Dual Cultivation God Returns

Amid the chaotic stream of the space storm, a figure cut through like an arrow traversing air, streaks of lightning flashing around it.

With a spear thrust forward, Wu Long cut through the dangerous cracked and distorted space, his speed reaching his very limit as even he did not want to be within this field for long.

Soon, he felt the current of the spatial channel and with a final thrust, cut into it, arriving within.

It was not stable as well, but he could navigate around the more dangerous zones, and avert colliding head on with particularly unstable spatial distortions.

The time within the the link between the Worlds was not indicative of the time passing in either world. If two people were to enter the link at roughly the same time, no matter how long they spent inside the link individually, they would exit it at also roughly same time.

This led cultivators believe that the travel between worlds was instantaneous, relative to the time in both worlds on the two ends of a link.

Which was why Wu Long did not feel the need to hurry, rather, slowing down and closing his eyes, concentrating.

'Is he... trying to feel the Spatial and Time powers in here?', Fen Baihu widened her eyes, as no other madman would use the link between the worlds that could be dangerous even if completely stable, in such a way.

Not to mention, that if one could truly grasp the Concept of Space and the Concept of Time simply by meditating on the World Link, there would be far more people who were successful in comprehending those two elusive concepts.

In reality, only a handful of people throughout the Seven Boundless Worlds had any significant achievements in those two fields.

However, due to the fact he already was part of this very exclusive club, that being part of what made him such a fearsome individual, Wu Long in fact could further his comprehension of these concepts here.

Especially in an unstable link, and one between the Boundless Mortal World and Boundless Profound World, where the contrast of the two Boundless Worlds created a dissonance, giving him opportunities to examine the forces at play within this spatial channel.

However, it was impossible to stay within indefinitely, and after a long time, the moment arrived to exit the spatial channel...

---

A lone World Stone was lodged into a mountainside, like a monument of the mysteries hidden within the vastness of the Seven Boundless Worlds, towering over the landscape.

There was a subtle flow of Spiritual Qi around it, like a column of air current rising into up and disappearing in the distant sky above.

However, at some point, the smooth and subtle flow showed signs of disturbance, and a concentrated pulse came hurtling toward the World Stone through the channel of Spiritual Qi, creating a bright flash of light, and a sound akin to that of a lightning strike came as a figure shot out of the current, immediately disappearing into distance.

Not even an hour later, a few figures appeared in the skies near the World Stone, almost all of them standing on large swords that would be quite awkward to wield in battle, looking around with caution.

Almost right after, a new group arrived in the area as well, their members similarly riding swords, but unlike the ones who arrived first, whose swords were completely random and different, theirs were uniform and looked quite new.

The latter group looked toward the stone first, and then turned their gazes toward the group that arrived first, showing aggressive looks opposed to the more cautious demeanor of their counterparts.

"Search the area", the leader of the first group, the only one who was not using a sword to fly, gave an order, remaining in place while looking at the other group, his people scattering to look for clues.

"You go as well", the leader of the second group grimaced, the people behind him moving forward.

"This is our territory, Huo Bai. You may remain to observe, but don't you think having your people search this area is overstepping?", the first to arrive and give the order for the search furrowed his brows.

"Hah! Look who decided to speak up! If it isn't Yu Zhen the Weakling? You may have a territory just as any others, but don't forget you all can only exist because the Iron Claw Group allows it", the man called Huo Bai made a mocking expression first, and then a threatening look, adding "Any business on these lands is the Iron Claw Group's business. So shut your trap and don't get on my nerves"

As the man called Yu Zhen clenched his fists, his subordinate who stayed behind came closer and whispered "It is too close to tribute time, if we piss him off he is more than capable of raising it just to spite us..."

Yu Zhen clenched his teeth, but very subtly nodded in silence, not engaging with the man further.

Huo Bai only made a "Hmph!", looking around.

About fifteen minutes later, a new group arrived from another direction.

"What are you doing here?", Yu Zhen's mood got worse as he saw them.

"Hah, why, can't we see what is going on? It's not just something but the World Stone to the Battle God's Craddle! I would think it concerns everyone around, no?", the man leading the third group spoke with a challenge, and then turning to Huo Bai immediately changed his expression and tone of voice to a subservient one "Ah, Captain Huo, my apologies for not addressing you first with a greeting, I got distracted by someone rude"

"Hahaha, that's quite alright, Yu Zhen here doesn't read the atmosphere quite often. You guys can stay to see what is going on" Huo Bai started laughing, shooting Yu Zhen a gaze as he talked as if he owned the place.

"Sir!", at this time, one of Yu Zhen's subordinates who was closely examining the World Stone returned with an excited voice, instantly drawing attention from the two other groups.

Yu Zhen inwardly cursed as he looked at the man, and gestured for him to speak up, as there was no use trying to conceal whatever discovery the subordinate made now.

"T-the link seems to be stabilizing on the other end, as the flow of Spiritual Qi is more even and steady... and there seem to be a trace of someone or something passing through just recently...", the subordinate gulped, guiltily speaking up as everyone around widened their eyes.

"Hah? Someone from the Battle God's Craddle?", Huo Bai's voice expressed disbelief, as everyone knew of the famous catastrophe that shook the Seven Boundless Worlds, when a Main World, especially as famous as the the birthplace of the Battle God fractured off, leading to many rumors and speculations.

It was estimated that it would open up again only after hundreds of thousands of years.

"Tch, did you look correctly?!", Huo Bai rushed forward toward the subordinate who froze in fear, only stopping a few steps away, blocked from approaching by Yu Zhen, who wedged in between the two.

"Move!", the leader of the people who came from the Iron Claw Group barked with impatience.

"You're stepping over the line you don't want to cross, Huo Bai. Your Iron Claw Group is strong, not you. If you want to, you can run to your leader and tattle... ah I forgot, your status is not so high to speak to him, but even if you could I doubt he'd care much that your ego got hurt. I'll tell you what I think he would care about. I bet he would care if he finds out you're acting like the king of the mountain here, despite the fact we pay our tributes and stay within out bounds... think of his reaction then", Yu Zhen's gaze became sharp, as his counterpart finally revealed a bit of restraint, his flash of anger from before turning into frustration, contempt and then silent threat.

However, from Yu Zhen's face it was clear that this was a red line in the sand, and unlike Huo Bai's initial aggressive demeanor, he was not really willing to cross it and start something here.

"Tch, then ask your damn guy if he's sure of what he saw! I don't have time for such nonsense!", Huo Bai spoke with annoyance, seeing that Yu Zhen was not budging.

"Did you check for sure?", Yu Zhen calmly turned to his subordinate, who nodded with a slightly pale face, and then turned back with "He says he checked, now back off"

"Tch, looking tough, huh? Let's see what this little display costs you later...", Huo Bai clicked his tongue, retreating with a threatening look, causing the man who warned Yu Zhen before to make a sour face.

"Gather up, we're going back!", Huo Bai then amplified his voice with a talisman, and started moving away in the direction he came from, as his people started gathering around him on the fly. Yu Zhen could see that he took out a communication talisman, likely to communicate the news about a visitor from the other side. His gaze then turned to the third group, who quickly caught the wind as well, not having any ground here with the Iron Claw Group gone.

Finally, Yu Zhen turned to the World Stone with a troubled gaze, muttering "Well, this just got complicated..."