211: Void Remnant, Body Tempering Through Life and Death
The 'quiet room' of the Star Scar Tribe was merely a relatively dry and secluded cave deep within the grotto, with simple furnishings and only a stone bed. However, Ye Chen did not care about these external things. He sat cross-legged on the stone bed, waving his hand to set up a simple Restriction made of Chaos Qi to isolate the inside from the outside.
After this battle, he had gained a lot. It was not just killing a large number of Earth-Devouring Insects, but more importantly, he had a deeper understanding of the initially comprehended 'Life and Death Sword Domain', and his control over the chaos ancestral talisman's Fusion of the two opposing forces of 'Life' and 'Death' had become more proficient.
He looked within himself. Within his Qi Sea, the chaos ancestral talisman floated quietly, its surface flowing with Dao patterns, and the grey Chaos True Essence rotated slowly like a nebula vortex. Unlike before, within this Chaos nebula, one could vaguely see a trace of extremely faint, pale green light representing the creation of 'Life', intertwining and entangling with the deep grey Qi flow representing the Nirvana of 'Death', forming a dynamic and mysterious balance. This was the initial result after fusing the Chaos Fire Seed and the Foundation of Nirvana Sword Intent.
And within his Sea of Consciousness, the chaos primordial fetus cast a clear radiance, shining upon his Divine Soul, which had become more condensed and transparent. The primordial fetus itself seemed to be stained with a trace of the meaning of the cycle of life and death, making his perception of Law increasingly sharp.
'The Life and Death Sword Domain, the key lies in 'balance' and 'transformation'.' Ye Chen's thoughts stirred, and a wisp of grey Sword Intent containing the meaning of life and death appeared at his fingertips. This wisp of Sword Intent was no longer as cold and dead as pure Nirvana Sword Intent, nor as warm and vigorous as Chaos Life Flame, but a more complex state, closer to the Origin Law.
He tried to guide this wisp of Sword Intent into his Meridians and flesh.
'Hum!'
The Sword Intent entered his body, not to destroy, nor to nourish, but a form of extremely tyrannical 'Body Tempering'! Under the scouring of this Sword Intent containing the rules of life and death, his flesh seemed to be experiencing both Rebirth and decay at the same time! A portion of his cells were crazily dividing and strengthening under the stimulation of the power of 'Life', while another portion of old and weak cells were rapidly disintegrating and being expelled from his body under the effect of the power of 'Death'!
Excruciating pain! It was like ten million ants gnawing and repairing at the same time!
Ye Chen's forehead veins bulged, sweat seeped out instantly, but he kept his mind tight, his will like steel, firmly controlling the flow of that wisp of Sword Intent in his body. He could clearly feel that his Physical Body was undergoing a transformation like being reborn! Impurities were forcibly removed, and the tissue structure became tighter and tougher amidst destruction and Rebirth, containing stronger power and vitality!
This was an extremely dangerous method of Body Tempering. If he did not possess the chaos ancestral talisman as a Foundation, and could reconcile the out-of-control power of life and death at any time, he would likely have his Physical Body collapse instantly, turning into a pile of chaotic energy dust.
I don't know how long it had been, the intense pain receded like a tide, replaced by an unprecedented sense of ease and transparency. Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of light passed through them. He gently clenched his fists, feeling the surging power of Qi and blood like a dragon and elephant in his body, as well as the majestic vitality and an introverted Nirvana toughness contained in his muscles and bones.
His Physical Body strength had increased by at least thirty percent! Moreover, his application of the Life and Death Sword Domain had also become more proficient.
'It's time to set off.'
He withdrew the Restriction and walked out of the cave.
The Grand Elder and Yan and others had long been waiting respectfully outside. Seeing Ye Chen come out, feeling the aura on his body that seemed to have not changed much, yet appeared to be more in harmony with the surrounding environment and unfathomable, everyone was even more awestruck.
'Venerable One, the map markings you requested and the known information about the Star Burying Valley have all been organized here.' The Grand Elder offered a bone piece emitting a faint Soul fluctuation with both hands, which was a simple substitute for a Divine Sense Jade Slip.
Ye Chen took the bone piece, swept his Divine Sense over it, and instantly read the information within. The map was more detailed than the previous animal skin map, marking several relatively hidden paths, as well as the territories of several known powerful Abyss Beasts, including the possible range of activity of the Star Devouring Ancient Dragon. The information also mentioned that the space within the Star Burying Valley was extremely chaotic, filled with various strange Law fragments and spacetime traps, and there might even be indestructible Battle Intent or residual arrays left behind by ancient powerhouses who had fallen.
'Thank you.' Ye Chen nodded and put away the bone piece, 'After I leave, you can rest assured here. For a short time, the Earth-Devouring Insects should not dare to come again.'
'Thank you, Venerable One!' The Grand Elder and others bowed, their hearts filled with gratitude.
Ye Chen did not say anything more, his figure swayed, and he had already turned into a faint Sword Intent, following the passage he came from, leaving the underground grotto, and returning to the dead, dark surface of the Star Abyss of Fallen Gods.
According to the guidance of the bone piece map, he identified the direction and exerted the Chaos Limitless Steps to the extreme, galloping towards the Star Burying Valley.
The closer he got to the Star Burying Valley, the more bizarre the surrounding environment became. The broken star wrecks became larger, some even like floating mountain ranges, with terrifying battle marks remaining on them, which had not faded after eternity. The air was filled with various chaotic Law auras, sometimes as hot as lava, sometimes as cold as the nine underworlds, sometimes the gravity increased a hundredfold, and sometimes it was as light as nothing.
He even saw some huge, crystal-like transparent fragments floating in the air, with the corpses of some lifelike gods, demons, or strange giant beasts sealed inside, as if time had been frozen at that moment. These were 'Spacetime Amber' that had been instantly sealed into another dimension by terrifying power during the ancient war and revealed due to the collapse of space.
Ye Chen was cautious, relying on his powerful Divine Sense and keen perception of spatial fluctuations to avoid those obvious spatial rifts and chaotic Law areas. Occasionally encountering some wandering Star Abyss creatures that had been eroded and mutated by chaotic Laws, he also tried his best to hide his aura to avoid them, not wanting to create extra trouble.
A few days later, a huge, pitch-black canyon that seemed to have torn the entire starry sky appeared at the end of the horizon.
That was the Star Burying Valley!
Before he really got close, a Soul-trembling devouring intent and a storm of chaotic Laws rushed towards him like a substance! The valley was dark and deep, as if connected to the ultimate abyss of the Universe, and occasionally strange colorful auroras flashed and disappeared in the darkness, which was the manifestation of highly condensed chaotic Laws.
And the chaos ancestral talisman in Ye Chen's Qi Sea also transmitted an unprecedented, clear palpitation at this moment! The induction was extremely strong! That spirit of the star abyss, or rather the ancestral rune fragment, must be in the deepest part of this Star Burying Valley!
He took a deep breath and was about to step into the valley.
Suddenly, his gaze was attracted by the scene in a relatively calm Void Realm at the edge of the valley entrance.
There, a... 'corpse' was floating.
It was not the skeleton of a god, demon, or giant beast, but an old man with a human appearance. He was wearing an ancient Dao robe that Ye Chen had never seen before, flowing with starlight, his face lifelike, his eyes closed, sitting cross-legged, as if he were just meditating. There was no life aura on his body, nor was there any Death Qi, as if he were in a state of absolute 'Nothingness'.
The most peculiar thing was that within three zhang of his body, it seemed to be a world of its own, and even the terrifying devouring power and chaotic Laws of the Star Burying Valley could not invade it, forming a strange area of 'absolute calm'.
'This is... 'Void Realm Remains'?' Ye Chen's heart moved, and he remembered some ancient records. Some powerhouses who had cultivated the space Law to the extreme, when they sat down or encountered irresistible force, sometimes would merge their bodies with the Dao, completely fusing themselves with the surrounding Void Realm, forming an eternal 'remains', immune to all Laws, lasting forever.
This remains could exist at the entrance of the Star Burying Valley, and the strength of its owner during his lifetime was likely far beyond imagination.
Ye Chen pondered for a moment and approached carefully. He could feel that the 'absolute calm' area around this remains contained extremely profound mysteries of the space Law.
Just as he approached within ten zhang of the remains, a change occurred!
The remains, which had been motionless, suddenly... opened its closed eyes!
In the eyes, there were no pupils, but two micro-Universes that were constantly being born and dying, deducing the birth and Nirvana of space!
A vast, ancient, and majestic will, as if holding the Origin of the Void Realm, descended with a boom, covering Ye Chen!
'Later generations... seeker of the Dao...'
An indifferent, hollow thought, as if coming from the end of ancient time and space, sounded directly in Ye Chen's Sea of Consciousness.
'I am a remnant thought of the 'Lord of the Void Realm'... leaving this remains here, waiting for those who are fated...'
'Those who enter the valley must undergo the test of 'Void Realm Heart Tempering'... Comprehend my 'Space Nirvana Mark'... only then will you be qualified... to touch the 'source core'...'
Before the words fell, the scene of the Universe being born and dying in the eyes of the remains suddenly magnified, instantly swallowing Ye Chen's mind completely!
Ye Chen only felt a blur before his eyes, and he was already in a boundless, strange world where countless spaces were constantly being generated, stabilized, twisted, and finally heading towards Nirvana!
Countless grey marks representing the rules of 'Space Nirvana', like threads of fate, crisscrossed and filled the entire 'world'! Each mark contained the terrifying power to make space completely return to 'Nothingness'!
This was the test of 'Void Realm Heart Tempering'? Comprehend these Space Nirvana Marks?
Ye Chen's mind was shocked, but he quickly calmed down. This was not a real attack, but a test of consciousness inheritance. He recalled that at the core of the Return to Ruins, he had once used the 'Space Nirvana Mark' to open a path to survival, and he already had some understanding of space Nirvana.
He sat cross-legged in this void of consciousness, the Great Accomplishment Nirvana Sword Intent flowed naturally, resonating with those crisscrossing 'Space Nirvana Marks'. At the same time, the chaos ancestral talisman's brilliance flowed, helping him analyze the more profound and mysterious Void Realm Laws contained in these marks.
His mind was completely immersed in it.