Pursuit of the Truth

Xuan Shang and his clique had incredibly mixed feelings in their hearts. On one hand, they felt excited over the success they obtained after Su Ming changed their plan, but on the other hand, they were filled with surprise and a hint of uneasiness when Su Ming spoke about the Fifth True World to Dust Burners’ Progenitor.

After all, this was where Dust Burners’ tribe was located. Once their identity was exposed, it would be impossible for them to escape, and what would await them would be certain death.

While their hearts were filled with nervousness, Xuan Shang, Yun You, Nian Yin, and Huo Yu did not send thoughts to each other, but instead thought by themselves.

Xu Hui had always acknowledged Su Ming’s decisions. Even at that moment, it was the same.

The bald crane was a simple-minded creature. No matter what Su Ming did, the main thing it would focus on would only be crystals.

Su Ming sat cross-legged in the fire with closed his eyes. His expression was calm, and not a hint of emotion could be seen on him. He did not want to deceive Dust Burners’ Progenitor too much, even if he had harbored the desire to kill this race before he came here.

However, the kindly and amiable expression on Progenitor’s face had turned into a sigh in the end in Su Ming’s heart.

Humans were complicated creatures. They would be moved by certain things, and as their hearts were touched, their thoughts would also change. This was common sense.

Others would be affected in this manner, and it was the same for Su Ming.

If Dust Burners’ Progenitor had been half-hearted towards him, then he would not have moved Su Ming’s heart, but the more amiable he was to Su Ming and the more he looked at him with a kindly face, the more complicated Su Ming’s emotions became.

He was not a Dust Burner. He also came to this place with a motive. With those thoughts in his head, Su Ming had replied that he was not when Dust Burners’ Progenitor said he was a Dust Burner.

To Dust Burners’ Progenitor, this was brought about by Su Ming’s obstinance and resentment, but in truth, Su Ming was telling him the truth.

That was also why he had told the true reason why he came to this place. But clearly, it had been misunderstood by Progenitor as Su Ming making a request to him.

If he fulfilled this request, then he would choose to become a Dust Burner.

This misunderstanding came about not because Dust Burners’ Progenitor did not have enough experience, and neither was it because he was dumb. Instead, it was because there was simply no flaw in Su Ming’s transformation due to the supreme treasure, coupled with some changes the bald crane had made on some details.

There was not a single flaw in Su Ming’s story, his expressions, his gaze, and all his words.

It could be said that if any one among the supreme treasure, the bald crane, and Su Ming was missing, they would have never reached this point.

Days went by with Su Ming continuing to sit in the flames and waiting.

When one month went by, Dust Burners’ Progenitor appeared beside the one thousand feet tall tower, right beside the flames. There was a hint of fatigue on his face when he looked at Su Ming in the ball of flames.

Su Ming opened his eyes and saw the fatigue on him.

“Are you certain you want to go to the Fifth True World?” Dust Burners’ Progenitor asked calmly.

Su Ming nodded.

“If you want to go to the Fifth True World, you will need the fifth stone to go to the fifth ocean. Over there, the fifth stone will be attracted by the Fifth True World in the void and with rush there at an extreme speed. You must remember to hold onto the stone tightly, for only then will it be able to lead you through time and space.

“When you go there, you must keep the fifth stone close to you at all times. It is the only way for you to come back.” Dust Burners’ Progenitor remained silent for a moment after that. He then swung his right arm in space, and two jade slips immediately charged towards Su Ming. They seeped into the flames and floated in front of him.

When Su Ming raised his hand to receive them, he scanned them with his Atman. His heart shuddered.

The first jade slip was divided into two parts. The first one was a detailed map of the inner part of Divine Essence Star Ocean, with the fifth ocean clearly marked in there.

The second part was a gigantic outline. Three words were written on it – Fifth True World. This was a general map of the Fifth True World. Even if it was just a small part of it, it was enough to stun everyone.

After all, this was… the Fifth True World that had disappeared countless years ago!

There was only a small part in the second jade slip that was an unknown region. Bedies it, the place was divided into nine layers, and each layer was incredibly detailed. In the ninth one, which was the deepest layer, was a flaming red region. There were three words marked on it – the fifth stone!

“The second jade slip is a map of the fifth kiln. If you want to go to the Fifth True World, you will need the fifth stone, and it is only produced by the fifth kiln.” Dust Burners’ Progenitor saw shock on Su Ming’s face and explained the reason why he gave the second jade slip to him.

Su Ming fell silent, the shock in his heart becoming even greater. Besides the three maps, there was another reason why he was stunned. On the first jade slip, he had sensed… a bloody presence.

That bloody presence did not seem ancient… but was fresh.

“Progenitor, how… did you obtain this jade slip?” Su Ming hesitated for a moment before he looked at Dust Burners’ Progenitor. When he once more saw the fatigue on his face, he gradually came to an understanding.

“It’s nothing. I already had the map on the second jade slip, but the first part wasn’t complete, and while I might know the way to the Fifth True World through the fifth ocean, I’ve never went there myself. I didn’t know how to come back either. Besides, if you truly reached the Fifth True World, you would need a map. That is why I went to the fifth ocean to search for a few old friends and got myself a map.” He might have described it with a casual air, but Su Ming could hear the bloody slaughter behind his words.

During the last month, Dust Burners’ Progenitor had to have stirred up a storm in the fifth ocean, and only after a great battle would he have managed to snatch the first jade slip. The fatigue on his face was the proof of that great battle.

This was an important map, especially the parts regarding to the Fifth True World. Those in possession of such a map were definitely not weaklings, or else it would not have taken Dust Burners’ Progenitor a month to obtain it, and he would also not have returned this tired.

“By the way, if you truly obtain the fifth stone, then once you reached the fifth ocean, remember to make a copy of the map and throw the first jade slip into the ocean. At that time, someone will come get it, and once they get the jade slip, they will not make things hard for you,” Dust Burners’ Progenitor said calmly.

Su Ming fell silent. He could already imagine that there were alien races in the fifth ocean, and they would not let just anyone enter their home ground. Then the jade slip in his hands was an authentication token. One that could allow him to enter and exit the fifth ocean at will.

And him coming to possess this authentication token was related to Dust Burners’ Progenitor venturing out this time.

It was certain that besides fighting against them, Dust Burners’ Progenitor had also paid some kind of price.

“Oh, come now, don’t act like a child. I admit that I have been unjust to your father in the past and didn’t search for him, making him wander outside for so many years.

“I said that I will make up to you. Since you brought up the request to head to the Fifth True World, I naturally had to help you with all that I could. As for me, I’m fine.” Dust Burners’ Progenitor smiled kindly as he looked at Su Ming. His expression was that of a senior member of a family looking at a promising junior member of the family.

Su Ming stayed silent. He had incredibly mixed feelings in his heart, along with a hint of regret.

“Now, let’s talk about the main point. The fifth kiln…” The Progenitor’s expression became serious. “Very few people know where the fifth kiln is located in Divine Essence Star Ocean. However, most of the ancient existences still know about the connection between the fifth kiln and Dust Burners.

“The fifth kiln is the supreme treasure we Dust Burners protect,” Progenitor explained while looking at Su Ming. “However, there is one thing that most people do not know. If you could come here, then you must certainly know about the four venerated races in the inner parts of Divine Essence Star Ocean.

“Heaven Traversers have wings, Virtue Rooters have snake bodies, and Reng Wu Race… It is a group that is completely isolated from us. They live with ferocious beasts, and they have completely turned into them. In fact, I suspect that Reng Wu Race has evolved from a group of beasts.

“Only Dust Burners look somewhat normal, if you ignore our inborn ability to transform… Do you know the reason why?” Dust Burners’ Progenitor looked at Su Ming with a smile.

Su Ming hesitated for a moment before he looked back. Suddenly, an inconceivable idea formed in his mind. Once it took root, it continued growing, until it occupied all of Su Ming’s head.

His eyes focused.

“You came… from the Fifth True World, from inside the fifth kiln!” he only said these two sentences, but once they reached the child-looking Progenitor’s ears, he laughed loudly. The praise on his face grew even stronger.

“As expected of a Dust Burner who possesses the greatest amount of potential since a long time ago. That’s right, accurately speaking, we Dust Burners do not belong to Divine Essence Star Ocean. We… belong to the Fifth True World!

“In fact, we are not even a race within the Fifth True World, but are a race formed after the Vessel Spirit in the fifth kiln was dispersed!

“Our original appearance is how we appear after we transform with our inborn ability. However, once the fifth kiln reached Divine Essence Star Ocean and we obtained the forms we could manifest, we broke our previous master’s seal. Since then, Dust Burners appeared in the inner parts of Divine Essence Star Ocean!

“It has been an incredibly long time since that time. I, too, only learned about this through the words passed down the generations. It’s a pity that it has been a long time since then. When we were Vessel Spirits and had not left the fifth kiln, we did not know about much about the Fifth True World, or else I would not have needed to go to such trouble to search for a map,” Dust Burners’ Progenitor said faintly.

Su Ming might have guessed a part of it, but he was still incredibly shocked by Progenitor’s words. In his shock, another vague guess formed in his head.

This guess made him unable to keep calm. In fact, he thought that this was even crazier and even more inconceivable than his previous deduction. It was highly impossible, but the guess still continued circling in his head, out of his control.

Su Ming forced down the guess in his heart and looked at Dust Burners’ Progenitor before he asked, “Then… the master of the fifth kiln was..?”

The young boy raised his head and looked at the sky before he said softly, “Have you ever heard of a race… known as Abyss Builders..?”

A loud bang went off in Su Ming’s head.