Volume One: The Celestial Palace in the Mist Chapter Sixty-Three: The Crystal Palace within the Volcano

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Crystal Palace Within the Volcano

Across this island, stretching a thousand miles, countless hills and mountains rise, with even pockets of desert and rolling glaciers, yet the most striking feature of all remains the towering, majestic volcano at its heart.

The volcano, dark brown and barren, devoid of any greenery, stands out boldly amid the surrounding mountains. Enormous in scale, it occupies nearly a tenth of the entire heart-shaped island—its size is staggering.

“I believe this volcano must be the core of the Great Immortal's abode. The disciples of the four major factions are likely all gathered here,” Zhou Hao remarked as he and Su Qing soared on their swords, drawing near the immense volcano.

Up close, the volcano was sheer and imposing—so vast that its edges vanished from sight, like some prehistoric beast looming over the land, its grandeur awe-inspiring.

“When I arrived, I saw many figures flying toward the crater, but I sensed your presence at the shore, so I didn’t go to the volcano,” Su Qing said, smiling at Zhou Hao.

“So that’s how it was, Senior Sister. You’re too good to me, always thinking of me! Compared to you, I’m ashamed,” Zhou Hao replied, genuine embarrassment showing on his face. He recalled lying on the golden sands with the turtle, basking in the sun, having forgotten all about seeking Su Qing.

“Why feel ashamed?” Su Qing asked, puzzled.

“N-no reason... It’s just that you’re so considerate!” Zhou Hao laughed awkwardly, wishing he could disappear.

“Let’s hurry to the crater and make good use of time,” Zhou Hao quickly changed the subject to avoid further embarrassment.

“Alright,” Su Qing nodded.

At the volcano’s mouth, there was no thick smoke, but a barrier of invisible heat surrounded the area. Birds in the sky instinctively avoided the region, not daring to approach, for this barrier could incinerate even the mountains themselves. Unbeknownst to Zhou Hao and Su Qing, several disciples from the four factions had already been reduced to steam by this deadly heat.

Standing at the verge of the crater, Zhou Hao and Su Qing were about to enter when they halted simultaneously. Something was off: not only was this volcano the suspected core of the immortal’s abode, but the scene above the crater was distinctly odd.

Overhead, the sky seemed almost glass-like, transparent all the way up to the heavens. While clouds clustered thickly around, this particular area was utterly clear. Gazing upward, they saw a colossal vortex of clouds directly above the crater, its center an empty, clear void—a sight that left Zhou Hao and Su Qing astonished.

“There’s a restriction at the crater!” they exclaimed in unison.

“Of course, it wouldn’t be so simple here. Looks like it’ll take some effort to get inside,” Zhou Hao laughed.

Just then, the turtle poked its head out from Zhou Hao’s arms, eyes bright and eager as it stared at the crater, then cried out, “Fortune! A great fortune!”

“Oh? What can you see?” Zhou Hao asked skeptically.

“What’s with that look? Are you doubting Lord Turtle?” the turtle retorted.

“Then tell us what you see!” Zhou Hao replied with a feigned smile.

The turtle clambered up to Zhou Hao’s shoulder and, gazing at the vast crater, declared, “If I’m not mistaken, the whole island is a grand formation, and the volcano is its focal point.”

“A formation?” Zhou Hao and Su Qing exclaimed in surprise.

“Yes, and not an ordinary one. From what I can observe, it’s a special array that gathers the power of heaven and earth to feed its core!” The turtle squinted, its mind racing.

“What’s so special about it?” Zhou Hao asked, confused.

The turtle shot him a look, as if he were an idiot.

Fortunately, Su Qing explained, “Normally, an array is used for sealing, suppression, defense, or sometimes teleportation. The focal point of such arrays is often their weakest spot—if someone breaks the core, the array collapses. But the turtle says this one is unique because it draws the energy of heaven and earth to supply the core continuously, making it not a weak spot but the most dangerous forbidden zone. When the formation is activated, the core will annihilate any intruders!”

The turtle nodded, clapping in approval. “See the difference, Zhou Hao? You’re grown, yet you lack basic knowledge,” it chided.

Zhou Hao could only glare at the turtle, unable to retort.

“See? You didn’t want to bring Lord Turtle, but with your shallow experience, how can you survive in the Immortal Domain? I should follow you everywhere to guide you. Better yet, you should take me as your master!” The turtle scolded, shaking its head.

Su Qing watched the fist-sized turtle berate Zhou Hao from his shoulder, unable to suppress a smile.

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Finally, Zhou Hao couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed the turtle off his shoulder, pointing at it. “You little rascal, given a chance to show off and you go overboard! Take you as my master? In your dreams!”

“I think we’d better hurry to the volcano!” Su Qing said, watching the antics of the pair and finding them tiresome.

“Hmph! For the sake of the beautiful lady, Lord Turtle won’t stoop to your level, little Hao!” The turtle remained fearless, even as Zhou Hao held it.

“Who are you calling a mouse? Do I look like a mouse? What’s with your eyes?” Zhou Hao retorted, not wanting to argue, but unable to resist.

“What’s your name?” the turtle asked, grinning wickedly.

“Zhou Hao,” he replied.

“Exactly! ‘Little Hao’ is your nickname! Couldn’t guess that, huh? Still a dumb mouse!” The turtle burst out laughing.

Zhou Hao twitched, staring at the turtle, then finally shook his head in resignation. “My mistake, I should’ve brought medicine for you.”

“Medicine? Why?” the turtle asked, confused.

“For your illness—you shouldn’t skip your meds!” Zhou Hao grinned.

“Bold words, calling Lord Turtle crazy! You must be asking for a kick!” The turtle understood and immediately tried to kick Zhou Hao.

Bang!

Standing on Zhou Hao’s shoulder, the turtle kicked with surprising force, sending Zhou Hao tumbling toward the volcano’s mouth.

The turtle’s strength was formidable, having cultivated its way to the Immortal Domain. It should have reached the Golden Immortal stage, but for some reason, it bypassed the tribulation of thunder and couldn’t ascend, remaining at a quasi-Golden Immortal level like Zhou Hao.

The elders of the Cloud Hall had doubted this, for it was rare—a creature from the mortal realm, without having survived the Golden Immortal tribulation, should be unable to enter the Immortal Domain, unless it possessed a heaven-defying treasure strong enough to bypass the laws of both worlds. Zhou Hao, an ordinary mortal, could only enter thanks to the mysterious stone that concealed his fate, allowing him to pass through unscathed and only endure hardship for the sake of transforming his body.

Yet the turtle had no such treasure and no tribulation, making its origin a mystery. The head of Cloud Hall speculated it might not be of the mortal realm, but an immortal spirit native to the Immortal Domain.

In short, the turtle’s history was an enigma.

“You vile little turtle! I’m your master, and you dare kick me!” Zhou Hao shouted, tumbling toward the volcano, unable to stop himself.

In a flash, a figure in white swept across the sky. Su Qing reached out, grabbing Zhou Hao’s leg just as his head was about to collide with the crater’s edge, halting his momentum.

“Are you alright, Zhou Hao?” Su Qing asked, concerned.

“Outrageous! I’ll strip your shell—wait, what’s that?” Zhou Hao’s anger was cut short by what he saw.

Suspended at a forty-five degree angle on the crater’s edge, Zhou Hao’s leg gripped by Su Qing, he glimpsed something incredible within the volcano: it wasn’t the expected seething magma.

So close that his scalp nearly scorched, Zhou Hao saw the volcano’s true interior—a palace, a vast crystal palace standing within, its translucent form gleaming with gentle light, reminiscent of the legendary Dragon Palace from mortal mythology—the Crystal Palace!

He was stunned speechless.

Su Qing leaned in, asking softly, “What is it? Did you find something?”

“It truly is fortune—a great fortune!” Zhou Hao exclaimed, bursting into laughter.

“You saw something inside the volcano?” The turtle’s eyes glowed, having jumped to Su Qing’s shoulder during the chaos.

“A crystal palace, most likely the Dragon Palace!” Unable to bear the terrible heat, Zhou Hao straightened and joined Su Qing and the turtle, back in the sky, away from the crater.

“It’s scorching, my head is burning…” Zhou Hao groaned.

“A crystal palace? Inside the volcano?” Su Qing and the turtle gasped in unison.

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“Yes, isn’t it miraculous?” Zhou Hao nodded.

Although they hovered near the crater, none could see the volcano’s interior until Zhou Hao was kicked to its edge—the only way to witness the miracle within.

“But the heat at the crater is unbearable. Even with my strength, I can barely stand it at the edge. Entering the volcano will be a real challenge,” Zhou Hao said, shaking his head.

“The volcano is the core of the grand array—its temperature isn’t something ordinary immortals can withstand,” the turtle said gravely.

“To enter, we must devise a perfect plan, ensuring all three of us can move freely inside,” Su Qing frowned, her eyes shimmering thoughtfully.

Thus, the trio pondered how to enter the volcano.

After a long silence, Zhou Hao seemed to recall something. “I have a treasure—I’ll try it.”

Su Qing and the turtle immediately looked to him. Zhou Hao spread his hands, and a dark stone slab appeared, roughly the size of a basin, its surface rugged.

“Don’t let its looks fool you. This is the divine stone that brought me from the mortal realm to the Immortal Domain!” Zhou Hao said proudly.

“You’re saying this junk got you here?” the turtle cried.

“Mind your words! This isn’t junk—it’s a divine stone!” Zhou Hao snapped.

“Eh? Its material is identical to the stone tablet the Hall Master used to trade for us!” Su Qing recognized it instantly.

Zhou Hao nodded, then shook his head. “The material matches, but I wonder what connection there is between the tablet and this slab.”

The turtle sneered, “What’s there to study about a broken slab? We’re here for fortune! A crystal palace—what fortune! Hurry up, little Hao, use the slab to take us inside!”

“I’d love to smash it on you!” Zhou Hao threatened, holding the slab.

“If it’s not junk, prove it!” the turtle said, feigning ignorance.

“Keep it up and I’ll smash your shell!” Zhou Hao mimed throwing the slab.

“Enough, you two. Let’s try the slab to enter the volcano,” Su Qing interceded.

“Hmph!” The turtle turned away.

“Fine!” Zhou Hao turned as well.

Buzz!

Zhou Hao infused the slab with immortal energy. It vibrated fiercely, emitting a humming sound. Runes shimmered across its surface, like golden flames etched into the stone, making it gleam like divine metal, dazzling gold bursting from within.

With a whoosh, Zhou Hao, holding the slab, plunged beneath the crater. Moments later, he returned, smiling. “Turns out only the crater is restricted—the volcano’s interior isn’t unbearably hot!”

Passing through the crater, Zhou Hao saw a watery barrier—the source of the intense heat, stretching from the heart-shaped island to the boundless sky, deadly to any creature that touched it.

Zhou Hao approached Su Qing. “Grab hold of me, I’ll take you both inside!”

Su Qing hesitated, then realized, “Sorry, I have to hold the slab with both hands. Just hook your hand around mine.”

A blush colored Su Qing’s cheek, but she wasn’t shy. She nodded and did as Zhou Hao instructed.

The turtle, perched on Su Qing’s shoulder, grinned. “Nice trick, little Hao—two birds with one stone!”

Zhou Hao ignored him, standing upright, his gaze steady, arm linked with Su Qing’s, holding the divine slab. They transformed into golden light, flying into the volcano’s mouth.

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