Nature's Secret . . .
Master Bai contemplated the grand design of destiny. "There's always a purpose in heaven's plan. Especially for someone like me, who possesses... something." He paused, omitting a few words before continuing, "Do you believe I should lead such a pointless existence? It's been filled with bloodshed and violence."
"It shouldn't have unfolded this way, but it did."
"Everything is signaling to me now... that all those years served a purpose. Since I am destined to depart, it signifies that I've fulfilled what I was meant to do here."
Bai Chen wore a smile. "Isn't that the case?"
Ling Wuxie furrowed his brows, reflecting for a moment before speaking in a profound tone, "Indeed."
The enigmatic nature of his words concealed a deeper understanding shared by both of them.
In the grand scheme of things, nothing occurred without reason. Even in the lives of ordinary individuals, there was a purpose. Randomness did not exist within the divine plan.
"My destiny is intertwined with someone," Master Bai declared, drawing a deep breath.
"Feng Zhiling?" Ling Wuxie surmised.
"What has he done to merit my nine thousand years of dedication?" Master Bai's frown deepened as he said, "I must seek the secret of the divine nature."
"Why is that?"
Master Bai articulated each word deliberately, "I won't find peace without it."
Ling Wuxie paused for a moment before responding, "I understand. Let's proceed. I'm with you."
He inquired, "Shall we begin now?"
"Yes, right now," Master Bai affirmed solemnly.
"To unveil the secret of the divine nature, I cannot do it alone. Only through our combined efforts and sincerity can we hope to uncover the path to this secret of nature."
Master Bai asserted, "If there were other options, I would never involve you in this endeavor. After much contemplation, I've realized that among billions of cultivators, you are the sole individual capable of working harmoniously beside me. I entrust you with my life, just as you trust me with yours."
"If not, even two Heaven Kings wouldn't have the capacity to unveil the secret of the divine nature."
Master Bai concluded, "Since destiny has brought you to me at this juncture, it must signify an opportunity for me."
Ling Wuxie sighed, "So it is. You know, if we attempted this in the Human Realm Upon Heavens, regardless of our perfect cooperation, we'd likely meet a futile end. In this lower realm..."
Master Bai erupted into laughter. His confidence in the plan exhilarated him.
"Very well. I'm growing accustomed to it. What are we waiting for, then? Let's proceed promptly!"
Ling Wuxie pressed for action, though his smile carried a touch of bitterness. He couldn't afford to procrastinate and swiftly assumed a cross-legged position on the floor, focusing on harmonizing his physical state using martial arts techniques.
Bai Chen, while still a formidable individual, had deliberately restricted his power. Although Bai Chen had reassured him, Ling Wuxie knew that if anything went wrong, he would have to confront the consequences alone. Caution was paramount.
Bai Chen rose from his wheelchair and settled in an opposing position to Ling Wuxie. He closed his eyes and initiated the martial art technique.
After a while, a radiant white light radiated from Bai Chen's head, hovering above him. Simultaneously, a cyan light manifested above Ling Wuxie's head.
The two distinct hues drew nearer to each other until they merged into a singular luminosity.
Master Bai and Ling Wuxie extended their hands and pointed towards each other's hearts. Their faces flushed with heat.
In the ensuing moment, Master Bai pointed at the center of Ling Wuxie's forehead, between his eyebrows.
In turn, Ling Wuxie did the same to Master Bai.
As their fingers made contact with their foreheads, both men came to a sudden halt. A delicate, golden blood drop materialized on Master Bai's forehead, oozing slowly. Similarly, a dark cyan blood drop formed on Ling Wuxie's forehead, its movement equally deliberate.
These two blood drops gradually drew nearer, almost on the brink of touching, when an unexpected phenomenon occurred. Instead of merging, they commenced spinning. Between the two men, the blood drops spun with tremendous velocity, creating a small but mesmerizing whirlwind that unfolded before their eyes.
Master Bai's eyes flickered open. With one hand, he gestured through a sequence of ninety-nine precise movements. After this intricate ritual, he intoned in a low, determined voice, "Sacrificial souls, we beseech the secret of nature's design! Among the myriad possibilities, what does today hold?"
He thrust both hands forward simultaneously, channeling an outpouring of spiritual power as if it were drawn into a cosmic void within their beings. Both men groaned, their bodies trembling as they grappled with the immense strain. Their faces paled progressively.
The two blood drops in the air continued their rapid rotation. Their faces grew increasingly ashen, and even their lips took on a bluish tint, devoid of color. It appeared as though they were expending every ounce of their energy, nearing the brink of exhaustion.
After some time, a tiny, scaled figure appeared above Master Bai's head. It stood no taller than a thumb but bore an exact likeness to Master Bai. A similar diminutive figure emerged above Ling Wuxie's head.
These two minuscule figures locked gazes and, all of a sudden, both expelled blood arrows into the air. The intersecting streams of blood halted the whirlwind.
Subsequently, a white light and a cyan light ascended skyward, lingering for an extended duration.
Master Bai convulsed, expelling purple-gold blood from his mouth before collapsing. Ling Wuxie fared no better, vomiting cyan blood and succumbing to unconsciousness.
They had both reached their limits.
These two streams of light continued their ascent into the far reaches of the firmament. Master Bai and Ling Wuxie remained oblivious to the unfolding events, unaware that fortune had smiled upon them. This time, there were no divine retributions in the form of lightning strikes. Had they drawn such punishment, they would have perished without ever grasping the reason.
The lights eventually disappeared into the distance, leaving behind a lingering tremor in the atmosphere.
A mysterious script had materialized on the floor, placed neatly between Ling Wuxie and Bai Chen. The writing was in an ancient style and appeared to be fading rapidly, with fifty percent of the marks already lost in just a brief moment.
Master Bai murmured, "Two hosts of the universe? Thirteen spirits in chaos? What... What could this mean?"