The speed suddenly increased, and the vehicle was seen heading directly towards a direction beyond Tianxia (Under Heaven).
It seemed that the Rank Five cultivator thought Li Qi might be puzzled, so he explained, "Within Tianxia, speed is restrained by the Heavenly Dao limit. The closer one gets to this limit, the more energy it consumes."
"Moreover, the rate of increase in energy consumption is enormous. Moving from one-tenth to two-tenths of the Heavenly Dao limit appears as if it has merely doubled, yet the required energy expenditure increases dozens of times."
"As you go further, the resistance becomes greater. After reaching ninety percent of the Heavenly Dao limit, every additional increment requires an energy expenditure that increases by millions of times. Ultimately, if the speed reaches the Heavenly Dao limit, even moving a speck of dust would require 'infinite' energy, which is fundamentally impossible."
"With something intangible like qi, it's easier since there's no physical form, making acceleration simpler. However, accelerating with a material body requires an immense amount of energy, so we generally don't accelerate too much within Tianxia."
"Coming here, beyond the borders of Tianxia, the rules are much weaker compared to those within Tianxia governed by the Heavenly Dao. Here, the restraints on the Heavenly Dao limit are less stringent, allowing for easier acceleration before returning, making it faster and more convenient."
"Furthermore, speed is closely related to time-space. Accelerating to such an extent alters time-space, so our perceived time will be shorter. Soon, we'll reach the necessary speed."
As the Rank Five cultivator explained, the speed around them kept increasing.
After about a dozen seconds, the vehicle had accelerated to an unbelievable speed. As soon as Li Qi saw the surroundings blur, he was already enveloped by it.
Then, the space around him seemed stretched out.
Li Qi looked around, finding that the outside world appeared almost frozen.
He knew time was relative, having long heard about relativity. But this was his first real experience of its effects.
His time felt 'separated' from the outside world.
"This is... time dilation! It's actually happening in reality?!" Li Qi exclaimed, staring at the light ball, utterly astonished!
He had guessed what was going on.
In this world, there wasn't really a concept of 'true time.' Time was merely a physical quantity used to describe the movement of objects.
According to relativity, if Li Qi traveled at the speed of light away from others, the whole world would seem to slow down from his perspective.
From others' perspectives, his time would also appear to slow down, nearly to a standstill.
Both sides would see each other almost frozen.
Quite strange, right? Everyone thinks they're normal while seeing others seemingly motionless, yet it's true.
"I think you've slowed down; you think I've slowed down. Whose time has truly slowed?"
No, when asking this question, the focus is misplaced because 'time has no third party,' making the question meaningless in this context.
Relativity's 'relativity' precisely means this.
Time doesn't exist as an independent entity but is just a description of object movement. Therefore, in both observers' eyes, the other's time appears slowed, and they can't interfere with each other.
In other words, the car was now 'exiled' outside of external time, separated from the outside world, with its own time flowing independently.
To put it in a somewhat fantastical way, he was now in a state of being 'outside the river of time.'
Although time isn't literally a river, or perhaps everyone has their own time river unaffected by and not affecting the outside world.
Viewing things from one's subjective perspective, time never changes.
Thus, in a state of time dilation, travel time would significantly shorten for oneself.
What originally would take a very long time now only required a fraction of the time.
Despite the normal flow of time outside, this was akin to skipping part of it.
"Miss Shen... do you all travel this way?" Li Qi sighed, turning to Shen Shuibei.
Unbelievable, someone could actually achieve such terrifying feats as 'time dilation.'
How much energy would this consume on Earth? Would blowing up the sun be enough?
Wasn't this beyond human capability?
Shen Shuibei glanced at Li Qi: "Traveling this way is indeed faster... but reaching the Heavenly Dao limit and escaping the river of time requires artifacts I don't possess."
Li Qi understood.
He thought it was common, but realized it was quite expensive.
However, Shen Shuibei then fell silent and even moved slightly away from Li Qi.
Li Qi felt awkward, unsure why she was acting this way.
But with another Rank Five cultivator nearby, he couldn't show too much reaction.
Instead, he began pondering many things.
Why... since Guangyang, had Shen Shuibei spoken less to him?
Was there a reason?
Silence fell among the three, and naturally, their attendants remained quiet as well.
During the time dilation, Li Qi felt less than half an hour passed before hearing a thud.
The expanded time abruptly contracted.
During time dilation, the external scenery was invisible due to an invisible barrier blocking even light.
Now, as the barrier disappeared, he could finally see the surroundings.
Before him appeared... a vast plain?
No, not exactly a plain, rather... mountains.
Countless peaks and veins intertwined like a tangled yarn ball.
Seemingly small.
But this view was from above the sky.
Looking down, countless mountain ranges twisted and spiraled into a gigantic labyrinth!
Each range stood at least ten thousand feet tall, with spirit peaks rising and numerous rivers running through them.
Rivers converged into lakes nestled among the mountains, resembling sapphire gems embedded in a green yarn ball.
Stars shone brightly, purple smoke coalesced.
Mountains upon mountains, thousands of lakes stretching afar.
Endless streams, shapes contained within emptiness.
The Three Lights cleared, heaven and earth merged in clarity.
Lofty peaks rose high, towering over the clouds.
Mountain-crossing rivers, isolated and prominent.
Giant peaks pierced the clouds, trees reached the sky.
Splitting into peaks, flowing springs formed abysses.
Exhausting boulders, sheltering myriad spirits.
Clouds fragmented, rain showered, roaring waters surged.
Waterfalls hung from cliffs, riding the wind.
Mountains encircled, mists intertwined.
Vast wilderness, lush grasses and trees.
Rocky peaks winding, streams circling.
Ascending to look afar, fields spread wide.
Distant mountains echoed, winds whispered through pines.
Winds blew like rolling waves, stirring rivers backward.
All waters ended here, mountains reached their limits.
This place was truly where 'mountains and waters end.'
At the southwestern extremity of Tianxia, one of the Eight Extremities, at the edge of Tianxia, stepping across Wu Deity Mountain led to endless realms beyond. One step out, and it was an endless cliff.
Here was the southwestern corner of Tianxia, the edge of the great circle called Tianxia.
Wu Deity Mountain wasn't a single mountain but a confluence of countless mountain and water veins.
The Rank Five cultivator brought the vehicle down to the edge of Tianxia's cliff.
"We have arrived at Wu Deity Mountain. Young Master Qi, please disembark. Flying is forbidden inside Wu Deity Mountain, so you must walk back yourself. You should feel the call, right?"
"Yes, Senior, take care." Li Qi got off the vehicle respectfully and watched the other leave.
The Rank Five cultivator had merely been tasked with picking him up, similar to fetching a child from kindergarten, not serving as his servant, so leaving immediately after completing the task was expected.
As for himself... he indeed felt a call.
Not far away, roughly a thousand miles, with his current Rank Eight pace, it would take half a day. Following the call should lead him to his teacher's grotto-heaven.
After the Rank Five cultivator left, the area became desolate, with only Li Qi and Shen Shuibei remaining.
"Miss Shen, we..." Li Qi started to speak.
But Shen Shuibei spoke simultaneously: "Li Qi..."
"You go first," Li Qi quickly stopped and said.
"Alright." Shen Shuibei nodded: "Li Qi, I will leave now too. I sense Lady Luo Fu and Yang Ning's presence. Let's part ways here."
Li Qi held back the rest of his words.
Why?
Could it be that Shen Shui Bi had been holding back all along because of this reason?
A surge of anger suddenly welled up in Li Qi's heart, but he didn't know where to direct it, so he could only suppress it.
There was no reason to be angry.
Was it not allowed for someone to visit Lady Luofu? That made no sense.
Shen Shui Bi had accompanied him on this journey all the way. Now that they had arrived, wasn't it reasonable for her to visit her family?
So, Li Qi shook his head and smiled, saying, "Alright, then we'll part ways here, but let's exchange tokens so we can contact each other later."
"Agreed." Shen Shui Bi nodded, and a jade stone appeared in her hand. A wisp of true qi from her miniature world attached to it, carving a crescent moon hook on its surface.
"This token contains a wisp of my true qi and records the location of Lady's cave. With it, you should be able to find the place."
Li Qi took the jade stone and then took out a piece of mountain rock, using the same method to carve the location of his master's cave on it, handing it to Shen Shui Bi. "Let's exchange addresses."
However, the rabbit didn't immediately take it, hesitating and looking uncertain.
Li Qi's hand froze in mid-air, feeling a bit awkward.
Seeing this, the rabbit quickly reacted, taking the rock and replied, "Alright! I'll be off then!"
Then, she hugged the rock and ran away as if she were escaping.
But even as she fled, she looked ethereal, like a celestial being, her figure graceful in the mountain breeze.
Indeed, she was a celestial being.
Watching her figure disappear, Li Qi could no longer suppress his anger.
He stomped the ground hard, feeling frustrated but unable to say a word. After a deep breath, he suppressed his anger and continued on his way.
Mount Wushen was vast.
So vast that, from the sky, it seemed to cover the area of a dozen or more countries combined.
And that was just the outer part.
In reality, each mountain had its own purpose, and the interiors were often gateways to their own unique small worlds.
For beings of the Fifth Rank and above, worlds were units of trade and currency, and they generally chose to live in the small worlds they preferred.
Therefore, the outer areas were mostly uninhabited, with only occasional disciples or servants tending to their respective mountains.
The entire Mount Wushen was not bustling. On the contrary, due to its immense size, a single mountain range could easily span hundreds of miles, making it appear sparsely populated and largely untouched.
However, it wasn't entirely so. Occasionally, Li Qi would pass by some mountains and witness quite fantastical scenes.
Some spirit peaks were entirely covered in arrays, and it was unclear what the owner was thinking.
Others were filled with spirit beasts and herbs, not just free-range but on a large scale, with complete automated production lines, suggesting the owner was in this business.
Some were completely barren, devoid of any greenery, lifeless and silent.
Others were inhabited by ordinary people, forming small cities where the residents lived in several settlements, creating a very unusual atmosphere.
The most bizarre mountain Li Qi encountered was completely mechanized. The entire mountain had been transformed into a mechanical apparatus, filled with gears, pulleys, levers, and bearings, likely a personal hobby of the mountain's owner.
Each mountain was different, entirely dependent on the owner's mood.
But, in a way, it was a good thing. As Li Qi traveled through this environment, his anger gradually gave way to amazement and curiosity.
However, if anyone from Mount Wushen saw Li Qi, they would bow to him.
Mount Wushen was composed of countless mountain ranges, but the number of Great Witches was still limited.
What revealed Li Qi's identity seemed to be his unique cultivation method.
His cultivation method seemed to indicate his lineage. The miniature world he cultivated through this method emitted a similar aura to others from Mount Wushen, serving as a form of identity recognition.
Li Qi also discovered that he could sense the cultivation levels of others.
These cultivation methods were not inherently superior or inferior; fundamentally, they were the same, with no difference in power. They were just graded, such as being limited to the Fifth Rank or the Third Rank.
It was likely that one had to reach the highest level to obtain the remaining cultivation methods.
But Li Qi was different.
The book "Wu" in his possession led directly to the First Rank.
Although the parts above the Seventh Rank were incomprehensible to Li Qi, he could indeed cultivate up to the First Rank.
Feeling the strange sights of Mount Wushen and the presence of his fellow disciples around him, Li Qi suddenly stopped.
He sensed it.
Ten miles ahead, someone was blocking his path.
And the identity of this person matched his own.
Another young master?