Immortal Paladin

Chapter 471 458 Departure from the Hollowed World

458 Departure from the Hollowed World

It was night, and we deliberately chose this hour for departure.

The Spirit Wheel Wave-Breaking Ship loomed quietly against the dark horizon, its runic lines dimmed to a faint glow to avoid unnecessary attention. The twin spirit-driven wheels rotated with a low hum, cutting through the void with surprising elegance. The name was still an abomination to pronounce, so in my mind I had already renamed it the Mighty Duck. It felt far more dignified.

"So, what's the plan?" Dave asked from the main wheel, his hands resting confidently on the control array.

This vessel truly had absurd functions. One of the most impressive was its compatibility with Holy Spirits. In an emergency, Dave could merge with the ship itself, reinforcing its defenses or even piloting it beyond normal limitations. Nongmin and Zai Ai had really outdone themselves.

"Since Joan learned the planar spell from Alice," I began, "I am thinking we split into two batches. Joan and Dave will return directly to Losten. The rest of us will head to the nearest civilization in the underworld and establish a base of operations."

Logistics remained my biggest concern. Without my Manasouls, coordinating between the Hollowed World and wherever we ended up would be significantly more complicated. If I still had them, I could simply summon people across realms with minimal effort. Now, everything required planning and redundancy.

"This mission will be dangerous," I continued. "There are too many unknown elements at play. However, as long as we proceed carefully, we should be fine."

Honestly, I believed the journey between the Hollowed World and False Earth had been more dangerous than what awaited us now. At least this time, we were not blindly leaping into a collapsing system.

Alice crossed her arms thoughtfully. "What if there are entire planets of demons waiting for us there?"

I visibly shuddered.

The memory of facing even one such planet resurfaced immediately. During the Empire's civil war, Yuan Shen had nearly summoned a demonic world into the Hollowed World. I barely stopped it, and that was with every advantage I could muster.

"I had Nongmin and Shouquan perform divinations," I replied. "The closest major realm is the underworld. As for demonic planets, there should be none near the Hollowed World. I made sure of that."

I had learned one of the Dark Veil's more terrifying functions during that crisis: it could pull descending realms toward the Hollowed World. With that same mechanism, I could also interfere and prevent unwanted realms from anchoring themselves here. It was unfortunate for drifting worlds that lost their direction, but after recalling Mao Xian's memories of his refugee civilization being Cleansed by the Four Powers, I no longer entertained naive sentiments about cosmic migration. Survival trumped sympathy.

"I left the Hollow Star with Jue Bu," I added. "We managed to fool that damned crown into recognizing him as me. It is a significant loss of resources for us, but the Hollowed World needs more qi circulation now that we no longer have the Arch Gate. As for the Dark Veil, I am keeping a portion with me. Any questions?"

Jiang Zhen raised his hand eagerly. "How long will this expedition last?"

I hesitated.

"Possibly thousands of years," I admitted. "Shouquan shared stories of his travels in the Greater Universe. It took him several thousand years just to familiarize himself with one of the six major realms. However, we cannot use his experience as a baseline. In his era, the nearest major realm was Hell."

I paused, letting that sink in.

"You can imagine how brutal that must have been. Compared to a place like that, the underworld should be… manageable."

Behind me, Jue Bu let out a long sigh of relief.

"I am glad I passed down the title of Sect Master," he muttered. "If this was going to take that long, I would rather not deal with sect politics across millennia."

"We'll find a way to make travel back and forth easier," I explained. "Nongmin promised to make it his top priority. If any of you need to send letters or updates, just tell me. My connection with Jue Bu should make communication possible."

With the World Tree anchoring faith and Jue Bu acting as a living receptacle tied to my authority, I was confident I could stay informed about the Hollowed World. Governance had never suited me. I preferred action over administration. However, I was not irresponsible enough to ignore the weight of the position I held. Even if I stepped away physically, I could not afford to be absent in influence.

From the crow's nest, Ru Qiu called out, "I can see the Dark Veil from here."

I looked toward Dave at the helm. "Increase our pace."

He nodded and activated Divine Possession, merging with the Mighty Duck. The vessel responded immediately. Spiritual circuits flared brighter, the twin wheels spun with intensified pressure, and our absurd xianxia paddle steamer surged forward with startling acceleration.

A Guardian flying on a sword approached, clearly intending to intercept us. However, when he saw who stood on deck, recognition dawned in his eyes. He gave a respectful nod and veered away without a word.

We could have taken the official route through the Great Desert and the World Tree. That path to the Dark Veil was stable and well-guarded. Unfortunately, it was also highly visible. Too many eyes would witness our departure.

When the Promised Land of the Heavenly Temple had been gouged from its foundation and teleported into the Great Desert, it left behind an enormous trench. That trench connected directly to the Dark Veil below. From above, it appeared as a massive scar in the earth, plunging endlessly downward.

Guardians of the Holy Ascension Empire patrolled the perimeter in steady rotations. As our vessel approached, they scattered respectfully, clearing the airspace.

The Mighty Duck began its descent.

From this angle, I had to admit the vessel truly did resemble a duck. The two massive wheels on either side looked like oversized webbed feet, and the shape of the bow had a vaguely beak-like curve. When I once questioned Sikao Biaoji about the design, he insisted it was a dragon with sharp, cunning eyes. Nongmin and Zai Ai had glared at me so intensely afterward that I decided to keep my duck observations to myself.

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Fan Shi clutched the railing, her knuckles pale. "We won't suddenly get trapped down there, right?"

Joan answered calmly before I could. "We'll be fine. David has ownership of the Dark Veil."

I decided to tease them anyway. "It is not a big deal. It is just a lake filled with primordial properties. Yuan Shun once used this place as Shouquan's prison and tortured him with it. It is also responsible for dragging realms from outside into the Hollowed World. During the civil war, Yuan Shen attempted to summon an entire demon planet through similar mechanics."

Alice shot me a sharp look. "Not funny."

She had been quieter than usual. Leaving Gu Jie behind had affected her more than she let on. She blamed me a little, though she understood the reasoning. That understanding did not make it easier.

We reached the bottom of the trench.

Below us lay the unmoving, pitch-black lake that formed the surface manifestation of the Dark Veil. It was not reflective. It was not rippling. It was simply there, swallowing light without distortion.

"Steady," I murmured.

The Mighty Duck touched the surface and began to submerge.

The moment we entered, everything turned dark. Yet it was a strange darkness. We could still perceive ourselves and one another clearly. Colors remained intact. Forms were not distorted. It was as though the concept of light had been removed, yet perception remained.

The sensation was familiar to me, but I could feel the tension radiating from the others.

I let a thin layer of the Dark Veil respond to my will, ensuring the vessel remained protected within its own domain.

"Stay sharp," I said quietly. "We do not know what is waiting for us on the other side."

Soon, we pierced through the Dark Veil.

The transition was abrupt yet familiar. One moment we were submerged in primordial darkness, and the next we emerged into open space. The Hollowed World floated behind us, encircled by a somber array of celestial bodies. Asteroids drifted in uneven belts, fractured moons rotated lazily, faint gas giants shimmered with muted hues, and distant ice planets reflected cold, indifferent light.

It was beautiful in a desolate way.

Farther out, I saw them.

Void Beasts.

They lingered in the distance like nightmares given form, massive entities that resembled clouds of gray flesh, neither fully gas nor solid. Their bodies shifted constantly, sprouting countless limbs—arms, tendrils, claws, wings—only to reabsorb them moments later. Tens of thousands of mouths opened and closed across their surfaces, each lined with jagged, glasslike teeth that caught starlight in grotesque glimmers.

Even for me, they were unsettling.

As we gained distance, I looked back at the Hollowed World. Its dark shell wrapped around it like a singularity, less like a planet and more like a contained black hole. The Dark Veil formed a smooth, light-devouring surface around the world, an artificial horizon separating safety from the void.

Then I froze.

On the distant curvature of the Hollowed World's horizon, something massive moved.

"DA WEI! GET OUT OF THERE! I WILL KILL EVERYONE YOU LOVE! I WILL ACQUIRE YOU! I WILL OFFER YOU TO MY CREATOR AND HE WILL LOVE ME!"

Aixin.

Her titanic form clung to the Dark Veil, embracing it like a deranged lover while pounding against it again and again. She looked like an enormous star condensed into a vaguely humanoid shape, radiating violent brilliance. Even at this distance, her presence warped perception.

Such a persistent woman.

I had almost forgotten about her.

Of course she noticed us immediately.

Her featureless face turned in our direction.

"FOUND YOU."

She extended one colossal hand and unleashed a torrent of destructive power.

"Son of a bitch, she's spawn camping…"

I raised my hand and invoked my authority over the Dark Veil. The dark shell around the Hollowed World reacted instantly. A massive hand formed from condensed veil, erupting outward to intercept the beam. The impact shook the surrounding void, but the attack was blocked.

"Stealth Formation and Warp, fast!" I shouted.

Dave did not hesitate. The Mighty Duck roared to life, its spiritual engines flaring as a thin layer of the Dark Veil enveloped it. The stealth formation activated seamlessly, and in the same motion, the vessel entered warp.

Stars elongated.

Space folded.

In the blink of an eye, we were surrounded by distant constellations and veils of nebulous light.

I turned back.

Far behind us, I could still see a patch of unnatural darkness marking where the Hollowed World cast its shadow. Even at this distance, Aixin remained visible, though reduced to a furious dot. She lashed out wildly, her power rippling uselessly through space.

"DA WEEEIII!"

Her scream echoed faintly through the void before fading.

Thankfully, her reach did not extend this far.

I exhaled slowly.

The Mighty Duck was truly incredible. Most vessels could not combine stealth and warp simultaneously without leaving detectable traces. Yet this ship had hidden us from an existence like Aixin. That alone justified the sacrifices.

I had given up my LLO weapons for this. Their shattered fragments now rested with Nongmin for recycling. I had deposited many of my remaining treasures into the Empire's repository for future generations. I had outgrown most of my items anyway. I still carried a number of artifacts, but I doubted I would rely on them often.

Another distant burst of power flared behind us as Aixin raged.

I turned my attention to the deck.

Jiang Zhen and Fan Shi looked pale. They were below Ascended Soul and could not naturally sustain themselves in the vacuum of space. Ascended Souls could survive comfortably through immortality alone, but they could not.

Joan stepped forward silently and cast a series of blessings. Warm light enveloped the two cultivators, stabilizing their breathing and anchoring their vitality.

Their complexions improved almost immediately.

I nodded at Joan in appreciation.

I spread my arms slightly and looked at the vast expanse around us. "This is going to be quite an adventure, huh?"

From the crow's nest, Ru Qiu called down, "What's next from here, David? Are you going to try becoming the Pirate King or something?"

I chuckled.

The joke landed perfectly for me, though the others looked confused. I shook my head.

"No. I am thinking something more grounded." I glanced at them one by one, feeling the weight of what lay ahead. "What do you think about spreading the faith with me?"

"No," Ru Qiu said flatly, sounding utterly uninterested.

That response came from a man who once led a cult.

I opened my mouth to give a proper explanation about strategic faith expansion, resource consolidation, and long-term metaphysical anchoring across realms, but before I could begin, Dave undid his Divine Possession and reported calmly, "We have a stowaway."

I frowned.

Without another word, Dave walked below deck. We heard a few muffled sounds, followed by the scraping of wood against metal. He returned, dragging a barrel behind him. He set it down gently at the center of the deck.

Alice crossed her arms, already scowling. "Come out."

The lid creaked open.

An infant floated upward from inside the barrel.

She wore dark robes embroidered with golden dragons, far too elaborate for her tiny body. Her expression was carefully neutral, but her eyes refused to meet mine.

It was Gu Jie.

Alice immediately began massaging her forehead.

While she had been heartbroken about leaving Gu Jie behind, she had reluctantly accepted that it was safer that way. Now, that hard-earned acceptance was cracking in real time.

I stared at the floating baby for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Hahahaha, you clever little thing."

Gu Jie looked even more determinedly away from me.

We could not simply turn around and send her back. Aixin was still lingering near the Hollowed World. That lunatic goddess would never allow us to slip past her a second time so easily, much less a third. She would be watching, anticipating.

I rubbed my chin and asked, "How did you do it?"

She answered quietly, "I hid my destiny."

Ah.

Of course she did.

Her Immortal Art was so absurdly broken that she managed to fool a deck full of Ascended Souls. Even I had not noticed. I should have scanned the entire vessel with Ophanim before departure, but I had been too focused on other things.

That was on me.

I crossed my arms and stared at her. "You do realize how reckless this was?"

She remained silent.

I sighed.

Using a small portion of my limited quintessence, I shaped it carefully in my palm. The power of creation responded sluggishly, but it was enough. Threads of light wove together, forming a simple, cone-shaped object.

A dunce cap.

I placed it gently on Gu Jie's head.

She blinked.

Then I pointed toward the far side of the deck. "Go face the wall."

She floated over obediently, tiny hands clasped behind her back, the golden dragons on her robes glinting faintly under starlight. The dunce cap wobbled slightly as she positioned herself toward the wooden railing.

The crew watched in stunned silence.

Alice looked like she did not know whether to laugh or cry.

I exhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of my nose.

We had barely escaped a cosmic yandere goddess.

We were heading into the underworld on a thousand-year expedition.

And now we had smuggled royalty in a barrel.

This was going to be a long journey.