@Manghuwa the eight desolate and upper realm have at war for a long time now it's just the space between them has been inaccessible by both sides for a long time because of the sea that can even kill the old monsters of the upper realm it just recently receded it's believed that by conquering and reconnecting the eight desolate back to the upper realm, cultivators could ascend to the immortal realm again of course the upper realm needs to take out any competitors for resources