"Your Highness, be careful," Ian warned, his voice carrying a note of concern.
Han Jue stepped back slightly, his gaze fixed on the asteroid below. A powerful pull resonated deep within his soul, drawing him inexorably toward the ancient rock. Glancing at Ian beside him, he could tell the Immortal Marquis felt nothing similar. The attraction was unique to him alone.
'So this place is connected to the former Earth,' Han Jue realized. 'But the "gate" here is already open.'
Even without the soul's pull, anyone who discovered this location could access the treasures within. This was precisely how the Lord of the Ice Wasteland Realm had obtained his inheritance in the original timeline.
Hidden within this unremarkable asteroid was a Land of Inheritance!
Han Jue took a single step to the left and vanished. Ian startled for a moment before quickly following the same path, stepping into that mysterious space.
A flood of information poured directly into Han Jue's soul, explaining the nature of this inheritance ground.
This was the legacy left behind by the Crimson Star King, an Immortal King from the Mountain and Sea Realm!
The Land of Inheritance was divided into three distinct levels.
The first level was accessible to all beings, regardless of origin. Those who completed the corresponding trials would receive rewards appropriate to their achievements.
The second and third levels, however, were restricted. Only humans from the Mountain and Sea Realm could enter these deeper sections. The verification method relied on soul origin, and the rewards far surpassed anything available on the first level.
"Ian, you should explore the first level," Han Jue said after absorbing the transmitted information. He opened his eyes to find Ian standing beside him, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Your Highness, but you..." Ian hesitated, clearly reluctant to leave Han Jue unguarded.
"This is a legacy left by a powerful Immortal King. There should be treasures suitable for someone at your level," Han Jue pointed out. Ian had only recently advanced to the upper tier of Immortal Marquis and didn't even possess a decent Immortal-grade weapon yet.
"Go ahead. You understand my strength. If there's real danger here, you wouldn't be able to protect me anyway."
Ian fell silent, unable to refute that logic.
After sending Ian to the first level, Han Jue prepared to explore the second and third levels to discover what the Crimson Star King had left behind.
The leader of the Mountain and Sea Realm had been the strongest candidate for the Star Tower succession, personally nurtured by Sitting Mountain Guest himself, and had possessed opportunities beyond imagination. While Han Jue wasn't certain if this particular inheritance belonged to that legendary figure, the Crimson Star King had at least been a powerful Immortal King. Finding valuable treasures here wouldn't be surprising.
The Land of Inheritance resembled three overlapping trapezoidal platforms stacked upon each other.
Ian entered the first platform while Han Jue ascended the nearby golden staircase toward the second.
The moment Han Jue's foot touched the second level, a series of mysterious zither melodies filled the air. The music transformed into soul attacks, striking directly at his consciousness and attempting to influence his mind and spirit.
"Hmph!"
A test of soul defense?
Han Jue's current soul defenses were comparable to those of a Universe Venerable. These attacks could only threaten someone at the World Master level at most. Listening to the melodious music, he treated it as pleasant background accompaniment and continued forward without breaking stride.
Soon, he reached the end of the second platform.
A stone table stood there, upon which rested an exquisite guqin.
The instrument was a masterwork of craftsmanship. Its overall hue suggested a blend of white jade and jadeite, radiating a warm, elegant luster. The sleek body featured intricate carvings of colorful clouds, exuding a unique, timeless beauty.
The soul-attacking music had emanated from this ancient zither.
Han Jue picked it up carefully, and a message flowed into his mind.
"The Jade Music Qin, a standard soul attack treasure. This instrument was entrusted to me by an old friend after she suffered grave injuries, asking me to find a worthy successor."
Along with the qin came a complete sheet of music and a comprehensive soul attack technique comparable to the renowned "Ethereal Soul Scripture." However, the true essence of the "Ethereal Soul Scripture" lay primarily in soul defense, while this technique focused purely on offense.
The item was useless to Han Jue personally, so he stored it away for later. He could exchange it for treasure points eventually, or perhaps gift it to someone who would appreciate it.
'Han Xi seems to enjoy classical music,' he thought idly. 'I wonder if she has talent for soul techniques.'
The staircase leading to the third platform stood just behind the stone table. Han Jue continued upward without hesitation.
The third level appeared completely empty.
Han Jue wandered the space for an extended period, unable to discern what was supposed to be here. What had the Crimson Star King intended to leave on this final level?
The question puzzled him deeply.
He was certain something must be hidden on this third platform. The soul's attraction that had drawn him here vanished the moment he reached this level, as if its purpose had been fulfilled.
'Six Eyes!'
Han Jue activated his innate ability, observing the fundamental laws and spatial patterns of his surroundings through his enhanced perception.
Swish!
A brilliant beam of light shot toward him without warning!
Fortunately, Han Jue's reflexes were sharp. He dodged the attack instantly, his eyes tracking its trajectory back to its point of origin.
It wasn't an enemy. It wasn't even a defensive mechanism.
The attack had emerged spontaneously from the space itself.
Understanding dawned. The treasure on this third level wasn't an object at all, it was the space itself!
The power of that initial attack had been comparable to a peak Immortal Marquis. Over the next several minutes, multiple attacks imbued with spatial law energy emerged from various points around the room. Their strength varied widely, ranging from ordinary Immortal-level strikes to peak Immortal Marquis attacks. Han Jue observed carefully, attempting to discern the underlying patterns.
With a sudden flash, a massive beam of light tore through the air.
The entire space trembled slightly.
An attack comparable to a primary Immortal King!
Han Jue's eyes lit up with interest. Finally, a new development.
After this powerful strike, the space fell silent for approximately one hour before the beam attacks resumed their irregular patterns.
As time passed, Han Jue gradually discovered something fascinating. These light beam attacks seemed to align, at least partially, with the seventy-two essential principles of the Light Origin Law. Furthermore, they vaguely incorporated subtle hints of the Time Origin Law.
Drawing upon the Light and Time Origin Sparks within his own body, Han Jue began delving deeper into this space's unique characteristics, studying its mysteries with intense focus.
Meanwhile, on the first level of the Land of Inheritance, Ian faced a much more conventional test.
Before him stood a mechanical puppet with the power of a peak Immortal Marquis. The trial required him to withstand ten direct exchanges without suffering defeat.
Ian was quite capable, the Silver Moon King wouldn't have entrusted him with protecting Han Jue otherwise. He'd managed to hold off the barely-crowned Immortal Marquis Wuyu for an extended period during their previous encounter, demonstrating considerable skill.
After a fierce battle, Ian successfully endured the full ten exchanges and claimed the first-level reward.
The prize was an Immortal divine weapon in the form of a slender, straight blade, comparable in quality to Han Jue's Ice Sword. Several secret technique inheritances also came with the weapon, though none proved particularly useful for Ian's specific path.
"Alien warrior, my name is the Crimson Star King. I have left three different rewards within the first level of this inheritance ground. What you have claimed is the final reward. From this moment forward, this place will no longer open to those from beyond the Mountain and Sea Realm," a voice echoed in Ian's consciousness.
"If you encounter a human from the Mountain and Sea Realm, inform them of this location and ask them to receive my true inheritance. I have fallen on the extraterritorial battlefield. The coordinates of the Mountain and Sea Realm are..."
"Those are Earth's coordinates," Ian realized with sudden clarity. "Your Highness was looking for this."
Understanding flooded through him. His young charge hadn't been searching randomly, he'd been seeking this specific inheritance ground all along. And now that Han Jue had found it, Ian could only imagine what treasures awaited in those restricted upper levels.