Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Thousands of years ago, Yan Zaizen had arrived here with the same method, transported by a spatial platform's formation, beamed into the grander world that was beyond the Fallen Stars Continent. He was nothing but a youth, wet behind the ears seeking adventure after a period of misery. 

At that time, he had Tao and Bai Lufeng by his side. When he felt the seismic activity of the world shift the red sand beneath his feet ever so slightly, he recalled all those memories. 

He couldn't resist squatting down, his hand digging through the red sand and feeling its soul properties. The Dead Soul Desert. It was a sea of red sand, as far as the mortal eye could see.

"This is…?" Old Man Bo had a slightly gaped mouth as he looked around, astounded by this new sight. While he had heard accounts of Yan Zaizen's adventures and what this world had to offer, he hadn't been there, seen it, so it felt so distant and intangible. But, this sea of red sand that seemed to attract his very soul was here, it was real.

"The Dead Soul Sea," Yan Zaizen said, answering the thought in Old Man Bo's mind. "This Red Sand has a unique trait: It can absorb soul energy and slowly refine it. As the soul seeped into the sand, the turbidity is removed and one's sense of self becomes clearer." Yan Zaizen faintly smiled. When he first heard Wu Yuanxu mention that the Anima Syndicate used it to help enlightenment, he hadn't completely understood how, but now that he was here, he felt the truth immediately.

"Ah," Old Man Bo felt traces of his soul energy deplete, seeping into the red sand as if it was returning to its origin. Of course, it was minute. 

Lin Feilin had already known of the Dead Soul Sea, and had even visited several times in her lifetime. Yet with each arrival, she was still bewildered as to how this red sand worked. The oddity that bewildered many was that if one collected the red sand and left this specific location, all of its special properties would vanish.

Yan Zaizen closed his eyes as he felt the Dead Soul Sea. It was like an ever-inhaling giant, sucking in the air, but instead of air, it sucked in soul energy. 

"The Dead Soul Sea…" he felt more and more connected with the characteristics of the red sand. After several minutes, he finally stood up and brushed his hands together, ridding himself of the loose sand. "This area isn't special, but beneath it is a very special existence."

"Special existence?" Both Lin Feilin and Old Man Bo looked at him in curiosity. Even the snow-white puppy tilted its head in question, making a small sound with its throat. 

Yan Zaizen merely nodded, his gaze on the horizon. "When I originally arrived here, I was ignorant of many things. I felt the world was filled with endless mysteries, wondrous and eternal. However, the Dead Soul Sea's name is not for show."

"...?" Old Man Bo was still somewhat confused.

However, Lin Feilin's pupils shook as her head snapped downwards. With a slight quivering to her voice, "You mean that?!" Her rapid movements and excitement caused the snow-white puppy to nuzzle deeper into her bosom, a contentful smile as he laid upon those soft mounds of flesh.

Yan Zaizen nodded, "There's a Dead Soul here." 

"What's a Dead Soul? And how can a soul even be dead? Wouldn't it move on?" Old Man Bo still hadn't understood many things in this world, so he asked.

"A Dead Soul is unlike a living soul. Yours or mine. There are only two differences, the lack of a Soul Flame and corrupted soulforce." Thes soul was composed of all sorts of incredible things, but two most crucial aspects of the soul were its soulforce and Soul Flame. Soulforce was the vital counterpart of lifeforce, and it was how souls could outlive their fleshy bodies. When one's soulforce dissipated, their soul would just vanish. 

As he comprehended the World Law of the Soul, he had grasped this crucial information, and soulforce dissipation meant the inability to enter Hell and reincarnate. It was the truest end of self. However, soulforce dissipation was nearly impossible to accomplish or occur.

Usually, the soul would rapidly weaken after bodily death, after losing its container, and return to its origins via a unique method. Yan Zaizen couldn't cause true death until he reached the level that could rival the Heavens.

Not many could accomplish this feat. As for how to corrupt it, there were numerous things that needed to occur for it to happen, and it had to do with the Hell Altar of the Infernal Path. The Infernal Path followed the cultivation of the soul. 

A corrupted soulforce generally meant Immortality. Yes, Immortality in the truest sense. However, with everlasting traits came a weakness. It required an enormous amount of soul energy to maintain one's state of existence. This was why the Dead Soul Sea slowly consumed exuded soul energy of other beings, the extend the existence of the Dead Soul beneath it. If there came a day where it could no longer consume soul energy, replenish its soulforce, it might survive, but it would no longer be itself.

After he explained this to the two, Lin Feilin's breathing sped up. "An Infernal Deity is actually beneath us?!" There was a tinge of fear in her eyes. She had read all sorts of records and was relatively knowledgeable despite her cultivation base. 

An Infernal Deity was an existence similar to a Heavenly Commander. An expert who forged their Seventh Stage of their Hell Altar. They were supreme existences, and only Heavenly Creation Realm experts could even hope to contend with them.

Yan Zaizen was somewhat shocked about the extent of Lin Feilin's knowledge. He nodded. 

"I can't rely on just the Herculean Path to reclaim my body. It might not be enough. I must have a contingency if it doesn't work." Yan Zaizen calmly explained, his amber-gold eyes peering into the ground. That was right, he fully intended to cultivate the Infernal Path!

While normally, the Infernal Path required a Soul Regalia of the Heavens, he would have to substitute his Paragon Soul Realm and comprehension of the Soul Source Path. It wasn't likely that his soul could recover with the meagre resources of this continent or realm.

To put it simply, a strand of his soul power at its peak could obliterate the entire Xiantu Realm and its countless beings in the matter of seconds. If he wanted to recover a strand, the soul resources here weren't enough. Perhaps the Source Ring wouldn't contain enough resources to rise.

Furthermore, as his soul was far too powerful, he would require too much time to restore his soul energy. Therefore, he had to form an easier, quicker way to cultivate another form of energy that may or may not work against the Deep Mine's mysterious force. 

"...The Infernal Path, it's outlawed, right?" Lin Feilin asked, the fear not abating within her heart. Instead, it continued to gradually increase.

Yan Zaizen truly was startled by Lin Feilin's knowledge. Indeed, the Infernal Path was outlawed. And, it wasn't just in the 27th Heaven. It was all thirty-three heavens, unanimously outlawed by the in-seat Heavenly God. It was that abhorred.

This had to do with the Infernal Path's means, methods, origins, and lastly: Threat! Yes, threat! Those that could reach the Infernal Path had to have an outstanding foundation into the soul, and for Heavenly Cultivators, their souls were their weakest parts.

If it was freely cultivated, a true expert could topple them and claim their throne. And this was because of the peak-Sovereign Soul Conceptual Law requirement that it needed and surprisingly, it was also one of the requirements for claiming the Heavenly God's title.

Clap!

Yan Zaizen smacked his hands together, causing Lin Feilin to start. "Normally, I'd avoid it cultivating this path as its not all beneficial. However, I don't have a choice now. Furthermore, I have my way around the Heavenly Restriction enforced." The Herculean Path was similarly outlawed, and now that he had the Heavenly Dao Seed, he could absorb or avoid any threat.

With this handled, he had made ample preparations.

As for the materials for his Infernal Hell Altar? 

He grinned as he looked at the endless red sea of sand.

Wasn't he standing on it?