Obsession and delusion.
Though only a single character apart, the difference between them is vast.
Delusion is the whim of fantasy.
Obsession is the resolve to achieve.
Delusions are common—everyone indulges in fleeting daydreams. But obsession is rare. Most mortals lack the tenacity to cling to a single goal or person with unwavering determination, their passions fizzling out in mere minutes.
Liu Shen had long given up on dispelling Shi Yi's impractical delusions about her. Instead, she chose to channel them into obsession, transforming these desires into stepping stones for his growth.
If there ever came a day when Shi Yi could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her—or even surpass her—fulfilling his obsession might not be out of the question.
But that was a big if.
There had to be such a day!
"Breaking five Void God Realm records? Just surpassing the extreme limits five times. A simple task."
Unaware of Liu Shen's inner thoughts, Shi Yi waved a hand dismissively and strode toward the golden passage, stepping into the Initial Grounds of the Void God Realm's First Domain.
His knowledge of the Void God Realm was limited. He knew it was a mysterious virtual world of spiritual consciousness. The Initial Grounds, where those in the Blood Transformation Realm resided, was formally called the First Domain.
The domain for the Heavenly Passage Realm was, naturally, the Second Domain.
Blood Transformation Realm, Heavenly Passage Realm, Spirit Transformation Realm.
Engravement Realm, Formation Arrangement Realm, Venerable Realm.
And so on.
On the surface, the Void God Realm comprised six domains, each akin to a layer of heaven.
Each domain was boundless, stretching beyond sight, rivaling the combined expanse of the Lower Realm's Eight Domains—Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, Cosmos, Eternity, Flood, and Desolation.
However, golden passages—teleportation channels leading directly to the Initial Grounds—made the vast Void God Realm feel like a world where distances were mere steps away.
Beyond this, the Void God Realm operated under its own unique laws and order, an authority that the beings of the Lower Realm's Eight Domains could not defy.
For instance, in the First Domain's Initial Grounds, no matter how powerful your physical body or how high your true cultivation in the real world, your spiritual consciousness in the Void God Realm could only wield the strength of the Blood Transformation Realm.
When Shi Yi left the Martial King's Manor, he was still in the Blood Transformation Realm. He had visited the First Domain's Initial Grounds a few times but found its inhabitants obsessed with fighting. Deeming it pointless, he hadn't returned.
A virtual spiritual world—why waste it on something as mundane as brawling?
Now, stepping through the golden passage once more, Shi Yi arrived at the First Domain's Initial Grounds.
Standing in this place, universally recognized as the starting point, he was greeted not by the decayed, desolate aura of that strange ruin but by a refreshing breeze that soothed his entire being.
Shi Yi still didn't know where he had been before—a place of shattered remnants and oppressive decay, where his spiritual energy couldn't connect with the Void God Realm, trapping him with no way out.
That bizarre place weighed heavily on him. It wasn't just the oblivion; there was a deeper, indescribable despair that rose from within, defying words.
Haa. "This realism—it's indistinguishable from the real world." Shi Yi took a deep breath, savoring the faint fragrance in the air.
The scent wasn't some oddity of the atmosphere but emanated from an ancient towering tree nearby. Its subtle aroma permeated the surrounding hundred miles.
In Shi Yi's view, the Void God Realm was indeed remarkable. Air, moisture, trees—every element of the world was crafted with such fidelity that it could pass for reality. Substitutes for nearly everything could be found here.
But there was one flaw.
The beings of this world were obsessed with fighting. In this virtual spiritual realm, where death wasn't permanent—merely damaging one's essence, spirit, and vitality—the inhabitants were even more reckless. Most would brawl at the slightest provocation, often after a mere exchange of words.
As Shi Yi marveled at the Void God Realm, the ground trembled. A stone tablet emerged before him, inscribed with countless characters detailing those who had broken records and surpassed the extreme limits of the Void God Realm.
[I'm Not Little Dot, Blood Transformation Realm, broke the extreme limit of strength, shattered the Initial Grounds' passage, rewarded with a piece of Primal Treasure Bone.]
Reading this, Shi Yi's heart sank. He realized something was amiss. Liu Shen wouldn't set such easily achievable conditions. The various extreme records for the Blood Transformation Realm had likely been swept clean by Shi Hao.
Don't ask how Shi Yi knew "I'm Not Little Dot" was Shi Hao.
Though this Shi Hao, with his Supreme Bone intact, hadn't named himself "Loves Beast Milk Most," only he would do something so tasteless.
As expected, Shi Yi scanned further down the tablet, spotting over a dozen entries about Shi Hao breaking Blood Transformation Realm records and surpassing extreme limits.
"I…"
Shi Yi wanted to curse but couldn't find the words.
The Heavy Pupil granted divine abilities—eyes that could split heaven and earth, reverse the cosmos, and wield boundless might. Its only drawback was that it made cultivating the physical body to its absolute peak difficult.
Not that the Heavy Pupil's physical body was weak.
Compared to the Supreme Bone, it was just a few steps behind.
Under the Martial King's Manor's nurturing with rare resources and baptism in the true blood of ferocious beasts, Shi Yi's physical strength had barely reached the Blood Transformation Realm's extreme limit.
Shi Hao, with his Supreme Bone, had an edge. While the Supreme Bone's benefits waned in later stages, its early boost to physical strength was significant, allowing him to easily surpass the Blood Transformation Realm's limits.
After pondering for a few minutes, Shi Yi waved away the tablet and used his spiritual energy to connect with the Void God Realm, reaching out to "I'm Not Little Dot."
The Void God Realm was a virtual spiritual world, not reality. Everything here was a simulation of spiritual energy—realistic but not absolute.
Thus, communication through the Void God Realm was possible.
Whether the other party responded, however, was another matter.
"Brother Yi?" Shi Hao's voice was as pure as ever.
"Little brother, where are you?" Shi Yi's tone was direct.
"I'm…"
Shi Hao stammered for a while, struggling to explain his location.
It wasn't his fault he was unclear.
After recklessly destroying the Initial Grounds' passage, he had fallen from the golden passage, landing in a place he'd never been before.
"Don't wander. Wait for me."
Once he had the precise coordinates, Shi Yi used his spiritual energy to summon the Void God Realm's golden passage. It materialized from the void, and he stepped into it without hesitation.
In the Void God Realm, the golden passage was like a map-wide teleportation portal. With accurate coordinates, it could transport you instantly.
It was also the only way to leave the Void God Realm. If your spiritual energy failed to summon the golden passage, your consciousness would be trapped here forever.
That was why Shi Yi had panicked earlier—his spiritual energy hadn't connected, and no passage appeared. Fortunately, after successfully transforming his Heavenly Passages, the golden passage had materialized, albeit with a delay, like a lagging network.
___
Void God Realm, First Domain, Endless Volcanoes
This was a rarely visited place, even in the Void God Realm. Active volcanoes spewed molten lava, and the searing heat was unbearable for most Blood Transformation Realm beings.
At that moment, a shimmering golden passage descended from the sky, and Shi Yi's figure materialized from illusion to reality.
_
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