C17 The Small Heaven and Earth

Lu Yu lifted the storage bag and gave it a thorough examination. A faintly glowing mark adorned the bag, suggesting that its creator might have passed from this world. It appeared that King Wei had stumbled upon this item by sheer luck, unaware of its purpose, and thus discarded it, leaving it to gather dust.

"Since the bag's original owner is no longer with us, let's see what treasures it holds," Lu Yu mused. With a focused thought, he channeled a stream of true qi into the bag.

Moments later, the dust cloaking the bag's exterior dispersed, revealing its inherently modest and unembellished surface. Lu Yu wasn't taken aback by this; storage bags were typically designed to look unremarkable to avoid drawing attention. Only a fool would flaunt a storage bag that sparkled conspicuously, practically inviting theft.

When Lu Yu extended his Spiritual Sense into the bag, he was greeted by an astonishing sight—a miniature universe masquerading as a mere storage bag. The revelation left him inwardly astounded.

The space within a low-level storage bag was no larger than a room. A mid-level bag expanded to the size of a courtyard. But a high-level bag? It could encompass thousands of acres, offering vast storage capacity. However, these bags were limited to inanimate objects; living beings couldn't enter them.

More formidable Spiritual Magic Treasures, on the other hand, contained entire small worlds capable of housing cities or even nations. In his past life, Lu Yu possessed such a treasure—the "Pagoda of Allheaven," with nine layers, each containing a distinct world teeming with life, all governed by the laws he had set.

Now, before him lay a treasure with its own small world, albeit disguised as a simple storage bag. This world had clearly endured significant damage; aside from a mountain still faintly aglow, the landscape was shrouded in mist.

Dark clouds roiled in the sky above, signaling turmoil. "Spatial rifts... It seems this magic treasure has previously suffered a severe impact, resulting in its current state," Lu Yu surmised.

Lu Yu channeled a strand of true qi into the fog-enshrouded chaos, only to have it swiftly swallowed up, leaving no trace behind.

Gusts of sharp wind whipped around him as Lu Yu's Spiritual Sense reached the mountain.

The mountain rose majestically, its peak crowned with an array of ancient architecture.

Pavilions, towers, and lofty trees stood in silence, each structure devoid of vitality, eerily still.

"There's not a single living soul in this secluded realm, which makes sense. Without even a trace of normal spiritual energy, any living beings would likely find survival impossible," Lu Yu mused, his Spiritual Sense settling on the grand entrance of the mountain gate.

The once-sturdy doors lay in ruins, reduced to a heap of broken stones, yet the remnants of the door's pillars still conveyed a sense of their past splendor.

Atop the rubble lay a dust-coated plaque.

Lu Yu swept away the dust, revealing the inscription "Big Dipper Sect."

The characters, though faded, exuded an overwhelming sense of authority that Lu Yu could still perceive.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Yu's gaze shifted to a shattered stone lion at the entrance.

This stone lion, perhaps the sole survivor of the destruction, bore an inscription at its base.

"I, Di Xun, a direct disciple of the Big Dipper Sky Sect, face a formidable enemy. Our sect lies in ruins, and by my master's command, I have taken our base, Big Dipper Mountain, into hiding, hoping for a future resurgence."

"Alas, ambushed by treachery, my strength is spent. I, who am near death, fear I lack the power to restore the Big Dipper Sect to its former glory. Such a regrettable loss!"