Chapter 294

Chapter 294: Farewell

Li Shuang took the stone sealed with the True Eye and hesitated, then asked the City Lord: “If Outsiders really sweep across the Nanlan Continent, cultivators can still escape through the teleportation arrays, but what about the countless mortals?”

Ember glanced at Li Shuang and smiled: “Your heart is soft. But you do not need to worry about mortals. Ten thousand years ago, a peerless expert set a rule that battles between cultivators must not maliciously harm mortals. If they spill over, the karma is very heavy. We call this rule the Immortal-Mortal Barrier. Under this rule, neither cultivators nor Devil Seeds dare to touch that karma. The Devil Seeds know this even better than cultivators, so they will not attack mortals. Even people who do not know the rule will sense the weight of karma if they drag mortals in, and they will restrain themselves after that.”

[Immortal-Mortal Barrier.]

Li Shuang thought it over. The sect elders had always taught that the immortal path and the mortal world are different, and that the affairs of cultivators should not, unless necessary, touch mortals.

But the elders only knew the rule, not why it existed.

Here with the City Lord, the causes and effects were peeled apart and explained clearly.

Li Shuang went back over past events and felt a sudden understanding. [No wonder.]

In the mortal world, trouble at most involved some Golden Core Stage cultivators and a few stray monsters.

The true experts among cultivators and the orthodox Demon Clan from places like the Demon Beast Forest had never been seen striking at mortals.

On her first mission, the problem had been a Devil Heart. Although it also came from the Heaven Severing Continent, it was clearly a lower grade than a Devil Seed and did not know about the Immortal-Mortal Barrier.

[No surprise.]

When Ye Zhao Zhao saw that Devil Heart, she was openly scornful.

Parasitic Devilspawn can absorb the fortune of all living beings, yet they do not dare touch the fate of mortals or the fate of a nation.

Only a Devil Heart that is too low in level and too dull in mind would try to swallow a nation’s fate, which carries huge karmic backlash.

“The situation has not become that bad yet, and even if it does, that is not something you can carry on your shoulders,” Ember said gently.

Li Shuang nodded, then could not help asking: “City Lord, can the Cross-Continent Teleportation Array only send people to the Central Continent? If it could go both ways, the crisis of the four continents would naturally be eased.”

Ember explained with patience: “The distance across continents is too far. In the Central Continent there is a special Spatial Domain, and the end of the Cross-Continent Teleportation Array is set not far from that place. Without the Power of Space that the Spatial Domain provides, the array could never take shape. To make the array two way, the other four continents would also need to have a Spatial Domain. You do not need to think about that for now.”

Li Shuang’s pupils tightened. [A Spatial Domain?]

[If it is possible, then it can be made real.]

[When I reach the Central Continent, I should go see that Spatial Domain first. With the Heaven and Earth Furnace, copying a Spatial Domain might not be impossible.]

She kept these thoughts to herself and only answered with respect.

“Be careful on the Nanlan Continent,” Ember said: “If you meet something you cannot handle, call for me through the thunder marrow.” Then she added, “I almost forgot. You used a piece of thunder marrow before. I will replace it.”

Ember took out another piece of thunder marrow and gave it to her.

“Three pieces of thunder marrow should be enough,” Ember said softly: “Remember, your safety comes first. If anything strange happens, tell me at once through the thunder marrow. I cannot go to the other continents in person, but I can still help.”

“Yes,” Li Shuang replied.

Ember nodded: “Go on then. I look forward to the day you reach the Central Continent.”

Li Shuang took her leave.

To her, the Central Continent was a place she would reach one day.

But she hoped that when that day came, she would still have companions by her side. [Please let some of us make it there together.]

A hint of worry flashed in her eyes.

The City Lord had not said everything out loud.

But Li Shuang had heard the subtext.

Right now, the four continents were still calm.

Later, who could say.

The strength of the City Lord and the others could barely hold the situation in the Central Continent. If Devil Seeds really found a way around the Human Supreme’s blockade and spread to the other four continents, and those continents had no way to balance or check the Devil Seeds, the result would be terrible.

Clearly, the City Lord and the others had made plans already.

This Cross-Continent Teleportation Array had been prepared to rescue cultivators from the four continents.

But the array seemed newly developed, and the cost was extremely high.

If the Devil Seed crisis broke out all of a sudden, how many people could escape through the arrays?

A two way cross continent Formation needed to be set up as soon as possible. Only then would the other four continents have real hope.

When Li Shuang left the City Lord’s Manor, You Lan was still waiting at the gate.

She looked at Li Shuang with a complicated expression: “So you really are…”

Just a cultivator from the Nanlan Continent?

She already knew the answer, so she only grumbled and changed the subject: “Do not think that being ahead for a moment means you can stay ahead forever. I will pass you soon.”

Li Shuang nodded: “Okay.”

You Lan narrowed her eyes: “Are you mocking me?”

Li Shuang said with a straight face: “You will never pass me.”

You Lan raised a brow: “Are you looking down on me?”

Li Shuang stared at her without expression.

You Lan also stared back the same way.

Then both of them smiled.

“This time, between life and death, I had some gains. After I return to the sect, I will go into seclusion. It might last a long time. When I come out, I will be stronger. I hope you will be too,” You Lan said.

Li Shuang nodded: “Of course.”

They said their goodbyes, and You Lan left Myriad Arts City.

Li Shuang did not leave right away.

The matter of the Devil Seeds felt like a heavy mountain pressing on her heart. She did not dare delay. She first exchanged for the array diagrams.

She had already prepared all the materials for setting the formation.

This way, when she returned to the Sword Sect, she could start building the cross continent Formation at once.

The sooner it was built, the sooner she could be at ease.

After she finished her preparations, Li Shuang finally left Myriad Arts City.

At this moment, only seven days remained until the Grand Sect Assembly.

As soon as Li Shuang returned to her secret chamber, she heard Su Mu’s curious voice ask: “The Golden Soul Altar is over? Why did you take so long this time?”

Li Shuang chuckled, and her soul entered the jade slip.

When Su Mu saw Li Shuang, his pupils tightened a little.

This girl’s soul strength…

Li Shuang’s spirit had not broken through to the Integration Stage, but the degree of focus and density was frightening. It likely far surpassed the average Integration Stage.

“You actually…” Su Mu started to ask.

Li Shuang blinked: “Senior Su, didn’t you say that getting less than the fifth level of the Golden Soul Altar is meaningless?”