Please be my partner.

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"Huan'er is Master's daughter and Shiyu's mother."

Zhang Wei sighed and said, "We all know that the boundary is an illusory place formed by the intersection of two parallel timelines. It is like a rootless duckweed. Once you fall into it... all life within it will disappear, and there is no possibility of survival."

"Perhaps, Xiaoqi went mad from that time on."

"Back then, Xiao Qi tried many crazy experiments, which eventually led to unimaginable and terrible consequences. A border area completely went out of control and began to erode our world. Even many strange and powerful beings tried to invade through that border area."

"In that battle, Master, his old friends, and many seniors in the martial arts world fought fiercely against the invaders from the border region. Although they eventually repelled them and stopped the erosion of the border region, too many people died."

"In the end, the master expelled Xiao Qi from the sect, and Xiao Qi became a rat that everyone wanted to beat."

Mellen thought for a moment and asked, "Senior Brother, this... he said he has found the 'path' and will bring Master's daughter back. What does that mean?"

Zhang Wei shook his head and said, "I don't know."

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "However, I have heard of a theory before that the boundary is a special area created by the intersection of two timelines. Since we can enter it, people from another timeline that intersects with our timeline can naturally enter as well. If we extend it further, perhaps we can also use the boundary to enter other timelines."

"However, there are many opposing voices to this theory, because each spacetime is different. Even the slightest change in the basic rules can cause earth-shattering changes in the macroscopic world. If we rashly enter other spacetimes, any slight conflict could cost us our lives."

"Xiao Qi believes that Huan'er is not dead. The reason he did not return to our world must be that he fell into another spacetime that was at the boundary with our world at that time. He has been looking for a way to go to other spacetime worlds."

"Perhaps Xiaoqi has already gained something, and this time she came back to say goodbye to us."

Mellen nodded, his eyes flickering slightly. As an outsider, he had seen more than the natives. In his opinion, this was probably the case. In fact, his seventh senior brother, Li Xunhuan, might very well be the chosen one among the natives of the Outer Heavens.

Thinking of this, Mellen felt a little regretful, because the information that Li Xunhuan possessed was very likely exactly what he needed.

After entering the Outer Heavens, Mellen also tried to find Long Zizai and his group. Unfortunately, the world is so vast that if the latter also deliberately concealed their tracks like Mellen, such a search would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

After understanding the concepts of the boundary between the outer heavens and parallel universes, Mellen gave up the idea of ​​searching. He felt that the others were probably scattered in many different universes.

However, this is not a problem. As their strength continues to increase, the world will become smaller and smaller, and they will eventually meet again.

Several hours later, Zuoqiu Wudi entered the room, his expression somewhat solemn.

Zhang Wei couldn't help but ask, "Master, how is it?"

Zuoqiu Wudi nodded, then shook his head, and said, "Afterwards, we old guys will unite and hold a Martial Saint Conference to discuss some countermeasures to prevent the invasion chaos from happening again."

Zhang Wei opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't say anything.

Zuoqiu Wudi sighed slightly. If he could, he would also like to believe his seventh disciple. In fact, it was because of his indulgence that the final tragedy occurred.

Over the years, Zuoqiu Wudi had given up hope of his daughter's survival. Now, Xiao Qi seemed to want to repeat the past. If that were the case, he would do his best to stop her, no matter what. This was also an explanation to his old friends, whether they were alive or dead.

He dared not, and could not, gamble again.

Coming to his senses, Zuoqiu Wudi looked at Mellen and asked, "You brat, if I'm not mistaken, you used the ultimate technique of my Divine Dragon Style, 'Divine Edge Without Shadow, Hidden Dragon in the Sky,' right?"

The so-called "secret technique" refers to a powerful move that can only be unleashed after mastering the techniques of a martial arts school. The secret technique of a school is the sublimation of the martial arts of a school, and can show the advantages of this school beyond the norm.

Mellen nodded, then asked with some doubt, "Master, I have indeed mastered the secrets of the Divine Dragon Style, but how come when I tried to use it this time..."

With Mellen's martial arts knowledge, he had naturally mastered the so-called Divine Dragon Style secret technique long ago. However, when he used it before, he simply incorporated it into his fists and feet to make his moves more powerful. He never transformed into a divine dragon and soared through the sky like this time.

Zuoqiu Wudi said, "The ultimate secrets of a martial arts style can only be unleashed to their full potential by a martial saint, requiring the use of spiritual and mental power."

"You must have been stimulated by a life-or-death crisis, which boosted your spirits and enabled you to use Xiao Qi's mental power to unleash the complete form of the profound technique."

Mellen asked, "Master, what is the mind's image?"

Zuoqiu Wudi said, "The path of the Mind is after the Martial Saint. When your physical body is trained to the limit of your race, the energy in your body will begin to nourish your spirit. As your spirit continues to accumulate, you can gradually touch the essence of heaven and earth, and thus pull the part of the essence that conforms to your understanding into your mind, creating the Mind World."

"The mental world of the Martial Saint stage is just an illusion. Legend has it that after surpassing the Martial Saint, one can transform the illusion into reality, which is naturally another world altogether."

"You don't need to be too ambitious. Since the Middle Ages, there have been very few people who have surpassed the Martial Saint. Legend has it that only two or three people have been suspected of reaching that level."

Zhang Wei also laughed and said, "Indeed, the path of the Martial Saint is already extremely difficult. As for me, I have only opened the third divine treasure. If Master's accumulation of spirit is likened to a river, then I am just a small stream. I don't know how long it will take to open the Heart Manifestation."

Zuoqiu Wudi said, "Alright, that's all for today. You don't need to worry about Xiao Qi. We old folks can still walk, so you can all go about your business."

After saying that, he turned and left, but paused when he reached Mellen's side. In the end, he simply patted Mellen's shoulder gently and said, "You may have your own choices, but no matter what you choose, I hope that you will not regret it in the future."

Watching Zuoqiu Wudi's departing figure, Mellen seemed to understand something.

Zhang Wei patted Mellen on the shoulder and said, "Don't overthink it."

Shi Wusheng and Song Jiajing had different expressions; the former sighed, while the latter's expression was complicated.

Before parting, Mellen also met his eighth senior brother, Dongfang Huaijing, who had rushed over. Dongfang Huaijing seemed very excited after hearing the news about his seventh senior brother. He stuffed a gift into Mellen's hand and then left in a hurry.

At the pond, Mellen saw Zuoqiu Shiyu practicing martial arts. She was soaked in sweat, looking as if she had just been pulled out of the water, but she remained expressionless, practicing her punches meticulously, like a walking corpse.

Mellen first went back into the house and brought out some medicine, the same kind that Zuoqiu Shiyu had fed him when he underwent the bamboo-cutting test.

Then, Mellen jumped into the training field and attacked Zuoqiu Shiyu, who instinctively turned around and counterattacked.

In the ongoing battle, Mellen gradually shifted from offense to defense, allowing Zuoqiu Shiyu to launch indiscriminate attacks.

After a long while, Zuoqiu Shiyu exhausted her last bit of strength and stopped moving.

Mellen picked up the medicine and handed it to Zuoqiu Shiyu, saying with a smile, "You don't mean you want me to feed you, do you?"

A blush immediately spread across Zuoqiu Shiyu's face, which stood out against her pale complexion. She snatched the medicine and gulped it down.

After regaining some strength, Zuoqiu Shiyu ignored Mellen and turned to leave.

Half an hour later, Zuoqiu Shiyu returned to the training ground. By then, she had taken a shower and changed into new clothes.

Zuoqiu Shiyu walked outside the training field, sat down against a wooden pillar, and stared blankly at the sky.

Mellen came up to her side, not saying a word, and just sat there with her in her daze.

After a long silence, Zuoqiu Shiyu suddenly said, "They all say my father is a demon, and I can't refute it, but I don't know whether I should blame him or not."

Mellen sighed inwardly. Zhang Wei had downplayed the invasion, but Mellen only understood its brutality after reviewing the relevant materials.

An invasion from another world ensued, with demons running rampant and devastation stretching for over a hundred miles. In addition to martial artists, armies from various countries were also involved. Even before they entered the battlefield, several cities in that region had already fallen, and millions of innocent civilians had died.

It's no wonder that when faced with Zuoqiu Wudi's questioning, Li Xunhuan said, "All the blame falls on me."

To anyone else, Li Xunhuan was undoubtedly a villain, a heinous criminal who brought calamity to the world for his own selfish desires.

But for Zuoqiu Shiyu, it was nothing more than her father doing everything he could to find her missing mother.

Furthermore, their thoughts can be gleaned from the attitudes of Zuoqiu Wudi and several other disciples, both in public and in private.

It wasn't that they didn't sympathize with those who died because of it; otherwise, Zuoqiu Wudi wouldn't have tried so hard to take responsibility for his disciple's sins.

After a long while, Zuoqiu Shiyu let out a breath and smiled, "Thank you, junior brother. I used to have to keep these words to myself, and I couldn't even say them to Grandpa. I feel much better now that I can say them."

Mellen suddenly laughed and said, "If we're talking about seniority, you should probably call me Junior Uncle. Be good, niece, call me Junior Uncle and let me hear it."

Zuoqiu Shiyu was stunned for a moment, then her face showed shame and anger. She glared at Mellen resentfully, then turned and ran away.

But just before the figure disappeared, Zuoqiu Shiyu stopped and said softly, "He left you something, it's on the shelf, and... thank you."

The last two words were barely audible; if Mellen hadn't been so skilled in martial arts, he probably wouldn't have been able to hear them at all.

After Zuoqiu Shiyu left, Mellen went to the weapons rack in the training ground and sure enough, he found a letter on it.

The letter wasn't sealed; after Mellen opened it, she found three lines written on it...

The first line is the time, followed by a simple formula that, when calculated, appears to produce a fairly regular and specific date.

The second line indicates the location, which is within the Central China Province, but not Hanjiang City.

The third line is a sentence that says: "Want to know why your strength inexplicably increases after entering the border area? Want to gain even greater power? I've put all the answers there, go and find them."

Mellen's eyes narrowed. He had never told anyone about his increased strength after entering the border region.

But then I thought, this might not be an isolated case in the outer heavens. If similar events had occurred before, then our predecessors would surely have investigated and left records.

Furthermore, since Mellen didn't deliberately hide anything, perhaps Zuoqiu Wudi had already guessed something from his abnormally rapid increase in strength.

The reason why Zuoqiu Wudi did not directly reveal the truth may be that he did not know the underlying principle, or it may be that he knew it but was unwilling to say it.

Based on his experiences during this period and his own keen intuition, he felt that the former was more likely.

In fact, Zuoqiu Wudi had most likely guessed Li Xunhuan's plan, but he did not stop him. Instead, he let Mellen make his own choice, a choice he would not regret in the future.

Mellen stuffed the letter back into the envelope, folded it a few times, and gently pinched it in his palm. Wisps of smoke rose, and the entire letter turned into powder and ashes.

Regardless of Li Xunhuan's true intentions, Mellen had to admit that he was tempted by this "bait".

However, before heading to the mail's location, just in case, Mellen needs to make some extra preparations.

Chapter 633 Improvement and Search

"You want to go to the border area?"

Song Jiajing asked doubtfully, "The border area is not a safe place. Even those border areas that have been explored may still have unknown dangers."

Given Mellen's martial arts talent and status, if he really wanted any treasure, he only needed to say a word and the Tenglong Group could get it for him. He wouldn't need to personally venture to the border region and could just focus on his cultivation outside.

In this respect, although Zuoqiu Shiyu's conditions were better than others, perhaps influenced by her parents, Zuoqiu Shiyu insisted on participating in the mission at the border. No matter how others tried to persuade her, she wouldn't listen. To prevent her from messing around, Zuoqiu Wudi had no choice but to agree to let her enter the Tenglong Group's Exploration Department to receive the corresponding knowledge and training.

Perhaps, in Zuoqiu Shiyu's mind, there was a possibility that her mother was still alive.

Mellen nodded and said, "Senior sister, thank you for your trouble. I want to go to the border area to see what it's like."

Song Jiajing asked, "Just to see it for yourself?"

Mellen nodded affirmatively and said, "Just to see for myself! And if possible, it would be best to let me visit several border areas within seven days, and finally send me to Linjiang City."

Song Jiajing frowned, then said, "Fine, although I don't know what you're planning, if it's just about going in to see what's going on, it's not that difficult."

"In fact, all exploration and development of border areas are led by the state. This is because the rules in border areas are prone to deviation. Unless it is a specially made instrument, the more technologically advanced the item, the less usable it is. On the contrary, the power of a martial artist is internalized and can exert its full strength in any situation. Therefore, the state gives martial artists certain preferential treatment and support. Otherwise, they would have long since retired and returned to their hometowns. In a civilized society, where would there be room for the development of martial artists?"

After making a few self-deprecating remarks, Song Jiajing continued, "Border areas are generally geographically specific. Once they appear, they become fixed in a certain area. Usually, even if a border area is rich in resources and close to a bustling city, countries will try to close it off, because no one wants a second invasion. So, the border areas that still exist are usually in remote and sparsely populated places..."

After a moment's thought, Song Jiajing said, "If you want to visit as many border areas as possible within seven days, I can recommend a route for you and send someone to take you there. This way, you can pass through three border areas and stay at each border area for at least one day."

"Since you're asking for quantity, surely a day should be enough for you to finish what you want to do?"

Mellen felt that perhaps his fourth senior sister had guessed something, so he said directly, "That's enough."

Song Jiajing nodded slightly, quickly made a few phone calls, and then said to Mellen, "Go to the top floor, there are the group's helicopters there."

As she spoke, Song Jiajing took out her phone and kept sending messages while walking out with great efficiency.

Mellen asked in surprise, "Senior sister, are you going too?"

Without looking up, Song Jiajing said, "You don't have a formal license yet. Going to border areas controlled by the state requires strict inspection. If I go with you, the inspection will be faster and we won't get stuck in the process."

This made Mellen a little embarrassed, but he didn't refuse, after all, his time was indeed very precious.

The group's helicopters are always on standby. This semi-military model has a range of about 500 kilometers, but it is relatively slow. Mellen and his group are not taking the helicopter to reach their destination directly, but to Han River Airport.

Ten minutes later, Mellen and his entourage arrived at the airport, where their private jet was ready to take off.

This private jet also belongs to the Tenglong Group. It was a military aircraft that was retired and then converted. However, if someone with expertise observes it closely, they will find that the model of this private jet is exactly the same as the most advanced military aircraft currently in service in Daxia.

This private jet can reach speeds of over 800 kilometers per hour, making it one of the fastest in the world.

Two hours later, the private plane slowly landed, but the landing site was not an airport in a city, but a medium-sized military base.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with the military base officers, Song Jiajing declined the invitation and, together with Mei Lun, boarded a military jeep and drove off into the distance.

Several hours later, the group arrived at the outside of a giant valley. Mellen noticed that there were various sentry posts, both overt and covert, which were not only for guarding against the outside world, but also for guarding against the inside.

Just as Song Jiajing said, with her assistance, all the procedures went smoothly, and Mellen quickly obtained her entry permit.

Song Jiajing took out her laptop and started working in a temporary room. She said to Mellen, "Junior brother, you can go in by yourself. I won't accompany you. Since your purpose is just to visit, just follow the instructions of the military personnel accompanying you. If you want a private space, you can apply to them for a quiet room for cultivation."

Mellen nodded and said, "Thank you, senior sister."

Song Jiajing waved her hand and ignored her.

Led by military personnel, Mellen walked towards the valley, where a long, all-metal tunnel had been built at the entrance, through which one could enter this border area.

Along the way, his entourage gave Mellen a brief account of the situation in the border region, which Mellen listened to casually, not paying much attention.

Unlike the mist at the border of the ghost sedan chair, here, after a gentle change of light and shadow, Mellen entered an area full of flowers. What's special is that the flowers here are different in color, shape and kind, but they all grow together.

Moreover, all the flowers are generally two or three meters tall, and the rich fragrance mixed together gives people an uncomfortable feeling of excess.

At the same time, that strange increase in strength reappeared, and Mellen's physical attributes began to improve, along with a surge in his life field.

The accompanying staff laughed and said, "The flowers here are so colorful. It's certainly a novelty the first time you come, but after seeing them a few times, you'll get tired of them. Also, there's a giant insect here that's even more annoying than a cockroach."

"The advantage is that the nectar collected from the flowers has considerable medicinal value. It is said that it can also delay aging. In addition, there is what you martial artists call 'spiritual essence' in the border area, right? Aren't there ancient documents that have been unearthed that the ancients were free from all diseases and lived long lives? It seems that the effect is due to the richness of this spiritual essence."

There are military bases and honey factories in the border area. After a brief visit, Mellen said he felt enlightened and wanted a quiet room to meditate.

The accompanying personnel were not surprised, or rather, most of the martial artists who applied to enter the border area temporarily were there for martial arts cultivation.