Traveling Between Two Worlds: From Bread for Maids to Fantasy Overlord

After the turmoil at the Urban Immortal Cultivation Academy subsided, Huang Yiming arranged the students' follow-up matters and then took Su Qingyue and Ling Xi back to the Azure Netherworld. At this time, Zi Yao and Qin Yuling had already eliminated eight spies from the Black Demon Realm, leaving only the last two, but they had yet to find any trace of them.

However, at this moment, anomalies occurred simultaneously in both realms: spiritual energy declined in many areas of the Azure Netherworld, the cultivation speed of low-level cultivators dropped sharply, and some cultivators even experienced spiritual energy disorder and regression in cultivation; students of the Urban Immortal Cultivation Academy also reported that they had difficulty absorbing spiritual energy during cultivation and their progress stagnated.

Inside the palace hall, Huang Yiming summoned the five women and said gravely, "The spiritual energy in the two realms is abnormal, and the primordial power is rapidly dissipating. If this continues, the fusion of the two realms will completely fail, and may even lead to their collapse. Yu Ling, Zi Yao, have you found the cause?"

Qin Yuling stepped forward, her tone grave: "Your Majesty, I have discovered that small absorption arrays have been set up in multiple areas of the Azure Netherworld. These arrays are drawing upon the power of the dual realms' origins. The ones who set up these arrays are remnants of the former Black Stone Sect, and they have also colluded with remaining spies from the Black Demon Realm."

"Remnants of the Black Stone Sect?" Huang Yiming's eyes grew even colder. The Black Stone Sect had colluded with bandits and disrupted trade between the two realms back then (foreshadowing in Volume 6). After being destroyed by him, their remaining forces had been hiding in the Azure Netherworld. Now, they dared to collude with spies from the Black Demon Realm to set up an absorption array, attempting to seize the origin of both realms. They were simply courting death.

Zi Yao added, "Your Majesty, I have discovered that these absorption arrays are interconnected, forming a large absorption array. The core array is located in Black Wind Ridge in the northern part of the Azure Netherworld—the very place where Your Majesty first traveled to the Azure Netherworld to redeem Miss Yang Xiu (foreshadowing in Volume 1). The terrain there is remote and the spiritual energy is abundant, making it perfect for setting up an absorption array."

Huang Yiming nodded. Black Wind Ridge was the starting point of his rise to power. Back then, he used five bags of bread there to redeem Yang Xiu (foreshadowing in Volume 1), and first learned about the disparity in resources between the Azure Netherworld and the Black Stone Sect. Now, the remnants of the Black Stone Sect had actually set up an absorption array there, attempting to sabotage his plan to merge the two worlds. This was simply trampling on his bottom line.

"Xiuer, you stay in the palace to manage internal affairs and keep a close eye on the movements in various places in the dual realms. Report any abnormalities immediately." Huang Yiming looked at Yang Xiu, his tone gentle but with an undeniable authority.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yang Xiu curtsied, his eyes full of concern. "Your Majesty must be careful. The remnants of the Black Stone Sect are treacherous and cunning, and they also have spies from the Black Demon Realm assisting them."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Huang Yiming gently patted Yang Xiu's hand, then turned to Qin Yuling, Zi Yao, Su Qingyue, and Ling Xi. "Yuling and Zi Yao, you will lead the Two Realms Legion to various parts of the Azure Netherworld to destroy the small absorption arrays and wipe out the remnants of the Black Stone Sect and the spies of the Black Demon Realm; Qingyue, you will be responsible for coordinating the resources of the Two Realms to provide support for the Legion; Ling tide, you will accompany me to Black Wind Ridge to destroy the core absorption array."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the group replied in unison and sprang into action.

Huang Yiming, carrying Ling tide, arrived at Black Wind Ridge in a flash. Several years had passed, and Black Wind Ridge remained desolate, with roaring monsters and refugees everywhere. However, unlike before, Black Wind Ridge was now permeated with a dense evil aura, and its core area was shrouded in a black barrier, from which strange array fluctuations emanated.

"Your Majesty, the core absorption array is inside the barrier. It is empowered by evil energy and is very difficult to break." Lingxi used the secret technique of the Spirit Clan to sense the aura of the barrier, her tone solemn.

Huang Yiming nodded, his gaze falling on the barrier, a cold smile flashing in his eyes: "This little bit of evil energy is no match for me." With that, he activated his peak early Nascent Soul cultivation, gathering spiritual energy at his fingertips, and simultaneously took out a laser cannon, aiming it at the barrier. "Lingxi, use the Spirit Clan's secret technique to purify the evil energy on the barrier, and I will break it down."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Lingxi replied, closing her eyes and activating the Spirit Clan's secret technique. Pale green spiritual energy emanated from her body, flying towards the barrier and colliding with the evil energy, producing a sizzling sound as the evil energy was gradually purified.

Huang Yiming seized the opportunity, pulled the trigger of the laser cannon, and simultaneously injected spiritual energy into the cannon. The laser's power surged instantly, shooting towards the barrier. With a loud "boom," the barrier was pierced, and a gap appeared.

Huang Yiming quickly rushed into the barrier with Ling Xi. Sure enough, there was a large absorption array inside the barrier. In the center of the array, a man in black robes sat cross-legged, absorbing the power of the dual world's origin. He was surrounded by a dense evil aura and his cultivation had reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm—it was Shi Lie, the remnant leader of the Black Stone Sect.

Shi Lie sensed the commotion, abruptly opened his eyes, and saw Huang Yiming and Ling Xi. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by an arrogant laugh: "Huang Yiming, I didn't expect you to find this place! But it's too late. Once I've absorbed the power of the dual-realm origin and broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, I will not only destroy the dual-realm fusion, but also kill you, seize the system, and become the supreme ruler of the dual realms!"

"You think you can take me?" Huang Yiming sneered disdainfully. "Back then, your Black Stone Sect colluded with bandits, oppressed refugees, and harmed the innocent (foreshadowing in Volume Six), and I spared your life. Now, you show no remorse, colluding with spies from the Dark Demon Realm to set up an absorption array to seize the origin of both realms. Today, I will utterly annihilate the remnants of your Black Stone Sect!"

Shi Lie's face darkened, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes: "Huang Yiming, don't be too arrogant! I know you are at the peak of the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, but I have the support of the absorption array. After absorbing the power of the dual realms' origin, my combat power will surge. You may not be my match!" With that, he activated the power of the absorption array, and his evil aura surged as he rushed towards Huang Yiming.

A cold glint flashed in Huang Yiming's eyes. He deliberately restrained some of his fighting power, pretending to be only at the late Golden Core stage as he engaged Shi Lie in combat. Seeing this, Shi Lie's disdain deepened, and his attacks became increasingly arrogant, relentlessly unleashing evil energy while mocking, "Huang Yiming, you're nothing special! It seems your Supreme position is merely an empty title!"

Lingxi stood aside, wanting to step forward to help, but Huang Yiming stopped her with a look. What he wanted was for Shi Lie to underestimate his opponent, so that he could kill him in one fell swoop and completely settle the grudges with the Black Stone Sect.

After a brief struggle, Huang Yiming feigned a surge of blood and qi, staggering back a few steps, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth. Shi Lie, believing him exhausted, gleamed with wild joy, and suddenly unleashed his full power, gathering all his evil energy, and thrusting it towards Huang Yiming's heart: "Huang Yiming, prepare to die!"

At that moment, Huang Yiming's eyes flashed with cold light, and the pressure of a peak early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator erupted without reservation. A laser cannon appeared in his hand again, aimed at Shi Lie, and he pulled the trigger. The laser flashed, and Shi Lie's body was instantly pierced through. His evil energy dissipated, the absorption array collapsed, and the loss of the dual-realm origin power stopped instantly.

Shi Lie collapsed to the ground, his face filled with disbelief, his lips trembling as he stammered, "You...you've been pretending to be weak all along...I'm not reconciled..." He died before he could finish speaking.

Huang Yiming put away the laser cannon, looked at Ling tide and smiled gently: "Alright, the core absorption array has been destroyed, and the power of the dual-world origin will no longer be lost."

Lingxi stepped forward and handed over the healing pills, saying softly, "Your Majesty, you've worked hard. It was too dangerous just now; you shouldn't have pretended to be weak."

"To deal with this kind of clown, feigning weakness is the only way to kill him in one blow." Huang Yiming took the pill and swallowed it, instantly restoring his energy. "Besides, I also want to see just how capable these remnants of the Black Stone Sect really are."

Just then, Huang Yiming's gaze fell on the fragments of the absorption array. The fragments were engraved with strange patterns, somewhat similar to the patterns on the ancient stone tablets in the Spirit Clan's holy land, but even more bizarre, carrying a strong evil aura.

He picked up the fragment, his fingertips swirling with spiritual energy as he examined it closely, his expression gradually growing solemn. These patterns were identical to those found on the ruins of the great war between the Spirit Race and the Dragon Race a thousand years ago (foreshadowing in Volume 5)! Back then, the Spirit Race and the Dragon Race joined forces to fight against an unknown evil spirit. Ultimately, the Dragon Race was defeated and retreated to an unknown realm. Could these patterns be related to that great war?

Lingxi also came over and saw the patterns on the fragment. Her expression changed drastically: "Supreme, these patterns... were left by evil spirits during the great war between the Spirit Clan and the Dragon Clan a thousand years ago! Back then, the evil spirits were extremely powerful. It took the Spirit Clan and the Dragon Clan joining forces to barely repel them. I never expected that they would appear on the absorption array of the remnants of the Black Stone Sect."

A hint of seriousness flashed in Huang Yiming's eyes. It seemed that the evil cultivators of the Black Demon Realm had not appeared by chance. They might have some connection with the evil spirits from a thousand years ago, and this crisis concerning the survival of both realms was far more complicated than he had imagined.

Just then, a system notification sounded: "Ding—Ancient evil patterns have been detected, which are of the same origin as the patterns on the stone tablet in the Spirit Clan's sacred land. You can go to the Spirit Clan's sacred land to piece together the patterns and unlock the secrets of the great war between the Spirit Clan and the Dragon Clan a thousand years ago."

Huang Yiming gripped the fragment in his hand, pondering silently. It seemed that the ancient stone tablet in the Spirit Clan's sacred land held the key to unlocking all the mysteries, and the great war a thousand years ago might also be directly related to the invasion of the Dark Demon Realm.