The Innkeeper

Chapter 1455 Teenager

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Chapter 1455 Teenager

Once he was sure that all of them had gotten used to the concentrated azure field within the palace, Lex took a step forward. Just as he anticipated, the concentration of the field grew stronger after a single step, thus increasing the spread of his rash, and would continue to get stronger until they reached the very center of the palace.

He did not know if this was meant to be some kind of test - to see how far they could come, or if they would opt for the easier option of the hazmat suit - but he personally had no intentions of stopping. Since the danger wasn't immediate, and the damage wasn't permanent, he was more than willing to use this as an opportunity to train.

It was because Lex never let an opportunity to grow stronger pass him by that he had accumulated so many advantages. If he needed to suffer for it a little, so be it. If he needed to suffer for it a lot, then he'd endure that too. That was in no way an acknowledgment of him being a masochist.

Lex quickly shared his guess with the others, but neither Gerard nor Velma were interested in escaping to the comfort of a protective suit just yet. They would, at the very least, go until they found their limits. Ideally, they would even break through them.

Lex had to admit, tolerating a field meant for someone two boundaries above him was not nearly as fun as it made out to be. It reminded him of the time Dragons Might nearly crushed his very being.

"This might take a while," Lex said to Haribo, who comfortably walked behind them, just in case he needed to rescue any of them.

"There is no scheduled time for the meeting," the Prism Whale said. "Please take your time. This also counts as being exposed to an aspect of the Artica realm. Due to the difficult nature of life here, almost all beings exist in a state of attempting self improvement. If there's one thing we all acknowledge, it's someone trying to grow stronger through their own efforts rather than seeking shortcuts."

"Can you tell me a little about the dangers of the Artica realm? I've heard much about how perilous life here is, but never any details," asked Gerard even as he tried to maintain his focus while venturing deeper into the palace.

The Prism Whale looked hesitant, but answered nonetheless.

"As you may already know, the laws of this realm circumvent certain rules established throughout the universe. Well, that comes at a cost, or rather, that is there as a consequence of a much more dangerous threat. The ability to enter the next realm without experiencing any bottlenecks or tribulations is not a loophole to exploit. Instead, it's the basic necessity to ensure the balance of the realm.

"The specific dangers are not for me to divulge. All I can tell you is that while a lesser rule of the universe is being circumvented, it is only as a result of a more important rule of the universe being implemented. As a consequence, the rule allowing cultivators to avoid major problems in their cultivation has never led to a surplus of substandard or weak cultivators. In this realm, only the very strongest survive."

While Haribo did not exactly provide an answer, he allowed them to understand a little about the background of the Artica realm. Perhaps even that was because sooner or later, many people would be able to deduce as much.

Lex himself was also interested in learning about the details, if only because he wanted to know what Jack could expect. Unfortunately, if Haribo was unwilling to divulge, there was nothing they could do about it.

Progress through the palace was slow, and it took them an entire hour to make it through the entrance hall. Even so, Gerard had begun to sweat lightly from the strain of using his bloodline so much, and half of Lex's face was as red as a tomato.

Velma was taking a nap a few rooms ahead of them, waiting for them to catch up. The nap was not because of how easy it was for her - instead it was because of how quickly her spirit was exhausted while using her technique. Constantly taking in an influx of information turned out to be a lot harder than it appeared.

For the duration of her nap she was using a hazmat suit.

The problem Lex was facing was that there was actually no pressure preventing him from entering. He just wanted to ensure his body fully adapted to the higher concentration before taking the next step.

If he went in carelessly, he would end up taking more damage than if he went in carefully. More importantly, his growth would not be as thorough.

It took the group three days to reach the inner layer where Bedford was residing, though Lex and Gerard decided not to enter. Even from outside, Lex could sense the extreme danger of entering the inner chamber.

The concentration of the azure field would grow dramatically once the threshold was crossed, going from giving him a rash to doing significant damage, potentially even threatening his life.

Fortunately, Bedford, the Artica race member who they were invited to meet, was waiting for them just outside the inner layer.

It was the first time Lex was seeing a member of the Artica race, and he was surprised to find that while it looked like a bird, it had no feathers. Instead, its two large wings and long tail looked like they were made from blue, metallic scales.

Bedford was hovering in the air, as one would expect from a Celestial Immortal. However, Lex had a sneaking suspicion that even without being an immortal, this was exactly how the Artica race flew.

"Io ho, look who finally made it," Bedford said, speaking telepathically. Lex ignored the fact that his mental voice sounded too much like an overly excited teenager, and instead remained respectful. Considering how ridiculously dangerous the aquatic bird felt, Lex was not going to try and point out its peculiarities.

"Thank you for inviting us. The Baptism Palace has proven to be an interesting place." "Oh it's no worries mate," Bedford said, summoning a chair that suited its body shape and sat down. "Actually, I can't leave even if I wanted to. I have been locked in here for years all just to undergo some stupid training. It's tough to find a legitimate reason to invite people in. I'm glad you guys proved worthy."

Lex ignored the ever stronger teenager vibes.

"How come you've been locked in here?" he asked, even though he was more interested in learning more about the realm. It just seemed like Bedford really wanted them to ask.

"Among my peers, I have a weaker body and spirit so my elders are forcing me to undergo additional training. It's completely pointless. As a Dao seed, I've already discovered my Dao, and having a strong body has nothing to do with it."

Lex changed his mind. He was suddenly very interested in the tantrum this teenager wanted to throw.

"A Dao seed? What's that?" Lex asked.

"Oh, a Dao Seed is just what someone who has discovered a nascent form of their Dao is called. "I discovered mine long before I even became an Immortal. It's..."

"Uhh sir," Haribo promptly interrupted. "Is it wise to divulge such sensitive information?"

"Psht, it doesn't matter," Bedford said dismissively. "I discovered my Dao as a child when I insulted a stronger being so badly he suffered a cultivation deviation and died. Since then I have trained my voice to an unprecedented extent. It's why I usually only converse using my spirit sense."

Lex's eyes gleamed, mostly because he sensed no danger from this information. Was this a consequence of the information itself, or the Artica realm?

"How did you know you discovered your Dao?" he asked, slowly testing out his theory. "Also, what is a Dao?"

He suppressed the excitement in his body when he sensed no suppression from the universe for asking such a question!

"A Dao? Isn't it obvious? It's the thing you need to become a Dao Lord. Everyone has a different one. As for me, I underwent a huge transcendental moment where everything became clear to me and I could perceive the universe on a deeper level, as if I had become some kind of sage. Also, my cultivation immediately broke through to the immortal realm. Some say it slowed down my aging and maturing process. I don't

really see it though.

"Anyway, let's not all talk about me. It's been so long since I've met another person. Tell me, what's the outside world like? What's been going on? And are all humans supposed to look like they've suffered from being burned by a star?"

"Not much," said Lex as he turned to look at Velma and gave her a look, letting her know to take over the conversation. They had to suck all the information out of this immortal teenager, and there was no one better at that than her!

"If you think he looks bad now, you should have seen him when he was a baby. Here, let me show you pictures," Velma said with a smile.