Chapter 1842: Essence Frontier World and Nebula Forbidden Region

"Sage Shang, have you ever heard of the Essence Frontier World?” Sage Jin initiated the question as he looked at Shang Xia.

Shang Xia shook his head calmly and replied, "Forgive my ignorance, but this is the first time I’ve heard of them."

Sage Jin nodded, seemingly unsurprised. He said casually, "Speaking of the Essence Frontier World, I must first tell you a bit about my own origins."

After pausing slightly, Sage Jin continued, "I was once the ancestor of the Essence Wilderness World. Hehe... It’s a shame! My luck wasn’t too and several hundred years ago, a strange nebula appeared in my Heavenly Field. It swallowed a Spirit World and turned the entire region into a state of ruin. Naturally, I wanted to know what happened there. I didn’t think that I would end up trapped in the nebula, only escaping after exerting immense effort. Even so, I sustained grave injuries.”

As he spoke, a trace of resentment surfaced on his face. He went on, "Just as I escaped, I realized my Essence Wilderness Heavenly Field had been invaded and overrun by foreign forces. The soul I had anchored in my native world had been destroyed, and the Essence Wilderness World itself had been forcefully hurled into the Nebula Forbidden Region. Gravely wounded and powerless, I could only watch as my world was cast into that deathtrap."

Shang Xia appeared deeply shocked. After a while, he asked, "And what happened after that? Why did they choose to throw an Essence World into the entire origin-tier world into the Nebula Forbidden Region instead of dividing it up to bolster their own Heavenly Fields? They don’t seem very logical.”

Sage Jin, unsurprised by the question, sighed, "It was to halt the movement and expansion of the Nebula Forbidden Region. After it swallowed the first Spirit World, its rate of growth slowed significantly. The danger it posed even lessened. That was also why I dared to venture into it in the first place.”

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"But a single Spirit World wasn’t enough! Even my Essence Wilderness Heavenly Field was still at risk of being devoured. So those invaders, after realizing what was happening while I was still trapped, looted my world before flinging it into the forbidden region.”

Shang Xia nodded. "And among them, some were from the Essence Frontier World?"

"Exactly." Sage Jin let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Ancestor Qin Ming, a Sage from the Essence Frontier World, used to be my sworn brother. In the past, I helped him greatly in both his cultivation and the rise of his world. But it was he who led the effort to throw my Essence Wilderness World into the nebula."

Shang Xia asked after a moment of silence, "And how strong is Qin Ming now?”

Sage Jin’s expression darkened. "Back then, he was stuck before entering the mid-level of the Martial Emptiness Realm. Thanks to all the looting he did from my world and the division of two Spirit Worlds, he broke through to the fourth star. Now... He’s already a fifth star Sage.”

"As for me... Back then, I too was a fifth star Sage and once had hopes of going further. But once my world was destroyed, I became a stray dog. For centuries, I've struggled just to hold on, and now, even my mid-level cultivation is slipping. If I don’t find a solution soon, I may fall all the way back to the third star."

Shang Xia sighed, "Sage Jin, it’s not that I’m unwilling to help, but Qin Ming is a fifth star Sage who is backed by a Heavenly Field. Even if we had several more fourth star Sages, we won’t be able to fare well against him.”

Jin hurriedly added, "I haven’t explained clearly! That Nebula Forbidden Region I mentioned earlier... That’s actually the place where Hollow Heaven Stones are produced."

Before Shang Xia could ask further, Sage Jin continued, "After my Essence Wilderness World was cast into it, a strange equilibrium was reached. The forbidden region became riddled with spatial rifts, fragmented into countless broken subspaces. That is where the Hollow Heaven Stones are produced."

"Qin Ming was the first to discover this. To search for the treasures and legacies from the Nebula Forbidden Region, he even relocated his Essence Frontier Heavenly Field close to the forbidden region to claim it as his own."

At this point, Shang Xia finally understood. "So the forbidden region isn’t inside the Essence Frontier Heavenly Field, just nearby..."

Sage Jin nodded. "Exactly. Though the zone has remained stable for centuries and holds many harvestable resources, Qin Ming didn’t dare integrate it into his Heavenly Field. After devouring my Essence Wilderness World, it expanded to one-third the size of my Heavenly Field. It’s far too vast to be integrated into any Heavenly Field."

Shang Xia picked up on something and frowned. "If it’s so vast, how has the Qin Ming managed to control it?"

Sage Jin replied, "Because the safest and deepest entry point into the Nebula Forbidden Region is in their hands. Other routes are full of danger. Those who’ve tried to sneak in from other directions often suffer heavy losses."

Shang Xia was intrigued. "There’s actually a relatively safe route?"

Sage Jin explained, "It’s the same direction from which my Essence Wilderness World was hurled into the nebula."

Shang Xia nodded in realization and asked, "In that case, if I agree to work with you, how exactly do we get inside?"

With his question, it was clear his interest was piqued.

Sage Jin’s reply came immediately. "Have you forgotten? I was once trapped in it, but eventually escaped."

Shang Xia understood. While Sage Jin couldn’t enter via the front gates with the keys held by Qin Ming, he had his own way to sneak into the forbidden region.

"Fine. I have one last question, then.” Shang Xia stared straight into his eyes and asked, “Other than myself, who else have you invited?”