Burning Sky Cliff

The second wreckage in Falling Star Abyss was hidden deep within a stone forest.

These stone pillars had bizarre shapes, like countless hands reaching towards the sky, their surfaces covered in deep purple moss that exuded corrosive sap when touched.

This was the 'Corroding Heart Moss' unique to Southern Continent, capable of corroding even top-grade profound iron.

White Night took a small piece of star marrow iron, crushed it, and sprinkled it on the stone pillars.

Strangely, the star marrow iron powder caused the Corroding Heart Moss to wither instantly, revealing star patterns carved beneath.

"As expected, it's related to the Nine Heavens Realm." His eyes flickered slightly. The Heavenly Heart Imprint extended along the trajectory of the star patterns, revealing that these stone pillars were arranged according to a certain formation, and the center was precisely where the blood god pearl marked on the blood jade slip was hidden.

The Wind Howling Silver Wolf suddenly let out a low growl towards the depths of the stone forest, its fur standing on end.

White Night followed its gaze and saw a blood-colored figure standing at the center of the formation, holding a throbbing blood bead in his hand. Countless suffering human faces could vaguely be seen within the bead — it was the blood god pearl!

The person turned around, revealing a face covered in blood patterns. It was none other than Blood Butcher, the Vice Sect Master of Blood Shadow Sect, a Void Refining Realm middle-stage cultivator whose aura was several times stronger than the previous Void Refining Realm cultivator.

"White Night? I never expected you to track me all the way here." Blood Butcher licked his lips, a cruel smile flashing in his eyes. "Since you've come, stay and be a sacrifice for the blood god pearl!"

He tossed the blood god pearl into the air. The blood bead erupted with dense blood energy, instantly enveloping the entire stone forest.

The withered Corroding Heart Moss began to regrow in the blood energy, transforming into countless blood-colored vines that wrapped around White Night.

"Myriad Laws United · Earth!" White Night roared softly. The ground beneath his feet suddenly rose, forming an earth wall that blocked the vines.

This was the Earth Law he simulated, possessing extremely strong defense.

"Somewhat interesting." Blood Butcher sneered, lashing out with the blood-colored long whip in his hand. The whip's shadow carried the pressure of the Void Refining Realm, shattering the earth wall. "Unfortunately, before absolute power, any technique is futile!"

White Night advanced instead of retreating, his iron sword entwined with the azure Wind Law, simultaneously integrating the power of spatial rifts: "Wind Rift · Instant Kill!"

His figure flickered within the blood energy, appearing like a phantom behind Blood Butcher, his iron sword pointing directly at his back.

This sword strike combined the swiftness of wind and thebizarre of space, making it difficult for even a Void Refining Realm middle-stage cultivator to detect.

But Blood Butcher's reaction far exceeded expectations. The blood patterns on his body suddenly lit up, forming a blood-colored shield.

"Clang!"

The iron sword struck the shield and was actually bounced back.

Blood Butcher turned and struck out with a palm, dense blood fiend energy condensing in his palm: "You don't know your place!"

White Night retreated using the rebound force, simultaneously scattering star marrow iron powder into the air.

Space Law resonated with the star marrow iron, and the surrounding space suddenly twisted. The blood fiend energy was guided by the twisted space, deviating from its original trajectory.

"Space Law?" Surprise flashed in Blood Butcher's eyes, quickly turning into greater greed. "If I can integrate your law into the blood god pearl, my blood puppet will definitely break through to the Void Returning Realm!"

He formed hand seals, and the human faces within the blood god pearl rushed out, transforming into countless blood shadows that lunged at White Night.

These blood shadows were the residual souls of cultivators devoured by the blood god pearl, containing the power of their laws from when they were alive, making them extremely troublesome.

"Silver Wolf, break the formation!" White Night shouted.

The Wind Howling Silver Wolf understood, erupting with silver sound waves that spread along the star patterns. The formation in the stone forest began to tremble violently.

The blood-colored vines snapped inch by inch in the sound waves, and the blood energy also thinned.

"Damn beast!" Blood Butcher roared, splitting off a portion of the blood shadows to attack the Silver Wolf.

White Night seized this opportunity, operating the Chaos Devouring Law to its extreme. Black and white spiral patterns appeared on his iron sword: "Chaos · Annihilation!"

The sword light flashed, and black and white currents rotated like a gallows. Wherever they passed, the blood shadows disintegrated, and even space was torn open with a long rift.

"Pfft!"

Blood Butcher's shoulder was grazed by the sword light, and blood instantly gushed out.

He looked at White Night in disbelief: "How can a Late Stage Soul Transformation cultivator injure me?!"

White Night didn't answer, simply striking again with his sword.

This time, he integrated the three laws of Myriad Laws United into his sword move simultaneously: the swiftness of wind, the profoundness of earth, the dominance of fire, and thebizarre of space intertwined, forming a colorful sword light.

Blood Butcher's blood-colored shield trembled violently in the sword light, finally shattering with a 'crack'.

"No!" Blood Butcher let out a desperate roar, turning to snatch the blood god pearl, but White Night's sword blocked his path.

"This pearl cannot remain." White Night's voice was cold. The moment the iron sword pierced the blood god pearl, the star marrow iron powder suddenly erupted with a strong light.

Space Law collided with the blood fiend energy in the blood god pearl, creating a violent explosion.

Blood Butcher was swallowed by the explosion's shockwave, screaming as he turned into ashes.

The blood god pearl shattered in the explosion, and the devoured residual souls were liberated, transforming into specks of golden light that dissipated into the sky.

After the explosion subsided, a black jade slip remained in the center of the stone forest, inscribed with the words "Nine Heavens Realm Warship Log · Incomplete Scroll".

White Night picked up the jade slip. It recorded the reason for the warship's crash: they were caught in a spatial rift during a battle with demonic beasts and fell onto Qingxuan Continent.

More importantly, the log mentioned the "boundary gate coordinates," located at the southernmost tip of Southern Continent, at "Burning Heaven Cliff."

[Main Quest 'Explore Nine Heavens Realm Ruins' progress increased to 70%]

[Obtained boundary gate coordinates, unlocked new map: Burning Heaven Cliff]

[Reward: Void Returning Realm Law Comprehension x1, grand void divine boat repair materials x3]

When the system prompt sounded, White Night could clearly feel that his understanding of the Void Refining Realm had deepened.

After absorbing the blood god pearl's energy, the Chaos Devouring Law became even more refined, even vaguely able to simulate a trace of Void Refining Realm pressure.

Having dealt with Blood Butcher, he began to thoroughly search the stone forest.

In a hidden compartment of a stone pillar, he found a golden token inscribed with "Nine Heavens Realm Vanguard Camp," and on the back was a complex rune, which was the key to opening the warship's core cabin.

"It seems there's an even greater reward." White Night put the token into his system space, his heart filled with anticipation.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the stone forest.

Qin Yue's figure appeared at the entrance. He looked at the mess on the ground and the jade slip in White Night's hand, complex emotions flashing in his eyes: "You really killed Blood Butcher?"

White Night nodded: "He got what he deserved."

"The Sect Master of Blood Shadow Sect is a Void Returning Realm cultivator. You killed his Vice Sect Master; he will never let it go." Qin Yue reminded him, "Southern Continent is not a place to stay long. We should leave as soon as possible."

White Night looked at him: "Why are you following me?"

Qin Yue gave a wry smile: "I want to see how far someone who can cause a reaction in the tortoise shell jade pendant can go." He paused, "Moreover, Myriad Laws Sect and Blood Shadow Sect have always had grievances. Helping you is also helping my sect."

White Night didn't refuse: "Burning Heaven Cliff, are you coming?"

Surprise flashed in Qin Yue's eyes: "The boundary gate coordinates are there?"

"Mm."

"Let's go!" Qin Yue agreed without hesitation. "With my Heavenly Divination Pavilion's deduction techniques, we can avoid many dangers."

The two men and one wolf left the stone forest, heading towards Burning Heaven Cliff at the southern end of Southern Continent.

Along the way, Qin Yue indeed displayed powerful deduction abilities, several times avoiding the Blood Shadow Sect's pursuers and the spatial rifts of Falling Star Abyss.

White Night also learned more secrets about Central Continent and Southern Continent from him: Blood Wuyah, the Sect Master of Blood Shadow Sect, was once a disciple of Myriad Laws Sect. He was expelled for cultivating forbidden arts and then founded Blood Shadow Sect. Burning Heaven Cliff not only held the boundary gate coordinates but was also the source of Southern Continent's fire spiritualpulse, producing "Burning Heaven Crystal" which could enhance Fire Law.

"Burning Heaven Crystal will be greatly beneficial for me to simulate Fire Law." White Night thought to himself, "Perhaps I can break through to the Void Refining Realm there."

Ten days later, Burning Heaven Cliff was in sight. The entire cliff was crimson, and eternal flames burned at its summit. Even a thousand li away, one could feel the scorching heat.

"That's the place." White Night pointed to a platform at the cliff's summit. "The boundary gate coordinates should be on that platform."

Qin Yue's tortoise shell jade pendant suddenly trembled violently, and he said with a solemn expression: "Be careful, there are Void Returning Realm auras at the cliff top, and more than one!"

White Night's eyes instantly sharpened. Void Returning Realm cultivators, these were the strongest opponents he had encountered.

It seemed that beneath the calm of Burning Heaven Cliff, a greater storm was brewing.

But he showed no fear, only battle intent.

He gripped the iron sword in his hand and looked at Qin Yue again: "Dare to break through?"

Qin Yue took a deep breath, determination flashing in his eyes: "Why not? It is my honor to fight alongside fellow Daoist Bai."

The Wind Howling Silver Wolf also let out a low growl, as if responding to their resolve.

The two men and one wolf headed towards the summit of Burning Heaven Cliff, their figures soon disappearing into the crimson mountain.

The flames at the cliff top seemed to sense something, burning even more fiercely, reddening half the sky.

The Nine Heavens Realm boundary gate was within reach, and powerful Void Returning Realm enemies had been waiting for a long time.

White Night knew that this battle would determine whether he could successfully open the boundary gate and venture into a wider world... The crimson rocks of Burning Heaven Cliff shimmered with a flowing luster under the fire's reflection, as if the entire mountain was ablaze.

The closer they got to the cliff top, the hotter the air became. The pungent smell of sulfur mixed with the unique sweet-and-sour scent of magma, feeling like swallowing burning charcoal when inhaled.

White Night circulated the Wind Law to its extreme, forming an air vortex around him. The spatial rifts within the vortex continuously cut through the oncoming heatwaves, barely allowing him to maintain normal breathing.

Qin Yue was in a slightly more disheveled state. Although he used his tortoise shell jade pendant to defend, his temples were already soaked with sweat, and the hem of his azure Daoist robe even showed scorch marks.

"This Burning Heaven Cliff's fire spiritualpulse is three times stronger than recorded. I'm afraid there are Void Returning Realm cultivators drawing on the spiritualpulse's energy." He formed hand seals with his fingers, and the runes on the tortoise shell lit up with a faint golden light. "The deduction shows two Void Returning auras at the cliff top: one belongs to the Blood Shadow Sect, and the other is very strange, carrying the Fire Law of Burning Heaven Valley, yet also mixed with blood fiend energy."

The Wind Howling Silver Wolf suddenly stopped, letting out a low growl towards a narrow mountain crevice ahead.

The rocks on both sides of the crevice were covered with claw marks, and dark red ice crystals had solidified along the edges of the marks.

These were traces left by the Blood Shadow Sect's special 'Blood Ice Claws,' which could maintain low temperatures in high-temperature environments and were specifically designed to break through fire-elemental defenses.

"Someone is watching from the shadows." White Night's eyes narrowed. The iron sword trembled slightly in his hand, and the firelight reflected from its spine suddenly distorted. "Myriad Laws United · Wind Concealment!"

...