“Ye Xiu, what’s wrong with you…” Old Liu looked increasingly unsettled. He frantically called out to Ye Xiu, but the man now seemed like a completely different person.
“Ah… ah…” Zhu Yunwen lifted his head, his movements mechanical, as if seized by a spasm. The skin on his body began to shimmer and blur under a green aura. His cheeks slowly peeled away, and his entire humanoid outline gradually collapsed. “Why did you find me? Why? Why?”
“Heh…” Only after Zhu Yunwen had completely vanished from the scene did Ye Xiu slump over, letting out a long sigh of relief. He tilted his head back to look at Old Liu suspended in the air, a wave of malevolence flashing through his eyes. “In the ancient era, when the King of Death entered the Boundless Realm, it wasn't for the purpose of unifying this plane, because this realm harbors an even mightier energy: the Heavenly Emperor's Cycle!”
“What… what did you say…” Old Liu felt a chill run through him seeing Ye Xiu’s expression. The inexplicable force binding his body suddenly vanished, and he crashed to the ground. “What nonsense are you spouting, kid? What is the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle?”
After uttering that sentence, Ye Xiu also went limp, clutching his head in agony. “How can this be? It feels like two forces are merging inside me. What is happening to me?”
“You… what’s happening to you? I’d like to ask you the same thing,” Old Liu approached Ye Xiu hesitantly. He dared not touch him, yet couldn’t bear to watch him paralyzed on the spot, looking so lost. “Do you know what you just did?”
“What did I do?”
Old Liu glanced around. The green, web-like barrier that had blocked their entry was still there, meaning they had both successfully passed through the green net. “You just absorbed the power of the King of Death’s Blood Essence from Zhu Yunwen’s body. Didn’t you even realize it?”
Ye Xiu straightened up, staring at his palm where a streak of red light ran across his five fingers, converging in the center. “There is definitely something flowing inside me. What is happening to me? Su Su, Su Su!”
At Ye Xiu’s summons, Su Su, who hadn't appeared before, finally drifted out. Her expression was tense; it seemed she had sensed what just occurred. “Master, that surge of soul energy was identical to the soul energy already within you. They neutralized each other inside your body.”
“Neutralized?” Ye Xiu certainly knew that the power emanating from Zhu Yunwen originated from the King of Death’s Blood Essence, which itself came from the Myriad Demon Saint Empress. He recalled the sensation when Hong Ling first called him the King of Death. “I can absorb the power of the King of Death’s Blood Essence? But Han Xin also had the King of Death’s Blood Essence in the Seven Stars Dragon Sealing Fiendground, so why didn't I gain his energy?”
“The King of Death’s Blood Essence in Han Xin and Yama was completely sealed within their bodies. However, the seal on Zhu Yunwen’s soul energy was broken by the Myriad Demon Saint Empress, so those soul energies were left without a master, thus…” Su Su didn’t know how to explain it, only that the mixture of this power made her uneasy. “Master, I’m thinking that the power of the King of Death’s Blood Essence is fundamentally the same as the soul energy inside you. Could it be that you were also…”
“Transformed into a Death God by the King of Death’s Blood Essence?” Ye Xiu had always resisted thinking about this, but as a Death God without a past, without any memory of his origins, anything was possible. “No, that’s impossible. I’m just an ordinary Death God.”
“How can a Death God be considered ordinary?” At this moment, outside the green net, Yi Tianxing seemed to have witnessed everything. He pointed at the green net and said, “Though I don’t know the reason, congratulations, your cultivation levels were not diminished when passing through the Red Cliff Tomb; perhaps they even increased.”
Old Liu tested his own magical power. Although he had felt completely powerless when entering the green net, there weren't many lingering side effects upon exiting. “You mean we won’t lose our cultivation when entering the Boundless Realm either?”
Yi Tianxing stroked the spirit hawk on his shoulder and chuckled, “Since you’re already inside, experience it for yourselves. I have no desire to test that green net.”
Ye Xiu stretched his muscles. So his power was still intact. He cracked his neck, rallying his spirits again. “He’s right. We’re already in. Let’s see what the Boundless Realm looks like next. Let’s go, Old Liu!”
“Wait a minute, I still don’t understand one thing.” Old Liu looked at Ye Xiu and asked doubtfully, “You mentioned the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle just now. What is that? Is it a person?”
“This…” Ye Xiu had no memory of his own actions, so he simply spread his hands toward Yi Tianxing. “Is the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle a place within the Boundless Realm?”
Yi Tianxing seemed surprised upon hearing the term, not expecting these two to bring it up. “The so-called Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle is the most mysterious place within the Terrestrial Vein Boundless Realm. The four great clans of the Terrestrial Vein Boundless Realm hold a Heavenly Ranking Sacred War once every hundred years, and the location for this Sacred War is precisely the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle.”
“Heavenly Ranking Sacred War?” Ye Xiu wasn't particularly interested in fighting tournaments, so he asked listlessly, “Is this just a martial competition among the four clans? What does the winning side gain?”
“A magic artifact?” Old Liu interjected eagerly. “Once every hundred years—it sounds like a top-tier event in the Boundless Realm.”
“Correct.” Yi Tianxing nodded steadily and slowly elaborated, “Each clan selects its two most outstanding disciples to enter the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle. Legend says that whoever survives in the end will obtain the power of the Heavenly Emperor.”
“Eight people fighting each other, and only one winner?” Ye Xiu grasped the cruelty of this Sacred War, but he also sensed an issue with Yi Tianxing’s words. “Legend… Does that mean no one has ever obtained the Heavenly Emperor’s power? And who exactly is this Heavenly Emperor?”
“Because no one has ever emerged, no one knows what the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle truly is, or what happens inside!” Yi Tianxing emphasized his words, deliberately stressing one point. “The Heavenly Emperor is the one who created the entire Boundless Realm, who forged this entire boundless space. As for his power, it remains unknown.”
“Enough, I don’t think there’s any point discussing this further,” Old Liu waved his hand, interrupting Yi Tianxing. He pulled Ye Xiu towards the final white cloud layer. “We should hurry and explore the Boundless Realm when we have time. To hell with the Heavenly Emperor’s Cycle; maybe it’s just a lie.”
Ye Xiu also felt that dwelling on these matters was tedious now. He gave Yi Tianxing a smile. “Let’s leave it at that for now. We’ll meet in the Boundless Realm if fate allows.”
“Heh, I hope we won’t be enemies then, Death God.” Yi Tianxing spread his wings, unleashing a fierce gale. The wind shot skyward, piercing into the green net, precisely blowing Ye Xiu and the other man into the final layer of clouds.
“Terrestrial Vein Boundless Realm, here we come!” Old Liu cheered, stepping onto his Demon-Shattering Sword, swaying happily in the wind. “The old Daoists of Myriad Dao Mountain—I am quite interested in testing their cultivation.”
“Hmph, don’t forget you only possess the strength of Dao Wan Deng, a chief disciple.” Ye Xiu walked languidly beneath Old Liu, the Sky Scrutinizing Sword strapped to his back, hands tucked into his pockets as he slowly advanced, disappearing into the clouds. “Myriad Demon Saint Empress, what role have you truly played throughout the history of the Great Desolation?”
…
The Red Cliff Heavenly Tome in the dark night had long shed its mysterious veil. It was desolate because it originated from a desolate soul; it was lonely because the spirit that held it was forever isolated beyond the boundary.
Dao Wan Deng spun his Pen of Enlightenment casually while gazing at the starry sky. Given the celestial anomaly, he knew the Boundless Realm was about to face upheaval. “Friend, if you are interested in watching the stars with me, please reveal yourself.”
“Hmph, I didn’t expect you could still see me.” A figure clad in black robes, cold and radiating killing intent—who else but Shun Yi? “I truly didn't expect this broken stone ground to be the entrance to the Terrestrial Vein Boundless Realm.”
Dao Wan Deng brought the Pen of Enlightenment down to strike Shun Yi, but Shun Yi moved with extreme swiftness, diving directly to the ground. He laughed, mocking himself. “Haha, it seems people like me are quite attractive to Death Gods. One just entered, and now another comes to die. However, you won’t be as lucky as him.”
“Luck? Hmph!” Shun Yi moved in a flurry, and his shadow instantly coalesced back into his true form. That form plunged behind Dao Wan Deng, his sharp, elongated fingers already bared. “To let a Death God of that caliber escape—what an imbecile.”
Clang! Dao Wan Deng’s Pen of Enlightenment struck out to block Shun Yi’s attack, but his speed was clearly inferior. A small scar appeared on his face. “Judging by your appearance, your cultivation is higher than that Death God’s. You even fight alongside your shadow.”
Shun Yi dove into the ground again, reappearing at Dao Wan Deng’s feet. His shadow fragmented into several black barbs. “Daoist, why not open this passage for me? At least I can grant you a swift death.”
“Hoo…” Dao Wan Deng lightly tapped the mist, and the cold instantly condensed into ice, blocking the barbs. He stepped lightly onto the barbs and laughed. “The Terrestrial Vein Boundless Realm—what attracts such distinguished Death Gods to visit? Could you enlighten me?”
“Does the Soul Soldier Talisman being taken by Jiaye count!” Shun Yi didn’t mind stating his objective, but he knew King Zhou had another plan: after executing Jun Tianxia, he would purge the clans within the Boundless Realm. “Tell me the proper way to enter.”
Upon hearing this, Dao Wan Deng understood a little. He turned and stood on the stone wall, addressing Shun Yi. “Outsiders entering the Boundless Realm will inevitably suffer damage to their cultivation basis, and their power will be reduced to at most half of their usual strength. What confidence do you have in defeating Jiaye and retrieving your Soul Soldier Talisman within the Boundless Realm?”
Shun Yi hesitated upon hearing this. With his current strength, dealing with this Daoist should be manageable, but if what the Daoist said was true, heading into the Boundless Realm would be extremely perilous. “What kind of energy causes the cultivation basis to be damaged?”
“Would you believe me if I told you it was the power of a Death God?” Dao Wan Deng manifested an incantation. At that moment, countless stars plummeted from the Ninth Heaven, bombarding Shun Yi with overwhelming momentum.
Rumble, boom, crash… Violent explosions shook the entire Sun-Drying Mountain. Shun Yi submerged into the ground, unharmed. His purpose in coming here was only to track the two of them; now was not the time for a direct confrontation with this Daoist.
Dao Wan Deng sensed Shun Yi’s vanishing presence and sat down, sighing deeply. “The passage between the Mortal Realm and the Boundless Realm is being severed by a Death God’s power. Why do Death Gods keep trying to break through? Is the entire Boundless Realm connected to the origin of the Death Gods?”