The Forbidden Land of Samsara was where the "Well of Reincarnation," which coordinated and controlled the power of reincarnation in the era of the ancient gods, was located. In that era, the dragon race were also the guardians of the Well of Reincarnation.
After the vicious battles between gods and devils, the dragon god race had been extinguished and the Well of Reincarnation had also been destroyed, turning into a "Dead Well." But since it had once been the axis that controlled the reincarnation of all gods, it was still perfectly cared for to this day.
However, the reason why this place had become the greatest forbidden territory in the Dragon God Realm was not only because of the existence of the "Well of Reincarnation." Instead, it was because of a single person…
Ren Zu flew calmly through the skies of the Dragon God Realm, crossing the vast territory at an absurd speed. The landscape below changed like a blur—mountains, ancient forests, and draconic cities disappeared in an instant behind him. The dragons patrolling the airspace only felt a crushing gust of wind pass over their bodies, but they couldn't even catch a glimpse of his figure.
After a few moments, an intense white light appeared before his eyes.
It was a gigantic barrier that completely enveloped a vast isolated territory, separate from the rest of the Dragon God Realm. The white light emanating from it was absolutely pure, without the slightest impurity, conveying an almost unreal serenity. Simply looking at it was enough for the mind to naturally calm down, as if all agitation in the heart was slowly dissolved.
Ren Zu observed that barrier for a few seconds.
"The Forbidden Land of Samsara…" he murmured softly before continuing forward without reducing his speed.
The instant he approached the barrier, an extremely severe roar filled with authority shook the entire space.
"Who dares to invade the Forbidden Land of Samsara!?"
The space in front of him distorted violently. In the next moment, two enormous draconic shadows appeared before the barrier. Their bodies were thousands of meters long, covered in shining golden scales. Their draconic eyes gleamed with fury as they completely blocked his path.
The two terrifying draconic auras exploded simultaneously, making the space tremble as if it were about to collapse.
The two Dragon Gods in charge of guarding the Forbidden Land of Samsara!
However, the instant Ren Zu cast a simple glance toward them...
Boom!
An indescribable pressure descended upon the two dragons, as if the entire weight of the universe had collapsed onto their bodies. Their gigantic draconic forms shuddered violently, while their golden scales creaked under a force impossible to withstand. The fury that filled their eyes disappeared completely, replaced by absolute terror. Their souls were enveloped by a suffocating darkness, as if an infinitely superior existence had extended its hand to crush them along with everything they represented.
They nearly collapsed on the spot!
Horrifying images invaded their minds with no possibility of resistance. They saw themselves being torn apart thousands of times, their souls slowly consumed by eternal black flames, their bodies reduced to nothing and rebuilt only to die again in the most cruel ways imaginable. Each death was more terrible than the last, like an infinite cycle of suffering from which they could never escape. The fear was so overwhelming that their consciousnesses nearly shattered, unable to distinguish illusion from reality.
Ren Zu remained motionless in the air, hands clasped behind his back, and asked in a calm and indifferent tone, as if he were asking a trivial question:
"Do you intend to stop me?"
Those few words struck their souls like divine judgment.
The two Dragon Gods trembled from head to tail. Their gigantic bodies instinctively bowed, almost touching the ground in complete submission. All the pride of the most powerful race in the universe vanished in that instant, leaving only irrational fear before that existence.
"No… We wouldn't dare!!!"
"Please… have mercy, Your Excellency!!!"
Without the slightest hesitation, both opened the way at maximum speed, retreating from the entrance of the Forbidden Land of Samsara as if their lives depended on it. The imposing presence of the Dragon God Realm's guardians disappeared completely, giving way to two terrified dragons whose pride had been reduced to nothing.
Ren Zu didn't even spare them another glance. As if they had never existed, he continued walking calmly forward, passing through the gigantic white barrier as if it were nothing more than a thin layer of mist.
He flew at high speed toward the center of that forbidden land.
The further he advanced, the purer and denser the aura of nature became. All the elements in this place were incredibly gentle and mild. There were light breezes, the slow and relaxing sound of flowing water, and even the earth smelled so good that a person could become intoxicated by it.
As he continued forward, the aura of nature became so gentle and mild that it surpassed the limits of anyone's imagination. He also discovered many changes in his surroundings. With a single glance, he could clearly see the clouds and mist surrounding the area, making it seem as though he had wandered into a celestial dwelling. The clear and melodious sounds of birds chirping and butterflies fluttering through the air reached his ears, and he thought he could even faintly hear the cheerful whispers of the plants and flowers all around him.
It truly felt as if he had stepped into an illusory fairy-tale world, a place untainted by the noises or impurities of the mortal world, a place that seemed to contain not even a trace of strife or malice. Gradually, his body relaxed unconsciously, and it felt as if his heart were being gently caressed by the purest spring water, making him feel much calmer and more serene.
Not bad!
Ren Zu nodded his head slightly and ceased his flight, slowing down until he came to a complete stop upon realizing he had reached his destination. Ahead of him, the world was completely shrouded in a dense and mysterious mist, so thick that it distorted even light itself. Only blurry shadows could be seen, where flowers and plants seemed to sway gently, though it was impossible to distinguish their shapes clearly.
Even his extraordinary vision, capable of piercing ordinary illusions, was practically useless here. The most intriguing part was that his spiritual perception was also severely limited, unable to extend beyond a short distance, as if something in that place were suppressing all forms of sensory exploration.
It was as if this were a world separate from normal laws, a place that mortals could never reach.
The Forbidden Land of Samsara!
Completely ignoring the barrier that isolated that place from the rest of the world, he calmly crossed it. The exact instant he passed its limits, the thick mist enveloping the exterior dissipated as if it had never existed.
The scenery that appeared before his eyes was of an almost unreal beauty, a world bathed in an infinity of colors.
The green grass undulated gently with the breeze, while hundreds of species of flowers competed with one another for which was the most beautiful. Countless exotic flowers bloomed in perfect harmony, forming, together with the vast field of grass, a true ocean of colors. It wasn't just the flowers that conveyed this sense of perfection. The air, the earth, the trees, the crystal-clear streams, and even the sky seemed untouched by any impurity, as if this were a world conceived only in the most beautiful fairy tales.
Anyone setting foot there for the first time would undoubtedly believe they had crossed into a land of dreams. There was no dust, dirt, violence, conflicts, or any trace of the corruption present in the outside world. Everything seemed to exist in a state of absolute purity.
As he advanced, the flowers and grass around him swayed delicately in his direction, as if greeting his arrival. Jade bees and multicolored butterflies also flew cheerfully toward him, dancing around him while carried by the gentle breeze.
After crossing that ocean of flowers, a small bamboo house appeared before his eyes.
It was an extremely simple construction. Emerald-green vines climbed its walls and covered much of the roof, while a modest door made of the same bamboo completed the residence. There were no luxurious ornaments or elaborate decorations. In that vast paradisiacal world, there was only that discreet bamboo house, as if it itself were part of the nature around it.
There were no majestic palaces, sacred temples, or grand constructions. Only that small residence, whose simplicity seemed to surpass any existing luxury.
In front of the house stood the figure of a woman enveloped by a faint mist.
No…
Upon approaching a little closer, it became evident that it was not mist at all. Her body was surrounded by countless particles of white light, so dense that they obscured much of her appearance, but at the same time incredibly soft and natural. It was as if that light were an extension of her own existence, silently embracing her silhouette. Even though her face remained hidden, a single glimpse of her figure was enough to understand that she possessed an absolutely incomparable beauty.
That light was not emitted by her own will.
It simply existed around her, as if it had been born with her.
When Ren Zu finally approached, the woman slowly turned in his direction.
In that same instant, an indescribably pure aura spread through the environment.
It was a purity that transcended any human concept of holiness.
It was not merely a sacred feeling… it was something genuinely divine.
Before that presence, anyone would instinctively feel all the impurities accumulated in their body, mind, and soul. It was an aura that awakened an almost irresistible desire to kneel in reverence. It seemed that taking one more step forward or sustaining her gaze for too long would be an unforgivable act of blasphemy.
However, this divinity did not possess the artificiality of those who sought to appear holy through their posture or the environment in which they lived.
It seemed to be born from the depths of her own soul.
And, at the same time, it reached directly into the depths of the souls of all those before her.
But for Ren Zu, that holiness was child's play. He noticed that the woman was quite shocked by his "arrival"…
"Who… who are you?" Her voice sounded like the chime of a heavenly bell, pure and melodious, but laden with evident surprise and caution. "How did you manage to enter here…?"
Ren Zu stopped a few meters away, keeping his hands clasped behind his back. His expression remained tranquil as he replied in a casual tone, as if commenting on something completely trivial:
"I'm just someone who decided to take a look at this Forbidden Land before subjugating the Dragon God Realm. There's no need to worry…"
"..." The woman remained silent for a moment. What…? Had she misheard?
Ren Zu then turned his attention to the intense white light enveloping her body and tilted his head slightly.
"This luminosity is a bit bothersome… Could you dispel it?" Before she even had a chance to respond, he made a careless gesture with his hand. "Nah… let me do it myself…"
Whoosh!
An invisible wave of power swept through the entire space. The dense white light enveloping the woman's body dissipated instantly, as if it had never existed. There was no resistance, nor any trace of confrontation. The sacred aura simply yielded before Ren Zu's will, revealing, for the first time, her true appearance.
She wore no jewelry, adornments, or any extravagant accessories. She was dressed only in a simple white robe of immaculate purity. Her long silver hair fell to her waist, free of any styling or ornaments, spreading softly over her shoulders and back while reflecting a delicate, almost ethereal glow.
Her face, however, transcended any concept of beauty.
It was as if all the most beautiful colors in the world, all the words ever created to describe perfection, and even the most magnificent illusions were mere pale shadows before that celestial countenance. Her eyes resembled a lake of crystal-blue waters, serene and limpid at first glance. However, gazing into them for longer revealed another nature: they seemed like infinite abysses, deep enough to swallow any soul that dared contemplate them. Yet they were abysses into which anyone would willingly dive, even knowing they could never return.
The woman before him remained completely motionless. For the first time in countless years, an expression of genuine caution appeared on her flawless face. Just from that gesture, she was fully aware that he was much stronger than her. Could a True God have been born into the world? Impossible! But he must not be far from that level…
Her beautiful crystal-blue eyes remained fixed on Ren Zu as she tried, for the first time, to truly analyze the person before her. However, the more she observed him, the less she could comprehend his existence. It was like staring into absolute emptiness. Her perception could not capture his aura, his energy, or any trace of cultivation. If she weren't looking directly at him, she wouldn't even believe someone was standing in front of her.
After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke again. Her voice remained as gentle as before, but now carried a rare trace of seriousness.
"It seems… I have remained isolated in this place for too long. All this time, I never imagined that the outside world would have given birth to an expert of this level." She paused briefly before asking: "May I know the name of the esteemed sir?"
Her expression remained serene, but her vigilance increased with every moment. From the ease with which he had crossed the Forbidden Land of Samsara and dispelled her Divine Light, Shen Xi had already concluded that this man's strength was far beyond her ability to comprehend.
Ren Zu simply smiled faintly.
"My name is Ren Zu." His eyes met hers. "And you… must be Longshen Xi, right?"
"...!!!" For the first time since he arrived, Shen Xi's composure completely faltered. Her beautiful eyes widened, and a wave of shock coursed through her heart. Longshen Xi—that was her true name! With the exception of her father, Long Yin, practically no one in the universe still knew that name. To the rest of the world, she was simply Shen Xi, a shortened name she had used for countless years…
She stared at Ren Zu for a long moment, unable to hide her astonishment.
"H-how…?" Her voice faltered for the first time. "How do you know… that name?"
"Well, we have a lot to talk about. Why don't we sit down and have some tea…?"