"The south is unknown," Jin Yuan said.
Gazing at the pitch-black celestial vault, he drifted into thought. As an expert in the middle stage of the fifth realm, he could not even grasp the true reality of the world he inhabited.
At present, humanity felt it had already explored immensely far, yet looking back, it seemed they still remained in a dust-covered corner.
And yet, according to ancient texts, they were supposed to live on a planet. How could there be such a vast expanse of territory?
Ever since the sun disappeared, bizarre changes had unfolded, leaving many things utterly inexplicable.
The extreme frontiers they could now reach were already farther than the distance recorded in books from their ancestral home to the moon.
The eternal night was like an abyss, with mist creeping and expanding, heedless of where it connected or merged the land beneath their feet.
Puzzled, Qin Ming asked, "How can the south be unknown? Has no one ever ventured deep into it?"
"Everyone who went vanished," Jin Yuan told him.
To the south, the mist was dense and heavy. Every creature that ventured deep into it disappeared without creating even a ripple, never to return.
Qin Ming said, "A marginal corner, a dust-covered nook—is that how the creatures of neighboring territories perceive our domain?"
Jin Yuan nodded. "No need to mind it. They neighbor us, so they haven't moved beyond this scope either."
Qin Ming frowned deeply, feeling a sense of foreboding.
He remarked, "Our situation isn't great. If we're targeted by bloodthirsty tribes under the eternal night or noticed by powerful civilizations, the consequences would be unthinkable."
Jin Yuan chuckled. "Hasn't everything been fine all these years?"
Taken aback, Qin Ming looked at him.
Jin Yuan added, "In truth, things aren't bad. Isn't Kunling connected to Yujing?"
Hearing this, Qin Ming's heart stirred. The beings that had fled from there were often Earth Immortals, and there might even be more formidable entities among them.
Jin Yuan said, "Yujing does not exist in reality, but to unfathomable creatures and immortal powers from afar, it should carry considerable deterrent force."
Those who reached the level of Earth Immortals were certainly no reckless fools. Before invading a territory, they would investigate and inquire thoroughly.
Jin Yuan continued leisurely, "Under the night mist, even provoking certain unknown 'phenomena' can invite catastrophic disaster, let alone mythic legends that haven't faded too far away and can still descend into reality."
Qin Ming suddenly felt that the land where they lived might not be in such precarious, day-to-day peril after all.
Jin Yuan smiled. "Besides, our domain is quite vibrant. The ancestral masters are full of vigor, just like the legendary morning glow accompanying a rising red sun. The future is promising."
Qin Ming was speechless, and the facial muscles of others on the airship twitched slightly. Did Old Man Jin dare say whatever he pleased simply because none of the ancestral masters were present?
Jin Yuan laughed. "I speak the truth. Don't underestimate the foundation of our own domain."
Clearly, the young generation knew little, but the elders all grew thoughtful and nodded involuntarily.
Aboard another airship, an old man spoke: "Starting from the sixth realm, one can alter their state of life to become a god or embark on the immortal path, yet in this era, very few ancestral masters make that choice."
He was an expert in the middle stage of the fifth realm of the immortal path named Qian Yuan. As a grandmaster-level figure, he naturally knew plenty of secrets.
Jin Yuan nodded in agreement. "Indeed. The ancestral masters are unwilling to alter their forms; they wish to walk all the way forward remaining 'human.' One could say that most ancestral masters of this era possess magnificent audacity."
Qian Yuan said, "Be it the esoteric sects, the immortal path, or the Newborn path, all have obtained manuals on becoming gods or immortals. If the ancestral masters wished to embark on that road, it would pose no problem at all."
According to people's estimates, the formidable ancestral masters of each path could already handle lesser gods and Feathered Immortals, so the sixth-realm experts held no awe toward gods and immortals.
Qin Ming immediately thought of the River Goddess in the Shuyu River of the Dayu imperial capital, guessing that the more formidable ancestral masters would not fear her at all.
Certain immortals and gods who had cultivated for ages and accumulated deep attainments were likely firmly rooted in the seventh realm, such as the mirage immortal slain by the ancestral masters.
Though not skilled in battle, its accumulation had been profound, and its ability to turn illusions into reality had been truly formidable.
Jin Yuan said, "The greatest problem facing those legendary immortals and gods is that their upper limit easily gets locked. Breaking through major barriers is extraordinarily difficult. One could even say that most of them can no longer see a way forward."
This was precisely why the sixth-realm ancestral masters were reluctant to touch that domain.
For instance, certain corpse-liberated immortals endured long, agonizing ages inside large graves, nearly exhausting their lifespans and accumulating what they believed to be deep attainments, only to find they still couldn't even touch the edge of the middle seventh realm.
In truth, tracing the upper limits of immortals and gods mostly came down to their original self before altering their form. Those who sought to become gods or immortals as soon as they set foot in the sixth realm mostly ended up as lesser gods or Feathered Immortals.
Qian Yuan said, "A tiny handful of ridiculously overpowered sixth-realm experts can already slay early seventh-realm immortals and gods on their own. Whether such an ancestral master is human or non-human, possessing such ability, what reason or desire would they have to switch tracks?"
Evidently, the greater an ancestral master's accumulation on their original path, the astonishingly higher their ceiling would be once they became a god or immortal.
Therefore, ambitious sixth-realm ancestral masters all yearned to blaze new trails ahead; unless driven to an impasse, none were willing to undergo that so-called 'leap in life.'
Jin Yuan sighed. "In a sense, whether you were human or non-human before, once you become an immortal or a god, you are no longer your original species."
Qian Yuan nodded and added, "The forms of immortals and the states of gods are bizarre and varied. Only a small fraction are sacred, transcendent, and ethereal. As for the appearance of most gods and immortals, best leave it unsaid—it is nowhere near as magnificent as you imagine."
"At what level is the strength of an Earth Immortal-grade creature?" someone asked.
After pondering briefly, Qian Yuan gave a range: "At the very least in the middle stage of the seventh realm, or perhaps even reaching the late stage."
Everyone reflected on this. No wonder the ancestral masters dared face the immortal graves, gaze calmly upon corpse-liberated immortals, and converse as equals with the Earth Immortal sealed in the primary tomb; they truly had confidence to back it up.
Jin Yuan said seriously, "A few trail-blazing ancestral masters who are exceptionally overpowered could probably reach the Earth Immortal realm in the end if they chose to alter the essence of their life right now and become immortals."
This stirred no small commotion, and many showed looks of astonishment.
"So we're actually this strong!" someone exclaimed.
Jin Yuan chuckled. "One can only say our domain has a rich foundation and ample potential. The ancestral masters are full of vigor, constantly gazing toward the distance, still vibrant like that legendary newly risen sun..."
"Stop!" Qian Yuan hurriedly cut him off. The old fellow had no filter. Talking about the ancestral masters like this behind their backs, if word got out, he might get into trouble when he returned to the outer realm.
Someone remarked, "Hearing that neighboring territories all have Earth Immortal-grade experts had me terrified of an invasion, but now I feel somewhat relieved."
Jin Yuan's expression turned serious. "Earth Immortals and Earth Immortal-grade creatures are two entirely different states. The former is manageable, but the latter hasn't exhausted its potential yet, which is truly terrifying."
Someone asked, "If the ancestral masters haven't reached the level of immortals or gods yet, why did they settle on their own paths so early on, desiring to keep forging ahead?"
Qian Yuan said, "Do you think we were bustling about pointlessly when we excavated all those ancient ruins and wore out stacks of ancient manuals during the reclamation? As the ancestral masters corroborate their findings and blaze new trails, they inevitably uncover certain truths."
When experts at the cutting edge did everything they could to break through bottlenecks, they naturally witnessed the regrets of the ancients. Comparing various scriptures was equivalent to conversing with departed sages of the past, revealing traces across the river of history.
Qian Yuan revealed part of the truth: "Lesser gods, Feathered Immortals, and even Earth Immortals cannot achieve immortality. Their lifespans are merely somewhat longer. Moreover, their true state does not appear to be so carefree."
Jin Yuan agreed, saying, "That's why certain beings regretted it and sought to return. Even if they had to pay a tremendous price, they wanted to retrace the path they came from... Among them are not just Earth Immortals, but even Heavenly Immortals and Heavenly Gods."
Such words were thoroughly shocking.
Just at that moment, a colossal boom echoed like the collapse of heaven and earth. High in the night sky, where the distant 'grotto-heaven' lay, the massive mass of colored mist surged and churned, streaked with countless bolts of lightning.
At the same time, the passage connected to it took on an even more lurid bloody hue, with red energy substance scattering downward.
For some reason, everyone felt their hearts palpitate with dread.
The faces of Jin Yuan and Qian Yuan, both grandmasters in the middle stage of the fifth realm, changed drastically.
"It can't be such a coincidence, can it?" The two exchanged glances, both seeing nervousness in each other's eyes.
"Fall back immediately! Get underway!" the two hastily ordered.
Earth Immortal treasures, extraordinary sacred relics, Heavenly Immortal scriptures—none of them mattered anymore. Possessing such deep cultivation and powerful spiritual fields, both grandmasters sensed an inexplicable terror emerging. It was an omen as bad as it could possibly get.
"What is that?"
By then, several renowned figures stiffened as well, feeling as if a great mountain were about to burst forth from the colored mist, as though a colossal entity were bearing down upon their hearts.
"Now there is a fourth explanation for the 'dragon draws water' phenomenon," Jin Yuan said solemnly.
Within the intimidating colored mist, bloody substance continuously poured into the passage. Those who had mastered profound ocular arts opened their eyes wide in astonishment, all feeling a chill wash over them.
"Is that a living creature?"
A few experts saw a gory human skin detach from the massive colored mist and drift into the passage, its 'body' swaying continuously.
On the human skin's face, within its hollow eye sockets, bloody light swirled and runes intertwined as it cast a glance toward the two airships—a truly terrifying sight.
Others might not understand, but how could Qin Ming not know? In that thatched hut within the Kunling baleful ground, he had seen handwritten notes suspected to belong to Old Man Liu that mentioned such things.
He was somewhat stunned. To think he would actually witness such a thing in reality.
Jin Yuan felt his head throbbing. "People and events in this world, indeed all living things, truly cannot bear being talked about. In this terrifying misty world, whatever you talk about, whatever you fear, that's exactly what ends up coming!"
Chapter 317