Chapter 896: Patriarch Pure Heaven
After Mu Biqiong landed, Jiang Feng took a deep look at her, and an exclamation escaped his mouth. “You’ve entered the Profound realm?!”
In a respectful but not flattering manner, Mu Biqiong said, “We had a few incredible encounters in the outermost ring of the Shatter Battlefield. The wood power essence I gained from one of the Fortune Wells helped me enter the Profound realm.”
Jiang Feng smiled. “It was indeed the right decision to take you into the Shatter Battlefield. All the resources our sect has poured in your direction didn’t go to waste.”
Then, he pulled Mu Biqiong to the side and started asking her about her encounters in a low voice.
After Nie Tian landed, Yue Yanxi approached him with a bright smile on his face. “Nie Tian, come here. Let me introduce you to Patriarch Pure Heaven!”
Standing behind Yue Yanxi was a bald, burly old man in linen garments with a hint of arrogance on his face.
With a single glance at him, Nie Tian realized that he was none other than Patriarch Pure Heaven, the strongest cultivator throughout the entire Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries.
The man was known for his domineering manners and unparalleled strength.
Since he didn’t know that Nie Tian was a Son of the Stars, he was rather surprised to see Yue Yanxi treating a Worldly realm junior with such respect, and bringing him to greet him.
“Patriarch, it was thanks to him that we were able to enter the Shatter Battlefield via the Realm of Maelstrom,” Yue Yanxi said.
Nie Tian bowed his head plainly. “Greetings, patriarch.”
Patriarch Pure Heaven seemed somewhat displeased. However, he was rather curious to learn that Nie Tian was the reason why the cultivators from the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries had been able to enter the Shatter Battlefield.
Therefore, he waved at Nie Tian, signaling for him not to stand on ceremony. But then, he just stood there with his eyes narrowed, not saying a word.
Apparently, neither Zong Zheng, Hua Mu, nor the early Void domain Fan Kai provoked his interest.
Even though a large number of Qi warriors were now gathered by the spatial rift, he was the only one who was at the late Void domain.
After all, none of the Saint domain experts from the Divine Seal Sect, Golden Vast Sect, or Thousandsword Mountain Sect had entered the Shatter Battlefield.
This was why he could be as arrogant as he wanted in front of everyone here.
Nie Tian took another look around, and discovered that only Yue Yanxi and Jiang Feng had returned with Patriarch Pure Heaven. Confused, he asked, “Where are senior Guan Fu and senior Jian Tong?”
Yue Yanxi’s eyes dimmed as he said, “They died in the Shatter Battlefield.”
Nie Tian’s expression flickered. “They died?!”
Yue Yanxi let out a sigh. “Jiang Feng and I would have been killed by powerful outsiders too if we hadn’t run into the patriarch. We were exploring an Ancientbeast relic in the depths of the Shatter Battlefield when a large group of outsiders suddenly showed up. We didn’t get to find anything valuable before they started attacking us.
“Guan Fu and Jiang Tong died as we ran. Then, the patriarch showed up and saved the two of us.”
“I can’t believe they died...” Nie Tian muttered.
He had had positive feelings towards Guan Fu and Jian Tong from the beginning. After all, the two of them had stood by him back when they had been in the Realm of Shattered Earth.
In contrast, he hadn’t really liked Jiang Feng from the Bliss Mountain Sect. Only after Jiang Feng had learned about his identity as the Son of the Stars and started playing up to him had the tension between them eased up.
Who would have thought Guan Fu and Jian Tong would die in the depths of the Shatter Battlefield, while Jiang Feng would survive?
“Things like this happen all the time. Don’t hang onto it too much.” Yue Yanxi didn’t seem to be very aggrieved. “It’s not a rare thing that elders and chosen ones of my sect die on exploration trips to areas roamed by powerful outsiders or spirit beasts, and never get to return again. Even our most talented chosen one who was designated to be our future sectmaster went missing on one of his trips.”
Nie Tian realized that the person he was talking about was none other than the third master of the Flame Dragon Armor.
The man had drifted to the Domain of the Falling Stars, where he had been killed by Xia Yi, the Flame God, along with a band of powerful experts. As a result, the Flame Dragon Armor had split up, and the Blood Core had ended up in Nie Tian’s hands.
Nie Tian soon recovered a peaceful state of mind as he asked, “What on earth happened in the Shatter Battlefield?”
Yue Yanxi turned to take a look at Patriarch Pure Heaven, who had his eyes closed, and said in a low voice, “According to what I heard, a Heaven Nourished grade spiritual material was discovered in the depths of the Shatter Battlefield. They say it’s unfathomably mysterious, and can travel through space on its own.
“That’s the reason why the spatial rifts and teleportation portals that connected the Shatter Battlefield to the various ancient sects and powerful domains have vanished or exploded.
“Apparently, it can detect stable spatial rifts and teleportation portals, and channel power from them to strengthen itself.
“After being drained of their power, the spatial rifts and teleportation portals either vanished or exploded.
“The Void Spirit Society, which is one of the four great human powers, had sent numerous powerful experts well-versed in spatial magics to the depths of the Shatter Battlefield in search of this treasure, hoping to bring it back and refine it into an Immortal grade spiritual tool.
“However, since it can wield spatial power, it’s very hard to find.
“While searching for it, many Saint domain human experts encountered and engaged in fierce battle against ninth grade outsider grand patriarchs and ninth grade Ancientbeasts.
“Some even say that God domain experts from the Void Spirit Society entered the Shatter Battlefield as well.
“So at this moment, those whose strength hasn’t reached the Saint domain or the equivalent grade would easily get themselves killed traveling in the depths of the Shatter Battlefield. That’s why many weaker cultivators got out of that mire as quickly as possible.
“Meanwhile, that treasure doesn’t seem to be able to detect unstable spatial rifts.
“And that’s why a large number of Soul realm and Void domain experts from different domains would gather in this place.”
Nie Tian’s expression flickered with astonishment as he finally realized what was going on in the depths of the Shatter Battlefield, and why. “So Heaven Nourished grade spiritual materials have remarkable intelligence and the ability to travel through the void. With minimal refinement, they can be refined into Immortal grade spiritual tools or cultivators’ private domains, vesting them with the ability to travel through the boundless starry river...”
At this moment, Patriarch Pure Heaven suddenly said, “We’ll have to return to the Realm of Maelstrom through this spatial rift as soon as it stabilizes.”
Upon hearing his words, everyone present, including Nie Tian, fixed their eyes on him.
He then looked up at the spatial rift that led to the Realm of Maelstrom. “I have a feeling that this spatial rift won’t remain stable for very long. If we fail to evacuate through it within a short time, it’ll probably get congested again, stopping the rest of us from entering. Then, it’ll be hard to say when it’ll stabilize again.”
Jiang Feng’s expression flickered as he hastily clasped his hands and said with a flattering tone, “Would you please take care of us when the time comes, patriarch?”
Yue Yanxi was also full of smiles as he looked at Patriarch Pure Heaven.
If that spatial rift would only remain stable for a limited period of time, then everyone would have to enter it as soon as possible after it stabilized.
If they were too slow, it would be possible that they would have to wait for another three to five years to return to their homes.
Another possibility would be that the Heaven Nourished treasure would find this spatial rift and render it inaccessible for good.
If it actually came to that, those who lagged behind would be stranded in the Shatter Battlefield.
Patriarch Pure Heaven had the highest cultivation base among everyone present. If he agreed to take some people with him, then they would be the first ones to leave through the spatial rift.
That was why Jiang Feng and Yue Yanxi had fixed him with inquiring gazes.
Face indifferent, Patriarch Pure Heaven said, “I’ll take those from the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries with me. The rest of you will have to rely on yourselves.”
“The Domain of Heaven Boundaries...” Everyone fixed their eyes on Yue Yanxi, Jiang Feng, Mu Biqiong, and Yin Yanan with bitter expressions.
Judging from Patriarch Pure Heaven’s words, the four of them would be the only ones he would take with him as he entered the spatial rift.
Nie Tian and the others were excluded from those Patriarch Pure Heaven would take care of. They would probably have to fight the powerful experts from the other domains over who would enter the spatial rift first.
“Patriarch, Nie Tian is our...” Yue Yanxi said with a forced smile.
Before he could finish, Patriarch Pure Heaven interrupted him and said, looking displeased, “I don’t care what relationship he has with your sect! As long as he’s not from the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries, I’m not taking him with me!”
Yue Yanxi’s smile froze on his face before he gave an embarrassed chuckle and fell silent. He turned to look at Nie Tian with an apologetic expression.
Nie Tian shook his head, showing that he wouldn’t blame him for this.
Several days passed...
Everyone looked up at the interweaving spatial rifts from time to time, and occasionally examined the one that led to the Realm of Maelstrom with their soul awareness.
“Hmm?!” Someone exclaimed.
Patriarch Pure Heaven’s head jerked up, his eyes shining with dazzling light.
Nie Tian also looked up, his expression flickering.
A womanly figure suddenly appeared out of thin air by the spatial rift that led to the Realm of Maelstrom.
The blurry figure rapidly grew clear.
A shudder ran through Nie Tian as he exclaimed, “Senior Martial Sister Pei!”
Hua Mu was also taken aback. “Qiqi!”