"...Explain to me."
Bai Fanxian raised an eyebrow. She could pretend disinterest in this matter.
But because it involved "Divine Doctor Wu Jia"—the person she had business with—he was the only one she'd heard had Hui'er's condition yet recovered enough to begin cultivation. And he was the primary reason she'd traveled here.
The village chief turned to look at Marshal Zhang for approval.
"I'll tell it myself."
Zhang Xianyuan nodded. They moved to sit on the sofa. Soon after, the aide outside brought in drinks to serve.
Bai Fanxian was slightly surprised that her drink was the village's premium tea she liked. So they knew quite a bit about her.
"It started many years ago. Back then, Divine Doctor had reached the bottleneck of Martial Master level. He decided to enter seclusion to break through into Grandmaster realm."
Marshal Zhang chose his words carefully. He was recalling memories from many years past. Don't be fooled by his middle-aged appearance—his actual age was quite advanced.
Because he could be old friends with the gray-robed elderly man who was this village's chief.
"When he came to Village Beneath the Clouds, he helped the villagers greatly and brought prosperity to this place. The people here loved and respected him tremendously."
Zhang Xianyuan took a sip of water and continued.
"He entered seclusion in a cave behind this village. Time flowed on and on—from months to years. Many years passed until now, yet he still hasn't emerged."
"My granddaughter worries greatly because he's been inside far longer than he said he would." The elderly village chief bowed his head sadly while speaking.
"...Your granddaughter?"
"His granddaughter is Divine Doctor's disciple."
Zhang Xianyuan explained. "According to news that spread, Divine Doctor was to emerge from cultivation many days ago. That was his original schedule."
Bai Fanxian nodded in understanding. Normally, seclusion cultivation might take just a few days or stretch to years. But with this Divine Doctor, though many years had passed, there was no sign of him.
"Out of worry, the other day we took the liberty of opening that cave..." The village chief continued. He stood to fetch a box from the table and brought it for Bai Fanxian to see.
Inside the box were several photographs.
They captured various angles of the cave's interior. It was an ordinary cave, fairly clean and beautiful. But what immediately caught her attention was something deep inside the cave—a small alcove connected to the cave wall. It could be called a secret chamber or something like that.
There sat something resembling a large ball.
Its appearance was like a cluster of pale white light floating in midair. They gathered together into a sphere, but around it was something seemingly man-made like a dome enclosing it.
Bai Fanxian felt surprised at first glance.
Because what she saw was a "Border."
It resembled the Tier 5 Border she'd erected around that seaside house. It functioned to prevent anything from disturbing what was inside while also withstanding external attacks.
Only it was smaller.
"...This thing resembles what you've erected around your residence." Zhang Xianyuan spoke while turning to look at Bai Fanxian.
"...Mm. These are ancient mechanism arts."
Bai Fanxian nodded.
"Perhaps it's what you call formation arrays."
Zhang Xianyuan's eyes widened in shock. Formation array arts in this era weren't well known. Moreover, they weren't powerful or clearly effective. The number of practitioners decreased daily until now only certain ancient clans preserved such knowledge.
He hadn't expected the powerful "Border" he'd seen of Bai Fanxian's to share the same foundation.
"Take me to see it... we'll talk more on the way."
.
.
.
The three descended from that large building—which turned out to be the village chief's house. The aide and several of Zhang Xianyuan's people followed as well.
But along the way, Bai Fanxian encountered familiar people first.
"The children wanted to meet Elder Sister." Xie Suyao smiled dryly as the two small children she'd brought broke free from her hand and ran straight to Bai Fanxian upon seeing her.
Besides Xie Suyao, there were Zheng Renyi, Meiying, and the elderly butler Huang Zihuan following to look after things.
Seeing the middle-aged man in full military uniform, they startled slightly before paying respects to Zhang Xianyuan.
Because whether in martial prowess, age, or even military position, this man deserved respect.
But more importantly, he was my lady's "adoptive father." So for Bai Fanxian's followers, they must behave politely.
Especially Xie Suyao, who showed slight nervousness meeting the person who held the status of Elder Sister's father.
As for the two clan heads, they were dealing with numerous problems arising from news about "the Marshal's daughter" and such, so they didn't come along.
"...Then you all come too."
Bai Fanxian turned to ask Zhang Xianyuan with a glance. The Marshal quickly nodded repeatedly without objection. His manner made both his subordinates and Bai Fanxian's followers slightly surprised.
Was this father-daughter relationship somehow reversed?
The mountain behind the village wasn't very far. Along the way, the three children were excited by scenery and atmosphere they'd never seen.
The cave they mentioned was located deeper inside. Outside the cave now, some government personnel and Village Beneath the Clouds residents who knew of this matter constantly wandered about.
"Marshal!"
Military people seeing who the newcomer was quickly saluted with rigid posture. They were slightly surprised to see a young woman walking alongside the Marshal, with him showing deference toward her.
Could that be his adoptive daughter?
Of course, news of this spread through the military like wildfire. Both high-level figures and Zhang Xianyuan's many acquaintances called until the lines nearly burned, because this matter was becoming truly major.
"Uh... these people?"
A young soldier seeing a group of people following behind asked uncertainly. Because what was inside the cave wasn't something outsiders should see.
"It's fine. They're my daughter's people." Zhang Xianyuan waved once and they returned to their posts.
The cave's first section was like what Bai Fanxian saw in the photos earlier. But walking through the hidden path inside, Bai Fanxian raised an eyebrow slightly.
"There's a formation array at the entrance?"
Bai Fanxian murmured. Zhang Xianyuan hearing this quickly ordered people to examine the entrance area Bai Fanxian indicated. The cave was now empty.
"But its level isn't very high..."
Bai Fanxian continued unconcernedly. She kept walking until reaching the cave's deepest point. There was something like that light ball sealed with a Border. Now in this room besides Marshal Zhang and the elderly village chief, only her people remained.
Bai Fanxian's followers were surprised by the room's condition, especially the children who wanted to look at that light ball closely but didn't dare act arbitrarily.
Bai Fanxian swept her Heaven Sense throughout the room. This time she controlled its range narrowly. Marshal Zhang Xianyuan standing still trembled for unknown reasons. He felt momentarily as if he was naked with nothing able to escape her gaze.
His sensory nerves were fairly sharp, but even he only felt a flicker.
Bai Fanxian was certainly powerful!
Zhang Xianyuan shivered. His instincts warned he couldn't possibly fight her.
Befitting a Sage!
"...This is a Tier 4 Border." Bai Fanxian spoke after surveying once around.
"...Tier 4?" Zhang Xianyuan, not very familiar with this field, asked back with puzzled manner.
The young woman turned back and explained.
"At minimum, a Grandmaster-level figure must act to tear this Border and create an opening..." Her explanation was crystal clear. Like her Tier 5 Border at home—it would take a Sage-level figure to even make it tremble.
But she was confident that if she erected the Border, even at the same level, ordinary Sages couldn't easily destroy it.
Same with this Tier 4 Border before her. If she erected it herself, no Grandmaster could hope to penetrate it.
Zhang Xianyuan hearing what Bai Fanxian said tried processing in his head.
"Just like what I tested before..."
The Marshal explained. When they found this thing, they'd conducted various tests. But nothing could pass through that Border.
Only a Grandmaster-level figure like himself acting could make it form a hole briefly.
But soon after, it repaired itself as if nothing happened.
"...Let me try?" Zheng Renyi who'd followed quietly was also interested in this Border.
"Please do, Grandmaster Zheng..."
Marshal Zhang pondered and nodded. For Grandmaster-level figures who could test destroying this Border, this room alone had four. Let them try.
No—there was one who surpassed that.
Seeing even Bai Fanxian nod, Zheng Renyi had his granddaughter step back. In the next split second, his sword was drawn from its sheath. Grandmaster-level pressure exploded out. With one motion, a golden sword wave cut through air toward that Border!
Slash!
The sound of something being cut rang clearly. The Border surrounding the light cluster was sliced by Zheng Renyi's blade into a long tear. People in the room suddenly felt faint suction from that tear.
But before the old man could sheathe his sword and smile satisfiedly, the torn Border section trembled slightly then reconnected as before, as if nothing had happened!
"Hey!"
The old man wanted to look closer but Bai Fanxian blocked him first.
"As expected... it can repair itself." The Marshal himself nodded. Moreover, this time its recovery was even faster than when he'd tested.
"...You think Divine Doctor fell inside?" Bai Fanxian asked.
"Yes... according to my speculation, Divine Doctor accidentally discovered this secret chamber and Border. Upon achieving Grandmaster level, he could tear through this Border to enter inside."
"I haven't tested with humans or living beings. But at that light's center is like a dimension separately existing. Anything approaching it gets completely sucked in."
The Marshal spoke tensely. But Bai Fanxian's followers were more surprised by the Marshal's attitude and tone speaking to Bai Fanxian.
"So what you need my help with is?" Bai Fanxian turned to ask.
"...I'm not brazen enough to beg you to enter inside." Zhang Xianyuan quickly shook his head in case Bai Fanxian misunderstood.
"Even I can only make this Border form a hole for a few seconds. Moreover, it seems if something passes through, it recovers even faster."
"I just wish to trouble your Sage-level power, Lady Bai, to help open the gate so we can send an exploration unit inside."
Bai Fanxian understood why this Marshal was so delighted after learning she was a figure above Grandmaster.
Because just her being "Sage" was more than enough to open this Border for some time. And they could send people to rescue Divine Doctor.
Her power level was key to this matter.
"...Very well. When do you want my help?" Bai Fanxian decided to help. At least the Marshal before her had provided "identity" without needing to ask. Moreover, it was a fairly significant and convenient identity in many matters.
How could she not repay at least this much?
"Then first I'd like to roughly calculate how long you can keep an opening in that Border..." Zhang Xianyuan spoke gladly. What he explained next was reasonable. If they could roughly estimate the time, they'd know approximately how many people or equipment could be sent in per round.
"...Then let's try."
Bai Fanxian nodded.
She walked to stop before that Border. Her right hand waved lightly once. Her qi power surged toward the blocking Border.
Moreover, she wasn't entirely at ease. She ordered her people to step back further than before. From sensing earlier, that light ball's suction wasn't very strong. If they didn't approach close enough to touch it, they'd remain safe.
Zhang Xianyuan watched this moment intently. He raised his hand to press the timer on his phone. But the next second he froze.
The Border that even with his full strength could only form a hole was... disappearing!
That white light dome dissolved like dust fragments upon contact with Bai Fanxian's qi power! Moreover, there was no sign they'd recover even after several seconds passed.
Creak...
But before he could finish being shocked, that thing like a light cluster at the center made an abnormal creaking sound. Suddenly there was blinding brightness with no one prepared. Tremendous suction appeared in a blink, swallowing everyone in that room completely!
Not sparing even Bai Fanxian. The fastest thing she could do at that moment was move beside her people who were panicking. Her qi power exploded out to protect them.
But it couldn't help. That white light didn't disturb or harm them at all. It was merely like a medium sending them into that dimension!
The instant no one remained in the room, the Border Bai Fanxian had destroyed earlier slowly recovered from the ground. It appeared as a white light dome covering the light cluster inside completely.
Leaving only numerous footsteps outside rushing in after sensing the sudden tremor with commotion...