Chapter 1521: Protecting the Soul

The World Origin Source of a continent in an Essence World could host the souls of at least 3 True Immortals!

Moreover, as the World Origin Source expanded with the growth of the world, a single continent would be able to support an increasing number of True Immortals. Even Gong Zhuo, an experienced expert from the Essence Xing World, wasn’t sure how many True Immortals a single continent could support.

The capacity of the World Origin Source connected to a continent that was 10,000 miles couldn’t be compared to those spanning 20,000 or 30,000 miles.

As the cultivation of the True Immortal increased, their souls would also transform.

The soul of a second tier True Immortal couldn’t be compared to that of a high-level True Immortal!

The Qinghuang Continent looked huge and ranked below the West Sea Continent and a few other continents that spanned more than 20,000 miles. The concentration of heaven and earth qi within the continent was also comparable to that of others. However, if someone adept at surveying the land were to thoroughly inspect the Qinghuang Continent, they would find very few naturally formed spiritual lands or Mysterious Worlds.

That was something that shouldn’t be seen in continents of that size. However, since no expert tried to look into it, they remained unaware.

The absence of True Immortals in the Qinghuang Continent also meant that they were not able to discover their world origin being stolen by others. Their continent only looked large on the surface, but their foundations were gone.

"For them to go to such great lengths to steal world origin from the Qinghuang Continent means that they had it all planned out. Their methods of separating the layers in the World Origin Source is also really exquisite.”

"What's more wonderful is that this setup only reduces the convergence of spiritual roots within the Qinghuang Continent and does not affect the actual size...”

"The techniques of these Elysiums are indeed extraordinary, but it appears they haven't been applied in the right place!"

Shang Xia spoke to an External Avatar while refining his inner qi.

Having decided to find a weakness in the Qinghuang Continent, Shang Xia cleared out some unnecessary items from his spatial artifact and exchanged them at various markets for useful treasures. He quickly created an External Avatar with a cultivation level at the grand completion stage of the Martial Dipper Realm and he has been refining it with his inner qi ever since.

Hearing Shang Xia's words, the originally closed eyes of the External Avatar snapped open. He chuckled softly, "You’re just interested in the method of their layered extraction of world origin, right?”

Indeed, he was. "I can lie to everyone else, but I can’t deceive myself. Haha. I need to place Soul Calming Vessels in the World Origin Source of 7 different worlds and I will definitely attract the attention of those in the world when I do. This method might be able to help me avoid a lot of trouble...”

His External Avatar laughed, "If that's the case, then I'll scout it out for you!”

Shang Xia bowed solemnly to his External Avatar. "Thank you for this!"

Creating a perfect External Avatar in such a short time was somewhat unrealistic, but fortunately, Shang Xia wasn't aiming to create a True Immortal-level External Avatar. As long as people didn’t scrutinize his External Avatar, it would be enough.

Originally, the safest method would have been to covertly support a Martial Dipper Realm expert from the Qinghuang Continent to attempt a breakthrough to the Martial Void Realm. With that, he would be able to use them to expose the actions of the other Elysiums.

Unfortunately, Shang Xia didn't have that much time, nor did he plan to spend so long in the Essence Du World.

With his External Avatar capable of movement, Shang Xia quickly set up a Five Element Spirit Gathering Formation. He didn’t care about the consumption of top-grade spirit stones as he increased the heaven and earth qi in his surroundings.

In this situation, Shang Xia began to remotely simulate the process of a breakthrough for his External Avatar.

As the aura it emitted began to rise, Shang Xia bestowed a strand of his soul onto his External Avatar through the sixth move of his Six Harmony Rod Technique, Heaven Liberation. The energy in the surroundings quickly converged and even the formation around him could no longer be hidden.

The mid to high-level cultivators across the Qinghuang Continent detected the change at once. They quickly realized someone was trying to enter the Martial Void Realm. Moreover, they already gathered enough inner qi. The only step left was to brand their souls in the world through the connection to the World Origin Source. Once they were successful, the Qinghuang Continent would possess their own True Immortal!

"Can they succeed?"

"Let's hope so. After all, since our world’s ascension, the Qinghuang Continent hadn’t produced a True Immortal...”

"It's tough. Many predecessors who attempted to break into the Martial Void Realm in the past failed at branding their souls. This...”

"Shut up!"

"..."

"Should we go and protect this person? It seems that they aren’t among the major powers...”

"Going now might cause misunderstandings and disturb their ascension, and it's probably too late to go now anyway."

"..."

"Considering that no cultivator in our continent has successfully branded their soul into our world, could it be that there’s something wrong with the World Origin Source that is connected to our continent?”

"What could be wrong? I think it might be an issue with our martial arts lineage!"

"What's wrong with that? Our Qinghuang Continent isn't isolated. We frequently interact with the other continents. If there were issues, wouldn't we know?"

"Do you think others would easily share the secrets of their martial art lineages?"

"Everyone, quiet! The World Origin Source is starting to churn. It has begun!”

...

As the World Origin Source connected to the Qinghuang Continent started to show signs of disturbance due to the soul branding, the Qiulong Mountain, Origin Returning Valley, and Yuwei Gate immediately sensed it.

Almost immediately, the high-level True Immortals of the 3 Elysiums met above the heavenly screen.

"Someone is attempting it again." Qiu Zhongyuan from the Qiulong Mountain, a fourth tier True Immortal, started the conversation.

"Where did this person come from? How can a peak Martial Dipper Realm expert remain unnoticed in the Qinghuang Continent?” The next person who spoke was Zhang Zihu, a fifth tier True Immortal of the Origin Returning Valley.

"Probably a martial fanatic who remains in seclusion. Although such individuals are rare, we have seen and heard of a few." Su Mou, the leader of the Yuwei Gate and a fifth tier True Immortal, added.

"Oh? This person's soul is sinking fast. Looks like they have sufficient accumulation, and if nothing unexpected happens, advancing to the Martial Void Realm seems promising!" Qiu Zhongyuan raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Heh, aren't we the unexpected problem that will pop up for them?” Zhang Zihu’s tone was chillingly cold as he chuckled.

Su Mou's tone was ostensibly regretful while adding, "Let's make our move quickly. We've drained the Qinghuang Continent's source sea too much. Ah, we got greedy...”

"What's the use of saying this now? The best approach is to make sure that any cultivator in the Qinghuang Continent with the qualifications and potential to reach the Martial Void Realm disappears before they can make an appearance!”

Su Mou also started to coordinate with the others but continued, "True Immortal Qiu is right. If we let warriors from the Qinghuang Continent die during their attempts to break into the Martial Void Realm, not only will the local experts of the Qinghuang Continent become suspicious, but I'm more afraid that that person from the West Sea Continent might intervene."

Zhang Zihu sneered, "Do you really think that person doesn’t know what we’re doing? He just doesn’t care. Moreover, he’s focusing on the bigger picture. The establishment of the Essence Du Heavenly Field is more important. Whether or not True Immortals come from the Qinghuang Continent or our Elysiums, what difference does it make?”

Qiu Zhongyuan nodded in agreement.

The three high-level True Immortals combined their efforts, channeling their Elysiums’ power, sending a trace of their soul to the Qinghuang Continent. It looked like they had done it many times before.

Su Mou continued, "That being said, all of this can’t be done openly, otherwise, as the only Sage in our world, he might have to step in to speak for the Qinghuang Continent."

Qiu Zhongyuan also agreed, "Let’s hurry up and get rid of the person’s soul and be careful not to expose ourselves...”

Su Mou suddenly laughed, "I’m there positioned in Qinghuang Continent’s World Origin Source. Hurry up and come over. It will be best if we act together.”

Zhang Zihu sneered, "True Immortal Su, you always seem so worried but you’re always the quickest to act!”

Qiu Zhongyuan sighed softly the next moment, "I’m in position too!"

Zhang Zihu laughed, "Senior Sister Gao, a high-level Elysium True Immortal assisting us, True Immortal Qiu, it should be a lot easier on you.”

Qiu Zhongyuan chuckled, "Still, I can’t compare to you two fifth tier True Immortals!"

"Oh no! This person’s soul is sinking too quickly!” Su Mou suddenly exclaimed. "You two, act quickly, this person is about to break through the layers we created!"

True Immortal Su took the lead and struck at the rapidly sinking soul.

At the same time, 2 other powerful currents appeared from other directions and went for the same target.

At almost the exact same time, the 3 powerful currents superimposed when they arrived at the soul, wiping away its existence.

The cultivators across the Qinghuang Continent could feel that the breakthrough process was ending as strange undulations appeared in the World Origin Source.

Many experienced or well-informed cultivators sighed inwardly, fearing that the attempt to ascend to the Martial Void Realm would end in failure.

The next moment, a sorrowful howl echoed across the skies of Qinghuang Continent: "Ah... Who is it?! Who is scheming against me?"

The roar instantly alerted all cultivators in Qinghuang Continent above the Martial Dipper Realm as nearly dozens of streaks of lights appeared all over the continent. They rushed towards the location of the dispersing heavenly phenomenon.

The faces of the high-level True Immortals of the 3 Elysiums changed instantly.

"Oh no! This person's soul is protected by a treasure. Otherwise, they couldn’t have lasted until now!" Su Mou was the first to realize something was wrong.

Even though the others didn’t respond, they quickly withdrew their divine souls from above the heavenly screen.

The three had previously remotely guided the undercurrents in the World Origin Source, attacking from at least two continents away. Realizing that something was amiss, all 3 clearly needed to act with all their might and could no longer afford to be distracted.

The next second, the soul that looked ready to disappear, made a desperate move! It ignored the surrounding undercurrents and started to accelerate once again!

Its move caught the 3 high-level True Immortals off guard.

Throwing away their disguise completely, they increased the intensity of the undercurrents and they started to actively surround the soul!

It was also then that the thinning soul that almost merged into the World Origin Source could no longer conceal the treasure within, a 5 inch long intricately carved copper paperweight!

It was because of the protection of the copper paperweight that the soul was able to withstand the powerful fluctuations made by the high-level True Immortals.

Even though the copper paperweight wasn’t a Divine Artifact, its rare ability to protect the soul was comparable to one! That also meant that it was much more valuable than ordinary Divine Artifacts.

At that moment, the three controlled source sea undercurrents started to fight over it.

In a desolate location in the Qinghuang Continent, miserable shrieks could be heard as they rang clearly in the ears of the Martial Dipper Realm cultivators of the Qinghuang Continent. “Someone stirred up the World Origin Source on purpose and destroyed my soul. They did it intentionally, forcing me to stop my advancement...”

Mysteriously, the area was tinged with a layer of sadness. The heavenly phenomenon above had mostly dissipated and even though the Martial Dipper Realm expert hadn’t died yet, their ascension had failed.

A figure that was surrounded by a layer of heaven and earth qi rushed into the air the very next moment as it started to corrode.

This situation was not unfamiliar to the surrounding experts. Those who failed wouldn’t leave behind a full corpse as the energy contained in them would be returned to the world at the time of their death.

Surprisingly, the cultivator who died was a little strange. He still had a little life force, but it was already being assimilated into the world. It might be because he was stuck in a strange state

"Who?! Who is it?!” The expert who was breaking through, now reduced to just a head, half a shoulder, and an arm, roared with reluctance, "I won’t accept this! Someone plotted against me! Even if I die, I need to know what happened!”

The next moment, all his vitality was drained and he disappeared without a trace.

Those standing around understood that the expert had made up his mind to assimilate into the World Origin Source just to find out the truth behind his death, and that was what they also wished to know.

The World Origin Source connected to the Qinghuang Continent received a surge of vitality and the copper paperweight hosting the last wisp of the expert’s soul broke through the encirclement of the 3 high-level True Immortals before descending further.

In an instant, the fluctuations around the copper paperweight disappeared and it seemed to enter a region of calm.

3 streams of energy emerged suddenly to rush at it, striking at it almost simultaneously.

Crack...

With a crisp sound, the 5 inch long copper paperweight instantly shattered into several pieces, each piece being drawn back into the World Origin Source by the undercurrents. The final piece accelerated towards the depths of the world.

Above the Qinghuang Continent, the expert who only had a single head left, stopped his howls and revealed a profound sadness.

"So, it turns out... Our Qinghuang Continent's World Origin has been drawn away!”

With his last bit of energy, the head turned its gaze at the members of the Qinghuang Continent watching his end. "Our... Our Qinghuang Continent... It’s hopeless!"

"It's impossible to ascend to the Martial Void Realm here!"

"Someone has stolen our Qinghuang Continent's world origin!"

"There are 3... 3...”

"Sage, please, have mercy on me, the Qinghuang...”

Under the watchful eyes of dozens of the Martial Dipper Realm cultivators of the Qinghuang Continent, the mysterious expert who failed his ascension used his life to uncover the secrets of the World Origin Source. He revealed the reason why the Qinghuang Continent failed to produce a True Immortal for so many years.

The truth was really cruel.

Watching the mysterious expert’s last vestige being assimilated and returned to the world, an endless sadness began to spread across the Qinghuang Continent.

It was unclear when or who among the Martial Dipper Realm cultivators began, but someone started praying towards the sky. "I earnestly request Sage Yan to uphold justice for our Qinghuang Continent!"

Gradually, the voices began to gather, spreading throughout the Continent.

"I earnestly request Sage Yan to pity us and to uphold justice for my Qinghuang Continent!"

"I earnestly request..."

The vast chorus of voices echoed through the heavens, rapidly spreading outward. Soon, the whole of the Essence Du World heard of it.

"Sigh!"

A long sigh rose above the Qinghuang Continent. It was soft, yet it resounded clearly in the ears of every expert present. Instantly, the impassioned cries from the Qinghuang Continent stopped.

"You went overboard. The World Origin Source of the Qinghuang Continent must no longer be stolen!"

The next second, a thunderous blast was felt in the hearts of those from the Qinghuang Continent. The originally vast World Origin Source connected to the continent started to shrink, becoming a mere 40 percent of its original size.

In an instant, the continent trembled. It was as though doomsday arrived.

With just 40 percent of the World Origin Source left, how could the 18,000 miles wide Qinghuang Continent be supported?