Spirit Realm

“The Vermillion Bird Realm was occupied?”

Shock appeared on Tong Yan’s red cheeks. She obviously found the news a bit hard to swallow.

For the past couple tens of thousands of years or so, she had been acting as leader to her people in Boluo Realm. She very rarely paid attention to the changes in the outside world.

But because Lunar Temple and Sun Palace had built secret realm entrances to Boluo Realm, some news from the Central World of Spirit Realm still reached her ears. The Vermilion Bird Realm she left was even hotter and unbearable than Boluo Realm was, so she didn’t think that the human martial practitioners of Six Ways Alliance could get used to the harsh environment of Vermillion Bird Realm.

“The Vermillion Bird Realm increases the Vermillion Bird Race’s strength by at least thirty percent, and it’s filled with volcanoes and seas of fire. How could the human race possibly take over the Vermillion Bird Realm?”

“Milord, I guess you truly have been ignorant of the Central World of Spirit Realm for too long.” Tong Zhenzhen sighed before explaining, “A new faction has joined the Six Ways Alliance, and this force is called Blue Flame Manor. It is a sub rank one Gold rank force. Every human martial practitioner in Blue Flame Manor cultivates the power of fire, and it is rumored… that the Prefecture Lord of Blue Flame Manor had obtained part of the Flame Emperor’s inheritance and cultivated it all the way to a six-level Soul Altar. As a result, the fire crystal wall was destroyed by the combined force of Six Ways Alliance and Blue Flame Manor, ultimately leaving the Vermilion Bird Realm under their occupation.”

“Today, our home had become Blue Flame Manor’s precious cultivation ground. Those human martial practitioners who are well-versed in the power of fire now consider our Vermillion Bird Realm their home.”

“Blue Flame Manor!” Tong Yan exclaimed through gritted teeth.

Although she had left Vermillion Bird Realm for many years, she was ultimately a part of the Vermillion Bird Race. She suddenly felt angry when she heard that the Vermillion Bird Realm was occupied by an invader, and the rest of the Vermillion Birds had been chased away from their homes.

Qin Lie listened calmly to their conversation.

The conflicts and wars between races had never stopped for even a second throughout this vast galaxy.

At the beginning, the human race was weak and bullied by all races in Spirit Realm. They were treated as food by the ghoul races and offered as live sacrifices when the powerful ancient races were praying to their ancestors. Thousands and tens of thousands of humans would be slaughtered in just a single ceremony.

When the God Race was powerful, they devastated the world and forced the hundred races of Spirit Realm to submit to them.

After the hundred races had chased them away, they too devastated the world in turn and stayed arrogant for a very long time.

In the present, the human race was starting to erode the hundred races’ power and take over their territories and living space.

Right now, any races who were weak would quickly become the target of powerful races.

The conflict between races would never end.

After experiencing so many things, Qin Lie slowly accepted and understood the cruel law of the jungle of this world.

“Qin Lie, you are very close with the races of Nether Realm, aren’t you?” Tong Zhenzhen suddenly asked.

The appearance of Luz and the Dark Shadow clansmen, and the presence of La Pu in Soul Summoning Island were all proof that Qin Lie shared a connection with the Nether Realm.

When she used her connections in Terminator Sect and investigated a little, she even learned that Qin Lie and the Horned Demon Race had gotten in touch with each other since a long time ago.

All these signs proved that Qin Lie and the races of Nether Realm shared an unusual relationship with each other.

“That’s right.” Qin Lie didn’t deny it. He smiled before asking, “Why the sudden question?”

“Blue Flame Manor has been encroaching onto the Nether Continent as of late. For the past few years, they had clashed multiple times against the denizens of the Nether Continent.” Tong Zhenzhen paused for a second and watched Qin Lie’s expression carefully and deeply.

She saw a frown suddenly springing to Qin Lie’s eyebrows.

“I heard that the queen of the Dark Nether Race has shown up in the Nether Continent, and she is currently commanding the Horned Demon Race and the Dark Shadow Race to fight against Blue Flame Manor,” Tong Zhenzhen continued.

Qin Lie’s face slowly darkened.

“She isn’t doing well.” Tong Zhenzhen let out a quiet sigh.

“How so?” Qin Lie asked of his own volition.

“There are three great races in Nether Realm. The Horned Demon Race and the Dark Shadow Race believe her to be the queen of the Dark Nether Race and support her.” Tong Zhenzhen’s tone took a sudden turn. “However, the Ghost Eye Race doesn’t acknowledge her status and identity. They say that she is a mixed blood between the human race and the Dark Nether Race, so she is unqualified to lead the three great races. Right now, the Ghost Eye Race is the strongest force in Nether Realm, but not only did they not send experts to aid her in the battle for the Nether Continent, they even trip her at every turn and prevent her from obtaining the rich resources of Nether Realm.”

“Nether Realm is a precious ground that is famed for all kinds of rare spirit materials. One of them is the Profound Yin Nether Sea, and the other is the Nine Soul Hell. Both these precious lands are currently controlled by the Ghost Eye Race.”

“Since the Ghost Eye Race didn’t give her access to these lands, she is unable to obtain a large amount of spirit materials that can improve the strength of the Horned Demon Race and the Dark Shadow Race.”

“The Dark Nether clansmen beneath her are unable to cultivate properly and give her their full support too.”

“This is internal trouble they’re facing.”

“The external trouble is of course, Blue Flame Manor.”

“Blue Flame Manor is situated near the Nether Continent. Three thousand years ago, they were almost eliminated by the denizens of Nether Realm, so they’ve been bearing a grudge for a very long time.”

“Today, Blue Flame Manor had transformed into a sub rank one Gold rank force and allied themselves with Six Ways Alliance. They are only stronger compared to the Nether Continent who had lost all five of their Demon Gods.”

“I heard that the queen of the Dark Nether Race had suffered… serious injuries during the latest skirmish.”

Tong Zhenzhen didn’t say anything more after this. She simple stared at him deeply.

She could see clearly the flames of anger running inside Qin Lie’s eyes.

She immediately knew that the queen of the Dark Nether Race who was currently protecting the Nether Continent was in fact the Ling Yushi who vanished from Scarlet Tide Continent back then.

Members of the Ling Family who were shunned by Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple were actually the Dark Nether clansmen who were currently protected by the Horned Demon Race and Dark Shadow Race at the Nether Continent. They were the royal family of the Nether Realm.

“Qin Lie, we have the same enemy,” Tong Zhenzhen said.

“I may not necessarily lose to a six-level Soul Altar human expert!” Tong Yan snorted.

“But Blue Flame Manor is also supported by Six Ways Alliance.” Tong Zhenzhen sighed.

Tong Yan’s expression changed suddenly as she fell silent.

“There is something… that I’ve been meaning to ask since a while ago.” Tong Zhenzhen looked at Qin Lie.

Xu Ran—silent all this time—also turned to look at Qin Lie with deep, complicated emotion behind his eyes.

“What do you wish to know?” Qin Lie asked solemnly.

“Three hundred years ago, the Qin Family who ruled the Central World of Spirit Realm had suddenly killed many Ninth Heaven martial practitioners. The battle quickly spread to every domain and drew the attention of Reincarnation Sect, Starry Hall, Six Ways Alliance, the Ao Family, and the Lu Family. The five top rate Gold rank forces and Ninth Heaven had worked together to fight against the Qin Family.”

“Although the Qin Family was strong, they were ultimately no match for all six Gold rank forces combined. In the end, the patriarch of the Qin Family, Qin Hao, lost his Soul Altar and had vanished since.”

“The giant that was the Qin Family also crumbled as a result.”

Tong Zhenzhen paused for a moment before continuing, “Rumor says that the source of this conflict… is the death of Qin Hao’s only son, Qin Lie, by the hands of Han Qian of Ninth Heaven.”

“Are you… related to that Qin Lie in any way?”

“No, I don’t know him. That’s a thing from three hundred years ago, and it has nothing to do with me.” Qin Lie shook his head.

“Oh, I see.” Tong Zhenzhen’s dragged voice indicated her clear disbelief of his words. “I simply thought that the Nether Continent may not need to fear Six Ways Alliance if they really are connected to the Qin Family. Although the Qin Family had crumbled way back, a starved camel is still larger than a horse. It is rumored that a lot of Qin Family experts had hidden themselves in other realms including the former patriarch of the Qin Family.”

When she was conversing with Qin Lie, Tong Yan, Teng Yuan, Nivitt and the other ancient beasts were all staring at Qin Lie with puzzlement.

These rank nine experts of the Ancient Beast Race could see from Qin Lie’s eyes that he wasn’t telling the truth.

But they didn’t expose him.

“Let’s put our matters with the Flame Race on a temporary hold. Would you like to take your discussion back to our place?” Teng Yuan asked.

Tong Yan and Nivitt nodded in unison.

Many Ancient Beast clansmen left the Flame Race’s domain under the three leaders’ orders.

Qin Lie had also returned to the secret realm entrance with them.

When he returned to the Ancient Beast Race territory, he waited alone in the cave entrance where the secret realm entrance was while Tong Zhenzhen, Lin Liang’er and the Rank Nine Vermillion Bird chatted with one another.

Time passed by quickly.

When the nine moons appeared in Boluo Realm once more, he walked out of the cave and bathed himself beneath pure moonlight.

The silver moon mark on his shoulder glowed and drew the essence of the moonlight into itself.

When he probed the mark with his consciousness, he could see that the nine little moons in his mark were spinning and greedily absorbing moon energy into themselves.

He took out the unique blood Nivitt had refined using his blood essence and hesitated for a moment. However, he ultimately decided against absorbing and refining it.

Nivitt was nearby, so he was worried that the blood’s aura would alert Nivitt to Luz’s deception and draw unnecessary trouble to Luz.

He decided to refine the two droplets into his bloodline as soon as he returned to the Ruined Lands.