Chapter 648: Chapter 648

The sudden change had made everyone feel burdened.

None of those present was ordinary. They were all exceptional individuals, each capable of sensing the changes unfolding within the Astral World through their secret arts or heightened perception.

The shiver that resonated from the depths of the soul, the overwhelming majesty that blotted out the heavens, the clash so immense that even the Eternal Solar Flare stood powerless, and... the cataclysm that shook the entirety of the Astral World. All of this was proof of the unimaginable level of the one who had intervened.

These individuals were the chosen seeds of the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative. Though they had yet to officially join the initiative, an attack on them at this moment was nothing short of a direct insult to the Sacred Flame Hall, no, to the entire Human Race itself.

And yet, the enemy had done exactly that, and they had succeeded. This alone was a testament to their terrifying power.

"Highlord," Yun Lai whispered. "I've heard of this title before. It refers to a path distinct from the Supreme and Transcendent paths. It’s a path of absolute sovereignty. It signifies that one's existence is entirely self-contained, that one alone embodies everything."

In addition to Gao Shengyan, Yu Li, and Yu Xuexian, he made sure not to overlook Li Pin sharing the information.

"I've seen this term mentioned in some of my family's ancient texts," Yu Li added softly. "It describes an existence of immense power. Like the Transcendent Path, they exist outside the mainstream cultivation systems. While not as extreme as those aligned with the Void faction, they act with complete disregard for rules, doing as they please. Many are monitored and tracked the moment they enter human territory. Those with particularly notorious reputations are even expelled."

"Expelled?" Gao Shengyan exclaimed in surprise. "Wouldn't it be better to keep such formidable forces within human territory rather than drive them away and risk turning them into enemies?"

"If the Human Race weren't still trying to win them back, expulsion would be the least of their worries. They'd be hunted down instead. You have to understand, aside from a few with more temperate dispositions, most Highlords are utterly unrestrained. Their philosophy of absolute sovereignty is reflected in every action they take..."

Yun Lai paused at this point and didn't elaborate further. After all, it seemed they had already fallen into the grasp of a Highlord. Now was not the time to speak ill of such beings. One wrong move, and they could all be doomed.

This wasn't out of fear. It was simply knowing when to yield. As the saying goes, "A wise man wouldn't stand in front of an oncoming truck to prove his strength. Instead, he'd scatter nails on the road and let the truck crash on its own."

Highlord... Li Pin repeated the word in his mind. Supreme. Transcendent. Highlord.

Existence. Nothingness.

The universe was truly vast and boundless. It's filled with endless wonders and infinite possibilities.

The Humanity Sanctum's Mini Astral World traversed the Astral World at incredible speed.

After what felt like an indeterminate amount of time, it trembled once more.

An overwhelming, irresistible force surged forth. The force did not operate on a physical level, but struck directly at the inner spirit.

Li Pin could clearly feel the ripples of this force sweeping through his consciousness, attempting to pull him in, twist his thoughts, and compel him to willingly step into another Mini Astral World.

Deep within his inner spirit, the power of his Dao instinctively radiated a brilliant light, striving to repel this invasive influence. Yet, Li Pin suppressed it.

His gaze shifted to the Eternal Solar Flare the Sacred Flame Hall had sent. The man stood frozen in place, terrified out of his wits.

The only force capable of instilling such fear in a Solar Flare was the power of the True Spirit. In other words, the one acting against them was a Cosmic Radiance being, a true, physical manifestation of such an entity.

This explained why the Eternal Solar Flare from the Sacred Flame Hall dared not move even an inch. He could only watch helplessly as they were guided away into another Mini Astral World.

Faced with such overwhelming power, even if Li Pin were to unleash the full might of his Dao, it would likely be futile. Instead of resisting, it was wiser to go with the flow and see what the mysterious Highlord truly intended.

The Highlord had descended in person. If his goal was simply to eliminate the candidates for the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative from the Sacred Flame Hall, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to abduct them.

Space shifted, and the group soon found themselves in another Mini Astral World, continuing their journey.

It's unclear how much time had passed.

Just as Li Pin began to feel the energy of the Astral World fading from him, the group felt a tremor, and a vast landmass, far beyond their comprehension, came into view.

This land resembled a Mini Astral World, yet it was governed by strict laws akin to those of a divine treasure world.

The moment they stepped into it, everyone felt their power being veiled, as if shrouded in mist.

Astral Gods, Divine Beings alike were all stripped of their power and reduced to mere mortals.

The sensation of being flesh and blood, vulnerable and limited, washed over them.

Many of the Astral Gods, Divine Beings, and Legendary figures, long accustomed to their energy-based existence, were suddenly thrown into disarray. Their eyes filled with confusion, as if struggling to process their new reality.

Thankfully, while the strange spiritual fog dulled their perception of their own power, their mental and inner spirit power remained partially intact. Their inner spirit, in particular, was almost entirely unaffected.

Even in their now-mortal forms, they could still use their mental spirit to lift themselves, allowing for basic actions like flight. But that was all they could manage.

As for extending their mental spirit across tens of thousands of miles... that was utterly impossible.

Their mortal bodies, stripped of their former glory, simply couldn't handle such immense spiritual strain.

Even sensing their surroundings within a thousand kilometers was considered a sign of remarkable strength.

"Are we... inside a divine treasure world?" someone finally asked, breaking the silence.

"No, this is a world left behind by a Supreme," Yun Lai shook his head. "When a Supreme leaves the Astral World, they can leave behind their own rules, sustaining the operation of a Mini Astral World. It's similar to a divine treasure world, but unlike those, which are masterless, these remnant worlds often have an owner. And even the Cosmic Radiance might not be enough to shatter a world ."

His words hung heavily in the air, casting a palpable weight over the group.

Even the Cosmic Radiance can't break this place? Then... how are we supposed to escape?

"We were all potential candidates for the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative," one of the Astral Gods said, his expression grim. "Now, we've been taken by this Highlord... Surely, the Sacred Flame Hall won't just ignore this, right?"

"Even a Highlord can't do something without bringing shame to the entire human race," Gao Shengyan declared firmly. "Whether it's the Sacred Flame Hall or humanity as a whole, they won't stand by and do nothing. We just need to hold on. The great beings of the Sacred Flame Hall will come to our rescue."

His words were meant to inspire confidence, both in the others and in himself. Yet, despite his reassurance, the oppressive atmosphere remained, thick and unyielding.

A moment ago, they had been on the brink of a glorious future as candidates for the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative. Now, they were prisoners in all but name. No one could adjust to such a drastic change so quickly.

As they ventured deeper into this world, a vast architectural complex came into view, nestled among the mountains and spanning thousands of square kilometers.

Each person in the group could have easily crossed such a distance in a single step. But now, with their power stripped away, it felt vast and insurmountable.

Before long, the group landed in front of a massive plaza at the heart of the complex.

It was evident that this place was far from deserted. Countless figures moved about, and Li Pin estimated there were at least tens of thousands of people here.

Moreover, he had noticed something earlier: not all those captured were human. Though humans remained the mainstream race, the population was nearly evenly split between humans and other species.

At that moment, a man in a white robe approached hastily. "Time is short, so I'll keep this brief."

He scanned the group of thirty or so individuals, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face when he sensed their high caliber. "Which sacred land were you taken from?" he asked.

But shortly after, something seemed to come to his mind, and he shook his head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. No matter how talented you are, if you fail to achieve your first cultivation goal within ten stellar years, you're finished."

Yu Li quickly caught on. "You're not a native of this Mini Astral World, are you?"

"Other than Sasha, the AI controlling the core system, none of us are," the white-robed man replied. "We were all taken from different corners of the universe over the past ten thousand stellar years—just like you."

He glanced at the group. "Our purpose here is to serve as part of a great figure's experiment. If we succeed in completing the tasks, the rewards will be immense. But if we fail..."

He let out a cold laugh. "When a great figure invests so many resources into you and you fail to deliver results, what do you think happens?"

Yu Li's expression hardened. "Execution?"

"Worse than execution," the man said grimly. "You'll be reduced to nothing more than an energy source, something akin to a living battery. You'll see for yourselves soon enough."

A heavy silence fell over the group. Even Yun Lai, Yu Xuexian, and the others turned pale.

The white-robed man pointed toward a mountain peak. "Do you see that tower?"

At the summit stood a towering structure, hundreds of meters tall. Despite being more than ten kilometers away, its presence was overwhelming.

"Your only task is to enter that tower and select a cultivation technique," the man explained. "The technique will guide your path forward, leading you toward Supreme, Transcendent, or even Highlord-level cultivation."

Everyone's pupils dilated. "Choose a cultivation technique!?"

Gao Shengyan couldn't contain himself. "Are you saying we can obtain a Supreme, Transcendent, or even Highlord-level inheritance for free from that tower?"

"Not just one." The white-robed man gave them a sweeping glance. "If you want, you can try every single inheritance in there."

His voice turned cold. "That is... if you can master them."