After hearing this, Song Yan was not very excited. She was the Void Empress in her previous life and least cared about techniques. But the elixir of the Emperor Beast was tempting.
Still, before that, she had to go to Loman Forest to retrieve something or she wouldn't progress in cultivation. Going to the Fire Phoenix Clan meant going to the outside world, where real emperors dwelled and wars raged between humans, ghosts, families, and clans.
Going there alone without cultivation at the Saint Realm was suicide.
Feng Ying noticed her expression and frowned. If anyone else were here, they would have agreed readily, but Song Yan remained as calm as ever.
At that moment, Song Yan responded bluntly to Feng Ying, her expression calm yet firm.
"Your Excellency, your offer is very tempting, but as you can see, I am only in the Soul Spirit realm. I have not yet awakened my Dao companion, so I cannot progress further."
Feng Ying frowned. She had sensed long ago that Song Yan's realm was mediocre for her age, and it was clear she had not linked her soul with her Dao companion. Her eyes flickered with curiosity as they landed on Ye Kaishan, who was observing silently from Song Yan's subspace.
Ye Kaishan himself tensed. He had not expected Feng Ying to notice him. Who is she? he wondered. Even with his emperor-level powers, his space distortion abilities were powerless against her presence.
Feng Ying's mind churned, weighing the situation. Suddenly, the violently thrashing Crystal Time Lotus surged toward Song Yan and disappeared into her subspace.
"What… how? Where?" Song Yan stepped back instinctively, her eyes wide. "What happened to the Crystal Time Lotus? Why did it enter my subspace?"
Feng Ying's own expression betrayed surprise. She had discovered the lotus in the Nether Blood Sea, but never before had it acted with such ferocity. Even she had been unable to fully refine it to probe the Dao of Time—she could only control it partially.
The lotus entering Ye Kaishan's body was something entirely unprecedented.
After a moment of contemplation, Feng Ying spoke softly to Song Yan, "Umm… I don't know why this is happening, but now it cannot be helped. You entered this cave with no one to rely on. I will give you this seal."
She extended a space ring to Song Yan. "The lotus has been preserving my soul. This ring contains everything I have left. If you ever meet my daughter, tell her her mother did not die with regrets."
"Wait!" Song Yan began, but before she could finish, the golden soul vanished into the heaven and earth, leaving only a lingering warmth.
At that moment, a voice resonated inside Ye Kaishan's mind. "Young one, do not disappoint me. Link your souls as quickly as possible. That will be when the Crystal Time Lotus reveals its true power."
"Umm… yes." For a moment, Ye Kaishan's eyes widened in shock, then he nodded silently to Feng Ying. "The Crystal Time Lotus has rooted itself to the Space-Time skill tree."
The cave shook violently, the ground trembling beneath Song Yan. The golden light of the lotus disappeared, and she was abruptly ejected from the cave. She clutched the seal, sliding it into her space ring, and set off toward Loman Forest.
After half a day's travel, she arrived at an ancient door embedded within the trunk of a colossal tree. Hidden amidst dense foliage, it appeared like any other tree to an untrained eye.
"It's here," Song Yan whispered to herself, her breath misting slightly in the cool forest air.
What is she doing? Is there something important to her? Ye Kaishan observed silently from within, his mind racing. Is this the Soul Heavenly Treasure that can help her cultivate further?
Song Yan moved swiftly, forming several precise hand seals. A silver light erupted with a resonant creak—the sound of the door unlocking. The light spilled across Loman Forest, casting long, ethereal shadows that pierced the mist and shot skyward.
Ancient sects, clans, and even the Black Turtle Clan of the southern continent stirred at the disturbance, alerted by the dazzling display.
Without hesitation, Song Yan passed through the door. The air shimmered around her as she entered a secret celestial realm of ancient gods—an old civilization suffused with untold opportunities. She focused on two objectives: the Soul Heavenly Treasure and a defensive treasure.
Above the forest, five women appeared, all in the tribulation period.
"Is that a new secret realm?" the middle-aged woman named Wang Mao asked, her eyes glinting.
"Oh… I didn't expect the Root Bone Clan to appear here," said Su Mae, slightly younger, her voice carrying playful curiosity.
"It seems you are interested as well. The Black Turtle Clan will join the fun," said Wu Peen, her voice cold and measured.
The remaining two women from ancient families wore masks and remained silent, their presence imposing.
"Looks like they don't want to talk. That's fine," Su Mae muttered. "Someone has already entered the secret realm. Let's not waste time—charge in."
All five nodded, vanishing into the secret realm.
Song Yan pressed deeper. The scenery was breathtaking, yet treacherous; fierce creatures prowled, and subtle magical traps shimmered in the mist. She navigated expertly, avoiding the dangers, demonstrating her prior study of the realm.
Ye Kaishan, meanwhile, monitored the lotus within his body, keeping a watchful eye on both Song Yan and the surrounding realm.
Eventually, Song Yan arrived at a platform resembling a tomb. She opened the box placed atop it with deliberate care.
"Finally… I've found it. With this, I can advance my cultivation and lay a foundation. But as in my previous life, I will stop at the Emperor realm… sigh. I must find a way to break later limitations. First, let's combine this with the treasure."
She formed precise hand seals, and the Soul Heavenly Treasure radiated a golden light, attempting to enter her subspace.
Strangely, it was rejected instantly, ejected with a forceful shudder. Even the subspace itself seemed to resist the treasure.
"What's happening? Why is it rejecting the Soul Heavenly Treasure?" Panic crept into her voice. This treasure was her last resort—without it, and without awakening her Dao companion, further progress seemed impossible.
Repeated attempts failed. Anxiety gnawed at her; she felt trapped.
Ye Kaishan observed silently. "It seems… because of my presence, the Soul Heavenly Treasure cannot enter the subspace," he murmured.
At that moment, three women appeared before Song Yan.
"Hey girl, how did you get here safely?" Su Mae called, a playful smirk on her face.
From their appearance, it was clear they had battled demon beasts to reach this point.
"Anyway, what did you find? Hand it over; sister will take good care of it for you," she added, her mischievous grin widening.
Song Yan frowned. She did not recognize them—they were from nearby smaller factions. She attempted to escape using a secret technique, forming hand seals behind her back, ready to vanish—but Wu Peen's keen perception caught her immediately.
"Want to escape? In your dreams," Wu Peen hissed, a slender hand extending. Soul chains erupted, wrapping around Song Yan and immobilizing her.
"Sorry, sister. If you don't cooperate, don't blame me. You have to die," Su Mae said coldly, conjuring a massive fireball in her palm.
Helpless, Song Yan thought, Am I about to die? I have not achieved immortality, nor awakened my Dao companion. I have not reached my goals. I wanted to become someone who looks down on the heavens. I wanted to explore the legendary Starry Sky Realm.
Her voice was barely audible—a soft whisper meant only for herself.
Just as the fireball hurtled toward her, a bluish-green light erupted from Song Yan, colliding with the inferno. The fireball froze midair, crackling with suspended energy.
"If that's what you want, let me give you a hand," a voice echoed directly inside her mind, calm yet resolute.
Author's Note: If you're reading this, thank you so much for taking the time to read my first novel.
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