Having distanced themselves from Black Spirit City and continued westward for tens of thousands of miles, the fleeing group finally came to a halt. They chose a secluded spot, set up a formation, and settled within to wait...
Li Shuhe produced the "spirit source" she had mentioned—a clump of crimson gas swirling within the small space of her palm.
"This is a spirit source?"
Li Shuhe hummed in affirmation.
Lu Yuan grumbled, "There was only this much in an entire tower?"
On the journey there, Li Shuhe had walked alongside the others and taken the opportunity to educate them on the Spirit-Devouring Tribe—the dark creatures.
Her explanation covered Black Spirit City, the Spirit Towers, the spirit sources, and various other topics, with the spirit sources being the primary focus.
The so-called spirit source was a form of energy used to sustain darkness, manifesting in the form of mist.
Much like spirit stones or Shadow Soul Stones, it was a physical manifestation of energy.
However, this spirit source was far more precious than spirit stones or Shadow Soul Stones; its value even surpassed that of immortal artifacts in Fanzhou.
The cost of producing a spirit source was also immense. It could be created within a Spirit Tower using the lives and souls of living beings as raw materials through a process of catalysis.
Alternatively, it could be formed from the essence of the Breath of Darkness that drifted and grew within the desolate Grey Realm, born inside a Spirit Tower under the guidance of certain laws.
On this continent fallen to darkness, spirit sources were being nurtured within Spirit Towers at every moment.
Li Shuhe explained that at regular intervals, envoys from the Ancestral Spirit Hall would visit every Spirit Tower to collect the accumulated spirit sources.
As for what they were used for, even Li Shuhe wasn't entirely sure. She speculated they were used for cultivation. What she did know was that this substance could, to a certain extent, block the detection of the Breath of Darkness and evade the gaze of the Eye of Darkness.
She also mentioned that wherever the light of a spirit source reached, dark creatures could thrive. It could feed back into the world, continuously producing Breath of Darkness to nourish the dark creatures...
The old man named Fang Xiaoyao had ended up in that state precisely because he had been affected by this substance.
Staring at the orb of blood-colored spirit source in her hand, she replied, "It isn't much, but even a Spirit Tower in a place like Sword Province would need at least a century to produce this."
A single province spanned two million miles, yet a century only produced this tiny clump?
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but gasp. If that was the case, this item truly was extraordinarily precious.
However, some began to have doubts. Since this substance could cause one to lose themselves and turn living souls into monsters like the dark creatures, would they also be infected if they refined it?
"Yes."
Li Shuhe gave a definitive answer.
Everyone's expressions immediately became extremely complex, Xu Xian included. However, he knew that after going to such great lengths, Li Shuhe wouldn't harm them. She must have a solution.
"What do we need to do?"
Even though speaking was difficult for her, Li Shuhe patiently and diligently explained, as it concerned their lives. "I have a secret art that can protect you from its influence for five years."
"And after five years?" Tu Sisi asked.
Li Shuhe gazed out at the desolation to the east, her blood-red eyes brimming with tears. "After five years, as long as you cross the River of Heaven, its light will naturally purify you. You will have nothing to worry about."
The River of Heaven was a miraculous river that hung between darkness and light, capable of purifying all the darkness and evil in the world.
Dark creatures could not cross it, and the Breath of Darkness could not penetrate it. They could only stare at each other from opposite banks. Thus, the Immortal Land was born within the Heavens.
The group didn't ask further questions about what the River of Heaven was or why it was like that. It didn't matter. All they cared about was the number.
Five years.
If they could traverse the thirty-six provinces and reach the River of Heaven within five years, they would live.
In their plans, they had estimated the distance and calculated the time required. Assuming no variables interfered and their bodies could hold out, they could reach it in three years by traveling day and night.
Now they had five years; the buffer time provided was sufficient.
The prerequisite for ensuring their bodies could hold out was being able to eliminate the erosion from the pervasive Breath of Darkness.
As for unknown variables, if they could evade the detection of the darkness, those variables would naturally be minimized.
They felt this was feasible.
As for what would happen after five years, if they still hadn't made it out, then it was simply their fate to perish.
Seeing that the eight of them had no more to say, Xu Xian's gaze slowly swept over them. "Any more questions?"
The others either remained silent or shook their heads.
Xu Xian understood and looked at Li Shuhe. "Senior, let us begin then."
Li Shuhe hummed in agreement.
The nine of them sat cross-legged and began to circulate the heart cultivation method Li Shuhe had taught them. With a shift of Li Shuhe's divine sense, the world within her palm was upended.
The clump of spirit source split into nine parts and fell toward the nine people. Their faces more or less showed expressions of pain...
The refining process began!
Her task finished, Li Shuhe leaped up. As was her habit, she found the highest mountain in the area and stood there alone, her bridal gown fluttering in the wind along with her long black hair.
She looked toward the western sky, her affectionate and sorrowful eyes containing a trace of worry and apprehension.
From her perspective, that great battle was still ongoing. She knew that such a commotion would inevitably draw more dark powerhouses to the scene.
None of them could hope to stay out of it.
Her only prayer was that the Twilight Emperor could cause enough trouble to stall them for a while longer, buying them some time.
As for why the Twilight Emperor, the Undying Great Emperor—the greatest villain of the early Era of Ancient Immortals—would cause such a scene with the dark creatures?
It wasn't a matter of right or wrong, but a matter of perspective.
She believed that as long as a living soul still possessed their own consciousness, they could never enjoy staying in such a desolate place where there was no sun, moon, or stars, no transition between day and night, and no changing of the seasons.
It was true for her, and it was true for the Sovereign.
Of course, there were those who bowed to the darkness and surrendered just to stay alive.
But he was different.
He was a former monarch, a great emperor. He had high aspirations; how could he be willing to compromise and live under someone else's thumb?
However, she also knew that only failure awaited him. He was indeed the Twilight Emperor, but that was in the past. Even if he possessed his peak combat power from back then, what could he do?
All of Cangming had been defeated. From the beginning until it fell, it hadn't even taken ten thousand years for those dark creatures to maintain the current status quo.
If not for the appearance of that River Herder, there would be no living souls left in Cangming.
In the face of the darkness, the Twilight Emperor was not the variable. The only variable was Xu Xian, the youth from the lower realm and the new master of the Heavenly White Jade Capital.
Very few people knew of this.
It was a prophecy within the Li family's secret records.
The First Ancestor had left behind guidance.
He said that when the darkness returned, a fated one would be born to meet the tribulation, coming all alone. He would be like a blade of grass, yet as brilliant as a river of stars...
Turning into a beam of light to illuminate the Star Sea!
Black and white,
Sin and virtue,
Right and wrong.
The moon born in the water,
The shadow beneath the light,
The image within the mirror.
The Great Dao is simple. If a thing is born in a place, there must be something within that place that acts as its counterpart.
Her gaze involuntarily fell upon the youth refining the spirit source in that desolate land...
She admitted that over the past ten thousand years, she had questioned and denied it time and again.
But now, she was starting to believe.
She whispered softly, "Do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate."
The Little Book Spirit approached at some point, whether out of boredom or curiosity. Driven by some unknown impulse, it asked, "Li Shuhe, can you see me?"
Li Shuhe's expression didn't change as she shook her head.
Little Book Spirit: "......." She's not even going to pretend anymore?
Little Book Spirit: "Holy crap!"
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