Shen Mo raised an eyebrow.
It was from Lin Dongtian's life panel that he first learned about the difference between a Small World and a Great World.
Nine Nether Ice Flame had told him about the relationship between the Void and the World.
Now, he had some guesses.
This world was a Small World.
Beyond the Void, there was another world called the Great World.
Supreme experts like Martial Ancestor and Desolate Lord had probably all emerged from the Small World, crossed the Void, and headed for the Great World.
As for why they left but never returned, Shen Mo had no idea.
Perhaps there was some mysterious force that prevented the powerful from returning to the Small World.
Shen Mo was deeply curious about all of this.
Because he knew that, sooner or later, he would leave this Small World and head for the Great World.
Now, after the resonance between the Heaven-Opening Sword and the Earth-Splitting Armor, the appearance of the Qiankun Blood Spirit Light made him even more curious about the Void.
"Why do we need to sense the Void?" Shen Mo asked.
Black Flame replied seriously, "Martial Ancestor said that to cross the Void and reach the Great World, you must comprehend the Void."
"Only those cultivators who have gained some understanding of the Void have any chance of successfully crossing it."
"Otherwise, you'll get lost in the Void. The outcome is terrible."
"No matter how powerful your spiritual power or blood energy, you can't resist the erosion of the Void."
Shen Mo considered this. "After sensing the Void, can you strengthen your own power?"
Black Flame answered firmly, "Yes."
"Martial Ancestor told us that after sensing the Void, he gained a trace of Void power inside his body."
"Every time he fought an enemy, this trace of Void power would deal great damage to the opponent."
"At the Nirvana Realm, above the Dharma Manifestation Realm, whether you have Void power is what separates the strong from the weak."
"Even among those at the same Nirvana Realm, there will be huge power gaps because of the Void power."
"As for exactly how powerful, I'm not sure."
Shen Mo clicked his tongue in amazement.
It seemed he would have to spend some time comprehending Void power.
"Can the Earth-Splitting Armor, as it is now, condense spiritual essence?"
Black Flame shook his head. "The Earth-Splitting Armor now has less than a quarter remaining. Its efficiency in condensing spiritual essence is very low."
"If the Earth-Splitting Armor were intact, one hundred strands of spiritual power could condense into one strand of spiritual essence. But now it takes at least five hundred strands, and the time required is four or five times longer."
"But, Master, don't worry. I can sense the existence of other fragments of the Earth-Splitting Armor."
"Right now, I can sense there's a piece underground at this outpost."
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow.
Luck was coming his way, and nothing could stop it.
With his current comprehension, perhaps he could try to sense the Void.
Once he succeeded, his strength would rise sharply!
Black Flame said gravely, "Master, the Void is very dangerous. You must be prepared."
"When Martial Ancestor sensed the Void in the past, he often lost an arm or a leg. There was even one time he was left with only his head and upper body."
"Fortunately, his physical body was extremely strong, so he managed to survive."
Shen Mo nodded slightly. "I understand. I'm already prepared for how fearsome the Void is."
Moreover, he didn't believe his body was inferior to Martial Ancestor's at that stage.
His body was definitely even more robust and powerful than Martial Ancestor's at the same realm.
Shen Mo lifted his head, his gaze seeming to pierce through the house, the dome, the sky, reaching beyond the Small World, into that vast, endless, chaotic Void.
"To sense the Void, that day is not far off!"
Shen Mo took a deep breath and smiled.
...
Another two years passed.
Under the leadership of Dharma Manifestation Realm experts like Shen Mo, Xiong Ling, and Bai Jue, the ten great fortresses officially entered the sixth level.
The dangers of the sixth level far exceeded those of the fifth.
The difficulties and obstacles encountered here were even more frightening.
Even with Dharma Manifestation Realm experts like Shen Mo present, it was impossible to cover everything.
From the very first day of entering the sixth level, Demon Suppression Guards suffered casualties.
With ten fortresses and nearly ten thousand Demon Suppression Guards assisting, they managed to establish two large outposts at the entrance to the sixth level, forming a pincer formation.
Taking even one more step forward was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
Both outposts had to withstand massive attacks from the demons every day.
The demonic energy in the sixth level was even thicker—so much so that even Shen Mo felt his strength was somewhat suppressed.
Let alone the ordinary Demon Suppression Guards.
Far off on the battlefield, there were also Demon Emperor-level demons holding the line.
They did not join the battle.
Whenever Shen Mo charged at them, they would retreat into the distance.
When Shen Mo returned to the outpost, they would follow him back.
It was endlessly annoying.
This was exactly what made the demons so terrifying.
There were simply too many of them.
Even if the probability of a powerful individual emerging was low, with enough numbers, there would always be a fair number of Demon Emperors.
These Demon Emperors possessed the bloodline of the Great Sky Demon.
The only difference between them and the Lords of Authority—the ten Great Sky Demons—was that they had not mastered the Power of Authority.
Xuanwu 61 Outpost.
Shen Mo let out a long breath and calmed his mind.
With a thought, his consciousness entered his Divine Palace.
On the four walls of the Divine Palace, four Dharma Manifestations were now engraved.
The first depicted the Undying River, surging endlessly and vast.
The second showed the Swift White Colt, noble and radiant like a streak of light.
The third was the Blazing Celestial Eye, burning fiercely and piercing all.
The fourth was the Battle Fiend, savage, courageous, and ready to battle the heavens and earth.
This fourth Dharma Manifestation was snatched by Shen Mo from Ye Yan half a year ago.
The Battle Fiend was an extremely rare demonic beast.
Legend had it that it was a hybrid born from the Star-Reaching Ape and the Heaven-Shaking Demon Ape, and could only be born through this unique pairing.
The chance of this beast being born was exceedingly low, and it was prone to early death.
The Battle Fiend could not reproduce.
It lived solely for battle.
It was said that even in ancient times, during the era when the demons ruled the world, sightings of the Battle Fiend were extremely rare.
Now it was unheard of.
Shen Mo only learned a fragmentary account of this rare species from some ancient texts.
"Prime Elephant for suppression, Undying River for restoration, Blazing Celestial Eye for perception, Swift White Colt for speed, Battle Fiend for combat."
Shen Mo smiled.
With these five Dharma Manifestations, every aspect was covered.
He could be called a pentagonal warrior.
These days, after refining rare treasures like Thunderflame Dew and Blackwater Dark Essence, his realm had advanced once again. Now he had reached late-stage Dharma Manifestation Realm.
With his current strength, any Dharma Manifestation Realm expert within the Demon Suppression Fortress would not be his match.
Even the Great Sky Demons that once posed a threat to him were now nothing to worry about.
Even if he faced the First Great Sky Demon, An Cang, he had a fifty or sixty percent chance of victory.
"Time for a stroll."
In good spirits, Shen Mo leaped from the high tower.
Wherever he passed, all the Demon Suppression Guards bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, General Shen!"
"General Shen, good day!"
Looking around, Shen Mo saw that within the Xuanwu 61 Outpost, Demon Suppression Guards from the human race, the demon race, and the flood dragon clan were all present.
After all, there were only two outposts on the sixth level at present.
This outpost had been built solely by the Demon Suppression Guards of the Xuanwu Fortress.
If the Demon Suppression Guards of other fortresses wanted to construct additional outposts, they had to use this place as a base and proceed slowly from there.
Most of the Demon Suppression Guards stationed at Xuanwu 61 Outpost came from the four human fortresses, the Golden Mountain Fortress of the demon race, and the Cold Dragon Fortress of the flood dragon clan.
The nearby Blood God 61 Outpost was completely the opposite—most of its Demon Suppression Guards hailed from the four demon fortresses and the Panlong Fortress of the flood dragon clan.
Shen Mo took a few laps around the outpost, treating it as an inspection.
Just as he was about to return to the high tower to continue cultivating, he saw a figure rushing over at high speed. "Shen Mo! My General Shen! I finally found you!"
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