Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Chapter 709 709: Guixiu, Under the Dark Curtain_1

"What exactly is the Strange Domain?" Yu Ke looked at the distant, massive black curtain. Within that curtain lay the mysterious region that had overlapped with the Northern Territory after its manifestation.It wasn't the first time he had been here. As a Tribute of the Supreme Sword Sect, he had visited this place not long ago to investigate the Ghost Corpse incident. Although he had achieved no results, the Supreme Sword Sect had gained some advantages under the pretense of this investigation in their competition against the Ten Thousand Nether Sect.

However, bad news soon arrived. Something had happened in the Northern Territory, causing it to overlap with a peculiar area called the Strange Domain. Everyone who entered would be marked by the Strange Domain and eventually pulled into it.

Some had managed to escape from the Strange Domain, but after seven days, they would be dragged back in and face dangers. Only by evading those entities labeled as strange creatures could they catch a breath. Even a number of Immortal Sovereign Realm Cultivators who had gone to investigate were unable to escape.

What happened to cultivators from the higher Ancient Immortal Realm and Ancestor Immortal Realm remained unknown for now. It wasn't that they could necessarily break free, but rather because they hadn't even tried, simply because they cherished their lives.

However, the Strange Domain was not purely dangerous; besides dangers, it also housed many great fortunes. For instance, by sacrificing part of their body or soul, one could acquire various Divine Skills from the strange creatures. Alternatively, every time they escaped from a strange creature's grip, their cultivation could increase, irrespective of their aptitude or Cultivation Technique. It was a considerable growth out of nowhere.

More importantly, it seemed that someone had unearthed an extremely terrifying, mad inheritance from the Strange Domain, allowing them to cultivate a Guile Cultivation Body and thus gain extraordinary powers. At first, nobody believed it. After all, could it be more terrifying than the Demon Path? But as time passed, it turned out to be true.

No matter how those from the Demon Path cultivated, they still resembled humans. At most, they might look as if they were suffering from sores on their heads and oozing pus at their feet, yet they never transcended a humanoid form. In contrast, among those cultivators who utilized Guile Cultivation Bodies, the better ones still retained some semblance of humanity, while the worse ones completely transformed into some kind of bizarre entity, barely different from the strange creatures themselves. However, their powers were also extremely unconventional. Immortality was just the basics; they even possessed methods to directly kill someone, regardless of their cultivation Realm.

It was precisely because of these incidents that the Supreme Sword Sect became concerned. The Supreme Sword Ancestor assigned him to investigate the matter, with the simple goal of resolving the Strange Domain issue.

At first, he had come enthusiastically. But after gathering some information, his face turned green. Was he capable of resolving this issue? The Supreme Sword Ancestor suspected it was a conspiracy by the Demon Path. Still, looking at the current situation, even if all the Ancestor Immortals of the Demon Path came forward, they likely wouldn't be able to accomplish these things.

"One must not enter the Strange Domain. Once tainted, one might never escape for a lifetime," Yu Ke mumbled to himself, already planning to just go through the motions. As for the beings in the Northern Territory, what did that have to do with him? The Supreme Sword Sect didn't care; they had sent him to investigate primarily to assess the situation in the Strange Domain and also to see if everyone in the Northern Territory was dead. If they were, then all the lower realm entrances in the Northern Territory would be seized and converted into their Sect's tribute.

However, considering the current situation, Yu Ke definitely wouldn't go in to investigate. He was loyal and dutiful to the Sect, but the Sect wouldn't mourn him; they would just squeeze every last bit of value out of him until nothing remained. He only had value as long as he was alive; if he died, he would be worthless to the Sect. Just like their prevailing belief: a dead genius is no genius.

Yu Ke made up his mind. I'll find a remote place for a few days of secluded cultivation, then return to the Sect and accept my punishment. He resolved to stop working and naturally prepared to leave.

However, just as he was about to depart, he noticed a figure emerging from the dark curtain of the Strange Domain. His Divine Sense and other abilities could not penetrate it, and he dared not use his Magical Artifacts either. It was said that some who had tried to probe with Magical Artifacts found that when the artifacts returned, the mark of the Strange Domain was branded onto them through their connection with the artifacts, eventually leading to them being dragged into the Strange Domain to perish.

"Long time no see, Senior," the person who walked out of the dark curtain said.

This person had no facial features. His body was covered in a multitude of dark brown patterns. At intervals along these patterns, an eyeball grew. The eyeballs were exceptionally lively and seemed to have some limited mobility on his body. In addition, his clothes seemed to be alive in Yu Ke's eyes, wriggling from time to time.

After examining him carefully, a figure surfaced in Yu Ke's mind. "Are you the Supreme Elder from the Photo God Sect?"

"I'm surprised you still recognize me, Elder," the Zhaoshen Ancestor remarked, his voice carrying a peculiar lilt that made Yu Ke distinctly uncomfortable.

"How did you become like this?" Yu Ke hastily inquired.

The Zhaoshen Ancestor was among the first to be trapped within the Strange Domain, and also the strongest of that initial group; perhaps he had discovered something.

"Oh, nothing much. I've merely switched to a different inheritance," the Zhaoshen Ancestor's words attempted to convey calmness, but his voice grew increasingly shrill. His clothing seemed to expand, with numerous dark shadows squirming within.

Yu Ke's pupils contracted. He could sense that beneath Zhaoshen Ancestor's grotesque and terrifying appearance lay a power capable of easily slaying him. In his experience, this was simply impossible—how could a mere Immortal Emperor Realm cultivator possibly threaten him, an Immortal Sovereign Realm cultivator?

"Elder, let's enter the Strange Domain together. Chaos is about to descend upon the Central Plains; only the Strange Domain offers true peace."

"And only within the Strange Domain can one glimpse the Realm above Ancestor Immortal."

The Zhaoshen Ancestor extended his hand in invitation, an action that caused all the eyeballs on his body to stare intently at Yu Ke.

Goosebumps rose on Yu Ke's skin. He found himself completely unable to control his body's reaction. Logically, at his cultivation Realm, he should remain unfazed by almost anything, yet this time, a profound fear welled up from the depths of his heart. This fear didn't seem to originate from him; it had surfaced inexplicably on its own.

"You're insane!" Yu Ke berated, forcibly suppressing the dread rising within him.

"I'm not mad. I've simply seen the truth of heaven and earth, perceived the true principle of all things. Elder, you are currently living in delusion. Come with me, back to the true reality," Zhaoshen Ancestor said, his voice filled with fervor and a madness that was visibly overflowing.

Seeing this, Yu Ke actually wanted to strike, but he restrained himself after a wary glance towards the dark curtain of the Strange Domain. Dealing with a mere Immortal Emperor Realm Zhaoshen Ancestor would be a piece of cake for him. However, if he triggered the Strange Domain in the process, he himself might be dragged in. That would be a substantial loss.

"Hmph, you're beyond reason. Seeing your crazed actions today, I shall spare you the crime of disrespect," Yu Ke uttered harshly, then planned to turn and leave, unwilling to get further entangled with him. If a dog bites you, you don't bite it back. In Yu Ke's eyes, the Zhaoshen Ancestor at this moment was no different from a rabid dog. If the creature was yelping madly at him, it wasn't worth approaching and getting bitten. Thus, he decided to turn and leave.

"Are you scared, Elder?" Zhaoshen Ancestor's voice drifted over, ghost-like, into Yu Ke's ears.

As these words landed, the fear Yu Ke had just suppressed inexplicably erupted within him, startling him.

"Scared? Then you can't leave."

Zhaoshen Ancestor's voice emerged once more, this time exploding right beside Yu Ke's ear, accompanied by the loud clanking and jingling of numerous chains.

Yu Ke was dazed for a moment. When he looked again, pitch-black iron chains had appeared on his body. Tracing them to their source, one end was on Zhaoshen Ancestor's featureless face, while the other end was deeply embedded in his own heart.

"How dare you!!!" He roared in fury, trying to break free from the pitch-black iron chains, but to no avail.

"The name of this chain is Fear, Elder. Don't struggle. Come with me into the Strange Domain," Zhaoshen Ancestor's voice traveled along the iron chains.

The next instant, Zhaoshen Ancestor receded back into the Strange Domain. A Jumbo Strength also emanated from the end of the chains, forcefully dragging Yu Ke along. Even though he was an esteemed Immortal Sovereign Realm cultivator, he was powerless to resist. His heart seethed with both rage and terror. No matter how he struggled or resisted, it was utterly useless. He could only watch, horrified, as he was drawn closer and closer to the dark curtain of the Strange Domain.

"Damn it, there's no escape! This..." Yu Ke glanced at his left hand and saw a sneering white Skull faintly materializing on it. This meant he had been marked by the Strange Domain.

I must get help from the Supreme Sword Sect! Realizing the situation was hopeless, Yu Ke could only pin his hopes on the Supreme Sword Sect. Therefore, he forcibly severed his connection with his Life Flying Sword, directing it to seek reinforcements.