“Do you mean that you don’t need to worry about your lifespan, master?” Nie Tian asked, deeply amazed.

According to Zhao Shanling, the caster would consume their own lifespan to use time power and create a Time Realm.

However, humans had very limited lifespans, and the Fruit of Life he had obtained for Wu Ji had only given him a hundred more years.

For a cultivator like Wu Ji, a hundred years was still too short.

Just now, Wu Ji had unleashed profound time magics to kill all of the outsider invaders. He should have consumed a considerable amount of his own lifespan.

Wu Ji smiled warmly and said, “I derived brand new understandings of time power after entering the late Profound realm. Now, I can freeze myself in a certain point of time with only a small amount of time power. Afterwards, I won’t consume my lifespan if I don’t cast time magics, not until I enter the Soul realm.

“Furthermore, I’ve learned a way to extract myself from my fleshly body to derive enlightenment of the profound truths of time power and the Dao of cultivation.

“A breakthrough in cultivation requires the right enlightenment and an accumulation of power. Of the two, the right enlightenment is especially important.

“Once I come to the right enlightenment that readies me for my breakthrough into the Soul realm, I’ll quickly build up my strength with precious materials and medicinal pills, and then make the breakthrough.

“During this whole process, I’ll be frozen in a point of time, and won’t lose any of my lifespan.”

Nie Tian’s eyes lit up. “So that means you won’t have to consume your lifespan before entering the Soul realm?”

Wu Ji smiled. “That’s it. Once I enter the Soul realm, I’ll gain more years. By that time, my understanding of time power might rise to a whole new level. Perhaps then, I won’t even need to consume my lifespan at all to use time power.”

“Time power is such a divine power!” Nie Tian marveled.

“As a matter of fact, I only came to learn time power by accident,” Wu Ji said. “I started very low and progressed very slowly. Even now, my understanding of it is rather limited. After all, there’s not a single person in the Domain of the Falling Stars I can learn from. Therefore, it’s a long and hard road, with many unforeseeable things lying ahead.” 

He let out a sigh and went on. “For the time being, I won’t be able to comb through my understanding of it and pass it on to you.”

Then, Nie Tian went on and asked about the situation in the Realm of Flame Heaven, and learned that Li Jing, Chang Sen, and the other Profound realm experts had arranged for their weaker disciples to hide in arcane realms like the Green Illusion Dimension soon after their return to the Realm of Flame Heaven.

Nie Donghai and Nie Qian were among the first ones to be moved.

However, it seemed that the outsiders had arrived before they could get everyone in.

Soon after their arrival, the outsiders had breached the grand spell formation of the Cloudsoaring Sect, which was the weakest among all the sects. Wu Ji had been forced to end his secluded cultivation ahead of schedule and summon powerful experts from the other sects to defend against the outsiders in the Cloudsoaring Sect.

While the experts had fought the outsider invaders, their younger and weaker disciples took the opportunity to retreat to arcane realms like the Green Illusion Dimension.

“The outsiders came too soon,” Wu Ji said with furrowed eyebrows. “If they had come a few days later, we wouldn’t have lost so many people. Many more would have been evacuated safely.”

“Someone deliberated exposed a spatial rift that leads to the Realm of Flame Heaven!” Nie Tians said angrily. “That’s why the outsiders came so fast!” 

Wu Ji was taken aback. “Are you serious?”

“Zhao Shanling told me,” Nie Tian explained.

Wu Ji’s expression also turned very grim after learning about this. “He doesn’t seem to have any reasons to lie about that... Who would have known that someone would still set us up at such a difficult time, hoping to buy themselves more time by sacrificing everyone in the Realm of Flame Heaven?”

Nie Tian gave a cold snort. “I don’t even have to think about it to know that the Poison Sect, the Heaven Expanse Sect, and the Spirit God Sect were behind this!” 

“Still, we can’t settle things with them at such a time,” Wu Ji said softly. “Plus, I did consume a substantial amount vital energy to kill those outsiders. But once I enter the Soul realm...”  

A shred of killing intent flashed across his eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, his eyes widened as he seemed to remember something. He took out the Spirit Pearl and handed it to Nie Tian. “The star map in this Spirit Pearl, I solved it. It’s a star map of a vast area with numerous realms. It’s much larger than the Domain of the Falling Stars.

“It’s just that it’s so far away from the Domain of the Falling Stars. You’ll have to use an ancient starship if you want to go there.

“And I don’t know what kinds of beings are living there.

“Also, this star map seems to have been made by Phantasms. It needs to absorb a large number of souls and spirits to work. Perhaps if you can find an ancient starship in the Domain of the Falling Stars, you’ll be able to use the Spirit Pearl to set up the route and arrive in the area in the star map.”

“An ancient starship...” Nie Tian pondered briefly, then suddenly said, “There’s a forbidden region close to Ash City in the Realm of Split Void. Meteors would fall in that region from time to time. I had a feeling that there were some secrets hidden under that area, and that they have something to do with the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace.

“It’s just that I’m limited by my cultivation base, and can’t pry into them for the time being.”

Wu Ji’s expression flickered as he exclaimed, “Perhaps the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace left an ancient starship in the depths of the earth for you!”

Nie Tian’s eyes lit up. “If that’s true, does that mean I’ll be able to use it and the Spirit Pearl to travel to the area in the star map?” 

Excitement could also be seen on Wu Ji’s face as he said, “That’s very likely!” 

Afterwards, Nie Tian went on and explained what he had seen and experienced in the strange dimension he had recently gone to, as well as his deals with Zhao Shanling.

For a long time after he was finished, Wu Ji remained silent.

Then, he sighed deeply and said, “It seems that our understanding of this boundless starry river is still very limited. There are still so many things we don’t know. Only by going out of the Domain of the Falling Stars will we know how vast and varied this world truly is.”

With these words, he took a deep look at Nie Tian. “Since you’ve received those legacies of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, and those outsiders call you a Son of the Stars, you’re bound to find a way to step out of the Domain of the Falling Stars. It won’t take long. Perhaps what you need is lying right underneath that forbidden region.”

“But you...” Nie Tian wanted to say something, but stopped on second thought.

“Don’t you worry about me,” Wu Ji said, smiling. “I’ll have nothing to fear once I enter the Soul realm.” 

However, his face suddenly fell as he added, “But you need to watch out for Zhao Shanling. That man is only helping you because he’s sick of this place and needs you to get him out. Once you lose your value, he might change his attitude instantly and lay his murderous hands on you.

“Making deals with people like Zhao Shanling is like living with a tiger. When you grow weak, it’ll be completely up to him to kill you or let you live.”

He hadn’t mentioned a word about his conversation with Zhao Shanling, and only warned Nie Tian to always keep an eye on him.

Nie Tian nodded. “I see.” 

“Alright, I’ve said everything I need to say,” Wu Ji said. “Now, I’d better spend some time getting my strength back. What’s your plan? Do you want to stay in the Realm of Flame Heaven, or do you want to leave?”

“I think I need to go to the Realm of a Hundred Battles,” Nie Tian said somewhat embarrassedly.

“The Realm of a Hundred Battles?” Wu Ji thought for a moment, then asked, “Are you going because of that girl from the Dong Clan?”

“Sort of.”

“Now that Zhao Shanling has sealed the spatial rift that connects the Realm of Split Void and the Realm of Flame Heaven, it’s relatively safe here, but the other realms...” Wu Ji stopped to take a glance at the Bone Blood Demon, then went on. “With it by your side, you’ll probably have the ability to protect yourself, but you’ll still face many dangers by going to the Realm of a Hundred Battles. I’m worried that...”

Nie Tian bowed his head and didn’t say a word.

“Forget it.” Wu Ji waved his hand. “Your life is destined to be unique and full of dangers. Considering the things you’ve survived over all these years, you’ll probably be fine this time too. So go if you want.”

“Thank you, master!” Nie Tian said.

“But return after you’re finished there,” Wu Ji said. “I have something for you.”

“What is it?” Nie Tian asked curiously.

“I didn’t get to finish it before the outsiders arrived,” Wu Ji said. “But you’ll see it soon enough.”

Nie Tian nodded. “Okay.”

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