Chapter 1362 - 401: Sikong Yan, Why Are You in Nanhuang State?
The whole world was shrouded in an oppressive suffocation, even the wind carried a harsh metallic echo.
Zhou Qing was stunned.
Why was the scene he mapped in the same Desolate Forbidden area so different from number six’s?
He looked more closely and suddenly realized.
The scene seemed to be the deepest part he’d reached last time teaming up with number six!
And it was on one of the mountain ranges where number six used the [Eightfold Sticker] to witness the scene of the transforming Divine Beast and the second grandpa.
This place was also the closest to the core of the third phase.
"Could the mapped scene be related to the depth of the exploration?" Zhou Qing was puzzled.
Just then, the second image where number seven was suddenly flashed with a stream of light, then condensed into a purple orb engraved with the ancient character "Qi".
When the scene stabilized again, Zhou Qing’s pupils shrank abruptly.
Because the frozen frame showed black ships moving through the sand, almost identical to number six’s scene.
"Sikong Yan, in Nanhuang State?!" This thought quickly flashed through Zhou Qing’s mind like lightning.
"Hey, fellow countryman! Long time no see!" Number seven, re-condensed into a purple orb, warmly greeted upon discovering the red orb.
Zhou Qing controlled the red orb to slowly turn toward the other.
"Oh? You actually discovered the second forbidden area too, incredible!"
When he saw that the scene beside the vortex, represented by Zhou Qing’s red color, also turned into two, Sikong Yan’s gender-indistinct surprised voice sounded.
The purple orb’s surface rippled.
Zhou Qing remained silent, just quietly "watching" the other.
"What? Don’t recognize me?" Sikong Yan said with a chuckle.
"Speaking of which, you know me quite well, I even invited you to visit my forbidden area."
"But until now—" His voice suddenly lowered, "I still know nothing about you."
"Are you in Nanhuang State?" Zhou Qing asked straightforwardly.
His current simulated forbidden area was just the second phase of the Desolate Forbidden.
Although it was already quite deep, with Sikong Yan’s strategy and continual simulation capabilities, he would eventually witness this scene.
Moreover, with his personality, it’s entirely possible he might look for related Imaging Stones to understand information about the Desolate Forbidden.
After all, besides him and number six, others throughout history had ventured deep, even reaching the core.
Although everyone here was "acting," overacting would make oneself appear like a clown instead.
Faced with Zhou Qing’s question, Sikong Yan was obviously stunned.
"How did you... Wait, that’s the second phase of the Desolate Forbidden? Are you currently in Nanhuang State?"
Sikong Yan immediately scrutinized Zhou Qing’s second image, with a tone tinged with excitement.
"Did you just arrive at the Desolate Forbidden side? Before I entered, you still had only one forbidden area scene. Now it suddenly became two, indicating it just formed."
"No, no," he muttered to himself, rejecting his hypothesis, "if you had just accessed the Desolate Forbidden, how could you directly manifest the second phase scene? You’ve already ventured that deep!"
The light on the surface of the purple orb flickered on and off, indicating Sikong Yan was in extreme shock.
"Charging straight to that position without simulation... just how strong are you?" Sikong Yan’s voice carried an incredulous astonishment.
Over the past decade, he didn’t know how many times he simulated the Desolate Forbidden in the Divine Ruins Celestial Palace, each time deepening his understanding of the dreadful extent of this forbidden area.
Not to mention Spirit Severing Realm cultivators, even those exalted Supreme Realm powers had rumors of falling within.
Yet the image displayed by number one before him left him completely at a loss.
From what he understood of number one, this person was certainly not reckless.
From the bits and pieces of their concealed confrontations over the years, this person worked cautiously, acting only after careful planning.
If he had long encountered the Desolate Forbidden, he ought to know its dangers well.
"And besides..." The purple orb flickered slightly, "since there are treasures like the Divine Ruins Celestial Palace, why enter directly without even simulating?"
The more Sikong Yan thought, the more puzzled he became, "What’s even more incredible is that he actually fought his way to the second phase..."
This completely defied logic.
Any normal cultivator, faced with a terrifying forbidden area like the Desolate Forbidden, would simulate repeatedly through the Divine Ruins Celestial Palace first.
Understanding the routes and dangers and fully preparing before truly entering.
Moreover, it had been many years since he last came online; what had he been doing all these years?
"Wait..." The purple orb suddenly vibrated violently, "it’s number six!"