Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 809 - 694: Unfairness and the Dark Side of the World

Squeak... Squeak...

Heading west from Celebes Island and crossing a three-hundred-kilometer buffer zone, a certain medium-sized island in the unknown regions of the "Broken Star Islands" is now filled completely with the incessant buzzing of insects.

Giant centipedes as large as bridges, spiders the size of houses, ants, locusts, mantises, woodlice, wasps, beetles... More of which are bizarre creatures, as if stitched together from insect features by some unknown demon, and cannot even be named.

However, the "monsters" appearing on this island are not only them.

Hyenas (Ghouls) belonging to the "God of Mysterious Cold Bones" Mordician; four-eyed monsters (Blasphemous Cultists) under the "Maze God" and "Just Angel"; Insectoids (Corrupted Followers) of the "Chaos Worm" Shude Mel.

And... Octopus Heads (Deceitful Dream Cultists) following the "Source of Nightmare" Hypnos.

This perilous region seems to have become the stronghold of the followers of the Ancient Gods!

And the forces gathered by the Ancient Gods seem to have grown even stronger.

The new member is that terrifying existence that perpetually traverses the Dream Realm and the Spirit Realm: the "Source of Nightmare," "Dream Eater" Hypnos, depicted as a gigantic gray-white octopus with a thousand tentacles and a thousand eyes.

Long ago, wizards speculated that this great being might be a remnant of an Ancient God from primordial times, possessing a life essence nearly surpassing Demigod Level, and now has become an indispensable part of the Spirit Realm and the Dream Realm.

Although it lacks clear independent thought and personality, and does not actively hunt humans, it operates according to predetermined rules like a natural phenomenon.

However, it instinctively spreads specific mysterious knowledge and spiritual... corruption to its worshippers. These unfortunate or fortunate individuals are the "Deceitful Dream Cultists" who once attempted to capture Aiven in the Spirit Realm.

Most of the time, they are merely ordinary humans with somewhat unusual behavior in the Material World. But by the time they reach Extraordinary Tier 2, their soul essence gradually transforms into a true Octopus Head.

This unique form grants the "Deceitful Dream Cultists" the ability to move freely in the Spirit Realm, but half of their life essence is thus assimilated into a Spirit Realm creature.

Although they can temporarily traverse back and forth between the Material and Spirit Realms freely, in general, within six to eight years, their human bodies will mutate and decay, completely releasing their now fully monstrous souls to serve the great "Source of Nightmare" in the Spirit Realm.

If they wish to return to the Material World, they must rely on Hypnos's divine power to swim back to the surface of consciousness via the ocean of collective unconsciousness, seizing the body of a living person.

Looking at the abundant Extraordinary Spiritual Light on these Octopus Heads with slightly mutated appearances, it is easy to judge that they are clearly returnees from the Spirit Realm to the Material World, and they are likely a group of Tier 3 Spirit Realm creatures!

A swarm of insects is still busy.

These followers belonging to various Ancient Gods have gathered together.

A "Blasphemous Cultist" clad in a gray-white skin robe took a deep breath and closed his eyes somewhat intoxicatedly:

"Ah, the atmosphere of this 'Broken Star Islands' just feels the best, almost like being back at the 'Mist Sea.' Though I can now move freely, the rest of the world feels like being trapped in a small box, everything is just so oppressive."

A Ghoul beside him let out two eerie laughs, taking the opportunity to vent his grievances:

"Heh heh heh, but this is ultimately just a remote corner of a vast world, barely with any people, do you want to stay in such a place all the time?

This world may be rich, but for us followers of the Ancient Gods, it's really too unfair!

Even though the Main God we serve has successfully acquired a divine position for this Era, we still have not been truly accepted by the World Will.

No matter how much we ride the wave of the times, we cannot gain any World's Favor, even though the power of the Main God has granted us longevity, our growth pace is far slower than ordinary humans!"

While none of them are good people, being followers of Ancient Gods, they share similar destinies. They are natural allies in this world and can only band together for warmth.

An Octopus Head, dwelling mainly in the Spirit Realm, yet free from their troubles, contentedly says:

"We're already quite fortunate, think of those in the depths of the 'Broken Star Islands'..."

"Ahem!"

As if a taboo had been touched, a group of Ancient God's Followers immediately fell silent.

After a good while, someone started a new topic:

"What exactly do you think that True God is scheming, why are our Main Gods willing to cooperate with a True God born in this Era? What benefits could there be in this world that is hostile to us?"

As intelligent beings, even though they have pledged allegiance to the Ancient Gods, their minds and cognition thoroughly distorted, they naturally still possess their own curiosity.

At this moment.

Yellen, whose head still maintained a human appearance but whose body was entirely covered in bony armor, as if wearing exquisite Knight Armor, interrupted the topic.

"I don't know the thoughts of the gods as wise as mountains and seas, I only know that if we don't act, it will be too late.

Corrupting large numbers of human casters who already despise the True God Church is a plan set by the Main Gods long ago. If we don't act while they leave the well-defended Wizard Tower, the consequences should be all too clear for everyone!"

Upon hearing this, a group of Ancient God's Followers instantly felt a chill in their hearts and turned to look.

In the time they were speaking, large numbers of Insectoids and "Night Spirits" with spider features had already commanded those giant insects to use the corpses of countless demonized creatures to fill in a pit ten meters deep and over five hundred square meters in area.

Some of the bodies were very fresh, while others were long rotten, emitting an unbearable stench.

Yet such things were the favorites of some terrifying beings ruling the fringes of the "Broken Star Sea"!

Others no longer dared to waste words.

"Master of the Dream Realm, Source of Nightmares... the spiritual world is yours to command... please enter my mind and life, be the savior of my soul..."

The Divine Art Orbit quietly activated, and the presiding person was clearly the newly joined "Deceitful Dream Cultist".

The blasphemous chanting gradually resounded throughout the entire island, while an ominous black-red spiritual light connected the earth and sky, seemingly shattering some barrier between the material world and the spiritual world.

Unknowingly, a nauseating flute sound began to echo with the chanting.

The sun was still hanging on the horizon, but a shadow of the world's dark side, like thick black sludge, began spreading from overhead.

Meanwhile.

A large fleet departing from Celebes Island had already crossed a vast buffer zone, seemingly devoid of any living creatures.

In fact, since the first batch of witches arrived at Celebes five hundred years ago, the Crowned Wizards had initiated an exploration plan for the "Broken Star Islands".

Some even made bold claims to completely conquer this archipelago, never before discovered by humans, and build it into a nation solely for wizards, hoping one day to even recapture the Old Continent.

However, when a Crowned Wizard fell within the "Broken Star Sea", this enthusiasm for exploration was immediately dampened considerably.

Fourth-Tier "Crowned Wizards" themselves represent a certain limit to human understanding of the world, masters of a particular path, existing beyond the cognitive scope of all humanity.

They had completed the essential transformation from human to non-human, recognized by the Origin and bestowed with a "Crown", becoming the final embodiment of certain world rules.

Theoretically, they could use that part of the world going beyond everyone's limitations to easily create a crushing situation.

However, certain places within this sea area's internal world rules differ greatly from the outside world, even causing the [Crown] representing an extreme aspect, bestowed by the World's Root Source onto the Crowned Wizard, to be tarnished.

Although still stronger than any Upper-Rank Wizard, they lost that overwhelming advantage.

Therefore, although some Crowned Wizards and rare [Truth Embodiments] have never given up their ambitions, the main force of exploration has quietly shifted to Tier 3 Grand Wizards.

Moreover, their goal is to expand living space and secure a stable supply of Extraordinary Resources, which would be meaningless if ordinary people could not survive and thrive after certain modifications.

After being screened by some Crowned Wizards, the essential power of Grand Wizards on the archipelago's periphery was deemed sufficient to handle the situation.

So in this large-scale exploration operation, each faction basically had a team led by a Tier 3 Transcendent.

This included those Aiven had seen last time: "Black Pyramid", "Necromancy School", "Elemental Breathing School", "School of Truth Gate", "Alchemy School", "Undead Staff"...

The Curse School, Shadow School, Voodoo Sect, including the Shaman Group of Totem Gods like "Mother of Water" Melro, "Rain God" Chuck, and "Lady Moth" Mercy... all took action.

After crossing the buffer zone, each carefully disembarked on a pre-surveyed island in a chosen direction.

"Teacher, the wizard from the 'Vitalist School' said the main exploration party will join us after splitting up, should we wait here for a bit?"

The Snake-eyed Witch, swaying her hips with each step, stopped and slowly nodded:

"Very well, after all, an additional Grand Wizard means added strength. I also somewhat wish to personally... what's that?"

Deeper within the "Broken Star Islands", a layer of ominous gloom was already rushing towards them.

...

Pop!

After leaping out of the [Shadow Realm], looking at the misty gray forest before him, Aiven felt a bit bewildered:

"So what's the situation here?"

Suddenly.

A flash of bright red swept across the distance directly in front of him.

"Hmm?"