Spirit Realm

“How is that possible? Isn’t the Soul Progenitor a member of the Soul Race? Why did he betray them and help the human race instead?” Qin Lie looked to be in disbelief.

Shen Kui shook his head in equal puzzlement. “He is a member of the Soul Race, but for some reason he tried very hard to prevent more of his clansmen from entering Spirit Realm.”

“He was the one who informed the other four progenitors about the abyss channel at the bottom of the sea of the Land of Chaos. He was also the one who informed us about the Dark Soul Beast, Blood Soul Beast, and Soul Devouring Beast’s origin.”

“In fact, he was the one who urged the progenitors to create the five continents and suppress the abyss channel.”

“The reason the human race still thought of him as the Soul Progenitor is because he once contributed to the stability and rise of the human race.”

“Why else would the leaders of the Gold rank forces at the Central World treat him as a progenitor when they knew his true identity?”

Qin Lie fell silent.

A while later, he asked again, “So… you’re saying that the five continents of the Land of Chaos are actually creations of the progenitors? They gathered surrounding islands and joined them into larger continents because they wanted to suppress the abyss channel at the bottom of the sea?”

“That is what I heard.” Shen Kui nodded. “If I’m not mistaken, I heard that the five progenitors once requested the people in charge of the Gold rank forces at the Central World to swear an oath never to dip their fingers in the Land of Chaos or damage the five continents.”

“If a Void Realm or Genesis Realm expert of a Gold rank force operated in the Land of Chaos, the fight that ensues could threaten to break the ancient formation beneath the five continents apart. The abyss channel would open up again once the formation ceases to function.”

“This may attract the Soul Race’s attention and cause them to send more people into Spirit Realm to hurt us.”

Shen Kui looked absolutely serious when he said this, “According to the Soul Progenitor, the Soul Race is as famous as the God Race in the vast galaxy. If more Soul Race members were to arrive at Spirit Realm through the abyss channel, many lives would be lost. Countless races and life forms would be converted into their puppets and avatars.”

“The entire Spirit Realm may succumb to the Soul Race if they arrive in force. Compared to them, the three ghoul races are nothing.”

Shen Kui sighed before continuing, “Unfortunately, the God Race showed up from outer space not long after the Five Progenitors had sealed up the abyss channel. The Soul Progenitor and the three great beasts were identified by the God Race, and they were ultimately hunted down and killed.”

“Ten thousand years after that, the God Race dominated Spirit Realm and ruled over our land.”

“In the end… Spirit Realm still succumbed to another race.”

Shen Kui lamented with a bowed head. He looked helpless.

“Where did you get this from?” Qin Lie asked curiously.

Shen Kui looked up and stared at him. A flash passed through his eyes when he said suddenly, “The story comes from the old family leader of the Qin Family.”

Qin Lie shook slightly in response.

“The old family leader of the Qin Family once came to the Land of Chaos and informed the old leaders.” Shen Kui smiled. “When he came to the Terminator Sect to inform our former sect master about this, he happened to see Nan Zhengtian cultivating so hard that he forgot himself. At the time, Nan Zhengtian’s talent was extremely average compared to the new disciples of Terminator Sect such as the extraordinarily talented Xu Ran. You can say that gap was like a firefly and the moon; no one believed that Nan Zhengtian would become the sect master of Terminator Sect one day.”

After a pause, Shen Kui added, “Even I never gave Nan Zhengtian a second glance.”

“After the old family leader of the Qin Family arrived and spoke about the matter with the former sect master of Terminator Sect, he happened upon a cultivating Nan Zhengtian as he was planning to leave. So… he decided to stay behind for a little while longer.”

“Not long after, Nan Zhengtian slowly rose in power and cultivated faster than all the geniuses who were thought to be superior.”

“Finally, Nan Zhentian replaced Xu Ran and became the current sect master of the Terminator Sect.”

Qin Lie looked surprised.

It was obvious that Shen Kui knew of his identity already. So, he decided to be frank with the old man and admitted, “Qin Shan is my grandfather.”

Shen Kui nodded smilingly. “I knew it since a while ago. The reason Xu Ran and Tong Zhenzhen knew of your identity is because I told them.”

“So, the Gold rank forces of the Central World swore never to dip their fingers into the Land of Chaos because they were afraid that the formation that suppresses the abyss channel at the bottom of the five continents would malfunction and cause new Souls to enter our world, is that it?” Qin Lie muttered.

“That is what I know, at least. If there are any other secrets… you’ll have to ask your grandfather himself.” Shen Kui smiled wryly.

“Thank you for telling me all this, Elder Shen.” Qin Lie bowed respectfully towards Shen Kui.

Shen Kui waved his hands. “I thought you already knew about this, honestly. To think that you, a Qin Family member, was actually unaware of this secret. How strange.”

Qin Lie wasn’t willing to speak of the time he “died” three hundred years ago, so he bid Shen Kui goodbye after chatting with him for a little while longer.

When he stepped into the teleportation formation of Terminator Sect, he noticed a trace of resentment in Shen Yue’s eyes.

He could only pretend that he hadn’t noticed.

“What did you tell him, grandfather?” Shen Yue shot Shen Kui a glare after sending Qin Lie away and returning to her grandfather. “What’s so mysterious that you have to hide it even from me?”

“Sorry. If it wasn’t because the former sect master couldn’t be sure who’s the one between Nan Zhengtian or Xu Ran that would succeed him as the next sect master, even I… shouldn’t have learned about this,” Shen Kui answered her in a helpless tone.

When Qin Shan showed up to inform the leaders of the great Silver rank forces about this, it was also to warn them never to damage the internal structure of the five continents no matter how bad their wars had devolved.

If they didn’t listen, the Qin Family would punish all disobeyers strictly.

Moreover, Qin Shan also informed that the Gold rank forces of the Central World would never interfere with their business or dip their fingers into the Land of Chaos.

The leaders of the nine great Silver rank forces had restricted their disciples firmly since then. Every time they warred against one another, they made sure that the battlefield was set at the sky or the deep sea.

They didn’t even dare to damage Blood Cloud Mountain Range too much when they worked together to take out Blood Fiend Sect back then.

The leaders of the Silver rank forces had always abided to that invisible rule. They never damaged the continents beneath them.

“Lass, the fact that you haven’t tied any knots with Qin Lie may not necessarily be a bad thing.” Shen Kui sighed quietly. “He is destined to be a passing traveller in the Land of Chaos and nothing more. His future is also full of uncertainty. You may not necessarily be happy if you came to be with him.”

“I, I never thought about it,” Shen Yue said quietly.

Shen Kui shook his head and stopped talking.

……

Plagued by many thoughts, Qin Lie went straight to Soul Summoning Island instead of returning to Flaming Sun Island.

“The five progenitors had gathered the surrounding islands and filled the sea to create five continents. Then, they assembled a mysterious formation that can suppress the abyss channel and prevent the Soul Race from ascending to Spirit Realm. The Soul Race is so powerful that they are equal in strength to the God Race.”

“The God Race seems to be stirring and making preparations to return to Spirit Realm. The Soul Race also seems to be waiting for an opportunity to reap the fertile lands of Spirit Realm. Besides that, the shadow beings are slowly approaching our way.”

“What would Spirit Realm turn into in the future?”

“Where should I go from hereon?”

Qin Lie felt a little lost as he hovered above Soul Summoning Island. The future looked uncertain, and there were far too many unknown dangers to account for.

“Rrrrrmmb!”

Suddenly, a resounding boom came from deep within the Ruined Lands.

Qin Lie subconsciously looked towards the distance.

“Swoosh!”

A gray light suddenly flashed past his vision. The Curse Progenitor’s remains flew out of his glabella, headed straight towards the origin of the explosion.

Qin Lie was caught off guard by this.

“The explosion came from Seine’s island!” La Pu abruptly appeared. “He was probably constructing the fourth level of his Soul Altar and ascending to the Void Realm!”

“Seine?” It took a second before Qin Lie realized who he was speaking of. He exclaimed, “You mean Seine, the strongest of the seven hidden experts of the Land of Chaos?”

“Who else could it be?” La Pu said solemnly.

“Why did the Curse Progenitor’s remains fly out then?” Qin Lie asked in puzzlement.

“What?” La Pu didn’t understand what he meant.

“The Curse Progenitor I acquired from the chaotic streams of space had suddenly flown out on its own towards the island where Seine is cultivating,” Qin Lie explained.

“Ah! Why is this happening?” La Pu also exclaimed.

Qin Lie frowned. “We should head there and check things out, no matter what happened.”

“You’re right!” La Pu nodded.

And so, the duo flew away from Soul Summoning Island, met up with the nearby Forefather Dark Wind and headed straight for Seine’s island.

Along the way, they saw many evil spirits and foreign beings gathering towards Seine’s cultivation place, alerted by the explosion.