Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

The flight continued in the Vast Expanse, a space filled with nothingness for dozens of years. The Vast Expanse was truly nothing. No color, light, essence, gravity or life. There weren't even aberrant creatures, weird spatial phenomena, or space itself. As Yan Zaizen traveled, there was no resistance at all.

The feeling was so hard to describe that it was nearly impossible. After all, nothingness truly was unfathomably challenging to wrap one's head around.

During their travels, Yan Zaizen had conversed with Ezekiel on many occasions, learning about the Vast Expanse and its creation. Supposedly, the Vast Expanse has another name. This name was impossible to verbalize correctly by human tongue, but the closest pronunciation would be Non.

The Non Universe. Ezekiel explained that the Non-Universe is vast, incomparably so. It exceeded the thirty-three heavens and more. However, it was also a layer of existence to a greater whole called the Omniverse. Supposedly, it has nothing and can contain or sustain nothing.

As for the heavens, Ezekiel wasn't sure. His answer was vague, explaining that the heavens were apart of the Heavenly Universe, but that the name wasn't something those who've reached the Heavenly God level and claimed a heaven called it, nor did those who've developed their own laws or paths.

Instead, he stated that his father once called it the False Heaven Universe. This baffled him, but what confused him even further was that even that name wasn't accepted and only the musings of his father at the time.

"It seems to be a secret for those at the peak...I wonder…" He was truly coming to understand that knowledge was power and power came with knowledge.

There were also other things he came to know, including about his Ancestor.

"Yan Wuzen fought by my Father's side. He, along with the remnants of the Yan Family was wiped out. Your branch seemed to have survived somehow. Perhaps out of pity." When Ezekiel said those words, he was indifferent, but his fists were clenched to the point cracking sounds resounded.

"It seems Ezekiel and my Ancestor knew each other...likely close." Deducing this, he felt like there was more to it. For example, not only was the Yan Clan left alive in a corner and weakened planet in the Rebirth Era, but a Regalia of the Heavens was also left behind. Not only that but a Blood Regalia too.

"Could it have been the Extreme Rebirth Heavenly God's intentions?" The more he thought about it, the more it seemed true. If the Heavenly God wanted to find all remnants of someone's lineage, shouldn't that be as simple as a thought away?

Or was he overestimating their ability and potential?

"We're here." Ezekiel halted his flight, his eyes calm and indifferent. In his hand was a silver compass. It radiated a faint glow of silver light.

Halting as well, Yan Zaizen felt relieved. They had flown nearly non-stop for fifty years, and they weren't even at the edge of the 7th Heaven before. Without the spatial void and heavenly laws, it truly took too long to travel.

He inspected the area, and in the midst of all this nothingness, he discovered not a single thing different. If it wasn't for Ezekiel taking the lead, he wouldn't even be able to tell his directions of up, down, left, right, let alone distinguish the area.

"Open an entryway here," Ezekiel pointed in front of him, not even glancing at Yan Zaizen and he calmly ordered. Yan Zaizen's brows rose up in surprise. This was the first time Ezekiel had given him a direct order. This felt incredibly uncomfortable in his heart, and the unwillingness was abundant.

"What's wro-" As if understanding his actions halfway, he groaned inwardly. Two sovereigns on a team were like two tigers in the same mountain; it was insidiously difficult. However, he calmed himself down and adjusted to the situation.

"The 17th Heaven is here, if you can open an entryway, we could enter without trouble...can you?" His words were awkward, and even the sentence itself felt like it was modified a few times to relay his intentions.

Yan Zaizen softly chuckled. He understood the dynamic created by two leaders on the same team, so he didn't take offense. Not to mention, at least he tried. He stepped forward and arrived at the location pointed at and used his finger to point at it.

A hole formed about the size of a basketball. He pulled his finger back and the hole shrunk into a pea. Then, viciously, he pointed forward, and the hole expanded to fit several people.

"Shall we?" He took a step forward and entered. Ezekiel gazed at where Yan Zaizen was for a second in deep thought, only after did he swiftly enter the hole.

-----

In the 17th Heaven, there was a minor realm. This minor realm had a single habitable planet, three dead planets, several habitable moons, and a single sun. It was remarkably small, and it could be compared to the Xiantu Realm's continental structures.

In this realm, on that single habitable planet, a hole that seemed to extend into absolute nothingness was produced. This hole created no sound when produced and seemed to not truly exist in this realm. Only by looking at it directly could one see the oddity of its existence.

From this hole, two figures emerged.

"Finally!" Yan Zaizen excitedly exclaimed. The Non-Universe contained no essence, air, or light, but this realm had its own sun, was suffused with heavenly essence, and the oxygen felt oddly relaxing to breathe.

He had returned.

"Here," Ezekiel calmly said, throwing an oval stone with an abnormally smooth surface towards Yan Zaizen's direction. With a quick movement, Yan Zaizen grasped it firmly in his palms.

"This is?"

"A talisman to communicate. Send your spiritual sense into the stone, and it'll transmit to this one here," as Ezekiel explained, he pulled out his own oval stone that seemed to be a perfect replica of the other. The only difference was the color. While Yan Zaizen had the color of bright white, Ezekiel's stone was deep black.

Yan Zaizen analyzed this stone briefly and felt shocked. "This is a Yin-Yang Communion Talisman!" This talisman was legendary. During their training sessions, Pinaka once brought up these talismans. She explained that they possessed the ability to communicate instantly regardless of distance. It was extremely intricate and rare, essentially two stones that were always interconnected with the other.

Not only was the stone capable of transmitting messages, but also emotions and intent. With that, one could easily understand the inner thoughts of the others when communicating.

However, the creation of such an item was genuinely high-class and required someone who comprehended Yin and Yang to a certain degree. Therefore, like Realmships who required high-level comprehension of space, they were limited in number.

"I'll send you a message when I'm finished with my preparations." His words were brief and clear. His wings sprang wide beautifully before he turned into a silver comet and disappeared into a spatial rift. Yan Zaizen felt shocked by the sudden departure. However, after some pondering, he only shrugged.

"Well, I guess I'll cultivate for now." Nonchalantly deciding this, he stepped forward and appeared before a mountain. With a tap of his finger, a cave had been instantly carved out. Entering the cave, he scanned around with bright eyes that shined with an incredibly distinct light.

"Life, Death, and Soul...merging physical with spiritual in co-existence and establishing your own cycle. I feel it clearer now than ever before!" Earlier, he couldn't comprehend the laws of Samsara due to the Vast Expanse not containing the Heavenly Law Domain, but now...he truly felt ready.

"MISS! RUN!!!" A deep, panicked voice urgently sounded nearby.

"Hm?"