C184 The Shocking Secret!
Escaping the Boundless Land? That's easier said than done.
Only those cultivators who have attained the Yang God Stage can muster the strength to shatter the spatial barriers and venture into the Outland Star River.
The starry expanse, dark and silent, harbors unspeakable horrors.
Below the Yang God Stage, even those at the pinnacle of the Soul Wandering Stage, like Zhou Cangmin, whether it be their Yin God or fleshly form, risk inexplicable death should they dare traverse beyond the starry river.
The Outland Star River is fraught with soul-erasing gales, explosive flares, beams of light that slice through the void, and dark chasms capable of engulfing Evil Gods...
Even Yang Gods, soaring through the cosmos, may encounter calamities!
The so-called Devaputra, born of the Outland, sometimes meet mysterious ends in certain alien star rivers.
How much more perilous, then, for the lesser cultivators emerging from the Boundless Land?
Yu Yuan perceived that Xi Yue, the Demonic Tree, and the dragon-bodied man possessed strength at best equivalent to the peak of the Yin God or Soul Wandering Stage.
Such power falls short of breaking the spatial confines of the Boundless Land.
The Divine Soul Sect's criminal, concealed within the bronze coffin, managed to rupture the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation and make his escape, thanks in no small part to his formidable might and the coffin's own virtues.
To Yu Yuan, that bronze coffin was nothing less than a wondrous vessel capable of navigating the starry rivers!
The one who fled the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, who bound the Green Incubus, White Ghost, and Sky Shocking Emperor, did so by virtue of his overwhelming strength.
Xi Yue, however, was clearly not of the same caliber.
"No one else can assist with this, but you most certainly can!"
As Xi Yue spoke, her gaze drifted from Yu Yuan to the depths of the Soul Transformation Pool, and she inquired earnestly, "Haven't you sensed it yet?"
"Sensed what?" Yu Yuan responded, puzzled.
With a knowing smile, Xi Yue revealed, "This Soul Transformation Pool isn't just the focal point of the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation; it's also the heart of another array."
"What kind of array?" Yu Yuan's surprise deepened.
"A space array!" Xi Yue declared emphatically.
At those words, Yu Yuan's expression subtly shifted.
In the vast expanse of the Boundless Land, myriad space arrays existed, capable of forging connections between disparate lands and dimensions through enigmatic spatial techniques.
The Profound Sky Continent was a distant realm, separated from both the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents by an immense expanse of ocean. Even the most formidable cultivators, soaring through the skies, would find the journey exceedingly long.
Yet, with the space arrays, cultivators from the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents could traverse the vast distance to the Profound Sky Continent in the blink of an eye.
The three great upper sects of the Heavenly Source Continent, along with the Demon Palace and the Devil Palace of the Quietus Continent, had invested heavily in these space arrays. Their purpose was to transport disciples and elders to the Profound Sky Continent, where they could seek out and challenge gifted disciples, imparting secret techniques and amassing strength for the future.
The construction of each space array demanded a staggering amount of spiritual materials, a testament to the profound resources and power of the sects capable of building them.
The Fallen Moon Forbidden Area was once under the watchful eye of the Divine Soul Sect, protected by the formidable and ancient "Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation," known as one of the most dominant arrays in existence.
Within this area lay a space array, its presence a logical certainty.
Yu Yuan inhaled deeply, peering into the depths of the Soul Transformation Pool, and inquired, "Is it down there?"
Xi Yue confirmed with a nod, "Correct."
"And where does this array lead?" Yu Yuan pressed on.
This time, Earth Demon Xiquan fell silent.
Across the Soul Transformation Pool, Yuan Lianyao, the City Lord of Darkmoon City, quietly opened her eyes. Her complexion was rosy; she had successfully assimilated the unclaimed blood essence to fortify her vitality, which now surged through her middle dantian.
Overhearing the exchange between Xi Yue and Yu Yuan, her curiosity flared uncontrollably.
Xi Yue caught her gaze.
Feeling a chill in her heart, Yuan Lianyao managed a strained smile and offered, "I'll just listen in."
Yu Yuan moved to stand by her side, his demeanor conveying a clear message to Xi Yue.
"Listen if you wish," Xi Yue responded indifferently. After a brief pause, she revealed, "The array doesn't lead to the Heavenly Source Continent, nor to the Quietus Continent."
Yu Yuan was visibly shaken, instinctively looking skyward.
With an approving nod, Xi Yue disclosed a secret that would shake the heavens, "The Divine Soul Sect has not been utterly annihilated."
"I'm all ears," Yu Yuan said quietly.
"I tapped into the space array within the Outland Star River, vanishing into the unfathomable depths of the cosmos," Xi Yue mused, speaking at a measured pace. "Some of these secrets I've confirmed, others are conjecture. It's not just the Divine Soul Sect; the Alien Soul Demon, among the top ten of the forbidden area, and many others have either been whisked away by the Divine Soul Sect or found their own means of escape."
At these words, Yu Yuan's face finally betrayed his shock.
The Divine Soul Sect had survived!
Once a dominant force in the Heavenly Source Continent, on equal footing with the Profound Sky Sect, the Sword Sect, and the Primordial Yang Sect—perhaps even surpassing them—the most powerful sect in the Boundless Land had withstood the siege of the entire Great Heaven and Earth without falling!
And now, some members of the Divine Soul Sect had fled to the Outland Star River, where they continued to operate!
"The Sky Shocking Emperor, the White Ghost, and the Green Incubus are merely four of the top ten from the forbidden area," Xi Yue revealed candidly. "I can no longer sense the presence of the other six. My guess is that they've left the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area long ago."
"Why would they leave?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"To stay would mean eternal imprisonment here. Even a desperate escape would only lead to suppression the moment they surfaced," Xi Yue lamented. "Take me, for instance; I was covertly active in the Silvermoon Empire because I was incomplete. It wasn't until I returned to the forbidden area and merged with the remnants of my consciousness and soul that I regained much of my power."
"If I were to venture outside the forbidden area now, I'd quickly attract the wrath of cultivators from the other two continents."
"In that sense, this forbidden area is still a sanctuary for me."
"Within its confines, the cultivators from those two continents tolerate my existence. But if I were to leave this sanctuary and brazenly traverse the Profound Sky Continent, I would face utter destruction."
He paused, then looked skyward.
"That tree, Ann Jieshan, the ghost ape, and I—we're all in the same predicament."
"You're planning to use the space array below to access the Outland Star River, thinking you'll have the freedom to soar through the vast universe?" Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes and let out a scoff. "And the destination of this space array—is it the new branch of the Divine Soul Sect? Moreover, do you truly believe you'll be free once you're out there?"
"We're clueless," Xi Yue admitted, shaking his head. "We have no idea what awaits us on the other side of the space array. But we feel trapped in this world, as if there's no hope for rising above our current state. Perhaps, by leaving, even if we encounter the Divine Soul Sect, there might be a sliver of hope for survival."
"Particularly since that bronze coffin made its escape, it made sure to take the White Ghost, the Sky Shocking Emperor, and the Green Incubus with it."
"That suggests the Divine Soul Sect has come to a realization. They recognize that beings like them, like us, have a value in living and share a common foe."
"We stand a good chance of becoming retainers for the Divine Soul Sect, joining them in their campaigns against various races beyond the starry skies."
As Xi Yue envisioned the future, he couldn't help but feel a surge of enthusiasm, his face alight with eager anticipation.
"You might not be aware, but I've heard whispers that the Divine Soul Sect, having broken free from the Boundless Land, has risen to new heights beyond the galaxy!"
