Screams and shrieks assaulted the transgressor's mind as soon as the frail body of the young man crossed the barrier.
Atlas had prepared his mind for the incoming danger, alas, that was far beyond his expectations because the power of corruption was extraordinarily dense and ferocious, something that a mere mortal cultivator couldn't handle.
A sensation of suffocation followed, making Atlas reach his neck as if looking for the deadly chains coiling around above his skin. Pain all over his head assaulted his five senses, bringing him to the point of exasperation.
It was the most brutal and terrifying experience he had ever encountered, and the sense of impotence was too oppressive.
Everything happened so fast that even Deus couldn't help the young man evade this terror. In fact, what seemed like minutes were actually just a few breaths.
"Hold on... don't let your fears win over you... still your mind!"
Deus' voice could reach him, yet it seemed distant and feeble. He wanted to shout, yet nothing came out of his mouth.
"Damn it... Kurmanus, don't hold back anymore... This little fellow can't handle such a burden."
His eyes were wide open. He could feel it, but nothing other than a white world was standing before him.
"Geez... bring him inside the pond... throw him inside fast!"
Deus didn't delay briefly and pushed Atlas's body into the pond.
A refreshing and warm feeling assaulted his skin. Even his mind felt lighter when his entire head was below the water.
His five senses were gradually escaping from that deadly sense of crisis. His mouth was still mute, but the white world discernable from his eyes was slowly turning brighter and more colorful. Those terrible and acute noises were slowly fading, giving his ears, already filled with blood, a moment of calmness.
"Haaa... Huo..."
Finally, some sounds came out of his mouth, yet water delved inside, making it impossible to pronounce a single sentence.
"Little boy... stay inside for a while. The situation is graver than we have anticipated."
Deus's voice reached his mind, letting him know about the current situation. After all, from that position, he could only see the vast sky with two bright suns as everything around him was well covered by a dense expanse of green and verdant trees of different sizes.
Initially, his mind couldn't elaborate on what his eyes were seeing. Yet, after half a minute, his gaze turned hastily upward, looking at the smaller sun constantly moving around the bigger one.
'Two suns?! How is that possible??'
Realizing the absurd reality, Atlas was shocked and couldn't help but stare stupidly at them.
Usually, only one sun was present, so the appearance of another smaller one was beyond his expectations.
'Deus!! What the hell are those things up there?'
'Hmh?! Don't worry about it. It's harmless if you don't bother it too much.'
'Wait... is it a living being?' Atlas asked in surprise, looking above more carefully as if searching for a small but noticeable movement.
'Of course... That stupid bird is slightly older than Kurmanus but considerably younger than me. Fortunately, it's currently cultivating. Otherwise, we would have to face a more challenging journey.'
With his abundant knowledge, Atlas knew many creatures in this world. Yet he had never heard about a bird that could emanate a power similar to the sun.
This discovery made him even more curious, and he couldn't help but ask for more: "What kind of creature is that?"
'Well... Tempest Celestial Sun Crow... also called Defiant Descendant of the Sun... it's a beast in the God Realm with a pure bloodline and a descendant of an immortal beast. It can burn even the world and erase every single living being on the ground. Every single part of its body is highly sought, especially the Chaotical Star, which contains the most powerful Ancestral Divine Fire. A priceless object for Alchemists and Blacksmiths.'
The words Atlas wanted to speak stuck in his throat, so Deus didn't bother explaining too much and changed the subject, bringing back the young man from his stupor.
'It will take us at least a day to reach a safe place. Stay there for now, and don't come out even for a second.'
The mysteries of this place were highly intriguing for him, especially after discovering this mythical creature. But he wasn't so stupid to bet his life to placate his eagerness.
Left with little to do, Atlas looked up with a strange, expectation-filled smile.
This was an excellent opportunity for him since the sun's rays were potent and abundant in this place. He couldn't let this opportunity pass, so he cleared his mind and entered a different state, where his body and soul were only a palm apart.
The Eternal Sun Soul Art was a Soul Cultivation manual related to the Everlasting Soul Path. And on this path, one soul could be enchanted and fortified.
'Hmm... collecting the Sun Energy seems pretty simple...' Atlas recollected the basic information about this abstruse technique and decided to first form an Infant Sun Flame, the fundamental prerequisite to embark on this path.
The freshwater layers and energies surrounding his body protected him from external threats. Still, the sun's power wasn't one of those perils, so they reached his skin effortlessly, giving him a warm sensation.
'The process is pretty simple... Using my newly formed fire-related Chaotical Core, I had to condense enough energy and convert it into the purest form of Sun Energy. Discharging the useless energy mixed between is a long and tedious process, but the initial step requires a small effort.'
With a clear goal, Atlas closed his eyes and carefully felt the energy surrounding his body. The space had multiple types of energies, so it took him a while to isolate the required one.
'Found it!'
The sun's energy was the warmest and most abundant, yet it was also the most slippery. Still, after a few more tries, Atlas grasped that power and started absorbing it directly inside his Chaotical Core.
As soon as the energy flowed inside his body, the fiery power started burning every inch of his skin and organs. The most affected part was his lower abdomen, precisely where one Chaotical Core was located.
'Hmm... It's so hot...'
The pain soon affected his mind, but he didn't let it distract his clear thoughts and started dividing the energy, condensing only the purest one for his soul.
It was a long process, but amid that tranquil pond, his mind and body could calmly exert their utmost concentration.
Deus and Kurmanus didn't know that a tiny Mortal Realm cultivator was doing something unheard of right a few steps away. Yet, someone in that vast field had noticed something and was eagerly keeping an eye on the tiny human who dared to steal its precious food.