A World of Difference

At that moment, both men came to a simultaneous halt.

Looking up, they saw that the Starry River Corridor had forked into two paths—one to the left and one to the right. It seemed like a choice had to be made, and it just so happened to present Yi Feng with an opportunity.

Without hesitation, Yi Feng spoke up.

"Old man, I’ve never been here before. The right path looks more dazzling, like the scenery’s better. I’ll go scout ahead!"

Though Yi Feng didn’t fully understand the Ancient Return Corridor, he had some judgment. From what he’d heard, many mighty figures had perished here. The entrance might appear dim, but the deeper one went, the more radiant it became.

The right path was clearly brighter—it had to lead further in!

Hah!

This kid really knows how to read my mind.

I was just thinking of how to shake him off.

Hearing Yi Feng’s words, Fu Nantian was delighted.

But he kept his composure, feigning hesitation as he replied, "Hmm, if you want to take a look, go ahead. I’ll explore the left path. But remember, don’t venture too deep. The corridor is full of labyrinthine formations—be careful."

His words sounded like genuine concern, but they were nothing more than lip service. Fu Nantian had heard rumors that beyond the Starry Sea Crossroads lay the true entrance to the Ancient Return Corridor.

Once inside, one could encounter maze-like formations, making it nearly impossible for ordinary cultivators to turn back!

This was a classic case of "giving the prey enough rope to hang itself." On the surface, Fu Nantian was warning Yi Feng, but in reality, he was stoking the young man’s curiosity, hoping he’d charge deeper in and run into danger.

At the same time, it gave Fu Nantian an excuse.

If Yi Feng ended up in a life-or-death crisis, Fu Nantian could leisurely reappear, teaching the brash youth a lesson about the vastness of heaven and earth—all while ensuring Yi Feng would feel nothing but gratitude and awe toward him.

Even if questioned later about his disappearance, Fu Nantian could simply claim he’d been trapped in the left path’s maze formations. A flawless alibi!

This plan was absolutely airtight.

Watching Yi Feng eagerly dart into the starry path, Fu Nantian grinned in anticipation before immediately turning and sprinting into the left path.

Fu Nantian prided himself on his cunning, but he couldn’t have imagined the truth.

Inside the right path…

Yi Feng was already running at full speed, his legs moving so fast they seemed to spark. He was even more frantic than Fu Nantian, his face alight with excitement and joy—not a trace of nervousness. He looked like a dream-chasing youth!

Only when he glanced back and confirmed Fu Nantian was out of sight did Yi Feng finally exhale in relief.

"Phew…"

"Finally shook off that old man!"

With a relaxed smile, Yi Feng strode forward boldly.

He’d made up his mind—he would follow this starry path to the very end, determined to encounter every possible danger. Whether it was remnants of fallen experts or terrifying maze formations, he wouldn’t let a single one slip by!

This time, he was absolutely going to die here.

And if—just if—his suicide attempt failed again, he could always claim he’d gotten lost in an illusionary maze if Fu Nantian asked where he’d been.

A perfect plan.

Without another moment’s hesitation, Yi Feng marched deeper into the Ancient Return Corridor!

The further he went, the denser the starlight became. The corridor seemed to pulse with an extraordinary power, brushing against him like a gentle breeze—unlike any place he’d ever been. It only fueled his excitement.

Especially when he saw the mysterious starry path glowing with profound radiance, growing more profound with every step. Yi Feng was thrilled.

But as he pressed on, he encountered no dangers whatsoever.

Even when he stumbled upon a seemingly ominous stretch of darkness, stepping onto it revealed… nothing. It was all bark and no bite.

No matter how carefully he searched, he found no traces of powerful remnants.

Gradually, a sinking feeling crept over Yi Feng. His enthusiasm waned, shifting from excited sightseeing to a desperate hunt for peril.

His sole focus now was finding any sign of danger.

Outside the corridor, the starry sea whirled past, its breathtaking beauty concealing terrifying power. Even a Saint would gasp at the sight.

But Yi Feng had long lost his sense of wonder. He tapped and prodded at every inch of the Ancient Return Corridor, yet found nothing remotely threatening.

Finally, after spotting a fleeting shadow and chasing it—only for it to vanish—Yi Feng couldn’t hold back his frustration.

"What kind of lousy place is this?! It looks all impressive, with all these legends, but it’s just a sightseeing spot! Where are the maze formations? The terrifying remnants?!"

His shouts echoed into the endless starry path, met with silence.

The corridor felt desolate, almost abandoned, with only the occasional meteor streaking past outside—unchanged for millennia.

Yi Feng grew even more furious.

With a determined glare, he broke into a full sprint, charging toward the distant end of the corridor. He wouldn’t stop until he found the danger he sought!

Across the vast Starry Sea Corridor, a lone figure raced like the wind, his path unobstructed. The stars themselves seemed to part for him, while shadowy figures cowered in the corners, trembling…

Meanwhile…

The left path of the Ancient Return Corridor was a world apart.

From the moment he stepped inside, Fu Nantian was on high alert, his divine sense stretched to its limit—barely covering a hundred yards, but that was already his peak capability.

He advanced cautiously, his demeanor a far cry from his earlier haste. Every move exuded the poise of a true expert, leaving no room for carelessness.

His cultivation had already reached the Fifth-Step Saint Realm. Without such strength, Fu Nantian would never have dared bring Yi Feng into the Ancient Return Corridor.

This was the confidence born of absolute power—the arrogance to look down upon all creation.

Yet even with his preparations, Fu Nantian felt an unusual pressure today. The remnants he’d encountered so far were far stronger than expected.

From what he knew, the deeper one went into the Ancient Return Path, the deadlier it became.

Conversely, the early stretches should only graze the edges of the ancient battlefield. Powerful remnants shouldn’t appear here—at most, one might rarely encounter a barely-Saint-level presence.

"This is bizarre…"

Recalling the Second-Step Saint remnant he’d just obliterated, Fu Nantian grew increasingly uneasy.

Such beings shouldn’t appear so soon. By all accounts, they should only emerge halfway through the corridor. Otherwise, the common knowledge about Saints entering the Ancient Return Corridor would be a complete joke.

The discrepancy between what he saw and what he knew made him wonder—had the Ancient Return Corridor undergone some strange transformation?

Wary and unsettled, Fu Nantian pressed on, his expression growing graver by the minute.

A sense of regret began to gnaw at him. He didn’t know what had changed in the corridor, but he was starting to wish he hadn’t come.

Pride aside, he was also concerned for Yi Feng’s safety.

Losing face was one thing, but if they encountered an overwhelmingly powerful remnant, even he might not survive—let alone protect his future disciple.

Today’s Ancient Return Corridor was eerily different, far more terrifying than the rumors. If he continued, even someone of his stature would need to tread with extreme caution!

Lost in thought, Fu Nantian suddenly froze.

His face hardened instantly as light flared in his palm, his entire body erupting with terrifying Dao power!

"Just my luck…"

Staring ahead, a wisp of a remnant soul drifted forward, appearing frail yet radiating an aura no less formidable than his own, tinged with unmistakable killing intent and fury!

Before even clashing, the collision of their terrifying Dao forces had already scattered the surrounding starlight!

BOOM!!!

The shockwave reverberated!

Fu Nantian felt the pressure mount, his gaze icy and stern as he fixed his eyes on the specter.

"Your cultivation in life was remarkable. You should have returned to your homeland in glory, yet you met an untimely end in the starry sea—truly regrettable. But there is no mortal enmity between us. Why must you press so relentlessly?"

Fu Nantian was utterly baffled. Why had such a powerful remnant soul appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path in this corridor?

He hadn’t ventured deep, nor had he overstepped by seizing treasures.

Yet the wrath and bloodlust emanating from the remnant soul felt especially savage, as if even a hundred thousand years couldn’t temper its ferocity—if anything, it had only grown fiercer.

Fu Nantian sensed the strangeness of the situation, but he was already in too deep to retreat.

No sooner had his words fallen than the remnant soul lunged at him in a frenzied assault, unleashing an innate divine ability—countless boulders, each a hundred zhang tall, hurtled toward him like an impenetrable storm!

Seeing the boulders infused with overwhelming Dao force, Fu Nantian dared not underestimate them.

He, too, activated his innate divine ability, fingers forming a seal as he roared:

"Pupils of Heaven and Earth!"

The bellow shook the air as a dazzling golden light erupted from Fu Nantian’s turbid eyes, carrying terrifying Dao force that reduced the boulders to dust wherever it touched!

This was an innate divine ability only a fifth-tier Saint could possess, deeply tied to one’s cultivation techniques and comprehension of the Dao. Awakening such a power meant reaching world-shaking heights!

The collision of golden light and the boulder torrent was terrifying beyond measure—even an ordinary Saint caught in the aftershocks would suffer grievous injuries.

When high-tier Saints invoked their divine abilities, the outcome was always life or death.

Though Fu Nantian’s cultivation was formidable, bolstered by his flesh, blood, and soul, the spectral figure was horrifyingly powerful. Despite being a remnant soul, its cultivation was staggering, its Dao force seemingly inexhaustible!

After mere moments of stalemate, Fu Nantian was blasted back by the boulders.

The relentless barrage filled the thousand-zhang-wide starry corridor, burying his body beneath them!

Seeing the remnant soul, frail and on its last legs, yet still capable of channeling Dao force, Fu Nantian felt the vast gulf between them—a stark reminder of how terrifying ancient cultivators truly were.

A hundred thousand years had passed, and the immortals of today couldn’t hold a candle to them.

As the specter drifted closer, Fu Nantian, though still clueless about why such misfortune had befallen him, could only stare in despair. It was as if his path of immortality had reached its end…

Just then.

A figure dashed forward, a blade in hand, sprinting past the mountain of boulders. Fu Nantian caught only a fleeting glimpse—someone vaguely familiar.

He had no time to ponder.

Seeing salvation at hand, he mustered all his strength to send a desperate mental message:

"Fellow Daoist! That remnant soul is on its last breath—one strike, just one more strike!"

His eyes and spirit fixated on the blur of motion, the figure moved with lightning speed, arriving before the remnant soul in an instant. With a furious roar, the blade came down in a vertical slash!

"Damn it!"

A crude exclamation, perhaps, but it carried boundless fury—an indescribable catharsis!

Watching as the remnant soul was obliterated by the blade’s radiance, reduced to scattered dust, Fu Nantian exhaled deeply, marveling at the day’s bizarre encounter. He was about to voice his gratitude when the figure slowly turned around—face twisted with resentment!

The moment Fu Nantian recognized those familiar features, now contorted with anger, his mind went blank.

"It’s you, brat?!"

The newcomer was none other than Yi Feng.