C304 Eight Clouds Gathering!

The commander of the Tusk Troops, swift as a bolt of lightning, tore through the fiery sunset clouds and sped forth. On his trail, a relentless Silverfrost Dragon gave chase. In the sky, a sphere of shattered ice and light tumbled through the void.

Fragments of Tusk Armor, no larger than fingernails, continually shed from the commander's form. The heavy gold-forged armor, battered by the fierce combat, could no longer bear the strain and was on the verge of shattering.

The Silverfrost Dragon's eyes glinted with a cold, excited light, like twin orbs of icy fire burning against the evening sky, an intimidating sight. With its movement, the remaining Dragon Servitors from Hidden Dragon Lake surged forward in response.

"The flaw of the Void True Spell has emerged!" they exclaimed. "Shen Feiqing is about to face the backlash. Everyone, brace yourselves!"

"Let's go after her!"

In that instant, practitioners hidden in the corners of Absence Relic, who had been covertly observing the great battle, sprang into action. The gilding treasure ship, radiant with divine light, also surged heavenward in a sudden burst.

The treasure ship adjusted its trajectory, pursuing the commander who had transformed into a streak of lightning. Aboard the ship, Wei Feng sat with her head bowed, tucked into a corner. Her demeanor was one of tranquil resignation; she made no attempt to struggle or contemplate suicide by biting her tongue.

Wai Wujiang of the Divine Might Empire and Wong Jinlin of the Spirit Void Sect stood shoulder to shoulder at the prow. Squinting, they fixed their gazes on the lightning trail that was Shen Feiqing, their faces alight with anticipation.

"Brother Wei, if we indeed find and unlock the secret realm within Absence Relic," Wong Jinlin said with a smile, "will you be representing the Divine Might Empire or the Thunder Sect?"

At his words, the cultivators behind Wai Wujiang instinctively turned their attention to him. These were men of the Divine Might Empire, with no ties to the Thunder Sect. Wai Wujiang, a scion of the Wai family and royal offspring, was also the prized disciple of the Thunder Sect's Sect Master. Though the Thunder Sect and the Divine Might Empire were traditionally allies, the matter of the secret realm...

"The sect!" Wai Wujiang declared without a moment's hesitation.

Upon hearing his words, the envoys from the Divine Might Empire couldn't help but frown in disapproval. As members of the Imperial Family, they were privy to the secrets of the realm, yet their loyalties lay not with the Empire but with their sect. This disloyalty sat uneasily with them, and they contemplated reporting back to their emperor.

Wei Wujiang, however, paid them no mind and earnestly continued, "Brother Wang, thanks to your Spirit Void Sect's formation, the various sects' experts on the Heavenly Source Continent have easy access to the Absence Relic. Neither the Divine Might Empire nor the Silvermoon Empire has any claim over this unearthed secret realm, and thus no right to contest its treasures."

Despite his origins within the Divine Might Empire, Wei Wujiang was acutely aware that the seven lower sects of the Heavenly Source Continent would never let the Empire cut in on their findings.

If he were acting on behalf of the Divine Might Empire or the Wai family, Wong Jinlin would have little to say to him.

He was also well aware that the Spirit Void Sect's interest in the Absence Relic's secret realm was not a recent development.

The space teleportation array established within the Absence Relic was a testament to the Spirit Void Sect's long-term strategy, a clear indication of their belief in the existence of the secret realm at this location.

With the secret realm's existence confirmed and accessible, the Spirit Void Sect, armed with their space teleportation array, would enjoy a significant upper hand.

Not just the seven lower sects, but even the upper sects would likely depend on this space teleportation array to venture into the Absence Relic in search of its secrets.

Having utilized the Spirit Void Sect's teleportation array, even the Sword Sect, Profound Sky Sect, and Primordial Yang Sect would need to show respect.

Thus, with the array at their disposal, the Spirit Void Sect stood to gain immensely once the secret realm was unlocked.

It wasn't until his visit to the Thunder Sect that Wei Wujiang truly understood how the sects and forces of the Heavenly Source Continent regarded the empires of the Profound Sky Continent—as mere tributaries.

In the vast expanse of the Boundless Land, the might of the sects reigned supreme over the empires, a truth that had stood unchallenged through the ages.

Wei Wujiang was well aware of the formidable legacy and martial prowess possessed by the three upper sects and the seven lower sects—a force to be reckoned with indeed.

If not for the deep entanglements between the great empires and the powerful sects of the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents, the descent of a single Yang God could inflict incalculable damage upon an empire.

Such is the might of a Yang God, and even more so for those at the Primordial Spirit Stage, who possess the power to turn the heavens and the earth on their head.

To the truly great cultivators, they are the guardians of the Boundless Land, shielding it from the incursions of Outland Devaputra and alien star races.

On the Profound Sky Continent, the various empires simply serve to keep the mundane realm functioning on their behalf.

In their hearts, they regard the emperors and kings of these empires as little more than stewards.

Wai Wujiang's journey to the Heavenly Source Continent brought him into deeper contact with the Thunder Sect and other sects' cultivators, leading him to the same realization.

Thus, when it came to choosing between the sects and the imperial families, his allegiance to the sects was a foregone conclusion.

His eyes fixed on the tumultuous thunderclouds, he mused, "The Thunder Sect alone boasts over a dozen Soul Wandering experts and five Yang Gods."

Beyond that, the Thunder Sect has two Unrestrained Stage cultivators stationed beyond the skies year-round.

Yet, with such a formidable foundation, the Thunder Sect ranks merely in the middle among the seven lower sects.

Even within these, the Thunder Sect is considered upper-tier.

The cultivators from the Divine Might Empire and other major families are nothing but frogs in a well.

What right does a mere mortal kingdom have to contend with the sects over a secret realm?

...

On the mid-lake island, Yu Yuan rose abruptly from his seated meditation.

His posture erect, he exuded an effortless air of ease and confidence.

With a gentle smile for Su Yan and a respectful nod to Su Xiangtian, he said, "We meet again."

The hulking Tusk Troops soldier, silent as a bear, tilted his head skyward, his gaze tracing the meteor-like arc of light, his tiger-like eyes gleaming with intensity.

With a raspy, deep shout, he commanded attention.

At his call, all the Tusk Troops soldiers sprang to their feet, spears in hand, ready for what was to come.

Streams of deep red flames erupted from the long spears in their hands, instantly infusing the lakeside with an overwhelming surge of vitality and power. In that instant, many felt a connection. Their gazes lingered on Yu Yuan and Lau Ying for several seconds before simultaneously shifting to the not-yet-fully-matured Void Spiritual Plants nearby.

Lau Ying, utilizing her Fallen Star Eyes, could discern the slender threads of dark red vitality converging from the Tusk Troops' weapons towards the Void Spiritual Plants adjacent to her and Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan flashed a sudden smile and nodded courteously towards the burly leader of the Tusk Troops. Beneath the mask, the soldier's eyes were as piercing as a hawk's and devoid of warmth. After a brief hesitation, as if following a silent command, he returned the nod.

"You know him?" Lau Ying asked, taken aback.

"A recent acquaintance," Yu Yuan replied with a smile.

Su Xiangtian, the current patriarch of the Su family, watched Yu Yuan from afar and was struck by an odd sense of discomfort. The Yu Yuan from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area seemed to have made a comeback... In the forbidden area, Yu Yuan, in harmony with the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation, wielded the might of the Soul Transformation Pool with brazen arrogance. Yet, when they had last met, Yu Yuan had been more reserved, his sharp edges dulled. Now, it appeared that the audacious Yu Yuan had returned once more.

With a "swoosh," a rainbow streak plummeted from the sky, landing amidst the intense stares of the Tusk Troops. Suddenly, a figure materialized among the many Void Spiritual Plants between Yu Yuan and Lau Ying. Shen Feiqing stood there without her black heavy armor, her true form small and exquisitely delicate. Clad in a form-fitting black outfit, her figure was strikingly contoured, though marred by bloodstains. Yet, beneath the fierce mask, her eyes shone with a bright and extraordinary calm.

"Greetings, Elder Shen," Yu Yuan said, bowing slightly with a respectful nod and a warm smile.

Above, the Silverfrost Dragon loomed like an ominous cloud. A thundercloud and a massive orb of shattered ice arrived in quick succession. In the distance, the gilding treasure ship also made its presence known with a resounding roar.

In addition, there were Dragon Servitors concealed within Hidden Dragon Lake, along with seven disciples from the lower sects, including figures such as Lau Wei and Lei Xiao. They were all urgently following the trail of the rainbow light that Shen Feiqing had become, racing to join the fray.

…