Two weeks pa.s.sed...
Kan Zhisheng finished the inter-domain teleportation portal.
The teleportation portal connected the Realm of Maelstrom in the Domain of Heaven Python to the Realm of Split Void in the Domain of the Falling Stars directly, allowing Qi warriors to travel freely among Nie Tian’s three domains.
However, to teleport to the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s headquarters, they still had to rely on the ancient teleportation portals they had left in the Realm of Split Void and the Realm of Shattered Earth many years ago.
As Nie Tian returned to the Realm of Fragmentary Star, Jing Feiyang, Quan Zixuan, Qu Mingde, Dong Qisong, Zhongli Jian, and Feng Yulin followed along.
None of the other Void domain experts from the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries had cultivated to the point where they were close to breaking through into the Saint domain.
Another reason why they had decided to stay behind was because they wanted to see if Dong Qisong and the others would actually be able to get the precious materials they needed by visiting the Realm of Remote Heaven with Nie Tian.
Upon arriving at the Vast Heaven Pavilion, Kan Zhisheng started making adjustments to the teleportation portal, and adding the coordinates for the Realm of Remote Heaven.
As he did, Nie Tian took Jing Feiyang to the Tool Pavilion, leaving the others in the Vast Heaven Pavilion.
Five Heavenly Talismans were exhibited in a corner of the magnificent pavilion.
The first Heavenly Talisman was carved into a large rock that was as smooth as jade. The marks zigzagged across the rock’s surface, as if they were completely random and meaningless.
The second Heavenly Talisman was on a piece of dried solid dirt, with numerous grooves interweaving on it.
The third Heavenly Talisman was on a grayish-yellow screen, with lines like slithering snakes.
The fourth Heavenly Talisman was carved on a piece of wood, where tree patterns and magical symbols mixed together.
The last Heavenly Talisman was imprinted on a huge paper fan, the patterns looking too messy to make any sense.
All five of them were hung high on the wall. None of them emanated any spiritual fluctuations or carried any outsiders’ bloodline auras.
However, Nie Tian felt a sense of exhaustion in his soul no matter which Heavenly Talisman he fixed his eyes on for more than a few seconds.
It was as if he was consuming his soul power at an alarming rate simply by looking at them.
“These are all of the Heavenly Talismans we have throughout our entire sect,” Wei Lai explained, standing off to the side. “The five of them are priced differently. The first three are five hundred thousand contribution points a piece. The last two are seven hundred thousand a piece.
“Each and every one of them carries the wonders of heaven and earth. Over the years, many sect elders and Sons of the Stars have come to derive enlightenment from them. Most of them have gained valuable enlightenment from them.
“However, they never talk about what they actually learned.”
With these words, Wei Lai shot Jing Feiyang a glance. “You’re lucky that Nie Tian is willing to purchase one of them for you using his contribution points. The spiritual incantations you practice happen to be about learning from powerful symbols and seals, and innovating. I’m sure that if you can derive enlightenment from any of them, it’ll be enough to allow you make that breakthrough in cultivation.”
Nie Tian gave Jing Feiyang a faint smile. “Knock yourself out. I still have quite a few contribution points in my hands. Choose any one you like.”
Jing Feiyang’s eyes had lit up the moment he had seen these Heavenly Talismans.
He hadn’t said a single word so far.
However, after Nie Tian said those words, his s.h.i.+ning eyes suddenly went dim.
PUFF!
A mouthful of blood escaped Jing Feiyang’s mouth.
His face suddenly turned pale. Holding his chest, where his heart was racing, he pointed at the fifth Heavenly Talisman, which was imprinted on a large paper fan, and squeezed a few words through his teeth. “That one!”
Wei Lai remained silent for a brief moment before saying, “That was smart.”
He had long since discovered that Jing Feiyang had sent his soul awareness to drift around and examine the five Heavenly Talismans the moment he had laid eyes on them.
However, even for a Saint domain expert like Jing Feiyang, the consumption of examining five Heavenly Talismans simultaneously was too significant.
The reason why he had chosen the fifth Heavenly Talisman was because he had consumed the most soul power and suffered the most pain when he had examined it.
He knew that he would hurt himself by making his choice through this method, but he did it anyway.
“Okay, that Heavenly Talisman is yours now, and this ring of holding too.” Wei Lai handed a ring to Jing Feiyang. “Inside the ring are the spiritual materials Nie Tian got for you at the expense of thirty thousand contribution points. Adding in that Heavenly Talisman, this time alone you’ve set Nie Tian back seven hundred and thirty thousand contribution points.
“I hope you understand that the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s contribution points are very valuable.
“We have many spiritual materials and precious treasures here that you can’t even find in the Realm of Remote Heaven. Only our members can purchase them with their contribution points.”
Jing Feiyang received the ring in a respectful manner. Then, upon receiving Wei Lai’s consenting signal, he made a grabbing motion in the air, and the large paper fan that carried the fifth Heavenly Talisman flew over and disappeared into the ring of holding Wei Lai had just given him.
He examined the ring with his soul awareness, and discovered that all of the rare spiritual materials he had on that list were now stored within it.
Without thanking Wei Lai, he turned to Nie Tian and bowed respectfully.
“Alright, this is all done,” Wei Lai said to Nie Tian. “After deducting the seven hundred and thirty thousand contribution points you spent on the spiritual materials and Heavenly Talisman, and the fifty thousand you spent on that new inter-domain teleportation portal, you only have a hundred and seventy thousand contribution points left.”
Nie Tian nodded to show him that he understood before leaving with Jing Feiyang.
Upon their return to the Vast Heaven Pavilion, Quan Zixuan, Qu Mingde, and the others rushed over to them.
They were all surprised to see how weak Jing Feiyang was.
“I got a terrific Heavenly Talisman!” Jing Feiyang exclaimed very excitedly. “I won’t be going to the Realm of Remote Heaven with you. In fact, I’m going back to the Domain of Heaven Python now to focus on deriving enlightenment from that wondrous Heavenly Talisman. I have total confidence that it’ll help me enter the middle Saint domain after I refine it into my domain!”
“Congratulations!” Everyone congratulated him simultaneously.
As envious as they were, they understood that Jing Feiyang and his Divine Seal Sect had been the first to swear allegiance to Nie Tian.
Furthermore, he had secretly escorted Nie Tian during his trip to the Domain of Endless Snow, where he had freed Fan Kai and the others from Patriarch Snowy Peak’s imprisonment.
It was understandable that Nie Tian would take special care of him.
Soon, Jing Feiyang left through the teleportation portal to set about his breakthrough into the middle Saint domain.
“Come on,” Nie Tian said. “I’ll take you to the Realm of Remote Heaven now.”
Everyone then gathered at the teleportation portal that had just settled down. After Nie Tian flicked his fingers, setting the spell formation to the coordinates for the Realm of Remote Heaven, it was activated again.
In the Realm of Remote Heaven.
On a large piece of floating land stood a grand palace that looked similar to the ones in the Realm of Split Void and the Realm of Shattered Earth. Nie Tian and the others walked out of the teleportation portal on its bottom floor.
Han Wanrong was one of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s twelve elders, and the a.s.signed overseer of this realm. She was at the late Saint domain, and practiced water power.
She awoke from her silent cultivation and flew down from one of the secret rooms up top. With a confused look in her eyes, she measured the new arrivals.
Just as Nie Tian was about to say something, she pursed her lips into a smile and said, “Oh, it’s the newborn Son of the Stars.”
With these words, she turned to run her gaze over Quan Zixuan and the others. “Two at the early Saint domain and three at the late Void domain. Not bad. I didn’t expect you to be able to get subordinates at such levels so soon.”
Apparently, she had seen through Nie Tian’s intention. “You’re here to help your subordinates get the spiritual materials they need, right?”
“You’re so insightful, senior,” Nie Tian answered, smiling. “You saw it all before I even said anything.”
“Since this is your first time here, I think I’d better explain the situation in the Realm of Remote Heaven to you.” As Han Wanrong gently flicked her sleeve, a gentle power appeared out of nowhere and carried Nie Tian upwards towards the transparent ceiling of the palace.
The arched ceiling was actually a transparent s.h.i.+eld, which they went through without meeting any resistance.
Moments later, they came to a stop high in the dim sky.
Nie Tian glanced around, and discovered that a large number of short buildings were scattered around this grand palace, with many people going into and out of them.
Some others simply found vacant places to sit down, where they took out items and placed them on the ground in front of them.
Most of these Qi warriors seemed to be at the Void domain, while a few seemed to be at the Saint domain.
“Over there is the Five Elements Sect’s sections. There and there are the Void Spirit Society and Heaven Span Pavilion’s sections.” Han Wanrong said with a faint smile. “The Realm of Remote Heaven split up into four pieces of floating land a very long time ago. We and the other three great sects each control one.
“Our members and their subordinates are allowed to come and go as they want, and purchase and sell spiritual materials through fair trades.
“See that?” Han Wanrong pointed into the distant starry river.
That area of starry river was filled with countless black spots, each of which seemed to be a dead star.
Han Wanrong’s face suddenly grew grim. “That’s the Dead Star Sea. It’ll take our sect’s most advanced stars.h.i.+p several years to sail through it, and that’s on the condition of no mishaps. Beyond it are the outsiders’ territories. Demons, Fiends, Floragrims, Phantasms, and many outsiders have set up headquarters in that part of the starry river.
“The Dead Star Sea actually consists of a lot of domains. It’s just that they’ve all been destroyed and reduced to dead stars after numerous interracial wars.
“Even now, the Dead Star Sea is still a place where fierce battles frequently break out between us and the outsiders. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call it the true interspatial battleground.”