A grey-white island flickered in and out of existence, drifting slowly towards the Sea of Annihilation. Though seemingly glacial in its movement, each reappearance signaled it had already traversed billions of miles.

Upon closer inspection, the island resembled a colossal skull, complete with hollow eye sockets and a vast mouth like a bottomless cavern...

Naturally, this was Skeleton Island.

Atop the skull’s cranium, on the summit of a barren mountain, Shi Yan and Mei Ji gazed into the far distance.

“This Skeleton Island is far more wondrous than I imagined. Few modern Bone Race members possess the skill to forge an island of this magnitude. In the hands of distinguished members of the Bone Race, Skeleton Island functions as a massive, mobile vessel—a warship of sorts. But one that combines both offense and defense, and can even produce Bone Slaves? I’ve never even heard of such a thing.” Much of the pallor had faded from Mei Ji’s face, her spirit recovering slightly, though still a considerable distance from her peak condition.

Shi Yan listened quietly, saying nothing.

Three years ago, inside a stone cave within Skeleton Island, he, Mei Ji, and Little Skeleton had reached an agreement: they would all enter the Sea of Annihilation together.

Little Skeleton's parents required immense life force, absorbed through the profound meaning of Devouring, to recover. Naturally, Shi Yan offered few details about this method.

Mei Ji proposed an alternative: she suggested Little Skeleton seek out other members of the Bone Race, believing that if the tribe knew two ancient predecessors were in dormancy, they would spare no effort to awaken them.

From Little Skeleton, she had learned he had never encountered another member of the Bone Race, having spent his entire existence guarding Skeleton Island.

Skeleton Island was quite mystical; when utilizing its internal marvels, it could shield itself from divine sense detection, even managing complete concealment.

It possessed a strange quality, almost like being possessed by dark energy...

For years, Little Skeleton had protected his parents. A trace of his parents’ lingering will, deep within his soul, had cautioned him against interacting with outsiders until he broke through the Domain Ancestor realm—a directive he had strictly followed, deliberately obscuring Skeleton Island from all contact.

He had never met a single member of the Bone Race. After years of isolation, Bastos finding him was purely because Bastos possessed an accurate trajectory.

Shi Yan’s arrival was merely an accident.

According to Mei Ji, powerful figures of the Bone Race were stationed within the Sea of Annihilation. As long as they found other Bone Race members, those individuals would surely exert themselves to resurrect Little Skeleton’s parents.

When Shi Yan first learned of the Sea of Annihilation via the Heavenly Illusion Star Compass, he had agreed with Audrey, when they separated, that they would rendezvous in the Sea of Annihilation; thus, he was headed there anyway.

As for Mei Ji, she was one of the leaders stationed by the Phantom Race in the Sea of Annihilation. Before coming to Lizard Star, she had been operating within that sea. Her purpose on Lizard Star was to consolidate the Water Race and secure the Immortal Elixir from the Lizard Ancestor. With that matter concluded, she naturally had to return to the Sea of Annihilation.

All three shared a unified destination, making the Sea of Annihilation their collective course. Once decided, Little Skeleton, guided by Mei Ji, altered Skeleton Island’s vector. The island transformed into a floating battleship sailing toward the Sea of Annihilation.

Shi Yan stroked the Heavenly Illusion Star Compass. This compass, a gift from Tu Shiqi of the Profound Heaven Race, was truly miraculous, not only charting numerous stellar maps but also providing precise temporal calibrations. It told him that three and a half years had passed since he parted with Audrey—a long time in appearance, but merely the blink of an eye for someone of his cultivation level.

The Heavenly Illusion Star Compass indicated the bearing of the Sea of Annihilation and offered a brief description, stating it was one of the primary hubs for large-scale life form exchange in the Sea of Nothingness—a nexus akin to a trading ground or marketplace where experts from all major races constantly congregated. However, its description of the deeper layers of the Sea of Annihilation was insufficiently detailed.

After all, the Heavenly Illusion Star Compass was just that—a compass. Its key function was providing accurate direction and time stamps.

“Honestly, my knowledge of the Sea of Nothingness is extremely limited, having only just stepped into it for the first time. I’ve only heard of the Sea of Annihilation; I’m not familiar with it. Since you claim we are already extremely close, could you elaborate for me?” Shi Yan turned to look at Mei Ji.

He had originally been cultivating deep within Skeleton Island, alongside Little Skeleton, stabilizing his Immortal Realm and refining the essence of his profound truths. He had been abruptly awakened by Mei Ji.

He then emerged from the stone cave and returned to the island’s surface via the island’s mouth.

“I underestimated this island’s speed. This velocity… it’s faster than I can fly at full power. Worthy of being divine weaponry tempered by two Domain Ancestors,” Mei Ji praised without reserve, before continuing, “At this speed, we will reach the Sea of Annihilation in less than half a month. Alright, let me tell you about it…”

“Within the Sea of Nothingness, complete life continents are rare. This area was the core during the Primordial Era, but it was devastated by war, shattering the Void. Here, you find pulverized stars, continents, islands, mountains, and lakes—all fragmented. The Sea of Annihilation is peculiar; it is truly an ocean, boundless, its expanse comparable to the star fields within some Domain Realms, vast beyond measure.”

“The surface of the Sea of Annihilation is dotted with countless islands, both landmasses and floating debris. The seabed is profoundly deep; even with our cultivation levels, we likely couldn't reach the true depths. The bottom of the Sea of Annihilation is one of the most mysterious regions in the Sea of Nothingness. Rumor has it that deep beneath, there exist Primordial Divine Artifacts; the Sea of Annihilation is rumored to have been the battlefield during the Primordial Era conflicts!”

“In the current Sea of Nothingness, many martial artists explore this region, occasionally discovering remnants of divine weaponry, rare treasures, or even Imprints of Profound Truths on the seabed—incredible finds that greatly aid breakthroughs to the Domain Ancestor realm. Because of this, the Sea of Annihilation has perpetually been a coveted destination for wanderers and explorers for eons.”

“Currently, various races and life forms inhabit the islands floating on the Sea of Annihilation’s surface; many different species have made it their home. Almost every moment, outside martial artists enter the Sea of Annihilation, either delving into the depths to try their luck finding Primordial Era ruins, or trading cultivation materials in the colossal marketplace hubs scattered across the surface. The Seven Great Races also frequently station experts here, treating the Sea of Annihilation as vital contested ground…” Mei Ji gazed into the distant, shadowy void, as if visualizing the Sea of Annihilation, before slowly concluding for Shi Yan, “It holds countless opportunities, yet it is saturated with deadly peril—it is an extremely chaotic place. Those whose power and realm are insufficient are easily killed. I must warn you, be extremely cautious there. There are entities within whom even our Seven Great Races are wary. If your identity—the one who merged a shard of a Primordial Life Form’s soul—is exposed, even the Phantom Race cannot shield you.”

Shi Yan’s expression shifted. “There are truly powerful beings that even your Seven Great Races fear?”

“Many formidable experts survived the annihilation of their races, yet they remained immensely strong, often operating alone. If such an individual reaches the Domain Ancestor realm, who wouldn't be terrified?” Mei Ji gave a wry smile.

Shi Yan was aghast. “There are actual Domain Ancestors there?”

Mei Ji nodded. “They dwell in areas of the Sea of Annihilation that resist probing, or perhaps in the deepest parts of the ocean, drawn by the wonders of the seabed. It is said that deep below the floor, someone once glimpsed Primordial Era ruins. Those ruins supposedly contain the ultimate secrets of heaven and earth, holding immense allure even for Domain Ancestor experts.”

“Just how vast is the Sea of Annihilation?” Shi Yan asked, startled.

Mei Ji paused in contemplation. “On the surface, it’s the size of a Domain Realm’s star field, containing tens of thousands of islands, large and small. Many islands are desolate, unsuitable for survival or cultivation; only a very small number can sustain life, suitable for lower-level warriors. But the underwater realm of the Sea of Annihilation is far vaster. There is one highly improbable theory from a Space Profound Truth expert with exquisite cultivation who meticulously surveyed the area: he claimed the Sea of Annihilation resembles an inverted funnel—the surface being the narrow tip, widening dramatically below. He suggested the true area of the seabed might be hundreds of times larger than the surface. Unimaginable, isn’t it?”

Shi Yan stood dumbfounded.

A funnel?

A funnel is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. If the Space Profound Truth expert’s claim was true, and the surface was the size of a star field, how massive was the seabed?

As large as an entire Domain Realm?

The size of a Domain Realm comparable to the Desolate Domain?

To think that just one feature—the Sea of Annihilation—within the Sea of Nothingness could be so immense left Shi Yan utterly awestruck.

“Don’t be so surprised. The Vast Star River is filled with countless Domain Realms and infinite territory. Since the Sea of Nothingness is the heart of the cosmos, it is not unusual for it to harbor some unfathomably strange places,” Mei Ji said calmly. Her bright eyes flickered, and she suddenly asked, “I am extremely curious: by what means did you dispatch Nazario and Bastos? And what was that energy transfer you gave me?”

Shi Yan immediately became wary, letting out a cold snort. “Our transaction does not include mutual snooping into private affairs.”

“I will figure it out sooner or later!” Mei Ji gritted her teeth, furrowing her brow. She continued, “I don't understand why you would help that little Bone Race member. What benefit could he possibly offer you? Do you truly believe that if you revive his parents, they will be eternally grateful and become your backing? Do you realize the sheer volume of life force required to awaken them?”

Shi Yan remained silent for a long time.

He couldn't articulate the reason himself. It was simply that he felt a kinship with the little skeleton; the little one’s yearning and sorrow for his parents, that profound grief and helplessness, had touched a soft spot within him, causing him to cast aside his usual calculus of profit and loss, willing to help Little Skeleton without regard for gain or sacrifice.

He couldn't explain this to Mei Ji, and he knew that even if he tried, she wouldn't believe him.

“In the Sea of Annihilation, I, Mei Ji, am a figure of some standing. I will fulfill my promise to you. The moment your woman arrives at the Sea of Annihilation and makes even the slightest presence known, I guarantee I will locate her. My Phantom Race is renowned for its extensive intelligence network throughout the entire Sea of Nothingness,” Mei Ji added.

“Then I thank you in advance,” Shi Yan replied with a composed expression… Apologies, only one chapter today; I will make it up tomorrow~~(To be continued)RQ