411: black hole

Xiao Zhuo, carrying the myriad laws indestructible armor which sealed the Time-Space Law Manifestation, moved wildly through the boundary realm.

Each spatial leap crossed an unimaginable distance, and each acceleration of time caused the traces behind him to rapidly fade.

He did not dare to stop for a moment; the power of a Saint far exceeded his imagination. A single strike from afar, even with the Taboo Power of the two extremes crystal, had injured him.

Although he had used the power of time and space to quickly escape, he could not guarantee that he would not be found by that Saint.

He had not yet successfully refined the Time-Space Law Manifestation into a Dao Fruit and achieved a Breakthrough to a Quasi-Saint, but even if a Saint left his own boundary realm and lost the blessing of his saint position, he would still be the most top-tier Quasi-Saint. In his current state, all he could do was flee.

After an unknown period of travel, crossing countless light-years of the boundary realm Void Realm, the surrounding landscape became increasingly desolate and dead.

Stars were sparse, energy was thin, and even the spatial turbulence common in the boundary realm had calmed down considerably.

Just as Xiao Zhuo felt his will was incredibly fatigued, and the light of the myriad laws indestructible armor had dimmed slightly, an indescribably terrifying suction force suddenly came from the extremely distant front!

That suction force did not act on matter, but on space itself, as if it wanted to drag the entire Void Realm inward to collapse!

Xiao Zhuo's mind tensed, and he looked intently.

At the end of his vision, an indescribably deep and dark “point” floated in the Void Realm.

It devoured all approaching light, causing the space around it to exhibit a strange, distorted curvature, like an inverted, invisible funnel.

Any matter, energy, or even stray Divine Thought, once it crossed a certain boundary, would disappear without a trace, like a clay ox entering the sea.

Black hole!

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Zhuo's eyes.

Although he had never seen one with his own eyes, he instantly understood what it was!

The space-time structure was completely twisted and torn by its unparalleled gravity.

Divine Sense probing into it was like throwing it into a bottomless abyss; it was instantly swallowed and crushed, unable to extend very far at all.

Not only Divine Sense, but even time and space themselves became extremely unstable in this place, and the trajectories of all the Great Dao Laws showed varying degrees of distortion and chaos.

"A natural, excellent cover!" Xiao Zhuo's mind settled.

No matter how powerful a Saint was, no matter how many methods he possessed, he would inevitably be affected and distorted by the black hole's gravity.

The chaotic time and space and unstable Great Dao here made it the perfect place to temporarily hide his tracks and refine the Dao Fruit!

He was cautious, controlling himself and the cage, stopping at the extreme edge of the black hole's terrifying gravitational influence.

Although the gravity here was strong, with his current cultivation, he could still resist it.

He scanned the vicinity and quickly selected a barren star slowly orbiting at the edge of the black hole's gravitational field.

This star was dark red all over, its surface covered with cracked ravines and impact craters, devoid of any atmosphere or life, only eternal coldness and death.

Xiao Zhuo landed on it with the sealed cage, and with a wave of his hand, he opened up a temporary Immortal Cave deep within the star's core.

"Hoo..." Placing the cage in the center of the Immortal Cave, Xiao Zhuo finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

A hundred years of continuous high-intensity combat and long-distance escape had left even him, with his current strength, feeling fatigued.

He sat cross-legged, adjusted his breathing for a moment, and then looked intently at the Time-Space Law Manifestation in the cage, which was still silently struggling, its silver glow flickering erratically.

"Next, I will completely refine you and condense my, Xiao Zhuo's, Time-Space Dao Fruit!"

Zizai Realm · Central Kyushu · Zizai City.

Three full months had passed since Xiao Zhuo's aura erupted, a pillar of light shot into the sky, and then suddenly disappeared.

The atmosphere in the main hall was heavy.

Wang Xianzhi, Wang Xianyu, Cao Xiaochuan, Dilamon, Yuan Tian, Bai Huang, and other core figures gathered together, each person's face shrouded in a lingering gloom.

"Still no response..." Wang Xianyu's voice carried a hint of imperceptible trembling. She looked at a dimly glowing Divine Soul imprint on the back of her hand. This was an exclusive imprint Xiao Zhuo had left for his three Disciples. At critical moments, it could be used to communicate with Xiao Zhuo, and he could even use the imprint as a coordinate to project a Divine Thought Clone.

At this moment, the imprint's light was dim. No matter how Wang Xianyu activated it, it seemed to be completely isolated by an invisible mist of time and space, unable to be located or to sense his state, only a sense of etherealness so distant it was heart-stopping.

"The Origin Golden Dragon is stable, even more condensed and powerful than before Revered Master left. This indicates that Revered Master himself is fine." Cao Xiaochuan said in a deep voice, his brows showing the worry he was forcefully suppressing and the heavy burden of a Family Head, "But the complete loss of contact cannot be explained by ordinary secluded cultivation or spatial displacement."

Everyone's gaze turned to Dilamon, who had the highest cultivation among them.

Dilamon's aged face showed deeper wrinkles. He slowly opened his mouth, his voice carrying an unprecedented solemnity: "The pillar of light that pierced through the boundary realm that day contained boundless power of time and space, far exceeding our imagination. Afterwards, Senior Xiao Zhuo and that Time-Space Law Manifestation disappeared simultaneously... Combined with the fact that he was ultimately aiming for the Great Dao of Time and Space Dao Fruit... I speculate..."

He paused, took a deep breath, and then continued: "Senior Xiao Zhuo was very likely swept into the river of time at the critical moment of his attempt to achieve the Dao Fruit! Only that river, which spans the past and future, could completely sever the connection between a Quasi-Saint about to condense a Time-Space Dao Fruit and the Origin of his own world!"

"river of time?!" Wang Xianzhi's expression changed, "Doesn't that mean Revered Master... might be trapped in some era of the past, or... drifted to the distant future?!"

"Precisely so." Dilamon nodded heavily, "The river of time is mysterious and extremely dangerous. The flow of time within it is completely different from the outside world. One careless mistake, and one might get lost in endless years. If Senior Xiao Zhuo is truly trapped within it, when he can break free and return, or even... if he can return, is difficult to predict."

"A thousand years? Ten thousand years? Or... forever?" Wang Xianyu's voice lowered, her eyes slightly red.

Cloud on her shoulder seemed to feel her owner's sadness, letting out a low whimper.

The hall was silent.

This speculation weighed on everyone's hearts like a huge stone.

After a long while, Cao Xiaochuan slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone, his voice low but with an undeniable decisiveness: "No matter when Revered Master is trapped, the Zizai Realm cannot fall into chaos! This boundary realm is Revered Master's Foundation, and the destiny golden dragon is still growing, which means Revered Master's Dao path is not cut off! Before Revered Master returns, we must guard this Foundation for him!"

He looked at everyone and said in a deep voice: "The Heavenly Dao consciousness of the Zizai Realm was originally not truly condensed due to Revered Master's unique nature. Now that Revered Master is temporarily out of contact... this boundary realm authority shall be temporarily held by me, Cao Xiaochuan!"

An invisible majesty rose from Cao Xiaochuan's body, subtly resonating with the Origin of the Zizai Realm deep within the main hall.

Feeling this will, everyone bowed: "We obey the command of the Family Head (Senior Brother)!"

Several days later · Outside the Zizai Realm boundary realm wall

Qing Zhu and White Spirit stood side by side, looking at the deep boundary realm in the distance.

Behind them was the Zizai Realm, already taking shape and shrouded in Immortal Qi.

"Ling'er! Let's go!" Qing Zhu sighed softly, her voice still ethereal, but with a hint of melancholy.

White Spirit nodded silently, her nimble eyes also carrying a touch of disappointment.

"Fairy Qing Zhu, are you really leaving?" Cao Xiaochuan's figure appeared behind them, his tone showing a desire to keep them.

"We were supposed to leave earlier, but because we couldn't thank Senior Xiao in person, we've delayed until now. Since we can't thank him in person now." Qing Zhu turned and bowed slightly to Cao Xiaochuan, "We two should return to Yaochi."

White Spirit floated beside her, looking at the two with a hint of regret in her eyes.

In her opinion, Cao Xiaochuan's strength and character were both quite good. Among his peers, even the high-ranking members of those Holy Lands might not possess his capabilities.

It was truly a pity that Qing Zhu missed out on him.

Cao Xiaochuan knew he couldn't keep them, so he clasped his fists solemnly: "Since that is the case, I, Cao, wish the two Fairies a smooth journey. If we are fated to meet again someday, or if you encounter Revered Master's whereabouts, please be sure to inform us!"

"Certainly." Qing Zhu agreed, exchanging a glance with White Spirit.

Ripples appeared in the space around the two of them, their figures gradually faded, and finally transformed into two streams of light, disappearing into the depths of the vast boundary realm.