The Illusion Realm Stone violently shattered, tearing space into twisted fragments, space-blades shooting out like countless sharp daggers.

The five men, whose cultivation realms were merely Immortal, were sliced into hundreds of pieces the instant space imploded, their Soul Altars exploding like glass.

Only the woman named Xiang Rong, due to her attainment in the second layer of the Immortal realm, managed to condense all her power onto her Soul Altar. Thus, even after her physical body was pulverized, the Altar did not immediately shatter, leaving only a solitary Soul Altar floating in the void.

The main soul of Xiang Rong, suspended above the Soul Altar, was filled with sheer terror and a piercing scream. Watching Shi Yan calmly carry out the slaughter and unleash a black hole to engulf the remnant souls of Gu Lao and the others, her spirit trembled with fear.

"Oh?" Shi Yan let out a soft exclamation, looking with surprise at Xiang Rong's Soul Altar. "To maintain the Altar's integrity after the Illusion Realm Stone exploded—a realm higher than theirs truly makes a difference."

Xiang Rong’s face was a mask of dread; she stared at Shi Yan, unsure of what to say.

"How did you know who we were?" Mei Ji interjected.

"If I tell you honestly, will you grant me a way to live?" Xiang Rong’s soul flickered rapidly. "If you promise to let me live, I can tell you everything I know."

"Live?" Mei Ji laughed mockingly. "Ask him."

Xiang Rong’s pleading gaze turned toward Shi Yan. "Let me live, and I will tell you everything I know."

"It's not that complicated." Shi Yan frowned, his tone turning cold. "Swallowing your Soul Altar allows me to slowly strip away your memories, though it requires a bit more effort. Ever since you descended to the sea, you should have anticipated this outcome. You have no one to blame for my ruthlessness."

Saying this, he gave Xiang Rong no further opportunity to explain. The Devouring Profundity stirred, and an intense suction pulled Xiang Rong's Soul Altar in.

This location was some distance from the surrounding cordon. No squads of martial artists were nearby. Patches of deep-sea seaweed drifted about, scattered like clumps of cotton, providing excellent cover for concealing their presence.

Shi Yan and Mei Ji were enveloped within a ring of this seaweed, which possessed a strange quality: it faintly muffled the exploration of consciousness.

Having swallowed Xiang Rong's Soul Altar, he immediately sat down, drawing the Devouring Black Hole into his Profundity Layer, using his soul consciousness to navigate and search for segments of memory within...

Only by completely consuming a Soul Altar could he strip memories this way. Remnant souls, like those of Gu Lao after their altars were destroyed, were extremely difficult to extract memories from.

Remnant souls represented incomplete, fragmented memory imprints; restoring and deciphering their true meaning was immensely arduous.

That was why he hadn't wasted energy on the remnant souls of Gu Lao and the others.

Strands of memory, like electrical currents, shot out from the Devouring Black Hole, flashing across Shi Yan’s mind like crystal-clear images.

"It was a fragment of an Origin Profundity Pagoda, obtained somehow by the Medicine and Artifact Alliance. It was profoundly mysterious. That fragment could sense a complete Origin Profundity Pagoda. After I moved the Pagoda out of the Origin Realm, the fragment actively flew out and merged with the Pagoda..."

Shi Yan narrowed his eyes, reviewing the memories in his mind while explaining to Mei Ji.

"How strange. After that fragment merged with the Origin Profundity Pagoda, several vague, primordial runes seemed to be injected into my mind." He opened his eyes, his expression peculiar, pointing to his head. "This Origin Profundity Pagoda of mine, perhaps because I obtained it, has faintly established a connection with the Devouring Profundity, allowing it to collect fragments of other Origin Profundity Pagodas, causing inexplicable changes."

"It can do that?" Mei Ji looked astonished.

"I'm only guessing." Shi Yan smiled faintly, then narrowed his eyes again, searching for memories concerning the Medicine and Artifact Alliance in Xiang Rong's mind.

The Medicine and Artifact Alliance was a human faction with a long history. Every elder in the Alliance was skilled in artifact refining and alchemy, possessing unique, castle-like warships that traversed the great domains, searching for rare materials for refining and concocting. These elders refined and brewed within the Alliance to exchange for cultivation techniques and pharmacopoeia, striving to glimpse the ultimate secrets of artifact forging...

A peculiar memory caught Shi Yan's attention, one concerning an individual...

Through countless years of accumulated artifact refining knowledge, the Medicine and Artifact Alliance once harbored an exceptionally brilliant genius who had reportedly grasped the mysteries of tempering a Primordial Divine Artifact.

That person consumed numerous rare materials within the Alliance and forged a semi-completed Primordial Divine Artifact, stunning everyone in the Medicine and Artifact Alliance. His exceptional forging skills delighted the Seven Clans, who sent experts to the Alliance to invite him. Then, he was forcibly taken away by the Soul Clan.

In transit, members of the Profound Heaven Clan also arrived and engaged in a fierce battle with the Soul Clan to contend for him. The individual, however, used the chaos to escape.

He vanished into the Void Sea Region thereafter. It was rumored that this person held the Medicine and Artifact Alliance’s Artifact Forging Treasure Codex, written in the Alliance's unique forging symbols. The Alliance had entrusted that Codex to him, hoping he would record his insights on forging Primordial Divine Artifacts...

Stripping that segment of memory from Xiang Rong’s mind, observing it closely and contemplating deeply, Shi Yan’s spirit stirred, and a strange light flickered in his eyes.

Could it be that this fellow was the Evangelist of the Medicine and Artifact Pavilion in the Maja Star Domain? The very first Pavilion Master who established the Pavilion?

And was that Sacred Codex actually the so-called Artifact Forging Treasure Codex of the Medicine and Artifact Alliance, also the primary leverage used to determine the Pavilion Master position in the Maja Star Domain?

It contained the secrets to tempering Primordial Divine Artifacts...

Shi Yan was astonished, feeling a sense of unreality. Since arriving in the Void Sea Region, he understood how precious and vital Primordial Divine Artifacts were. If someone could forge a true Primordial Divine Artifact in this era, it would certainly incite contention among all races and powers.

That Sacred Codex was currently in Fu Wei's hands; Fu Wei was now the Pavilion Master of the Medicine and Artifact Pavilion, possessing exceptionally outstanding forging skills...

"Is this predestined?" Shi Yan found it almost laughable. "The Medicine and Artifact Pavilion, the Medicine and Artifact Alliance, the Artifact Forging Treasure Codex—am I somehow woven into this thread? Otherwise, how could I have stumbled upon this coincidence?"

"What did you say?" Mei Ji inquired.

"In the history of the Medicine and Artifact Alliance, there was once a fellow who forged a semi-completed Primordial Divine Artifact. Does your Shadow Clan have any record of this?" Shi Yan asked casually.

"There was one person, a true genius who dedicated his entire life to artifact forging. This happened many years ago. I heard he forged a semi-completed Primordial Divine Artifact, which alarmed the Seven Clans. The Soul Clan and the Profound Heaven Clan fought fiercely over him, resulting in the deaths of many powerful beings. The constant conflict between the Soul Clan and the Profound Heaven Clan has persisted over the years, with that battle being the catalyst. Unfortunately, that person disappeared long ago. After so many years, he should be long dead. No one knows if his original manuscript still exists. Why do you ask?" Mei Ji sounded surprised.

Shi Yan smiled, offering no explanation, but secretly resolved that upon returning to the Desolate Domain, he must have a thorough discussion with Fu Wei about this matter.

...

Deep under the sea, three figures glided forward.

Suddenly, one person halted abruptly. Her brow furrowed, and her eyes widened with delight. "There's a fluctuation from an Illusion Realm Stone!"

The Dragon Lizard Ancestor's avatar looked bewildered. "What does that have to do with Illusion Realm Stones?"

Tu Shiqi, however, understood the details and also looked pleasantly surprised. "Are you certain it's one of the Illusion Realm Stones you gifted?"

"Absolutely!" Ya Yun stated firmly. "I've possessed those Illusion Realm Stones for many years; I can sense their aura to some degree. I am positive it is one of the stones I provided, and the fluctuation is caused by its explosion—ah, it's in that direction!" She pointed to a spot.

"Shi Yan should be over there!" Tu Shiqi's expression turned serious. He took a deep breath. "Let's go. After searching for so long, it seems we are finally close to a result."

"If the rumors outside are true, we might not be able to take them down easily. You all need to be mentally prepared," the Dragon Lizard mused. "Even Gan Fu of the Devouring Clan is dead, which shows there must be a formidable expert among them. My main body cannot come here; if that expert is nearby, we might not win."

"Should we release the news? Lure more people over?" Tu Shiqi hesitated.

"If we do that, they will surely die. Remember you promised me you would give them a chance to choose," the Dragon Lizard said, his expression darkening.

"Then let's go straight there," Tu Shiqi sighed.

The three moved forward at their fastest pace.

...

"Ahem, that... would you like me to help you resolve the backlash from utilizing the Devouring Profundity?"

Deep within the seaweed, Mei Ji's charming face was flushed with bashfulness, speaking somewhat tentatively, her beautiful eyes wide and brimming with desire.

Shi Yan, who was using the Devouring Profundity to purify the residual vital energy from the deaths of Xiang Rong and the others, paused, replying casually, "It's just these six people, and none of them have insights into Dark Energy. It won't drive me to a state of complete mental collapse due to negative feedback."

"Oh, I see. Then... never mind then," Mei Ji felt extremely awkward, her face blushing so deeply it looked like it might bleed. She inwardly cursed Shi Yan for being dense and felt a burning itch of frustration.

Shi Yan noticed her captivating allure and suddenly realized. "However, if you were to help, I wouldn't have to split my focus dissolving those negative emotions. Releasing it would be much more satisfying. Come here, sit in my lap." He grinned broadly and commanded with easygoing authority.

Hearing this, Mei Ji felt both shy and delighted. She forced down the urge surging within her and adopted a serious tone. "Forget it. You can dissolve it yourself; I won't bother."

"I told you to come!" Shi Yan chuckled inwardly, his expression stern. "You should know, I prefer obedient women."

Mei Ji pursed her lips, replying softly, "Very well, then." Saying this, she felt a burst of happiness and began to lean closer.

Just then, Shi Yan’s expression suddenly turned grim. He abruptly stood up, and as Mei Ji watched in startled confusion, he called out sternly, "An old friend has arrived."

"It's been several years, kid. Your intuition has grown sharper. I truly never thought that little fellow who was once at the Initial God realm would become such a major figure that the Five Clans are driven mad over." The Dragon Lizard laughed heartily, gliding past a patch of seaweed, suddenly materializing.

...(To be continued)RQ