Chapter 1620: A Mortal's Hope for an Immortal Aunt
Chapter 1620: A Mortal's Hope for an Immortal Aunt
Yin Shangren unleashed a storm of chaos, not stopping until the power the Remnant Realm Ghosts had accumulated over ten thousand years was utterly spent. Only then did he withdraw, still craving more.
He slipped away quietly to rendezvous with Bai Shuyue.
They stood side by side before the skull of Su Bai.
After the initial wave of excitement subsided, Yin Shangren finally regained his composure.
“A special consciousness?” Yin Shangren murmured, unable to discern anything unusual about the skull before him.
Bai Shuyue, however, grew even more certain. “My previous judgment was correct,” she declared.
Her Spirit Mirror Nascent Soul was clearly reflecting a faint, indistinct figure deep within the cranium!
Simultaneously, her Mixed Origin Golden Core seemed to sense something as well. Thousands of light rays instantly radiated from its surface, twisting and bending toward the skull as if drawn by an irresistible, fatal attraction to whatever lay within.
A full fifty years passed, and she had nothing to show for her efforts.
It was as if the hidden shadow in the skull had been nothing more than a figment of her imagination.
Even Yin Shangren began to lose hope, shifting his primary focus back to deducing the New Method.
But Bai Shuyue was stubborn and refused to give up.
“It’s clearly right there, yet I cannot perceive it...” she mused.
“But that stands to reason. The skull of Su Bai was displayed in the Museum of Divine Treasures for countless years, viewed by innumerable cultivators. If the secret within were so easily discovered, it wouldn't have remained hidden until now.”
“Since he won't come to me, then I shall go to him!”
After half a century of fruitless effort, Bai Shuyue finally shifted her strategy.
Another fifty years passed. The skull of Su Bai remained where it was, perfectly still.
Yet, within the reflection of her Spirit Mirror Nascent Soul, another figure suddenly materialized just outside the cranium. It was Bai Shuyue.
“So this is... seeing the world from a different perspective?”
This phantom figure wasn't real in the physical sense. It was a concentrated, tangible manifestation of Bai Shuyue’s powers of “observation” and “sensation” within a defined radius around her.
It was a divine ability she had developed over the past century, a unique way of “seeing.”
Bai Shuyue called it the [Divine Pivot].
With a single thought, the Divine Pivot phantom could soar into the heavens or burrow deep into the earth. What it perceived was vastly different from what the eyes could see or what spiritual sense could detect. Its senses touched upon something closer to the fundamental essence of Dao and worldly principles.
Of course, this perception was limited to the essence she was capable of understanding. In truth, as Bai Shuyue’s strength increased and her horizons broadened, what she saw, even when using the same Divine Pivot ability, was not always identical.
Now, the Divine Pivot phantom drifted forward, its ethereal form passing effortlessly into the skull of Su Bai.
Even before she fully entered, Bai Shuyue felt an incredibly gentle energy emanating from within the cranium. If the myriad worlds were a sea lashed by howling gales, then the space inside the skull was a tranquil, safe harbor.
“Without the support of my physical body’s energy, the Divine Pivot should, by all rights, last no more than thirty days. But within this skull...”
“It’s being nourished by the world itself. As long as I don’t squander my energy, it can survive here indefinitely!”
The interior of Su Bai’s skull was not a place of deathly silence but a space bathed in a warm, yellow glow. Countless fragments of light and shadow drifted about like floating ribbons.
And not far from her, a figure stared back, intensely wary. It was the very one she had been searching for for a hundred years!
“Su Bai?” Bai Shuyue inquired.
“Su Bai?” the figure repeated, a hint of confusion in its voice.
Now it was Bai Shuyue’s turn to be astonished.
“Greetings, fellow Daoist. My name is Qiao Sidao.”
Qiao Sidao then briefly recounted his story: how he had been born from something called the [Era], endured thousands of lifetimes in reincarnation, and finally managed to break free.
His experience, so similar to her own in some ways, plunged Bai Shuyue into a moment of confusion and doubt.
“Could it be that I, too, am living within a colossal [Era]?”
The question, however, lingered for only a moment before vanishing.
“It wasn't that I was deliberately hiding from you, fellow Daoist; I truly had no other choice.”
“I am not a creature of the Xuanhuang Realm, merely a wisp of consciousness. If I were to leave the protection of this skull, I fear I would dissipate in an instant.”
“And you, in your search for me, have kept this skull constantly enveloped in the power of your spiritual sense. How could a being like me possibly endure such a trial...” Qiao Sidao explained with a wry smile.
Understanding dawned on Bai Shuyue.
Though the entity was not Su Bai, after speaking with him at length, Bai Shuyue was nevertheless overjoyed.
Qiao Sidao’s experiences and knowledge, gathered over thousands of lifetimes of reincarnation, were a treasure trove. While most of it wasn't directly applicable to the reality of the Xuanhuang Realm, it was not mere fantasy; it was all built upon a solid theoretical foundation. This knowledge could vastly enrich and nourish Bai Shuyue’s Mixed Origin Golden Core.
Her Golden Core was, after all, the sum of all her comprehension of the world. The more she knew and saw, the more dazzling it became.
“Moreover, Qiao Sidao’s knowledge is vastly different from the legacies of the Xuanhuang Realm and the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. This will be immensely valuable for my deductions and accumulation of understanding.”
For the remainder of that lifetime, Bai Shuyue remained with Qiao Sidao, discussing the Dao, completely losing track of the passing years.
Until, more than nine hundred years later...
It was as if the sky had been violently torn open. A fatal sense of crisis surged through Bai Shuyue’s heart. Before she could even begin to comprehend what was happening, she—along with the vast majority of living beings in the Xuanhuang Realm—was already dead.
In the hazy moments before her end, Bai Shuyue thought she saw a phantasmal image above her head: a vision of endless, rolling mountains and seas.
“Heaven and Earth are boundless; the Mountain and Sea are infinite.”
The words of the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall involuntarily echoed in her mind.
...
The Black Heaven Physician completed the recovery of his counterpart in this possibility, but he did not depart immediately. Instead, he gazed down upon the world below with a sense of nostalgia.
The Tianfa Realm.
Reborn upon the husk of the Xuanhuang Realm, pieced together from the corpses of countless other worlds.
“Ten thousand long years, and I finally managed to reach this stage,” he mused. “A pity it’s all meaningless.”
Despite saying so, the Black Heaven Physician did not destroy the masterpiece his other self had poured his heart and soul into creating in this possibility.
On the contrary, he sent down several golden needles, helping to stabilize the Tianfa Realm and remedy the many flaws that had appeared during its fusion and rebirth.
“This version of me was far too merciful, too indecisive,” the Black Heaven Physician remarked, shaking his head slightly.
“Without complete annihilation, how can there be a true rebirth? Only after absolute silence can the flower of life blossom anew...”
“All the living beings in this world are, in fact, an impediment to the re-germination of life. I need only pluck them all out, and within three thousand years, the true Tianfa Realm will re-emerge—and it will be far superior to this mismatched patchwork.”
Wherever the Black Heaven Physician’s gaze swept, all life in the world was extinguished. Whether they were at Foundation Establishment, Dao Integration, or even Longevity, it made no difference.
In this possibility that was soon to be annihilated, the Heavenly Doctor was finally doing what his past self had abandoned.
Suddenly, his gaze froze.
He stared intently at a specific region of the world, his expression turning grave.
He had not shown such solemnity even when facing the Dao Annihilation tide.
“With your level of power, fellow Daoist, why resort to hiding in the shadows?” the Black Heaven Physician asked coolly.
“If I didn't hide, how could I have witnessed you engaging in such a tedious affair? The world is on the verge of collapse, yet here you are, tidying up your old homeland like someone rediscovering a long-lost toy...” Li Fan retorted with a sneer, his figure materializing from the void.
Upon hearing this, the Black Heaven Physician's expression slowly turned grim.
“You are not a cultivator from the Other Shore,” he remarked inexplicably, sizing up Li Fan.
And then... a single black line tore through the heavens.
It ripped not only through the newly repaired Tianfa Realm but also through the Shuo Xinghai beyond it, and even the Primal Possibility itself.
Everything shattered, inch by inch. The great tide of Dao Annihilation arrived in an instant, swallowing all that existed in the Primal Possibility.
Li Fan let out a muffled grunt, looking down at a black needle buried deep in his palm.
The enraged Black Heaven Physician had moved with incredible speed. Having not fought anyone since his own transcendence, Li Fan had been caught off guard and suffered a minor setback.
Upon entering his body, the black needle dissolved into a cloud of black qi that began to erode not only his physical form but his very transcendent will.
It was like a malevolent black wind suddenly whipping across the surface of the sea, making the transcendent will that could have calmly crossed the Mountain and Sea feel suddenly fragile.
Although Li Fan quickly expelled the cloud of black qi from his body, the Black Heaven Physician had already noticed something peculiar about him.
A sharp light flared in his eyes. “I beseech the All—”
Before the word “Saints” could leave his lips, the two words “Return to Truth” in Li Fan's mind overrode everything.
Returning to Anchor Point Year 1, Li Fan let out a breath of relief.
“That old bastard reacts quickly,” he thought.
“I was just looking for a little excitement after all the quiet, a bit of entertainment, but I nearly caused a disaster.”
“The Black Heaven Physician must have detected that I possess the [Truth]. Realizing he couldn't handle me himself, he immediately tried to summon the All Saints...”
“Unfortunately for him, this isn’t the Other Shore. This is the Xuanhuang Realm!”
“The mountains are high and the seas are vast; not even the Saints can arrive here in an instant!”
“Still, his actions have only confirmed my judgment. Until I find a way to counter the Saints, I absolutely must not go poking around the Other Shore...”
“Auntie, you have to work hard!” he muttered to himself. “Your nephew is counting on you!”
The very same Bai Shuyue, upon whom Li Fan had placed such high hopes, was at that moment sitting cross-legged on her bed, replaying the end of her previous life in her mind.
“What exactly happened at the end of my last life?”
“The Xuanhuang Realm... it was like a fragile piece of paper, torn to shreds with such ease...”
Not even when she first witnessed the Red Flame Burning Sea had Bai Shuyue felt such terror.
“In just over nine hundred years, the Xuanhuang Realm will be destroyed by some unknown cataclysm.”
“But before that happens...”
In her last life, Bai Shuyue had been completely absorbed in learning from Qiao Sidao, paying no mind to the outside world. Yet, from her few conversations with Yin Shangren, it seemed the Xuanhuang Realm had been stable and on a path of vigorous growth.
It shouldn't have been destroyed so senselessly.
She pondered for a long time but couldn't come up with any leads. Still, she couldn't just pretend it hadn't happened.
“When I was a mortal, I thought becoming a cultivator meant I could achieve long life for my nephew and myself,” she thought wearily. “Then I finally managed to reach Foundation Establishment, only to find it just meant another hundred years of life. Now, my strength is comparable to a Dao Integration master, and I discover an even greater crisis looms ahead. When will it ever end? I’m so tired...”
Having accidentally witnessed the descent of the Black Heaven Physician, Bai Shuyue's state of mind was deeply affected. It began to change in subtle, unexpected ways.
She remained in bed for a long time, reflecting on herself, on the meaning and value of her struggle. Her heart was shrouded in confusion, and for a time, she couldn't find her way out.
Her only comfort was that her nephew, thinking she was ill, began to take care of her with a rare and uncharacteristic initiative.
He took on all the cooking and chores, asking after her health and showing great attentiveness.
It was something that had never happened in all her twenty reincarnations!
“My nephew is truly kind-hearted,” Bai Shuyue sighed, deeply gratified.
“Even for this mortal’s sake, I can't stay so dejected.”
With renewed resolve, Bai Shuyue quickly pulled herself together.
“That cataclysm may be bizarre, but the potential of the new method is also immense.”
“If I can comprehend the Longevity realm, I might just be able to avert it.”
Having drawn upon Qiao Sidao’s knowledge in her previous life, Bai Shuyue’s foundation had become more than sufficient once again.
In this life, she returned to the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall, determined to use its unique properties to wring out every last drop of her own comprehension.
Enriched by the knowledge Qiao Sidao had accumulated within the [Era], the image of the Infinite Wall in Bai Shuyue’s eyes had indeed changed slightly.
The tentacles drifting around it became clearer, and she could faintly make out shimmering, dark scales upon them. And in the void from which the tentacles originated, she could occasionally glimpse dim figures floating past.
Bai Shuyue paid them no mind, remaining immersed in her quest for enlightenment.
In the midst of her deep contemplation, Bai Shuyue suddenly recalled the vision of the endless mountains and seas she had witnessed at the end of her last life. She could not help but ask, “Heaven and Earth are boundless; the Mountain and Sea are infinite. What exactly does this Mountain and Sea refer to?”
Dozens of gently swaying tentacles instantly froze solid.
A colossal head drifted out from the void, materializing directly above Bai Shuyue.
The head had no facial features, save for a single, gigantic eye that stared fixedly down at her.
“Why,” it boomed, “do you suddenly ask about this?”
Having already witnessed the terrifying scene of the Primal Possibility being destroyed in an instant, Bai Shuyue was hardly going to be frightened by such a minor display.
She answered with calm composure, “I occasionally have hallucinations... a phantasmal vision of endless mountains and seas beyond the sky. If you hadn’t mentioned it so often, I would have simply dismissed it as a product of my imagination...”
Bai Shuyue had not even finished her sentence when the Infinite Wall shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stomped on. “You’re lying!”
Bai Shuyue simply stared back at the enormous head with a peculiar expression.
The Infinite Wall gave a slight cough, recovering from its outburst. “Ahem. Do not speak such nonsense! Is the Mountain and Sea something that you mere mortals can gaze upon?”
“It’s true,” Bai Shuyue said, and as she spoke, she projected a vision of what she had seen in her previous life for the Infinite Wall to observe.
The endless Mountain and Sea beyond the heavens.
Though it was only a replicated phantom, containing none of the substantive aura of the real thing, it was still enough to make the Infinite Wall recoil in shock.
Its single eye widened even further, nearly pressing against Bai Shuyue’s face. “A mere mortal... possessing the potential for transcendence?”
As if in utter disbelief, the Infinite Wall circled Bai Shuyue, observing her from top to bottom, scrutinizing her for several long moments.
Bai Shuyue silently committed the word “transcendence” to memory.
She allowed the Infinite Wall to observe her. Once it stopped moving, she frowned and pressed, “You still haven’t answered my question. What exactly is this Mountain and Sea you speak of?”
“Knowing too much is not necessarily a good thing for you at your current stage. However...”
The Infinite Wall’s giant eye darted about before it finally seemed to come to a decision.
“I will help you in your cultivation!”
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