In the northern desolate lands of the Heavenly South Great World was a desert that spanned half a million kilometers. It was dry and silent in a way that made it seem untraversable.

Not only were beasts few in these desolate lands, the Yuan Qi was also extremely thin. It made it difficult to produce any natural treasures; therefore, few warriors would ever go there.

However, people did know that the most mysterious Nine Li Magus Empire of the Heavenly South Great World was located in this stretch of desolate land. It took up about five thousand kilometers of it.

Over the past few days, groups of warriors and alchemists would rush over to the northern desolate lands and locate the entrance to the Nine Li Magus Empire using maps.

From afar, one could see the Nine Li Magus Empire was situated on a lofty mountain that had clouds lingering around it. The entire empire was being enveloped in an array formation, as though it was sealed in an alternate dimension.

“This is the Nine Li Magus Empire.”

“The Heavenly South Peaks Meet has ended. Yi Yun should be arriving here with Aged Blackrock. When that happens, the entrance to the empire will naturally open.”

There were more than ten thousand people gathered outside the empire’s entrance. Most of them were alchemists and many of them had come from afar. They had specially traveled there to witness the spectacle.

The red sun was gradually setting in the west as night began to fall over the vast wilderness. Aged Blackrock and company were scheduled to arrive anytime now.

At that moment, there was a faint phoenix cry. When they looked up, they saw a golden phoenix that reflected the blood sun as it flew in from the west.

The phoenix flew slowly but in moments, it had arrived outside the Nine Li Magus Empire’s entrance. It circled the land before charging back up into the sky. A white-dressed middle-aged man landed from the phoenix’s back.

He looked radiant and his skin was as tender as a baby’s. He tied his hair with a band and looked extraordinarily handsome.

People were shocked when they saw him.

“West Desolate Alchemist King—Ouming Yin!”

Someone identified the newcomer. He was not from the Pillheart Sect but an alchemist sage from the West Desolate Great World!

Before Aged Blackrock and the Pillheart Sect arrived, an alchemist sage had already arrived.

The appearance of an alchemist sage overshadowed many alchemy sects. Many of the sects had never produced an alchemist sage since their inception.

People began to truly realize the massive stir the grand event had brought to the alchemy world. It was more intense than they had expected.

The sun finally set as the bright moon appeared in the sky. At that moment, people saw the gigantic Tenebrous City floating over from another direction in the sky.

The Nine Li people were finally here!

Following the Nine Li Tenebrous City was a massive cauldron. It belonged to none other than the Pillheart Sect.

It was obvious that the item left behind by the divine alchemist was something the Pillheart Sect placed great importance on. Furthermore, the Nine Li Magus Empire was involved. The Pillheart Sect had sent its strongest delegation, with even the Pillheart Sect’s alchemist sage coming as well.

With the descent of Tenebrous City, the Nine Li Magus Empire’s entrance finally opened. It was as though the skies opened up, revealing a passage into another world.

The extremely mysterious Nine Li Magus Empire finally pulled off its veil to the world.

The Tenebrous City directly entered while the Nine Li Magus Empire did not prevent any other faction from entering. However, they had set up a passage specifically for the visitors. They could only follow the pre-established path and were not allowed to wander around.

The number of people entering the Nine Li Magus Empire continued to increase. People discovered many mighty figures that they had never noticed while waiting.

The people followed Tenebrous City. The path set up by the Nine Li Magus Empire was extremely special. It looked like a meandering riverbed with its waters long dried up. Every spot on the riverbed had lingering vestiges of time.

They followed the dried-up riverbed and walked for a very long time. With the speed warriors could travel, they estimated they had far exceeded five thousand kilometers. If they were outside the Nine Li Magus Empire, they would have long traversed the empire in its entirety. But now, it seemed impossible for them to see the end of the riverbed.

“Little Yun, this riverbed is somewhat odd…”

In Tenebrous City, Old Snake’s voice suddenly sounded in Yi Yun’s ears.

Over the past few days, Old Snake had leisurely stayed in Yi Yun’s God Advent Tower. Naturally, he came with Yi Yun to the Nine Li Magus Empire.

“What’s odd about it?”

Yi Yun also felt that the riverbed was somewhat abnormal. As they proceeded across the riverbed, it felt like they were retrospecting history. Every segment they passed seemed as though they had just experienced a completely different time in space.

“This river’s waters have already dried. I cannot be completely certain but the nomological auras left behind remind me of the River of Forgetfulness…”

Old Snake had lived for very long so he was extremely knowledgeable. His words left Yi Yun astonished.

River of Forgetfulness!?

The ancient twelve Fey Gods were Extreme Yang Illumination, Extreme Yin Nether Glow, Empress Earth Dao Tree, etc. They were all manifestations of the various laws.

They were not necessarily all in the shape of a lifeform. For example, the eighth Fey God, River of Forgetfulness, was an endless surging river. And what flowed in the river was not water, but time.

The river of time advanced forever and the direction in which it surged forward was the future. And the past was destined to be forgotten as history would eventually be buried by the vestiges of time.

Therefore the river of time was also named the River of Forgetfulness.

Both the eighth Fey God, River of Forgetfulness, and the ninth Fey God that represented the spatial dimension laws, Solitary Nothingness, represented the original space-time laws that were first formed in the universe’s chaotic state. Therefore, how could Yi Yun not be astonished when Old Snake mentioned that he could sense the aura of the River of Forgetfulness from the dried riverbed?

“Senior Old Snake, are you telling me this riverbed is what it looks like after the River of Forgetfulness withers away?”

“I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s just a distributary of the River of Forgetfulness. Perhaps the River of Forgetfulness’s waters had flowed in it at one time. Regardless, the Nine Li Magus Empire is a lot more mysterious than I originally guessed.”

While Yi Yun was conversing with Old Snake, Tenebrous City finally descended.

What appeared in front of Yi Yun was an ancient palace complex. Yi Yun saw the people living in the palaces. They were the people of the Nine Li Magus Empire but they looked no different from ordinary people.

In the middle of the palace stood a tall altar. Six massive columns, with each of them seemingly propping up the sky, maintained an ancient fortification array formation.

As for the dried riverbed, it did not end at the palace. Instead, it continued beyond the palace and stretched into the horizon with an unknown terminal point.

“We are here. I’ll bring you to meet the Magus Maiden,” said Aged Blackrock. When he said that, he walked straight into a palace.

Yi Yun silently followed. As for the others that had entered the Nine Li Magus Empire, they were still waiting outside the palace.

Yi Yun followed Aged Blackrock as he passed through numerous corridors. The Nine Li Magus Empire’s palaces were oddly quiet and there were few people in them. It was spartan, lacking the commonly seen rockery and streams of other palaces. Replacing those fixtures were ancient and mysterious totem sculptures, as well as Nine Li hex imprints everywhere.

“It’s here.”

Aged Blackrock pushed open a door that led into a hall. Yi Yun looked at the door. On both sides of it were twelve carvings. They were none other than the twelve Fey Gods. Of course, after the ninth Fey God, Solitary Nothingness, the remaining three spots were empty.

The engravings of the twelve Fey Gods contained the laws that each Fey God represented. It made anyone standing in the hall experience a strong shock.

And following that, Yi Yun saw the owner of the hall. She was a women with a black veil across her face.

The instant Yi Yun saw the woman, he felt an extremely familiar aura. He could not help but falter.

Had he seen this woman before?

His gaze could not help but land on the Nine Li Magus Maiden’s eyes. Searching through his memories, Yi Yun was astonished. The eyes resembled those of one person.

Huan Chenxue!

“You are…”

Yi Yun nearly blurted out the name Huan Chenxue but he immediately stopped himself from doing so.

He came to the realization that the Nine Li Magus Maiden in front of him was not Huan Chenxue. Although she had covered her face, he could sense minute differences between the aura effused by the Nine Li Magus Maiden and that of Huan Chenxue.

Huan Chenxue was like a lofty mountain in white snow. She reflected sunlight, pure and without blemish. Although she was cold, it made others wish to approach her.

As for the woman in front of him, her eyes were identical to Huan Chenxue’s. But they were not as clear as Huan Chenxue’s. Instead, they were like a deep, bottomless lake. And her aura was even more mysterious, like an Abyssal Red Lotus.

However, there was one aspect in which she was identical to Huan Chenxue. Yi Yun could not detect any energy fluctuations from her body.

She was only a mortal…