Several figures traversed the icy, desolate streaks of flowing light, each countenance haggard, their eyes dull and gray.

These were none other than Xuan He, Philetus, Adela, Di Carlo, Reddy, and the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon—immortal realm powerhouses from the Barren Domain, the apex existences.

Years ago, they had attempted to exit via the spatial gate left by Shi Yan, only to have Hu intercede and disrupt them. They failed to penetrate the Void Sea and were instead flung to this profoundly deep and remote corner of the Spatial Turbulence, where Di Carlo, who was cultivating spatial profundities, had been on the verge of shattering space to return to the Barren Domain.

Alas, the Barren Domain and the Spatial Turbulence seemed sealed off from each other; even Di Carlo, having reached the Immortal Realm, could not re-enter the Barren Domain.

The group was forced to wander the Spatial Turbulence, desperately searching for a way out. In the blink of an eye, decades had passed, and they were still adrift.

Currently, the party looked grim, still battling the onslaught of the extra-domain currents. The Spatial Turbulence contained no energy for them to absorb; they had been continuously expending their own reserves. After several decades, even their divine power was halved.

"Di Carlo, what exactly is the relationship between the Spatial Turbulence and the Barren Domain?" Xuan He stood beside Adela, his gaze filled with irritation.

Initially, he had remained calm; the misunderstanding between him and Adela had been resolved, and being trapped here was, at first, tolerable.

Then, as their divine power dwindled, he gradually recognized the gravity of the situation and began searching for a means of survival.

The Primordial Thunder Dragon Reddy and the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon remained fundamentally opposed. They kept a significant distance from each other, occasionally trading barbs, occasionally glaring furiously.

However, now they too had settled into a strained calm; arguments and lengthy conversations had become rare for everyone.

"Yes, what is the relationship between the Barren Domain and the Spatial Turbulence? Since you cultivate spatial power, you should know," Adela pressed.

Di Carlo pondered for a moment, then used his divine power to condense a sphere. The sphere slowly expanded until it was the size of a house. Di Carlo’s manifested power began to carve and section the interior of the sphere, turning it into patches of hazy regions. Within each region, points of light gradually appeared…

"The Barren Domain is like this sphere. The dim, hazy spaces within are the various Star Fields—the Marya Star Field, the Ancient God Star Field, the Sirius Star Field—all are parts of the sphere. Those points of light are the suns, moons, and stars of each Star Field."

Di Carlo explained. Immediately, he shifted his divine power, and numerous intersecting lines of light formed within the sphere, resembling a three-dimensional net covering every corner of the ball. Countless intersection points existed between these lines.

"The intersection points of those lines are spatial nodes, allowing for leaps between them. Those of us who cultivate spatial profundities can traverse these nodes to teleport from one Star Field to another. Within a single Star Field, there are also countless spatial nodes. A master of spatial profundities can use one of these nodes to instantly shift to any spatial node within the Barren Domain—what we call crossing a Star Field is actually traversing these spatial nodes…"

Seeing that the others wore thoughtful expressions, he once again altered the profundities.

The outer layer of the sphere became covered in misty regions, like the atmospheric cloud layer on a planet's surface.

"These cloud-like spaces are the Void Turbulence, situated on the outer periphery of the Barren Domain, independent of it. Between the Spatial Turbulence and the Barren Domain lies the Domain Barrier, condensed from the Huang (Primal Chaos/Barren Essence). Forcibly breaking through it is incredibly difficult; unless one reaches the level of Huang, tearing it is nearly impossible. Previously, I could use the spatial nodes within the Barren Domain to directly (flee/escape) into the Spatial Turbulence. Generally, the explosion and fragmentation of a spatial node would create a fissure, leading straight into the Spatial Turbulence. Within the Turbulence, I could also use spatial profundities to return to those spatial nodes and enter the worlds inside the Barren Domain…"

Pausing, Di Carlo’s expression turned helpless. "But now, I cannot establish contact with the spatial nodes inside the Barren Domain. This isn't because the nodes are shattered, but because the Domain Barrier of the Barren Domain directly blocks the penetration of my consciousness. To put it plainly... the entire Barren Domain is temporarily sealed; we cannot enter, nor can we leave!"

"The Barren Domain is the sphere, and the Spatial Turbulence is outside it. Then, where did we enter the Void Sea from back then?" Xuan He asked.

"I am searching. I feel we are close to the Domain Gate—the connection point between the Barren Domain and the Void Sea. If we can find it, we can enter the Void Sea from here. The Void Sea holds many marvels; perhaps we can find a way there," Di Carlo replied.

The group fell silent, following behind Di Carlo as they continued to drift.

After an indeterminate amount of time, they arrived at a place enveloped in thick fog, where both spiritual sense and vision were obstructed—a region Di Carlo had never ventured into before. "The Spatial Turbulence is vast, not much smaller than the Barren Domain. After I reached the Immortal Realm, I often roamed here, yet I have still not fully mapped it. There are many unknown territories, and it is easy to become lost…"

Di Carlo explained, leading the group toward this area of dense fog. "The spatial fluctuations here are intense; perhaps we will make a discovery. Let’s proceed inward and see."

They weaved through the fog-shrouded area. Several months later, having passed through it, they suddenly beheld a boundless ocean.

That ocean floated within the Spatial Turbulence, seemingly alive and endless.

However, upon seeing the ocean, Xuan He and the others became visibly excited, unable to contain their delighted cries, "It’s that river! When we went to the Barren Domain that year, we had to cross this river!"

Hearing this, everyone grew agitated. They plunged into the ocean, circulating their divine power and profundities as they streaked across its surface.

There were no islands or even stones in the ocean. The water was surprisingly shallow, the bottom visible at a glance—a vast, ethereal expanse like mist, profoundly mysterious and difficult to fathom.

The group flew across the ocean, searching for the entrance to the Void Sea, their hearts filled with anticipation.

One day, as they continued their flight, their expressions suddenly shifted drastically. They all looked up toward the distance.

Far away, curtains of light flickered, and then fleeting silhouettes of figures appeared.

Xuan He was horrified and sped toward that location at his fastest pace. The others did not hesitate, surging in the same direction, astonishment etched on their faces.

Soon, Xuan He was the first to reach the area. After just one look, he stood dumbfounded.

Floating on the sea surface were three unconscious figures: Shi Yan, Audrey, and the God Lord Brian. Their breathing was long and steady, held in a strange, inexplicable state, their eyes closed, unawakened.

Ming Hao was also there; he remained a wisp of spectral soul, though his spirit was vacant, as if suffering from a severe soul injury, muttering incoherently in a daze.

Soon, Audrey, Philetus, Di Carlo, Reddy, and the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon gathered there one after another.

"Ming Hao!"

"Shi Yan!"

"God Lord!"

"Audrey!"

Everyone screamed, their expressions laced with extreme shock. They had all fled with Shi Yan back then, only to lose contact. Now, seeing Shi Yan and the others suddenly, they instinctively assumed Shi Yan had also been dragged into the Spatial Turbulence by Hu, where he had been draining his power until exhaustion.

The dazed Ming Hao, hearing the group’s cries, instantly snapped awake. He looked up and was utterly stunned. "How are you here?" Ming Hao cried out.

"We've been here the whole time!" Xuan He replied. "And you? What happened to you? Were you trapped here too, exhausting your strength?"

"Us?" Ming Hao stammered, then managed a wry smile and shook his head. "Our situation was far more interesting. Ah, it’s a long story. We only just returned from the Void Sea."

"The Void Sea?!" Xuan He, Adela, and the others shrieked.

"Brother! What on earth happened? Why is Audrey unconscious?" Adela asked anxiously.

Ming Hao looked at Shi Yan, Audrey, and the God Lord, his expression exceedingly complex. "It truly is a long story."

"We have been trapped here for decades; we have plenty of time. You can explain slowly!" Di Carlo commanded.

Ming Hao pondered for a moment, then nodded with a bitter smile. He meticulously recounted how he and the God Lord were first trapped at the bottom of the Sea of Annihilation, unable to break free until Shi Yan arrived. Then followed the covetousness and conflict among the countless martial artists of the Sea of Annihilation after obtaining the Talisman Pagoda and the Primordial Rune, the confrontation with the Domain Ancestor powerhouses on the seabed, and finally, how Shi Yan, Audrey, and Brian’s separated souls converged, using the deterrent power of the terrifying colossal shadow to decisively stabilize the situation.

Xuan He and the others listened, slack-jawed.

"If you hadn't told us this yourself, I would never have believed it. I never expected the Void Sea to be so much richer and more wondrous than we imagined," Xuan He sighed. "I have been to the Void Sea, but I never saw a single martial artist like you mentioned. Perhaps we were all wrong, taking the shortcut; instead of appearing directly on the seabed of the Sea of Annihilation, we drifted further and further astray…"

Xuan He looked regretful.

Di Carlo and the others were equally moved, stunned by Ming Hao's narrative and reflecting on their own perilous experiences. After a long silence, the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon finally spoke: "So, it was Huang who rescued you from danger and sent you here? In that case… where is he now?"

Everyone looked filled with suspicion.

Ming Hao looked towards the trio of Shi Yan, Audrey, and Brian, his tone turning bitter. "His form split into three and vanished back into their bodies. They are still unconscious now. Perhaps only when they awaken will we know what truly transpired."

"You say you were trapped for decades? Do you know the current state of the Barren Domain?" Ming Hao abruptly changed the subject.

Now it was Xuan He and the others who smiled bitterly. "No, we know nothing. Until we met you, we were just drifting here, trying to find the entrance and exit to the Barren Domain. We haven't seen anyone and couldn't return. These decades have been wasted time."

"Who knows what has happened in the Barren Domain by now. Perhaps that Hu has completely destroyed or swallowed it," Adela sighed.

"Then we must find a way back!" Ming Hao urged.

"Shi Yan!" Di Carlo’s expression sharpened, and he commanded, "He is the key! He cultivates spatial profundities, and he has merged with the God’s Grace Continent. What I cannot do, he can forcefully pierce the passage using his connection to the Origin and his spatial profundities!"

"We wait for him to wake up!" everyone declared in unison.

…(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit the novel website... to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)RQ