After an unknown period of time.

Nie Tian and Agaz the flame dragon looked up into the void, floating in a desolate heaven and earth.

Agaz breathed out a breath of mixed flesh aura and flames, and sighed in frustration. “This is the ninth one. All of the heaven and earths we’ve explored have Ancientspirit corpses in them. They were either titans, Ancientbeasts, or dragons. But all of them had their heart pierced by a branch of the colossal tree and died.”

Frowning, Nie Tian said, “From the look of it, the close to a thousand realms here were originally populated by Ancientspirits. That unimaginably large tree must have arrived here secretly, and surprised them by piercing its branches into their realms to kill them.”

“There don’t seem to be any tenth grade experts here,” Agaz said.

Nie Tian nodded. “Indeed. Tenth grade Ancientspirits are extremely powerful beings. I suppose the ancient tree wasn’t able to kill Ancientspirits at such a grade.”

Agaz took a moment to ponder in silence before saying, “There’s another possibility. Perhaps they fought the ancient tree and lost, so they had to evacuate from this region.”

“There must have been lots of other ninth grade Ancientspirits here,” Nie Tian said. “What happened to them?”

“I suppose they evacuated as well,” Agaz said. “Otherwise, they might have all died here. If that’s actually what happened, it must have been considered a great humiliation to the whole Ancientspirit world. That would explain why it wasn’t recorded in ancient records or branded in our bloodlines.”

Nie Tian went blank briefly before saying, “That’s actually quite likely.”

Agaz then continued, “Each of these nine realms agree with cultivators of certain attributes and outsiders with certain bloodlines. But it’s a pity that all of the Ancientspirits we’ve found have lost every last wisp of their flesh aura. Time has rendered them completely worthless to you.”

“More importantly, all of their hearts were gone,” Nie Tian said, finding this pitiful as well.

While talking to each other, the two of them left this heaven and earth to explore others.

Time flew.

After exploring eight more realms and failing to gain anything valuable, Nie Tian finally decided to give up. “It’s time we left here. There’s nothing special with these heaven and earths we’ve explored. The only one that’s special is the one we first arrived in, the one with that altar surrounded by flame dragon skeletons.

“Over there, I was able to derive a number of exquisite incantations, and the sealing magic that turned out to be effective on Gupi.

“All we’ve found in the other heaven and earths were valueless corpses, and I couldn’t derive any secret magics or incantations from any of them.”

There were close to a thousand heaven and earths in this region that had been penetrated by the branches of the ancient colossal tree.

Even if Nie Tian had time to kill, it would take an unknowably long time to go through them one by one.

Not to mention that there was still plenty of urgent business that required his attention.

He needed to make new breakthroughs in his bloodline and cultivation base as soon as possible. And the Realm of Fire Spirit...

“Master, if I return to my clan one day and see my father, can I tell him about what we’ve found here?” Agaz suddenly asked.

“It’s up to you,” Nie Tian said.

“Thanks.”

“Alright, let’s get out of here and return to the Realm of Fire Spirit.”

“Okay.”

..

In the Realm of Fire Spirit.

Mo Qianfan and Yu Suying were waiting bitterly, not daring to leave that region.

They had been waiting there the whole time because Lou Hongyan and Peng Yan had told them that Nie Tian wouldn’t be gone for long, and that he would return to the very place where he had disappeared.

WHOOSH!

Ji Yuanquan and Ye Wenhan, two God domain experts, suddenly arrived, their faces grim.

“What’s wrong?” Mo Qianfan asked.

Ye Wenhan took a deep breath and said, “Gupi is secretly approaching the Domain of Heaven Python. And we received word that Grand Monarch Nether Channeler of the Fiends seems to be wandering in domains that border the Domain of Heaven Python. We’re worried that Gupi and Grand Monarch Nether Channeler have the same target: the Domain of Heaven Python.”

“I bet they’ve come for Nie Tian,” Yu Suying said.

Ji Yuanquan nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

Yu Suying smiled bitterly. “But Nie Tian is still...”

“We can only wait for him to come back,” Ji Yuanquan said helplessly.

Another two weeks passed.

FZZZ!

Unusual spatial fluctuations emerged. Sensing them, Ji Yuanquan let out a soft exclamation.

In the next moment, a portal of raging flames manifested out of thin air. As soon as Nie Tian jumped out of it, it healed and vanished.

Astonishment was written across Ji Yuanquan’s face as he said, “Such a strange aura.. Nie Tian, did you just come from the ‘magical land’ the Flame Dragon Armor took you to?”

Nie Tian nodded. “I did.”

Ji Yuanquan’s eyes lit up. “I had a feeling that the heaven and earth on the other side of that portal didn’t belong to the human world. Perhaps it’s somewhere in the outsiders and Ancientspirits’ territory, which happens to be where our people were born. If we can go through that portal, we won’t have to cross the Dead Star Sea anymore.”

“I don’t think it is,” Nie Tian said, dampening his enthusiasm. “If it were, Pang Bo would have taken advantage of this shortcut and marched forces into outsider and Ancientspirit realms long ago.”

Ye Wenhan let out a cold snort. “Pang Bo? Now I even doubt that he would do that even if he had easy access to the outsider world. Pang Chicheng clearly had outsider blood running through his veins. That means Pang Bo was very intimate with a powerful outsider in his later years.”

His words got Nie Tian thinking.

“This isn’t the time to talk about that.” Ji Yuanquan put an end to the topic. “Nie Tian, we received word that Gupi and a number of Fiends are secretly approaching the Domain of Heaven Python. If what we suspect is true, you’re what they’re after!”

Nie Tian’s expression flickered with astonishment. “What?”

“We suppose Gupi intends to get rid of you before you’re strong enough to seal it,” Ji Yuanquan said.

“Come on! To the Domain of Heaven Python!” Nie Tian said urgently.

...

In the Realm of Maelstrom in the Domain of Heaven Python.

Every Qi warrior in the Realm of Maelstrom was discussing the impending attack.

“What?! Instead of entering the Domain of Frigid Frost, Gupi is now coming towards the Domain of Heaven Python?!”

“The Domain of Green Woods and the Domain of Heaven Python are separated by many domains. How could Gupi suddenly show up so close to the Domain of Heaven Python?”

“Other than spatial tunnels, I can’t think of another explanation.”

“But how could Gupi get here through a spatial tunnel? Don’t tell me that it’s also skilled at spatial manipulation magics?”

“I suppose certain people, or more likely outsiders, are helping it.”

Ling Bingyun, the Ice Soul Divine Daughter, along with Han Qiong and Kong Shuangjing, let out a sigh of relief after learning that Gupi was coming towards the Domain of Heaven Python instead of the Domain of Frigid Frost.

Kong Shuangjing couldn’t mask his elation as he said, “Divine Daughter, we don’t have to stay in the Realm of Maelstrom anymore. Gupi chose to not enter our domain when it was right in front of it. I suppose the odds of it entering it in the future are much lower.”

“Without the threat from Gupi, we can carry on with our lives as before,” Han Qiong said.

“With Gupi heading towards the Domain of Heaven Python, I’m afraid Nie Tian is in big trouble this time,” Kong Shuangjing said. “Now, after learning that Gupi is approaching the Realm of Maelstrom, many Saint domain experts that came from other domains and were reluctant to leave made up excuses and evacuated. Shouldn’t we do the same?”

As soon as word of Gupi’s approaching spread, many of those who had traveled great distances to play up to Nie Tian, hoping to receive his assistance when they attempted to advance to the God domain, were scared and chose to leave quietly.

After all, so far, no one could say that they could keep Gupi away.

Numerous Saint domain experts had been killed wherever Gupi had gone.

Even God domain experts had died because of it in the Dead Star Sea back in the day, not to mention them.

Therefore, many who had learned about Gupi’s imminent arrival made up excuses and left.

Kong Shuangjing and Han Qiong also suggested that, as the cornerstones of their sect, they shouldn’t risk their lives by remaining in the Realm of Maelstrom either.

“No, we’re not leaving the Realm of Maelstrom,” Ling Bingyun said, looking serious.

“What?!” Han Qiong’s face turned pale with fright. “Why? What happens to the Realm of Maelstrom isn’t our concern, Sectmaster! Gupi is Nie Tian’s problem now. Why do we want to get in the middle of that? Besides, we apologized, and Nie Tian forgave us. Whether he can fight off Gupi or not, he won’t have a reason to come after us anymore.”

After he finished, Kong Shuangjing expressed his confusion as well.

“Don’t you understand that Gupi’s target isn’t just Nie Tian or the Domain of Heaven Python?” Ling Bingyun said with all seriousness. “It’s goal is to encroach on the entire human world and turn all of our realms into nests that’ll help it grow stronger. This time, it left the Domain of Frigid Frost alone to come here to deal with Nie Tian. What about in the future?

“If Nie Tian dies, and no one else can step forward to fight it, then it’ll be able to ravage the human domains unscrupulously!

“At that time, we’ll have no one to rely on.”

Ling Bingyun seemed to have finally come around.

Han Qiong cast his gaze down in shame. “I... I suppose you’re right, Sectmaster.”

“Come on. Let’s go out and take a look.” The three of them then flew out of the stone pavilion the Golden Vast Sect had assigned to them. Spreading their soul awareness, they soon discovered that more than half of the Saint domain experts were gone.

Some, however, had stayed.

Some saint domain experts, including Zhang Qiling, Li Wanfa, Fu Yusen, Yan Bin, and Gou Junhao, didn’t evacuate due to Gupi’s imminent arrival.

“Hmm?!” Zhang Qiling looked up and noticed Ling Bingyun. Looking deeply surprised, he said, “I can’t believe you didn’t leave after learning that Gupi was on its way here.”

“Gupi is a plague to all humanity,” Ling Bingyun said coldly. “If we don’t get rid of it together, where will we hide after the Domain of Heaven Python falls and Nie Tian is killed?”

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Qiling and the others felt a wave of respect.

Li Wanfa nodded. “It seems that I was prejudiced against you before. As arrogant and hot-tempered as you may be, I’ve got to admit that you understand the big picture. Many people don’t have that.”

Ling Bingyun let out a cold snort, not saying anything.

FIZZ!

A spatial rift split open in the watery curtain over the Realm of Maelstrom.

In the next moment, Nie Tian flew out of it with Ji Yuanquan and the others.

Almost at the same time...

Fan Tianze from the Heaven Span Pavilion walked out of the teleportation portal in the Thousandsword Mountain Sect’s quarters.

Ye Wenhan was the first to sense his arrival, and exclaimed softly, “I wonder why he came to the Realm of Maelstrom at such a time.”