As the group left the area covered by the enormous light barrier array of the Five Elements Sect, the solid ground beneath their feet was gradually replaced by swirling Spatial Fluctuations.
Without the slightest hesitation, Elder Zhu Li stretched out his palm and slashed fiercely at the void in front of him—
"Sizzle!"
A pitch-black crack appeared instantly, like silk being torn apart by an invisible force, its edges shimmering with an unstable silver light and emitting a chilling suction.
The next moment, the figures blurred, and without hesitation, they plunged into the dark and deep crevice, disappearing into the light of the outside world.
The Spatial Rift then slowly writhed and healed, eventually disappearing completely as if they had never existed, leaving only a desolate mountain wilderness surrounding the Five Elements Sect.
Upon entering the void, a sensation completely different from the outside world immediately washes over you.
This place is not absolute darkness and deathly silence. If one uses their Soul Power to perceive it carefully, one can "see" an incomparably magnificent, complex, and dangerous scene.
Countless Spatial Turbulence, imperceptible to the naked eye, surged and churned freely in the vast void, like an invisible, ceaseless river.
Enormous spatial folds, like transparent, pleated curtains, overlap and distort direction and distance. Once one strays into them, one may be lost in an eternal place of exile.
Furthermore, there is Spatial Storm that gathers silently in the shadows, like a lurking, greedy beast, exuding a destructive aura, ready to tear apart and devour any intruders without leaving a trace.
Ordinary Dou Zun expert, even those at the eight or Nine Stars level, would need to be extremely vigilant when traversing such a treacherous void. They would carefully spread their powerful Dou Qi throughout their bodies to form a solid defense, while simultaneously unleashing their Soul Perception, groping their way forward like a blind person finding their way, avoiding those deadly traps.
If one is not careful, their Protective Dou Qi will be worn away by the turbulent currents, or they will misjudge and crash into Spatial Rift. In that case, they will be torn to pieces by the violent and disordered Space Power, or they will be banished to an unknown dimension that even Dou Sheng Expert would find difficult to return to, facing a life-or-death dilemma.
However, at this moment, under Elder Zhu Li's guidance, Lin Ming and his group presented a completely different picture.
Elder Zhu Li did not make any dramatic movements; he simply stood calmly before the crowd. However, a strange Spatial Fluctuations, invisible yet powerful and subtle, naturally emanated from his body.
The fluctuations were gentle and precise, as if they possessed life and wisdom, like a master musician who had reached the pinnacle of skill, using the void as his instrument, and with the most nimble and stable fingers, gently plucking the countless "spatial strings" that constituted this void world, smoothing out the Space Wrinkle that hindered progress, and guiding away the potentially dangerous turbulent currents that could annihilate Dou Venerate, forcefully carving out a stable, smooth, and incredibly fast passage in this chaotic, dangerous, and disordered void.
Standing in the newly opened passage, Lin Ming felt the endless, exquisite spatial manipulation power flowing around him. His heart was once again stirred, and he secretly marveled at the incredible talent of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan in the Dao of Space. It was simply a gift from heaven, something to be envied.
This natural affinity for space and effortless control seems to be an instinct etched deep within their blood and soul, an innate power that requires no learning, and the pride and capital of being the supreme race in the Magical Beast World.
Ordinary human powerhouses, even those who have cultivated to the extraordinary level of Dou Sheng, mostly rely on their own overwhelming Dou Qi, which far exceeds common sense, to forcefully distort and Space-Tearing when using Space Power.
While this was incredibly powerful, in terms of subtlety, efficiency, and endurance, it was far inferior to the effortless and casual execution of the Ancient Void Dragon, whose entire process resembled a delightful artistic performance.
Although Lin Ming, due to his Cultivation Method, opened up that unique "Initial World" containing infinite possibilities, his understanding of the essence of space and his control over the fundamental level are, to some extent, even more profound and powerful than most of the powerful members of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan.
His World Power is essentially a prototype of higher-level spatial rules and the Life Origin, with an extremely high status, enough to suppress, assimilate, and even create a space out of thin air.
But Lin Ming himself knew very well that his abilities were a unique, almost unrepeatable miracle, the result of a combination of heaven-defying opportunities, unparalleled Cultivation Method, and unpredictable fate.
The Ancient Void Dragon, however, is a vast race in which, as long as their strength grows steadily to a certain level, they can naturally awaken and master this supreme spatial talent that countless human powerhouses envy and find difficult to even scratch in their entire lives.
This is the terrifying aspect of ancient and powerful bloodline inheritance, and also its most awe-inspiring feature.
Zhu Li by Ancient Dragon Elder, whose strength reached the level of Half Sage and who had extremely rich experience in traversing the void, their speed in traversing the void was beyond imagination, far exceeding the limit of ordinary Dou Venerate relying on their own strength to travel.
The surrounding scenery was bizarre and surreal, rushing past at high speed: at times, distorted bands of light, radiating various colors, could be seen, like ribbons of the universe.
At times, it felt as if one were traversing a rushing "river" formed from pure silver Space Power, feeling the vast yet gentle power enveloping them; at other times, one could clearly perceive the Spatial Storm in the distance, like ancient behemoths lurking, radiating Destructive Aura that made one's soul tremble. Their existence only served to highlight how safe and secure the passage opened by Zhu Li was.
The passage of time became blurred in this void. In the midst of this unpredictable journey through the void, where time could not be accurately measured, a faint light suddenly shone in the depths of endless darkness before them.
At first, it was as small as a bean, but then it quickly expanded, like a drop of thick, silvery-white ink falling onto an endless black cloth, spreading out and eventually transforming into the outline of a majestic, magnificent, and quietly suspended vast island in the endless darkness.
The island was enveloped in a dense, almost impenetrable, solidified silver light. It was a natural barrier formed by highly condensed and compressed Space Power. As the light flowed, it exuded an ancient, vast, and incomparably powerful bloodline pressure, as if silently proclaiming what a sacred and inviolable place this was.
We've arrived at East Dragon Island!
As the distance rapidly closed, the entire view of East Dragon Island became increasingly clear to everyone.
It is not an island in the ordinary sense, but a small continent that is truly suspended in the endless void!
The mountains and rivers rise and fall, outlining the majestic lines of Giant Dragon's spine; the rivers meander, like silver ribbons inlaid on the earth, shimmering with sparkling light; the entire continent is permeated with pure Heaven and Earth Energy that is more than ten times richer than the outside world, and even faintly forms a light energy mist, making one feel refreshed and Dou Qi with every breath.
The island's architecture is rugged, simple, and grand, mostly constructed from massive, dark blue-green stones. These stones bear the marks of time, yet remain incredibly sturdy.
Whether it's a towering palace or an ordinary stone house, all are carved with dragon totems of various shapes and forms, each possessing its own unique charm. Some are coiling, some are soaring, and some are roaring, all filled with a sense of primal power and the profound atmosphere of Years of Sedimentation.
Looking at this land that felt both familiar and vastly different due to his mindset, Lin Ming stood in the passageway with his hands behind his back, his heart filled with surging emotions and countless feelings.
This was his second visit to East Dragon Island, the home of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan.
The last time was about three years ago, when they were found by Hei Qing, who had gone out to search for Zi Yan after sensing her presence. He then came to East Dragon Island with Zi Yan.
At that time, his own strength was only at the Dou Ancestor Realm. In the Ancient Void Dragon Clan land, where there were many powerful people and any warrior had at least the strength of Dou Zong or even Dou Venerate, he seemed insignificant.
Now, just three short years have passed in the blink of an eye. Stepping into this place again, everything has changed, and the world has been turned upside down!
His strength has skyrocketed, reaching the peak of the Eight-Star Dou Venerate! In terms of Dou Qi level alone, he is now on the same level as Hei Qing, who is guiding him.
However, when it comes to actual combat strength, even someone as powerful as Hei Qing would probably be no match for him.
Of course, the more crucial and core difference lies in the fact that his purpose and identity on this trip have undergone a fundamental transformation.
He initially "escorted" the Dragon Emperor and "attached" himself to powerful figures for protection, adopting an extremely humble posture. This time, however, he will act as the Dragon Emperor's representative, wielding the Reverse Scale token of the Dragon Emperor's authority, to unite the ancient Ancient Dragon Clan, which is now divided into four islands. He will end their millennia-long internal strife and allow the Ancient Void Dragon Clan to regain its ancient glory!
He, Lin Ming, will become the de facto driving force and core leader of this great cause of unification!
The shift in identity, the difference in strength, and the disparity in goals involved are worlds apart, like heaven and earth.
Even now, when he calmly reflects on it, he feels that the past three years have been so extraordinary and the changes so enormous that it feels like a lifetime ago, as if he had just had a magnificent and bizarre dream.
"Buzz--"
A slight tremor pulled Lin Ming back to reality.
With a gentle wave of his Elder Zhu Li Zhuli caused the thick, solid silver spatial barrier in front of him to ripple like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating a gap large enough for several people to pass through.
The group passed through the gap without encountering any obstacles, clearly indicating that Elder Zhu Li had granted them passage in advance.
As their feet truly touched the hard, ancient soil of East Dragon Island, a rich, almost viscous, pure Heaven and Earth Energy, mixed with the pure and majestic Dragon Might, rushed towards them like a warm tide, instantly enveloping them.
"Call--"
Qing Lin couldn't help but take a deep breath, a mixture of surprise and comfort appearing on her pretty face. Under such circumstances, the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils within her body seemed to be stimulated in some way, fluctuating slightly, conveying a feeling that was both deeply oppressive and subtly accompanied by an indescribable excitement.
Xiong Zhan, standing to the side, reacted even more directly and in a variety of ways.
At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to a sacred place from his dreams. His large, round eyes shone with an almost devout joy and happiness, and his rugged face revealed an expression of unbridled enjoyment, as if every pore was greedily absorbing the atmosphere of this place.
For Magical Beasts beast like him, possessing the bloodline of Ancient Dragon Bear, the territory of the Ancient Void Dragon is undoubtedly one of the most attractive supreme halls.
As for Hei Qing, after returning to this familiar ancestral land, the somber and oppressive aura that had shrouded his face throughout the journey seemed to have subtly eased.
Although he kept his lips tightly pressed together and didn't speak, the slight rise and fall of his chest and the slightly softened look in his eyes betrayed that his heart was not without turmoil. After all, this was his root, his home.
Lin Ming took in his companions' reactions one by one, then raised his eyes and looked firmly and deeply into the depths of the island at the most magnificent and imposing cluster of palaces.