Clusters of ink-black clouds hung suspended in the nothingness, and upon that dark cloud-sea rested mountains, lakes, palaces, and towering pavilions, swarming with countless Soul Clan members; spectral figures flashed past in the heavens.
This was the heartland of the Soul Clan.
Across the boundless expanse of clouds, a stretch of pitch-dark mountain range snaked into the distance. Inside a cavern of utter blackness, wraiths lay prone, and from within emanated suppressed roars.
Many Soul Clan members congregated near the cave entrance, their faces grim, whispering amongst themselves.
“Lord Napton’s trip… truly bad luck. A cultivation at the Domain Ancestor realm, yet he fled back heavily wounded.”
“I heard that beneath the Sea of Annihilation, the Primal Being, ‘The Desolate,’ suddenly appeared and instantly flipped the situation, slaughtering many Immortal powerhouses from the Sea of Annihilation.”
“Wasn't ‘The Desolate’ rumored to be fractured and heavily injured?”
“What a coincidence. All three of ‘The Desolate’s’ avatars were present beneath the sea. Once the three avatars merged, the surging power was earth-shattering, forcing Lord Napton to flee wounded.”
“Heavens, how terrifying must ‘The Desolate’ be? Just the merged body of three avatars could severely injure Lord Napton?”
Most of these Soul Clan members, residing mostly in the Initial God and Immortal realms, stood guard around the cave mouth, tasked with watching over Napton and awaiting his orders.
A slender silhouette gradually materialized from the distant sea of clouds. It was a handsome man, possessing an effeminate aura, appearing to be only in his early thirties, clad in a simple, unadorned grey-brown long robe.
The Earth Ghost Ancestor followed behind, stooped like a dog, showing utmost deference.
The Soul Clan members who had been speaking, upon seeing the newcomer emerge, displayed fervent worship in their eyes, sincerely kneeling down and shouting in unison, “Welcome, Elder Youyu!”
The handsome, subtly feminine man showed a detached expression, nodding slightly, and proceeded directly into the cave.
The Earth Ghost Ancestor followed inside.
Within the cavern, millions of fierce souls hung like bats from the stone walls. A murky soul-pool radiated bone-chilling coldness. Napton, submerged in the pool, his face contorted in agony, occasionally emitted blinding flares of brilliant light from his divine body. Each flash was accompanied by a sharp scream from Napton.
The soul-pool was connected by an ancient secret array, drawing energy from the countless specters of the surrounding mountains. It was a facility the Soul Clan used specifically for elders and commanders to cultivate and heal their injuries.
The handsome man walked into the cave, glanced at Napton, and sighed softly, “You truly are unlucky.”
Napton started slightly. Seeing Youyu had come in person, he bowed slightly within the soul-pool as a sign of respect before speaking, “I truly did not anticipate that all three of The Desolate’s avatars would be together. Because of the threat posed by my soul river, The Desolate’s consciousness, hidden deep within the youth’s secondary soul, sensed danger and used an arcane technique to temporarily coalesce the three avatars, leading to me being heavily struck…”
The Earth Ghost Ancestor had already reported the events beneath the sea to Youyu, so Youyu was naturally aware. “How long until you can recover?”
“I don’t know.” Napton’s expression was bleak. “That Light Orb is constantly eroding my flesh within my divine body. If I hadn't returned promptly, preserving this divine body would have been difficult. Without the aid of rare celestial treasures, it will take me at least three hundred years to fully recover, and the Soul Refining Cauldron… is also lost, significantly reducing my strength.”
“I came here specifically to give you a Domain Soul nurtured by the clan for many years. This soul was cultivated by our clan over a long period, hoping that after you devour it, you can recover swiftly and enhance your power.” Youyu stated.
Napton’s expression shifted, “Why?”
Domain Souls were cultivated by the Soul Clan hunting peak Immortal powerhouses and using secret arts to nurture them until their souls reached the intensity of a Domain Ancestor. They were originally intended for juniors breaking through to the Domain Ancestor realm; when absorbed by a peak Immortal junior, a Domain Soul offered a high probability of grasping Dark Energy and transforming into a Domain Ancestor.
Domain Souls were exceptionally precious, few in number even within the Soul Clan’s Soul Control hierarchy. Typically, unless a Domain Ancestor was near death, they would not be gifted a Domain Soul for recovery.
Napton was puzzled, as his current condition wasn’t that desperate. A three-hundred-year recovery period, while long, was merely a fleeting moment for those at their level.
Cultivating a Domain Soul required thousands of years, perhaps longer. Besides time, it demanded a continuous supply of souls to aid its growth. The preciousness of a Domain Soul far outweighed Napton’s three hundred years of recovery time.
“The clan needs your strength. In normal circumstances, the clan would never grant you a Domain Soul, but now… the situation in the Void Sea is dire. A war might erupt within three hundred years, so we must ensure the clan’s power remains at its peak.” Youyu’s expression was grave. “After you absorb this Domain Soul, not only must you recover completely, but I hope you can gain further improvement, so our clan can gain the upper hand in the coming conflicts.”
Napton was silent for a moment in the soul-pool, then bowed deeply and said in a low voice, “I will certainly not disappoint expectations.”
Youyu nodded.
...
The territory of the Profound Heaven Clan.
Upon the vast landmass pieced together from numerous continents, ancient castles stood, all majestically grand.
Surrounding the land was a mysterious region of the Void Sea, where drifting energy was drawn inward. Numerous fragments of rock, like scattered stars, filled the vicinity, hindering the navigation of starships in this area.
Deep within the continent lay a sealed location, accessible only to those of true standing within the Profound Heaven Clan.
That sealed area was a desolate valley, within which dozens of brilliantly shining Domain Gates shimmered, each leading to a different Domain Realm.
Those Domain Realms were the territories of the Profound Heaven Clan, governed by its sovereign.
At this moment, Tu Shiqi, Yayun, the Lizard Ancestor, and dozens of elders of the Profound Heaven Clan were gathered in the valley, solemnly staring at one particular Domain Gate.
That gate led to Hantian’s place of rigorous seclusion.
The crowd remained silent, waiting patiently for Hantian’s return.
After an indeterminate time, the Domain Gate pulsed with a bright yellow light, and a burly, tall elder, sporting hair like a bird's nest, stepped out. His face was flushed, he wore coarse linen clothes, and stood barefoot at the threshold of the gate, observing the assembly.
“The clansmen at the bottom of the Sea of Annihilation—was that you two?” he looked at Tu Shiqi and Yayun.
The couple quickly nodded.
Hantian sighed, “That girl Lingmei has decent talent, but she plots too much. I knew she would face a tribulation, but I didn't expect it to arrive so soon.”
Everyone kept their heads bowed, daring not to speak.
“Are you certain that Shi Yan is the disciple of Bloodthirsty? And that gigantic shadow that appeared last—was that the coalescence of The Desolate’s three avatars?” He looked towards Tu Shiqi.
Tu Shiqi nodded. “Shi Yan cultivates the Profound Meanings of Death and Devourment. The Death Profound Meaning is passable, but the Devourment Profound Meaning… as you mentioned, only Bloodthirsty mastered it alone, so he must be the successor. Later, the gigantic phantom formed from Shi Yan and the two Void Domain warriors must indeed be The Desolate. Long Lizard sensed the unique aura of a Primal Being…”
Hantian fell silent for a few seconds. “Bloodthirsty is far more terrifying than you imagine. If he were still alive, he alone could turn the Void Sea upside down. As for The Desolate… it must still be in a fractured state, evident from its presence within three bodies. It seems the situation in the Desolate Domain is complex.”
“Ancestor, what should we do?” Tu Shiqi respectfully requested guidance.
“Find the Gate to the Desolate Domain. Find it first, and do nothing else,” Hantian stated, then shook his head and sighed lightly. “Remain vigilant. I have a premonition that the War of the Seven Clans of the Void Sea might erupt. That figure from the Shadow Ghost Clan is furious because Mei Ji was severely injured, turning the Sea of Annihilation into chaos. Xiluo also personally visited the Sea of Annihilation and retrieved two senior clan members. Fortunately, those two haven't awakened, or the trouble would have been greater…”
“Understood.”
“Understood.”
“Understood.”
...
The Sea of Annihilation.
Giant skeletal islands drifted slowly across the ocean surface. On one such island, the Little Skeleton sat in silence.
Two coffins lay beside him; his parents were within. He guarded them, unmoving.
Xiluo of the Bone Clan spoke with a touch of helplessness, “Let’s return to the clan first. We will slowly find a way; we can surely find another powerhouse practicing the Profound Meaning of Life.”
“Shi Yan obtained the Life Origin Talisman. He is the best candidate, isn't he?” the Little Skeleton asked.
“Yes, he is indeed the best candidate— if we can find him,” Xiluo’s eyes dimmed. “I was a step too late. Everything was over by the time I arrived. I searched the depths of the Sea of Annihilation for a long time but found no Domain Gate leading to the Desolate Domain. However, I have already given the order for the clan to search the Sea of Annihilation for all Domain Gates. Once there is news, I will handle the matter personally.”
“Everyone is looking for the Gate to the Desolate Domain, right?” the Little Skeleton asked again.
“Yes. The clansmen of the Seven Clans are all searching for the Gate to the Desolate Domain now. Once located, many powerhouses will travel there,” Xiluo confirmed.
The Little Skeleton remained silent.
...
A particularly beautiful area of shattered stars within the Void Sea.
Fragments of stars, like stacked crystals, formed a massive, gleaming landmass. Upon this bright surface, flowers bloomed in profusion, ancient trees cast shade, rivers pulsed with astonishing spiritual energy, and rare birds soared over the mountains.
Many delicate, ancient towers dotted the landscape, where handsome men and beautiful women walked, rode giant birds, or traveled in flying chariots.
On a small island within this landmass.
Mei Ji slumbered inside a colossal yellow crystal. Beams of multicolored light flowed within the crystal, suffused with surging energy that poured into Mei Ji’s body.
After an unknown period, Mei Ji opened her eyes, her consciousness hazy as she surveyed her surroundings. Her vision gradually cleared; she knew she was home.
Then, with a movement of her divine sense, she realized the power lost within her had returned. Dark energy flowed gently through her Sea of Consciousness, and even her icy, snow-covered Initial Realm was quietly undergoing metamorphosis, expanding towards the boundlessness of a Domain Realm.
She knew she was only a step away from the Domain Ancestor realm; she only needed to quietly complete the transformation of her Initial Realm to break through.
She recalled the image of the little girl before she fell asleep and murmured thankfully, “Thank you, Grandma.”
...(To be continued)RQ