Splitting the Heavens

When the four large Star Ships of the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field went to search for tracks of the Spirit Ruling World and the Spirit Frost World, the Ying Brothers led the cultivators and Beast Kings of the Spirit Ruling World to work with the Giant Ape King who led the Beast Kings of the Spirit Frost World in an attempt to prevent their worlds from being devoured by the spatial vortex. They had been holding out for a long time, and they had long been pushed to their limits.

Due to the constant battering of the void currents, the balance between their worlds had long hung on the edge. The risk of their grand formations collapsing was growing closer with each passing second.

As long as the balance between their worlds were maintained, they could rely on the combined efforts to resist the turbulent void currents and the suction of the spatial vortex.

But if that balance was lost... Neither would be able to withstand the void currents alone. They would lose their final chance of survival. But if the bond between the two worlds were to break, then neither would be able to withstand the void's currents alone, and they would completely lose their final chance of survival.

Both the Ying Brothers and the Giant Ape King understood the implications, and they made the preservation of the link between the two worlds their top priority, even scolding those on their side who did not grasp the gravity of the situation.

Still, both sides knew that despite their efforts, the current state was only barely sustainable. Without external intervention, their fate was certainly to be devoured by the spatial vortex. It was only a matter of time.

The distance between both worlds within the void had grown very short, but to avoid catastrophic collision, each maintained the chaotic streams between them.

In the chaotic streams between both worlds, their fleet had anchored. There was a large Star Ship from the Spirit Ruling World, a Spirit Ark, and more than 10 smaller vessels. They cast long chains into the void, anchoring themselves between both worlds. As the chains were pulled taut, the ships remained stationary despite the battering of the void currents.

Each of them had at least one True Immortal or Beast King stationed, ensuring they would be able to maximize the power of their grand formations.

At the very front, the large Star Ship and the Spirit Ark were each manned by the Ying Brothers and the Giant Ape King respectively.

What was shocking, however, was that the energy radiating from those large vessels were no longer at the peak of the Sixth Order. It had already reached the level of the Seventh Order!

Moreover, the power exhibited wasn't merely a superficial imitation of Seventh-Order energy. It felt as though Sages were personally present aboard both vessels.

Although the large Star Ship and Spirit Ark ark were separated by a significant distance, communication between the core figures aboard was unhindered.

Yet the content of their exchange had become increasingly pessimistic and bleak.

"How much longer can you hold on, Brother Giant Ape?"

That had become almost a ritual from Ying Lianquan, asked at regular intervals and serving as a cue for renewed conversation.

The Giant Ape King's usually deep and resonant voice carried clear fatigue as he replied, "Not much longer. The Seventh-Order energy I'm maintaining comes at the cost of my World's Will. We're burning through our World Origin Source rapidly. I can already feel the World's Will starting to collapse."

Ying Lianquan sighed. "The Spirit Frost World truly has a deep foundation. You're not like our Spirit Ruling World, which only recently completed its ascension. My brother and I likely won't be able to hold out much longer."

After he spoke, a moment of silence fell between both vessels.

A while later, the Giant Ape King's low voice returned. "Still no word from Sage Shang of the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field?"

Ying Lianquan's reply brought even more despair and it was accompanied by a bitter laugh. "The change that happened to the spatial vortex happened far too quickly. We were still clinging to false hopes, reluctant to let the Essence Luxuriant World get too involved. By the time we realized we couldn't resist the spatial vortex's pull alone, it was already too late. None of the messengers we sent out have returned. I'm afraid they didn't make it out..."

The Giant Ape King's voice grew even heavier. "So... We're completely cut off from the outside world now?"

There was a long silence from the large Star Ship before Ying Lianquan growled, "I'm afraid so."

Just then, Ying Lianxi suddenly spoke. "At this point, all we can do is hope for a miracle."

The Giant Ape King's voice rang in their minds again. "Do you truly believe someone from the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field will come to save us?"

Ying Lianxi's tone was calm... Perhaps too calm. "Ever since they completed their ascension, we all understood their purpose in helping our worlds, didn't we?"

The Giant Ape King responded, "You mean turning us into vassal worlds of Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field? That would mean our worlds would become fully subservient to them! We'd forever lose our chance to reach the seventh rank!"

Ying Lianquan's bitter laughter returned. "But when you think about it, what does independence even get us now? Given the location of our worlds, there's almost no hope for further development. Besides, my brother and I have always known our limits. We never truly had a chance to reach the Martial Emptiness Realm. You, on the other hand, with your extraordinary talent, had a much better shot than we ever did."

The Giant Ape King's voice grew hoarse. "What's the point in saying this now? The priority is still to prevent our world from being destroyed! I can already sense your strength waning. The balance between our worlds is starting to falter."

This time, the Giant Ape King didn't get a response right away. But he could sense that the Ying Brothers were making every effort they could to maintain the link.

Eventually, the Giant Ape King, stationed aboard the Spirit Ark once belonging to the Spirit Ruling World, let out a soft sigh and directly transferred a stream of his origin qi through the link between both worlds. He sent it over to bolster the Ying Brothers and help them survive the immediate crisis.

However, much of the Spirit Frost World's energy was lost during the transfer, and since the energy ultimately fused with the Spirit Ruling World, further attrition occurred. What little benefit the brothers received was minimal.

Both sides knew this kind of aid was nothing more than drinking poison to quench their thirst.

Moments later, the Ying Brothers stabilized their aura, and Ying Lianxi's voice came through again. "Thank you."

The Giant Ape King's voice sounded far more exhausted than before. "You can't draw any more world origin from your world, can you?"

Ying Lianquan answered in a low voice. "Our world's foundation has been so depleted that it's on the verge of regressing back to an Azure World. There's nothing left to draw from."