Nie Tian had never expected there to be such an incredible space in the depths of the earth in the Realm of Middle Continent.

On the realm’s surface.

Dong Li, Yin Xingtian, Yu Suying, and Master Blood Spirit burst into a great clamor.

“What? There’s a giant human-form corpse in the depths of the earth?”

“No way! Even in dharma idol form, no human should be that large!”

“My heavens! The wondrous changes in the Realm of Middle Continent are actually caused by the strange energies released by that dead giant?”

After listening to Nie Tian, Grand Monarch Primal Wood of the Floragrims felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and also exclaimed, “That’s impossible!”

Flabbergasted, Ji Yuanquan said, “How is that possible?”

“I’ve got to report this to our creator first!” Grand Monarch Primal Wood said hurriedly.

At that moment, Dong Li’s expression changed as he called out, “Zhao Shanling! Would you deactivate the teleportation portal that connects the Realm of Middle Continent and the Realm of Unbounded Desolation for the time being? We can’t let those who’re not with us enter this realm before we figure out what’s going on with that dead giant in the depths of earth!”

Ji Yuanquan’s expression changed slightly as he heard this.

Almost everyone present were Nie Tian’s trusted followers. Only he and Grand Monarch Primal Wood were technically ‘those who weren’t with them.’

Even though they hadn’t figured out the origin of that dead giant in the depths of the earth, according to Nie Tian, the heart-protecting plate and the frigid gem were both precious treasures at the same level as the Space Boundaries Crystal.

Perhaps there were even more treasures that had yet to be discovered.

The dead giant could be considered a secret treasure house. If the Realm of Middle Continent was sealed off, then the four great sects of the Mortal World wouldn’t be able to enter.

Then, no matter what treasure or wonders were unearthed from the dead giant, they would have nothing to do with the four great sects.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Shanling turned to fix Nie Tian with an inquiring look.

Nie Tian nodded slowly. “This is a matter of great importance. We’d better keep it a secret before we figure out what’s happening.”

Without saying another word, Zhao Shanling flew off with a whoosh.

Shortly afterwards, he returned and said, “The Realm of Middle Continent is sealed off now. No one can get here through the teleportation portal in the Realm of Unbounded Desolation anymore. The only way to enter is through the realm barrier from the starry river.”

“That’s great,” Nie Tian said, looking somewhat relieved. “Alright, now, let’s talk it out. Do you think it’s possible for a human that size to exist? Also, it’s very consuming to maintain my connection to my soul awareness down there. Is there a solution?

“Are there other ways to enter that underground space?

“Both You Qimiao and Han Qing found themselves in there somehow after reaching the bottom of that frigid lake, but that won’t be an option for you. We’ve got to see if there are other ways.”

...

In the vast space in the depths of the earth.

Nie Tian’s soul shadow turned to You Qimiao and Han Qing, and said, “My true form isn’t here, so I can’t use my flesh power. With my soul awareness alone, I can’t determine whether this giant is a human or not. However, like you said, the wide array of energies in this vast space appear to be coming from him, and we suspect that he belongs to the same cultivation system as we do.

“Hence, it’s very likely that he’s a human.

“If he’s actually a human, where did he come from?”

Nie Tian looked deeply puzzled.

Both You Qimiao and Han Qing remained silent, as neither of them could answer this question.

“The Tree of Life examined the Realm of Middle Continent very long ago,” Nie Tian added. “Shortly after the birth of humanity, the Tree of Life extended its power here. However, it failed to find anything noteworthy about the Realm of Middle Continent back then. And it didn’t understand why humanity would suddenly be born in a place like it.

“So the question is: was this giant here before or after the birth of humanity? If he was here before the birth of humanity, and the Tree of Life just failed to detect him, could the birth of humanity have something to do with him?”

Both You Qimiao and Han Qing shuddered slightly upon hearing this.

This enormous human-form being was so full of mysteries that the three of them felt as if their heads were in the clouds.

“I failed to penetrate the energy ward with my soul power. It was my three fragmentary star marks that succeeded.” Nie Tian thought to himself. “Also, according to the Tree of Life, it sensed an unusual stir in the star core of the Realm of Middle Continent. Star core... Where can it be?”

As his train of thought came to this point, his soul shadow suddenly split into three and returned to the three fragmentary star marks.

As soon as his soul wisps entered the fragmentary star marks, he felt much safer, as if the lightning bolts and streaks of golden light that shot skywards from the giant human-form being from time to time could no longer harm him.

Hence, his three soul wisps controlled the fragmentary star marks from within.

Like three brilliant stars, the wondrous marks flickered as they started flying about in this vast space. They carefully examined the giant from above, carefully avoiding the rising lightning bolts and steering clear of the golden heart-protecting plate on the giant’s chest.

FIZZ!

Despite his cautiousness, a raging bolt of lightning suddenly blasted skywards and struck one of the marks.

The wisp of Nie Tian’s soul within it realized that this could be its end.

However, to his surprise, nothing seemed to happen after the bolt of lightning struck the fragmentary star mark. It didn’t pierce into the mark or anything.

That wisp of Nie Tian’s soul remained unscathed.

The numerous magical symbols within the mark remained as brilliant as before.

“Don’t tell me that my fragmentary star marks can be used as protective talismans in this special space!”

After going blank for a moment, he tried to fly one of the fragmentary star marks to the giant’s chest where the heart-protecting plate was.

He waited there for a while.

All of a sudden, a streak of golden light blasted straight into the sky.

WHOOSH!

It went through the fragmentary star mark and continued skywards, if it didn’t exist.

“What I suspected is true!” Nie Tian was thrilled by the realization that the three fragmentary star marks really couldn’t be harmed by the lightning bolts or the streaks of golden light

Shining with starlight, the three wondrous marks immediately started flying around the giant with absolutely no scruples.

They started examining the giant’s dantian region, eyes, and head with unprecedented boldness.

“Uhh...” You Qimiao from the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect had a very complicated look on his face as he watched the three wondrous marks flying back and forth before him, being struck by lightning bolts and golden lights from time to time.

“Those marks can protect Nie Tian’s soul wisps from being annihilated,” Han Qing said.

You Qimiao nodded slightly. “Yes, but you and I have to be very careful! I was struck by a bolt of lightning when I first got here. Only after using the strength of nine bulls and two tigers (Idiom: make tremendous effort) and the Yin Yang Chaos Mirror was I able to neutralize the lightning power.”

“I know how mighty they are,” Han Qing said with a grim face. “Even though I haven’t been struck by the lightning bolts or the light shooting out of that golden heart-protecting plate, I feel stabbing pain in my every pore whenever I come close to them.”

Her cultivation base was lower. She might not be able to withstand the power that You Qimiao could. Therefore, she was even more cautious.

WHOOSH!

One of the fragmentary star marks suddenly plunged towards the giant’s abdomen, where a Qi warrior’s dantian would be.