eun Xiao's hold remained unyielding. She found herself unable to harbor any resentment and dared not react rashly, fearing that her actions might inadvertently harm him, considering his recent recovery. In a mixture of amusement and exasperation, she implored, "Brother Feng, could you please release my hands? I... I am not accustomed to..."
"Oh, oh, oh..." Cha-Eun Xiao instantly relinquished his grip, his cheeks reddening with realization. "I apologize. I've been rather impolite... My apologies..."
He absentmindedly rubbed his fingers, still tingling from the memory of her soft hands in his palms—a sensation he found both delightful and memorable.
However, something about the situation felt amiss, seriously amiss.
Cha-Eun Xiao had perceived the girl's potent cultivation prowess and sensed the power that she concealed behind a facade of weakness. She had skillfully concealed her true strength, a ruse that would deceive most people in the Han-Yang Land. However, Cha-Eun Xiao was no ordinary observer; he had once held the mantle of the Xiao Monarch, reigning over the Qing-Yun Realm. This level of subterfuge could not escape his discerning eye.
The aura of strength around her was subtle but genuine, a testament to her status as a cultivator—likely one who specialized in swordsmanship.
However, despite his seemingly lecherous actions in grasping her hands, Cha-Eun Xiao detected no traces of swordplay or martial arts within her. This perplexed him and defied common logic.
Regardless of her meticulous skincare regimen or the number of times she bathed, a cultivator who had trained extensively in martial arts or swordsmanship would inevitably bear traces of their chosen discipline on their hands. Such traces might elude ordinary individuals but would be glaringly evident to fellow cultivators, especially those of significant expertise.
Yet, this girl's hands bore no such marks—no evidence of martial prowess, no telltale signs of swordsmanship.
It was a puzzling incongruity.
Though he had only held her hands briefly before her request to let go, Cha-Eun Xiao was compelled to oblige. As he withdrew his hands, an awkward sensation washed over him. He was, after all, the former Xiao Monarch, not some lascivious miscreant. The gentle reprimand from a young woman left him feeling embarrassed, and even with a thick skin, he couldn't help but feel self-conscious.
He muttered a quiet apology, his voice laced with chagrin. "Well, um... I apologize... for touching your... um... hands for so long..."
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