Chapter 535 - 266: Floating Continent
The pitch-black void was devoid of any light. Zhao Rui looked around and saw a group of escaped duelists in the distance, flying toward a massive, starry island up ahead.
Behind them, trails of flame formed from Spiritual Qi stretched out, leaving a dazzling wake of light, as if in joyful celebration of their successful escape.
Zhao Rui paused to collect himself. In the distance, a figure stopped, looked toward him, and said with a laugh, "My friend, why do you hesitate? This is my homeland, set within the void of the Cosmos. It’s perfectly safe."
Zhao Rui smiled but didn’t say much, flying straight over.
The god-demon duelist laughed heartily at this, then turned and led Zhao Rui to catch up with the group.
’This group clearly didn’t decide this on the spur of the moment,’ he thought. ’Judging by their coordination, this must have been planned for a long time. They were probably all waiting for the right opportunity to escape the Starry Sky Arena.’
’Every duelist in the arena was a master who once dominated their own region. Who among them would be willing to be reduced to a slave-like duelist, fighting for others’ amusement?’
’If not for Ajido’s inscrutable mystery and overwhelming power, these people would have rebelled long ago.’
The group sped along, passing through a dense asteroid belt composed of meteorites and interstellar dust before setting foot on a floating continent several times the size of Blue Star.
This continent was like a jade plate standing erect in the void. Far above it, two stars orbited each other, emitting endless, scorching light.
Ten planets orbited the pair of stars, their distances from one another nearly uniform.
The two stars were an immense distance above the continent. Most of their light and heat dissipated into the cosmos, and what little remained was further blocked by the planets. By the time it was projected onto the continent, the heat had dwindled, creating a relatively temperate zone.
As a result, the entire landscape was lush and green, brimming with life.
Above the continent, there was also an indescribable, shield-like object that enveloped the entire landmass.
It contained oceans, clouds, and other elements of a natural water system, creating weather patterns much like Blue Star.
Seeing this, Zhao Rui couldn’t help but think of his past life and the descriptions of a flat earth under a round heaven, like a celestial chessboard.
’To think that this type of celestial body actually exists in the vast universe.’
’Spiritual Qi can be revived, and the Martial Dao can move mountains and fill seas. Compared to that, what’s so strange about this?’
Zhao Rui shook his head slightly. Ever since the Martial Dao began to flourish, the entire world—or rather, the cosmos as he saw it—had completely changed.
It was no longer an ordinary, mundane world, but something that transcended the realm of scientific understanding.
"Greetings, Nine Celestial Venerables!"
Just as the group flew to a floating island at the continent’s center, a group of Martial Artists similar in appearance to the god-demon duelist emerged from the void and flew out to greet them from a distance.
"At ease! These are my friends. Go and make arrangements for them. Don’t be negligent."
"Yes!"
The few Martial Artists in the lead bowed in acknowledgment before turning to leave.
Only a few Martial Artists remained by his side, standing guard.
"This way, everyone!"
The god-demon-like duelist—or as he should now be called, the Nine Celestial Venerables—smiled freely, a hint of a grin on his otherwise resolute and fierce face.
The others nodded or replied in affirmation, following him casually into the floating island.
This island was similar to the continent below in that both were suspended in the void.
It was also quite large, spanning over a thousand square kilometers.
It had everything: mountains and rivers, plants and trees, birds and beasts.
The scenery was even more beautiful, and the Spiritual Qi was even more abundant.
The group followed the Nine Celestial Venerables into a massive building that resembled a Western castle, shrouded in black mist and rising gray vapor.
"Everyone, it is our great fortune to have made it out of the arena alive. Today, we shall drink to our hearts’ content! Come, drink up!"
The Nine Celestial Venerables gallantly raised his cup and drained its contents in one gulp.
"What rich Energy! What kind of drink is this? It’s extraordinary!"
A duelist who resembled a giant mantis hooked its claw around a cup, sniffed it carefully, and asked with curiosity.
"This is a Scarlet Fresh Brew I acquired from another place. The spiritual energy it contains is incredibly rich. Even if left in the void, it wouldn’t dissipate for centuries."
"Oh, so it’s such a fine item! You’ve gone to great expense, Venerable One!"
’The mantis seems to be a shill, or perhaps a hype man. Clearly, their relationship isn’t ordinary.’ Zhao Rui thought.
Zhao Rui picked up his cup and extended his Divine Soul to inspect it. As expected, it contained an extremely dense Spiritual Qi.
This Spiritual Qi felt somewhat like a combination of Dark Matter and Dark Energy.
It was exceptionally pure and dense.
It felt as though a single drop could create all things, give birth to a life, and form an entire world.
This illusion snapped Zhao Rui back to his senses.
’Impressive,’ he thought to himself.
’As expected, no treasure this good is ever simple.’
Zhao Rui took a small sip. A thick, yet colorless and odorless liquid instantly flowed down his throat and into his body.
Immediately, a warm current spread from his stomach, flowing toward his limbs and bones.
The Acupoints in Zhao Rui’s body immediately felt an urge to absorb it.
He hurriedly opened his Hidden Meridian Acupoints.
The warm current quickly flowed into them, where it was absorbed and broken down by the Acupoints, transforming into the purest form of Energy that then circulated throughout his body.
’Good stuff!’
Delighted, Zhao Rui couldn’t help but take two more mouthfuls.
The other duelists also raised their cups and began to drink freely.
Soon, the dozen or so duelists in the grand hall all had a starry glint in their eyes, clearly absorbing this sudden, immense surge of Energy.
"This substance is extremely rare, and I don’t have much of it myself. Please don’t think me stingy. When the opportunity arises in the future, I will acquire more to share with you all."
The Nine Celestial Venerables’s fingernails glinted with a faint light as he gently set down his cup and smiled serenely.
"A thing like this is naturally very difficult to obtain. But, Venerable One... we have been through thick and thin together. If there’s ever a time we can help, you need only ask."
The mantis-like duelist once again spoke up.
"Not at all. It’s just that the place where this substance is found is a land of great conflict. We have only just gained our freedom; how could we risk it on such an adventure? Say no more!"
After speaking, the Nine Celestial Venerables clapped his hands, and a group of servants soon entered carrying all sorts of food.
Zhao Rui had never seen any of these things before. There were various strange meats, as well as massive plant roots and fruits.
Without even tasting them, Zhao Rui could already sense waves of dense Spiritual Qi.
’Apparently, the Spiritual Qi on this floating continent is extremely dense.’
’It’s even greater than that of the Gui Xu from before.’
’Could it be that Spiritual Qi isn’t rare in the universe? Is the entire universe covered in it, making a place like Blue Star, which has none, the real anomaly?’
Zhao Rui couldn’t help but frown at the thought.
"Please, eat!"
The Nine Celestial Venerables was extremely enthusiastic, and soon everyone was feasting heartily.
These duelists were all of different appearances and races. If this were his past life, he would have described them as a motley crew of demons and monsters.
But having witnessed the magnificence of the universe, Zhao Rui had grown accustomed to facing such strange creatures.
’For all I know, my own human form might be considered an ugly life-form in the eyes of other creatures.’
The banquet lasted for quite some time. After eating and drinking for a while, the conversation turned to the arena. It didn’t take more than a few sentences before a chorus of curses filled the air.