Golan, together with the elders, directed the elites to pilot the warships toward the shores of the Golden Ring Continent.
Cheers erupted among the elders and elites as the vessels approached the coastline. For generations, their people had lacked the knowledge and expertise required to construct such sophisticated warships. The vessels they possessed were primitive by comparison, incapable of matching the technological and spiritual ingenuity displayed by these newly acquired ships.
To them, the warships represented more than instruments of warfare. They were symbols of a future their continent had never dared to imagine.
While the others remained occupied with the fleet, Golan hurried back to the palace.
Along the way, a voice suddenly entered his ears. It was a voice that nobody else could hear, and its owner was none other than Solanky, who had manifested an avatar within the continent.
The moment Golan entered his private chambers, he discovered a ghostly figure standing before the small statue.
The figure possessed a somewhat illusory appearance, as though its existence had yet to become fully anchored in the material world. Nevertheless, the aura radiating from its body was unmistakable.
It possessed strength comparable to that of a rank-six being.
Golan stared at the figure in astonishment before turning his attention toward the statue.
"Senior, how long will it take before your body becomes completely corporeal?"
The ghostly figure glanced around the chamber before answering calmly.
"Three days."
As he spoke, the avatar's appearance began to change.
His features transformed until he resembled the indigenous inhabitants of the Golden Ring Continent, whose physical characteristics were virtually identical to those of humans from Earth's human race.
He assumed the appearance of a muscular, middle-aged man with a sturdy frame and an indifferent expression.
Yet the difference between this body and Solanky's true body extended beyond their physical appearances.
Solanky's true body carried itself like a restrained scholar, preferring composure and careful consideration. Black God Solanky, on the other hand, possessed an entirely different temperament. His manner was aloof, and his presence carried an air of detachment that discouraged unnecessary familiarity.
After completing his transformation, Black God Solanky turned toward Golan.
"I will be heading to the River of Gods in the mountains. I may remain there for some time."
His voice was calm, but the words that followed carried considerable weight.
"I have modified the formation surrounding this continent. It can now counterattack intruders rather than merely defend against them. The formation can also draw upon the energies of the surrounding world to strengthen itself, although its capabilities remain limited."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"My main body within the Upper Spiritual Realm is restricted by the laws governing this region and cannot interfere directly. This avatar is the only manifestation through which I can act here, and its strength will not exceed the tenth rank."
Golan listened attentively, committing every word to memory.
"I intend to upgrade the Golden Ring Continent and establish several departments to improve the living conditions and overall development of its inhabitants. However, before any of that begins, you must ensure that everyone understands one thing."
Black God Solanky's expression grew serious.
"Nobody is to leave the protection of the barrier until I return. There are spies lurking in the surrounding seas, gathering information about this continent and its inhabitants. Some of them may also be searching for me. We cannot afford to give them an opportunity to discover more than they already know."
Golan immediately clasped his hands.
"Understood, Senior. I will ensure that your instructions are followed."
Black God Solanky nodded.
Without another word, his figure dissolved into the air and disappeared from the chamber.
Golan remained silent for a moment before leaving his chambers. He immediately issued orders to the continent's elites and warriors, instructing them to remain vigilant and maintain a heightened state of alertness.
He subsequently summoned all the elders and informed them of Solanky's manifested avatar.
The news left them delighted.
Although they had already come to recognize Solanky as the mysterious power standing behind their continent, learning that he had personally manifested an avatar strengthened their confidence in the future.
Several elders even expressed their desire to pay their respects to him when he returned.
Golan did not discourage them. Instead, he reminded everyone that they must first carry out their responsibilities and ensure the continent remained secure.
Meanwhile, high above the Golden Mountain, Black God Solanky's avatar appeared.
Without hesitation, he descended toward the River of Gods and plunged beneath its surface.
Unlike his previous exploration, when various restrictions had prevented him from advancing very far, he could now descend considerably deeper into the riverbed.
As he ventured downward, the aura emanating from the surrounding corpses grew increasingly intense.
Countless ancient remains lay scattered throughout the depths. Some belonged to beings whose bodies had retained traces of terrifying power even after their deaths. Others were accompanied by treasures that had survived the passage of time.
Solanky soon detected several treasures belonging to guarding ancestor-level beings. He also discovered scattered world cores lying along the riverbed, each bound by powerful restrictions that prevented unauthorized access.
He examined them briefly before continuing his descent.
Eventually, a gigantic whirlpool appeared before him.
It was situated approximately one hundred meters away, its surface rotating silently as though concealing an entirely different world beneath its depths.
Two enormous corpses floated beside it.
Both belonged to beings who had reached the eighth turn.
Solanky examined their remains and quickly reached a conclusion.
These two beings had attempted to force their way into this world, only to be killed by its restrictions.
The realization made him increasingly curious about what lay beyond the whirlpool.
After all, beings capable of reaching the eighth turn were far from ordinary. Yet even they had failed to survive whatever awaited them beyond this point.
Solanky approached the whirlpool and entered without hesitation.
The instant he crossed its boundary, the scenery around him changed.
The river vanished.
The familiar world disappeared.
In its place emerged a shattered expanse of space filled with destroyed continents, fragmented celestial structures, and dying galaxies.
The entire region resembled the remains of a world that had endured a catastrophe on a scale beyond ordinary comprehension.
Chaotic energy currents surged through the broken expanse. Their intensity was far greater than anything Solanky had encountered within the river.
Yet something about them seemed unusual.
Despite their apparent disorder, the chaotic energies were being controlled and redirected toward an unknown destination.
Someone, or something, had established a system capable of manipulating these terrifying currents.
Solanky's gaze sharpened as he examined his surroundings.
At the center of the shattered world, trillions of restriction lines extended in every direction. Their countless branches converged around an empty space, creating an intricate structure that seemed to encompass the entire region.
The moment Solanky comprehended what he was witnessing, his expression changed.
"The primal formation and restrictions!"
He had finally encountered the legendary level of formations that existed above ordinary world formations and restrictions.
Unlike conventional formations, which required external energies to operate and amplify their effects, primal formations possessed the ability to generate their own energy.
More terrifyingly, they could steal the surrounding world's energies, laws, and even concepts to strengthen themselves.
They were not merely defensive structures.
They were self-sustaining systems capable of growing stronger by consuming the very foundations of the worlds surrounding them.
Solanky knew very little about this level of formation mastery. Even so, the fragments of knowledge he possessed were enough to make him understand the danger.
Regardless of how talented a being might be, establishing primal restrictions required the transformation of peak-life energies.
Without that transformation, attempting to construct such a formation was little different from courting death.
Even powerful beings who had reached the eighth turn could have their entire energy reserves drained by a fully functioning primal formation.
For Solanky, whose current manifestation was merely an avatar, attempting to interfere with such a structure would amount to signing a death contract.
He wisely decided against touching any of the restriction lines.
Instead, he flew past the formation and continued exploring.
Before long, a crystalline castle appeared in the distance.
The structure stood only a few kilometers tall, making it seem relatively small compared with the enormous ruins and ancient corpses scattered throughout the shattered world.
Nevertheless, something about the castle immediately caught Solanky's attention.
A faint pressure emanated from within it.
The pressure was extremely subtle, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding fluctuations of energy. Yet Solanky could tell that it originated from a living being.
His expression became solemn.
As the owner of the Source-Severing Blade, which was currently being kept safe by the Forsaken God, Solanky possessed a means of distinguishing the presence of living beings from that of nonliving entities.
The pressure coming from the crystalline castle was unmistakable.
Something alive was residing inside.
And judging from the faint pressure alone, its existence was far beyond anything Solanky could afford to underestimate.
Without hesitation, he turned around and fled.
His avatar accelerated to its maximum speed, repeatedly performing short-distance teleportations to cover as much ground as possible.
The whirlpool was already within sight.
He needed only a little more time to escape.
Then a calm voice suddenly resounded throughout the shattered world.
"Stop."
The moment the word was spoken, the whirlpool disappeared.
Solanky's expression changed dramatically.
Before he could react, the shattered world vanished as well.
The destroyed continents, dying galaxies, chaotic energies, and countless restriction lines were replaced by an endless expanse of blank white space.
Nothing existed within this strange domain except the crystalline castle.
For the first time in a long while, Solanky experienced genuine terror.
His body had become completely immobile.
His spiritual energies were frozen within him, leaving him unable to circulate even the smallest trace of power.
He attempted to move, but his efforts proved futile.
It was as though an invisible force had seized control of his entire existence, stripping away his ability to resist.
Then he felt a gaze fall upon him.
The sensation was indescribable.
It was not merely the feeling of being watched. Rather, it seemed as though every secret he possessed, every thought he had concealed, and every mystery surrounding his existence had been exposed before the owner of that gaze.
Nothing could be hidden.
Nothing could be disguised.
And nothing could escape scrutiny.
Solanky had encountered powerful beings before, but never one capable of exerting such absolute control over him without even revealing itself.
Fortunately, the oppressive domain did not last forever.
The blank white space vanished, and the shattered world returned to its previous state.
The whirlpool reappeared in the distance.
The chaotic energies within Solanky's avatar resumed their normal circulation, allowing him to regain control over his body.
However, the fear lingering within him did not immediately disappear.
The calm voice spoke once more.
"So, you are from the Beyond Realm."
The mysterious being paused, seemingly examining Solanky from within the crystalline castle.
"I suppose the beings inhabiting this pocket world cannot compare with those from my original world, much less the beings dwelling beyond it."
A faint trace of amusement entered his voice.
"Interesting. I did not expect to encounter another calamitous lifeform in this place."
The voice fell silent for a moment.
"Come in."
Solanky remained motionless for several breaths.
He had no intention of willingly approaching an existence that could immobilize him with a single word. Unfortunately, the mysterious being had already demonstrated that escape was not necessarily an option.
After weighing his choices, Solanky finally flew toward the crystalline castle.
He passed through its entrance and entered a world that completely contradicted the structure's modest exterior dimensions.
The interior was vastly larger than the castle itself.
As he flew through its corridors, he discovered that the passages extended for thousands of kilometers in height while measuring approximately one hundred kilometers in width.
Rows of treasures lined both sides of the corridors.
Every single one possessed an aura comparable to that of a guarding ancestor-level treasure.
Solanky slowed down as he passed them, carefully examining their arrangements.
There were no elaborate displays or excessive decorations. The treasures had simply been placed in orderly rows, as though their owner considered objects of such terrifying value little more than ordinary possessions.
The sheer number of them was astonishing.
By the time Solanky reached the end of the corridor, he estimated that the castle contained at least a hundred treasures of comparable caliber.
He could not help but feel that the mysterious being residing within this place possessed resources far beyond his previous imagination.
Eventually, he arrived before another chamber.
This was the source of the pressure he had detected from outside.
Solanky crossed the threshold, expecting to find an enormous throne surrounded by intimidating decorations or some other display of authority.
Instead, he discovered a boundless starfield.
Billions of stars filled the chamber, arranged in concentric circles that stretched into the distance. Their collective radiance illuminated the surrounding void, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle.
At the center of this celestial arrangement stood a jade-green throne.
An illusory figure sat upon it.
Solanky immediately understood that the figure was not the mysterious being's true body.
Rather, it was an avatar left behind by the creator of this pocket-dimensional world.
Between Solanky and the jade-green throne stretched a narrow path paved through the surrounding stars.
Without hesitation, he began walking.
Yet the moment he stepped onto the path, he discovered that the distance before him was far more troublesome than it appeared.
He continued forward, one step at a time, while the stars surrounding him shifted with imperceptible changes in their positions.
What should ordinarily have required only three or four years of walking instead consumed six hundred years.
The reason was simple.
Time within the throne room flowed at a vastly different rate from time outside it. A hundred years passed within the chamber for every single day that elapsed in the outside world.
Even so, Solanky remained patient.
He had already come this far, and turning back would accomplish nothing.
After six hundred years of continuous travel, he finally reached the jade-green throne.
The moment he approached it, an oppressive pressure descended upon him.
Solanky's heart tightened.
The pressure was far more terrifying than the aura emitted by Govot's true body.
Although the figure seated before him appeared illusory, the existence it represented was anything but ordinary.
The avatar studied Solanky for a moment before speaking.
"I am an avatar left behind by the creator of this pocket world."
Its voice remained calm, carrying neither arrogance nor unnecessary warmth.
"As for my main body, I do not know its current whereabouts. It departed long ago, traveling far beyond the life zones of the Draft World."
Solanky immediately seized upon the unfamiliar term.
"The life zones of the Draft World?"
The avatar looked at him with mild surprise.
Then it let out a sigh.
"I nearly forgot. Your physical body has yet to undergo the peak-summit trials. Naturally, certain secrets concerning the Draft Realm and the Beyond Realm remain hidden from you."
It leaned back against the jade-green throne before continuing.
"The life zones of the Draft World are the regions from which all existence originally sprouted. They are also the most suitable environments for naturally nurturing beings who have yet to reach the Above Peak-Turn level."
Solanky listened without interrupting.
"Outside the life zones lies a lawless and unforgiving expanse. It is a place where even higher true peak-turn beings, whom you call guarding ancestors, can fall like flies."
The avatar paused briefly, allowing the words to sink in.
"Yet despite its dangers, that region is regarded as the domain of the strongest beings. Those who have surpassed the limits imposed by the life zones venture farther and deeper into the unknown, searching for the boundaries of existence and the mysteries of the Draft World."
Solanky could not conceal his astonishment.
He had previously assumed that the Beyond Realm represented an extraordinary domain whose mysteries were already difficult enough to comprehend.
Now he was learning that even the Beyond Realm and its guarding ancestors occupied only a small part of a much greater structure.
The avatar chuckled upon noticing his reaction.
"Haha! You seem surprised."
It raised one hand and gestured toward the endless stars surrounding them.
"Another thing you should understand is that the term 'Above Peak-Turn' is merely the name used by beings beneath that level to describe us."
The avatar's expression became slightly more serious.
"The true name of that level is the Narrator level."
Solanky's pupils contracted.
Narrator level.
The words seemed to carry a significance that extended far beyond the cultivation hierarchy he had known.
The avatar continued.
"Not even every being within the life zones knows this information. From what I know, at least five beings of that level are currently concealed within their respective worlds, recovering from their injuries or replenishing their strength."
Solanky fell silent.
Five beings?
And that was only the number the avatar knew about.
He could not help but wonder how many more existed beyond the regions known to this mysterious figure.
Before he could ask another question, the avatar spoke again.
"Since you have managed to reach this place, I shall grant you one reward."
Its gaze settled upon Solanky.
"Tell me. What do you want?"
Solanky did not answer immediately.
Instead, he turned around and gazed into the distant void beyond the surrounding stars.
He remained silent for a considerable period before finally pointing toward a particular region of the emptiness.
The avatar followed the direction of his finger.
A faint smile appeared upon its face.
"So, you truly are an extraordinary existence. To possess a spiritual body that has reached the third turn while your physical body remains at the half-step peak-turn level..."
It shook its head slightly, seemingly impressed.
"Such a combination is exceedingly rare."
Without asking Solanky to explain himself, the avatar extended its hand toward the distant void he had indicated.
The surrounding space trembled.
A scroll appeared in its palm.
The scroll was tightly sealed by countless restrictions, each one carrying an aura that made even Solanky's spiritual perception recoil.
The avatar closed its fingers around the scroll.
In the next instant, the scroll transformed into a glowing sphere.
The sphere pulsed with mysterious energy before shooting directly toward Solanky's avatar.
It crossed the distance between them and disappeared into the space between his eyebrows.
Solanky felt a strange sensation wash over his avatar.
However, the glowing sphere did not remain there.
Its true destination lay far beyond the crystalline castle, beyond the shattered world, and beyond the boundaries of the pocket dimension itself.
It transcended the restrictions of space and time, passing through the countless barriers separating different regions of existence.
Even the defensive preparations Solanky's main body had established proved completely ineffective.
Outside the pocket world, Solanky's source-defying body suddenly opened its eyes.
A look of shock flashed across his face.
He had prepared numerous formations and defensive measures to protect himself against unexpected intrusions. Yet before the power contained within the glowing sphere, those preparations had proven utterly useless.
Even Govot's boat, a treasure belonging to a guarding ancestor-level being, had failed to intercept it.
The sphere crossed every defense as though none of them existed.
Before Solanky could determine what had happened, the glowing sphere entered the space between his main body's eyebrows and merged with his consciousness.
For a brief moment, he sensed an immeasurable amount of information emerging from within it.
Then everything became still.
Solanky's main body slowly closed its eyes.
He abandoned his attempts to investigate the source of the sphere and instead concentrated on comprehending the information it contained.
Whatever the mysterious avatar had given him, it had clearly transcended the limitations of ordinary treasures and inheritances.
And for the first time since the beginning of his journey, Solanky found himself confronting a gift whose true value he could not immediately measure.