Chapter 1040: Chapter 443: Drawing Quasi-Fifth Grade Talismans; Central Domain News 2

He carefully placed the newly crafted fifth-grade talisman into his dantian, embraced by the Nascent Soul, and began to nurture it consistently using the secret technique of "Talisman Nurturing Art."

Immediately, Xu Ping began to draw another quasi-fifth-grade talisman.

He kept busy for two years.

Successfully crafted three more quasi-fifth-grade talismans.

Just as Xu Ping was about to take a short break, planning whether to continue talisman making or to start researching the crafting of the fourth-rank top-grade puppet,

Ao Guang the Dragon King sent him a message through a sound transmission talisman: "Young Friend Xu, please come to the True Dragon Outer Hall for a discussion."

"Is there something to discuss?"

Holding the sound transmission talisman, Xu Ping couldn’t help but frown slightly.

With Ao Guang the Dragon King sending a message personally, it was clearly no small matter.

"Could it be.... the Star Palace Twin Saints have some new major movements?"

Thinking of this, Xu Ping did not dare to be the least bit negligent.

He immediately left seclusion, found Duan Shuang, gave some brief instructions about the affairs of the island and his whereabouts, then transformed into an inconspicuous Escape Light and left Blood Bone Island silently.

...

Three months later.

The seabed, surging with immense pressure.

Following the sea chart coordinates given by Ao Guang the Dragon King, arriving at True Dragon Outer Hall.

A Shell Maiden who had been waiting there greeted Xu Ping respectfully, then guided him into an especially magnificent and luxurious main hall.

At this moment, in the main hall, besides Ao Guang the Dragon King, who sat on the throne with a dragon horn on his head and an imposing visage, the Nine Nether Elder was also present.

"Fellow Daoist Xu has arrived, please be seated."

Seeing Xu Ping, Ao Guang the Dragon King nodded slightly as a gesture of invitation.

Xu Ping returned the salute, then took a seat on a white jade chair below the Nine Nether Elder.

His gaze swept over the two, pondering the theme of this meeting.

Ao Guang the Dragon King clearly had no intent on exchanging pleasantries. Once Xu Ping sat down, he went straight to the point, his gaze sweeping over Xu Ping and the Nine Nether Elder, speaking in a deep voice:

"This time inviting both fellow Daoists here is in the hope that you two can accompany me on a trip to the Central Domain."

"To the Central Domain?"

Upon hearing this, the reactions of the Nine Nether Elder and Xu Ping were different.

The murky eyes of the Nine Nether Elder swiveled slightly, his withered face showing little expression, only uttering a thoughtful "Hmm."

He didn’t seem surprised by the proposal, and even showed a touch of interest.

But Xu Ping frowned slightly.

The Central Domain?

This name he vaguely remembered, also known as one of the eight major domains of the human world.

Yet he knew very little about its specifics, only vaguely hearing that this domain is quite special compared to other domains.

He originally thought that this discussion was related to the Star Palace war, but didn’t expect the topic to jump directly to cross-domain travel.

Ao Guang the Dragon King captured their expressions, already having guessed in his heart.

The Nine Nether Elder, as expected, was not unfamiliar with the Central Domain, and may have even been there before.

And Xu Ping, being a newly risen top-tier power, though immensely powerful, clearly lacked the insight and foundation compared to these old monsters who had lived for countless years.

In theory, any longstanding Divinity Transformation power should not be so unfamiliar with the Central Domain.

Could it be that this young fellow is really a Loose Cultivator?

Ao Guang the Dragon King maintained his composure, looking toward the Nine Nether Elder, he said: "Fellow Daoist Nine Nether, if you are familiar with the Central Domain, perhaps you could enlighten Young Friend Xu, saving Ao from unnecessary words."

In response to Ao Guang the Dragon King’s probing, the Nine Nether Elder let out a few hoarse laughs, not refusing:

"Since the Dragon King invites, this old man shall oblige."

He turned to Xu Ping, "Young Xu, you should know that in the mortal world there are eight major domains, but the space between each domain is not a plain pathway; rather, there exists an immensely powerful domain force."

Xu Ping nodded, knowing this part: "I have some knowledge on that."

"The domain force is like an invisible barrier, posing greater difficulty the higher one’s cultivation."

"For a Divinity Transformation cultivator to forcefully traverse it is nearly impossible unless a stable space passage temporarily occurs due to space tides or other natural phenomena."

"And for cultivators below the Divinity Transformation, the blockade is relatively smaller, and with the aid of mystical treasures like the ’Realm Stone,’ traversing becomes possible."

This was the reason why, in the past, the Star Palace Saints had to return to the Wind Origin Realm after a combination of space tides.

In his mind, Xu Ping silently repeated these words but did not speak aloud.

"Precisely."

The Nine Nether Elder nodded appreciatively, "Moreover, for Divinity Transformation cultivators not from this domain, even if they enter another domain through a passage, they will face suppression and rejection from the local world’s laws, unable to fully exert their strength."

The Nine Nether Elder continued, a glint in his eyes: "However, the Central Domain is a significant exception."

"The domain force between it and the other seven major domains is alarmingly weak."

"A Divinity Transformation cultivator, if they willingly exhaust a massive amount of Primordial Qi, can barely forcefully cross domains on their own."

"Though the cost is enormous, once within the Central Domain, the level of suppression and rejection by the world’s laws is far lower than in other domains."

"Is that so?"

Hearing this, Xu Ping was slightly shocked.

This meant that the Central Domain almost became an open ’public area’ for the Divinity Transformation cultivators from various domains, its strategic importance and complexity easily imagined.

"There’s more to it."

The Nine Nether Elder continued, revealing even more shocking information to Xu Ping, "The uniqueness of the Central Domain is far beyond that; every century, the surrounding domain force undergoes a large cyclical weakening."

"During this period, if one can leverage a pre-established fifth-grade cross-domain teleportation array, the cost for a Divinity Transformation cultivator to come and go from this domain will be greatly reduced, almost allowing for ’free travel.’"