C190 It Was Predestined!

A child, his hair as dark as night and skin as pale as snow, stood suspended in an otherworldly space, gazing down with an icy stare.

The cries of demons and ghosts echoed, causing the shadowy depths of the space to quake and surge violently.

In these moments, four ancient characters, hanging in the heavens like dark suns, exerted their pressure below.

Yu Yuan's fragment of consciousness keenly observed the descent of a heavenly rain—a rain composed of ink-colored Soul Power.

Upon closer inspection, one would see strands of ink-colored Soul Power cascading from above like a beaded curtain.

This alien space above was none other than the bottom of the Soulforge Pool.

The ink-colored Soul Power that fell originated from the Soulforge Pool, where the sword scars on the pool's walls had slain alien souls and archdemons from the outside world, their essence merging with the pool's depths after the cultivators of the Silvermoon Empire had vanquished them.

As the ink-colored Soul Power descended, it infused into the four ancient, somber characters: "To Know All is to Suffer All."

These characters, as massive as dark suns, radiated ink-colored Soul Light, emitting a melancholy and mournful essence, as if a collapsing sky were slowly bearing down.

The four ancient characters appeared to serve as a conduit.

"Why has the spatial passage suddenly become so turbulent recently?" Yu Yuan mused in surprise. "Hasn't this channel, which connects to the extraterrestrial Star River, been suppressed by the Soulforge Pool and the Soulforge Matrix for centuries?"

"The recent activity is due to the other end of the passage stirring—the Sky Fiend is restless," explained the boy, yearning for freedom, his gaze cold and distant. "Let me put it this way: the grand formation that seals this realm doesn't always completely bind both heaven and earth."

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "And before?"

"In the past, the Soulforge Matrix, though present, did not prohibit outsiders from coming and going," the boy elaborated. "That's because fully activating the Soulforge Matrix consumes an immense amount of Soul Power. The existence of the Soulforge Pool and the plentiful supply of Soul Power are dedicated to suppressing this spatial passage."

"The world has undergone a transformation. The Soulforge Matrix has detected an alien soul breaking its chains and lifting the seal, which is why it now shrouds both the heavens and the earth."

"The activation of the formation this time was due to the Terra Fiend White Walker and the Stormcrowned Emperor breaking free, which fully triggered the Soulforge Matrix."

"The Soulforge Matrix is running at full capacity, consuming a tremendous amount of Soul Power. Moreover, with our master's departure from this realm, the Soul Power in the Soulforge Pool has been further depleted. This has caused the Sky Fiend and other entities that have been trying to enter Aetherius for millennia to sense an opportunity at the other end of the spatial passage."

"This is the reason for the persistent spatial fluctuations. The tremors in space are the result of the Sky Fiend, who may have already used their divine powers to surge into the passage, attempting to break through."

"The sword scars etched into the walls of the Soulforge Pool detected the crisis and reacted violently."

"To prevent the formidable Sky Fiend from the extraterrestrial realms from entering, the spatial passage was opened, and they indiscriminately slaughtered all beings capable of replenishing the Soulforge Pool."

"Because only by keeping the Soul Power within the Soulforge Pool abundant can we hope to contain the spatial passage!" He revealed the profound intricacies.

Yu Yuan listened intently, quickly grasping the concept, "Can the other end of this spatial passage also be opened?"

"Of course," the boy affirmed with a nod. "Otherwise, there would be no need for the Soulforge Pool. But it would be much easier if we had someone on our side to coordinate from within."

"Are you suggesting that the Terra Fiend Fides, under the influence of the Sky Fiend in the Everlands, is acting as an insider?" Yu Yuan asked with a furrowed brow. "But didn't he also have Ann Jieshan, the tree monster, and the Wraith Ape attack the cultivators of the Silvermoon Empire to generate Soul Power for the Soulforge Pool?"

"Without the White Paper Fan and the four ancient black characters, the Soul Power within the Soulforge Pool wouldn't initially flow into this space," the boy explained, pointing upwards. "It would instead fully engage the Soulforge Matrix!"

"What does that mean?"

"The Soulforge Matrix acts like a massive dome, isolating the inside from the outside and concealing any external perception. When the spatial passage beneath the Soulforge Pool is opened, it will cause intense spatial disturbances. Without the cover of the Soulforge Matrix, the experts in Aetherius who have attained the Spirit Walk state would instantly become aware of it!"

"And then?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"Then, the news would spread instantaneously. The peak cultivators from the three great upper sects of Euwrea, the Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep on the Land of Quiescence would use the teleportation circles connected to the continent to arrive in moments. With their arrival, do you think the Sky Fiend creatures from the extraterrestrial realms would still be able to force open the spatial tunnel?"

The boy let out a cold snort. "The Everlands are the heart of the cosmos. For eons, the demons and monsters from beyond have coveted entry into our realm. Our conflicts with these extraterrestrial forces have been relentless. Yet, we've consistently taken the initiative, safeguarding Aetherius with great success."

"This land is the cradle of humanity, with mortals serving as the bedrock for cultivators."

Remarkably, the boy, once an artifact soul, possessed a lucid grasp of the Everlands, the human race, and the conflicts with the Star-Spawned Terrors.

Yu Yuan probed further, and the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

The White Paper Fan was indeed the so-called "key," mysteriously linked to the dimension below.

Without the White Paper Fan, the remnant souls, misled by the Terra Fiend Fides and after slaying a cultivator of the Silvermoon Empire, would overflow and fill the Soulforge Pool.

With the Soulforge Matrix activated, cultivators from other realms would remain oblivious to the disturbances beneath the Soulforge Pool.

Should Soul Power fail to reach the subterranean space, the extraterrestrial Sky Fiends would exploit the Soulforge Matrix's concealment, prying open the long-sealed spatial gateway.

Then, countless Sky Fiends would arrive instantaneously, bypassing the barriers of the Star River.

These Sky Fiends would spell doom for the cultivators, humans, spirit animals, and all living beings of the Aetherius Continent.

The Sky Fiends, whether they retreated to the extraterrestrial realms or waged war on Aetherius, stood to gain without loss.

Cultivators from the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea, their ability to procreate nearly extinguished by their advanced cultivation, would find themselves without successors.

In time, the Everlands would begin to falter, and the Sky Fiend entities from beyond the Star River would seize the upper hand.

They might even conquer the Everlands entirely, claiming dominion over this central world.

Grasping this grim reality, Yu Yuan felt a shiver run through him.

His consciousness fixated on the four ancient, black characters: "To Know All is to Suffer All."

"Hmm?"

His train of thought derailed as he noticed the ancient characters, radiating with ink-black Soul Power, continuing to intensify.

Moreover, the four ancient characters occupied the corners of this peculiar space, standing as if they were towering mountains.

Each one appeared to be its own microcosm, engulfing the Soul Power above and continuously expanding, creating an impression of a world teeming with life and the cosmic order thundering within, as if new beings were on the verge of being nurtured.

"Those four words?" he inquired.

"The words 'To Know All is to Suffer All' each create a microcosm and collectively suppress the passage," the boy elucidated. "Somehow, the essence of these four ancient words was extracted and etched onto the White Paper Fan. The words on the fan are linked to the words in this space, 'To Know All is to Suffer All.'"

"When the White Paper Fan is introduced, the essence that was lost returns, enabling the four microcosms to consume the Soul Power above, reinvigorating them with a divine strangeness that intimidates the spatial passage."

"From what I can tell, it's likely that the spatial passage won't be breached for another millennium."

The boy swelled with pride.

Yu Yuan, upon closer inspection, realized that the four ancient black characters, resembling black suns, were not mere illusions.

They were, in fact, a peculiar artifact, a blend of Soul Power and the diverse spiritual energies of the Moonfall Sanctuary.

A tangible artifact!

The essence and mood of the four words, imbued with melancholy and sorrow, had been extracted by someone and taken to the outside world, branded onto the White Paper Fan.

Had it not been for his fortuitous acquisition of the White Paper Fan and its subsequent integration, it's possible that the spatial passage below might have been activated.

Without the essence and intent of the four words, these four character-shaped artifacts suspended in the heavens would be unable to draw in the Soul Power from above.

Upon reflection, Yu Yuan considered that his ability to gain the sword spirit's approval might also be connected to his practice of Soul Forging through Enlightenment and his possession of the White Paper Fan.

It seemed as though destiny had predetermined it.

"The time has come."

With a gentle call from the boy, as if leading Yu Yuan, they both departed from this otherworldly space.

In a flash, Yu Yuan's consciousness was restored.

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