The night sky hung low. The countless stars were spotted across it.
The familiar stars seen from within the plane now hung directly above in the boundless skies, so close it seemed one could just fly up and pluck them.
But Greem knew that each of these stars represented a plane world that carried the lives of hundreds of millions. Although they seemed really close, in truth, it would take at least a hundred years to cross the infinite sea of stars to reach them.
The term "sea of stars" was not a metaphor. It was a description.
Any two planes within the multiverse were separated by an extremely long distance. It is not emptiness that was between them, but rather energy tides so strong and powerful it's hard to even imagine. Where there were energy tides, there were high tides and low tides. There were times of storms and times of calm seas.
In this seemingly empty space, chaotic energy flows were everywhere. The first thing any being needs to do when they enter the infinite space is to protect themselves from the damage of turbulent energy flows.
Space was not empty. Energy reigns there.
Energy tides flowed aimlessly in space. Sometimes they gathered in a place, forming powerful and terrifying energy storms. These stormy areas easily extended up to hundreds of thousands of miles wide. The large ones even went up to millions of miles large.
The energy corrosion strength at the eye of the space storm could go up to a shocking 10000 points. Even a Fifth Grade Adept would die if he was pulled into such a storm. Even at the edge of a storm, the strength of turbulent energy flows could reach up to 100 points.
What this meant for any adepts that breached into an energy storm was that their energy shield had to constantly bear energy corrosion of up to 100 points. This……this was equal to the normal damage of an actual adept!
Once the adept's energy shield is broken, a First Grade Adept would be minced into tiny particles within seconds by the energy flows. The particles would then be swept away by the energy tides to any corner in the multiverse.
Thus a First Grade Adept would have trouble surviving in the sea of stars once they left the protection of the plane barrier behind. To rely solely on bodily strength to travel across space, this was something only Grand Adepts could do!
The pseudo-plane slowly drifted in space.
Sparkling fireworks could be seen everywhere on the world membrane that protected the pseudo-plane.
That was the result of friction between the turbulent energy flows and the membrane. It looked beautiful from afar, but the strength of the energy contained was no weaker than the strongest attack an advanced apprentice could fire. If someone left the protection of the world membrane and entered the infinite galaxies, their protective shield had to constantly bear no less than 50 points of energy damage.
And this was the energy tides at their most calm.
Even with Greem could only stay within the infinite galaxies for no more than 15 minutes with his current power.
Greem's temporary quarters was within one of the exceptionally tall stone peaks. It was a small room dug out of the stone. He has already been here for three days, but there was nothing to do. Everyday Greem could only meditate, stare at the stars or speak with the adept that lived nearby.
He had thought the 7 First Grade Adepts in the party this time had been all of the Sarubo's clan active forces. But when another three adept parties appeared before him, Greem realised that the Sarubo had hidden some of its adept forces. These adepts usually were hidden in those lesser planes.
This was a need born out of reality.
Lesser planes were smaller planes enslaved by adepts through barbaric strength and bloody means. The adepts' ruling structure would easily be toppled if they lacked the necessary numbers to defend.
Thus, tall Adept's towers were built in every lesser plane, stationed with numerous adepts. This was to ensure that the exploitation of the lesser planes' resources would proceed smoothly.
This was the true core profit that every adept family needed to protect.
The clan outpost in the World of Adepts, on the other hand, was no more than a source of fresh blood to keep training new adepts. Of course, the value of the source of fresh blood could not be replaced by any lesser planes. The clan could continue to produce new adepts and strengthen itself as long as the clan's roots in the Continent of Adepts were never destroyed.
Thus many adept clans have extended their reach to all over the infinite sea of stars even though their roots remained in the World of Adepts. Every time they found a material world weaker than themselves, they would find a way to invade, and squeeze the sweet sweet nectar out of it, making their roots stronger, making them more powerful……
The adepts that regrouped with Greem's party were adepts reassigned from the two lesser planes that belonged to the Sarubo clan. If these experienced adepts were the main combat forces of the Sarubo clan, Greem's party were only a bunch of rookies. A bunch of rookies that haven't experienced the grind and refinement of plane wars.
All sorts of unexpected situation could happen in the initial invasion of a new plane. The clan's spine would be shattered if these veterans were lost in such a careless fashion. Naturally, this meant that the best scouts were the adepts such as Greem, the newly advanced adepts.
Of course, no adept would come out and so publicly and explicitly point this out to Greem. This was a conclusion Greem came to through his own evaluation and sorting of various detailed information.
Their party was a scouting party meant to explore unexplored territory for the clan. One mistake and their lives could be in danger!
Greem could tell this was the case, but there was nothing he could do. After all, this is a process all adepts have to go through. Why else would the clan spend a huge amount of resources on them!
This mostly referred to those adepts of the Sarubo clan. Greem, Mary, and Acteon, on the other hand, were basically like the bastards of the clan. Hardly any resources for them, but a hell lot of work to be done.
…………
The fifth day on the pseudo-plane. The day of action had arrived.
Greem's party were brought to a well hidden arcane hall under Sir Fügen's lead.
There, Greem saw the most shocking scene of his life.
A single person, a single adept, sat in the middle of the hall, legs crossed.
Below his body was a gigantic array Greem had never seen before. Behind him, an odd space vortex was opened in the middle of the air. Tens of thousands of golden chains that were somewhere between solid and nothingness extended out of the vortex, tightly latching on to the body of the man.
The adept had a black robe on his body. The hood was pulled down low, obscuring his face. The gigantic array was continually functioning, helping him resist the corrosion of the mysterious chains.
Greem could feel a terrifying strength that could shatter space and shake planes around him even though he couldn't tell the power level of this mystery adept. From those chains of space, Greem could sense the aura of the laws of planes.
Was this.....the material projection of the strength of a certain law of planes?!
Greem was shocked into silence.
He had only understood a small and insignificant piece of the laws of flames and it was sufficient to allow him to advance to an adept. But the adept before him was clearly grappling with a major law of a certain plane. How unimaginably terrifying was this!
Even the cold Fügen became cautious as they approached this place.
Fügen didn't dare to take a single step into the gigantic array. Instead, he bowed at the edge of the hall and greeted the adept:"Reverent Lord Sarubo, I've brought the first batch of adepts to enter the plane. "
All the clan adepts were shocked as they heard Fügen's words.
Was this……was this mysterious adept the person who created the clan thousands of years ago? Was this……Lord Sarubo? If it was him, didn't that mean they were looking at a Fifth.... no, maybe even Sixth Grade Adept!
Almost instantly, everyone lowered their heads. They no longer dared to stare at this mysterious adept.
As Sarubo adepts, the terrifying Great Adept who created the clan was a deity in their hearts. Although they could not pray to him and believe him as a true god, they were still deeply impressed by his strength and power.
First Grade Adept was most possibly the peak of their lives for many of the people here. A Fifth or Sixth Grade Great Adept was well beyond the realms of their imagination! It was a dream that couldn't even dare to think of!
When their dream was put right before their eyes, none of the adepts could stay calm. Their mental flux started to boil and bubble, reflecting their excitement.
The adepts didn't lift their heads, but a deep and compelling voice boomed in everyone's mind.
"I have corroded a wormhole on this plane barrier. A spirit clone split off from my consciousness has found a suitable location on the other side.
You are all First Grade Adepts. The brand of the World of Adepts isn't as strong on you. As long as you remain inconspicuous, the will of this plane will not retaliate too strongly. Your first mission there is to construct a forward operating base, to construct a simplified Adept's tower.
Take note!
Although I have suppressed most of the plane's retaliation on the other side, you will still need to get used to the new laws of the plane on the other side.
Remember, under the pretext of not exposing your identities to the natives, you must protect this forward base with your lives. You must protect my spirit clone. Your mission is done once I have finished a basic analysis of that plane's laws.
All of you will receive more than you can imagine!
Now, prepare! I will send you over immediately. "
The 7 adepts who were to be the vanguards listened respectfully to the mysterious adept's words as they prepared silently. With a wave of his hand, a single gold chain split off from the space vortex. In one swift move, it pierced all the adepts.
The next moment, all 7 adepts disappeared into the vortex under the powerful pull of the strength of the plane law. They didn't even have the opportunity to scream.