"The master of the Shattered Void Forbidden Zone is said to be the Voidsplit God King. That entire forbidden zone is filled with chaotic space power. Anyone who gets too close is shredded into pieces by the distorted spatial forces. It's terrifying—virtually no one who enters has ever come out alive."
"And then there's the Storm Forbidden Zone and its master—the Lord of Storms. Within that zone, all manner of storms rage year-round, and these storms contain horrifying powers. Even the hardest steel and stone are ground into powder by them. It's said that someone once merely brushed against a storm from that zone and was torn flesh from bone, their vitality crippled, their lifespan drastically reduced. It's frightening and deeply dreaded."
Shen Wansan didn't even bother speaking about the distant ones—he only talked about the forbidden zones near the Dark City.And no matter how you looked at it, none of them were simple.
To this day, no one could truly describe what exactly lay within each forbidden zone.
"Even the lords of the forbidden zones have battle power at the Dao Proving Realm level. That means... these forbidden zones are likely remnants of powerful figures from the previous epoch," Yi Tianxing pondered silently.
If someone were to prove the Dao in this era, it would cause dramatic heavenly phenomena—impossible to hide. These signs are Heaven and Earth's recognition of a newly born supreme.And yet, to this day, not a single Dao Proving Realm expert had emerged in this epoch.
Undeniably, the current Dao Proving Realm cultivators were all survivors of the last epoch. During the fusion of the myriad worlds, some of the most powerful beings from the past made it through. Those who survived until now—each of them must have possessed unimaginable trump cards. No one knew the true extent of their strength.
The so-called forbidden zones were actually their Dao—their own paths—spilling into the world, subtly warping the surrounding environment. Their presence alone warped local laws of nature and birthed unique Dao Rhythms.
Where such a being stands, becomes a forbidden zone.
Thus, those who dwell in the heart of forbidden zones are all undoubtedly at the Dao Proving Realm. Some may even be more terrifying—to a level even Heaven and Earth struggle to erase. What such beings are capable of... is beyond imagination.
In an entire world, just one such being is like a sea-stabilizing divine pillar.But in the Dark Realm, there were hundreds of forbidden zones.
That didn't just mean hundreds of dangerous places—it meant hundreds of terrifying Dao Proving Realm-level existences.
That... was not normal. Not at all.
No world should contain hundreds of such forbidden-level beings.
Combined with the eerie and unnatural aura that permeated the Dark Realm—Yi Tianxing was sure:
"There's a secret hidden within the Dark Realm—a shocking one."
If not, how could so many supreme beings remain here?How could so many forbidden zones exist?
Nannan asked coldly, "This info about the Dark Uprising… it's way too valuable. Why was it so easily revealed to you? I doubt there isn't some deeper game behind it."
Yi Tianxing replied calmly, "No rush. Tonight, I'll do some recon myself—head to the City Lord's Mansion. I visited it once years ago. The Lord of Dark City is… let's say, an old friend. But this city isn't safe anymore. The people from our merchant house must withdraw immediately and return to Great Yi. There's no need for us to stay here any longer."
After brief thought, he made his decision.
The Dark Realm was simply too weird. The longer one stayed here, the more dangerous it became.If a full-scale Dark Uprising truly erupted, the entire realm would be turned upside down. The destruction would be catastrophic.
"Yes, Holy King," Shen Wansan responded without hesitation.
In these years, the merchant house had earned massive profits in the Dark Realm, sending countless spiritual materials and treasures back to Great Yi. But the longer one stayed here, the more oppressive it felt. Emotions dulled. A strange apathy and coldness began to take root. Though not yet extreme, cultivators were already feeling the shift clearly.
Yi Tianxing turned to Nannan and smiled:
"Let's go check out the White Lotus Forbidden Zone. Maybe... the one who rules that place is someone we know."
"Whatever Brother says," Nannan replied with a strange glint in her eyes.
"Good, let's go now."
He acted without delay. When it came to the mysteries of the Dark Realm, the sooner they were uncovered, the better.
Suddenly—
"Alert! Enemy attack! All cultivators within the Dark City, prepare for battle! Activate the Dark Canopy!"
"The White Lotus Forbidden Zone is initiating a Dark Uprising! They seek to destroy our Dark City! If we can't hold the line, everyone in this city will die! If you want to live—fight with all you have!"
A shout rang out from above the city.
Looking up, a war chariot tore through the sky toward the city—it was the same one the Dark Saint Son had used. The demonic dragon pulling it was now broken and bloodied. As it flew, blood dripped from its body, each drop drawing a frenzy of beasts on the ground into brutal fights.
The chariot was battered, covered in gashes.
And atop it, the Dark Saint Son looked even worse. Enshrouded in black mist, his body constantly bled. And strangely—pure white lotuses were growing all over his body. They looked dazzling and ethereal, holy and flawless.
"So he really went to the White Lotus Forbidden Zone... and provoked the White Lotus Fairy. This guy—is he stupid? Just a Saint Son, and he dared provoke a Forbidden Zone ruler?"
Yi Tianxing observed him with a cold gaze.
Despite the mist, Yi's Innate Yin-Yang Eyes could see everything clearly.Lotuses bloomed from the Dark Saint Son's flesh. Every time he pulled one out, it tore out a chunk of his body with it. Blood gushed. It was horrifying.
The cries from the Dark Saint Son sent shock through the entire city.
Panic spread.
"What? A Dark Uprising? The forbidden-level existence from the White Lotus Zone is really coming out?!"
"Didn't they say the forbidden lords never leave their zones? If they do, they're punished by the heavens, pay massive prices! What changed?"
"Damn that Dark Saint Son! Everyone knows he's obsessed with the White Lotus Fairy—trying to chase her, possess her. Now look what he's done! He provoked a forbidden monster—and dragged us all into it!"
"Screw this, I'm out! I'm not dying here fighting a Forbidden Lord. That's suicide!"
Chaos erupted across the city. Cultivators were consumed by fear.
Everyone in the Dark Realm was selfish—trust was rare, survival came first.When faced with such danger, self-preservation came before all else.
Their first instinct: run.
But that thought was quickly crushed.
A massive Dark Canopy enveloped the ancient city—an impenetrable dome of energy.
No one could escape without permission.
No one.
It erased all thoughts of fleeing.
This was the first and strongest defense of the Dark City—especially fearsome at night.
Yi Tianxing stepped onto the walls with Nannan. Their presence fully disguised. In the crowd, no one could remember their faces—they had no sense of presence.
"This city's leaders sure know human nature. Without that dome, no one would've stayed to fight. Come on, let's see what happens."
From atop the city wall, countless cultivators looked into the distance—and their expressions turned deathly pale.
Lotuses.
Countless white lotuses.
A whole sea of them.
Stretching across the horizon, pouring in like a tide, they covered everything in their path.A sound echoed from within—a strange chanting. It sounded like the most beautiful melody, enchanting the mind, pulling the soul.
"What a heavenly sound… this must be the realm of immortals."
"Yes! I'm ascending! Don't stop me—I'm going to become an immortal!"