Without missing a beat Mu Fan stepped forward.
His eyes flash with an imperceptible light as the jade slip in his hand glowed, allowing him to pass through the membrane and disappear into a separate dimension.
The next person was Fang Chen. He clenched his fists and his expression became resolute as if he had made up his mind about something.
Soon Fei Yin and Lihua entered, leaving only Li Shen, Yang Su, and Jun.
Just as Yang Su was about to enter, Li Shen said.
"It's possible that you can form all six Qi Sea of the elements while inside, but be careful."
Jun spoke up too.
That's right, be safe senior brother."
Yang Su smiled and said.
"Everyone sees this as an opportunity to improve their strengths, I'll try my best to not fall behind the others. If that means going through a sea of danger then I'm willing to do so."
Li Shen let out a sigh upon hearing Yang Su's words.
Jun wore a complicated expression on his face as he watched Yang Su's back while he disappeared. His fist involuntarily clenched causing his knuckles to turn white.
The only ones remaining were Li Shen and Jun now. Li Wen had decided not to come as this seclusion wouldn't have done much for him and Li Shen agreed.
The others didn’t know it yet but Li Shen had done something to those jade slips to make them teleport to specific territories inside. He had planned this seclusion and he wanted to make sure they get stronger in this period of time.
It was dangerous, so much so they could die if they aren’t careful. Li Shen having been there before knew that, but as worried as he was he couldn't deny them this as it was a necessary step for them and even himself as well.
After calming down, he realized he had let his anger blind him. His father’s words from before began eating at him as they started to feel true.
Should he reveal his identity and just let loose? Or was that going to bring dangers he had no way of handling as he was now?
To make a decision that could affect him and everyone in the future, Li Shen didn't want to make the wrong choice. Tired he let out a sigh.
‘I’ll know after this seclusion and make a decision.’
Li Shen thought before he ushered Jun with him, but suddenly, a voice echoed in his ears.
“Shen’er, wait.”
It was his father and Li Shen paused his steps to listen.
“Regardless of my motives, you can’t live behind a mask forever. It’s a shackle that will weigh you down the longer you wear it. If someone found out your identity then it’ll be used against you.”
His father had come to persuade him further before he entered seclusion. And bullseye, he was right, that was the same situation that had happened with Xian.
“You wanted me to reveal it during the Chosen Tournament, right?”
Li Shen had figured out his father's intentions after some thought.
He didn’t wait for Li Shu to ask how he knew of the tournament as he continued.
“I’ll decide after I exit seclusion.”
With that, Li Shen held a waiting Jun’s shoulder as they walked and disappeared into the separate dimension.
As soon as they entered, Jun suddenly let out a yelp before he fell with a bang face first onto the ground.
The gravity inside was significantly stronger than outside.
Li Shen looked down at him and said.
“You’ll be fine once you get used to it.”
Jun’s hand left palm print in the grass as he tried to get up. After a few a while he managed to get up but was still in a crouch position.
Li Shen who was watching on smiled and said.
“See, you’ll be fine.”
Li Shen instinctively patted Jun’s head, but the extra weight of his hand through Jun and he fell face-first back onto the ground.
Li Shen froze before he scratched his cheek embarrassingly.
“I apologize, my bad.”
Jun grunted as he rose once again, this time he manage to set his spine straight.
He lifted his foot to take a step but after feeling as if he might fall again he placed it back down. He opted to just stand there and try to get used to the gravity before he tried moving.
Being in this situation almost felt as if he was back to being a toddler.
While Li Shen went off to the side to examine a jade slip, Jun took this opportunity to raise his head to look around.
They were in a grassy field that had mountains some distance away. It didn’t look any different from the outside world, but that cause him to stare in wonder.
The fact that he couldn’t tell the dimension and the outside world apart made him a bit shocked.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew across the grassing plane, and Jun watched as the grass field came to life in the wind. The sun was about to set over the horizon shining a golden hue down on the earth below.
If anything, Jun would say this place looked a lot better than the outside world. It seems as if it was handcrafted by someone to look this magnificent.
However, this preconception he developed in his first three minutes inside, was completely shattered by an untamed roar.
It was so deafening that Jun had to cover his ears. All of his hair stood on end as a cold chill went down his spine.
The roar was long-lasting and it wasn’t until it had a few agonizing seconds later did it died down.
Jun raised his lowered head and with a pale face, he asked in a rumbling voice.
“W-What was that? Wha kind of beast roars that loudly?’
Jun turn to Li Shen who was still fiddling with the jade slip.
“Huh? Oh, it’s just that bastard of an ape, he probably just sensed my presence in his territory. Don’t mind him.”
Jun wore a confused expression, he didn’t understand what he meant.
While Li Shen was fiddling with his jade slip to see the others' locations, something suddenly happened.
Crack
Somewhere inside the East territory, a saber Qi flew out and split a jade slip in two.
“Huh?”
The results of which reflected on the jade slip Li Shen was observing. Mu Fan’s tracker suddenly disappeared.
“What happened?”
Li Shen asked worriedly, but several more cracks.
Fang Chen inside the Devil’s Grotto territory between the South and East territory.
Lihua in the North territory.
Yang Su in the South territory.
And lastly, Fei Yin who was closer to Li Shen in the West territory.
All of their trackers suddenly disappeared.
“They destroyed their jade slips.”
Li Shen concluded that as soon as they entered the dimension they decided to destroy his tracker so he could find them.
“What’s with them?”
Li Shen let out a sigh.
He knew why they chose to do this, to show him their resolve to get stronger without his protection. It was likely so they themselves wouldn’t have the option to rely on him.
“So I should stop worrying over you guys? Fine!”
Li Shen said as he clenched his fists and destroyed his own jade slip.
His heart seize, but they made this decision to show their resolve. If he didn’t make a similar decision then he could never face them again.
“You guys are on your own then.”
**
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