Dong Li took the purple crystal subconsciously, and her mind immediately started rumbling. “What’s this?”

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Even her heartbeat became rapid.

The spiritual core emanating mysterious dark power in her spiritual sea also grew restless, as if it were urging her to refine that crystal as soon as possible.

Numerous complicated bloodline veins that were vested with the profound truths of dark power could be seen in the depths of the purple crystal in her palm.

Besides, the crystal was infused with rich dark bloodline power!

With a smile, Nie Tian said, “This is what the so-called Son of Darkness has become. Even though Aztec was only at the early tenth grade, he did carry the Dark King’s bloodline. This crystal is a condensation of all of his flesh aura, along with the majority of his bloodline power and his understanding of dark power.

“If you can refine it, not only will it help your cultivation base improve, but your compatibility and closeness with the dark stone and the Dark Aureole will also improve.”

As he spoke, the black tortoise’s foot landed on the dark stone that had belonged to Aztec.

FZZZ! FZZZ!

Wisps of black lightning sputtered from that eye, as if they were the manifestations of some dark magical law.

The black tortoise retracted its enormous foot abruptly and sent a message to Nie Tian, informing him that it wasn’t that easy to neutralize the Dark King’s residual power.

Nie Tian nodded and said, “I’ve long since suspected that this would happen. After transcending the tenth grade and understanding the true essence of darkness, the Dark King refined the dark stones and the Dark Aureole over and over. That’s why they all carry his bloodline imprints. Aztec could only control them so skillfully because they shared the same bloodline origin.

“However...” He smiled and turned to look at Dong Li. “After you refine this Profound Truths Crystal, you’ll be able to wield the dark stones and the Dark Aureole as skillfully as Aztec could. By that time, the dark power you and the black tortoise will be able to wield together will shake heaven and earth. Even normal middle tenth grade outsider grand monarchs will be no match for you.”

Dong Li’s eyes lit up. “Are you serious? If I refine this crystal, will I really be able to do what Aztec could?”

“Yes.” Nie Tian gave an affirmative answer. “Aztec’s heart and all of his dark blood are condensed in that crystal. Once you refine and merge it with you, you’ll have the bloodline of the descendants of the Dark King.”

Overjoyed after hearing this, Dong Li asked, “How are you doing?”

Everyone’s gaze instantly fixed on Nie Tian.

Having been enveloped in darkness for so long, they didn’t know the current situation in the outside world, or the reason for Nie Tian’s sudden arrival.

“I’m fine, but the situation the human domains are facing isn’t so good,” Nie Tian said with a grim expression. “Now that the darkness has dissipated, you can turn to your respective sources of information. They’ll tell you everything.”

“Have outsider armies from the Void World poured into the Domain of Endless Snow already, Nie Tian?” Ye Wenhan asked, looking concerned.

“I’m afraid so,” Nie Tian said. 

After taking a moment to think, he added, “Ladies and gentlemen, why don’t you return to your main realms or the realms that are protected by powerful grand spell formations for now? I’m not sure whether more outsider grand monarchs are pouring into our world through the Seven Stars Realm Sea. All we can do now is figure out the situation we’re in, and then plan our next move.”

A clamor then broke out among the human experts.

Thanks to the dissipation of the darkness, Ji Yuanquan, who was well-versed in spatial power, could split open spatial rifts now.

Soon, spatial rifts that connected to the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, the Five Elements Sect, the Void Spirit Society, and the Heaven Span Pavilion opened one after another.

Many Saint domain leaders of various human sects and clans were just feeling relieved for being saved when they learned that their realms had been sacked by the outsiders from the Void World. Others learned that their realms were safe for now, but still had heavy hearts and feared for their future.

Therefore, all of them left hurriedly through the spatial rifts.

Many from the four great sects also returned to their headquarters to gather information.

WHOOSH!

A bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens and morphed into Scotte.

“That Devil was too fast, and we lost her,” Scotte said in frustration. “Also, we didn’t dare to chase too far, lest we fall into a trap and be surrounded by grand monarchs from the Void World.”

As he spoke, Chatvic and the Golden-feathered Divine Finch also returned and apologized.

“Why don’t we find another place to talk and arrange for your people to move to the Silent Star Sea first, so they’ll have a safe place to stay?” Nie Tian said without trying to squeeze in more negotiation. “The Domain of Endless Snow has lost its value. It’s about time we left.”

“Nie Tian!” Dong Li, Yu Suying, Yin Xingtian, and several others jerked their heads towards him.

The Seven Stars Realm Sea had fallen. The experts from various domains that had been gathered in the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries had been evacuated to the Domain of Heaven Python and the Domain of the Falling Stars. Now that they needed a place to go, they suddenly didn’t know where they should go.

Nie Tian pondered briefly, then said, “The Domain of Forbidden Heaven.”

...

“Agatha!”

In the silent starry river filled with surging frigid currents, Grand Monarch Thousand Spirits’ sub-soul was slowly losing wisps of soul power.

Numerous grand monarchs from the Void World and the Spirit World gazed in the direction of the Realm of Crystal Snow from a great distance.

They saw that Agatha of the Devils had manifested her most profound bloodline talent, which had allowed her to morph into a member of the ancient Purple Glede race, and flew towards them in glorious light.

A Devil noticed that Agatha had returned by herself. With a bad feeling, he asked, “Where’s Aztec? You didn’t abandon him and run by yourself, did you?”

Arriving before them, Agatha resumed her form as a high-tier Devil and said coldly, “If I didn’t, I would have died with him in the Realm of Crystal Snow. Three middle tenth grade Ancientspirit grand monarchs were chasing after me together. If I hadn’t been vigilant and activated my bloodline talent in advance, I probably would have died too.”

“What? Lord Aztec died in the Realm of Crystal Snow?” The Devil screamed in shock.

Agatha fell silent.

In a soft voice, Grand Monarch Thousand Spirits said, “I’m not sensing Aztec’s soul fluctuations in the Domain of Endless Snow. That Nie Tian even took Barbara’s Spirit Scepter. If Aztec actually died at his hands... I suppose even his soul wisps and Blood Essence failed to escape.”

Barbara looked very embarrassed as she said, “The scepter is still in Nie Tian’s hands.”

With a confused and disappointed expression, Grand Monarch Thousand Spirits said, “Barbara, you’re the Spirit Scepter. The Spirit Scepter is you. Someone took your vessel, and you can’t even take it back? What’s up with that?”

“His true soul carries the master’s aura,” Barbara said, her face grim and filled with anger.

Hearing the conversation between Grand Monarch Thousand Spirits and Barbara, many outsiders from the Void World shuddered.

Agatha, who had been silent, was flabbergasted. “Are you the soul of the Spirit Scepter? I can’t believe you’re actually the soul of Grand Monarch Heavenly Spirit’s Spirit Scepter! You left the scepter to find a Netherspirit with extraordinary potential and possessed her body with secret soul magics, so you had this fleshly vessel?”

“No wonder you could wield the Spirit Scepter!” Some Bonedrude said in astonishment.

Netherspirits were the race that was the most skilled with soul power. Grand Monarch Heavenly Spirit had been the most skilled of all.

The Spirit Scepter was a tool he had forged. It was natural that it possessed a powerful soul that had helped him better channel the Nether River and stimulate his bloodline.

However, who would have thought that the soul would leave the scepter and become this Barbara after his demise?