Chapter 70: The Auspicious Divine Vessel

Yan the Red Knight and She Meier hid themselves within the "Heavenly Net Invisible Curtain," witnessing the five cultivators reduced to shattered bones in an instant. Even the massive stone at the center of the valley entrance, engraved with the three characters "Valley of Certain Death," was utterly pulverized. The scene left them gaping in terror, unable to utter a single word.

"My heavens, this is terrifying!" Yan the Red Knight was stunned for a long while before he could steady his nerves. "Which ancient immortal set up that barrier? Its power is beyond imagination! No wonder my master said he had ventured to the Valley of Certain Death three times, only to fail each time... It turns out that the barrier guarding this valley is truly unbreakable, impossible to breach! But She Meier, your master claimed she could take you into the Valley of Certain Death with ease, as if retrieving items from a pocket, utterly at will... I really can't imagine, how exactly did you enter the Valley?"

She Meier giggled triumphantly. "Yan the Red Knight, don't be impatient. Very soon, you'll witness the prowess of Lishan Purple Mist Palace yourself! Enough talk, let's not waste any more time. Come, Yan the Red Knight, I'll take you to the Valley of Certain Death and let you pick treasures as you please..."

"Alright!" Yan the Red Knight agreed at once, stepping forward to join She Meier as they headed toward the valley.

At this moment, Yan the Red Knight was full of doubts, with many questions he wished to ask She Meier, but he wasn't sure how to begin. As they walked, his mind stirred and he found a way in, so he spoke:

"She Meier, as far as I know, once a barrier is set, only its creator can control the entry and exit through its methods. Others can't freely pass through—unless they break it, which would destroy the barrier. But the barrier guarding the Valley of Certain Death is clearly intact. So, your master took you in and out of the valley repeatedly... I can't fathom it: what power do you possess to overcome such an impenetrable barrier? Could it be... your master herself laid the barrier? Or perhaps... you know the Earth Burrowing Technique?"

"Hehe..." She Meier couldn't help but laugh before he finished. "Yan the Red Knight, isn't your imagination exhausting? Why would my master waste her time setting up a barrier here for fun? Besides, you saw for yourself how formidable the valley's barrier is. Even though my master is a loose immortal now, she couldn't possibly create so extraordinary a barrier! Yan the Red Knight, let me ask you: you keep talking about barriers, but how much do you really know? Do you have any idea how many kinds of barriers exist in this world?"

"Ah?" Yan the Red Knight was caught off guard, his face flushing. "She Meier, from what you're saying, there are many types of barriers?"

"Of course," She Meier replied with pride.

Yan the Red Knight became even more interested, smiling. "Haha, I'm quite curious about barriers, but I don't know much... She Meier, why not take this opportunity to enlighten me?"

"No problem," She Meier agreed readily. "Yan the Red Knight, let me explain the knowledge of barriers to you, so your wooden head can finally open up. Hmm..." She cleared her throat and began to speak with confidence. "First, what is a barrier?

A barrier is when a cultivator channels their true energy in large quantities, forming a protective shield of true energy in the form of an array at any location. It can be large or small, its surface storing the cultivator's power, defending against intrusion and protecting a region or person.

As far as I know, there are ten types of barriers: Half Barrier, Full Barrier, Umbrella Barrier, Sphere Barrier, Screen Barrier, Living Barrier, Dead Barrier, Diamond Barrier, Flexible Barrier, and Perpetual Barrier.

Each barrier has its own unique characteristics and uses.

For example, the Umbrella Barrier is shaped like an umbrella. If a cultivator encounters wind or rain on the road, they can set up an Umbrella Barrier above their head for shelter.

The Sphere Barrier is shaped like a ball. When a cultivator is traveling and needs a temporary place to rest, they can set up a Sphere Barrier and seal themselves inside, sleeping safely and peacefully.

Similarly, as the name suggests, the Perpetual Barrier is created so that its power will last forever without manual infusion of true energy. When setting it up, the cultivator places a Spirit Core at the center, which automatically generates true energy to replenish the barrier continuously.

To give a concrete example, the barrier before us at the Valley of Certain Death is actually the most successful Perpetual Barrier!"

She Meier spoke eloquently, with a flood of words and strong reasoning. Yan the Red Knight, impressed, regarded her anew:

"She Meier, I never imagined you knew so much about barriers... So, you must be able to set one up yourself?"

She Meier blushed. "I'm sorry, Yan the Red Knight. Though I understand barriers well, I can't set one up yet... But once we're back, I'll begin learning, because my master said once I reach the Golden Core stage and have enough true energy, she'll teach me how to set up barriers."

"Really?" Yan the Red Knight said with excitement. "How coincidental! My master told me the same thing..."

"Truly?" She Meier was equally thrilled. "Yan the Red Knight, in that case, we'll both start learning to set up barriers at the same time? Hehe, Yan the Red Knight, my little handsome one, just you wait—once I know how to set up barriers, I'll use a Living Barrier to control you so you can't escape, and you'll obediently follow me!"

"She Meier, dream on!" Yan the Red Knight replied, not to be outdone. "When we both know how to set up barriers, if you dare use a Living Barrier on me, I'll give you a Dead Barrier in return, leaving you helpless and unable to go anywhere..."

"Hehe, Yan the Red Knight, you're such a braggart!"

"Haha, She Meier, just wait and see..."

Amid their banter, Yan the Red Knight and She Meier unknowingly arrived at the valley entrance. Standing at the spot where the five cultivators had perished, they took a careful look. The deaths were thorough and clean—apart from lingering blood mist, not a single bone fragment remained.

She Meier sighed in disappointment. "Alas! So cleanly dead, not even a single artifact left behind."

"She Meier, you're too ruthless!" Yan the Red Knight couldn't help but reproach her. "Five living cultivators, shattered to pieces in an instant, sent to the underworld—and not only do you feel no pity, you even complain they left you no artifacts..."

"So what?" She Meier retorted confidently. "Was it my doing that they were smashed to pieces? If blame is to be laid, it’s on their own overestimation of themselves, bringing disaster upon themselves... Enough of this gloomy talk. Now, it's time to show my skill! Yan the Red Knight, watch closely as I bring you into the Valley of Certain Death!"

Yan the Red Knight, hearing this, was filled with anticipation. "Alright! She Meier, unleash your extraordinary abilities!"

She Meier agreed, silently reciting a spell. Instantly, an object was summoned from her storage ring and appeared in her jade palm.

Yan the Red Knight's eyes lit up, and he quickly examined it. The object resembled a diamond drill, but wasn't made of metal; transparent and hollow, about the size of a peach pit, bulging in the middle and pointed at both ends, delicate and finely crafted.

Yan the Red Knight couldn't identify it and quickly asked, "She Meier, what kind of artifact is this?"

"This isn't an artifact, it's a magical treasure!" She Meier corrected him proudly. "Yan the Red Knight, let me tell you—this treasure is called the 'Wishful Divine Ark.' My master spent ten years refining it, specifically to deal with the Perpetual Barrier of the Valley of Certain Death."

With these words, she held the Wishful Divine Ark, silently recited a spell to store the Heavenly Net Invisible Curtain back into her storage ring, then tossed the Wishful Divine Ark into the air, declaring, "Wishful Divine Ark, act according to my will!"

Instantly, the Wishful Divine Ark expanded, transforming into a transparent vessel with a sealed hatch, floating motionless above She Meier's head.