According to Dong Li, her black tortoise had showed her to that demonic stone in the Dark Forest.
The demonic stone contained the profound mysteries of dark power. Like what humans referred to as Heavenly Talismans, it seemed to have formed naturally.
As for why it came to form in the Sixth Demon Realm, Dong Li had no idea either.
Given her current understanding of dark power, she couldn’t derive the profound knowledge of dark power from the stone by herself.
It was the black tortoise that had solved the stone’s mysteries.
The reason why she had broken through into the Soul realm was because she had come to a brand new understanding of dark power from her soul communication with the black tortoise.
Furthermore, the ultimate darkness and rich dark power released by the stone had fused into her body and helped her break her cultivation barrier, eventually allowing her to enter the Soul realm.
Spiritual materials that contained dark power were very hard to find.
Only black dragons, black phoenixes, and certain groups of Demons carried dark power bloodlines. Dark power could obtained from such Ancientbeasts and outsiders.
Unlike Nie Tian, Dong Li wasn’t a hybrid, and couldn’t absorb dark power by consuming the flesh and blood of those Ancientbeasts and outsiders.
Her body simply didn’t work that way.
However, the black tortoise’s body could.
She could only absorb the dark power released by the demonic stone, channel it into her spiritual sea, and turn it into her own power.
CRACK! CRACK!
As the two of them spoke, the black tortoise wolfed down the corpses of the Astarte Clan members, even crushing and swallowing the bones.
“It seems to me that this stone can change its environment,” Dong Li said with a frown, looking somewhat worried. “I even suspect that it’ll slowly turn the entire Realm of a Hundred Battles into a place like the Dark Forest.”
“The Realm of a Hundred Battles…” Nie Tian said with an unworried smile. “No need to worry. It won’t be a problem even if the entire Realm of a Hundred Battles is engulfed in rich dark power, with all light devoured.”
“It won’t be a problem?” Dong Li asked, looking distressed. “My clan isn’t the only force in the Realm of a Hundred Battles. The Pill Pavilion Sect and other clans live here too. If dark power pervades the Realm of a Hundred Battles, they’ll have to migrate to another realm.”
“Then let them migrate,” Nie Tian said plainly. “There are countless realms in the three domains that belong to us. Finding them a new realm will be as easy as turning my hand over.”
“Us…?” Dong Li asked, smiling like a blossoming flower.
“Yeah, what’s mine is yours,” Nie Tian said, as if it were only natural.
Dong Li’s smile grew increasingly hearty.
Nie Tian pondered for a moment before saying, “Alright, now I’ve given those corpses to you, I’m off to practice a secret incantation in a place where wood power is rich. After all, this isn’t the Realm of Split Void. If I were to do it here, I might hurt the foundation of this realm.”
Due to the existence of the Void Illusion Mountain Range, a large number of foreign energies and impurities dispersed unceasingly into the Realm of Split Void, where they were turned into the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth.
Because of that, the realm would never run out of spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth.
Graydusk Forest was the place where wood power was the richest, which made it an ideal location for him to further his Flesh Tempering. He wouldn’t have to worry that once he drained the forest of its wood power, no more would be regenerated.
“Alright, go ahead,” Dong Li said in a good mood. “I’ll enter secluded cultivation myself. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you handle affairs within the three domains for a while. Originally, I was worried that I would never be able to match your advancing speed. And it was very frustrating to learn that Pei Qiqi has even entered the late Soul realm.
“But things are different now that I have this demonic stone. It has given me the confidence to keep up with you two again.”
“You’re as talented as anyone I know,” Nie Tian said with an encouraging smile.
Then, he summoned his Star Boat and flew out of the mountain valley.
He chatted briefly with Qin Yan and the other juniors that had been waiting outside the valley before bidding them farewell and returning to the Realm of Split Void.
He set foot in Graydusk Forest again.
With the help of the Wood Thriving Formation and the Demon corpses looted from the three Demon realms, he continued with Flesh Tempering.
He moved from place to place as overgrown trees and grass were drained of their wood power and withered.
All of the mutant spirit beasts in the forest seemed to be scared of him. One sniff of his aura and they would flee to other areas, fearing that he was there to capture them.
In fact, since such low-tier mutant spirit beasts contained very limited flesh power, they could no longer spark interest in Nie Tian.
On this day, while he was practicing Heavenly Wood Heal with the help of the Wood Thriving Formation, some unusual movement suddenly alarmed him.
Master Blood Spirit appeared in front of him without making a sound.
Sitting in the middle of the Wood Thriving Formation, Nie Tian opened his eyes. With a few shriveled Demon corpses scattered around him, he asked, “Why are you here?”
Master Blood Spirit seemed somewhat hesitant as he said, “Not much… I’m very thankful that you evacuated those from the Blood Sect from the Realm of Flame Heaven. The Blood Sect is the last remaining legacy of the Blood Spirit Sect and myself.”
“Sectmaster Li of the Blood Sect treated me well in my early years,” Nie Tian said expressionlessly. “It’s my duty to protect them.”
He didn’t attach much importance to Master Blood Spirit, who was at the middle Saint Domain, and had no intention to help him with his lifespan problem.
“Umm… I’m here to say goodbye,” Master Blood Spirit said in a low voice.
Puzzled, Nie Tian asked, “Say goodbye? Are you leaving the Realm of Split Void? Where to?”
Master Blood Spirit smiled bitterly. “The reason why I came here in the first place was because the Domain of the Falling Stars was separated from the rest of the world by that forbidden region, which even powerful Qi warriors from the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries found inaccessible. But now, the Realm of Split Void is no longer fit for me to practice cultivation in. More and more powerful experts come and go.
“And it’s only a matter of time before word of you invading those three Demon realms spreads.
“When that happens, powerful experts from the four great sects will most likely come to investigate. If any God domain experts come here, they’ll be able to sense my existence, then I’ll be in trouble.”
Eyes narrowed, Nie Tian asked, “So where do you plan on going?”
“My plan is to find and kill my junior martial brother Master Bloody Despair before I die,” Master Blood Spirit said with a sad determination. “It doesn’t seem that I’ll be able to make a breakthrough in cultivation to extend my lifespan before my time runs out. Since I’m dying either way, I might as well take that traitor with me when I go.”
Nie Tian smiled coldly. “You want to kill Master Bloody Despair? You’ll be courting death to do that. He’s already become Sikong Cuo’s subordinate. Even though Sikong Cuo didn’t bring him to the Domain of Nether Heaven, he was most likely summoned to join the battle against the Demons in the Dead Star Sea. Given your strength, you’ll have a hard time entering the Dead Star Sea, much less killing Master Bloody Despair, who’ll have the help of Sikong Cuo’s other powerful subordinates.”
Looking downcast, Master Blood Spirit said, “Then I’ll wait, wait for an opportunity to present itself.”
Nie Tian fell silent. He frowned and fixed him with a deep look.
Only after a while did he say, “I have a special means that allows me to gain total control of someone else, but that person will have to cooperate…”
Master Blood Spirit’s expression flickered. “What do you want to do?”
Nie Tian gestured for him to stay calm, and then said, “I want to give you an option. You’re at the middle Saint domain, and you’re currently facing a pressing lifetime problem. But I think I’ll be able to help you solve that problem and extend your lifespan.”
Master Blood Spirit gasped with astonishment. “Do, do you still have Fruits of Life left?”
“No, but I can give you additional years through another approach,” Nie Tian said with certainty in his eyes. “However, this is my greatest secret. I’ll only perform it on you if you agree to let me control you fully. Otherwise, I won’t do it.”
Master Blood Spirit trembled with excitement.
If he wasn’t so close to the end of his life, why would he want to risk everything to kill Master Bloody Despair?
If he had enough time, he could very well wait till he entered the late Saint domain to seek a proper opportunity to get rid of him.
Now, knowing that Nie Tian might be able to help extend his lifespan, how could he not be shocked and excited?
“You may take some time to think it over, and then reply to me,” Nie Tian said. “I’ll be here in Graydusk Forest.”
Master Blood Spirit took a deep breath to force himself to calm down. “Are you sure that it’ll work?”
“I’m sure,” Nie Tian answered.
“How many years will I gain?” Master Blood Spirit asked.
“Theoretically, as many as you want,” Nie Tian answered.
Master Blood Spirit was flabbergasted. “What?! You can extend my lifespan infinitely?! How… how is that impossible?! Hundreds of races live in this boundless starry river, but who dares to say that they can extend another’s lifespan infinitely?”
“I said I can. That means I can,” Nie Tian said arrogantly.
Master Blood Spirit took a deep breath. “If what you say is actually true, then no consideration is necessary. I can give you my answer right now. I’m willing to render you complete control of me, so that you can cast that incantation… as long as you can extend my lifespan!”
“Straightforward! Good!” Nie Tian said aloud.
