A ten-zhang stone chamber, empty save for a fleshly shell, with the primordial spirit utterly dispersed. Shi Hao had experienced this before!
Thus, when the snow-white skeleton spoke, he immediately understood, his heart shaken to the core, vividly recalling that past ordeal.
What kind of place was it? Dark, frigid, eternally exiled, with primordial spirits sealed in cages.
There, only primordial spirits existed, flesh nowhere to be seen. One could witness the roaring river of time, densely lined with one dark prison after another.
Back then, Shi Hao had even glimpsed a few cages radiating extraordinary brilliance, illuminating the river of time, proving their occupants were unimaginably powerful.
Since ancient times, many prodigies who cultivated immortal qi had died mysteriously, their primordial spirits vanishing while their flesh remained intact.
“What are you talking about? How much do you know of the dark realm?” asked an elder from the Celestial Deity Academy.
Others might not know, but he understood a little. Not only was he immensely powerful himself, but he also hailed from an immortal lineage, privy to many secrets recorded within his clan.
The skeleton spoke unhurriedly, its tone indifferent. “Like you, I know little of the dark domain. It is difficult to explore.”
It hoped that those who entered the dark cages might one day return alive and share their experiences.
“We have preserved some remains and corpses here. If those individuals return alive, you may return their bodies to them,” the snow-white skeleton added.
For it had heard rumors that some who returned alive might have access to secret methods on this side of the world, allowing them to guide certain individuals back.
Several elders of the Celestial Deity Academy frowned. They had heard such legends, but they remained unverified, never truly witnessed or realized.
Shi Hao’s heart trembled violently. Could those rumors be true?
After entering the Immortal Ancient Ruins and cultivating immortal qi, he had experienced too much. There, he had seen a “Reception Hall” and even witnessed a primordial spirit inexplicably rushing into it.
“That place holds great secrets!”
Shi Hao pondered, his brow deeply furrowed.
These fragmented pieces seemed scattered, but upon deeper reflection, they could all be connected.
Shi Hao hadn’t expected that beings from another world, upon crossing over, would first mention this matter. It puzzled him. Had something exceptionally significant occurred?
“If you enjoy battle so much, why not charge into the dark realm?” an elder from the Celestial Deity Academy said impassively.
The other world filled them with despair. Though they knew their fate was inevitable, their hearts remained unwilling, shrouded in gloom for years.
Shi Hao wondered: Could it be that the beings from the other shore had retreated from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths because of the dark realm? Yet it didn’t quite fit. He couldn’t make sense of it. But since they mentioned it, it must be extraordinary.
“Heh, one of our lords is merely curious. He wishes to explore his own origins,” the snow-white skeleton said.
These words stunned everyone. What kind of existence were these beings from the other shore? Even such a mighty figure didn’t know his own roots?
The crowd was baffled!
“Just one lord’s curiosity, nothing more,” the skeleton added.
How could they not overthink it? After all this talk, was it all just for the sake of one so-called lord’s inquiry?
“Well, since I’ve come, you should know what it means,” it said, instantly heightening the tension to its peak.
In truth, when the passage appeared and beings crossed over, everyone’s hearts had turned cold, sensing impending chaos.
But the mention of the dark realm had diverted attention, easing their fear and masking the severity and urgency of the situation.
Now, with the skeleton bringing up the crossing, everyone was jolted awake. Was a calamity of unimaginable scale about to begin?
“Pity. The time is not yet right. I cannot cross over,” the skeleton said, shaking its head.
Many sighed in relief, but a sense of shame followed. To feel relieved at the enemy’s inability to cross—how lacking in fighting spirit they were!
“You possess even the Qiankun Pouch, forcibly opening a passage. Why can’t you cross?” an elder from the academy asked, his expression dark.
“Though a passage was opened, it is suppressed by the will of your world. Without the pouch resisting, I couldn’t even speak to you.”
It admitted frankly that its true form couldn’t cross—only through this skeleton could it emerge from the passage.
“The stronger one is, the harder it is to cross. Unless the boundary is shattered, allowing full invasion, it remains difficult!” an elder whispered.
The crowd was horrified. This snow-white skeleton was already beyond the level of sect masters, yet in the eyes of that being, it was still weak?
“We offer you a chance to see how far you can go in the future,” the skeleton said.
“What do you mean?” someone demanded.
“We cannot cross, but some of our juniors can. They will spar with your people—or, if you prefer, engage in life-and-death battles.”
“You!” An elder from the academy retorted. He wouldn’t mind if all those young elites came. For the safety of this world, he would disregard his status and annihilate them all.
“Our juniors can only appear within a certain range, confined to this black mountain. They cannot venture beyond.” The skeleton pointed to the sky. The Qiankun Pouch resisted the world’s will, and only within the mountain bathed in its radiance was it safe.
True powerhouses couldn’t cross—only a group of juniors could set foot on the black mountain, to gauge this world’s strength!
This was the true reason for their grand arrival.
Upon hearing this, the disciples of the Celestial Deity Academy erupted, eager for battle.
While the elders despaired, many juniors were defiant. They had long heard of the tragic fall of the Immortal Ancient Era, the withering of once-great clans. Now, facing beings from that world, they burned with the desire to challenge them.
Filled with rage and pride as the strongest youths of their domains, their spirits were unyielding—like newborn calves unafraid of tigers.
“Trying to lure our elites to their deaths?” an elder said coldly.
“Feel free to test the truth with your Chaos treasures,” the skeleton replied.
At that moment, from the blurred passage behind it, a cacophony of shouts and neighs erupted as a group of beings charged forth, their killing intent overwhelming, like demons descending upon the world.
The academy’s disciples stared intently, eager to see the appearance of these otherworldly beings.
Clad in icy armor, wielding glowing weapons, some rode savage beasts while others marched on foot—a group of formidable young elites!
To their surprise, most resembled humans, nearly indistinguishable from the cultivators of this world.
“If they look like us, why attack us?” someone questioned.
“These are some of our finest. Will you test yourselves against them?” the skeleton asked.
Shi Hao sighed inwardly. Only he knew—these were beings from the world he had once visited, their kin, not true demons.
In fact, with a quick glance, he even spotted familiar faces!
Back then, in that world beyond the border, he had climbed the Immortal Mountain and seen its top-tier geniuses, who later left to pay homage to the undying.
Those people, for reasons unknown, believed Shi Hao’s kind were the demons, the invaders—a staggering irony.
What could Shi Hao say to that?
Just then, the academy’s leader, a black-robed elder, unfurled a scroll and murmured something.
“So, the Ten Realms Painting is here. Display it alongside the Qiankun Pouch, and you need not worry,” the skeleton said.
The crowd erupted in shock.
Wasn’t the Nine Phoenix Furnace the mightiest artifact of Boundless Heaven? Since when was there a Ten Realms Painting?
“The Ten Realms Painting isn’t from Boundless Heaven. It belongs to another ancient land among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths,” someone explained.
The academy’s elders conferred. After eons, they too wished to gauge the strength of their adversaries.
“Elders, let us fight them! We fear nothing!” a disciple shouted.
“After millennia, this is our first encounter. We must battle to the blood!” others clamored.
…
“The Ten Realms Painting confirms they harbor no deceit. This is genuine.”
Silence, then uproar.
“Whoosh!”
A tempest raged, shaking heaven and earth as the Ten Realms Painting soared into the sky, unfurling radiant light that made stars tremble. It expanded, its aura growing terrifying.
In an instant, its divine power surged like a raging ocean.
The Ten Realms Painting grew ever more dreadful, devouring starlight as the worlds within it manifested.
“Boom!”
Though the painting and the pouch hadn’t collided, the impact was already immense.
“A battlefield has been forged. Those unafraid of death may enter and test each other,” someone declared.
Rumble!
Beyond expectations, the Ten Realms Painting and the Qiankun Pouch together conjured a mystical miniature world.
“Who dares to fight? Step forth!” the other side challenged, still looking down on the academy’s disciples.
“Crack!” The skeleton’s body fissured. It couldn’t endure much longer, rejected by this world. The stronger the being, the harder it was to remain.
Especially now, with the painting and pouch opposing each other, a small world had taken shape—lush with forests, bathed in radiant light.
“Those who wish to go, proceed!” an elder announced.
In a flash, dozens of disciples surged forward, eager for battle.
“Let’s go. We should join them,” Wang Xi said to Shi Hao.
At that moment, Lü Tuo, Yao Yue, and others also moved, ready to fight!
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