Chapter 602 - 583: The Destroyed Imperial Dynasty, Equivalent Exchange

The strong will always be strong, capable of ignoring all rules.

The Black Dragon once possessed the power to roam the cosmos. However, he later encountered the Profound Celestial Divine Monarch and was reduced to his current state as an Artifact Spirit.

However, the Experience he gained while roaming the stars remained in his mind, never forgotten.

Because of this, he understood better than anyone just how powerful a being like a True God truly was.

When the Array Spirit first mentioned the destruction of the Purple Void Imperial Dynasty, the Black Dragon’s immediate reaction was disbelief. But when he learned a True God had been involved, he fell silent. He knew that if such a being took action, it could indeed annihilate the Purple Void Imperial Dynasty.

Such powerful beings rarely took action, but when they did, the results were earth-shattering and utterly terrifying.

Countless lives would be extinguished in an instant!

Now, having confirmed these secrets from the Array Spirit, the Black Dragon still found it all rather incredible.

’Such a massive Imperial Dynasty... destroyed just like that.’

He had originally hoped to learn the location of a Cross-Realm Teleportation Array from the Array Spirit and use it to leave the Taiyu Divine Continent. Now, that hope was shattered.

"What about the Cross-Realm Teleportation Arrays belonging to other powers? Surely they weren’t all destroyed by that powerful True God, too?"

The Black Dragon asked, looking at the Array Spirit.

If only the Purple Void Imperial Dynasty’s Cross-Realm Teleportation Array had been destroyed, there would still be hope. But if all of them were gone, that would be truly despairing.

"I’m not entirely sure."

"After that True God made their move, this Secret Realm went into seclusion. I haven’t had any contact with the outside world since."

"This is the first time the Secret Realm has reappeared in the world since the True God took action."

the azure Array Spirit said slowly.

’It had been in this space for far too long. It, too, wanted to escape.’

"Then are there any Great Shift Orders left in this Secret Realm?"

Unable to find a Cross-Realm Teleportation Array, the Black Dragon naturally turned his attention to the Great Shift Order, which was a prerequisite for using one.

With Yang Chan’s current Cultivation, his physical body couldn’t possibly survive crossing between worlds. The immense spatial tearing forces would be enough to rip him to shreds.

Unless Yang Chan could break through to the Divine Acupoint Realm, but the Black Dragon considered that an impossibility.

"Of course there are."

As the Array Spirit spoke, a palm-sized Token materialized and floated before it. The character for ’Realm’ was clearly carved on its surface.

The Black Dragon, however, paid no mind to the inscription. Instead, he focused on sensing the aura emanating from the Token.

He had possessed a Great Shift Order before, so he knew its true nature. The inscription wasn’t important. What mattered was whether the Great Shift Order was complete and could provide protection. That was the crucial part.

"I have a method for an Array Spirit to achieve transcendence, and I can offer you a new path. How about we trade that for the Great Shift Order in your possession?"

The Black Dragon knew exactly why the Array Spirit hadn’t simply handed over the Great Shift Order.

’An equivalent exchange.’

That was the Array Spirit’s mindset.

"Fine!"

The azure Array Spirit considered it for a moment before nodding in agreement.

The Array Spirit had little interest in ordinary Treasures. It had seen countless such items within the Solitary Void Trial Array and no longer cared for them. The only thing it truly cared about was a method to escape its current predicament.

It had spoken at such length with the Black Dragon for the sole purpose of learning how to break free.

With a mere thought, the Array Spirit sent the Great Shift Order directly to Yang Chan.

Handing over the item first was a show of its sincerity.

It could afford to do so because Yang Chan and the Black Dragon were still within the Solitary Void Trial Array. If it wished, neither of them would be able to leave.

This was a display of confidence in its own power.

Yang Chan accepted the Great Shift Order. He looked at the palm-sized Token; it seemed unremarkable, with no distinguishing features. Holding it in his hand, however, he could sense a power contained within, though it remained dormant.

The Black Dragon Soul Body appeared over the Great Shift Order, confirming there were no issues with it.

Inspecting it from afar might lead to errors, but up close, there was no mistaking it.

"Regarding methods for beings like Array Spirits and Artifact Spirits to become independent entities, I have two special Cultivation Techniques. The first is the Three Gold Domain Transformation Technique, and the second is the Quicksand Great Method. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses..."

The Black Dragon directly shared the methods from his inherited memories. These were techniques that could only work because the Solitary Void Trial Array was not a Divine Level Array, allowing the spirit to break free from its physical constraints.

However, this freedom was not without its own limitations.

All special beings, be they Array Spirits or Artifact Spirits, had restrictions. It was only a matter of how great the price.

"In your current Soul Body state, you should be able to use the power of the Solitary Void Trial Array and the Treasures within it. This will allow your Soul Body to no longer be confined to this Grand Array. However, to achieve true transcendence, you still need to break the restrictions imposed by a Divine Spirit."

"As you know, the Taiyu Divine Continent is not a suitable place for that!"

After explaining the two methods, the Black Dragon continued.

The two methods were genuine, but they were useless to him. Furthermore, using them would cause his own power to decline even further. For him, the cost far outweighed the benefits; otherwise, he would have used them long ago.

"The only way to leave is by using a Cross-Realm Teleportation Array!"

the Black Dragon added.

"I know, but I truly don’t know where any Cross-Realm Teleportation Arrays are on the Taiyu Divine Continent."

"However, there are a few places you could try searching..."

The Array Spirit was pleased to have gotten what it wanted. However, following the methods provided, it would still take a very long time to break free from the Solitary Void Trial Array’s constraints.

Even if it escaped, there would still be limitations. Its power would weaken after leaving the Solitary Void Trial Array, unless it could succeed in Refining the entire Grand Array into its body, achieving a state where the Array Spirit becomes the array itself.

The difficulty of such a feat, however, was unimaginable.

It had long been prepared for this, though.

The two methods the Black Dragon provided would only release it from some of its restrictions.

In exchange, the Array Spirit mentioned several locations that might house Cross-Realm Teleportation Arrays. These were once the most powerful factions under the Purple Void Imperial Dynasty. If anyone had been capable of building such an array, it would have been them.

It couldn’t be certain, however.

"Alright. If we find the location of a Cross-Realm Teleportation Array, we’ll inform you. Consider it payment for the information,"

Yang Chan finally spoke, his voice slow and deliberate.

’Having some leads is far better than having none at all.’

The Black Dragon and the Array Spirit continued their conversation, but the topic shifted. They now spoke of the situation within the Purple Void Secret Realm itself. Even without a Cross-Realm Teleportation Array, the Black Dragon had another objective: the member of the Dragon Race within this Grand Array.

He needed to learn everything he could about this dragon in advance. That way, when the time came, he could control it, extinguish its soul, and seize its physical body. By doing so, his own Soul Body could return to the Divine Acupoint Realm.

The Black Dragon had never lost sight of this goal. In his eyes, it was even more important than finding a Cross-Realm Teleportation Array!