D.C.Haenlien

I'm back and I feel like we haven't done a poll in a while, so here's another one.

I've been thinking about growing my social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and newsletter, so I've been thinking about doing a giveaway of paperbacks for my novels. Just vote if you are interested or not. Of course, the caveat is that you have to follow me one of the platforms, which I still need to learn how to do the google giveaway thing.

There'll be two options for Yes since I want to know if anyone would be interested in signed physical books. Of course, shipping is going to be more expensive for signed and international shipping, which a good portion of you are.

Anyways, happy readings.

For the expedition to the Broken Primordial World, Ba Shifang couldn't follow. Even if he was Tianyi's clone, that still counted as an extra slot that another disciple could hold, and giving two slots to Tianyi was hard to justify. So Ba Shifang stayed behind to teach Ming Xingyun.

Tianyi and the other participants arrived outside of the forbidden grounds, Heaven Broken Alley. The head of this operation was Grand Elder Zhang. As a long-time immortal elder majoring in the Laws of Painting, she had the experience and techniques to conceal their movements from the Numinous Sword Sect of the Numinous Realm, the most likely organization to hinder them.

Since the expedition was a secret operation, only about twenty of the top disciples were part of the group, including Xia Yushan and Ji Shuye. Even Su Wanyu, a Unity Realm elder, was included among the disciples. What surprised Tianyi the most was the inclusion of a Core Formation Realm disciple.

"I didn't expect a core formation master like you to be part of the group."

"Xi Tianyi, what do you mean by that?" Zi Zun said, glaring hatefully at his archenemy.

Tianyi blinked, not understanding why Zi Zun was so hostile to him, but he still smiled. "Nothing much. I was just surprised. Since the sect decided that you are participating, it must mean you are quite excellent, able to compete with us despite being in the Core Formation Realm."

Zi Zun snorted. "I naturally know my strength. I don't need your approval."

After saying those words, Zi Zun left and left Tianyi to his thoughts. 'What's his problem? I thought he might be a protagonist-like character, so I wanted to get closer. Do I instinctively repulse these types of people or something?'

Tianyi felt like his thoughts might have hit the jackpot. Yan Nie immediately singled him out when it was Pan Lanyue who wanted to break the engagement and had nothing to do with him. Lei Jingye wanted to kill him because of the Dragon Emperor. And the reincarnated Dragon Emperor also wanted to kill him. 

"Looks like you aren't very loved, Tianyi." 

Hearing the familiar voice, Tianyi frowned and turned toward the source. Upon seeing the familiar mole under the eye, his frown deepened. "I heard you had forgotten your memories, but it seems like you fooled everyone, Lovespot."

Lovespot shrugged. "I really don't remember anything before the tribulation. Still, it seems that I have to thank you for your care for all these years."

Tianyi stayed silent, not knowing what Lovespot was talking about.

"There's no need to act ignorant. Everyone knows you created those little talismans those rats use. Don't worry. I'll be sure to repay you for everything you've done for me." Lovespot said.

'Oh, that. I forgot they created a Lovespot Tormentor Group on the Xiyi Talismans.' Tianyi stared at Lovespot, itching to open his third eye and laser him. He watched Lovespot walking away with a smug face, and he couldn't help but say, "I still haven't repaid you for everything you've done."

'Should I see if I can kill him? Immortal Redseal can't blame me if Lovespot dies in the Broken Primordial World, right?'

Strangely, Lovespot turned around. He didn't have any harsh words but gave Tianyi a strange, almost contemplative look instead. He was still unable to understand Lovespot's strange reaction even as he disappeared into the crowd. Tianyi blinked as he saw Lovespot interacting with Zi Zun. 'No wonder Zi Zun seems to have a bad opinion of me. Lovespot must have demonized me behind my back.'

As Tianyi turned around, he paused. If Lovespot was attending the expedition, that meant his cultivation was at least in the Core Formation Realm. Discreetly opening his third eye, Tianyi discovered that Lovespot was actually at the Diamond Nascent Soul Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm and a peak Soul Nourishing Grandmaster. 

'Did something happen to him? I find it hard to believe that someone like Lovespot would be able to turn over a new leaf. Coupled with his newfound strength...could someone have taken over his body? Maybe someone from Earth?' It was a common plot point. Someone finds themselves transmigrated as a prodigal son. After surprising everyone by turning over a new leaf, they gain the support and admiration of everyone and get revenge on the people who bullied the original owner.

Tianyi grasped his chin. 'I could be overthinking it, but should I test him? If he is a reincarnator, shouldn't he try to establish whether I'm a reincarnator, or does he think Xi Ri is the reincarnator? Or maybe he's not a reincarnator. But aside from those novel plots, Lovespot's soul being taken over should have raised alarms. Does that mean Lovespot really turned over a new leaf?'

"What are you thinking about, Senior Brother?"

Tianyi turned around to see Ji Shuye walking up towards him. In contrast to her gentle appearance of the past, she now wore full body armor while carrying a halberd. The face was still the same, but it gave people a completely different impression.

"You calling me Senior Brother is a bit weird, Senior Sister," Tianyi said.

Ji Shuye laughed and wrapped her arm around Tianyi's shoulder. "Don't sweat the small details. This world has always been about strength. Since you reached the Unity Realm, it is only right for us to call you Senior Brother. Isn't that right, Yushan?"

"Since Junior Brother Xi doesn't feel right, let's call him the same as before. He'll become an elder in a few decades. By then, if we also reach the Unity Realm, then we can just address each other as elder." Xia Yushan said. He turned towards Tianyi. "How are Junior Sister Jiang's injuries? I heard it's troublesome since she lost her body. She still has her nascent soul, but she will have to re-cultivate her spiritual core."

"Daoyi is doing well. Mother said that her potential would increase with a new body. She should restore her cultivation within a decade at the very latest," Tianyi said.

"That's good." Xia Yushan said, then his gaze focused on Tianyi like never before. "Junior Brother, when we return from the Broken Primordial World, I want you to have a match with me."

"A match?" Tianyi asked. 

"Yes, a match. One where we hold nothing back." Xia Yushan said.

"Are you sure? Junior Brother is already in the Unity Realm. I know you can cross realms to fight unity venerables, but this is different." Ji Shuye said.

"I'm sure." Xia Yushan said. "When I return from the Broken Primordial World, I will enter the Unity Realm."

"Then I'll congratulate Senior Brother ahead of time. Since that's the case, I'll accept your invitation." Tianyi said with a salute.

"Geez," Ji Shuye said as she palmed her forehead. "Junior Brother already surpassed me, and now you, too? I better hurry and enter the World Merging Realm, or I will be left behind by you two."

"Then how about betting on who becomes an immortal first?" Tianyi suggested.

"Haha. What, do you want to swindle something from us?" Ji Shuye joked as she looked at Tianyi.

"You're overestimating my abilities. Becoming immortal isn't easy for me." Tianyi said.

"I feel like Junior Brother Xi's suggestion is good, Shuye. It's just a small bet and can serve as motivation." 

"What do we bet?" Ji Shuye asked.

"Since Junior Brother brought it up, how about you decide what the winner wins?" At this, Ji Shuye followed Xia Yushan's gaze to Tianyi.

"Uh, how about the loser has to give the winner immortal rank materials?"

Even for the Buzhou Immortal Sect, most of their immortals only had one immortal artifact, and only the elites had more than one. More often than not, their artifacts were refined by themselves unless they killed another and took theirs.

Both Xia Yushan and Ji Shuye agreed. Immortal rank materials were costly to them, but it wasn't impossible to get with their status. Less needed to be said about Tianyi, this prodigal son who had a number of immortal artifacts before even entering the Immortal Realm.

Not long after, all the disciples quieted down when they saw Grand Elder Zhang appear. She wasn't alone and was accompanied by over thirty immortals. Of the thirty, only five were at the Seamless Immortal Realm, and the rest were those who were only a hair's breadth away from entering the Seamless Immortal Realm.

"I won't say much since I'm sure your master already informed you." Grand Elder Zhang began. Her eyes scanned the cultivators present, stopping imperceptibly when she spotted Tianyi and Lovespot. "But do not take this lightly. Some of you have already experienced the Demon Slaying Expedition, but the Broken Primordial World is nothing like it. Time and space are not stable. If you aren't careful, you could disappear forever."

She waved her hand, and glowing balls appeared in front of everyone. When Tianyi reached out and grabbed his, he saw that it was an ink-black jade.

"This jade will help you in locating your positions. Should you lose it, it is possible that you will get lost forever. Even if you lose everything else, don't lose this." Grand Elder Zhang slowly explained the many features of the jade given to them, and when she was done, she waved her hand.

Before Tianyi or the others knew of it, they realized that they were staring into the Vast Void. Looking around, Tianyi noticed his mother’s Heaven Earth Man Trinity Palace and a third palace hovering above the Huang Realm. Looking at the plaque atop the palace ground he stood on, he saw that it read Ink Poem Palace.

"Where is this?" Ji Shuye asked.

"It should be one of the three immortal palaces in the Vast Void controlled by the three grand elders of the sect." Xia Yushan said. As the sect master's direct disciple, he knew more than Ji Shuye.

"What do you mean by this? I thought any immortals that move out to the Vast Void without using the realm entrance will be lost forever?" At this moment, Lovespot came out and questioned Xia Yushan.

Xia Yushan glanced disdainfully at Lovespot. "There is no realm entrance. The Realm entrance is just misinformation that the sect spread in order to control who goes in and out." 

"What?!" Lovespot shouted. "Then what about all those immortals who tore through the spatial barriers and entered the Vast Void. Why haven't they come back." 

"Of course, the sect killed them. If they came back, wouldn't the lie be revealed?" Xia Yushan said. "Stop asking. If you weren't part of the group, I wouldn't have even bothered to explain to you. You shouldn't think too much. Even if you want to care, you're too weak now."

"You!" Lovespot breathed heavily as he glared at Xia Yushan. Tianyi quietly stepped behind Xia Yushan upon noticing Lovespot's strange state. Upon seeing Tianyi, it seemed the Lovespot regained his calm. With one last hateful glare, he turned his back.

"You didn't need to do that, Junior Brother. I could've taken care of him alone if he dared to attack," Xia Yushan said as he walked away from Tianyi. 

"Don't leave the boundary of the palace. If you leave, you might die instantly from the harsh environment of the Vast Void. Stay put until we arrive at the Broken Primordial World," Grand Elder Zhang said and then entered Ink Poem Palace without another word. 

The disciples stared at each other and followed the immortals inside. Seeing the immortals arbitrarily choosing a room, the disciples followed. Tianyi also chose a random location. He could tell that each room contained a different amount of qi density, but that no longer mattered to him. 

There were a few arguments over ownership of the rooms between disciples, but it didn't develop into a full-blown conflict since they feared angering Grand Elder Zhang, who gave the impression of a blizzard. While the disciples were inside, the Ink Poem Palace began to move.

Strangely, the palace split into two, one black and one white. The white palace stayed in its former place while the black palace floated into the void and seemed to merge with it, disappearing out of sight entirely.

A few days later, Tianyi stood at the edge of the palace's boundary, staring into the Vast Void. His eyes were unfocused as he recalled the one time he almost perished in the Vast Void. 

'If it's now, can my body withstand the Vast Void?' It was an impulse, there was simply no other word to describe Tianyi's action.

Tianyi made sure no one was observing him and opened his third eye. Instantly, his view of the world changed, and he saw a thin film of light covering the Ink Poem Palace. 'This should be the barrier separating the place from the outside.'

Slowly and ever so gently, Tianyi's hands touched the barrier. With a little bit of strength, his hand pierced and exposed itself to the chaotic environment of the Vast Void. Before he could experiment anymore, he felt the barrier come to life and force his hand back inside.

"Disciple Xi, don't be presumptuous. Don't try to push your hand out again or else."

Tianyi quickly apologized to Grand Elder Zhang. He didn't know if she heard him or not, but he sighed in relief and entered his room again. Once inside, he stared at the hand exposed to the Vast Void. 

It looked no different than his other hand, which meant his body could survive in the Vast Void, at least for a short period of time. But he also knew that he felt an enormous current that he couldn't fight against. In his current state, he would likely be a rootless being carried by the current of the Vast Void.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. At least, Tianyi thought so. There was nothing to mark time within the Vast Void, so Tianyi felt time blur, but he also began to realize the Concept of Relativity due to this experience, if only barely.

Inside his room, as Tianyi sat in a lotus position and focused on comprehending the Concept of Relativity, a voice entered his ears. 

"Come out. We've arrived at the Broken Primordial World."

D.C.Haenlien

Latest Chapter available on Patreon: 271

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