After entering the depths of the Seven Realms Desert, Lan Xiaobu and his group traveled for several days without encountering a single desert vortex.
It was clear that the vortexes were far less frequent than during his last visit. Yet, to reach the location of the Seven Realms Stone realm flags, one had to enter a desert vortex. These vortexes carried teleportation rules leading to the flags’ site—without entering one, finding them was impossible.
“Dao Lord, the rules here are vague. Finding the entrance to the Seven Realms Stone flags might not be easy,” Tian Gang Sage said after days of following Lan Xiaobu, his divine sense constantly probing the desert’s rules. But after all this time, he hadn’t sensed even a ripple of the flags’ charm, let alone their presence. Wandering aimlessly like this might be pointless.
Tian Gang was hinting that rather than wasting time here, they might fare better searching the void for the Great Desolate Divine Realm.
Tu Wang said coolly, “If the Dao Lord says he can find the entrance to the Seven Realms Stone flags, he will. We just need to stay alert and assist from behind—don’t interfere with his perception or sway his judgment.”
Tian Gang shot Tu Wang a disdainful glance. This guy had survived long enough, but among those Tian Gang knew, he was hardly impressive. His longevity stemmed from flattery and clinging to power. Tian Gang would rather hide in the Half-Divine Realm than grovel like Tu Wang to reach the Heavenly Street.
Yet, reflecting on it, Tian Gang sighed inwardly. He had to admit Tu Wang’s knack for connections likely outshone his own.
Lan Xiaobu ignored their exchange. He’d just sensed a desert vortex sweeping in. It seemed to arise naturally within the Seven Realms Desert, and he suspected it tied to the Seven Realms Stone flags.
Back then, he’d encountered vortexes at least once or twice a day. Now, it took days for one to appear, and this one was much smaller—likely because he’d taken one of the flags.
“Follow me closely,” Lan Xiaobu said, not waiting for the vortex to pass. He charged straight in.
On his first visit, he’d dodged the vortexes desperately, only to be inevitably swept up. This time, he felt that if he chose not to enter, he could suppress it outright. Back then, his divine sense couldn’t pierce the vortex; now, it slipped in effortlessly, catching a faint trace of the Seven Realms Stone’s charm.
Tian Gang, trailing behind, sensed it too.
The others, though unable to detect the charm, followed Lan Xiaobu into the vortex without hesitation.
Like a void teleportation, the vortex whisked them to a vast, empty expanse.
Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense swept out. The array restrictions here were tattered, and no signs of life remained.
“Dao Lord, this is indeed the Seven Realms Stone’s domain. I sense its aura,” Bei Ji said excitedly, having been here before.
“Let’s head to the Third Realm Stone,” Lan Xiaobu said, his form flashing forward.
As a Fourth-Turn Sage, his divine sense could nearly pinpoint the Third, Fifth, and Seventh Realm Stones, even glimpsing their hazy outlines.
The Third Realm Stone’s outer restrictions had vanished. Even from afar, everyone could see a massive stone floating in the void ahead. Under divine sense, three characters stood out clearly: “Third Realm Stone.”
Tian Gang Sage said eagerly, “I never imagined the Seven Realms Stone flags would appear here. If other powerhouses knew, they’d swarm this place.”
He paused, then turned to Lan Xiaobu. “Dao Lord, I hear the Seven Realms Stone flags go from one to seven. To claim them, you need the First Realm Stone flag first, then the Second, before reaching the Third.”
He didn’t finish, but the implication was clear: Lan Xiaobu couldn’t take the Third Realm Stone flag without the first two.
“Let me try,” Lan Xiaobu said, his hands weaving binding laws that swiftly ensnared the Third Realm Stone. Before he could pull it, the laws collapsed.
He tried again, this time linking his divine sense to the First and Second Realm Stones he carried.
As their charm merged into his binding laws, the restraints locked onto the Third Realm Stone effortlessly. With a pull, it left the void and landed in his hand.
Compared to his struggle to claim the First Realm Stone—having to physically rush it—this was a hundred times easier. Without the Fourth Realm Stone, he wondered if he could claim the Fifth.
His divine sense swept toward the Fifth Realm Stone’s location, only to see a void vortex erupt there. The next moment, the Fifth Realm Stone flag was swept away and vanished.
Not good—it had fled. He shifted his sense to the Seventh Realm Stone, where another vortex surged, whisking it away too.
Lan Xiaobu sighed. He’d hoped to snag the Fifth without the Fourth, but the chance never came.
Tian Gang Sage and Zhen Ti, watching him claim the Third Realm Stone flag with ease, were quietly awed. They quickly pieced it together—Lan Xiaobu must already have the First and Second flags. How else could he take the Third?
The thought flickered briefly, but Tian Gang grew even more certain of his choice. Without immense fortune, how could one claim three of the Seven Realms Stone’s seven flags? With these, even the Fourth would wait for Lan Xiaobu alone.
The Seven Realms Stone was a top cosmic treasure. With all seven, even if eternal Sagehood eluded them, they could enter the Longevity Realm. Tian Gang’s heart raced with excitement.
“Let’s go. Nothing’s left here,” Lan Xiaobu said, summoning the Reincarnation Cauldron and eyeing the void vortex left after taking the Third Realm Stone flag.
He’d once left via the First Realm Stone’s vortex; this time, the Third’s should work too. They had to move fast—once it faded, escape might be impossible.
As everyone boarded, Lan Xiaobu steered the cauldron into the vortex.
The void vortex’s potent spatial rules roared, but the cauldron glided smoothly through, unshaken.
In less than half an hour, the vortex cleared, and the cauldron emerged into a space. Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense swept out—he realized this wasn’t the void.
“The Great Path Gobi Valley?” Bei Ji, who’d spent the most time there, recognized it instantly.
Lan Xiaobu confirmed it too.
He’d planned to reach the Great Desolate Divine Realm’s outer void and find his way back eventually. He hadn’t expected the vortex to drop them straight into the Great Path Gobi Valley.
Many void passages led here, he knew—Kun Wei had sealed countless outsiders in this valley for that reason. Still, coming directly from the Seven Realms Desert to here left Lan Xiaobu marveling at spatial rules’ mystery. If he proved the Dao of Space, could he skip vortexes and tear space to step from the Rootless Divine Realm to the Great Desolate Divine Realm?
Whether true or not, he now burned to prove Fifth-Turn Sagehood via space.
The cauldron landed on the valley floor. Lan Xiaobu said, “Tu Wang, head to Longevity Sage City and wait for me. Entering that vortex gave me some insights—I’ll close off here for a while.”
The Third Realm Stone flag’s vortex had led here, and faint traces of spatial rule shifts lingered. He had to seize this chance to prove Fifth-Turn via space.
He feared that lingering too long would let those sensations fade, and the vortex’s faint spatial conversion rules would vanish completely.
