Ming Hong flitted about the colossal ancient tower like a small bat, circling cautiously, careful not to touch the structure, clearly understanding the danger it posed.
Brian and Ming Hao, noticing his sudden strangeness, stopped paying attention to Audrey and Mei Ji. The blush on Audrey’s face slowly faded as she cursed her uncle internally for being incapable of saying anything worthwhile.
After circling the ancient tower for a while, Ming Hong seemed to confirm something, then flew back to Audrey’s shoulder and sighed, “Tatt wasn't lying. It’s true.”
Brian, Ming Hao, Audrey, and Mei Ji all looked at him, awaiting an explanation, which Ming Hong did not delay.
“A long time ago, the Soul Race discovered primordial ruins at the bottom of the Sea of Annihilation. They dispatched warriors to explore them numerous times. On the most recent expedition, someone found an Arcane Rune Tower and even claimed to have seen a Primordial Rune of Origin. Tatt contacted Singh, inviting him to explore it together. Singh agreed; he was originally planning to investigate the Arcane Rune Tower in the Sea of Annihilation right after settling matters on Dragon Lizard Star.”
“What is an Arcane Rune Tower?” Ming Hao frowned.
“You should know, shouldn’t you?” Ming Hong chuckled, glancing toward Mei Ji.
Mei Ji indeed nodded. “I know about the Arcane Rune Tower. It has two functions: it can house a Primordial Rune of Origin, and it can also gestate one. The Arcane Rune Tower is an artifact refined by Primordial Beings; think of it as a vessel, somewhat similar to the Bone Pools of the Bone Race, but infinitely more mysterious and profound. I heard from an elder in the race that one Arcane Rune Tower is composed of hundreds of layers. To refine a single Primordial Rune of Origin requires an immense amount of resources…”
“Such as?” Brian inquired.
“For instance, to refine an Ice Arcana Primordial Rune of Origin, tens of thousands of warriors who cultivate the Arcana of Ice power, from the most basic level to the highest, are required as sacrifices.” She extended her slender jade hand, pointing to the countless windows of the giant tower, indicating the very bottom layer.
“In those windows are locked warriors who cultivate the Arcana of Ice power—from the lowest tiers up: Postnatal, Innate, Human Rank, Hundred Tribulations, Earth Rank, Nirvana, Heaven Rank, Divine Connection, True God, God King, Source God, Void God, Prime God, Immortal, and even Domain Ancestor realms are locked within the windows. How they are placed depends on the ultimate Divine Ability of the Primordial Rune of Origin being forged. For example, the bottom ten layers might house Postnatal warriors, or perhaps twenty layers, but the lower down, the lower the cultivation base must be, forming the foundation. It gradually rises upward.”
“If you pay attention, you can see the base of that giant tower is the widest, requiring thousands upon thousands of foundational warriors because those warriors are numerous. As the tower narrows upward, the windows also gradually shrink. This indicates that higher-level warriors, being higher in realm, are rarer. For the Prime God realm, there are only a few dozen windows; for the Immortal realm, only about ten. Above that are the windows for the Domain Ancestor realm, which can vary. If the Primordial Rune of Origin to be refined has the highest tier of ultimate Divine Ability, it requires at least one Domain Ancestor as a sacrifice.”
“The refining process is straightforward: once the Arcane Rune Tower is activated, it extracts the Arcane Imprints of the warriors cultivating the Ice Arcana within those windows. Then, those beings’ essence, energy, and spirit fuse with the Arcana, forming a Primordial Rune symbol representing the Ice Arcana. After the symbol forms, it detaches from the window and flows ceaselessly upon the Arcane Rune Tower. If these individual Primordial Rune symbols eventually fuse, they become a Primordial Rune of Origin, housing a Divine Ability derived from that Arcana.”
“If what you say is true, refining one Primordial Rune of Origin might require tens of thousands of beings cultivating the same Arcana as sacrifices, and among them are Prime Gods, Immortals, and even Domain Ancestors?” Even the Divine Master’s expression turned grim.
“That is indeed the case,” Mei Ji added, a chill running down her spine. “To refine a Primordial Rune of Origin possessing an ultimate Divine Ability, a Domain Ancestor must serve as a sacrifice for it to possibly succeed!”
“Ultimate Divine Ability?” Ming Hao was inwardly alarmed.
“The Primordial Beings of the Primordial Era could condense countless beings within their own Domains, creating various life forms there. Those beings could then become sacrifices for refining their Primordial Runes of Origin. It’s much like how we raise precious demonic beasts and spiritual creatures, cultivating them, strengthening them, and when they reach a certain level of strength or age, we either slaughter or harvest them to forge divine weapons or concoct elixirs,” Mei Ji explained.
Brian and Ming Hao exchanged a glance, their expressions growing increasingly bizarre, followed by a silent sigh.
They lived in the Desolate Domain, where the Desolate was the master of all things. If Mei Ji’s description was accurate, they were merely creatures being raised by the Desolate, destined to be used for alchemy once they became sufficiently powerful.
They were like medicinal herbs of various qualities: the low-quality ones forming the base below the Arcane Rune Tower, and those at their level being sacrifices near the top. Although the gap in realm was vast, the essence was the same—they were all meant for sacrifice and refinement.
“I heard from my elders that the myriad beings born in a Domain over tens of thousands of years, after layers of selection from the foundation up to Prime Gods and Immortals, might only be enough to forge one Primordial Rune of Origin. If there is a Domain Ancestor level existence, they could forge a higher-quality Primordial Rune of Origin. Primordial Runes of Origin are countless times more precious than those Immortal Pills. If it’s a Primordial Rune of Origin containing the mystery of an ultimate Divine Ability, then it’s simply…”
Mei Ji shook her head, her eyes flashing with a captivating, strange light as she looked at the Stone Rock Soul Altar floating above the Arcane Rune Tower, her face filled with longing.
“What is he doing?” Brian asked with a solemn face.
“He is fusing with a Primordial Rune of Origin, and the Arcana he cultivates perfectly matches that Rune,” Mei Ji sighed softly.
“The Arcana of Life!” Ming Hao’s expression shifted. “The Primordial Rune of Origin refined within that Arcane Rune Tower pertains to the Arcana of Life! Those Primordial Rune symbols all represent life!”
The Divine Master Brian also felt a sudden pull, but after a moment of thought, he clutched his chest, so frustrated he nearly spat blood.
Neither he nor Ming Hao cultivated the Arcana of Life. Even if they wanted to snatch it now, they couldn't claim the Primordial Rune of Origin. Furthermore, they needed the Arcane Rune Tower to leave this place. Despite their agonizing frustration, they could only watch as Shi Yan collected the Rune. They were even obligated to protect him should he encounter danger.
They knew what an ultimate Divine Ability was: Shi Yan’s Sea of Blood Souls and Bridge of Life-Death Reincarnation were Divine Abilities—secret techniques formed by following an Arcana’s supreme cosmic principle, aligning with the natural laws of heaven and earth—a heaven-bestowed power.
An ultimate Arcana Divine Ability was the origin of an Arcana, its final form, the most profound and esoteric level of a Divine Ability, capable of representing the rules themselves!
The ultimate Arcana was the rule manifestation of an Arcana, possessing unparalleled mystery that even Domain Ancestors might not comprehend—the supreme cosmic law!
To watch a supreme treasure being absorbed by another, yet being unable to seize it—instead having to guard it carefully—could anything be more painful?
Divine Master Brian and Ming Hao looked as if their entire families had died. Their faces contorted violently, the feeling of suppressing a volcanic eruption nearly causing them internal injuries.
“The Arcane Rune Tower! It’s the Arcane Rune Tower! I’ve finally found it!” Just then, Tatt’s maniacal laughter echoed from a distance. He was shouting, his demeanor utterly deranged, “There really is an Arcane Rune Tower, heavens, an Arcane Rune Tower that is completely intact!”
Batoum and the ancient crone of the Devouring Race trembled all over with excitement, gazing at the Arcane Rune Tower from afar as if beholding a mountain range piled high with billions of golden treasures.
“Someone is collecting the Primordial Rune of Origin!” Batoum’s face writhed like an ugly, hideous snake. As if stabbed through the chest, he couldn't help but shriek and charge toward the Arcane Rune Tower without regard for anything else, roaring, “Insolent junior, how dare you touch the Primordial Rune of Origin? You deserve ten thousand deaths!”
“Batoum!” A pallor spread across Mei Ji’s charming face; her voice was sharp with anguish.
Batoum glanced down, spotted Mei Ji, paused for a moment, then laughed wildly, “After I kill that brat and claim the Arcane Rune Tower, I’ll come back for some intimacy with you!”
“Two seniors, we must state our terms beforehand: you may take the Primordial Rune of Origin, but the Arcane Rune Tower must belong to our Soul Race. I will report this to my Master immediately; he will arrive soon!” Tatt shouted loudly.
“Tatt, do you know the biggest mistake you’ve made?” The ancient crone of the Devouring Race suddenly began to laugh strangely.
Tatt paused, bewildered. “What?”
“This matter, you shouldn’t have proceeded without informing your Master. You shouldn't have been too greedy, trying to skim a share for yourself. What you shouldn’t have done most of all is still not reporting this to your Master!”
The Devouring Race crone suddenly grinned hideously. With a gesture toward the Soul Altar, a foul-smelling swamp instantly surged forth, engulfing Tatt and the few Soul Race members. Within seconds, Tatt was corroded away into the sewage water of the swamp.
The crone retracted the corrosive swamp, glanced at Batoum, and said, “To refine a Primordial Rune of Origin, the Arcane Rune Tower requires the sacrifice of beings from at least one entire Domain. Batoum, you cultivate alone; even if you obtain the Tower, you lack the immense power needed for refinement. Only our Seven Great Races possess that capability. Shall we strike a bargain?”
Batoum, who had been preparing to strike a killing blow, paused as he saw that the Primordial Rune of Origin was not yet fully fused layer by layer. “What bargain?”
“This unknown Primordial Rune of Origin goes to you. You can exchange it with a Domain Ancestor cultivating that specific Arcana for anything you desire! The Arcane Rune Tower belongs to our Devouring Race. I swear that our Devouring Race will find its own sacrifices and, moreover, help you refine an Arcana-specific Primordial Rune of Origin first!” the old crone declared sharply.
Batoum hesitated.
Just then, Mei Ji suddenly cried out beautifully, “Batoum, if you help our Phantom Race secure the Arcane Rune Tower, I will agree to marry you right now, willingly devote myself to you completely! I can also promise you that even if we exhaust the entire might of our Phantom Race, we will first help you forge a Primordial Rune of Origin!”
Batoum became even more hesitant.
“Batoum! A mere woman! Once you break through to the Domain Ancestor realm, what can’t you obtain once you have the Primordial Rune of Origin?” the Devouring Race crone sneered coldly. “Even now, I can capture this woman and hand her over to you for whatever you wish to do to her!”
Mei Ji’s delicate body trembled.
……(To be continued)RQ