Chapter 1194: The Immortal Realm's Heavenly Derivation Legacy
Chapter 1194: The Immortal Realm's Heavenly Derivation Legacy
"Could it be that your master was a member of the ancient Divine Wood Sect?" Chen Tianhai asked, a flicker of surprise and uncertainty in his eyes as a thought struck him.
"The Mountain Meditation Technique?" The name stirred something within Sun Erlang, a faint, almost subconscious sense of familiarity.
"No, that's not it," Chen Tianhai muttered, shaking his head and dismissing his own idea before Sun Erlang could even reply.
"The aura is just somewhat similar, that's all."
"Besides, it's said that the Mountain Meditation Technique was the cultivation method of the Divine Wood Sect's sacred tree, a technique that traded time for cultivation. For an ordinary cultivator, it would be an arduous path with incredibly slow progress. Yet, you've already reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage at such a young age. It clearly doesn't add up," Chen Tianhai said with a self-deprecating laugh, his curiosity about Sun Erlang deepening.
"Indeed, what I practice is not the Mountain Meditation Technique, but a profound art passed down directly by my master. My rapid cultivation speed is almost entirely thanks to this art," Sun Erlang declared in a solemn tone.
"Alright, then perhaps I was mistaken," Chen Tianhai said, not pressing the matter further and moving on.
"Senior, was this Divine Wood Sect one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects?" Although he had clarified the origin of his own technique, Sun Erlang's curiosity about the Mountain Meditation Technique lingered, so he asked directly.
There was almost no distinction between ranks, and they treated him, a young outsider, with warmth, addressing him affectionately as "young sir."
Though he didn't know the reason for this atmosphere, it was undoubtedly a good thing for him, so he decided to go with the flow.
Chen Tianhai answered readily, inviting Sun Erlang to sit down. "The Divine Wood Sect is far older than our Ten Great Immortal Sects," he began.
"The Divine Wood Sect belongs to the same era as the Desolate God Sect and the Reincarnation Sect—ancient immortal sects that have long since fallen into ruin."
"Even before the path to the Immortal World was severed, some of them had already vanished for various reasons."
"The Divine Wood Sect was named for a divine tree from beyond our world. It was said to be a gift from the Immortal Realm. After taking root in the Xuanhuang Realm, it displayed all sorts of incredible divine powers. But it was precisely because of this tree that it incurred the wrath of the 'Eternal Guardian of the River of Life,' leading to its ultimate downfall. A true case of fortune and calamity being two sides of the same coin."
"The 'Eternal Guardian of the River of Life' refers to a concept: 'That which has existed since antiquity, will exist for eternity, and stands tall over the river of life like a wall propping up the heavens.' It describes a primordial tree, native to the Xuanhuang Realm, that has existed alongside heaven and earth since the world's dawn. It is even said to hold the very authority over longevity."
"As the saying goes, one mountain cannot house two tigers. The growing power of the otherworldly divine tree inevitably posed a threat to it. And so, the Divine Wood Sect was annihilated..."
Chen Tianhai casually recounted these ancient tales, one after another.
Since setting foot on the path of cultivation, Sun Erlang's life had been a cycle of training and fighting. This was the first time he had the privilege of hearing such ancient secrets, and he listened with rapt attention.
"These sects, like the Desolate God Sect and the Divine Wood Sect... just hearing their names, they seem different from the others," Sun Erlang remarked with a sigh.
Chen Tianhai chuckled. "Naturally. These were sects that emerged at the very dawn of the Xuanhuang Realm, all with intricate ties to the Immortal World. As long as the Immortal World existed, their positions were unshakeable. But once the Immortal World underwent a great change and the path was severed, their prosperity was destined to fade."
Sun Erlang nodded repeatedly in understanding.
"Young sir, do you know the origin of our Taiyan Sect?" Chen Tianhai suddenly changed the subject.
"I do not, Senior," Sun Erlang answered honestly.
"Our Taiyan Sect is a direct lineage of a True Immortal. We received the 'Nine Scrolls of Divination' from the Tiandu Grandmaster, which allows us to foresee all possible changes for a thousand years into the future," Chen Tianhai stated with pride.
"Unlike the Heavenly Mystery Sect, that second-rate bunch of charlatans with their smoke and mirrors, we don't rely on some vague, mystical 'aura sensing.' We use formidable deductive power to create genuine simulations of the future."
Sun Erlang was instantly reminded of the word "simulation" that he had heard from Yi Shu earlier.
"Young sir, please look!" With a wave of his hand, Chen Tianhai summoned a small, azure sphere that hovered before Sun Erlang.
Peering into it, Sun Erlang saw what looked like countless overlapping images.
Each scene depicted him and Chen Tianhai, talking right here in this room.
But he keenly observed that in every image, his own expressions and movements were slightly different.
There were even a few scenes where he suddenly attacked, only to be effortlessly struck down by Chen Tianhai.
"These are all the possible futures we deduced after your arrival. However, in the time I've been speaking with you, I've gained a clearer understanding of your temperament and strength. As a result, many of these futures have become meaningless before they could even reach their conclusion."
As Chen Tianhai spoke, about four-fifths of the images within the blue sphere abruptly dimmed and faded.
The remaining scenes were identical to what Sun Erlang was experiencing at that very moment.
Watching this, Sun Erlang felt as if he was beginning to understand something.
But when he tried to grasp the thought, it became a hazy fog, just beyond his reach.
Chen Tianhai continued, "Even as we speak, based on the content of our conversation, the number of deductions that align with the future continues to shrink."
"Finally, when you leave, our deduction of this event will conclude, merging with reality."
"And then, a new deduction will begin."
The blue sphere went completely dark.
After a moment of silence, it erupted in a brilliant, dazzling blue light.
The sphere vanished, transforming into a blue mist that drifted before Sun Erlang.
The mist swirled, showing him the countless possible futures of the entire Xuanhuang Realm.
"Calculating the future of the Xuanhuang Realm is, in essence, the same as deducing this small meeting with you. As long as we have enough information and can constantly correct for deviations in our results, we can simulate a future version of the Xuanhuang Realm."
"And that allows us to see further down the river of time than anyone else."
With another wave of his hand, the blue mist displaying the myriad futures instantly retracted back into Chen Tianhai's body.
The dignified Chen Tianhai was suddenly transformed into a fantastical being composed entirely of blue crystal.
The sight left Sun Erlang momentarily stunned.
"For over a thousand years, our Taiyan Sect's calculations of the Xuanhuang Realm's future trajectory have been without major error."
"But now..."
Chen Tianhai stared directly at Sun Erlang.
"It's as if, in this very room where we are meeting, a mysterious person suddenly appeared out of thin air, killed you, and then vanished."
"This is something completely outside the bounds of reason, something that would never happen under normal circumstances..."
"We call it an 'aberration beyond all variables'."
The blue light radiating from Chen Tianhai gradually subsided, and he returned to his normal human appearance.
(End of this chapter)
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