Is That A Wisp?

Hanan's group had been waiting for a big wave of Godly Energy when they entered the Origin Realm. Still, to their surprise, it didn't happen. In fact, they could barely feel the presence of Godly Energy at all.

As they looked around, they noticed that everything was pure white. Pretty much like it was when Fie first arrived in this place.

"That's not exactly as I thought. In theory, the place with most Godly Energy would be where the Holy Land's Artifact should be placed. But with this little amount of Godly Energy, could it be that we are in the wrong place?"

Hanan the looked at Julie before asking.

"Julie, try to see if you can find the right location."

Julie nodded and quickly took out a device from her Spatial Ring. It looked somehow like a compass but inside a transparent orb. Not to mention that the needle inside seemed to be able to point in all directions possible.

As Julie poured her Spiritual Energy inside, the needle began to tremble. Not too long after, it pointed in a specific direction. However, Julie narrowed her eyes after seeing it.

"Weird, it can only barely feel the presence of that artifact."

"What you mean?"

Julie pondered a bit before saying.

"There are several possibilities. The artifact might be inside a formation that blocks its energy from leaking out. Or we might be so far away that the Orb is having difficult to feel its presence. There is also another possibility... but we need to go there to check first."

Hanan and the others nodded. Without wasting any more time, they began to make their way while following Julie's directions. They did not move fast nor slow since they didn't know what to expect ahead. But so far, no protection formation or any other kind of defense appeared.

This journey lasted three entire days. Finally, they arrived at what seemed to be an immense altar. They could see several formations of all kinds around it as well. However, they were all god-level formations, so no one in Hanan's group could understand them. Most likely, those were the formations used to control the Holy Land as a whole.

But none of that mattered. That's because when they looked above the altar, the place was completely empty! There was only a small shaped hole that seemed to have contained something inside before. All the formations of the platform were also connected to that hole.

Hanan narrowed his eyes before looking at Sark, one of the Demon Beasts of his group.

"Sark, go ahead and check the altar. You have the best defense between us, so if something happens, retreat immediately."

Sarks nodded and stepped forward. Hanan and the others observed that while keeping their guards high. Still, Sark was able to make his way to the altar without any issues. Too bad, though. Even after arriving there, he couldn't see anything like what they had been looking for.

"It's empty. There is nothing inside the hole, either."

"Impossible! It was supposed to be here."

"Could it be that someone came here before us?"

Hanan's group immediately fell silent. Sure, they haven't found anyone on the upper floors for a long time. After all, they had been moving up as fast as possible. But each one of the floors was immense. Not to mention that there wasn't just a single Light Pillar connecting them. That being said, they can't rule out the possibility of someone having used another path to reach this place first.

"Julie, I'll have to count on you for that."

Julie sighed but nodded nonetheless. She then approached the altar where the Holy Land Artifact was before and took another piece of equipment out of her Spatial Ring. After putting it on the altar, she began to draw several Seals on the air.

As those Seal activated, the equipment seemed to come back to life. Inscriptions began to shine around it as the surrounding energy began to rush in and out. It was as if that thing was filtering the energy that it took. As the process continued, Julie's complexion began to pale. However, she didn't stop and kept using the Seals. Finally, she couldn't hold back anymore and vomited blood.

The equipment then fell on the altar once more. Yet, the inscriptions on it didn't disappear as it continued to filter the energy of the surroundings. The process continued for another 30 or so minutes before it suddenly brightened. The light kept coming out of the equipment for a few more seconds until it eventually disappeared.

Julie sighed in relief as she took it back.

"It is done. However, I had to use too much energy on it. After all, this is a Divinity Realm level equipment. From now on, I'm almost useless in battle."

Hanan didn't mind, though.

"It's okay. As long as we can bring the artifact back with us, everything else won't matter, including our lives."

Julie and the others nodded. Hanan then took that equipment that seemed like a box and poured his Spiritual Energy inside. His complexion also turned worse for a second, but he quickly recovered. Using a Divinity Level equipment at their level was really too hard. Even though Hanan only activated it for a second, his foundation was almost damaged. Let alone Julie, who used it for so long.

The box had filtered the energy on the altar, separating the Holy Land Artifact's lingering power from the rest. Now it could be used to find the location of the thing that had the same kind of energy.

"Sigh... It is not in the Origin Realm anymore. Let's make our way back while we take turns to activate it. Most likely, someone took it already."

Hanan then looked at Julie before saying.

"I know that your foundation has been severely damage-"

However, Julie cut his words right there.

"Don't worry, I'm going as well. It is exactly because my foundation is damaged that I should use the equipment even more. It is better to keep the four of you at peak state since I already can't help anymore. Every time one of you uses it, I will be the next one. That is the safest way."

Hanan looked at Julie with a complicated expression, but he knew that it was necessary.

"Very well, let's go."

The four of them quickly made their way out of the Origin Realm. As soon as they stepped on the 50th Floor, Julie took the box and poured her Spiritual Energy into it once more.

"Argh!"

Her complexion, which was already bad, got even worse. She then passed the box back to Hanan while gasping for air.

"It's... not in the 50th floor's... dimensional realm."

Hanan quickly helped her up.

"I'll carry you from now on, just focus on recovering before you need to use the box again."

Spiritual Energy came out of Hanan's body and enveloped Julie's body. She then began to float right there and then. This is what wisps do to move things when they are not in their human form. Anyone can do that as long as the other party doesn't fight against it. 

"Alright, let's go to the next Light Pillar."

Back on Krune's side, Little Arty had just received a message from Fie.

"Little Arty, something is wrong. I felt like my connection with you has been messed up somehow."

Usually, Little Arty wouldn't answer. However, he also felt the same thing, and it happened twice already.

"I know. Our connection is made through the energy of your body and mine. But it seems like something tried to pry inside my energy, even though it was for a single second only. That's why we felt this together. Of course, you don't need to worry. A connection between a Spiritual Artifact and its master can not be cut just like that. Unless you die or I'm destroyed, such a thing would be impossible."

Of course, Fie could release Little Arty of her own volution if she wanted. But that wasn't the case.

"What do you think that is doing it?"

Little Arty snorted after hearing that.

"You don't need to worry, I know what is happening. Leave it to me, just focus on your training. You only have another one year, and some months before the Holy Land closes. After that, you won't be able to find so many geniuses to fight against anymore."

Fie nodded and didn't ask anymore. If Little Arty said that there is no problem, then it should be fine. After all, he is the Holy Land Owner.

Little Arty's attention came back to his group. Everyone was still gathered while deciding their next move.

"Alright, listen up. We have company."

Krune's group attention was immediately caught by Little Arty.

"Company? Heavin, check around!"

Heavin nodded and immediately spread his mental energy. In these five years, Heavin went from the 3rd Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm all the way to the Soul Control Realm 1st Stage! Heavin had now the ability to move his consciousness as he sees fit. Of course, Heavin wouldn't be idiot enough to do such a thing now. 

First, Krune and Heavin don't know the side effects of the separation. After all, Heavin would need a part of the Divine Soul to be cut. Krune's Life Dew Pill can only guarantee a full recovery while he is in the Void Breaking Realm or below. Now that he entered the Divine Path Realm, he doesn't know how effective it would be.

Second, Heavin's puppet is far from being ready to hold a soul. Not only he lacks the material to make a good enough one, but he also requires the experience. He will need to wait to go outside to began to practice it seriously. So until they are back to the Wisp Main World, Heavin will not leave Krune's foundation.

However, being in the 1st Stage of the Soul Control Realm had made Heavin a lot stronger. His Mental Energy was now able to go as far as 180km while still in the Holy Land. Even Hanan Frunkan's Divine Sense, the Heavenly Divine Soul Owner at the peak of the Divine Path Realm, couldn't do go that far.

The others were also practicing Heavin's Soul Cultivation Technique. Still, even Krune, the one with the second-highest soul cultivation, was only in the 1st Stage of the Soul Transformation. No one could possibly compete with Heavin in this area.

"I'm checking it here, but there isn't anyone close to us."

Little Arty quickly explained.

"Don't worry, these 'friends' are not here yet. They are on the 50th Floor. At the moment, they are making their way to the 49th one."

Krune and the others were taken aback.

"Does it mean that you recovered your power over the formations of the Holy Land?"

Little Arty then continued.

"Almost six years passed already, so a few simple ones like the monitoring formations have already completed their owner shifting. Don't expect me to be able to do anything spectacular, though. First of all, I wouldn't do it even if you wanted since it would go against the Holy Land's purpose. This is the last time the Holy Land is open, so I want it to be over as my old master devised it."

"Anyway, forget about it. There seems to be a group that came inside with the purpose of acquire me. They went to the Origin Realm but couldn't find me there. However, they brought with them some kind of spiritual equipment that is able to pry into the lingering energy I left behind. At the moment, I believe they are checking each Floor's Dimensional Realm for my presence."

Feifei couldn't help but ask.

"Why didn't you tell us that before?"

"That's because I didn't know about them until they tried to find where I am. At first, I wasn't sure, but when they tried the second time, I was finally certain that they came after me."

Krune narrowed his eyes.

"Seems like it's quite a strong foe."

Little Arty agreed with Krune.

"Indeed, they are not a group that you would be able to deal with. If you encounter them, you will all be dead for sure. However... there is a little trick we can use against them... hehe!"