The Soul Guarding Ancestor was aware of this as well. Their Divine Sect of Ancient Souls was indeed powerful. In particular, under the watch of a peak Seventh Heavenly Layer Immortal Exalt like the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy, their Divine Sect of Ancient Souls had already squeezed into the upper echelon of peak organisations of the Immortals’ World.
But at the same time, there were several existences in the Immortals’ World stronger than their Divine Sect of Ancient Souls. They were aloof, refusing to get involved in anything and rarely participated in any conflict.
But that was only because it was not tempting enough, not enough to tempt them.
Once it was tempting enough, no matter how aloof they were, no matter how free from secular desires they were, they would all fall back to being worldly men.
And a sovereign god artifact was clearly tempting enough.
“This is such a heaven-sent opportunity. Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy, we cannot afford to miss out on this. Otherwise, it will be a regret that goes down in history…” Seeing the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy hesitate, the Soul Guarding Ancestor urged again. His voice was pressing.
“Soul Guarding…” The Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s voice was filled with mixed feelings. It was filled with indescribable emotions. “Are you really prepared to do this?”
“If I can use my life in exchange for millennia of glory for the Divine Sect of Ancient Souls, then it would be my honour.” The Soul Guarding Ancestor’s eyes burned with fervour. He placed the interests of the sect above all else, even above his own life.
“If that’s the case, then I will promise you that regardless of whether we succeed or not, as long as the Divine Sect of Ancient Souls is still standing, your name will be forever engraved on the ancestral tablet, to be remembered by all disciples in the future.” The Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s voice was filled with vigour.
The Soul Guarding Ancestor was touched. He immediately began to ignite his soul, using the ultimate secret technique of the Divine Sect of Ancient Souls to cross through the vast space and summon the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s soul.
Immediately, the resistance from the formations increased, obstructing the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s powers.
It had to be said that the formations of the Skyscraping World were far too powerful. Peak formations upon peak formations seemed to form an impenetrable barrier of laws, obstructing all rule-breakers from all aspects. Even with the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s strength as a Second Heavenly Layer Immortal Exalt after sacrificing his soul to use the ultimate secret technique, he was still unable to overcome the formations of the Skyscraping World.
At this critical moment, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy took action. Residing in the distant Divine Sect of Ancient Souls, he immediately erupted with devastating might. The tremendous pressure of a peak Seventh Heavenly Layer Immortal Exalt crushed the entire hall to the point where it creaked as if it was about to collapse.
At that moment, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy did not hold back at all. His tremendous and terrifying energy channelled endlessly into the Grand Exalt’s bone on the altar, using it as a bridge to form a connection with the Soul Guarding Ancestor.
“With only the power of Soul Guarding and I, it is still very tough to fend off the formations of the Skyscraping World. I need you to help me.” The Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s voice rang out in the dark and ancient hall.
“Sigh, Soul Guarding…” A figure let out a long and gentle sigh. He seemed aware of Soul Guarding’s fate as well. His voice was filled with sorrow and sadness.
In the next moment, he suddenly erupted with the might of an Immortal Exalt. His terrifying cultivation was channelled into the Grand Exalt’s bone.
The other figures said nothing, but they also gave it their all.
At that moment, the Immortal Exalt ancestors of the Divine Sect of Ancient Souls collaborated from inside and outside, using the Grand Exalt’s bone as a bridge. Finally, they burst through the obstructions of the Skyscraping World.
Eternal darkness swallowed the area above the long flight of stairs in the Skyscraping World. In the centre of the darkness, the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s face was filled with pain as black flames flickered in his eyes.
He was burning his soul, sacrificing his soul to push the might of the ancient secret technique to the limit.
In the end, right when the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s soul had burned away completely, a dark spatial gate silently appeared. A blinding soul seemed to cross through time and space, descending from the distant unknown while wrapped in a dense layer of laws.
That was the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s soul!
As soon as the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s soul appeared in the Skyscraping World, he dove into the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s body…
When the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s soul had merged with the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s body completely, the darkness from the ultimate forbidden technique finally began to recede slowly.
The “Soul Guarding Ancestor” stood there, radiating with a strange and unique presence. He clearly had the cultivation of a Second Heavenly Layer Immortal Exalt, but he gave off a terrifyingly sinister presence.
“Soul Guarding, all of the disciples will remember your sacrifice. I will not let down your hopes either. I will do everything that I can to capture this opportunity that can change the sect’s fate…”
“Everything… will be for the sect…”
The “Soul Guarding Ancestor” said sternly. At this moment, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy had already occupied the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s body.
They shared the same origins after all. Coupled with the special characteristics of the cultivation methods of the Divine Sect of Ancient Souls, not only were there no signs of rejection when he occupied the body, but it instead seemed like a natural union, without any flaws.
His cultivation was at the Second Heavenly Layer, but his comprehension was at the peak of the Seventh Heavenly Layer.
In the Divine Sect of Ancient Souls deep in the sea of stars, only the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy’s empty body remained, guarded by the other Immortal Exalts of the sect.
The entire Divine Sect of Ancient Souls was on high alert. All of the protective formations operated at their limits.
Boom! With a rumble, the formations hidden in the space near the mountain top of the Skyscraping World shattered. Jian Chen and the Thousand Soul Demon Exalt flew out from the churning demon Qi.
Jian Chen gripped the seed of ways and continued to flee, but he was no longer alone. He was accompanied by the Thousand Soul Demon Exalt and the Immortal Devouring Orchid.
The Divine Formation of the Heavens had already been exposed. There was no point in continuing to hide the Thousand Soul Demon Exalt.
Many of the Immortal Exalts pursuing him from behind set up various formations along the way, all in hopes of stopping Jian Chen at a critical moment.
As a result, more and more formations appeared on the mountain peak. With Jian Chen’s cultivation, there were many formations that he struggled to detect immediately. Fortunately, he had let out the Thousand Soul Demon Exalt. He used the strength he had recovered to clear away the obstacles.
“Hehehehe, sect master, you only need to last a few more days to use the Divine Formation of the Heavens again.” The Thousand Soul Demon Exalt accompanied Jian Chen and let out a snicker.
Jian Chen looked at the seed of ways in his hand. Compared to before, the seed of ways had already used up a lot of its energy. The presence it gave off had greatly diminished.
“Once the seed of ways’ presence is extinguished, I will refine it,” Jian Chen thought. He continued to wander around the mountain peak. He was waiting for the seed of ways to stop giving off its presence. Once that happened, he could flee to the foot of the mountain and use the expansive area to hide himself.
By then, even if he could not stow the seed of ways into the space in his soul or the Primeval Divine Hall, it still would not be easy for these Immortal Exalts to find him.
“Yang Yutian, your flight comes to an end at this very moment! Soul Restriction!”
At this moment, an icy voice suddenly rang out in Jian Chen’s ears. With the last two words, Jian Chen immediately felt like an illusionary hammer had appeared in his soul without any signs at all, slamming down heavily with a special power.
For a moment, Jian Chen only felt his soul rumble. The entire world spun. His soul had been struck heavily.
Jian Chen immediately fell to the ground. His presence was a mess as excruciating pain filled his entire soul.
This was clearly a soul attack, similar to Jian Chen’s Profound Sword Qi. It could not be guarded against.
“Oh no, this is the laws of a late Immortal Exalt!” The sword spirits’ cries rang out in Jian Chen’s soul. Shortly afterwards, a violet and an azure streak of light immediately lit up, illuminating Jian Chen’s consciousness and protecting him.
“Hmph, that’s only a late Immortal Prime, a slightly fatter ant.” At the same time, the Source of Life’s voice rang out. It used its energy of life to form a verdant barrier, enveloping Jian Chen’s soul.
“Fortunately, it isn’t a secret technique as deep as the Profound Sword Qi. I’d truly be powerless against the Profound Sword Qi, but I’m still able to guard against an inferior secret technique like this,” the Source of Life said rather proudly.