"Back then, the most taxing thing for Senluo was when the Master's physical body scattered across the heavens and earth. He actually chased after it into the void's fissure, harboring the same thought as I: to reassemble the Master's remains." The Spirit of the Ring sighed with deep emotion.

"Senluo, the Apex of Despair—what level of attainment had this individual reached back then?" Shi Yan asked with surprise. The Eight Bloodthirsty Retainers were tyrannical figures who dominated the heavens and earth ten thousand years ago.

Each one was arrogant and powerful, reigning over numerous star domains within the stellar sea, their reputations resounding far and wide. Through Shang Chen, Xing Ming, Gu Lian, Layna, and others, Shi Yan knew that the Eight Retainers had once been incomparably formidable, having forced the God Clan to retreat into the Ancient God Star Domain.

Despite countless tribulations, they had never managed to annihilate all Eight Retainers. Now that he had stepped into the Initial God realm and witnessed the Ancient Azure Dragon, the Holy Ancestor of the Celestial Demon Race, he understood that those who surpassed the Initial God realm were Immortal.

He was intensely curious about the realm occupied by one of the Eight Retainers like Senluo in those bygone days. "Senluo was only at the third heaven of the Initial God realm.

He was the weakest among the Eight Retainers back then, but Senluo's true power undoubtedly ranked among the top tier of the Eight. The Despair Profundity does not emphasize the magnitude of strength or realm; rather, it focuses on the thorough comprehension of the Intent of Despair." The Spirit of the Ring did not hide this fact.

"Senluo, while only at the third heaven of the Initial God realm, was capable of slaughtering elders of the God Clan at the Immortal realm. His Despair Profundity, especially in dire straits, would often erupt with unimaginable terror." A crimson aura emanated from the Blood-Patterned Ring.

A segment of a bloodthirsty finger and a piece of bluish-black bone successively vanished within the ring, reclaimed by the Spirit of the Ring. Listening to the Spirit of the Ring's account of Senluo, Shi Yan felt a sense of awe, nodding silently to himself.

The Profundities mastered by the Eight Bloodthirsty Retainers were exquisite and wondrous. Shi Yan was not surprised by their ability to challenge those of higher realms, especially those who cultivated the Despair Profundity.

This extremely obsessive Profundity was notoriously boundless in potential, and he deeply understood its profound mysteries. To slay an Immortal expert with the cultivation of only the third heaven of the Initial God realm, Senluo must have been exceedingly mighty in his time.

After the Spirit of the Ring collected the bloodthirsty remains, the marvelous blood patterns on the ring's surface writhed, emitting circles of bloody ripples, vaguely forming an imprint of a blood-colored cloud mass. This imprint was initially vague but gradually sharpened, enveloping the fragment of this bizarre Initial Realm.

In the center of the blood-colored cloud mass imprint, a vortex suddenly appeared, giving rise to a subtle suction force. Senluo’s divine body suddenly dissipated into a wisp of light smoke.

The Intent of Despair that enveloped his entire being, along with this fragment of the Initial Realm, transformed into a kind of pure energy—merging into that vortex, refined and spun by the blood-colored cloud mass imprint, rapidly solidifying. Ultimately, it became a grayish-black sphere, no larger than a walnut, within which a frantic wave of despair was concealed.

The sphere was collected once more by the Spirit of the Ring, which then transmitted: "If you encounter someone cultivating the Despair Profundity, I will present this essence of Senluo's Profound Power. If you cultivate the Despair Profundity, with Senluo's essence, you can instantly break through the raging barrier and ascend to a completely new realm." The Spirit of the Ring paused for several seconds, then suddenly said, "Senluo was only at the third heaven of the Initial God realm back then, but this corpse exhibits the form of an Immortal realm.

He clearly broke through to another realm later on. Trapped in this void fissure for countless years, Senluo gradually approached and touched Despair.

His understanding of the Despair Profundity ultimately reached an incredible level. Had he not died, and if he could escape this place, he might have possessed the strength to contend with Ming Qing..." "Ming Qing?

Who is that?" Shi Yan asked, stunned. "The Apex of the Soul Control Lineage," the Spirit of the Ring replied directly.

"As per our agreement, I am explaining the status and power of the Eight Retainers. Ming Qing is the head of the Eight Retainers, cultivating the Soul Control Profundity, and a member of the Nether Emperor Clan.

The current Empress of the Nether Emperor Clan is Ming Hao's younger sister." Shi Yan froze, murmuring, "Then isn't he Audrey's biological uncle?" The Spirit of the Ring continued, "Had Ming Qing not relied on the Master back then, he would have been the Nether Emperor of the Nether Emperor Clan. He was one of the most formidable beings in the world then.

After being subdued by the Master, he was taught the Soul Control Profundity. That Profundity, combined miraculously with the soul altar cultivation practiced by the Nether Emperor Clan, caused Ming Qing to undergo a strange transformation: his physical body shattered directly, allowing his soul to split infinitely." "Back then, he was the most peculiar among the Eight Retainers.

Without a physical body, just a wisp of spectral soul, he helped the Master command the great star domains. Countless fractured souls scattered across every corner of the stellar sea, transforming into thousands of forms; no one knew his true appearance." "Xuan He, the Apex of Death, you should know him.

He was a member of the Undying Demon Race, and also their most talented youth at the time. Subdued by the Master, he was taught the Death Profundity.

Xuan He initially cultivated the Life Profundity, believing that cultivating the Death Profundity would conflict, but Xuan He was a peerless genius. After cultivating both Profoundities simultaneously, they gradually merged, making him the strongest among the Eight Retainers next to Ming Qing, possessing terrifying power." "Luo Mo, the Apex of Darkness, he was a powerhouse who emerged from the Divine Grace Continent.

In the early days of traversing the stellar sea, he was arrogant and reckless, offending various factions. He was jointly hunted by powerful entities, and the Master eventually saved him, teaching him the Darkness Profundity.

Luo Mo's nature was cruel and violent. After mastering the Darkness Profundity, he carved out territory and achieved immense merit for the Master." "Ge Lu, the Apex of Chaos, was originally a member of the God Clan.

During the internal strife within the God Clan, his family was massacred. Ge Lu lost his sanity and fell into madness, slaughtering everywhere.

However, the Master recognized his frenzy and taught him the Chaos Profundity, making him the most notoriously insane of the Eight Retainers." "Bent, the Apex of Destruction, was a member of the Corpse Race, but not of the Imperial Clan, the Nether Emperor Clan. Bent was a bastard, enduring an extremely tragic childhood, possessing a dark, destructive factor in his temperament.

The Master recognized this and taught him the Destruction Profundity. Time proved that this Profundity was tailor-made for him.

Bent, through the Destruction Profundity, became a razor-sharp knife in the Master's hand, exceedingly keen." "Senluo, the Apex of Despair, like Xuan He, was a member of another Undying Demon Race. The Master's inheritance method for the Despair Profundity was unique; he merely left his will wandering between heaven and earth.

Only those experiencing extreme despair, whose state of mind and despairing souls resonated with that will, could gain entry. Senluo was the first to glimpse the Despair Profundity and ultimately reach its zenith, making him the most underestimated among the Eight Retainers." "Feilet, the Apex of Corpse Power, was a member of the Corpse Race.

The Corpse Race naturally understood how to utilize Corpse Power, but they could not refine it expertly to reach profound realms. When the Master first transmitted this Profundity, he roamed various corners of the universe and saw Feilet's innate talent.

Without any instruction, Feilet had already glimpsed a subtle profundity in Corpse Power. The Master then imparted the complete Corpse Power Profundity to him.

Feilet lived up to the Master's expectations, quickly becoming the leader of the Corpse Race, commanding all Corpse Race clans across the stellar sea, turning the Corpse Race, originally despised by all, into one of the powerful factions in the stellar sea." "Jia Duo, the Apex of Corrosion, was originally a member of the Celestial Demon Race, his entire being saturated with potent poison. He was ostracized by the rest of the Celestial Demon Race and cultivated in solitude on a poison-ridden star.

The Master discovered him accidentally and taught him the Corrosion Profundity. Jia Duo's nature was perfectly suited for this Profundity; he mastered it swiftly, breaking through at a pace unimaginable even to the Master, becoming the most terrifying of the Eight Retainers." "..." As per the agreement, the Spirit of the Ring detailed the names and identities of the Eight Retainers.

"How many of the former Eight Retainers are still alive in the world?" Shi Yan asked after a long silence, his expression grave. "Probably only Ming Hao remains in the mortal world," the Spirit of the Ring replied.

"What realm were they in back then?" Shi Yan inquired again. "Excluding Senluo, the Apex of Despair, the other seven were all at the Immortal realm," the Spirit of the Ring answered.

Although Shi Yan had some premonition, he was still deeply shaken, reverence welling up within him. He then asked, "Then, what realm was your Master in?" The Spirit of the Ring remained silent for quite a while.

"I do not know either." "You don't know?" Shi Yan was surprised. The Spirit of the Ring was silent.

"What is his relationship with the Barrens of the Ancient Continent?" Shi Yan continued to ask. During his trials in the Barrens, Shi Yan had learned a fact from the Spirit of the Ring: that Blood Sword was forged from the spine of the Undying Demon Race member from a hundred thousand years ago.

This had shocked him deeply at the time, yet the Spirit of the Ring had not elaborated further. One hundred thousand years ago, the four continents of Divine Grace, Divine Zephyr, Ancient God, and Ancient Demon separately nurtured the Celestial Demon Race, the Nether Emperor Clan, the God Clan, and the Undying Demon Race.

In that era, the strongest generations of the four races had ventured into the Barrens, attempting to refine and incorporate the Barrens into their own domains. The Sacred Beast White Tiger was one of them.

They were all from the earliest generations of the four major races, having merged with the primal origins of the four continents, entering when the Barrens first opened. Then, they all died.

The White Tiger transformed into a mountain. The ancestors of the Nether Emperor Clan became the ice-blue light barrier surrounding the Barrens.

The God Clan members left behind only the Initial Realm, which Shi Yan later refined and integrated into himself. The ancestor of the Undying Demon Race had their physical body become the divine mountain within the Barrens.

The Blood Sword belonging to the Bloodthirsty one was forged from the spine of that ancestor of the Undying Demon Race. What was his connection to the Barrens?

This was a matter Shi Yan never understood and had always wished to ask. Now, he finally could not restrain himself.

"I was forged by the Master. The Master never mentioned these matters to me.

I do not know where the Master truly came from, nor what his true identity is." "Then, after you were refined by him, did you ever go to the Barrens with him?" The Spirit of the Ring fell silent again. When it did not wish to speak further, it always responded with silence.

Silence meant it refused to answer. Shi Yan frowned deeply, and after a long pause, said, "It's time to go back." He did not press, because he knew pressing was useless.

What the Spirit of the Ring did not want to disclose, it was impossible to force out. Two streaks of blood-red light suddenly flashed.

The Blood Sword and Blood Shield emerged from the ring. The Spirit of the Ring's consciousness rose again: "From now on, I will no longer keep this sword and shield.

I will not serve you as Master, but these items rightfully belong to you; take care of them. Once all my memories are merged, I can also tell you the profound mysteries of the sword and shield, consider it part of your reward for finding my Master's remains." The Blood Sword and Blood Shield were objects of bloodthirsty nature.

Shi Yan had occasionally used them over the years, and they often played a crucial role. However, regarding the mysteries of these two divine weapons, he always felt a sense of helplessness, unable to grasp the key.

Now that the Spirit of the Ring voluntarily took out the sword and shield and offered to reveal their secrets, he was overjoyed. If he could break open the secrets of the sword and shield, his strength would surely advance by another tier, and his combat prowess would rise significantly.

ps: I am very sorry, there is only one chapter today; my mind is completely stuck, bottlenecked, utterly tormented~