C190 It Was Predestined!

A child of contrasting black and white stood suspended in an otherworldly space, gazing down with a detached coolness.

As the cries of demons and specters echoed, the space within the dark depths shuddered, suddenly churning with activity.

In these moments, four ancient characters, reminiscent of black suns, would descend from above, exerting their pressure on the land below.

Yu Yuan's fragment of consciousness keenly observed the descent of a heavenly rain!

This so-called rain was, in fact, strands of ink-colored soul energy!

Upon closer inspection, one could see these threads of ink-colored soul energy cascading from the heavens like a curtain of pearls.

The sky of this strange dimension served as the bottom of the Soul Transformation Pool.

The descending ink-colored soul energy originated from the Soul Transformation Pool, a result of the pool's wall bearing the sword scars from slaying Alien Soul Demons from the outside world, their essence then merging with the pool's depths.

As the ink-colored soul energy fell, it infused the four ancient, black characters.

These characters, as vast as black suns, radiated with ink-colored soul light, emanating a melancholy and mournful intent, as if a collapsing firmament was slowly bearing down.

The four ancient characters appeared to act as a conduit.

"Why has the spatial passage suddenly become so turbulent recently?"

Yu Yuan marveled inwardly. "Hasn't this channel, connecting to the Outland Star River, been suppressed by the Soul Transformation Pool and the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation for centuries?"

"The recent surge is due to activity at the other end of the passage, stirred by the Devaputra," the child with a yearning for freedom explained with a frosty gaze. "Let me clarify: 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, even though the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation was in place, it didn't prohibit outsiders from coming and going," the child elaborated. "That's because the full activation of the formation consumes an immense amount of soul energy. The existence of the Soul Transformation Pool and its plentiful soul energy are dedicated to suppressing this spatial passage."

"The Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation responded to the shift in heaven and earth, sensing the Alien Soul Demon breaking its chains and lifting the seal, hence it shrouded both the sky and the land."

"This time, the complete activation of the grand formation was triggered by the escape of the Earth Demon White Ghost and the Sky Shocking Emperor, among others."

The Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation is running at maximum capacity, draining a significant amount of soul energy. Moreover, with our master having left this realm, the Soul Transformation Pool's soul energy has been further depleted. This depletion has triggered a response from the Heavenly Demons that have been trying to enter the Profound Sky Continent through the spatial passage for millennia."

"That's the reason for the persistent spatial fluctuations. The tremors are the result of the Heavenly Demons using their divine powers to surge into the passage, attempting to break through."

"The sword marks etched into the walls of the Soul Transformation Pool have sensed this danger and have reacted violently."

"To prevent these formidable Heavenly Demons from invading, the spatial passage was opened, and it indiscriminately slaughtered any creature that could replenish the Soul Transformation Pool."

"Maintaining a rich supply of soul energy in the Soul Transformation Pool is the only way to keep the spatial passage in check!"

He revealed the profound mystery behind it.

Yu Yuan listened intently and quickly grasped the concept, "Can the other end of this spatial passageway be opened as well?"

"Absolutely," the boy confirmed with a nod. "If not, there would be no need for the Soul Transformation Pool. But with someone on our side to coordinate, the task becomes much easier."

"Are you suggesting that Earth Demon Xiquan has been seduced by the Heavenly Demons to act as a collaborator from within?" Yu Yuan asked with a furrowed brow. "Yet, he also directed Ann Jieshan, the Demonic Tree, and the ghost ape to assault the cultivators of the Silvermoon Empire, generating soul energy to overflow the Soul Transformation Pool, didn't he?"

"Without this white paper fan and the four ancient black characters, the soul energy within the Soul Transformation Pool wouldn't initially flow into this space," the boy explained, pointing upward. "It would instead fully power the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation!"

"What does that mean?"

"The Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation acts as a massive dome, isolating the inside from the outside and concealing any external perception. When the spatial passageway beneath the Soul Transformation Pool is opened, it will provoke a tumultuous spatial disturbance. Without the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation's shield, the cultivators on the Profound Sky Continent who have attained the Soul Wandering Stage would instantly become aware of it!"

"And then what?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"Then, the information would spread like wildfire. The peak cultivators from the upper sects of the Heavenly Source Continent, along with those from the Demon Palace of the Quietus Continent and the Devil Palace, would use the continent's interconnected teleportation arrays to arrive in an instant. Once they're here, do you think the Heavenly Demons from the outer realms would still be able to pry open the spatial passage?"

The boy let out a cold huff, "The Boundless Land lies at the very heart of the cosmos. For eons, the fiends and phantoms of the Outland have coveted entry into our realm. Our skirmishes with these outsiders have been relentless. Yet, we've mostly been on the offensive, safeguarding the Profound Sky Continent with exceptional care."

"This land is the bedrock of humanity, the very foundation upon which cultivators are built."

Surprisingly, the boy, once an Artifact Soul, possessed a profound grasp of the Boundless Land, the human race, and the disputes with the Outland Devaputra.

Yu Yuan probed further and at last, the pieces fell into place.

The white paper fan was indeed the fabled "key," intricately linked to the dimension below.

Without the fan, the Soul Transformation Pool would brim with soul essence, spilled by the Earth Demon Xiquan's deception and the slaying of the Silvermoon Empire's great cultivators.

With the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation in effect, external cultivators would be oblivious to the undercurrents stirring within the Soul Transformation Pool.

Should the Soul Energy fail to flow into the dimension below, the Outland Devaputra would exploit the formation's guise, flinging open the long-sealed spatial gateway.

What would follow is an onslaught of countless Heavenly Demons, arriving in an instant, bypassing the celestial barriers.

These invaders would spell doom for the cultivators of the Profound Sky Continent's empires, the common folk, the spirit beasts, and all living creatures.

The empowered Heavenly Demons, whether retreating to the heavens or trading blows with the human cultivators, stood to gain immensely.

The cultivators from the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents, their ability to procreate nearly extinguished by their lofty cultivation, would face a dwindling lineage.

In time, the Boundless Land would begin to falter, and the extragalactic Heavenly Devils would seize the upper hand.

It was conceivable that they might overrun the Boundless Land entirely, claiming dominion over this central world.

Grasping this grim reality, Yu Yuan shivered inwardly.

His fragment of consciousness intently studied the four archaic black characters, "Wisdom's extreme brings harm."

"Hmm?"

His train of thought derailed as he observed the four ancient characters, radiating with ink-like soul energy, continuing to swell in power.

Moreover, these characters stood at the four corners of this peculiar space, as imposing as mountains reaching for the heavens.

Each one appeared to be its own microcosm, engulfing the soul energy from above and expanding ceaselessly. They exuded an aura of boundless enigma, as though teeming with life on the verge of creation.

"Those four words?" he inquired.

"The words 'Wisdom's extreme brings harm' stand alone as a microcosm, collectively suppressing the passageway," the boy elucidated. "The essence of these four ancient characters was somehow extracted and etched onto the white paper fan. The words on the fan are intrinsically linked to this space, resonating with the original four characters."

"Once the fan's essence was reintroduced, it allowed the four pre-existing spaces to once again draw in the soul energy from above, revitalizing their divine aura and reinforcing the stability of the spatial passageway."

"From what I can tell, it's unlikely that anyone could breach this passageway within the next millennium."

The boy swelled with pride.

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

They were tangible artifacts, forged from the soul energy and the complex spiritual forces of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.

The essence and sentiment of the four words, imbued with a profound sense of melancholy, had been extracted by someone and taken beyond, leaving their mark on the white paper fan.

Had it not been for his fortuitous acquisition of the fan and its subsequent integration, the possibility of the space passageway below being activated might have been a reality.

Without the essence and significance of those four words, the suspended characters could not have harnessed the soul energy from above.

Reflecting on this, Yu Yuan considered that his ability to gain the sword soul's approval might also be tied to his practice of the Soul Forging Technique and possession of the white paper fan.

It seemed as though destiny had been at play all along.

"The time has come," the boy softly exclaimed, seemingly guiding Yu Yuan to depart from this extraordinary space.

In the next moment, Yu Yuan's consciousness was restored.

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