Deep within a starry region, where foreign energies were as dense as an ocean, was an eerie, emerald-green cavern. From within this cavern came piercing winds that howled like wailing ghosts and the occasional spatial ripple that surged forth. In this mysterious cavern were two spirit bodies. "Teacher, are you really willing to help me seize that Soulstream?" asked Fu Ya, one of the four Sovereigns. Unlike before, she no longer carried an aloof or commanding air, instead appearing like an obedient little girl asking for guidance. "I find it nearly impossible to set foot in the Nether Abyss in person. I fear I won't be able to refine that Soulstream with only my divine consciousness." "I can help you," Ling Yun assured, seemingly forgetting that his disciple had turned against him not too long ago. "I once fought on its behalf in the starry skies, defended it from the Sovereigns above, and tried to spread its influence across many starry regions." A self-deprecating smile tugged at Ling Yun's lips. "But I lost. And with that, I lost its favor. It turned instead to that young human, helping him seize the Ruin Realm. Since it abandoned me first, I can't be blamed for going against it. "Fu Ya, as your teacher, I truly hope you can become this era's God King. That Soulstream is the key to your success. You becoming a God King and leading the Hall of Gods into the bizarre mist will be the greatest honor of our Spirit Race. "I just want to return to Sovereignhood. I want to watch it face the consequences of its own poor decisions with my own eyes. To do that, I'll need your help to find that World Tree." "The one that left the Abyss and appeared in the Darkcloud Realm?" Fu Ya asked for confirmation. Ling Yun nodded. "It's about to evolve into a Rank Thirteen Aberrant Spirit. The Dao of Life and the divine power it carries are my last hope of ascending as a Sovereign without the Ruin Realm." Fu Ya fell briefly silent in thought, then said, "Teacher, I'm willing to help you find it." "Don't worry." Ling Yun smiled. "I'm well aware that times have changed. Ancient Gods like me can't hold back the advance of newcomers like you." Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥 Fu Ya's expression eased noticeably. "Teacher, wait for my news. You became my teacher again the moment you chose to part ways with the will of the bizarre mist. "I'll leave this area to you. I'll arrange for someone to deliver the life energy you need as well. "Also, teacher, about the past...please don't take it to heart," Fu Ya said sincerely. "I had no choice. We served different masters. The will of the starry skies chose me. I had to do what I did." Ling Yun waved his hand dismissively. "Let the past stay in the past." In the Ruin Realm, within the Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis, Pang Jian jolted awake from his out-of-body state. He had somehow seen Fu Ya and Ling Yun's meeting in their spirit body forms while still inside the Ruin Realm. After losing control of the God King's skull, Ling Yun had chosen to oppose the will of the bizarre mist and make a deal with his former wayward disciple. If Ling Yun needs Fu Ya to find the World Tree, it means that my master, Dong Tianze, and the others escaped before he reached the Darkcloud Realm. The teleportation array Elder Mu built was originally meant to join up with the elder True Gods under Lin Baixiang! If I can see Ling Yun through the Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis, then maybe... Pang Jian extended his senses to search the boundless starry skies once more. In an eternally icy canyon on the Sacred Soul Continent in the Abyss, Yuan Qi gathered cold energy, using it to temper his bloodline. Crystal bloodline chains would sometimes appear in his heart, granting him new divine techniques. Buried memories also surfaced within the Divine Persona in his sea of consciousness. I died? It seems I died in some strange world, and some ancient being seized my body. Huh? Pang Jian! Yuan Qi saw Pang Jian in those bizarre memories. It felt as though they had once been bitter enemies. Life Continuation Art. The Gray Ape mastered the new wondrous technique as quickly as it emerged in his sea of consciousness. I-I'm actually...Yuan Yi! Yuan Qi realized with utter bewilderment. Not exactly. Pang Lin's voice suddenly rang out in his mind. I created you in the Abyss using Yuan Yi's blood essence. You carry his life energy and the related Dao within your heart. If he were badly injured or his soul had been incomplete, he could have resurrected through your body. But he died in the Ruin Realm. The Life Continuation Art he activated as he was dying merely released his essence, which I then transferred to you. In other words, you're not Yuan Yi. You are yourself. You merely inherited everything he left behind. Yuan Qi, it's time for you to break through to high-ranking godhood. I'm sure you'll succeed with ease. Yuan Qi pounded his chest and stamped his feet, igniting the transformation of his Divine Persona. "I am Yuan Qi!" he roared. "I'm no one's puppet, nor am I anyone's vessel!" The Black Dragon King and the black turtle watched as the giant ape started his ascension toward high-ranking godhood. Pang Lin sat atop an impossibly massive throne in a cold, dark hall. Her tiny body, when compared to the throne, was as small as a grain of rice. The Fey Gods gathered before the throne deliberately shrunk their forms hundreds or thousands of times over, though they still looked like towering pillars piercing the sky. The throne, carved from Divine Black Obsidian Stone and etched with crackling runes, cast out beams of light embodying darkness, destruction, ruin, corrosion, toxins, and more. All the ancient high-ranking Fey Gods were silent, not daring to speak. The World Tree and those old-generation True Gods of the human race, as well as Li Zhaotian, Zhu Ji, Li Wang... Pang Lin's eyes narrowed in thought. Though she was on the Dark Star in the Ancient Fey World, she could still communicate with Pang Jian through the Soulstream in the Nether Abyss. How ironic. I, once the vessel of the starry skies's supreme will, ended up reborn as a human. Meanwhile, Ling Yun turned against the will of the bizarre mist and is now dealing with his own wayward disciple. Gaze sweeping over the Fey Gods before her, Pang Lin commanded, "Search for those scattered True Gods of the human race. Word will inevitably leak out if they've been spotted." No Fey God dared to defy her this time.