Standing at the center of the artificial clearing created by the team of patrolling inner disciples, the members of said team gathered alongside Yu Xiang and the other disciples of his exploratory unit.

Chun Dai, looking as aloof and stoic as always, and Mu Ning, who gave the huddled cultivators a calm smile, stood apart and in front of the small crowd, an intricately carved wooden construction rising behind their backs.

It almost reminded Yu Xiang of something he would’ve expected to find in a temple.

It was a gate, for lack of a better word.

Two wooden poles as thick as the young reincarnator’s torso were placed a couple of strides from one another, rising up until they reached three or four times the height of the tallest person here, which would be the lone core disciple.

Above the two beams was placed a thick rectangular wooden plank, curving gently towards the center. Had the whole structure been painted a bright red Yu Xiang might have been tempted to dub it a torii gate.

The entire surface of the enormous gate was covered with deep inscriptions, running all the way up to its curved roof, which was presumably just as covered in incomprehensible squiggles.

Furthermore, creeping vines and clumps of moss climbed up the wooden gateway, giving it an air of ancientness and mystery which was enhanced by the disturbed fluctuations of spiritual energy coming off of it, that he now realized was what he’d sensed earlier, albeit far tamer.

To complete this picturesque sight an assortment of talismans were placed on both poles, roughly at chest height for the young reincarnator.

Mu Ning clapped his hands once bringing the attention of all the gathered inner disciples on himself.

“Senior brother Chun has informed me about the details of your mission, and I and the rest of my unit will be more than glad to assist the golden prince in this endeavor.” Yu Xiang looked at the older disciple curiously, briefly wondering just how much he’d been told, or if even someone this strong was left in the dark about the young heir’s aim.

The brown haired cultivator then turned sideways, one of his hands rising to point at the carved wooden gate at his back.

“This structure standing behind me is a spatial stabilizer. I constructed it alongside the other members of my team to keep the aperture into the hidden realm stable, and to get some control over its opening and closing.” The green eyed cultivator and his team took another long look at the tall construct, slightly awed and humbled by what its presence implied.

Could they create something like this, if they put all of their skills together? The answer was a resounding and unanimous no.

These five cultivators didn’t look too much older than them, outside of Mu Ning, maybe two or three years at the most, and yet the difference in their knowledge and abilities was already this vast.

Would they be just as resourceful once they had a couple of years to take full advantage of their status as inner disciples of one of the Seven Great Sects? How much knowledge had they been sleeping on, content to wallow in mediocrity, only advancing the skills that they already had instead of branching out and widening their horizons?

Yu Xiang looked over at Huang Lei who was already staring at him, a knowing smile sitting under her blue eyes. She’d instantly figured out both his and his teammates’ feelings. Had she perhaps been in the same boat once upon a time, maybe?

Well, no more, Yu quietly vowed to himself. He'd had so many opportunities to broaden his portfolio, but he'd let indolence and unfounded pride hold him back. For heavens' sake, he had a talented alchemist as his best friend! Who would have been more than ecstatic to teach him the ins and outs of his craft, and he hadn't taken advantage of that!

There wasn't much the young reincarnator could do at this point in time, even with his not insignificant talents and advantages, learning a brand new craft would take time he simply didn't have right now, but fortunately, his deal with Guan Hui Chen was the right answer to his newfound drive.

For a long time, Yu Xiang had been fascinated by the concept of array formations, an interest that was stoked yet again by witnessing the work created by Mu Ning and his unit, and once he returned to the sect he would have the aid of the foremost experts of their sect to start his journey on this marvelous road.

Mu Ning's smile widened a fraction, clearly not impervious to feelings of pride brought about by their palpable sense of wonder. "I will be staying outside of the hidden realm with my team to monitor the aperture." He continued his explanation as the crowd's attention returned to him. "But one of mine had already offered herself to act as a guide for the parts of the space we have already explored."

At that point, Huang Lei stepped away from the rest of the huddled disciples, showing an almost regal poise as she turned around to face the small crowd like a princess at court.

Her lips turned into an inviting smile before she finally graced them with a shallow bow and a cultivator's salute. "Most of you already know me as Huang Lei, but once again it is a pleasure to meet you all." She rose up from her bow, settling into a neutral pose with her hands held together at her front. "I look forward to working with you."

A chorus of similar greetings and well wishes were echoed by the exploratory team and Yu Xiang himself, after which Mu Ning captured their attention again by stepping forward and reaching the noble looking young woman's side.

"Now that all the pleasantries are over, feel free to relax and prepare yourselves in whatever way you may deem fit." He nodded towards the improvised shelter, silently giving them free rein over the temporary abode. "It will take a few more hours before we will be able to send you all through."

After that, and a round of thanks that the brown haired man waved away with a congenial smile, the recently arrived inner disciples took the older cultivator's suggestion and used the time they had left to center themselves in their own way.

Su Rong and his cohorts took this time to cultivate and replenish their strength, an idea that Zhen Yin copied, popping one of the pills Lin Fen had made for her into her mouth before settling down near her cousin, who was still immersed in her studies.

The feline cultivator himself went over his packed supplies, making sure he'd be prepared for any situation that could be defused by a burgeoning alchemist, after which he started exploring the forest surrounding the small clearing, looking for any spiritual herb that might arouse his interest as a mad scientist.

Feng Liu briefly went to the makeshift shack to rest under the shade, or at least that's what Yu assumed, before he followed Lin Fen in his exploration of the surrounding forest.

Meanwhile, Yu Xiang spent his time conversing with Huang Lie, trying to sate his curiosity about the creation of the wooden gate, and learning in the meantime that the noble young lady was a journeyman talisman maker and that the ones placed on the two poles were made by her.

Ad idle idea popped into the green eyed cultivator's mind, who wondered what would happen if he sent Zhen Yin's cousin her way. Zhen Ai didn't seem to have the same burning fervor as Lin Fen but you know what they always say.

Always look out for the quiet ones.

And so the hours passed and before any one of them even noticed it, their time was finally up.

Yu Xiang stood in front of the wooden gate surrounded on all sides by his friends and fellow disciples. Lin Fen stood at his right, looking mildly apprehensive and leaning on his side for reassurance. Huang Lei smiled at him from his left, her purple fan making her bangs wave gently. The rest of their group was loosely gathered around him, waiting tensely for a signal to go in.

Chun Dai stood a few steps in front of them all, standing with his back straight and his shoulders square, completely unchanged despite the situation.

After a couple more moments Mu Ning spoke up. "It's time." He said gravely.

A spike in the ambient spiritual energy heralded his words, putting all the cultivators present at attention.

Under the dazed eyes of the present golden peak disciples, the air inside the wooden gate started to waver. The space shimmered, then trambled, then rippled like the surface of a lake disturbed by a thrown stone, and then finally the corrugated fabric of reality started twisting on itself until a vortex of ripped space opened itself in the air.

While the younger disciples looked on in awe, Chun Dai stepped forward, approaching the spatial gate calmly.

He stopped just a handspan from the chaotically rippling texture and the members of the exploratory unit could suddenly feel the weight of both his presence and attention settling on them.

For the first time since the beginning of this mission, the core disciple gave them his full focus.

Then he expressed the closest thing to concern his emotionally atrophied soul could probably produce.

"Stay close." He warned them.