Is That A Wisp?

Be it the higher realms or lower realms, technology was something that appeared just a while ago. That's also why it can barely make any difference for high-level cultivators. Usually, it was good for communication or for things like what Krune did in the labyrinth, the 3D map.

Of course, there were several other real-life applications like illumination, displays, systems to organize each organization, etc. Simply put, technology was pretty convenient, even though it helped little with combat. That being said, it didn't matter which City you went to, you would see technology everywhere. 

However, this underground City was utterly devoid of any type of electronic equipment. The illumination that would usually be done by various kinds of technological items like lamps were nowhere to be seen. Instead, the City used a primitive way of illuminating the things inside, Limunous Beads!

Luminous Beads were still used by cultivators and demon beast when they need to explore things outside. However, cities would not use them since it was a lot more annoying to make. Not to mention that they needed someone to recharge them with Spiritual Energy, or Godly Energy in the Higher Realms' case. 

As Krune and Iem moved forward, they would see one or another cultivator pouring their own Godly Energy into those beads. That was only one of the things that made Krune and Iem uncomfortable. As far as they could see, no building or live being around used anything electronic related. It was as if this City had been separated from the outside world for a long time. No, Krune and Iem reached the conclusion that it was most likely the case!

Krune and Iem couldn't help but talk through their Divine Senses.

"It seems like this city has been sealed off completely."

Iem nodded.

"We already know that the cave walls have restrictions that make it impossible to break apart. At the very least, it would be impossible in the short term."

Krune then pondered a bit before adding.

"Although the cave walls do have restrictions, they aren't entirely immune. As long as you keep attacking it, the wall will slowly crumble with time. Considering the time that it took for technology to appear, these people should have long since made their way up to the surface."

Iem immediately denied that conjecture.

"No, your proficiency in formations isn't as good as mine, so it's expected that you didn't notice. Not only do the cave walls have restrictions, but they also have a recovering ability. The only reason we can use Luvile and Harold's power to destroy them fast enough is because of the Laws of the Devil Flame and Purple Tribulation Lightning. These guys here probably can't do the same."

Krune was startled to hear that. However, since Iem said so, it was probably right.

Iem and Krune stopped by a clothes store and bought a few similar robes for them to use. After all, they were catching way too much attention because of their attires. Krune also passed some gold to Iem so that he could use it for the time being. Their communicators still worked in this City, so they would be able to find each other as well. Just in case, they also set up a location to meet later.

"Let's separate and gather some information. We need to understand this place first."

Iem nodded, and the two of them moved in different directions. Two days later, Krune and Iem met each other again.

Iem was the first to talk.

"So, here's what I found. Godly Stones are extremely rare in this Underground City. That's because there is no such thing as Godly Stone mines available. Because of that, the only way to make Godly Stones is by crafting them, which takes a lot of energy and time. Also, they are not as good as the real ones. That being said, we need to do our best to avoid showing the stones we have."

Krune nodded.

"Yes, I also understood it."

Krune then continued.

"I found out that there is no passage to the surface. In fact, some people here consider the surface to be a legend already. It had been tens of thousands of years since anyone went up there, or so say the people and records. It seems like the people here tried to open passage by brute force in the past. However, just like you said, the cave walls' recovery ability made it impossible for them to progress too far. In the end, they had to give up."

Iem also nodded as he knew that too.

"As for the path that we took, it is called the No Return Maze. Once someone goes inside, they never come back. However, no one can say if the experts who went inside died or not. I found it a little weird since they could simply leave their Soul Flames behind for the others to check whether they are alive or not. So after I checked, it seems like there is something wrong with this place. The people around don't even know what a Soul Flame is. I was afraid that they perhaps simply used another name for the same thing, so I gave an explanation of what I was talking about. Still, I reached the conclusion they really don't know anything related to the Soul Flame."

Krune narrowed his eyes. The Soul Flame is something easy to conjure and had been in use for who knows how many chaos cycles. From what Krune found in the Wisp Main World back in the Mortal Realm, Soul Flame related methods already existed even before Wally appeared. So how come no one here knows how to make a Soul Flame here?

Iem looked at Krune and smiled.

"Seems like you reached the same conclusion as me. But I already found the answer to why no one knows about the Soul Flames. You know how to cast a Soul Flame, right?"

Krune nodded.

"Of course, I left one in my Universe and another one back in the Wisp Main World."

"In that case, try to cast another one."

Krune did as Iem said and began to create another Soul Flame. The process wasn't challenging. It is just that you need a tiny sliver of your soul, which was a little painful. Of course, this sliver of the soul could also be used to turn someone into a slave. Because of that, the cultivators and demon beasts would relinquish their mind connection with it first. Even if someone takes it later, they won't be able to use it to harm the owner of that Soul Flame. Still, as part of the same soul, when the main one dies, the Soul Flame will die together with it.

For Krune, taking a sliver of his soul wasn't that big of a problem. He just needed to take one of his pills, and he would recover in no time, so he acted straight away. However, as soon as the Soul Flame appeared in the outside world...

*Puf!*

It extinguished instantly. It was as if someone threw a bucket of water on the Soul Flame. Krune, of course, was shocked by what he saw.

"How's that possible?!"

Iem shrugged his shoulders.

"Isn't that obvious? It is also part of the gigantic formation that covers everything. Simply put, whoever created the No Return Maze didn't want the others to know the fate of those who ventured inside. As to why that is, I don't know."

Krune nodded in realization. He then changed the topic.

"I believe you noticed it already, but there are no such things as Demon Beasts in Human Form in this City. I'm basically the only one at the moment. The only Demon Beasts available are the ones we saw outside, like the Rarin Worm and the Azure Beetles. I asked around why we couldn't check their cultivation, but it seems like no one knows."

Krune continued.

"However, at the same time that we can't see their cultivation, it seems like they never come to gain sentience. There had never been a Demon Beast who could talk with the people of this City from what I heard."

Iem admitted that he did notice that.

"I have two conjectures why it happened. First, in exchange for their ability to hide their cultivation, they lost the chance to gain sentience. Or second, They aren't real Demon Beasts. Thus, they can't possibly gain sentience to start with."

Krune narrowed his eyes as he thought about Luvile.

"Harold, Luvile, Iem, I have a third conjecture about it."

Harold and Luvile were surprised that Krune would call their names here, but they listened nonetheless.

"What is it?"

Krune looked to the cave ceiling before continuing.

"Sentience is bestowed by the heavens. Then, could it be that this place has been hidden from the heavens?"

Harold and the others were taken aback. 

Iem couldn't help but comment.

"This... It would indeed make sense if the Demon Beasts didn't gain sentience. However, I find it hard to believe. After all, you can all feel the power of Laws in this place, and Laws are part of the Heavens. I don't think it would be possible."

However, Luvile and Harold immediately denied Iem's words.

"That's not true. It's right to say that Laws and Heavens are connected, but you understood one thing wrong. The heavens exist because of the laws, and not the other way around. So it wouldn't be wrong to say that you can have Laws but stay hidden from the heavens."

"Oh, right! There is a way to confirm it easily."

Krune and Iem immediately paid attention.

"It's very simple. See if you can find a Mortal Rejection Realm Cultivator and ask if they received a Heavenly Tribulation."

Krune and Iem's eyes immediately lit up.