Birth of the Demonic Sword

Great Builder's words made the experts widen their eyes. The fact that Heaven and Earth needed to acc.u.mulate energy every once in a while was quite surprising, but his lines contained something far more interesting.

'What in the world are the Cities in the sky?' Noah shouted in his mind, even if the name already described a lot.

"You must consider that Heaven and Earth deplete most of their power in the constant expansion," Great Builder explained after noticing the surprised faces. "These lands only get the leftovers of their full might. Conquering planes and filling them with "Breath" is the real deal."

His explanation only made the experts more surprised. The structure of the planes and Heaven and Earth's projects had always been a vague topic in the cultivation world, but Great Builder seemed to know everything.

"What did you expect?" Great Builder continued. "Heaven and Earth need to capture planes for their survival and goals. They still want to reach the tenth rank. I guess they sacrifice a plane or two every few eras. The Immortal Lands always become a mess during those periods."

"Slow down!" King Elbas suddenly shouted while lowering his gaze to show his respect for the expert. "Can you repeat everything from the Cities in the sky?"

The others didn't hesitate to nod, and Great Builder finally understood the reason behind their amazement. A shameless smile then appeared on his face, and an awkward laugh soon resounded through the area.

"I forgot what it was to speak with existences under the ninth rank," Great Builder explained while scratching his cheek. "You shouldn't have learnt about this so soon. This knowledge shouldn't be free."

"Too late," Noah announced while sitting closer to the expert. "Explain now."

Great Builder wanted to refuse, but he felt awkward in front of so many curious faces. Moreover, those experts had been a crucial part of his resurrection. He didn't know how right it was to keep them in the dark.

A sigh eventually escaped from his mouth. Great Builder opened his palm to create a series of white orbs that began to float in front of him.

"We all know that Heaven and Earth have blessed us with their "Breath" and all the other stories," Great Builder explained. "Their energy goes both ways. Part of it flows into their planes, while most of it spreads outside the sky, toward the worlds that they have yet to discover."

His spheres morphed to match his explanation. Great Builder represented Heaven and Earth's domain as a circular area with the Mortal Lands at its edges.

The lower planes were right outside the white sky, even if its radiance enveloped them in a massive spherical structure. Instead, the Immortal Lands were inside that barrier.

Worlds would enter the white aura from time to time. Some fell apart and sent their energy toward the sky, while others remained outside the sky to serve as a new lower plane.

"I don't know everything," Great Builder reminded. "A lot of this knowledge is purely theoretical, but this should be the exact structure of Heaven and Earth's domain."

"Can we return into a lower plane if we leave the sky?" King Elbas immediately asked.

"The lower planes might be outside of the sky," Great Builder replied, "But they are inside Heaven and Earth domain. Space itself belongs to them in that area. Traveling through it without the proper tools or an adequate cultivation level is impossible."

"Did you try to do it?" Alexander asked.

"I did, a long time ago," Great Builder revealed. "I left from one of the holes above the landing zones and ventured through the void. It wasn't a nice experience. I never managed to make it past Heaven and Earth's domain."

Everyone fell silent. The idea of returning to lower planes was interesting, but the dangers that accompanied that mission outweighed the possible rewards.

"How did you find your way back?" Noah asked.

"My group had a rank 9 inscribed item that remained attached to the hole to remind us of its position," Great Builder explained. "Yet, it's easy to lose yourself in the void, especially when Heaven and Earth control it. My team lost two powerful cultivators during the mission."

"Why did you make the journey?" King Elbas asked.

"I was bored, and Heaven and Earth continued to annoy me with their Tribulations," Great Builder snorted. "Also, lower planes have resources limited by their environment. Heaven and Earth had even cursed a few of them. Bringing them into the Immortal Lands and pushing their power to the divine ranks could lead to decent benefits."

Noah could immediately think of a few things that he would bring into the Immortal Lands. The Kesier species was his first idea. He could finally have the best training method for his mind with those creatures up there.

"We never made it to a lower plane," Great Builder revealed before the experts could let their minds run too far away. "Heaven and Earth don't want us to leave. It keeps you spinning in circles until you are ready to surrender your existence."

Noah had already had a conversation about the lands past the sky. He knew that they were hard to explore, but he didn't expect Heaven and Earth to be against him even there.

"What about the Cities in the sky?" Alexander eventually asked.

"They are nothing more than cities inside the immense large barrier," Great Builder said while pointing at the sky. "Only Heaven and Earth's followers can live there. I tried to interrogate a few of them, but I didn't learn much."

"How many followers do they have?" Noah asked.

"I don't know," Great Builder replied while shrugging his shoulders. "Going there is also suicide. I bet Heaven and Earth have multiple rank 9 existences under their rule. That part of the sky is too dangerous for forces of your size and a few decent experts."

Sparks gathered in the sky during the conversation. They flew toward the group and amassed around Divine Demon. Heaven and Earth had cursed him on the spot.

"It has already begun," Great Builder sighed when he inspected that scene. "It seems that Heaven and Earth have a lot of energy to waste on you. You shouldn't remain here for too long."

Great Builder stood up, but Noah imitated him and attracted his attention again.

"Where are you going?" Noah quickly asked, and Great Builder appeared quite displeased by that question.

"I can't protect you forever," Great Builder said in a cold voice. "I think I have already repaid my debt. I have to wake up an old friend before flying back into the stormy regions. These places are too calm."

"Are you talking about Supreme Thief?" Noah asked again, but Great Builder's reaction was completely different at that point.

"How do you know that name?" Great Builder asked, and Noah revealed a shameless smile.

"I will give you the location of his inheritance if you give me part of Radiant Eyes after transforming her into something edible." Noah proposed while trying to play the expert and obtaining part of the loot.

Great Builder limited himself to smile and turn toward a different speech, but Noah felt forced to interrupt him again.

"Give us some resources and far more knowledge," Noah said. "Supreme Thief's inheritance is in a secret location, but I bet we seal a deal. We will even show you the way if the negotiation satisfies us."

"What could you even want?" Great Builder snorted. "Your body is too strong already. You will explode if you add anything more than that."

"You are a rank 9 cultivator capable of creating marvelous items," Noah replied. "I obviously want everything."