C185 Translocation Circle!

Beyond the Everlands, the Star River stretched vast and verdant, dotted with scattered little worlds.

Yet, to the cultivators of the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea, as well as to the Star-Spawned Terrors and the fragmented small races, the Everlands were seen as the true heart of the cosmos!

The Solar Spirits that emerged from the Everlands were free and mighty, their primordial spirits standing tall like mountains deep within the Star River.

Since time immemorial, the Everlands have been a place of unique wonder.

Countless Sky Fiends and mighty beings from minor races took great pride in gaining entry to the Everlands.

Once upon a time, Boulderdawn stood as a pinnacle sect in Euwrea. For reasons unknown, it was purged by a coalition of powers.

Left with no other choice, the survivors of Boulderdawn fled into the extraterrestrial Star River.

Years later, the cultivators of Boulderdawn had carved out a new domain in the unknown reaches of the extraterrestrial Star River.

This revelation truly astounded Yu Yuan.

He immediately thought of the Boulderdawn's sinner concealed within the bronze coffin, who, after ensnaring the Indigo Wraith, White Walker, and Stormcrowned Emperor, had likely ventured to the extraterrestrial Star River to rejoin his sect's disciples.

With formidable and profound abilities, and the aid of Indigo Wraith, White Bone, and Stormcrowned Emperor, he would undoubtedly be a formidable presence in the depths of the Star River.

Fides had mentioned that the other six archdemons, ranked among the top ten in the forbidden area, had also set off for the extraterrestrial alongside the remnants of Boulderdawn.

Surely, Boulderdawn's strength in the Star River's depths must be considerable?

"You might be unaware," Fides, the Terra Fiend, said with animated enthusiasm, "but in recent centuries, numerous experts from the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea have mysteriously vanished. If I'm not mistaken, it's certainly the work of Boulderdawn's cultivators and those six, striking from the shadows."

"The conflict between Boulderdawn and the other sects has subtly shifted from the Everlands to the outer realms."

It was evident that Fides harbored little affection for Euwrea's three great upper sects and the Shadow's Keep.

"If we can step beyond the Star River through the Translocation Circle, we'll find a way to reach out to Boulderdawn if they don't come to us," Fides said with anticipation. "Previously, Boulderdawn suppressed us for the sake of the Everlands' inhabitants. Now that they're under siege, they should realize we share a common foe."

While he spoke, another Lunar Spirit from the Silvermoon Empire met their end at the hands of the tree monster and Ann Jieshan.

"Whew!"

A dark green Lunar Spirit, riddled with leaves, plummeted to the ground. The edge of the Soulforge Pool transformed into a seemingly bottomless abyss that devoured the spirit, which vanished in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, the dark essence of Soul Power continued to surge into the Soulforge Pool.

Yu Yuan, who had been listening to Fides, felt a sudden urge to look down at the ground beneath him. He had just sensed an unmistakable disturbance emanating from right under his feet. In his past life, he had traversed various lands using numerous Translocation Circles, journeying from the Land of Quiescence to Euwrea, and then to Aetherius, not to mention the myriad islands scattered across the vast ocean between the three continents. He was intimately familiar with such peculiar spatial fluctuations.

Initially skeptical of Fides's claims, Yu Yuan now felt certain of one thing—beneath the Soulforge Pool lay a truly wondrous Translocation Circle. Whether this circle could link to the extraterrestrial Star River or lead to the Boulderdawn's sect beyond the stars, he couldn't be sure. What he did know was that the circle's operation undoubtedly depended on the Soulforge Pool and required an influx of Soul Power.

"No wonder..."

It all made sense to him now—why Fides had mentioned their aligned goals and why he, along with the blood shadow, had been slaughtering Silvermoon Empire cultivators for their rich Soul Power.

With this revelation, another thought struck him, and he abruptly cast his gaze skyward. The peculiar cluster of clouds above, he suspected, might be Zhou Cangmin. He pondered whether the Duan brothers' slaughter of the Crimson Sun Empire's cultivators was truly just because those individuals knew of their ties to the Ruby Hand.

Could it be that the state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire knew something as well? Did he realize that the Soulforge Pool required the dead, specifically the souls of powerful cultivators, as a sacrifice to provoke certain individuals, leading to their deaths near the pool?

"That person couldn't possibly be aware, could he?" Yu Yuan mused to himself.

"Who are you referring to?" Fides inquired, taken aback.

"The state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire, Zhou Cangmin. I suspect he's somewhere above us," Yu Yuan gestured skyward. "The Duan brothers acted against the envoys from the Crimson Sun Empire on his command. Before you arrived, they had slain over a dozen cultivators from the empire."

"Zhou Cangmin?" Terra Fiend Fides shook his head, "I have no recollection of him."

"His rise to power was quite recent. It's understandable that you're not familiar with him," Yu Yuan explained.

"See, the Soul Power within the Soulforge Pool has surged once more, which should ensure the Translocation Circle operates smoothly," Fides chuckled. "All we seek is to use the Translocation Circle for a brief moment, in hopes of leaving this realm. What are your thoughts on that?"

"Me?" Yu Yuan pointed to himself, puzzled. "How could I possibly assist with the Translocation Circle?"

"When we make our move towards the Translocation Circle, refrain from using any prohibitive strikes against it," Fides said, his brow furrowed with concern. "Frankly, I'm unsure about the method of entry or how to activate the circle. But since you've gained the rune circle's recognition, I believe you might have an insight into its workings once it's fully operational."

Yu Yuan fell silent at that thought.

Yuan Lianyao, standing alongside him, suddenly spoke up, "Something's not right down below."

Yu Yuan peered downward and noticed the dark Soul Power slowly permeating the depths of the pool.

Sword's wills, ancient and elusive, darted through the depths of the Soulforge Pool like fish.

Initially, there were only a handful, but soon there were dozens, nearly a hundred, densely weaving through the pool's lower reaches.

With the aid of the heaven soul, Yu Yuan sensed the presence of what seemed to be a doorway at the base of the Soulforge Pool.

A mysterious gateway capable of linking the extraterrestrial realm with another world had emerged.

Simultaneously, the White Paper Fan inscribed with "To Know All is to Suffer All" began to fall uncontrollably into the Soulforge Pool.

As soon as the White Paper Fan touched the Soulforge Pool, the ink-like Soul Power was frenziedly drawn into the four words.

"To Know All is to Suffer All" transformed in a blink into a voracious black hole, devouring everything in its path!

Yu Yuan's face paled in shock. "The fan!"

Terra Fiend Fides stood frozen, his gaze locked on the White Paper Fan and the four ancient black characters that were voraciously absorbing the Soul Power from the depths of the Soulforge Pool.

"Where did this thing come from?" Fides bellowed, "Stop it immediately! Without sufficient Soul Power, the Soulforge Matrix will cease, and the Translocation Circle won't be able to manifest!"

Yu Yuan crouched and stretched out his hand in an attempt to seize it.

But the White Paper Fan, as if sentient, deftly avoided his grasp. It continued to drift along the bottom of the Soulforge Pool, relentlessly siphoning the dark Soul Power.

The Soulforge Pool, which had been painstakingly filled to the brim, was visibly depleting.

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