The group immediately put their plan into action, following Zhang Ergou towards the altar not far away.
As the saying goes, "Looking at a mountain and running to it is like riding a horse to death," what Zhang Ergou and the others considered a short distance turned out to take them more than half a day to reach.
Considering their current cultivation and strength, their travel speed was already quite fast.
Yet, even so, it took them a considerable amount of time to finally arrive before the altar.
"Hey, I say, weren't we a bit too optimistic?"
Xiao Qingyu, dragging two large iron hammers, stared at the towering structure before them.
Even with their physical cultivation, they were somewhat breathless from traveling at full speed without a break.
The altar they had seen earlier was merely a vague outline, and from a distance, they hadn't paid it much mind.
Now, standing before it, everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.
Even Zhang Ergou couldn't help but swallow. The altar before them was simply too magnificent.
Only when they got closer did they realize that the altar they had seen earlier was merely the tallest structure among many.
This place was more like a manor, a vast estate.
"Could this be a senior's cultivation manor?" Li Yao's voice trembled slightly.
Among them, he had been in the inner sect the longest and thus possessed more knowledge about cultivation.
"Senior Brother Li, what is a cultivation manor?" Wang Teng quickly asked upon hearing this.
"A cultivation manor can only be formed by cultivators who have reached the Soul Transformation stage. It is essentially a small world."
"They are equivalent to the storage rings we wear now, but because great beings at the Soul Transformation stage can already communicate with heaven and earth."
"Therefore, they use their divine abilities to create their own small worlds. Not only is the cultivation speed faster, but these worlds also store all the treasures they have accumulated throughout their lives," Li Yao explained slowly, looking at the complex of buildings.
"Senior Brother Li, I doubt a cultivation manor has only these few simple functions, right?" Zhang Ergou frowned. He instinctively felt that a cultivation manor wouldn't be so straightforward.
"Naturally. The most powerful aspect of a cultivation manor is its ability to connect with the owner's mind. No matter where the owner is, with a single thought, they can be directly teleported to their cultivation manor."
Upon hearing Li Yao's explanation, everyone was profoundly shaken.
If that were the case, in the face of life-or-death peril, they could teleport directly back to their manor to recuperate. This was the true terror of a Soul Transformation stage great being.
"You are correct. This is also one of the reasons why Soul Transformation stage great beings are not easily annihilated. As long as they have a breath left, they can instantly teleport back to their cultivation manor."
Li Yao's words were filled with awe.
He himself hadn't anticipated that this trip to the secret realm would lead them to witness a legendary great being's cultivation manor.
"So, this manor is at least the cultivation manor of a Soul Transformation stage great being?"
Zhang Ergou surveyed the mysterious structure before him, his eyes gleaming.
Lin Yichen and the others, seeing Zhang Ergou's expression, knew exactly what he was thinking.
"One could say that. And judging by the state of this place, it appears to be ownerless now."
Although the buildings before them looked grand and exuded an air of mystery, the signs of decay were undeniable.
This led Li Yao to his conclusion.
Upon hearing this, even Lin Yueru's eyes lit up with a hint of eagerness.
The potential gains from this cultivation manor were unimaginable.
"Ergou, what do you say?" Xiao Qingyu was already showing signs of impatience.
Zhang Ergou carefully scanned the surroundings, finding no anomalies. What puzzled him even more was that since spotting this mysterious structure, they hadn't encountered a single demonic beast.
He supposed the pressure emanating from the cultivation manor was too great for the beasts to approach.
Zhang Ergou concluded.
He probed the area once more with his divine sense, finding no further anomalies. Zhang Ergou nodded, "Let's go in and take a look."
As Zhang Ergou spoke, an ancient, weathered gate appeared before them.
However, the group showed no surprise, as if it were all perfectly natural.
*Creeaak!*
With a gentle push from Zhang Ergou, the two metal doors slowly opened, revealing a completely different scene.
"Is this the immortal realm?" Lin Yueru exclaimed.
As a young woman, she was naturally captivated by the beautiful and exquisite scenery.
"Let's go in and explore."
The sight before them also greatly surprised Zhang Ergou and the others. This place was worlds apart from the secret realm.
It was no wonder Lin Yueru called it an immortal realm.
However, they did not let their guard down. The more beautiful something was, the more dangerous it could be – as someone's mother had once said.
Although Zhang Ergou and the others hadn't read novels, they proceeded cautiously.
After walking for a short while, they arrived at a fork in the road.
Interestingly, neither path bore any markings. However, one path was lined with lush, vibrant flora, appearing full of life.
The other path stood in stark contrast, devoid of any vegetation and seeming rather desolate.
"What do we do now? Which path should we take?" everyone pondered, facing the dilemma of the two roads.
Zhang Ergou also furrowed his brow, feeling a sense of indecision.
"Let's take this path. It's full of life, so the rewards must be substantial," Lin Yueru suggested, pointing towards the path overgrown with plants.
However, Zhang Ergou hesitated. While the path brimming with life was undeniably appealing, the adage that the more beautiful something is, the more caution it requires, still needed consideration.
"What do you all think?" Zhang Ergou looked at the others.
The rest of them also appeared conflicted, each wrestling with their own thoughts.
"I think Yueru makes a good point. Choosing this vibrant path will surely lead to considerable gains," Xiao Qingyu said, pointing towards the plant-covered road.
"You can't judge everything by its appearance. This is a cultivation manor of a Soul Transformation stage great being. Their intentions wouldn't be as simple as what's on the surface," Wang Teng, who had always agreed with Xiao Qingyu, offered a different opinion.
"Wang Teng has a point. The minds of those powerful figures are the most unfathomable. Who knows if these two paths are a test for us," Li Yao seconded Wang Teng, clearly also finding the path that appeared full of life somewhat perilous.
"How about we vote?" Seeing their differing opinions, Zhang Ergou proposed this solution.
The others had no better ideas, so they exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
"Those who choose this path, please raise your hands!" Zhang Ergou began, pointing towards the path teeming with life.
Quickly, Xiao Qingyu and Lin Yueru raised their hands.