As that perplexed voice echoed, the orange flames that washed over me seemed to turn into illusions. Although they completely engulfed me, they did not harm me like they did to those surrounding beasts. Apart from the intense brightness blinding my eyes, not a single hair on my head was scorched.

Then, at the center of the Fire Sea, light surged, gathering portions of the orange flames together to form a humanoid figure made of flames.

Much like when I had just returned to the Living World with Little Bowl and encountered Xuanming's attack, the fiery humanoid currently before me was also clearly a temporary avatar created by Xuanming using Flame Power from afar.

From the Taoyuan Village Cultivator attacking me, to my counterattack killing him, and then Xuanming's fiery avatar appearing... All these twists happened so swiftly, it dazzled any observer. It wasn't until now that Jiaoshu seemed to realize what was happening.

As a faithful believer, there was no way not to recognize what the surrounding orange flames and the fiery humanoid were about. Seeing the God he worships and fears appear so suddenly before him, Jiaoshu looked on as if his brain had crashed, his grip on his weapon unconsciously loosened.

The Evil Sword fell heavily to the ground, making a harsh clanging noise. Then, as if out of awareness, she also knelt on the ground, supporting herself with her hands, her mouth slightly moving, seemingly wanting to speak something excitedly, but unable to utter a word.

The fiery humanoid didn't even glance at Jiaoshu but focused intently on observing me.

"Xuanming, you won't kill me?" I asked.

"Kill you? Now?" The fiery avatar spoke with Xuanming's voice.

He didn't make a single comment on the youthful appearance I currently used, merely responding to my query: "Here, you are just a body composed of thin Mana, not much different from my flame avatar. Even if I genuinely attacked you, it would pose no threat to your life at all.

"I couldn't have imagined you could infiltrate Meng Zhang's Barrier with your powers and come to me. Not even Gua Tianshi and the others can manage that. But why only send in a feeble doppelganger?

"Initially, I faintly sensed your Mana seemed to appear in this city some time ago, prompting a sustained Spirit-based search, scanning the entire city... Being so cautious is unlike you. Don't you wish to decisively battle me?"

I finally understood why Xuanming's fiery avatar would suddenly appear here; it turns out his true form noticed me when I infiltrated this city, and just as I acted against the Taoyuan Village Cultivator earlier, he completely locked onto my position. Since he has used scanning abilities, why have I not sensed any related signs?

Immediately, I realized the truth; it's like hiding a leaf in a forest. The skies are filled with his Fire Sea, and the city is rife with his mana fluctuations. In such a noise-filled environment, even if he used some covert reconnaissance ability, it's effortless to remain undetected by others.

As killing me now would not matter, he temporarily ceased attacks to inquire about my purpose—probably like that.

And seeing his devoutly worshipped God communicating with me on equal terms, Jiaoshu stared at me with an expression like seeing a ghost.

"I need some more time to deliver all parts of myself into the Barrier's interior. After that, I will undoubtedly meet you in complete form. Do prepare for confrontation; don't regret being careless when death looms." I said.

Xuanming said plainly, "If all you wish to say are such grand words, I shall not entertain you. Make haste to truly enter this place then. Once your matter is settled, I must also deal with Meng Zhang."

"How do you plan to handle the Taoyuan Village Master, given the time you've spent unable to breach the Barrier surrounding the city center?" I countered.

Xuanming calmly replied, "I have my ways."

"Why not align with me first then?" I proposed.

Surprisingly, Xuanming pondered aloud, "You mean cooperation?"

"In a life-and-death battle between us, neither will emerge in full form. With the existence of the Taoyuan Village Master in this city, there's a chance of him reaping the rewards no matter who wins. Rather than that, we should first join forces. Once I fully enter this place, join me in breaking through the Barrier enclosing the city center and besieging the Taoyuan Village Master; we can decide the victor then." I laid out my plan.

"So you also have such thoughts of Jing Zong Lian Heng..." Xuanming mused.

With three opposing Impermanence gathered in one place, any two sides fighting could allow the third to take advantage, a solid triangle structure; conversely, to avoid that, there's a foundation for cooperation between any two sides.

Just like I could ally with Taoyuan Village Master Meng Zhang to eliminate Xuanming first, Xuanming could also ally with Taoyuan Village Master Meng Zhang to eliminate me. However, Xuanming did not point out that direction. At this stage, the only two having a basis for communication are us, while Taoyuan Village Master Meng Zhang is entirely secluded within the city center's Barrier; meeting to communicate with him requires breaching that troublesome Barrier first.

Everything has two sides; the Barrier is his Magic Treasure against foreign threats, yet now it becomes the adverse cause of rendering him ignorant and at a disadvantage.

But after consideration, Xuanming gave this response: "——I cannot agree with you."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"It's simple, you underestimate the Barrier enclosing the city center, it's not something easily breached." Xuanming said.

"Even combining our strength can't do anything about a Barrier set by the Taoyuan Village Master alone?" I queried, "I've speculated that the Barrier shouldn't be just the Taoyuan Village Master's own power, but rather he utilized 'Paradise's' power resources, though as I know, while 'Paradise's' power scale might be immense, the density requires his own pressure enhancement.

"Even if we can't destroy the entire Barrier, just creating a perforation sufficient for the two of us to enter..."

Xuanming shook his head: "Even that is unfeasible. First of all, you've misunderstood one thing, that Barrier wasn't laid by Meng Zhang himself."

This genuinely exceeded my expectations, so I promptly asked, "If not him, then who?"

"Initially, I also assumed the Barrier was personally laid by Meng Zhang. During all this time, I have been studying how to breach that Barrier, and ultimately drew a conclusion..." Xuanming slowly revealed, "It is 'Paradise' itself, instinctively deploying such a barrier in response to external threats."

"'Paradise'... the ultimate existence Meng Zhang dreams of creating, has already been brought into being?" My mental alarm bells rang.

From a theoretical standpoint, 'Paradise' could be seen as a newly established Great True Spirit. If such an ultimate existence could indeed be created, it would not be something Impermanence could compare to. It could potentially surpass the Third Door in definition... maybe it couldn't even be defined as a mere individual, but a walking micro-universe on the earth.

If the obstruction against Xuanming's intrusion were such an entity, it would be entirely understandable why Xuanming has spent so much time without success.

And while my nerves were taut, it also sparked intense interest in me.

"Strictly speaking, the ultimate existence known as 'Paradise' has not yet been born. Meng Zhang now merely has assembled all the necessary conditions to create it, to describe it, it's like he collected all parts for a super machine but assembling it still requires effort and time." Xuanming said, "At present, 'Paradise' exists just in a 'might be created' stage."

"Since it hasn't been created yet, what's with that barrier then?" I asked curiously.

Xuanming solemnly replied, "Though hard to believe, it's the kind of incredible power that 'Paradise' possesses—even while existing only in illusory hypothesis and possibility, it can already exert a definitive influence on the real world.

"When I finally invaded this city not long ago, Meng Zhang was actually nearing the stage of bringing 'Paradise' to fruition. To prevent this outcome, I could only stall using external forces to halt the dream network's process, rendering 'Paradise,' based on the dream network, unable to be smoothly created. The Fire Sea in the sky was established just for that.

"Sensing my threat, 'Paradise' instinctively responded. The barrier preventing us from entering the city center isn't actually a barrier, but rather a wall between one universe and another.

"As for the Great Barrier currently encasing the entire city from the outside, that's the construction Meng Zhang personally carried out with 'Paradise's' power... despite its immense power, it might be forcefully penetrable, whereas the 'Outer World Wall' allows no such chance."

A wall between universes... I never anticipated that it would be such an insurmountable high wall.

If there were anyone capable of breaking through such a barrier, in my insight, perhaps only Shan Liangyi, who could freely reincarnate through different eras and worlds, could achieve that.

Yet even so, Shan Liangyi would likely need to die once to reincarnate on the other side, premised on the condition that a new life is born on the other side.

"But... there must be a way, right?" I said, "You mentioned earlier that you have a method... I assume that wasn't merely boasting."