Da Xuan Martial Saint Chapter 1500 - 720: Time Illusion Realm (Part 2)

The Time Illusion Realm stands as one of the premier locations for mastering the Time Dao, yet its unstable space-time remains a formidable obstacle. Travelers here often find themselves trapped in recurring temporal loops that are nearly impossible to navigate.

“Roar!”

A silver-backed giant bear, a powerful Exotic Beast, let out a thunderous cry as it repeatedly unleashed its Heaven-tearing Claw. Despite its ferocity, the Divine Monarchs present were all experts at the Nine Layer Heavens Perfection, each a veteran of countless life-and-death battles. While the beast possessed raw, natural strength that rivaled their own, the Divine Monarchs held a massive advantage in the sheer refinement of their combat techniques.

Much like in the mortal realm, the same amount of power produces vastly different results depending on whether it is concentrated into a single point or scattered across a surface.

No individual Divine Monarch felt intimidated by this giant bear; consequently, the beast stood no chance against their combined might. Sensing its impending doom, the Exotic Beast tried to flee, but the surrounding experts blocked every path, leaving it no hope of escape.

Finally,

The giant bear succumbed to the relentless barrage of attacks. Covered in wounds and letting out a final, piteous wail, its massive frame collapsed. The impact shook the ground, leaving the surrounding earth in ruins.

The Divine Monarchs ceased their assault as they watched the creature’s life essence rapidly fracture. Its body crumbled into drifting ash, leaving behind a glowing Time Illusion True Core on the shattered ground.

At that precise moment,

The unity the group had displayed shattered instantly upon the core's appearance. The ten-plus Divine Monarchs began to eye one another with suspicion, and the atmosphere grew tense as they shifted into a wary confrontation.

In a standard domain, a hunting party would follow established protocols to divide the loot fairly, minimizing friction. However, the Time Illusion Realm was a different matter; teams were constantly broken apart and reformed, and several members of this current group had only just arrived.

There was no telling if a sudden space-time anomaly would scatter them all in the next breath.

Furthermore, because the Time Illusion True Core could not be divided, everyone coveted it. In this place, tangible rewards held in one's own hand were far more reliable than any verbal agreement.

“Everyone, according to our established order, it is my turn to claim the Time Illusion True Core,” Divine Monarch Mitian declared, his voice heavy and serious.

Even in the chaotic environment of the Time Illusion Realm, a basic sense of protocol usually existed. In such parties, those who joined last were expected to be at the end of the distribution list.

“Based on the original agreement, Divine Monarch Jiuxiao was supposed to receive this core. However, Jiuxiao was recently separated from us by a space-time rift, so the order of distribution must be recalculated,” one of the newer Divine Monarchs argued coldly.

“I disagree. Even with adjustments, we should follow the original sequence. Divine Monarch Mitian remains first,” another Divine Monarch countered. Having joined shortly after Mitian, he supported the claim to ensure his own turn would come next, adhering to a perceived sense of fairness.

However,

Those further down the list were vocal in their disagreement, and the air grew thick with hostility.

Divine Monarch Nanhua found the situation quite troublesome. As a latecomer himself, he felt inclined to support the newer members. If they strictly followed the old sequence, the team would likely fragment long before his turn ever arrived.

Throughout the Universe, conflicts over resources are inevitable, but the unique laws of the Time Illusion Realm intensified these struggles. Competition here was far more cutthroat than in Wuxiang City or other realms.

But,

Just as the various factions were about to clash, a sudden change occurred.

The devastated earth beneath them, scarred for miles, began to tremble violently. A brilliant, multicolored radiance erupted from the ground, swallowing everyone in an instant.

“Not good!”

“Time Turbulence!”

Every face, including Divine Monarch Nanhua’s, paled in shock.

Those standing nearest to the Time Illusion True Core lunged forward, their powers clashing as they made a desperate grab for the prize. Meanwhile, those on the periphery, like Nanhua, immediately retreated in an attempt to outrun the surging Light of Time.

Yet,

This particular Time Turbulence was massive in scale. Before anyone could mount a proper defense or escape, they were swept away by the chaotic tides. Even Nanhua, despite his quick reaction, was pulled into the vortex.

In the blink of an eye, Nanhua’s surroundings shifted completely. He found himself in a totally different landscape, with no sign of his former allies.

“...”

Divine Monarch Nanhua’s mouth twitched as he let out a weary sigh.

He was back to square one.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, refocusing his mind and suppressing his aura. He carefully scanned the area, probing the environment before slowly moving toward what appeared to be a safer path.

He had endured this many times; such unpredictable events were the greatest headache of the Time Illusion Realm. Unless one had attained Nine Layer Heavens Perfection in the Time Dao, it was impossible to resist these currents for long, let alone move through them at will.

Only a Dao Venerable could walk through such chaotic space-time without being hindered.

Steeling his resolve, Nanhua continued his cautious trek through the unknown region. Suddenly, he froze and snapped his head toward the horizon.

He detected two powerful auras approaching. One was wild and erratic, clearly belonging to a formidable Exotic Beast. The other felt like a Divine Monarch, carrying a sense of familiarity.

After a moment’s thought, Nanhua decided to reveal a hint of his own aura and move toward them.

While he couldn't identify the person immediately, the familiar ripple suggested someone he had met before. In this turbulent world, finding an acquaintance was usually a stroke of good luck.

Buzz!!!

As Nanhua moved forward and broadcasted his presence, the distant Divine Monarch—who was currently struggling to outrun the beast—sensed him and immediately changed course to meet him.

The moment they drew close, they recognized one another.

“Oh?”

Surprise flashed in Nanhua’s eyes. The person wasn't just a casual acquaintance from the realm, but someone he knew from the wider Universe.

It was the ruler of the Bei Yu Space, which sat adjacent to the Nanhua Void—Divine Monarch Bei Yu!

Unlike his relationship with the Master of Tianji, Nanhua’s history with the Master of Bei Yu involved very little conflict; in fact, they were on relatively friendly terms.

“Nanhua, it has been a long time!”

“Bei Yu, I never expected to run into you here. What a coincidence!”

Nanhua looked past his friend to the horizon, where a giant, flaming red bird was in hot pursuit. This Exotic Beast possessed a presence that dwarfed the silver-backed bear from earlier. It was clearly a high-level creature, comparable to an expert with Double Vein Perfection!

Faced with such a monster alone, it was no wonder the Master of Bei Yu was in such a frantic state. Even a large group of Divine Monarchs would find such a beast a nightmare to deal with.

Usually, trying to fight such a creature resulted in nothing but failure and exhaustion.

“I’m afraid I bit off more than I could chew and stumbled into quite a mess,” the Master of Bei Yu called out. Despite the danger, he was clearly relieved to see a familiar face from the outside world, even though he knew their combined strength might still be insufficient to kill the red bird.

“Do not worry. We will combine our efforts and find a way to escape,” Nanhua replied, welcoming Bei Yu toward him. Although Bei Yu was bringing a dangerous pursuer with him, Nanhua preferred the company of a trusted peer over the unpredictable strangers he had been traveling with. In the Time Illusion Realm, trust was a rare commodity.

Besides, while an Exotic Beast with Double Vein Perfection was a major problem, it wasn't enough to truly threaten their lives if they worked together.