Inside the cramped stone chamber, several Moonlight Stones gave off a hazy glow, illuminating everyone. Nineteen had arrived, but only seventeen remained. Two Dou Zong experts had fallen in battle, utterly destroyed in body and soul, dead beyond all hope of revival like Yao Lao...
A faint sorrow lingered in many hearts. Everyone remained silent, quietly refining medicinal pills and circulating their cultivation to heal their injuries. But this was absolutely not out of fear or terror—it was to prepare for the next challenge.
Sensing my aura, everyone calmed down. They firmly believed that I would lead them on a slaughter through the Ancient Ruins before returning fully laden with treasure!
"Souls... Heavenly Realm souls, what are they like...?"
Sitting cross-legged in the center of the stone chamber with my eyes shut, I silently pondered this question. The Soul Fruit condensed from the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix had nearly been completely refined. My soul power had already reached the peak of the Spirit Realm, and one more step would bring me into the Heavenly Realm—but I was stuck!
I knew this was a bottleneck. Even though the Soul Fruit was still being refined, my soul power could no longer increase in the slightest. Much pure, flawless soul power simply dissipated into the air.
"Heavenly Realm... why is this realm called 'Heavenly'?"
"And what exactly is heaven?"
My brows furrowed as I pondered hard, but I had no clue. I had never understood anything about souls. The last time I broke through from the Mortal Realm to the Spirit Realm, it had happened naturally after I survived the Dou Zong Tribulation and underwent the baptism of the Heavenly Tribulation. Even after I survived the Dou Sheng Tribulation, my soul would naturally advance into the Heavenly Realm.
But now, without undergoing the Dou