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**
After various records regarding the Sky Serpent Mansion surfaced in his mind, Xiao Lin did not remain silent. Instead, he spoke again with a smile: "I have long heard of the Sky Serpent Mansion's great reputation; I simply didn't expect to meet two of you here."
Xiao Lin was, after all, an actor at heart.
This kind of domestic-style small talk and polite flattery was something he could produce effortlessly.
"Not at all. The reputation of Jia Nan Academy is what truly spreads across the entire Northwestern Region. We two brothers have long intended to pay a visit, but alas, we have the heavy responsibility of guarding the Spatial Wormhole, so we simply haven't been able to get away."
Huo She spoke up at the appropriate moment.
In this instant, the two parties began chatting casually near the Black Stone Plaza.
Subsequently, Xiao Lin learned from the mouths of Shui She and Huo She that the Spatial Wormhole before them led directly to the Central Plains. It had been opened long ago by a certain previous Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion.
Since then, it had remained under the control of the Sky Serpent Mansion. Under normal circumstances, this Spatial Wormhole would not be opened casually. As everyone knew, opening a Spatial Wormhole once required a significant amount of resources.
Furthermore, traversing a Spatial Wormhole was not a completely safe endeavor!
Occasionally, one might encounter a Spatial Storm.
It could be said that once a Spatial Storm was encountered while traversing a Spatial Wormhole, the mortality rate would skyrocket!
Even if no Spatial Storm was encountered, those below the level of Dou Zong generally required a Space Boat to traverse a Spatial Wormhole. In this part of the Northwestern Region, how many forces actually possessed something like a Space Boat?
Therefore, in most cases, this Spatial Wormhole was used by the Sky Serpent Mansion's own people. Only when they occasionally had a need would they travel to the Central Plains via the Spatial Wormhole.
As for other forces wanting to go to the Central Plains through the Spatial Wormhole controlled by the Sky Serpent Mansion, it wasn't impossible, but generally, not only would they owe a favor, but the resources required to open the wormhole also had to be provided by themselves.
Consequently, although there was such a Spatial Wormhole leading to the Central Plains within the capital of the Sky Serpent Empire, very few forces ever came to the door.
Firstly, there was truly no great necessity to go to the Central Plains; secondly, they simply couldn't afford the resource consumption. In the entire Northwestern Region, perhaps only a few first-class empires and sects possessed such strength.
But even for these first-class empires and sects, unless absolutely necessary, they would not choose to go to the Central Plains. After all, wasn't it better to be a local overlord in the Northwestern Region?
Why go to a place like the Central Plains to seek out mistreatment?
This was the thought process of most Dou Zong and Dou Huang experts in the Northwestern Region. As for those who hadn't even reached the level of Dou Huang, they wouldn't even consider such matters!
Of course, to reach the Central Plains, besides flying slowly or using the Sky Serpent Empire's Spatial Wormhole, there was another way: at the borders of the Northwestern Region closer to the Central Plains, the controllers of many cities would invite experts at or above the Dou Zun level from the Central Plains to open a Spatial Wormhole in their city.
They would then be responsible for the management and maintenance of those Spatial Wormhole. Once a Spatial Wormhole was opened by an expert at or above the level of Dou Zun, a Dou Zong would possess the ability to maintain it.
After all, Dou Zong experts also possessed a certain degree of mastery over spatial power.
In the original story, Xiao Yan reached the Central Plains through a Spatial Wormhole in Horizon City, a border city of the Northwestern Region relatively close to the Central Plains. Of course, at that time, Xiao Yan was unlucky enough to encounter a Spatial Storm...
This was essentially the primary method for people from the Northwestern Region to go to the Central Plains. Naturally, this was limited to those below the level of Dou Zun.
Once you became a Dou Zun expert, you could temporarily open a Spatial Wormhole leading to the Central Plains yourself; there was naturally no need to rely on Spatial Wormholes controlled by others.
Currently, through his idle chatter with Shui She and Huo She, Xiao Lin had obtained a good amount of information.
"Gentlemen, I shall take my leave today and trouble you no further."
After gathering a pile of information, there was naturally no need for Xiao Lin to continue staying here.
"Elder Lin Xiao, if you have time, you are welcome to sit at our Sky Serpent Mansion whenever you like. I believe our Sky Serpent Mansion and your Jia Nan Academy have much in common to discuss."
After Xiao Lin proposed his departure, Shui She issued a polite invitation to him.
"Exactly. The gates of our Sky Serpent Mansion are always open to the people of your Jia Nan Academy!"
Huo She chimed in from the side as well.
However, Xiao Lin could tell that both of them were merely performing surface-level social niceties.
But that didn't matter.
After all, wasn't he doing the same? Or rather, compared to the Sky Serpent Imperial Family who were hiding malicious intentions, he felt a bit more at ease interacting with the people from the Sky Serpent Mansion.
Because the Sky Serpent Imperial Family was clearly and tangibly plotting something, whereas the Sky Serpent Mansion's people seemed enthusiastic on the surface but were actually treating him—a person from Jia Nan Academy—with a very flat attitude.
It could be said that through his chatting with Shui She and Huo She, he could basically rule out the possibility that the Sky Serpent Mansion was also plotting against Jia Nan Academy.
"Most certainly!"
After leaving those two words, Xiao Lin departed from the Black Stone Plaza under the gazes of Shui She and Huo She. The moment Xiao Lin's figure disappeared from their field of vision, the enthusiastic smiles on the faces of Shui She and Huo She vanished.
"Fourth Brother, what do you think?"
Shui She asked in a flat tone.
"Hmph, those old fellows in the Imperial Family truly have a good scheme, actually dragging Jia Nan Academy into this! However, it doesn't matter. As long as the person coming isn't that Headmaster of theirs who remains hidden at all times, it won't have any impact on us!"
Huo She replied with a face full of confidence.
Shui She nodded at Huo She's reply, expressing his agreement.
"However, we still cannot be careless! Since those old fellows in the Imperial Family have dragged Jia Nan Academy in, we absolutely cannot let them have their way! After all, ghost knows if that mysterious Headmaster of theirs will suddenly return?"
"Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, we should try our best not to offend this Elder Lin Xiao from Jia Nan Academy. Coming into conflict with Jia Nan Academy brings no benefit to our Sky Serpent Mansion; instead, it would make it easy to fall into the traps of those old fellows in the Imperial Family!"
At this point, Shui She gave a final conclusion on the matter.
At the same time, this was the reason why Shui She and Huo She were only enthusiastic on the surface after knowing Xiao Lin came from Jia Nan Academy, yet took no further action. After all, not getting close was equivalent to not offending, was it not?
"Correct! However, regarding this Elder Lin Xiao of Jia Nan Academy, we still need to inform Big Brother and let him make the final decision."
"Fine, you head back to report to Big Brother; I'll keep watch here alone for now."
Once the conversation ended, Huo She hurriedly returned to the Sky Serpent Mansion.
**
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