Chapter 348: Shadow Realm
Ashlock followed his ethereal roots through the endless void. Despite knowing there should be a collection of pocket realms here, like lanterns floating in the darkness. Yet, there was simply nothing. Either the void obscured their existence, or they were elsewhere.
He also couldn't see the upper layers of creation, which should have been overhead—whichever direction overhead was supposed to be. It was hard to tell up from down when surrounded by nothingness.
"I thought I felt the presence of someone familiar," a perfectly neutral voice echoed through the void. Then, a giant red eye opened before him as if it had always been there.
"Mars, it's good to see you again," Ashlock replied to Maple's sibling, using Abyssal Whispers as he paused his journey through his root. "How have you been?"
The eye seemed amused by his words, "Same old, same old. If I get lazy, time ceases to flow, and since our last meeting, I have been rather bored." Tendrils of darkness slipped out from a giant mass of something hidden behind the eye and seemed to come toward Ashlock's vision with curiosity. "So imagine my surprise when I awoke from a nap and sensed something traversing the void. I had hoped for a tasty fool trying to sneak between the layers, but it turned out to be my sibling's favorite spirit tree. What brings you to the void? Finally, starting the era of ascension again? That's always fun."
"Sadly, not yet." Ashlock replied, "I have just entered the Nascent Soul Realm, and my sect members are far from strong enough to deal with even middling sects on the 8th layer of creation. We have a long way to go until then."
Ashlock could feel Mars' disappointment. He had promised to help them enter heaven's reality once he reached the 8th layer of creation and retrieved the next divine fragment. Until then, they were stuck in the endless void, dying of boredom.
"I suppose I can't blame you. It hasn't been that long since we last spoke. Right?"
Ashlock had lost track, "It can't have been more than a few months ago."