Splitting the Heavens

"Both of you, since you're already here, why not show yourselves?"

As soon as Shang Xia finished speaking, Sage Jin and Zhuo Gudao appeared in the void about 1,000 miles from the Spirit Ark.

Shang Xia's gaze swept over the two, lingering briefly on Sage Jin. He noticed that while Sage Jin's cultivation remained at the third star of the Martial Emptiness Realm, his aura was clearly unstable. A single clash with another Sage might cause him to regress to the second star.

Although Shang Xia no longer feared them even if they joined forces, seeing Sage Jin in no shape to fight brought him a small sense of relief.

He was already injured during his breakout earlier and naturally didn't wish to fight so soon.

"Never thought Sage Shang could break out while Qin Ming had the full support of his Heavenly Fiend. We're deeply impressed." This time, it was clearly Zhuo Gudao who had taken the lead.

"Enough with the idle talk," Shang Xia snapped bluntly. "We're not far from the Original Star Corner yet. If you have something to say, spit it out."

Zhuo Gudao chuckled and was just about to speak when Sage Jin interrupted, "Sage Shang sure is direct. Brother Zhuo, we're all familiar with one another. There's no need to beat about the bush now."

Zhuo Gudao nodded slightly, then turned to Shang Xia and said solemnly, "Sage Shang, I believe your Spirit Ark carries a fragment of the Essence Wilderness World. It even has the continent Sage Jin anchored his soul. It contains a largely intact World Origin Source. We've come for that world fragment and the World Origin Source. Would you be willing to make a deal?"

Shang Xia raised his eyebrow while looking at them. "You want that fragment from the Essence Wilderness World? Sage Jin, you should know that the soul you once housed in the World Origin Source..."

"... Was completely annihilated. I know," Sage Jin interrupted with a blank expression. "Our request has nothing to do with that. We seek your generosity, Sage Shang."

With that, Sage Jin even bowed slightly to Shang Xia, presenting himself with full humility.

Shang Xia was about to refuse, but a sudden thought flashed in his mind. Instead of rejecting their request, he started to mumble, "This world fragment is extremely well-preserved, covering over 20,000 miles. Its foundations can be ranked among the top three continents in my Essence Luxuriant World. If I bring it back, I can greatly accelerate the growth..."

Zhuo Gudao laughed. "Sage Shang, let's not play around. If it really was a complete continent of an Essence World, how could you store it in a Spirit Ark?"

An unnatural expression flashed across Shang Xia's face, but he quickly composed himself and replied coolly, "Alright, if you don't like it... We can simply not trade."

In truth, the Spirit Ark did indeed carry an entire continent of the Essence Wilderness World. However, most of its vitality had already been stripped. Most of the region was a wasteland.

The little remaining vitality was concentrated near the World Origin Source where the residual World's Will was contained.

Originally, the World Origin Source was retained to contain the fragments of Sage Jin's soul.

Although the World Origin Source hadn't been overly plundered, making it the most valuable part of the world fragment, it was clear that Qin Ming and the Essence Frontier Heavenly Field had other motives for coveting it.

Their goal suddenly dawned on Shang Xia. "No. Your true goal isn't the continent itself, but the remnant Essence Wilderness World's Will, right?"

Zhuo Gudao froze for a moment and instinctively glanced at Sage Jin.

After a moment of silence, Sage Jin slowly replied, "What would convince Sage Shang to part with it?"

Zhuo Gudao added, "I heard Sage Shang ventured into the Nebula Forbidden Region primarily to seek Hollow Heaven Stones. Even though you now possess a Spirit Ark, I was fortunate to obtain two pieces of it. What do you think about making a trade for them?"

As he spoke, Zhuo Gudao retrieved two sealed boxes. Inside each was a piece of Hollow Heaven Stone, comparable in size to the smaller ones Shang Xia had obtained. Each was sufficient to serve as the core of a Spirit Ark.

In other words, Zhuo Gudao was offering enough Hollow Heaven Stone to build two Spirit Arks!

Though he had nearly perished in the Nebula Forbidden Region, Zhuo Gudao clearly had some great fortune before that.

If it had been before Shang Xia entered the Nebula Forbidden Region, those Hollow Heaven Stones might have tempted him. Unfortunately for Zhuo Gudao... He managed to get his hands on 11 of them during his expedition.

Including the piece he had previously obtained from the 6th Starsea Market, Shang Xia had 12 Hollow Heaven Stones.

Among them, six were suitable to build Spirit Ark. Three were even larger, and the remaining three could serve as cores for Essence Arks.

Shang Xia shook his head immediately. "Not enough."

Sage Jin suddenly said, "Then what else do you want? What about the core inheritances of the sect I once belonged to in the Essence Wilderness World? I also possess part of the core inheritance of the Heart Lamp Sect. I can offer both to you."

Shang Xia laughed. "That's not very sincere, Sage Jin. What do those sect inheritances have to do with you? As for the Heart Lamp Sect..."

As he turned to glance behind him, Su Chi emerged from inside the Spirit Ark.

"Su Chi of Heart Lamp Sect pays respects to Sage Jin. It's been centuries... Who would have thought you'd still be alive? It's truly a cause for celebration."

Naturally, both Sages were already aware of Su Chi's presence.

But unlike Zhuo Gudao's astonishment, Sage Jin's gaze remained calm. "Su Chi of the Heart Lamp Sect... I know who you are. Back then, you were the youngest and most unremarkable of the sect's high-level experts. Yet you were also the most promising. What a shame..."

Su Chi smiled. "Breaking into the Martial Emptiness Realm is not achieved through youth or potential alone. Otherwise, my Heart Lamp Sect wouldn't have lost its path to the Martial Emptiness Realm centuries ago. Even after Sage Jin's ascension, my sect still stood above yours."

Sage Jin was silent for a moment before he finally replied, "You're not wrong. Now I understand how Sage Shang managed to escape from the depths of the Nebula Forbidden Region and return to the ruins of the Essence Wilderness World so swiftly. You must've tracked the lingering traces of the Essence Wilderness World's Will."

Su Chi gave a slight bow and returned silently.

Sage Jin turned back to Shang Xia, who was still smiling. "Su Chi was the sect's most promising candidate to enter the Martial Emptiness Realm after they lost their ancestor. Naturally, he has their inheritance... I must have embarrassed myself by offering it to you."

Shang Xia replied with a faint smile, "You're too modest, Sage Jin."

Sage Jin fell into a moment of thought, then gave a helpless smile. "I've accomplished little in recent years. At the moment, I can't even think of anything that might interest you. It's shameful. Might I ask what you desire?"

Shang Xia chuckled, "The way to establish a Dao Field. Surely you both have them. Would you be willing to share them with me?"

Sage Jin was surprised and he gasped, "You want that? The Essence Wilderness World had only one Dao Field, and it was controlled by the Heart Lamp Sect. Since Su Chi is with you, he must know that process better than anyone."

Shang Xia shook his head. "A stone from another mountain can polish jade. You can always learn more. I know both of you possess other ways to build a Dao Field."

As he spoke, his eyes settled directly on Zhuo Gudao.

Zhuo Gudao gave a bitter smile. "So your true target is the Star Origin Dao Field..."

Shang Xia laughed. "The Star Origin Dao Field was once left by the Heaven Observation Sect. Its legacy is far from ordinary. Hundreds of years ago, you served as the Star Origin Guards Commander and later presided over the Star Origin Lord Manor. Other than the Star Origin Lord himself, you probably know the most."

"You guessed wrong," Zhuo Gudao replied with a shake of his head. But then he added, "However, I do happen to have a complete set of secret manuals to teach you how to build a Dao Field."

With that, he sent a purple jade slip through the air to Shang Xia.

As Shang Xia used divine soul to scan its contents, he was greeted with several impressive words.

Dao Field Architecture!