A year later.
A sphere woven from tentacles shot skyward, bursting from a bottomless underground cavern.
Without pausing for even an instant, the sphere pierced through the pitch-black Source Qi and raced toward the northern horizon.
Several afterimages surged out of the cavern, chasing after the sphere.
"Master, my injuries are too severe, and my demonic power is nearly depleted. I'm afraid I can't hold on much longer," Shadow Void's voice rang out.
Inside the fleshy sphere, Song Wen, who had been sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes.
"Return to my sea of consciousness and heal yourself, regulate your breath. I have recovered twenty percent of my magic power. Leave the rest to me."
As he spoke, the black hole above his sea of consciousness scattered a great number of silver motes.
"Thank you, Master."
The tentacles forming the sphere gradually wriggled apart.
All nine tentacles were covered in wounds. Five of them had even been severed, leaving them uneven in length.
As the sphere came apart, it exposed Song Wen within.
Then, the tentacles began to fade away and returned to Song Wen's sea of consciousness.
As Shadow Void began absorbing the Soul Source Essence, Netherglow gradually shimmered around it. Its wounds began to heal, and new tissue quietly grew from its severed tentacles.
As for Song Wen, he continued racing north while summoning the Nether Fox to scout the way ahead.
Several late-stage and peak sixth-rank wraiths were relentlessly pursuing him from behind.
Ordinarily, with Shadow Void at his side, a mere handful of sixth-rank wraiths could not have posed any threat to him.
Unfortunately, during the year he had spent crossing the undersea tunnel, he had encountered powerful enemies time and again. Either he had fought through peril after peril before finally killing them, or he had been