Although the Panlong Cauldron had successfully absorbed the Xuanming Aberrant Fire, it seemed to be of little use to Lin Yun. After all, he couldn't control it at all.
"Sigh. To obtain it is my fortune, to lose it is my fate."
Lin Yun had no idea how much time had passed since he arrived at the Nether River Dragon Palace. He only felt that in this place, time itself seemed unimportant. If you didn't consciously think about it, it was easy to forget its very existence.
And this feeling was precisely what Lin Yun now found most strange. For any person, time was like an anchor point for their existence. But the entire Nether River Dragon Palace seemed to emphasize the ignorance of time.
"Senior Brother Lin, what should we do next?" Qin Xiyan asked, looking at the man beside her.
Now that they had successfully obtained the Nine Yin Profound Bone Pill, it was indeed time to leave this place. Lin Yun happened to share this thought.
"Although there may be other treasures in the Dragon Palace that we haven't seen, with our current strength, we would likely just stir up more trouble."
Thinking back to the things he had seen in the Ancient Forbidden Land, Lin Yun knew that there were still many mysteries in this world that were beyond his understanding. For now, he had no intention of staying in the Nether River Dragon Palace any longer.
All this time, the guidance from his Life Panel had been crucial, allowing him to turn calamity into good fortune at critical moments. But now, the panel offered no prompts at all. Not a single word on it had changed, which, contrary to what one might expect, was beginning to worry Lin Yun.
Before, it might not have been a problem. But having experienced so much, Lin Yun was no longer so naive as to think this was normal. In his mind, he was certain that something was wrong with his panel, and it was very likely connected to the Nether River Dragon Palace.
To ensure both of their safety, even the usually audacious Lin Yun decided to be more cautious this time. First, they had to leave this damned place, and then they could figure out what to do next.
The Chongqing Bird deeply agreed with Lin Yun's decision. "Although I would like for you to stay and explore the secrets of this place, what you say is not wrong. Even if there are real treasures here, one must first be alive to take them. Since we now know of the Dragon Palace's existence, we can always come back later. For now, what's most important is to increase your own strength."
Having made their decision, the two of them left the high tower. But as they emerged, they discovered with a shock that their location had somehow changed. When they entered the tower, they had been very close to the exit. But now, the tower's position had shifted to the opposite side, placing them much, much farther from the exit.
If they wanted to reach the exit quickly, they would have to pass through the very center of the Nether River Dragon Palace.
Lin Yun had no idea what lay buried in that central location. A single misstep could very well plunge him into immense trouble. But if they tried to go around the edges, they might never reach the exit in their lifetime.
"It was one thing for a treasure to have a mind of its own," Lin Yun mused. "But don't tell me this whole Dragon Palace has a mind of its own, too?"
No matter how he thought about it, it felt as if the Dragon Palace was deliberately making things difficult for him. Previously, he might not have paid it much mind. But now, with Qin Xiyan by his side, Lin Yun could not afford to ignore the danger.
He looked around. Everything was calm and normal; there didn't seem to be any problems. But the trouble hidden beneath the surface was truly worrying.
The Chongqing Bird spoke up. "Since normal means cannot get you out of here, you should understand that you now have no other choice."
Lin Yun nodded. Even though he knew that crossing the Dragon Palace like this could lead to trouble, it was the only way to leave.
Having confirmed this, Lin Yun no longer hesitated and strode forward with purpose. He didn't care what lay before him. Even if it were a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, he would brave it.
As Lin Yun continued forward, the scenery before him was constantly changing. It had to be said, the Nether River Dragon Palace was even more magnificent and grand than he had imagined. But at the same time, the questions in his heart grew heavier.
He had suspected it before, but now his suspicion was deepening: many things in the Dragon Palace seemed to exist outside the concept of time. It wasn't just some of the plants. After observing from such a close distance, he could confirm that the entire Nether River Dragon Palace had no concept of time. Everything here was at a standstill.
"I knew the Dragon Palace would be special, but I have to admit, the changes here are far beyond my expectations."
Lin Yun stood in place and looked around. The closer he got to the center of the Dragon Palace, the more he noticed the differences. He saw a pebble, frozen, floating in mid-air.
These sights all confirmed his earlier speculation without a doubt. In the Nether River Dragon Palace, time was completely stopped.
Hearing Lin Yun's theory, Qin Xiyan was very confused. "If time in the entire Dragon Palace is stopped, then why was the Xuanming Aberrant Fire in the tower changing before?"
Lin Yun frowned. There was only one explanation now. "After we opened the seal, the flow of time here began to slowly recover. The tower is on the very edge, so it was gradually breaking free from the effect. The location we are in now is closer to the core of the Dragon Palace, so time here is still completely frozen."
Although Lin Yun's theories were just speculation, they seemed very reasonable. The Chongqing Bird and Qin Xiyan both agreed. If time in the Dragon Palace was indeed returning to normal, then the window of safety for them was constantly changing.
The Chongqing Bird then asked, "We sensed a dangerous aura when we first entered this place. If we delay here for too long, will that creature return to a state of awakening?"
This very suggestion from the Chongqing Bird made Lin Yun even more nervous. If that were truly the case, then he needed to leave this place with all possible speed.
Lin Yun no longer lingered on the state of the Dragon Palace. He began to move even faster, trying to cross the domain. The beautiful scenery on either side of him was now completely unimportant. To Lin Yun, every extra second he stayed here was a massive problem.
At the very center of the Nether River Dragon Palace was a magnificent palace. It stood alone, highlighted like the moon surrounded by a sea of stars.
But just as Lin Yun walked up to it, he heard a voice call out in his ear.
"Young man. Slow down a little."