Chapter 626

Chapter 626: The Emergence of Light and Shadow

A fragment of the Ancestor of the Sword Path’s soul—this was vital information. The Ancestor’s soul had once been split into three parts and sealed away. From past memories, one part was believed to lie within the Great Qin Empire’s royal family, while another might reside in a Secret Vault.

Yet as the Ancestor’s soul slowly recovered, he began doubting his earlier assumptions. His soul likely wasn’t in the Great Qin Empire’s royal family. Given his knowledge and cultivation level, if restored, he’d rival sage-realm experts. How could a mere empire seal his soul?

Only forces like the Eight Major Sects could achieve this, requiring unrivaled experts at the late sage-realm stage.

But if this was the Ice Master’s tomb or a place tied to the Lord of the Ethereal Void, sensing a soul fragment here made sense. Both the Ice Master and the Lord of the Ethereal Void were Fierce Experts, so sealing the Ancestor’s soul here seemed plausible.

“Ancestor, do you truly believe your soul is here?” Ye Yun inhaled deeply, curiosity evident.

The Ancestor of the Sword Path paused. “I cannot confirm it, yet I’ve never felt such urgency. It’s as though the most crucial thing awaits me. For me now, nothing matters more than my soul. Not even a supreme Immortal artifact—or a congenital divine tool—could compare. Only by reclaiming my soul can I rebuild my body and walk this world again.”

Ye Yun nodded. The Ancestor spoke truth. Even a congenital artifact paled next to a soul’s value. Once the Ancestor’s soul fully recovered, he could reconstruct his body, proving himself a true king. To him, artifacts were secondary.

For all cultivators, the self mattered most. Longevity defined true cultivation. What use were Immortal artifacts without life?

“This Ethereal Void Breaking Array is bizarre—pitch-black, devoid of light. Spirit perception is blocked, the six senses severed. We can only rely on physical strength to move and fight. Who knows what lies ahead?” Ye Yun surveyed the unchanging darkness.

“The array contains a powerful spatial array,” the Ancestor explained. “Its spatial laws are hidden so masterfully that even spatial law experts struggle to detect them. Combined with other mechanisms, it blocks spirit perception and severs the six senses, leaving only instinct to guide you.”

Ye Yun frowned. “If we can’t see or hear, how do we sense danger? This array traps people, draining their spiritual energy until they perish slowly. A cruel fate—but why design it this way?”

The Ancestor chuckled. “True, it seems so. But if the array could eternally block senses, it’d be history’s greatest formation, trapping even deities. Yet it has flaws. The darkness isn’t perpetual. Each day, sight and hearing return briefly—lasting the time an incense stick takes to burn. Spirit perception remains blocked, but in that window, the array weakens. Strike the array’s core then, and you might break free.”

“If we fail, wait another day?”

“Two days. Then three, four… Each time, the window shortens—from an incense stick’s burn to mere seconds. Eventually, even deities would succumb to eternal darkness, surviving only by sheer lifespan.” The Ancestor’s voice turned grave.

Ye Yun’s brows rose. The array’s complexity surprised him, but considering its creator—the Lord of the Ethereal Void, a Demon Race expert who rivaled humanity’s strongest—it made sense.

“So the Lord of the Ethereal Void planted multiple arrays here? How thorough,” Ye Yun coldly snorted. Without the chance of the Ancestor’s soul being here, this trap would’ve been infuriating.

“You’re wrong. It’s one array, hidden in spatial layers. When we tore through space, the array surged forth like a flood, engulfing this realm,” the Ancestor corrected.

Ye Yun stiffened. “You mean this entire space is the array? Then Master Hei Xu and the others are trapped here too?”

“Yes. When the first brief respite comes, you might meet them.”

“But we walked opposite directions. How?”

“The spatial array warps perception. What feels like opposite paths might bring you face-to-face in an instant. The array’s mysteries are beyond full comprehension.”

Ye Yun steadied his breath. He couldn’t defeat Master Hei Xu yet, but he’d fight if necessary—or retreat. Survival was possible.

“How long has it been? The darkness masks time itself. I can’t even guess.”

“Patience. When light appears, a day has passed,” the Ancestor said gently.

As if summoned by his words, the darkness shifted.

A flash of light split the black sky, illuminating the ground.

Light—at last!

And before it stood several shadowy figures.