Mu Can and Wang Cai now knew what it meant when many Immortals fought and mortals suffered.
Within their small boat, all they could hope for was that Wu Ming would wipe out these adversaries.
Otherwise, once Wu Ming was defeated, isolated in this Yellow Springs without any help, they could only wait for death.
Looking at the ferociousness of these unknown beings, could Mu Can really hide inside the Reincarnation Pearl for his entire life without coming out?
The small boat under their feet was like a leaf in the storm, shakily rocking with the tumultuous Yellow Springs, yet it remained stable on the surface, devoid of any danger of capsizing.
"This small boat is also a treasure indeed." Wang Cai looked at the boat and drooled.
Mu Can smacked him hard – what a time to be greedy for someone else’s treasure.
"Ha ha, you really think without me, Wu Ming, you would have no way out?" Surrounded by skeletal creatures, Wu Ming appeared completely unruffled.
Following this statement, a sky’s worth of golden light surged around Wu Ming’s body, and within this light, faint Buddhist chants could be heard.
Behind Wu Ming emerged a massive Buddha statue, majestic and towering like a mountain.
Its presence seemed as if it was about to suppress the entire Yellow Springs.
"I, Wu Ming, am a synthesis of Buddha, Tao, and Confucianism; how dare you attempt to deceive me? Ha ha ha ha!"
Wu Ming’s laughter rang out, and the Buddha statue behind him laughed aloud as well.
"Isn’t Wu Ming a Taoist? Why is there a Buddhist projection?" Mu Can looked at the Buddha statue behind Wu Ming with a curious face.
But he realized he had never seen such a Buddha statue before.
"A synthesis of the three teachings, this old fellow is definitely from the last era." Wang Cai gazed at Wu Ming, whose body shone with a golden light like a divine palace, and spoke.
"The last era? What exactly does that mean?" Mu Can asked, having heard the word countless times today but not having any clue about the definition of the last era.
"According to the results of our former master’s investigation, in the Supreme Interface, there was a previous era, also known as the era of the uninhabited zones."
In that era, the uninhabited zone wasn’t what it is now, but after a great catastrophe, it became the true uninhabited zone, severely restricting the areas where Cultivators could move around.
"Are you saying that Wu Ming might be an old monster who survived the last cataclysm?" Mu Can sized up the Taoist and asked.
"It’s very likely. However, the last era is just a hypothesis of our old master. At least before I left him, no one from the last era was truly found," Wang Cai couldn’t say for sure whether the legends about the last era were true or not, but looking at the current scene, it seemed likely.
"Annihilate them all." Wu Ming looked around coldly and commanded loudly.
The creatures that had surrounded him scattered like birds and beasts, diving back into the Yellow Springs, and even the mighty Bone Dragon turned to flee but was enveloped in golden light, frozen in place, unable to move.
"Annihilate." Wu Ming cast his eyes on the Bone Dragon, the chief culprit, and spoke softly. The Bone Dragon instantly turned to ash, leaving behind a crimson pearl that was absorbed into Wu Ming’s hand.
After the Bone Dragon disappeared, peace was restored to the Yellow Springs, and the small boat carrying Mu Can and Wang Cai returned to its normal state.
"Young friend, I present this Dragon Blood Relic to you," said Wu Ming as he tossed the red pearl left by the Bone Dragon to Mu Can.
"How do I use this, senior?" Neither Mu Can nor Wang Cai had ever seen such a wondrous treasure.
That Bone Dragon looked formidable enough to have had the strength of the All Things Realm before its rebirth; even now, a regular All Things Realm might not be able to defeat it.
"Simply absorb it. It will benefit the Great Taoist Rift within your body," Wu Ming said offhandedly.
Mu Can’s body trembled; the Taoist before his eyes had long seen the issue within his body.
To think whether Wu Ming knew that he was carrying the Reincarnation Pearl.
Mu Can made a daring decision.
Using the Reincarnation Pearl, he scanned Wu Ming’s body and copied his data into the sixth layer of the pearl.
Not a single reaction from Wu Ming.
Mu Can’s heart surged with joy; the Reincarnation Pearl truly was a treasure of the Supreme Realm.
Even a formidable figure like Wu Ming was unable to notice.
"Thank you, senior." Mu Can stored the Dragon Blood Relic away.
"Senior, who exactly were those people? Why did they attack me?" Mu Can was now the picture of curiosity.
"They are people who have died but have not passed away completely, all of whom died here during the ferriage across the Yellow Springs. They are indeed pitiable souls."
Wu Ming sighed and continued to explain to Mu Can.
"Then why did they attack me?" Mu Can was still curious.
"Because both their bodies and souls are trapped in the Yellow Springs. To leave the Yellow Springs, they must find a replacement to take their place, so that they can undergo reincarnation.
Mu Can nodded. No wonder that group attacked him so frenziedly; they wanted to drag him into the Yellow Springs.
Half a day of tranquility followed, and the boat finally made it to shore.
"That’s far enough. Remember, if you come back, find me here."
Wu Ming appeared mysteriously but left just as quietly, vanishing from Mu Can’s line of sight.
"Why do you think Wu Ming helped me?" Mu Can asked.
Wang Cai shook his head; he too couldn’t fathom why such a Great Power would so casually help Mu Can.
"Forget it, let’s see this ’Heaven’ he mentioned."
This part of the Yellow Springs contrasted entirely with the other side.
Beautiful flowers bloomed everywhere as if in an ocean of flowers.
"Don’t look." Wang Cai suddenly leaped up and bit Mu Can.
Those were Other Shore Flowers, and looking at them could be fatal.
After Wang Cai’s warning, Mu Can turned his gaze away.
On the shore, they found a stele inscribed with the characters for "Other Shore."
Strangely, there was another phrase on the stele as if left by someone else.
"Endless sea of suffering? I’ve been around Hell too, and found nothing."
Looking at this sentence, Mu Can and Wang Cai were speechless.
A place terrifying to them was like a playground to someone else.
"Who on earth is this deity, to have such formidable strength?"
Mu Can pondered over those words, which were clearly deliberate.
"This is truly a winner in life." Wang Cai let out a soft exclamation, even a domain as mysterious as the uninhabited zones was as accessible as their own backyard. This truly exemplified the highest level of the Freedom Realm.