After a little over two hours, an identical Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll materialized on the table. Nie Li then slowly guided the Dao intent left by the powerful expert on the genuine scroll into the counterfeit one.
"To pass off the fake as real—not bad!" Looking at this new forgery, Nie Li smiled faintly, thinking to himself, "I'll find a time to have
"Whether that Martial Ancestor expert can even tell if this scroll is a forgery is another question!"
However, Nie Li didn't dare underestimate a Martial Ancestor-level expert. After all, their methods were still highly sophisticated—they might really be able to track it down.
"At the very least, this forgery can buy me some time. That Martial Ancestor expert sold the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll. As long as he senses the Dao intent's presence, he'll probably wait a while, letting others figure out the scroll's functions. Then, adding the time it takes to investigate, it should still be some time before he traces it back to me. It would be best if the scroll changed hands several times—that way, my safety would be even more assured." Nie Li thought to himself.
Nie Li placed the forged Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll into his Space Ring and smiled faintly before beginning to probe, with his spiritual consciousness, the myriad sealing runic patterns within the genuine scroll.
The Myriad Spirits Lock was only a part of it—Martial Ancestor-level experts could sense that much. But inside the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll, beyond the Myriad Spirits Lock, lay multiple layers of sealing runic arrays. Trying to break the Myriad Spirits Lock rashly could very well trigger a backlash.
The outer Myriad Spirits Lock sealing runic pattern bore traces of having been tampered with, proving someone had once attempted to open it. However, that person who tried had likely suffered a good deal of pain. Behind the Myriad Spirits Lock sealing runic pattern hid an even more profound sealing runic array! The moment one tried to open the Myriad Spirits Lock, it would trigger the rebound force of the runic pattern behind it.
"Even for a Martial Ancestor-level expert, if they haven't studied runic patterns for fifty or sixty years, trying to open these sealing runic patterns is just asking for trouble!" Nie Li smiled to himself. This was probably why that Martial Ancestor expert had ultimately been forced to sell the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll.
It was once said by a great sage that treasures of heaven and earth belong only to the virtuous. In reality, that statement was wrong—it should be that treasures belong to the capable.
Only with sufficient capability was one qualified to use a treasure. The Martial Ancestor expert couldn't even open the sealing runic patterns on the outside of the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll; he was destined to have no connection with this treasure.
If Nie Li hadn't spent several hundred years alone in the space of the Book of Time-Space Demon Spirit in his previous life, constantly studying runic patterns, opening the sealing runic patterns on the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll would have been quite difficult.
Nie Li picked up a pen, dipped it in a bit of demon blood, and began writing out runic pattern after runic pattern. These runic patterns flared with brilliant light, then continuously sank into the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As these runic patterns entered the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll and collided with the patterns within, they continuously detonated and dissipated into smoke.
Nie Li wrote faster and faster, each runic pattern flowing like a river into the scroll.
Boom boom boom! Boom boom boom!
Low, resonant sounds rang out continuously. The Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll erupted with dazzling radiance, and immense power swept outward in all directions.
Nie Li felt a tremendous impact and involuntarily took a step back, shielding his eyes from the light. This was merely the power leaking from the scroll, and it was already so astonishing. Fortunately, he had set up a barrier. Otherwise, it would have been easily detected from the outside.
Though Nie Li stepped back, he continued writing runic patterns without pause.
"Almost done!" Nie Li's heart raced. He dared not stop even for a moment; if he did, the sealing runic patterns inside the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll would lock themselves back in place! This was an incredibly complex process, and Nie Li's mind was racing.
Hummm!
A vast, boundless force expanded outward, crashing toward Nie Li like a monstrous wave.
Nie Li felt as though he were about to be swallowed and destroyed by this immense force. Searing pain shot through his entire body, his Soul Sea violently shaking. Just a wisp of the pressure from this ancient divine artifact leaking out was already almost too much for him to bear.
He felt as though every bone in his body was about to be crushed.
But if he retreated now, all his previous efforts would be wasted.
How could he fall short at the very last moment?
Nie Li endured the excruciating pain, his right hand continuing to stroke down runic pattern after runic pattern. Then, he bit his left thumb, and blood surged out. He swiftly pressed it onto the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll.
The moment all the runic patterns were completed, Nie Li's left thumb pressed onto the scroll, and a power fused with his bloodline surged into the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll. Nie Li's body felt as though it had been instantly hollowed out, weak and drained.
Hah... hah...
Nie Li panted heavily, sensing that the Ten Thousand Miles Landscape Scroll had established a faint connection with him. Gradually, power flowed back into his body, and only then did he feel somewhat relieved.