The starry sky was vast, its pressure terrifying. If one's physical body wasn't strong enough, anyone who came here would certainly die. At the very least, one needed the cultivation of the third-layer Saint Realm to use Saint Qi to withstand the cosmic oppression.
This was a legendary place, one few could ever truly set foot in.
The great demon god of that era was even rumored to have perished accidentally while exploring the mysteries of the starry skies.
Regardless of whether the rumors were true, the immense dangers hidden within the starry skies were undeniable.
If those from the Ice Sect thought that was just an ordinary entrance to a void passage, leading to some minor Mystic World, and rashly barged in, their chances of survival would be slim to none.
Apart from the Ice Master Qing Ya, who had the strength to withstand the stellar pressure, no one else among them could possibly survive.
Yang Kai's heart was a tangled mess of anxiety. He stood foolishly in place, momentarily unsure of what to do.
It wasn't until the corner of his eye caught several pale white bones floating nearby that he snapped back to awareness.
Those bones drifted not far from him, utterly still and silent. Yang Kai's hands trembled as he picked one up, examined it closely, and let out a deep, heavy breath.
These bones likely belonged to a member of the Bone Race. Having ventured recklessly into the starry skies and unable to withstand the immense pressure, their skeletal body had been directly crushed and pulverized.
This further confirmed Yang Kai's earlier speculation.
Those from the Ice Sect had likely fled here. The Bone Race, in pursuit of them, must have accidentally arrived as well, only to have their bony bodies explode under the stellar pressure, dying miserably on the spot.
The surroundings were littered with many bones, suggesting several members of the Bone Race had perished.
But if that were the case, what about the people from the Ice Sect and Su Yan and the others?
There were no traces of their demise here at all. It was as if they had miraculously vanished into the starry skies.
Gradually, his emotions steadied. Yang Kai crushed the bone in his hand, mounted his flying Star Shuttle, and began searching through the vast expanse of the starry skies for any clues, any trace.
He left no corner unexamined, no suspicious area unchecked, releasing his spiritual sense to its absolute limit. He fantasized about suddenly spotting Su Yan's whereabouts, discovering her safe and sound under the protection of Ice Master Qing Ya, hiding in some corner of the cosmos, waiting for him to arrive.
His hopes were utterly dashed.
With the Starry Sky Gate as the center, he searched the area within a ten-thousand-li radius several times over, yet found not a single lead.
Time flowed by. He didn't know how many days had passed when he finally returned to the void passage he had used to enter. He turned back, gazed deeply at the star-speckled sky, and plunged back into the entrance.
Returning to the Profound Xuan Continent, he headed directly for the Water God Palace!
If there was anyone in this world who knew the whereabouts of those from the Ice Sect besides the Bone Race, there was no other candidate. For news of Su Yan alone, he had to investigate thoroughly.
The Water God Palace, central island. This had once been the island housing the main hall of the Water God Palace, but after the palace's destruction, it had been occupied by the Bone Race.
Now, all the members of the Bone Race had gathered here.
Every single member now possessed a complete physical body, no longer just a skeleton devoid of a single shred of flesh.
They looked no different from the humans of the continent. The only feature that revealed their true identity was the pair of emerald-green eyes each possessed.
Nearly two hundred members of the Bone Race congregated together, their eyes flickering like ghostly fires, radiating a chilling green luminescence that made the entire island's atmosphere feel sinister and terrifying.
They celebrated. They rejoiced enthusiastically, celebrating their revival after millennia. Every face among the Bone Race was alight with jubilant expression.
Their clamor drifted far on the ocean breeze.
They were gathered in a circle, and at the very center of this congregation of Bone Race members, there was a massive pool of blood. The pool was filled with crimson bloodwater and chunks of flesh. Giant bubbles continuously rose from its depths, bursting and splattering sprays of blood mist, so much so that a cloud of vivid red blood mist hung above the pool's surface.
Many pale white bones and unidentifiable herbs floated and sank within the blood pool.
Bright patterns occasionally flashed across the bottom of the pool, converging into a complex and intricate formation diagram.
"Lord Kero, the time is almost upon us," a Bone Race member approached a middle-aged man and reported in a low voice.
The middle-aged man nodded slightly, his expression indifferent, then rose to his feet.
The boisterous Bone Race members instantly fell silent, every pair of eyes gazing at him with anticipation.
Kero swept his gaze over the assembly and declared in a loud voice: "Thousands of years ago, our race accidentally came to this place. We thought it an opportunity to expand our territory, only to be stopped by a top expert here. Our race suffered a crushing defeat, our strongest warriors all fell in battle, and the surviving members had no choice but to flee to a remote glacial world, slumbering there. Now, we have awakened! That expert who defeated even our strongest is long dead. This world belongs to our race now; no one can stand against us!"
The Bone Race members erupted in enthusiastic cheers, their voices rising in waves.
Kero raised a hand to quiet them: "Tonight, we will have new clan members born. We must contribute our strength to help them awaken!"
The multitude of Bone Race members responded in unison.
In the next instant, everyone sprang into action. Streams of energy rich with the Bone Race's life essence surged from their bodies, pouring into the blood pool.
The blood pool churned as if brought to a boil, bubbles rolling. The bones and herbs within it bobbed and sank more rapidly.
Amidst a series of haunting, wailing sounds, numerous faces with blurred features emerged from the pool. Those faces, like wisps of ghosts, were bound within the blood pool, and no matter how they struggled, they could not escape its sanguine embrace.