1586 Ten thousand bodies

At that moment, Shi Yan opened his eyes. Zi Yao, Han Tian, Montecie, and Hiro were right in front of him, as they had never left him too far. They all had been staying in the Cloud Mist Territory.

He sensed for a while and then chuckled as he found the sky wasn't endless, and the territory barriers were nothing to him. His laughter caught people's attention.

"You have woken up finally," Mei Ji exhaled in relief.

"How long has it been?" Shi Yan asked with a smile.

"Since Desolate left, it's been thirteen years," answered Mei Ji.

"Oh, so it's not really long," Shi Yan nodded while stars twinkled deep in his eyes. It looked like he had two vast galaxies in his eyes, making him seem mysterious and profound.

"How are you?" Zi Yao gave a faint smile. "Look at you, you've broken through smoothly, right? Your souls…Are they fused with each other yet?"

Shi Yan squinted. The energy in Desolate's body part was incredible it was much more immense and powerful than he had estimated!

With Desolate's body part, his Absolutely Beginning body had ameliorated by more than twice! The memory, power Upanishad comprehension, and lifetime's experiences in the Absolutely Beginning blood had blended with his soul altar, advancing him to the next realm.

However, his co-soul hadn't fused completely with his host soul, and it was out of his expectation. He thought that at the moment he entered the Third Sky of Territory Ancestor Realm, the two souls would blend with each other. But clearly, he was wrong.

"I got something interesting, but the two souls haven't fused yet. It's alright. I gained enough…"

While smiling, Shi Yan looked at the others, his eyes scanning through them and making them puzzled. After a while, he said, "Warriors at the First Sky of Territory Ancestor Realm aren't strong enough. You shouldn't go to the Endless Abyss. You guys at the Second Sky can consider whether you want to go there or not."

Hearing him, everybody had their eyes brightened. However, the warriors like Mei Ji and Gay screamed in disagreement.

"Why can't we go there?" Gay hissed while Mei Ji also looked at him as she didn't understand his point.

"He wants you to live well," Zi Yao frowned, her face cold. "Let alone you reaching only the First Sky of Territory Ancestor Realm, even if you've broken through to the Second Sky, it'll still be very dangerous, with significant probability of meeting death. Skeletons have piled up in front of the Absolute Beginning Gateway. In my time, so many marvelous warriors had fallen there."

"I don't think Sauron, Devour, and Yuan Zu would bring the fellows at the First Sky of Territory Ancestor Realm with them," said Shi Yan indifferently.

"You won't take me with you?" Mei Ji asked while looking at him.

Shaking his head, Shi Yan sighed, "If you go with us, you will trouble Montecie and me. I'm not sure we can cover you well at that time."

Hearing that, Mei Ji didn't say anything more.

"We don't need to mind Sauron." Shi Yan pitched his voice, his eyes raking through the crowd. "Five years...I'm giving you guys five years to arrange your stuff and your clans' matters, or you can do whatever you want to not be regretful later. After five years, we will gather on the Heavenly Rock Continent and go to the Absolute Beginning Gateway together. Life or Death, it will be the will of God then." 

"Okay!"

Han Tian, Hiro, and Montecie agreed.

Without talking more, Shi Yan opened the territory entrance to get to the Heavenly Rock Continent. With that, the experts from different clans left for their clans through the Heavenly Rock Continent.

Mei Ji left in rage after shouting, "I can break through to the Second Sky of Territory Ancestor Realm in five years!"

Shi Yan saw her off with a smile.

Soon, only the warriors who had escaped from Desolate Territory were left on the Heavenly Rock Continent. Ming Hao, Xuan He, Frederick, and Emperor Sea Shark scattered around the continent. They cultivated ascetically or taught the power Upanishads' principles to their fellows. 

Sizzle! Sizzle!

Shi Yan's palm cracked and Ruby-like drops of blood floated from the cut, filled with a thick energy. They swelled up strangely, turning into many clones of Shi Yan.

Those Shi Yan looked exactly like him, and as they were created from his blood, they had his soul seal as well.

They were the real clones of Shi Yan himself. As Zi Yao was watching them, those Shi Yans smiled and flew toward different areas of the Heavenly Rock Continent and the Cloud Mist Territory.

They went to the Yang family, to find Xia Xin Yan, the four women of Qing Ting Dong's group; to drink with Jie Ji and Bao Ao; or to find Feng Rao and Shang Ying Yue…

Shi Yan's clones left his real body to find his family and friends, his lovers, and comrades. Meanwhile, his real body stayed in the desert forbidden area on the Heavenly Rock Continent, facing Zi Yao.

"You want to use these five years course to make up for the events you've regretted and enjoy the pleasures and joys of human life?" Zi Yao beamed at him.

Shi Yan nodded, "To make up for the regretful things is also a way to cultivate, a process to feel the humanity. I've just reached a new realm…I need new experiences and make new memories…"

Zi Yao frowned, pondering for a while. "You're scared. You're afraid that you can't come back once you go to the Absolute Beginning Gateway. Did you… have some bad premonition?"

Shi Yan forced a smile. "I'm scared alright. Not only me, everybody's afraid. Han Tian, Hiro, Montecie, who won't be scared? You are scared, too, because God knows what is behind that gateway. It could be the end of the world. Who knows?"

Zi Yao became quiet.

Shi Yan closed his eyes and talked nothing more. Although his body was still there, his Soul Consciousness had left him to stay with his friends and family. He was traveling around to make up for the beautiful moments he had missed as he had to chase and walk on the path of strengthening himself. He had to meet some people to compensate for their wait.

…

It was a normal land in the Cloud Mist Territory, and Mu Yu Die had already recovered her beautiful appearance. She was wearing a green dress, cultivating alone in a forest similar to the Dark Forest. She was sitting inside the bamboo room she had built herself, playing strings, her heart serene.

At that moment, a man walked through the forest amidst her sweet melody. Mu Yu Die lifted her head as she heard the rattling footsteps, dumbstruck when she saw the man coming.

On another land of the Cloud Mist Territory, Feng Ke and Feng Rao were inside a mountain. Watching the misty clouds far away, Feng Ke said, "The past is over. He's not someone we can reach anymore. The distance between you and him is like the vast gap between heaven and earth. Perhaps, he has forgotten you…"

Feng Rao was bewildered, talking indifferently, "He's just busy…"

"Busy?" Feng Ke sighed inwardly and talked nothing else.

"He used to say that he had me in his heart…" muttered Feng Rao.

At that moment, a man landed from the sky, sitting on the mountain right next to Feng Rao all of a sudden and without any prior signal. Feng Rao was startled as she turned to look at the man, tears lingering in her eyes.

Feng Ka was bewildered, but he soon bowed respectfully and then left silently.

"Come, come drink with me!" In another city, Shi Yan was holding a bottle, drinking with Bao Ao and Jie Jie. They talked about a lot of things without worrying about death and life. They just wanted to drink and have fun with their friends at that moment.

…

His figure appeared by his friends, feasting and talking with them. Shi Yan ended up doing many things to make up what he had missed and regretted. 

Similarly, after Han Tian, Hiro, and Montecie returned to their clans, they documented their knowledge of the Power Upanishads, choosing talented apprentices to teach and arranging many matters of their clans.

All were to prepare for the future.

Time flew fast, and five years went by shortly. After these five years, in the same desert on Heavenly Rock Continent, Shi Yan's real body had a lot of sand covering it, which made him look like an old sculpture.

Zi Yao hadn't moved either, having meditated for five years in front of him. Sand stuck on her as well, and she didn't have her usual glamor.

At that moment, a few silhouettes appeared from the dark void. They were Han Tian, Hiro, Montecie, Dracula, Judy, and Emperor Sea Shark… They walked toward Shi Yan as they had arranged, having finished their business in their clans. At this moment, they didn't have anything anchoring their hearts, and no worries about their death or life.

They didn't talk much. After they arrived, they just sat down, waiting in silence.

Meanwhile, many Shi Yans flew toward from the Heavenly Rock Continent or the Cloud Mist Territory. Under the stunned gaze of everyone, they merged into the host body…

After a while, Shi Yan opened his bright eyes. He shook off the sand on his body while grinning, then spoke to Zi Yao. "We should depart."

Zi Yao batted her eyelashes, getting up with a smile. The crystal rainbows twirled around her body, causing the dust and sand to disappear. She nodded, her face bright. "We should go."

A lava river came from the void, which then turned into Forefather Dragon's shape as he laughed cheerily, "I got good fortune then. Take me with you. Hahaha!"

"Oh!" Han Tian's eyes brightened as he complimented him, "Can't believe you could break through that fast. It's amazing!"

Forefather Dragon Lizard came, bowing to Zi Yao respectfully. "Thank you. Thank you for letting me know where my ancestor used to cultivate. Otherwise, I couldn't have had a fast breakthrough!"

Zi Yao nodded.

"Where's Mei Ji? Did she break through, too?" Shi Yan asked Montecie.

"I don't know," Montecie shook her head, "She didn't return to the clan with me, ditching me halfway. I heard that she stayed on the seabed of the Sea of Annihilation. She killed Ricardo, but I don't know if she made another breakthrough. If her realm has increased, I think she will come…"

"Ricardo's realm wasn't low. If she killed Ricardo, I think she has broken through." Shi Yan closed his eyes, searching. After a while, he opened his eyes, smiling strangely. "She's on her way here. Haha, she did break through."

Everybody was quite surprised on hearing that.

When Mei Ji first knew Shi Yan, she was upset while looking for a way to obtain the Dark Energy. At that time, the Territory Ancestor Realm was unreachable to her. How long had it been? Now, Mei Ji had reached the Second Sky of Territory Ancestor Realm, and could stand shoulder to shoulder with Montecie, Hiro, and Han Tian.

People couldn't help but look at Shi Yan, their eyes strange.

They understood that Mei Ji could have what she got today because of Shi Yan. Otherwise, with her personal competence, she would need thousands of years just to accumulate the energy.

Not only Shi Yan was a miracle himself, but he could also create miracles for others around him!