In the boundless sea of nothingness, alien races abound, and the strong are as numerous as the stars. The competition there is brutal; without the strength to protect himself, every step he takes before finding a gate back will be fraught with difficulty, perhaps even leading to his demise. Achieving the Immortal Realm is a crucial bargaining chip for survival, meaning he desperately needs the Immortal Pills held by the Dragon Lizard to break through to a new realm as soon as possible.
His words caused Audrey to fall into a thoughtful silence, offering no further remarks.
Carefully securing the wine jar, Audrey secretly resolved to use the three souls contained within the vessel to elevate her own cultivation realm.
Even Shi Yan, who had reached the third heaven of the Prime God Realm, showed signs of heavy pressure and exhaustion. She, being merely at the first heaven of the Prime God Realm, needed to strengthen her power even more. Otherwise, she would forever be a burden, requiring Shi Yan’s protection.
As a princess of the Nether Emperor Clan, a favored daughter of the Desolate Domain, having to rely on a man’s protection was, in itself, a humiliation.
“I need to search properly as well, to see if there are any rare treasures suitable for me. Every bit of extra strength I can consolidate will count. The future of this place is uncertain, so I must be cautious.”
Shi Yan frowned, opened his mind, and subtly diffused his unique divine sense throughout the surroundings, trying to sense cultivation materials that might aid him.
His divine sense spread out like ripples, expanding continuously with him at the center.
A look of disappointment crossed his face. His divine sense had swept across the entire trading area, yet he sensed no suitable materials.
Just as he was about to give up, his heart suddenly stirred.
A highly mystical spatial fluctuation emanated from a secluded corner of the stone platform, causing his eyes to light up. Without the slightest hesitation, he moved directly in that direction.
Audrey’s gaze remained fixed on him. Seeing him suddenly set off as if enlightened, she gracefully followed, staying closely behind him.
A touch of the bizarre appeared on her exquisite, otherworldly features as she gazed at Shi Yan’s back, sighing softly in her heart, lost in unspoken thoughts.
A short while later, the two arrived at a corner of the jade platform and found an ugly member of an alien race—an old crone whose face resembled lumpy toad skin, covered in blemishes. Her ears were pointed and sharp, and her unbound hair grew wild like tangled weeds, covering her entire body, making her resemble a pile of straw.
Before her sat a small glass vessel containing seven crystalline jade stones. The stones lacked luster, and due to the seal on the vessel, no special fluctuations emanated from them. The old crone appeared asleep, utterly motionless. Even as Shi Yan and Audrey approached, she remained with downcast eyes, unresponsive.
Audrey, however, grew wary. The moment she arrived, she detected a thread of soul fluctuation, slithering like a viper’s tongue, circling around her. She knew clearly that although the old woman’s eyes were closed, she was already quietly observing them.
Releasing a wisp of her soul to probe, her expression became even more cautious, and she stole a glance at Shi Yan.
The old crone was actually another cultivator at the first level of the Immortal Realm, and her aura pulsed with a profound mystery. She seemed capable of forming numerous illusions; as Audrey sensed her, her soul was filled with phantoms, giving her a tendency to sink away.
“Phantom Realm Stone—what kind of strange stone is this?” Shi Yan suddenly asked.
When he first sensed it, he detected a peculiar spatial fluctuation from the stones in the vessel, which is why he came over. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the seven small stones gave him a mystical feeling of possessing seven self-contained worlds within them, sparking great curiosity.
The old crone, who had kept her eyes downcast, finally opened them and said coldly, “Phantom Realm Stone. It’s only useful to those who cultivate the profound mysteries of space. When activated by spatial divine power, one Phantom Realm Stone can generate a miniature space, much like inflating a balloon. The more divine power you inject, the more you inflate it, and the larger the stone’s enclosed space can expand.”
“A single Phantom Realm Stone creates a small world of its own? That’s incredible?” Shi Yan was astounded.
The old crone snorted and pouted, “Of course not. The small world formed by the Phantom Realm Stone cannot exist permanently; it can only be preserved for a limited time—otherwise, why include the character ‘Phantom’? For cultivators of space profundity, this Phantom Realm Stone can be used as a weapon. When unleashed, it can bind an enemy. Once an enemy is drawn inside, you can detonate the small world formed by the stone, killing or severely wounding them!”
Shi Yan’s eyes brightened, and he nodded secretly, smiling slightly, “How powerful an enemy can it kill?”
“That depends on the user,” the old woman pondered for a moment before explaining, “You are only at the third heaven of the Prime God Realm. The small world generated by your condensed divine power, once detonated, should be capable of killing a martial artist of the same level, severely wounding someone slightly higher in realm, or perhaps briefly restraining an Immortal Realm cultivator. Of course, the effectiveness of this small world hinges entirely on whether you can suddenly drag the opponent inside—that is the prerequisite.”
The Phantom Realm Stone had never appeared in the Desolate Domain, so Shi Yan was unfamiliar with its intricacies. However, after her explanation, Shi Yan confirmed that this item was quite suitable for him. After refining it, the sudden formation of a small world that could imprison an enemy, or be detonated to inflict heavy damage or even kill an opponent, was certainly a rare treasure.
“She hasn’t specified what she wants in return,” Audrey whispered as a reminder.
Shi Yan also noticed that the vessel before the old crone bore no special markings indicating the required exchange item, which surprised him somewhat.
Just as he was about to inquire, the old crone spoke first: “The item I need is related to this Phantom Realm Stone. I require the assistance of someone who cultivates the profundities of space. Anyone interested in the Phantom Realm Stone would naturally be a cultivator of space profundities, so I see no need for a special notation.”
Releasing a faint fluctuation, Shi Yan smiled calmly, “As it happens, I cultivate the profundities of space. What assistance do you require?”
The old woman slanted her eyes, studying him intently for a moment, then shook her head. “Your realm is insufficient. If you had a master, perhaps they could help me, and I would give you these Phantom Realm Stones. But based on your personal ability alone, you cannot accomplish what I need you to do.”
“What is it? Tell me first,” Shi Yan said, surprised.
The old woman hesitated, and a gleam flashed from within her sleeve. A peculiar, gleaming silver lock suddenly appeared. The silver lock was only palm-sized and engraved with countless dense spatial lines. The intricate patterns were overwhelming, with at least hundreds of small spatial formations imprinted upon it.
“This space lock is sealed, and inside is a small space containing something important to me. I do not have the key. I need someone who cultivates space profundities to gradually unlock it, piece by piece. The spatial lock must be broken in one continuous effort; with your realm and cultivation, your power is clearly insufficient.”
She shook her head, unflinchingly pointing out Shi Yan’s deficiencies, then continued, “If you have a master, or a friend who has reached the Immortal Realm, you might attempt it. But I must state clearly: the Phantom Realm Stones will only be exchanged after the space lock is broken; failure means no reward.”
The space lock secured a small space. If one tried to force it open without knowing the proper method, the small space would be instantly shattered into nothingness, yielding nothing, and potentially costing one’s own life. Only a cultivator of space profundities, using unique spatial divine sense and divine power, could unravel the spatial formations on the lock bit by bit.
During the process, there could be no pause; it had to be done in one continuous surge, or the spatial formations would recombine and shift, creating new complexities.
The old woman elaborated on the profound intricacies because Shi Yan cultivated space profundities, pinning her hopes on his lineage and friends, hoping he might bring some unexpected surprise.
“Is breaking the space lock primarily about understanding the profundities, or is it about the sheer volume and refinement of divine power?” Shi Yan murmured after a moment of thought.
“Both are necessary. However, the sheer volume and purity of divine power are more critical because sufficient infusion of power allows for more time to think and break the seals. Otherwise, even with perfect spatial comprehension, insufficient divine power will lead to a quick failure,” the old crone explained the subtleties in detail.
Shi Yan nodded, indicating he understood the difficulty involved. He stroked his chin and pondered for a while before saying, “Could we discuss this elsewhere?”
The old woman’s cloudy eyes suddenly brightened. The fluctuation within her body became quite strange, and a peculiar, faint fragrance wafted from her unsightly form, startling Shi Yan. The scent was exquisite, like the intoxicating richness emanating from a mature woman, completely incongruous with her hideous appearance.
“If you don’t mind, shall we talk over at my place?” she invited.
Shi Yan and Audrey exchanged a glance, then Shi Yan nodded and replied with a smile, “Very well.”
The old woman stretched out her hand, and the vessel and the Phantom Realm Stones vanished. She stood up and walked toward the outside of the trading area. Once they reached an area where free flight was possible, she floated upward, moving toward something on the surrounding stone wall.
Shi Yan and Audrey followed behind. A short while later, the old woman led them into a secluded stone cave, similar in size to where they had been staying, yet equally spartan.
As soon as the two entered the cave, the old woman cautiously set up a barrier, sealing the opening, then said sternly, “Young man, do you truly have a senior master who also cultivates the profundities of space? If he happens to be nearby, please ask him to join us. If he can break the space lock, I will not only gift you the seven Phantom Realm Stones but also offer other gratuities that will surely satisfy him!”
“What about me?” Shi Yan asked with a bright, clear laugh.
She frowned deeply, suddenly showing a hint of anger. “I have no time to waste on you. If it is only you, please leave immediately. With your current realm and cultivation, you are utterly incapable of breaking the space lock!”
“You said divine power was the key…”
Shi Yan grinned, unoffended, and extended one finger, pointing remotely toward her.
The tip of his finger shimmered with a crystal-bright glow. Streaks of void fissures tore open like colorful ribbons, and incredibly sharp spatial blades, like exquisite, bright daggers, manifested one after another. As they thrust forward from his fingertip, they sped toward the old woman, the spatial fluctuation contained within them being terrifyingly potent.
The old woman’s cloudy eyes burst forth with a dazzling crystal light. After sensing the attack, she suddenly gasped in surprise, “The power is refined to the utmost, the aura long and boundless. Young man, your realm is average, but your divine power is indeed extremely solid, not the least bit weaker than an ordinary Immortal Realm cultivator. Hmm, perhaps it is worth a try.”