Chapter 234: An Unimagined Aberration

Although mental preparations had been made beforehand.

But when he actually fell into the sealed ground, Luo De still couldn't help feeling waves of dizziness.

In comparison.

The performance of the other three was much stronger than his.

He shook his still dizzy head.

Luo De did not look around like the others, but sat in place and went into a daze.

No other reason.

Indeed, this place had not the slightest resemblance to the sealed ground he remembered.

This place should have been like the mining area outside.

However, what lay before his eyes now was

but a standard modern city.

Even the streets were still filled with people coming and going, carriages and horses bustling.

Such a sudden, strange sight.

Not only was Luo De bewildered, but even the composed immortal Xiao showed a look of astonishment.

Before entering.

Luo De had indeed said so.

Beneath the Cold Heaven Nail lay a region where time and space were in disorder, and this space would reflect the thoughts of those who entered, creating an effect similar to a vast illusion and dreams coming true.

But who could have imagined.

What lay before one's eyes would be such a place—an entirely new world that cannot be described in words.

If this entirely new world contained nothing but new things, that would be acceptable.

But instead, everywhere here are things familiar to everyone.

The people walking the streets were soldiers of the Foolish Crowd and the Treasure Hoarders, who always had furtive, mouse-eyed looks wherever they went; many of the creatures running underground were common monsters of Teyvat, and there was even a huge whale that blotted out the sky flying in the heavens.

"Really, what the hell!"

After great difficulty recovering from the shock, Luo De couldn't help but mutter a complaint.

Without a doubt.

This space had read the memories of several people, combined the things in their minds, and then, like force-feeding, haphazardly stuffed them into a world that could be called a hodgepodge.

This was a situation Luo De had never imagined before entering the sealed ground.

What's worse,

Likewise, Luo De, who was also in a state of confusion, had to endure others' questions.

"Where should we go to find the Taiwei Instrument Disk?"

"Yes."

"Where should we look for the Taiwei Instrument Disk?"

"Luo De also wants to know!!"

"Xiao:"

"Ye Lan:"

"Dada Liya:"

"Don't look at me like that; the situation here isn't quite what I know."

Facing the three with varied expressions, Luo De did not panic; after a brief thought, he turned to Xiao and asked: "Can we detect the space junction point here?"

"Space junction point?"

This was a piece of knowledge Luo De had not explained to the others before entering, so it's natural they'd have questions.

"The space in this sealed ground is chaotic and unstable, but it still retains a considerable degree of flaws."

"The space junction point I refer to is the flaw between two spaces."

"If we find this flaw, we can locate the Taiwei Instrument Disk."

Having explained this, Luo De stopped speaking further.

With their combined strength,

as long as they find the flaw in this space, they can forcibly blast open a passage leading to the true sealed land secret realm.

As for who will open this door,

Luo De had already decided on the candidate.

He had painted so many grand pies of being able to fight the Floating Abode for Dada Liya, just to provoke this battle-obsessed martial maniac into voluntarily opening the door, right?

"No matter what memories this space has read and turned into its current appearance,"

"its essence cannot be changed."

"In any case, there is still a way to get out."

Fearing that anomalies in the sealed ground's space might cause panic, Luo De thought for a moment and specially added some comforting words.

As it turned out,

he had overthought.

Compared to the unknown brought by the spatial anomaly,

Besides Xiao, who was focused on searching for the space junction point with closed eyes, Ye Lan and Dada Liya both showed great interest in this space.

They, who daily dealt with the Foolish Crowd and Treasure Hoarders, wouldn't even give them a glance.

But those towering skyscrapers stacked like fish scales, the iron boxes speeding like lightning, and other items obviously far beyond Teyvat's technological level all left Ye Lan and Dada Liya dazzled.

"Is this something from your memory?"

Ye Lan's eyes revealed a strange hue.

The space inside the seal reads the memories of those who enter to shape the environment; Luo De had already said this before we entered.

So whose memory are these things I've never seen or heard of? It's obvious.

"Yeah, my hometown."

As he spoke, Luo De's eyes flashed with a hint of nostalgia.

This space, a veritable mishmash, is centered on a city built from Luo De's memories—his hometown.

That's all.

It's truly lifelike—even the snow king on the street matches the memory exactly.

If it weren't for the Teyvat folk flooding the streets, Luo De would truly believe he'd traveled back home.

"Your hometown?"

Dada Liya, listening nearby, exclaimed: "No wonder Her Majesty the Empress wants you to join us—even if you don't fight, just building these would be enough for Snezhnaya's people to live better lives."

"I think you're overthinking it."

Luo De glanced at Dada Liya: "Don't even say I don't know the principle behind these things from my hometown; even if I did, with Teyvat's industrial capacity, I wouldn't know how many years it'd take to reach my hometown's level."

That's the truth.

The technological levels across Tiwatedalu vary, and their development paths differ; even if Luo De's mind held a library of modern knowledge for Teyvat, relying on these nascent industrial capacities, one could not quickly replicate the modern craft he knows.

But we've come to this point.

Dada Liya, still looking like I don't understand what you're saying, proudly boasted about his hometown: "Don't look down on us Snezhnaya—under the Empress's leadership, our development is supreme across Teyvat, even Fontaine can't compare; if anyone in Teyvat could replicate your hometown's scene, it would definitely only be us Snezhnaya!!!"

"Nonsense!"

Dada Liya's boasting naturally provoked Ye Lan's displeasure: "My Liyue's Immortal's marvelous technique—how could you Snezhnaya compare?"

"Immortal's marvelous technique? Where is it? I don't see it."

"Having said Immortal's marvelous technique, it's normal for a foreigner like you not to see it."

"Hey, saying all that, does your Immortal's marvelous technique have anything like Luo De's hometown being used entirely for ordinary people?"

This heated debate ended with Dada Liya's remark that could be called "kill the person, destroy the heart."

Even if Ye Lan wanted to argue further,

she also couldn't help but admit a fact.

Liyue's Immortal's marvelous technique is indeed top‑tier in Teyvat.

The drawback is that the cost is too high, the difficulty too great, making it hard to popularize.

Even though the immortals never begrudge sharing their knowledge, teaching mortals all kinds of exquisite mysterious mechanisms and secret arts, they ultimately cannot be widely applied among the populace.

The only thing that could spread might be the talismans passed down by the immortals.

But talismans are ultimately just talismans.

Their help to livelihood is truly limited, and cannot become the kind of aid fully integrated into civilian life as in Luo De's memory.

Moreover, let alone applying the Immortal's marvelous technique to the extent of Luo De's memory.

Even trying to achieve what Dada Liya said—complete integration into civilian life—is extremely difficult.

"What's there to argue about?"

"Each country has its own national conditions."

Dada Liya and Ye Lan's senseless comparison made Luo De laugh and cry: "As long as we do our best to let ordinary people live decently, that's enough—why must we compare who's better? Do you think Snezhnaya life is more convenient and comfortable, that Liyue people would change nationality and faith upon arriving in Snezhnaya?"

These words also left the still‑triumphant‑looking Dada Liya unable to speak.

What Luo De said is correct.

Neither Dada Liya nor Ye Lan can find a point to continue debating.

Both also showed a thoughtful look after Luo De finished speaking, as if we don't know what they're thinking.

However.

Their contemplation was quickly interrupted by an anomaly in the space illusion.

Originally, just when they had entered the sealed space,

Although several people had fallen into this lifelike illusion, it didn't attack them; it merely compiled memories, trying to consume their souls to turn them all into wandering souls like ghosts haunting underground.

Speaking of shadows,

What breaks the silence are the shadows wandering in the sealed space.

Xiao also opened his eyes.

"I found the space junction point you mentioned."

"But this seems to have provoked this space's resistance."

While speaking, Xiao also gripped his weapon and the Pu Yuan, eyes wary as he stared at the phantom surging like a tide toward the four of them, alongside the raging Foolish People, Treasure Hoarders, and various monsters.

"If I'm not mistaken, the space junction point is behind this pile of phantoms, right?"

Holding his newly acquired Piercing Rainbow Spear, Luo De grimly stared at the spot where the phantoms were most dense.

Frankly speaking.

Every step of the anomaly in the sealed space was beyond Luo De's expectations.

These shadows are undoubtedly the fallen Thousand Rock Army; according to their wishes and obsessions, they originally only appeared to stop Luo De and company when they tried to leave the sealed space.

But they have appeared now.

The intense, unrelenting killing intent even caused the whole illusion to undergo a disturbance.

"Hmm."

On the other side, Xiao gave an affirmative answer: "Later, you stall these shadows; I'll go break that junction point, then you can leave directly."

"No."

As for this request that is almost like a last will, Luo De naturally could not agree.

This is not alarmist talk.

Xiao's tone indeed carries the meaning of leaving a last will.

Without being able to find the Taiwei Disk, apart from using brute force to break open the space, there is no other way.

Even if Xiao exerted all his strength in an attack, he could only tear a small opening here; to send people out, he could only stay in the sealed space, continuously injecting power to keep the passage from collapsing.

This means Xiao not only cannot leave, but must also face an unknown number of the Thousand Rock Army's vengeful spirits in this space, plus the wear and tear on his mental will from this space and the torment of his own karmic obstacles.

If he stays here.

Even if Zhongli himself came to rescue, he would probably only be able to come collect his corpse.

Not to mention that Luo De, having accepted Zhongli's payment, must guarantee Xiao's safe escape; even if he hadn't taken the payment, he could not bear to watch Xiao go to his death.

Thus he loudly questioned there: "You came here just to seek death? You haven't even seen the Floating Abode—are you really prepared to die like this?"

"Floating Abode."

Xiao hesitated a moment, and the firmness on his face became somewhat more hesitant than before.

"Listen to me, don't act recklessly."

"With our strength, these phantoms can't stop us; as long as we break through to that space junction point beforehand, we'll be fine."

Having said that, Luo De turned to Dadaliliya with a stern expression and arranged: "Don't use your Demon Lord Armor, conserve your strength; the three of us will break through, you just follow."

"Why?"

Dadaliliya immediately said unhappily.

In his view.

"It's just some petty phantoms; with his abilities, he absolutely doesn't need anyone's protection."

"Once we reach the space junction point, we still need you to open the door; you must conserve your strength beforehand, lest you run out of power after opening the door."

Luo De no longer concealed this, directly making clear the need for Dadaliliya to open the door.

"Open the door?"

Dadaliliya asked: "You mean, I should go break that flaw?"

"Yes."

"Only you can do this here."

Saying this, Luo De continued to tempt him: "If you don't go and don't open the door, there will be no hope of seeing the Floating Abode's remnant soul; you wouldn't want to come all the way to this secret realm and leave with regrets, would you?"

"."

Dadaliliya twitched the corner of his mouth.

Luo De's reason was rather lame.

But there was no choice.

That latter sentence's impact on Dadaliliya was really too great.

He simply could not resist the temptation to fight a master who could match an immortal-level expert, or rather, to duel the first yaksha serving under the Geo Archon, who is publicly acknowledged as such.

"Fine, just do as you say."

Having made his decision, Dadaliliya withdrew the evil eye power he had been gathering, and instead used only the Vision's power to protect himself, standing in the middle of the team, and he rarely enjoyed the opportunity of being protected.

Luo De brandished his spear, nodded to Ye Lan and Xiao, then took the lead himself, charging to the front, with Xiao assisting from the side and Ye Lan covering the rear.

This arrangement was deliberately made to prevent Xiao from getting carried away.

The individual strength of the phantoms is actually not much greater than that of slimes.

It's just that they are numerous.

Really numerous.

Moreover, they regenerate extremely quickly; after being dispersed, one can recover in the blink of an eye.

Fortunately.

Those who followed Luo De into the sealed space are no weaklings, especially Xiao, who is still in perfect condition.

Following Xiao's guidance.

They smoothly broke through the sky-covering phantom tide all the way.

Thereafter, the long-prepared Dadaliliya decisively donned his Demon Lord Armor and, with all his might, punched toward the space junction point Xiao had mentioned.

Suddenly.

The entire sealed space trembled, and the original mind-bewildering illusion shattered like a flower in the mirror, moon in the water, leaving only a golden gate before the few of them, while behind them the phantoms continued to frenziedly chase them.

The few of them hesitated not at all.

They immediately entered the gate, temporarily shaking off the pursuers behind them.

(End of chapter)