The name Sima Xiangtu sent a jolt through Chu Feng's heart.
He knew exactly who Sima Xiangtu was.
Sima Xiangtu had been a longtime friend of his master—the old Daoist with the ox nose.
Sima Xiangtu was also highly skilled in barrier arts, and the two had once shared a common fortune and destiny.
The old Daoist had placed immense trust in him.
But because Sima Xiangtu's barrier arts had always been overshadowed by the old Daoist's, he came to harbor deep resentment.
In secret, he had allied with Sage Venerable Wudao to sabotage the old Daoist.
It was Sima Xiangtu who had been the true culprit behind the old Daoist's defeat in his barrier arts contest against Sage Venerable Wudao.
Now Sage Venerable Wudao had replaced the old Daoist as the most powerful Spirit World Master in the Holy Light Galaxy.
Sage Venerable Wudao stood right there—if Chu Feng wanted revenge, he could have it at any time.
But Sima Xiangtu had vanished years ago.
The old Daoist had been secretly searching for his whereabouts, yet there had been no word.
"Master, do you have news of that Sima Xiangtu?" Chu Feng asked.
"I've found some leads, but they still need to be verified," the old Daoist replied.
"Master, let me go with you." Chu Feng felt uneasy—he had a nagging feeling that Sima Xiangtu would not be easy to deal with.
"What would you go with me for? Does your master really need his own disciple to protect him?" The old Daoist chuckled, then added, "Don't worry. Your master won't fall for the same trick twice."
"Besides, this trip is just about following leads. We don't even know if they're real yet, let alone that I'll end up fighting Sima Xiangtu."
"You—focus your attention on the Wish God Palace. The trials there aren't as simple as you think. Remember: observe more, observe carefully. Don't just accept the trials at face value, and don't follow the rules that are laid out on the surface. Got it?" the old Daoist said.
"Your disciple understands. I'll be careful and won't waste this opportunity," Chu Feng replied.
After that, the old Daoist departed.
Not long after the old Daoist left, Chu Feng, Long Xiaoxiao, Long Xiaoxiao's mother, and the Long Clan Leader set off.
But besides the four of them, there was someone else familiar to Chu Feng traveling with them—Long Shengbu.
Long Shengbu had always been Long Xiaoxiao's personal guard.
Although Long Xiaoxiao had now become the most important figure within the Long Clan, her bond with Long Shengbu was something no other elder could compare to.
So Long Shengbu continued to serve as her protector.
Along the way, Chu Feng finally got to see the so-called Wish God Pearl.
The Wish God Pearl was not actually a simple bead.
It was more like a treasure forged from metal—still spherical in shape, but resembling a weapon.
From Chu Feng's observation, it contained a formation array, and a powerful one at that—far beyond his current understanding.
Although the Wish God Granny had placed eight Wish God Pearls throughout the Holy Light Galaxy, according to the Pearl's guidance, the Wish God Palace still lay within the bounds of the Nine Souls Galaxy.
So the journey took some extra time.
The Holy Light Galaxy and the Nine Souls Galaxy were close to each other, but crossing the distance between two galaxies inevitably required more time.
After a stretch of traveling, they finally arrived at the location indicated by the Wish God Pearl.
It was situated within the Nine Souls Galaxy, in the Tianyi Upper Realm, in the middle of a desert.
According to the Wish God Pearl's guidance, they needed to head deeper into the desert.
But as they walked, an invisible barrier appeared across the desert.
The barrier stretched between heaven and earth, seemingly infinite—and it was incredibly sturdy, practically indestructible.
It blocked not only Long Xiaoxiao's parents and Long Shengbu, but also Chu Feng and Long Xiaoxiao.
In the face of this barrier, Chu Feng and the others tried multiple methods.
Chu Feng attempted to use his barrier arts to break through, but it was completely useless.
The Long Clan Leader tried to force it open with brute strength, but couldn't so much as scratch the barrier.