Chapter 850: The Norm of Cultivation |
The disciples of the sect all knelt on one knee, the elders and deacons bowed in respect, and even the Sect Master came out to welcome him.
Xu Hei's return, almost single-handedly, had repelled the siege of over a thousand cultivators from two major sects, stabilizing the situation and saving the sect from collapse.
Whether it was Xu Hei's identity, actions, or his strength, all were worthy of respect from everyone.
Standing at the mountain gate, Xu Hei's gaze swept over the remaining thirty cultivators, over each of their faces, and over those who had fallen.
A rare expression of grief and anger flashed in Xu Hei's eyes.
"I failed to return when the sect was in peril, causing it to fall to such a state. Yet you all disregard past grievances and honor me with such a ceremony. I... am unworthy!"
Xu Hei also knelt on one knee, lowering his head.
"Ancestor Xu!"
Everyone looked up in shock.
The disaster on Divine Continent Star was his doing; it was he who killed Jiang Liuyu, offending a great power from the Spirit Realm, bringing calamity upon his home star.
He felt not only guilty towards the Divine Puppet Sect but also towards the countless beings on Divine Continent Star.
Humans, demonic beasts, even plants and stubborn stones...
Xu Hei was no longer a cold-hearted person. He was born on Divine Continent, cultivated there, formed his core and Elemental Infant, and reached Divine Transformation, nourished by endless spiritual qi.
Everyone could take without reservation; everyone could fight for that sliver of opportunity, but remember, without the land beneath your feet, without the selfless nurturing of this planet...
You are nothing!
This feeling might not be understood by those living their daily lives on Divine Continent Star.
Only when you wander outside, in the cold void of the universe without spiritual qi, on a dark star devoid of life, can you truly understand.
When survival becomes something easily attainable, people take it for granted.
Only those away from home can feel the warmth of it. Only when the land is lost do you understand its value!
When Xu Hei stood once again on the land of Divine Continent Star.
The moist air, pleasant climate, warm sunshine, and familiar laws of heaven... when these once taken-for-granted things returned, Xu Hei felt a sourness in his nose, with uncontrollable emotions surging within.
His divine sense spread out, the dragon veins connecting to the earth, allowing him to feel the flow of the land's veins, to sense the breath of every living being.
Then, Xu Hei merged with all living things, his breath, his pulse, every move connected to the earth.
Xu Hei closed his eyes, as if merging with the world, becoming one with nature.
Hai Teng descended, also kneeling on the ground.
"Hai Teng, my brother!"
The remaining three Divine Transformation stage members of Sea Star, Yu Huang, Shi Lan, and Shi Kun, rushed forward.
Hai Teng just knelt on the ground, saying, "I apologize to the three of you. Though I have the bloodline of the Sea Star Demon Clan, my master and ancestors were all from the Sea Star Demon Clan, but this place is where I was nurtured. What I did before weighs heavily on my conscience!"
Shi Lan said, "We are already allied; let’s not mention the past. At this point, Divine Continent Star is our last stronghold."
Both Sea Star and Heavenly Sand Star had been destroyed, completely fallen, and even Divine Continent Star had over ninety percent of its territory occupied, leaving only this sect as the last refuge.
If the Divine Puppet Sect also fell, they would have nowhere left to escape, no path to follow.
"I understand."
Hai Teng nodded deeply. Regardless of the outcome, he did not plan to leave. He was a guilty man, and if he were to die, he would die here.
…………
At this moment, Xu Hei opened his eyes, returning to his usual calm state.
For a brief moment, he felt connected to the world, his meridians linked with the earth's veins, his body and mind in harmony with nature, able to sense the pulse of every living being, a truly unique experience.
This feeling had never occurred before!
However, it lasted only a moment before dissipating, and Xu Hei's consciousness returned.
Xu Hei instinctively checked the Dragon Qi, finding that the four strands had not increased. He did not dwell on it, as such matters cannot be forced.
Xu Hei stood up and walked into the mountain gate of the Divine Puppet Sect.
"Xu Hei." Night Owl looked over and said, "It's been many years, and I didn't expect you to progress so much. Though I hate to admit it, you are barely stronger than me."
"I was just fortunate to achieve some success. It's you, Brother Night, who remains vigorous and impressive as ever," Xu Hei said, cupping his fists.
"Vigorous and impressive?" Night Owl's brow furrowed slightly.
Xu Hei suddenly realized he might have misspoken and quickly fell silent.
At this moment, Xu Hei thought of something and transmitted a message, "Brother Night, your cloak has undergone a change. I'll show it to you later."
Night Owl raised an eyebrow, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, and nodded.
Wang Yimao approached, performing a grand salute, "Disciple Wang Yimao, greets Master!"
Xu Hei was taken aback. Had he taken this person as his disciple?
Wang Yimao seemed to notice something and quickly said, "Master, you once guided me in some divine abilities and accepted me as a named disciple. Have you forgotten?"
Xu Hei thought carefully and seemed to recall such an event.
He took out a storage bag, filled it with some pills and jade slips, and a bell magical treasure he had just acquired, and handed it to Wang Yimao.
"It's been many years, and I don't have much to offer. Make do with these," Xu Hei said.
Wang Yimao's face flushed with excitement as he hurriedly accepted the storage bag, bowing repeatedly in gratitude, a stark contrast to the killing god he was on the battlefield.
Then, Xu Hei looked at Daoist Sparrow, hesitating to speak.
Daoist Sparrow said, "No matter what, it's good that you're back."
Xu Hei, not one for words, took out a storage ring containing over a thousand pieces of spirit sand and numerous storage bags he had collected earlier, handing them to Daoist Sparrow.
"Distribute these resources to the remaining people," Xu Hei said.
Hearing this, Daoist Sparrow swallowed his initial refusal.
He nodded heavily, smiling bitterly, "The sect should be a safe haven, providing resources. I didn't expect it would need you to save us and provide resources. As Sect Master, I am truly ashamed."
Xu Hei shook his head, "When I was a disciple crossing tribulation, the sect sheltered me. Now, I am no longer a disciple but a Grand Elder, and I should bear the responsibility!"
As a disciple, one enjoys the sect's protection and resources.
As an elder, one protects and gives back to the sect.
This is a tradition passed down through generations on Divine Continent Star.
Though the laws of heaven advocate devouring all foreign forces, the strong survive, and the weak perish, that is merely the instinct for survival.
If everyone acted solely on instinct, would sects still exist? Would there be a need for inheritance?
Xu Hei stepped forward, coming before Xiao Chou.
Xiao Chou had already fallen, his cultivation surpassing the critical point of the Elemental Infant stage, successfully crossing the bottleneck, ready to transform into the Divine Transformation stage at any moment.
But lacking spirit stones, in a sect drained of spiritual qi, he could not break through and died with the cultivation of the Elemental Infant stage.
Without achieving Divine Transformation, he did not even qualify to enter the Thousand Mechanisms Grand Formation after death.
Many had fallen like Xiao Chou.
"If there is a next life, may you achieve your Dao," Xu Hei whispered.
Wang Ding's death aura had spread throughout his body, his life at its end, like a gravely ill person, lying on the ground, too weak to even lift his head.
His fortune dissipated, death aura entangled, not even immortals could save him.
"Wang Ding."
Xu Hei approached Wang Ding, touching his forehead.
Wang Ding seemed to regain some energy, looking at Xu Hei as if seeing a great serpent from his hometown, raising its head, standing before him like a guardian deity.
"Is it... Senior Xu?" Wang Ding managed to muster a bit of spirit.
"It's me."
"Senior Xu, I want... I want to go home," Wang Ding said weakly.
Xu Hei said nothing, just nodded.
He picked up Wang Ding, leaping into the air, rushing out of the Divine Puppet Sect, flying beyond the realm.
Xu Hei crossed tens of thousands of miles in a single step, crossing the Western Cang Realm, crossing the East Sea, arriving at the former territory of the Qin Kingdom, arriving at their hometown—Snake Village.
Snake Village was no more, only ruins remained as far as the eye could see.
After the invasion of Divine Continent Star, few survived, even among mortals, most had perished. Towns vanished, turning into wilderness, bustling streets now empty and desolate, ten homes with nine vacant.
Plants grew from cracks in the rocks, surrounding the houses, the watermelon field at the village entrance now a lush thicket, the graves of Wang Ding's parents long gone.
Relying on memory, Xu Hei arrived at the watermelon field.
Xu Hei placed Wang Ding on the ground, saying, "Wang Xiaoniu, we're home."
Lying in the watermelon field, Wang Xiaoniu suddenly felt a warmth from the bottom of his heart, like a pair of ethereal hands stroking his forehead, calling him home.
"Father, Mother, Sister..."
Wang Xiaoniu's eyes held no tears, only warmth and peace, as he lay in the watermelon field, sinking into the earth, disappearing forever.
"If there is a next life, may you never be alone," Xu Hei said.
Wang Ding's fortune was exhausted, Xiao Chou had fallen, both with promising futures, but not everyone could reach the end of Divine Transformation like Xu Hei.
More often, they perished halfway, no matter how talented, countless had died along the way throughout history.
This is the norm of cultivation. Everyone achieving Dao exists only in legends.
Reaching the Great Perfection of the Elemental Infant stage is already rare, one in ten thousand.
…………
Xu Hei turned his head, looking in a direction.
He took a step, leaving the ruins of Snake Village, arriving at Myriad Serpent Valley.
The tombstone of the Old Snake King had sunk into the ground, the body had become nourishment, returning to nature.
Even the tombstone, Xu Hei had to search with divine sense for a long time to find, had turned into an ordinary stone.
Nothing withstands the erosion of time.
Perhaps now, some still remember them, but millennia later, millions of years later, who will remember the events of the past? Who will mention the people of the past?
No matter how glorious, how prosperous one may be in this life, if unable to ascend, they will become nothing but dust.
Xu Hei took out a large stone, placing it at the center of Myriad Serpent Valley.
This was a stone he mined from Dark Star, called ink crystal stone, extremely tough, impervious to the elements for millions of years.
Xu Hei inscribed two words on the stone—Xu Hei.
He was digging his own grave.
If one day he fell outside, he hoped his body would return to Myriad Serpent Valley, buried in his homeland.
Let him become nourishment, nourishing all beings, born in Myriad Serpent Valley, and die in Myriad Serpent Valley.
When the stone was erected, Xu Hei felt as if a wish had been fulfilled, his entire body relaxing.
Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a shift in his mind, entering a mysterious state once more.
Xu Hei closed his eyes, his body and mind sinking into the earth, his pulse connecting with the earth's veins, his soul communicating with nature, sensing the breath and emotional changes of every living being in the land.
His spirit roamed the heavens, his soul returned to the earth, Xu Hei seemed to become part of the Dao of Heaven, the embodiment of the earth.
This time, it lasted longer than before.
It lasted for the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn before Xu Hei exited that wondrous state.
"What is this feeling..."
Xu Hei fell into contemplation, puzzled.
It was as if he had merged with the environment, becoming one with Divine Continent Star, becoming part of the planet.
Xu Hei did not know what this meant.
Whether this mysterious state was good or bad, what its drawbacks were, Xu Hei had never heard of.
At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly turned his gaze to a corner. There, a green snake was looking at him with bright eyes.
From the eyes of this green snake, Xu Hei saw a hint of human-like emotion.
Seeing Xu Hei look over, the green snake shivered all over, quickly lowering its head, imitating a human's kowtow, bowing its head to the ground.
Though it was just a small demon at the Spirit Communion Stage, it reminded Xu Hei of himself. He too was once like this, cautious, standing like a lackey.
"You and I are fated, I grant you a gift."
Xu Hei left a jade slip and a pill on the ground, then stomped his foot, soaring into the sky, disappearing into the horizon.
After Xu Hei left, the green snake observed for a long time before cautiously crawling forward.
It took the jade slip in its mouth, along with the pill, but did not swallow it, instead scurrying away.
What Xu Hei did not know was.
This small act would, many years later, give rise to an unparalleled true dragon.
But that is a story for another time.
The green snake gazed at the stone monument in Myriad Serpent Valley, with the words "Xu Hei" inscribed on it, falling into deep thought.
…………
On Ming Star, within the core forbidden area of the Ancient Tomb Sect.
Wei Wudao and Ji Qing fell from the sky, like a streak of black light, rushing into the forbidden area, consuming a pill, and frantically absorbing souls to heal their injuries.
It took a full week of treatment before they recovered.
"Sect Master, all the high-ranking members of the Blood Refining Sect have disappeared, and we cannot contact them! The headquarters on Flame Star still has some people, but they are just ordinary elders and disciples, with only three at the Divine Transformation stage."
A Grand Elder entered the forbidden area, reporting to Wei Wudao.
Wei Wudao's brows furrowed, his face somber, "Have you investigated their whereabouts?"
"We investigated, barely seeing that they headed towards the depths of the cosmic void, direction unknown," the Grand Elder replied.
Wei Wudao's brow furrowed even deeper.
Suddenly, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, filled with deep astonishment, "Could it be that cultivators from the Spirit Realm have arrived, and these people have gone to greet them?"
The Blood Refining Sect had a token for direct contact with Mo Xingtian. As long as Mo Xingtian descended to the mortal realm and was on the same plane as the Seven Stars, they could sense it.
Based on this logic, if the high-ranking members of the Blood Refining Sect were the first to learn of the arrival of Spirit Realm cultivators, it is highly likely they went to meet them.
Or perhaps they received some order and left in advance.
