Rift Realm Descends

"Grandpa, what's going on?"

Meng Hongchen clutched Xu Tianming's sleeve, her voice filled with panic.

"This is a Rift Realm."

Jing Hongchen did not turn around, keeping his eyes fixed ahead.

"None of you leave the shield."

Xiao Hongchen had also shed his usual arrogance. Pressing close to the edge of the shield, he swept his gaze across the constantly twisting space around them.

Xu Tianming stood in the center of the shield, expressionless as he cursed inwardly.

Damn Stellaron.

He had only wished for a suitable first Soul Ring. Who would have thought that the moment the wish left his mouth, a Rift Realm would descend and drag all four of them inside?

This was far too much of a commotion.

Xu Tianming glanced at Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen beside him, unable to stop himself from feeling guilty. If the two of them were hurt because of his wish, that would be bad. He should have Karna keep a closer watch on them later.

The Rift Realm's devouring force grew stronger and stronger, and the silver-white shield groaned under the strain of space being torn apart.

Jing Hongchen gritted his teeth. The phantom of a dark golden giant toad appeared behind him, Soul Rings lighting up one after another as powerful Soul Power poured into the Soul Guidance Shield, forcibly stabilizing the space around them.

"Hold on tight!"

Jing Hongchen let out a low roar. The silver-white protective shield suddenly dropped, and the four of them were swallowed by the Rift Realm. The sensation of weightlessness lasted only a brief moment.

By the time Xu Tianming regained his footing, the surroundings had completely changed, and the Jingyang Mountain Range had vanished.

The sky was dark purple. Heavy clouds slowly revolved overhead, with countless shattered fragments of space drifting between them. Within those fragments were twisted mountains, forests, and lakes. Every small shard seemed to contain an incomplete world.

The land beneath their feet retained the shape of the Jingyang Mountain Range, but it had already been contaminated by the Stellaron's power.

The rocks were gray-black and covered in diamond-shaped Star Crystals. Every tree had withered, their branches bent and tangled together while their treetops stretched toward the sky. The air was filled with a fine buzzing, and even the circulation of Soul Power had begun to slow.

Jing Hongchen withdrew the Soul Guidance Shield and surveyed the surroundings with a grave expression.

"A Medium Rift Realm."

He made his judgment after only one glance.

"The space here has already taken shape. It will be difficult to find an exit anytime soon."

Meng Hongchen's face turned pale.

"Grandpa, are we trapped here?"

"With me here, no."

Jing Hongchen answered in a deep voice. His words were firm, but inwardly, he did not relax in the slightest.

The lord of a Medium Rift Realm was at least a Titled Douluo. This Rift Realm had only just formed, so its lord might not have fully matured yet, but this was still the Jingyang Mountain Range.

Once the Soul Beast environment of reality had been replicated by the Rift Realm, a great number of Soul Beast-type Rift Realm Creations would likely be born.

What they had to face would definitely not be just one Rift Realm Lord.

Xu Tianming looked into the distance.

Low growls echoed from within the darkness.

A pack of shadows emerged from behind crystallized dead trees. They still resembled Soul Beasts, but dark purple crystals covered their bodies, with faint red light flowing between the crystals. Every step they took produced a series of soft clattering sounds.

Jing Hongchen raised a hand, Soul Power gathering in his palm.

"Stay by my side."

"Understood."

Xiao Hongchen nodded and stepped in front of Meng Hongchen. Meng Hongchen also summoned her Vermilion-Eyed Ice Toad martial soul, icy blue Soul Power coiling around her body.

Xu Tianming did not release his martial soul. He was still waiting for the Stellaron to make a further response to his wish.

Meanwhile, beside a lake several kilometers away, two more unlucky people had been caught up in Xu Tianming's wish.

Ye Guyi had just finished absorbing her Soul Ring.

She was eight years old, with waist-length pale golden hair. Her soft golden hair was half tied back with only a white ribbon, while a few wisps of loose bangs remained over her forehead.

Her skin was pale and delicate, her features deeply defined, and her light emerald eyes clear and bright. Though she appeared quiet, her gaze was sharp.

She wore a fitted pale ice-blue dress embroidered with delicate silver patterns, a white belt around her waist, a pair of light blue Soul Guidance bracers on her forearms, and white ankle boots.

She possessed a cold, holy air.

At that moment, the phantom of a Holy Angel floated behind her. Its pure white wings were fully spread, pale golden holy light flowing along their edges.

Beside her, Shangguan Weier smiled as she watched the newly adopted girl.

She looked to be only around thirty, with long, wavy red hair that was soft and voluminous. A translucent foreign-style veil hung from the top of her head, its edges decorated with turquoise and golden beads. Thin gauze covered half her cheek, swaying gently in the lakeside breeze.

Her features were exquisite and alluring. Her narrow brows and eyes, paired with purple eye makeup, made her peach blossom eyes even more seductive, while her wine-red lips lent her a mature and noble charm.

Compared with the young Ye Guyi, she was rather tall and slender, with a narrow waist and graceful curves. She wore a gilded reddish-bronze foreign-style bodice beneath a wine-red gown, its skirt formed from many layers of sheer fabric embroidered with intricate golden patterns.

Long gemstone earrings hung from her earlobes, while an enormous peacock-green gemstone rested at her neck. It swayed gently with her movements, its deep luster flickering back and forth across her clothes.

That seductive charm was merely what she showed outsiders.

As the leader of the Ordinary Alliance, Shangguan Weier was skilled at reading people and concealing her emotions. She always wore a gentle smile around strangers, but when facing enemies, she could immediately cast aside all tenderness.

"Has your Soul Power stabilized?"

"Mm."

Ye Guyi nodded. The Soul Beast she had killed earlier was a Radiantwing Deer of roughly seven hundred years.

This Soul Beast possessed the light attribute, was extremely fast, and could briefly create Light-Shadow Phantom Bodies. It was perfectly suited to Ye Guyi's Holy Angel martial soul.

To find it, Shangguan Weier had searched the Jingyang Mountain Range for nearly two hours. Relying on the spiritual power of a Titled Douluo, she had examined the Soul Beast auras for dozens of li around them before finally locating the Radiantwing Deer in a valley.

Radiantwing Deer disliked fighting.

After discovering Shangguan Weier and Ye Guyi, it immediately released Light-Shadow Phantom Bodies, creating several false figures and fleeing in different directions.

Shangguan Weier did not kill it directly. Instead, she released her Soul Power to seal off the surrounding space, forcing the real Radiantwing Deer out from among the illusions.

With her help, Ye Guyi killed the Soul Beast herself. After absorbing its Soul Ring, Ye Guyi's Soul Power had reached level twenty-one.

"Try your second soul skill."

Shangguan Weier said with a smile.

Ye Guyi raised her right hand, and her second Soul Ring lit up as well.

Holy light gathered in her hand, quickly forming a translucent golden shortsword. The blade was only three feet long, but its edges were exceedingly sharp, and even the surrounding lake water turned pale gold.