In the deep and dark Grand Palace, the ground was lined with heavy black rocks. In between the black rocks, there were bits and pieces of beast bones. Yi Yun and Jiang Xiaorou followed the former Desolate Queen through a blackstone corridor. Weak fluorite lights hung on both sides of the wall.
"It's here."
The former Desolate Queen pushed a heavy stone door open, and through it was a vast hall. On the ground, there was a foot-tall altar with a six-pointed star formation carved on the altar.
The formation's runes were twisted like tadpoles, and it looked very simple. After taking a look, Yi Yun felt that it was different to the grand teleportation array that he expected.
He turned to look at the former Desolate Queen, and asked with some uncertainty, "Is this the ancient teleportation array that Senior Jiang used in the past to return to the 12 Empyrean Heavens from the Divine Wilderness?"
According to Yi Yun's imagination, such a teleportation array should take up a large amount of land, just like the trademark divine bone altar of the Desolate race.
However, the teleportation array in front of him was just a hundred feet wide. Compared to a teleportation array that could traverse the endless universe, it did seem a bit small.
The former Desolate Queen knew what was on Yi Yun's mind. She nodded and said, "It is it… however, it will not allow you to traverse the universe."
"The 12 Empyrean Heavens and the lower realm have several spatial nodes connecting them together. A spatial node can link up two locations far apart. Through these spatial nodes, you can reach the 12 Empyrean Heavens."
"Originally, the Tian Yuan world was a sealed world and all the spatial nodes were sealed. However, ever since tens of millions of years ago, the seal over the Tian Yuan world was released, resulting in the opening of those spatial nodes. The purpose of this teleportation array is to send you to a spatial node that links the Tian Yuan world to the 12 Empyrean Heavens. The distance isn't that far. The true long distance is from the endless void past that spatial node."
"Teleportation arrays are built by people, but those spatial nodes are formed by the natural laws of the universe. The spatial node can teleport you a further distance, but it does not expend too much energy. It itself is a law."
When the former Desolate Queen said this, Yi Yun sighed after hearing it. The universe's laws were profound and mystical. Naturally formed spatial nodes connected the far reaches of the universe.
If warriors wanted to obtain a full understanding of those mystical laws, a lifetime worth of pondering would probably be a drop in the bucket, while those who could truly grasp a portion of the Heavenly Dao could be considered kings and emperors in the 12 Empyrean Heavens. They were existences that supported the lives of all beings.
"Mother, it isn't that simple to travel through the spatial node, right?"
Although Jiang Xiaorou already knew about her father's life, the teleportation array that her father used to return to the 12 Empyrean Heavens from the Divine Wilderness had been sealed in an underground hall by her mother. She did not know the exact location and this was the first time she had seen it.
"It's indeed not easy." The former Desolate Queen nodded. "With your present strength, it's impossible for you to pass through the spatial node. In the spatial node, there are lots of spatial storms. The moment you enter, you will encounter all sorts of danger. The destination is also hard to grasp. If you lack the appropriate strength, you might be torn to shreds by the spatial storms, or be forever lost in the spatial turbulence, unable to orientate yourself."
When the former Desolate Queen said this, she looked at Yi Yun. "Yi Yun, the reason why I brought you and Xiaorou here is to tell you the location of the ancient teleportation array. I wish that there will be a day you will take Xiaorou out of this world, and into the 12 Empyrean Heavens."
The former Desolate Queen's words stunned Yi Yun.
"This world is an abandoned land of death… Xiaorou inherited my Desolate race and ancient Fey race's bloodline, resulting in extraordinary talent. I can stay behind in this land of death, carry on fulfilling my mission, leading the Desolate race to explore, and survive in this land of death, eventually finishing my lifespan. That would be enough as I would have been accountable to the Desolate race. I do not want Xiaorou to stay here, wasting her life… "
As the former Desolate Queen slowly said those words, Jiang Xiaorou tightly grabbed her, momentarily at a loss as to what to say.
Yi Yun felt his heart being repressed. "Senior, you say that this world is a land of death?"
"A world that seals the ancient Demon God has long been sacrificed and abandoned by the ancient gods. If not for Azure Yang Lord entering this world through the sinkhole by mistake tens of millions of years ago, this world would have been forever isolated from the 12 Empyrean Heavens. We would all be like frogs in a well, never knowing how vast the exterior world is."
"Even later on, when Azure Yang Lord released a few seals, the number of spatial nodes that appeared were pathetically few in number. There were probably one or two. To the 12 Empyrean Heavens, this world is probably like an ants' nest hidden in some mountain, difficult to find. Over the tens of millions of years, the number that have come from the 12 Empyrean Heavens to this world through the spatial node are probably extremely few in number… "
What the former Desolate Queen said was all her own speculation. However, she knew the history regarding the Azure Yang Lord very well. She had also lived with Jiang Xiaorou's father, who had truly come from the 12 Empyrean Heavens, so her speculation was probably very close to reality...
...
After bidding farewell to the Desolate Queen, Yi Yun felt his heart heavy.
The Tian Yuan world was just a land of death abandoned by the ancient gods? Yi Yun always had the intentions to head to the 12 Empyrean Heavens. The former Desolate Queen said that he lacked the strength currently. Then, it was probably enough when he reached the Heaven Ascension realm.
As for the Black-armored Demon God that suddenly appeared…
Yi Yun shook his head. Before he left, the former Desolate Queen had exhorted Yi Yun numerous times to not seek the Black-armored Demon God.
The Black-armored Demon God was engaging in a massacre in the Tian Yuan world, drawing on the life force of massive numbers of the dead, so he could restore his life and soul that was about to collapse.
Amongst those killed, many of them had perpetrated every conceivable crime, and they were deserving of death. However, there were good people and innocent commoners as well. It wasn't Yi Yun being cold blooded, it was just that he was indeed no match for the Black-armored Demon God. Even if the Black-armored Demon God was extremely weak, with the possibility of his soul collapsing, Yi Yun did not possess the ability to cause his soul to collapse.
Before having sufficient strength, Yi Yun could only hide in the Divine Wilderness to wait. He was in great need of time.
After returning to the Lin family's residential grounds, Yi Yun saw a figure with fluttering clothes in the distance.
It was a stretch of granite hills. The bright moon hung in the sky, sprinkling down it's cool brilliance. Lin Xintong was dressed in clothes as white as snow. She stood silently on the granite hill, under an ancient pine tree.
In the late night, as if a dark blue curtain was thrown over the sky, the arms of the galaxy could be seen. It reached down to the horizon, and it seemed to cross Lin Xintong's body. Water-like starlight traced her body, dripping down her long hair. They seemed to be one with Lin Xintong. At that moment, all her pores were open, as she expirated the endless amount of starlight that she could.
Upon seeing this scene, Yi Yun felt his heart jolt. Lin Xintong cultivated pure Yin laws. And by absorbing the starlight and the Yin energy from the moon, it was the derivation of the laws she cultivated.
Seeing Lin Xintong cultivate and in deep thought was always such a picturesque beauty. It caused people to sink in imperceptibly.
Such beauty not only came from Lin Xintong herself, it also came from the Dao she gained from meditation. Under the moon, Lin Xintong and the Dao she understood formed a perfect unity, as if she was one with the heaven, giving a very harmonious feeling.
Dao was nature, furthermore, nature and harmony resulted in beauty.
Yi Yun's lips quivered. His voice traveled through the night wind, entering Lin Xintong's ears. "Xintong, follow me. I'll take you somewhere… "