"Is this the Forest-Sea Demon Domain?"
Before a world radiating extraordinary spirituality, Qi Ping manifested a spiritual body. Clad in white robes, he stood before the entrance. The Forest-Sea Demon Domain possessed Mahayana-stage cultivators, so he naturally wouldn't risk bringing his original body here yet.
Through the unique perception of the Myriad Manifestation Druid, he could feel the world's immense spirituality. Vaguely, Qi Ping sensed a horrific sacred beast with nine heads. It used the entire world as its body, standing proudly within the infinite void.
'Is this a manifestation of spirituality? Such powerful spirit!'
This level of spirituality was many times stronger than that of the partially recovered Star-Sea.
'As expected of a world with multiple Mahayana-rank sacred beasts!'
If he could become the Earth Immortal of such a world, his combat strength would likely skyrocket to the Mahayana stage. However, Qi Ping only entertained the thought briefly. A world like this would never allow an Earth Immortal to be born; the requirements were far too strict. A consistently prosperous world lacked the conditions for such a title to emerge.
It was hard to say which world was better to be born in. At the very least, Qi Ping still loved the Star-Sea world he had built with his own hands. It held all his past memories and provided him with a grounded sense of accomplishment. In the future, he would surely resolve the strange law of the Star-Sea and allow it to continue growing.
'But this Forest-Sea Demon Domain truly has something special to it, transforming from a minor subsidiary of the Star-Sea into a completely independent super-world. The current rulers must have a grand vision.'
According to the records of the Star-Sea, the Forest-Sea Demon Domain was once just a minor subsidiary world used by a great sect to breed various spirit beasts. Later, this small world was bestowed upon a sacred beast of great merit. After countless ages of evolution, it gradually gained the ability to exist independently within the void, severing its subsidiary relationship with the Star-Sea.
Later, due to wars between spirit beasts and humans, the domain reduced its contact with the Star-Sea, leaving only a sea-based void passage that allowed spirit beasts to pass through freely. Because of this, demon beasts born in the Star-Sea could travel there. No one had expected that the Forest-Sea Demon Domain would eventually become many times stronger than the Star-Sea.
After traveling a bit further, Qi Ping's spiritual body reached the entrance. It was a spatial passage radiating a vast, oppressive pressure. The sheer weight of it made even Qi Ping feel a significant strain.
'Such terrifying pressure!' Qi Ping's heart trembled slightly. But he didn't hesitate, stepping directly into the passage.
In an instant, the world shifted. Stars moved and the heavens turned. Once the dizzying sensation passed and Qi Ping regained his bearings, the scenery had changed. However, the moment he saw what lay before him, his pupils shrank!
He was looking at a colossal skeleton! Its height alone exceeded a hundred thousand feet, and its length was far greater.
'What kind of skeleton is this?'
Qi Ping realized he couldn't even identify what type of sacred beast the skeleton had belonged to in life. Yet, that wasn't the most frightening part. The most chilling aspect was the horrific aura the skeleton still carried. Standing beneath it, Qi Ping's entire body trembled uncontrollably; he could barely muster the will to resist.
'What was the realm of this creature before it died?'
Before this skeleton, Qi Ping felt his Late Unity stage was as insignificant as an ant. He found it hard to imagine that the Forest-Sea Demon Domain, which possessed such a horrific existence, was once just a small world separated from the Star-Sea.
How strong had the Star-Sea been at its peak? How much of its history was currently missing? A massive doubt rose in Qi Ping's heart. Based on his current knowledge, he could not explain what he was seeing.
In this moment, he realized that for the entire universe, he was merely a frog at the bottom of a well. What he considered "strong" was only the peak of a single small point, and his standards were based solely on that point.
'In the Star-Sea, I viewed the universe as a frog in a well. Now, just entering the entrance of this domain, I am like a gnat seeing the sky for the first time! And who knows if there are even higher heavens beyond this...'
Qi Ping completely erased the last trace of arrogance from his heart. His current strength was still tiny in the context of the true universe. If he wanted to survive and reach the end of the path to immortality, he had to be many times more cautious than when he had first stepped into the cultivation world.
He continued to observe and realized that this giant skeleton had been transformed into a specialized array, enveloping the entire entrance of the Forest-Sea Demon Domain. A boundless killing intent was concentrated within the bones. Qi Ping had no doubt that if this intent were released, his body and soul would be instantly annihilated.
But what made his pupils tremble even more was a horrific claw mark upon the skeleton. It had nearly severed the entire frame at the waist! It was hard to imagine what kind of existence could injure the owner of this skeleton to such an extent. What kind of world-shaking battle had occurred here to cause such a terrifying being to fall?
"Little friend, come up here."
A kind voice suddenly echoed from behind the skeleton. Hearing it, Qi Ping did not hesitate. He endured the pressure of the skeleton and flew toward the source of the voice. After flying for a long while under the heavy pressure, he arrived at a region where skeletons were piled like mountains. There, he saw the owner of the voice.
It was a giant Black Tortoise, tens of thousands of feet in length. Every plate on its shell was covered in jagged, mountain-high scales. Qi Ping was certain that with such defenses, even if he were allowed to attack freely, he could never break through. The aura of the Mahayana stage radiated naturally from the tortoise, making it impossible for Qi Ping to relax.
"Senior Xuanjia!"
Qi Ping suppressed his shock and cupped his fists toward the tortoise's head. His voice was calm and emotionless. He raised his eyes, meeting the gaze of this Mahayana-stage Black Tortoise who had lived for untold ages. Although the gap in their cultivation was massive, he came as a representative of the Star-Sea and would not lower his dignity.
Though the tortoise was powerful, it was not enough to make him bow and scrape. If he lost his momentum here, the trade negotiations between the two worlds would be difficult to conduct.