"And 'Lord Yan's' summoning is related to the 'Star Demon'!"
The words of Sovereign Tian Jue made Ye Chen and the group of Sovereigns from the Extreme Spirit Clan tense up, knowing that Sovereign Tian Jue was finally about to discuss the crucial matter.
"It was a day not long after I had just stepped into the Nine-Star Sovereign Realm." Sovereign Tian Jue seemed to be lost in reminiscence, "On that day, 'Sovereign Yinsha,' who was traveling outside, suddenly returned. As soon as she came back, she summoned me, Elder Yinbing, and Elder Lei Xuan. It was here in this council hall that we learned about 'Sovereign Yinsha' and 'Lord Yan'."
Beside him, Elder Yinbing and Elder Lei Xuan, both Nine-Star Sovereigns, nodded and remained silent.
Sovereign Tian Jue continued, "'Sovereign Yinsha' called us together and directly told us about her receiving the divine statue inheritance of 'Lord Yan.' She further said she sensed the call of 'Lord Yan,' inviting her to assist against the potential crisis caused by the 'Star Demon.' Upon returning to the clan, a mysterious sense of danger lingered in her mind and spirit, so 'Sovereign Yinsha' gathered us to specifically explain these things."
"Sovereign Yinsha said that this sense of danger involves 'Lord Yan,' involves the 'Star Demon,' and is something none of us, who haven't trained in methods to deal with the 'Star Demon,' can assist with. Even her master, our clan's Divine Master Lord, couldn't help. To avoid involving her master, she didn't even tell our clan's Divine Master Lord about being summoned by 'Lord Yan.'"
"At the same time, 'Sovereign Yinsha' also advised us not to interfere in these matters. She told us about these things just to make sure we are cautious and avoid bringing calamity to our clan."
"After telling us about 'Lord Yan' and the 'Star Demon,' 'Sovereign Yinsha' went to the area where 'Lord Yan' summoned her—the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves'!"
Ye Chen, originally feeling emotional due to Sovereign Tian Jue's words, was contemplating how 'Sovereign Yinsha' avoided involving Huyan Divine Master by not telling him about the 'Star Demon,' and yet 'Huyan Divine Master' died in the Wanmu Mountain Divine Kingdom, a result demonstrating the unpredictability of fate.
Suddenly, he heard the Sovereigns of the Extreme Spirit Clan beside him exclaiming, "'Eighteen Mysterious Caves'? 'Sovereign Yinsha' went to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves'?"
Clearly, the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' mentioned by Sovereign Tian Jue in the context of 'Lord Yan' summoning 'Sovereign Yinsha,' were known to these higher-echelon Sovereigns of the Extreme Spirit Clan.
Among them, only Ye Chen was completely unaware of the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' now looking confused.
Seeing Ye Chen and the Sovereigns' expressions, Sovereign Tian Jue explained to Ye Chen, "The 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' belong to a forbidden land outside our Extreme Spirit Clan—the peculiar cave of the 'Sea of Taboo.' In past adventures into the 'Sea of Taboo,' our clan has explored the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' several times, but no one knew 'Lord Yan' had a connection to that peculiar cave. If 'Sovereign Yinsha' hadn't told me she was summoned by 'Lord Yan' to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' I wouldn't have known it hides such a big secret!"
At this point, Sovereign Tian Jue specifically mentioned, "'Young friend Jiang Li,' during your participation in the 'Extreme Spirit Martial Land' selection, the 'Photographing Spirit Mirror' used in the first round was actually related to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves.' The secret patterns on the Photographing Spirit Mirror were comprehended by 'Sovereign Yinsha' in the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' before she disappeared!"
Sovereign Tian Jue's words caused a lightning storm in Ye Chen's mind.
Ye Chen suddenly recalled his earlier inquiries to Sovereign Lei Bo after the 'Photographing Spirit Mirror' test.
At that time, the ancient 'Rune,' which transported Ye Chen from the 'Ancient Forbidden Grounds' to the 'Sea of Taboo,' was directly triggered by the glow emitted from the secret patterns on the 'Photographing Spirit Mirror,' astonishing Ye Chen. Ye Chen directly inquired about the 'Photographing Spirit Mirror' from Sovereign Lei Bo.
Back then, Sovereign Lei Bo said the secret patterns on the 'Photographing Spirit Mirror' were comprehended by 'Sovereign Yinsha' from a special cave in the 'Sea of Taboo,' and indicated that the major figures of the Extreme Spirit Clan couldn't fully penetrate that cave.
At that time, Ye Chen was focused on the peculiar 'Rune' and 'Secret Patterns,' not paying attention to that cave.
Unexpectedly, now from Sovereign Tian Jue's words, he learned that the cave with secret patterns capable of triggering the ancient 'Rune' is indeed the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' where Sovereign Yinsha was summoned!
Ye Chen's mind suddenly thought of something else, and he was greatly shocked.
Sovereign Yinsha was summoned to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' by 'Lord Yan,' obviously indicating a significant connection between 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' and 'Lord Yan.'
And the secret patterns from the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' triggered the peculiar 'Rune' within Ye Chen.
At the site of 'Lord Yan's' divine statue, the peculiar 'Rune' inside Ye Chen appeared once again and absorbed the terrifying power of 'Infusion of Divine Light,' left by 'Lord Yan' in the divine statue.
The two occurrences of the 'Rune's' manifestation, whether through the secret patterns of the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' or the divine statue's Infusion of Divine Light, are all connected to 'Lord Yan.'
This can't help but make Ye Chen ponder, is it possible the peculiar 'Rune' that brought him from the 'Ancient Forbidden Grounds' to the 'Sea of Taboo' is also related to 'Lord Yan'?!
"There's a very high possibility!"
"The creator of the exploration grounds in the 'Ancient Forbidden Grounds,' I sensed during my adventure, might be even more powerful than the Divine Master. Otherwise, how could they leave behind such a formidable power in the peculiar 'Rune,' transporting me directly from the 'Ancient Forbidden Grounds' to the 'Sea of Taboo'?"
"It is very likely that the creator of the 'Ancient Forbidden Land' is 'Master Yan'!"
"'Master Yan' is someone even more powerful than the Divine Master!"
"'Master Yan' may be connected not only to the 'Ancient Forbidden Land' but also to the 'Sea of Taboo.' Perhaps, for some special reason, he integrated those terrifying 'runes' into my body and brought me to the 'Sea of Taboo'!"
Ye Chen felt that he had vaguely grasped the clues to many things.
Perhaps, once he goes to see the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' he'll be able to find out the truth!
Ye Chen even couldn't resist trying to sense once more the astonishing power of that strange 'rune' within him!
The kind of terrifying power that far surpasses the Divine Master and might even annihilate the entire 'True Spirit Divine Kingdom' into the void upon eruption!
Unfortunately, the astonishing power of the strange 'rune' merely hides within Ye Chen through his host body, leaving him completely unable to control it. He couldn't even actively sense it. Since the 'Photographing Spirit Mirror' and the 'divine statue' appeared for a while, it has once again hidden away, unseen.
While Ye Chen's mind and spirit were wildly agitated, thinking that 'Master Yan' might be related to the strange 'rune,' Sovereign Tian Jue continued, "'Sovereign Yinsha' said she would head to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' and then left the clan, disappearing."
"According to the description of the outer cave dwellings, the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' is divided into eighteen layers of cave domains."
"The sovereigns of our clan have always only managed to reach the sixth layer of the cave domains. When we heard that 'Sovereign Yinsha' went to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' and in the countless years that followed, whenever we explored the 'Sea of Taboo,' I, Elder Yinbing, and Elder Lei Xuan made numerous attempts through the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' hoping to delve deeper and possibly find out what happened to 'Sovereign Yinsha' there. Unfortunately, we still couldn't penetrate below the sixth layer of the cave domains!"
"And ever since 'Sovereign Yinsha' went to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves,' she has completely vanished without a trace or word!"
At this point, Sovereign Tian Jue's voice turned serious.
"Originally, during the more than ten thousand years following 'Sovereign Yinsha's disappearance, everything was calm, and there were no major crises involving 'Starry Sky Demons' or 'Demon Polluted Beasts.' I speculated that perhaps 'Sovereign Yinsha' and 'Master Yan' had entirely resolved the potential 'Starry Sky Demon' crisis."
"However, in recent years, everyone should have noticed that the number of our clan's 'Demon Polluted Beasts' has started to increase bizarrely. If we weren't constantly vigilant and exterminating them, it could have turned into a major disaster!"
"Never would I have expected that while we were training at 'Haotian Ancient Stream,' a 'Demon Polluted Beast' managed to dig a secret tunnel and escape into 'Haotian Ancient Stream'! If it hadn't been for young friend 'Jiang Li's help, it might have triggered an immense crisis!"
"The 'Demon Polluted Beast' domain was specifically crafted by 'Master Yan.' Logically, it should have been impossible for a Demon Polluted Beast to escape. For them to dig a secret tunnel and escape, unless something happened to 'Master Yan,' resulting in flaws in the crafted domain!"
"In this situation, we need to visit the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' again!"
"This time, I've summoned all of you, dear sovereigns, for this matter! It just so happens that young friend 'Jiang Li' wants to find 'Sovereign Yinsha,' and with our clan's Demon Polluted Beasts acting oddly, the expedition to the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' must begin again. This time, we must strive to delve deeper into the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves'!"
"In more than two months, the fierce Sha period of the 'Sea of Taboo' will end. When the fierce Sha period of the 'Sea of Taboo' ends, we'll prepare to explore the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' again!"
"This time, everyone above the five-star sovereign level must venture forth!"
Sovereign Tian Jue turned to Ye Chen, "Young friend 'Jiang Li' wants to find 'Sovereign Yinsha.' At that time, you may join us in the action. Young friend 'Jiang Li' is not an ordinary Divine King, and he may be able to delve deeper into the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves.'
Sovereign Tian Jue's words made Ye Chen take a deep breath.
Sea of Taboo, Eighteen Mysterious Caves.
Even if the Extreme Spirit Clan weren't going inside to guard against a 'Demon Polluted Beast' crisis, Ye Chen has to go there to look for 'General Yinsha'!
The period of a little over two months feels neither long nor short.
After discussing with the notable sovereigns of the Extreme Spirit Clan, Ye Chen began his final preparatory training for venturing into the 'Eighteen Mysterious Caves' at a residence arranged by Sovereign Tian Jue.
Meanwhile, Ye Chen also entrusted Sovereign Tian Jue and others to help search for the missing 'Fire Divine Pattern' and 'Chaos Divine Pattern' training materials required for the 'Eternal Undying Divine Body.'
In addition, Ye Chen was granted permission by Sovereign Tian Jue and others to attend the Extreme Spirit Clan's trading conference to search for treasures for trading.