After Nie Tian filled the teleportation portal with spatial power stones, it started as he had expected, and teleported him and Yin Yanan to the Realm of Split Void.
“It’s another palace.” Standing inside the palace that had surfaced from the depths of the earth, Yin Yanan glanced around, and discovered that this palace was very similar to the one they had just teleported from, with only a few minor variations.
She even suspected that she had never left that palace.
Nie Tian unleashed his soul awareness, which went through the palace walls, to get ahold of the situation outside the palace.
He instantly sensed Nie Donghai’s and many other familiar auras, and realized that many Nie Clan members were practicing cultivation in peace in the bamboo forest that was right outside of the palace.
It seemed that nothing major had happened to the Domain of the Falling Stars after he had left.
If there had been any major changes, the bamboo forest by this palace would have been the first to be affected.
“Are we in the Domain of the Falling Stars?” Yin Yanan asked curiously.
Nie Tian nodded slightly. “Yeah, we’re in one of its realms.”
Yin Yanan then thought to herself, “The teleportation portal here leads to the palace in that forbidden region, which is almost identical to this one. And there are two sets of coordinates in the teleportation portal in that palace, one of which leads to the Domain of the Falling Stars...”
She had heard the conversation Nie Tian had had with the Divine Flame Sect disciples in front of the teleportation portal in the palace they had just teleported from.
Yin Yanan’s eyes suddenly lit up as she exclaimed, “From the look of it, these places the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace left for you are actually a star path, through which you’ll eventually be able to reach the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s headquarters.
“It starts here in the Domain of the Falling Stars, and then continues to that forbidden region. After you gain control of that floating continent, you’ll be able to move on to the next spot.
“All you need to do is follow the path the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace has planned for you, taking one step at a time, and eventually you’ll arrive in the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s headquarters.
“By the time you get there, you’ll have acc.u.mulated enough strength, and your cultivation will have risen to a whole new level.
“At that time, your return will attract everyone’s attention, and everything will work out as they have planned. You’ll s.h.i.+ne in the depths of the starry river as the seventh Son of the Stars.”
A shudder ran through Nie Tian after he heard these words.
Yin Yanan had thought the matter through when even Nie Tian hadn’t himself. He had only felt that the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace had made all these arrangements to test him, and he still had a long way to go before he could arrive at the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s headquarters as a Son of the Stars and earn their acknowledgment.
Now, Yin Yanan’s words suddenly enlightened him, allowing him to see the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s intentions.
“Follow the path they’ve left for me. Build myself up as I take one step at a time...” With these thoughts in mind, Nie Tian took a deep breath, a hearty smile appearing on his face.
He opened the stone gate with one swift push and walked outside.
Yin Yanan followed along.
Breathing in the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth in the Realm of Split Void and glancing up at the fierce sun, she said, “So this is a realm of the Domain of the Falling Stars… Even though the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth here isn’t as rich as the continent we just came from, it’s roughly at the same level as many realms in the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries.”
Nie Tian smiled, not saying a word.
He was well-aware that what Yin Yanan had in mind must be completely different from the actual situation in the Realm of Split Void. She must not know that all sorts of foreign energies were dispersing into the Void Illusion Mountain Range through spatial rifts as they spoke.
Before this palace had surfaced, those foreign energies had pervaded the Realm of Split Void, rendering it unfit for cultivators. People had abandoned it for this very reason.
However, everything had changed after the appearance of this palace.
The foreign energies had been purged and turned into pure spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, which was nouris.h.i.+ng this once-deserted realm back to prosperity.
He could feel that the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth in the Realm of Split Void had become richer than when he had left.
“Nie Tian!” Li Langfeng was the first to notice his arrival.
He had remained here since Nie Tian had left, doing his utmost to protect Nie Donghai and the others in the bamboo forest.
It had been almost two years, and he had thought that, even if Nie Tian returned, he would have returned through the teleportation portal the Lei Clan had set up. Never had he expected that Nie Tian would suddenly walk out of the palace.
Li Langfeng bolted to Nie Tian’s side. Surprise and joy filled his face as he asked, “H-how come you returned through this palace?”
Yin Yanan took a glance at him. Her expression flickered slightly as she thought to herself, “The middle Profound realm... and he seems to practice poisonous incantations! I can’t believe how similar his aura is to that of a Fiend. Don’t tell me that the incantations he practices were acquired from the Fiends!”
“Congratulations!” Nie Tian said. “It’s hard to believe that your cultivation base has already risen to such a high level.”
Li Langfeng bowed slightly and said with a sincere tone, “I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you. You’ve bestowed numerous rare Fiends’ treasures and ancient records upon me. How do I dare not to make good use of them to improve my battle prowess and cultivation base?”
Eyebrows furrowed, Yin Yanan thought to herself, “This man won’t be easy to deal with...”
She practiced profound body refining incantations and was well-versed in secret magics that wielded spirit beast flesh power. Even though she was currently at the early Profound realm, she had the confidence to contend against any middle Profound realm expert without seeking help from her Frost Blood Python.
However, the scrawny, pale-faced man in front of him made her apprehensive.
She had a feeling that, if she didn’t have the Frost Blood Python to help him, even if she was in her peak state, she wouldn’t be able to match this man in battle.
“Didn’t they say that the Domain of the Falling Stars is a domain that’s so down and out that they don’t have a single Void domain expert? Then why has the first man I see here turned out to be so strange, and the toxins running inside of him make me feel so uncomfortable?” She suddenly started to attach some importance to this domain, which she had previously looked down upon.
“Since the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace chose a Son of Stars from this domain, there must be something special about it!”
With these thoughts in mind, Yin Yanan said, “Nie Tian, if you don’t mind, can I go take a look around? I want to broaden my horizons and take a good look at this domain.”
Eye narrowed, Nie Tian said, “Alright, but don’t cause any trouble, especially after your Frost Blood Python finishes upgrading its bloodline.”
Once the Frost Blood Python entered the eighth grade, Yin Yanan’s strength would rise significantly, and she would be unchallenged throughout the Domain of the Falling Stars.
No one would be able to subdue her except the Void domain expert from the Lei Clan.
“Like I promised, I won’t do anything rash.” With these words, she looked over her shoulder at the palace behind her and added, “This palace stands here, and you’re a Son of the Stars chosen by the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. This means the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace has marked the entire Domain of the Falling Stars as their territory. Of course I won’t cause trouble here.
“Not to mention that...” After a moment of hesitation, she continued, “I’ll have to rely on you to return to the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries, so of course I’ll heed your warnings.”
Nie Tian nodded. “You take care then.”
With a somewhat arrogant smile, Yin Yanan said, “Don’t worry. It won’t be long before I come back here.”
With these words, she left by herself.
As she did, Nie Donghai, Nie Qian, and the others seemed to sense the movements, and thus came out of the bamboo forest.
“Grandfather! Aunt!” Beaming with joy, Nie Tian ran towards them.
…
Nie Tian’s return rapidly became the focus of conversation in every major sect and clan throughout the Domain of the Falling Stars.
“Nie Tian is back!”
“He didn’t return through the teleportation portal the Lei Clan set up, but rather through the mysterious palace in the Realm of Split Void!”
“It’s been nearly two years. Where did he go? What happened to him?”
“Let’s go to the Realm of Split Void!”
The Spirit Condor, the Dong Clan, the Ice Pavilion Sect, the Tool Sect, and many other powers that had close ties with Nie Tian headed towards the Realm of Split Void as soon as they received word of his return.
In the realm of Mystic Heaven...
Zhao Luofeng, Ling Dong, Wu Ya, and many other Profound realm experts of the Heaven Palace Sect were standing by a gloomy lake, their expressions solemn.
However, excitement filled their eyes.
Moments later, the figure of an old man quietly appeared in the teleportation portal at the lake’s bottom, which seemed to lead to some arcane realm.
The old man’s face was covered in deep wrinkles, which gave him a very old, but very ethereal feeling.
“Martial uncle!” Zhao Luofeng and Ling Dong rushed to him the moment he came out of the lake.
“You’ve finally entered the Void domain, Martial Uncle!” Ling Dong exclaimed. “There’s hope for our sect again!”
Fan Kai had been consumed with the advancement of his cultivation, and missed both outsider invasions. Even though he had entered the early Void domain now, he didn’t seem overjoyed at all. Instead, he said with knit eyebrows, “Whether or not the Heaven Palace Sect will have a proper place in the Domain of the Falling Stars no longer depends on me.”
“Who does it depend on then?” Ling Dong asked, looking confused.
“Nie Tian.”