The atmosphere in the meeting hall reached fever pitch after Gan Jingda's announcement. A pristine, resource-rich cultivation world—a realm that had existed only in their wildest dreams—now seemed within reach. Excitement crackled in the air.
Before the meeting, most cultivators on the Celestial Barge knew of the Xuanhuang World only through the captured flying vessel. Afterward, they ravenously devoured any information they could find about it.
The Celestial Barge's heritage, though fractured by the disastrous split, stretched back millennia.
Ten days after the meeting, a comprehensive report on the Xuanhuang World was compiled, a collaborative effort between the Severing Immortal Tower, the Celestial Axis Institute, the Dao Confirmation Academy, and various prominent clans.
The bulk of the report came from the Severing Immortal Tower, based on the interrogation of their captive – Lan Yu, a Dao Integration expert from the Xuanhuang World.
The Celestial Axis Institute and the other organizations contributed historical records, remnants from the time before the Star Sea Tribulation, documenting the few visits the original Xuanshang Celestial Barge had made to the Xuanhuang World.
This report was distributed to the attendees of a smaller, high-level meeting.
Li Fan, though not officially qualified to attend, was present as Ai Tianjue's disciple.
"We cannot yet determine the full extent of the Star Sea's imminent transformation," Lu Yuzhi, a quiet, scholarly man, addressed the assembled cultivators. He was one of the five Dao Entry experts within the Severing Immortal Tower. "Therefore, the feasibility of an expedition to the Xuanhuang World remains uncertain. However, that shouldn't prevent us from making preparations."
"Please observe…"
He gestured towards a projected image.
"Our Xuanshang Celestial Barge visited the Xuanhuang World three times in ancient times. Once as an official diplomatic mission, where we were warmly received. The other two visits were… less formal. We were there to acquire resources." He paused, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. "At that time, the Xuanhuang World possessed two unique resources, both highly prized throughout the Star Sea. The Fruit of the Ruo Tree, and… Celestial Artifacts."
"The Fruit of the Ruo Tree contains the purest life essence of the Xuanhuang World. Consuming it grants a significant increase in lifespan."
"As for the Celestial Artifacts…"
He hesitated, and Li Fan detected a subtle shift in his tone, a flicker of something he couldn't quite place.
"The Xuanhuang World, according to our records, was one of the few cultivation worlds that maintained regular contact with the Celestial Realm in ancient times. As such, it possesses a significant number of Celestial Artifacts, gifts bestowed by the Celestial Realm. Over time, some of these artifacts were lost, abandoned, their owners long gone. There were cultivators who specialized in tracking down these lost artifacts, hoping to profit from their rediscovery."
"Though the chances of success were slim… there were a few instances where they succeeded. Our two clandestine visits were to retrieve those artifacts."
His words caused a stir among the attendees. Even those in positions of power were unaware of this history.
"Of the two Celestial Artifacts we recovered from the Xuanhuang World, one was sold before the Star Sea Tribulation," Lu Yuzhi continued, his voice tinged with regret. "The other… was lost to the Shang Celestial Barge during the split."
The cultivators gasped, their faces hardening with resentment. The memory of the split, the loss of resources and power, was a fresh wound.
Gan Jingda, the Second Elder, cleared his throat, silencing the murmurs, allowing Lu Yuzhi to continue.
"While those Celestial Artifacts are no longer in our possession, we do still possess this."
He gestured towards a representative from the Celestial Axis Institute, who activated a series of hand seals.
A radiant, translucent fruit, as smooth and white as jade, materialized before them, suspended within a shimmering array of protective formations.
Even through the layers of seals, the potent life force emanating from the Fruit of the Ruo Tree was palpable, a tantalizing allure for these cultivators who lived in a world where resources were scarce and precious. Even the highest-ranking members had never encountered such a treasure.
Most stared at it, their throats bobbing nervously.
Li Fan, too, studied the fruit, his mind racing.
"A familiar aura…"
"It is indeed from the Ruo Tree. But the life force it exudes…it's far greater than what the current Ruo Tree is capable of producing. The damage it suffered during the Tribulation…it must have been severe."
"And…"
He noticed something else, something subtle but significant. Tiny tendrils of life force were seeping out of the fruit, disappearing into the void.
"As you are all aware," Lu Yuzhi said, his voice grave, "the life force within this Fruit of the Ruo Tree has been slowly dissipating for millennia. Though we have employed various techniques to slow its decay, we cannot halt it completely."
A murmur of awe rippled through the crowd.
"Millennia of decay… and its remaining life force is still this potent. It's hard to imagine how powerful the fruit must have been in its prime."
"No wonder it's considered a priceless treasure throughout the Star Sea."
"Wait… if it's so precious, why haven't those old geezers in the Celestial Axis Institute consumed it themselves?"
Amid the murmurs, someone grasped the true significance of Lu Yuzhi's presentation.
"Are you saying… the dissipating life force… it's returning to the Xuanhuang World?"
Silence descended upon the hall once more. The gazes fixed on the Ruo Fruit shifted, the initial greed tinged with a new understanding, a glimmer of hope.
Lu Yuzhi nodded. "Precisely."
"The Star Sea is vast and boundless. Even Lan Yu, though he came from the Xuanhuang World, cannot remember the path back. But this fruit… its connection to the Ruo Tree… it allows us to pinpoint the location of the Xuanhuang World across the vast expanse of the Star Sea."
A wave of excited chatter erupted.
"Does the Xuanhuang World still possess more of these fruits?" Someone asked, their voice laced with avarice. "Imagine… if each of us had one…"
"Now I understand why the Celestial Axis Institute hasn't consumed it," another mused. "While valuable, its life force is linked to another world. For ordinary cultivators, this isn't an issue. But for those in power… consuming it would sever their connection to this world. Unless… they were willing to abandon their positions."
"Wait a minute," a more cautious voice interjected. "Isn't this a bit too convenient? This fruit, its life force guiding us to another world… it feels deliberate. Too deliberate. What if it's a trap? A lure to draw unsuspecting cultivators into an ambush?"
…
The debate raged, and Lu Yuzhi, presiding over the meeting, allowed it to continue. He closed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
When the hall finally quieted down, he spoke again, his voice calm and measured. "We have examined Lan Yu's memories thoroughly. We do not believe this is a trap. Even if such schemes existed in ancient times, the current Xuanhuang World… well, it faces far greater threats. Though it survived the Star Sea Tribulation, it underwent a cataclysmic transformation."
"The Xuanhuang World is currently under the joint rule of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Council of Five Elders…"
He proceeded to share detailed information about the Xuanhuang World, its political landscape, its power structure, its resources.
"This… doesn't match our records," someone interrupted, their voice tinged with confusion. "The Xuanhuang World… it's far larger than what our ancient texts describe."
"We believe," Lu Yuzhi explained, "that what we now call the Xuanhuang World is actually a conglomeration of worlds, survivors of the Star Sea Tribulation, who joined forces to resist the pull of the Immortal Ruins. A more accurate name would perhaps be the 'Refuge of the Surviving Worlds.'"
"Which means," another added, their voice grim, "there are likely hidden experts within the Xuanhuang World. Far more powerful than those we know of - Legacy Transmission, the Five Eternal Celestial Venerables, and the like."
"Defying the natural order to achieve immortality…" another mused, stroking their chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Binding their lives to the fate of their world… it grants them incredible lifespans, far beyond what ordinary cultivators can achieve. And as the world grows stronger, so too does their power. But outside their world… they are vulnerable. And if their world is destroyed… they perish along with it."
The assembled cultivators studied the reports with renewed seriousness.
"We mustn't forget," one said, their voice laced with concern, "that the Xuanhuang World possesses numerous Celestial Artifacts. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's Heavenly Profound Mirrors are clearly one such artifact. But what others do they possess? We must take this into account before launching an expedition. We all know the power wielded by the Celestial Realm… Can we truly be certain of victory?"
"Perhaps a more… diplomatic approach is warranted," another suggested. "According to Lan Yu's memories, the Xuanhuang World is rich in resources. Our Celestial Barge… well, we're not much larger than half a region within their world. We could trade for what we need."
"Even if we cannot conquer the Xuanhuang World," another chimed in, their eyes gleaming with avarice, "exploring the Immortal Ruins would be invaluable. Such a potent source of True Immortal energy… perhaps we can find complete True Immortal scripts within!"
"I urge caution," a more pragmatic voice interjected. "We covet their resources… but they are just as desperate to escape the pull of the Immortal Ruins. To them… we are just another source of… sustenance."
…
The decision of whether or not to journey to the Xuanhuang World was a momentous one, a decision that could alter the fate of the Celestial Barge forever. It was not one to be taken lightly. Furthermore, due to the lingering resentment from the original split, no one suggested sending a small exploratory force.
The Celestial Barge, having learned its lesson, would move as one. They couldn't afford another schism.
The council adjourned, agreeing to reconvene in thirty days to make their final decision.
Once the crowd dispersed, nine figures remained – four from the Severing Immortal Tower, three from the Celestial Axis Institute, one from the Dao Confirmation Academy, and one from the Star Forge.
Li Fan, a mere disciple, though favored, wasn't privy to this inner circle's discussions. He waited outside.
Gan Jingda made a series of hand seals, and an image appeared before the assembled cultivators.
A beam of sword light sliced across a vast, star-studded sky.
Sixteen characters shimmered, etched into the heavens themselves.
Beyond the Star Sea, beneath the towering wall, the Xuanshang Celestial Barge weathers the Tribulation.
"Your thoughts?" Gan Jingda asked, his gaze sweeping over the assembled experts.
"This method of communication… the Unbounded Sword?" Nangong Lie, the representative from the Dao Confirmation Academy, frowned. "A traitor within the Barge?"
"Not necessarily," another countered. "Perhaps it's those who left, all those years ago. Trying to cause trouble, hoping to profit from the chaos?"
"Regardless," a third said, their voice hard, "strength trumps all schemes. The only question is… is it worth the risk?"
…
The debate raged, the fate of the Celestial Barge hanging in the balance.
Outside the meeting hall, Li Fan waited for his master, his gaze fixed on the Celestial Barge's Divine Tree, its branches extending throughout their world, its roots drawing energy from the very core of their vessel. His mind, however, was focused on the Fruit of the Ruo Tree he had seen during the meeting.
"The fruit's life force… it is flowing towards the Xuanhuang World. But not in any conventional way. This involves… a deeper connection, a resonance with the Star Sea itself."
"Using its dissipating life force to pinpoint the location of the Xuanhuang World… that's impossible.
"They're lying," he realized. "They must have another method."
Several possibilities flashed through his mind, but he wasn't privy to the inner circle's secrets.
He didn't have enough information to reach a definitive conclusion.
His musings were interrupted by a message.
"Brother Zhao, come quickly!"
It was Wang Hai, a fellow disciple under Ai Tianjue.
Wang Hai rarely contacted him directly. Such urgency… it must be something important.
Li Fan decided to forgo waiting for his master, hurrying towards Wang Hai's residence.
"Brother Zhao, take a look at this."
"There's a… discrepancy in the report."
Wang Hai hadn't attended the meeting, but he had obtained a copy of the report on the Xuanhuang World.
Li Fan followed his gaze, his eyes widening as he saw what Wang Hai held in his hands – an ancient jade slip, its surface etched with faded symbols.
He scanned the contents, his surprise growing with each word.
"…The Xuanshang Celestial Barge was on the brink of destruction. To ensure the survival of our people, we resorted to using one of the few remaining Celestial Artifacts in our possession."
"The Seed of Genesis."
"A simple black seed, seemingly ordinary, was planted. And from it, a magnificent tree sprouted, its roots taking hold within the fractured remains of our Celestial Barge."
"It was this Divine Tree that stabilized our world, preventing it from collapsing completely."
"Truly, fate works in mysterious ways. Who would have imagined that this seemingly worthless artifact, a gift from the Xuanhuang World, dismissed as having no trade value… would become our salvation?"
Li Fan finished reading the jade slip, his mind reeling. It was a historical account of the events that transpired after the Celestial Barge's split, a personal reflection on the significance of the Divine Tree.
"Where did you get this?" he asked, his voice hushed.
"Where did I get it?" Wang Hai looked at him strangely. "It's a family heirloom, of course!"
"I've read every jade slip in our clan's archives since I was a child," he explained. "I remember this clearly. The Celestial Barge's Divine Tree… it came from the Xuanhuang World. But the report… it claims we have no Celestial Artifacts remaining…" He paused, seeing the strange look on Li Fan's face. "I know there's something… off about this. That's why I haven't said anything. I wanted to discuss it with you first."
"I just want to know… if I were to point out this… error… would it qualify for a Correction Merit?" He added quickly, "If not, just forget I said anything."
Correction Merits were among the most prestigious awards a cultivator on the Celestial Barge could receive. They were awarded to those who identified and corrected errors in the Celestial Barge's ancient texts, or who proposed significant improvements to existing techniques or technologies.
The Celestial Barge hadn't survived for so long by clinging to outdated knowledge. It was the ingenuity and dedication of its cultivators, generation after generation, that had allowed them to endure.
Li Fan returned the jade slip, his expression serious. "This is not an error, Wang Hai. They are intentionally concealing the Divine Tree's origins. Its connection to the Xuanhuang World."
"But why?" Wang Hai looked bewildered. "There's no reason to do that…"
Li Fan showed him the sixteen characters from Lan Yu's memories.
"Ah," Wang Hai's eyes widened in understanding. "Now I remember."
"The reason why the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance sent a vessel to the Star Sea."
Li Fan leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "That message… it was sent using the Unbounded Sword technique. A secret technique known only to a select few within the Celestial Barge."
Wang Hai paled, about to speak, but Li Fan raised a hand, silencing him.
"The Divine Tree came from the Xuanhuang World," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Do you think cultivators in the Xuanhuang World might still possess the knowledge to control it?"
"The Divine Tree saved our world. And now… we're planning to invade the very world that gave it to us? Wouldn't that be a betrayal of the highest order?"
"Revealing the truth would only sow discord within the Barge. It's better to keep it hidden. After all these years, very few even remember."
"And there might be spies from the Xuanhuang World within the Celestial Barge," Wang Hai added, his voice barely a whisper. "If this secret were to be revealed… it could be disastrous for us."
Li Fan nodded.
"What a shame," Wang Hai sighed, his initial excitement fading. "I thought I'd finally found a way to earn a Correction Merit."
"Don't worry," Li Fan reassured him, a strange glint in his eyes. "The Star Sea's transformation is upon us. As the remnants of the True Immortal energy grow more active, our comprehension of the True Immortal script will accelerate. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to earn merits."
…
"The Seed of Genesis…" Within the Xuanhuang World, a sliver of Li Fan's consciousness, inhabiting the body of Shang Tianci of the Sun Clan, searched his memories for any clues related to this artifact.
"The name is different, but… it sounds remarkably similar to the treasure left behind after the destruction of the Divinewood Sect."
The Divinewood Sect, an ancient sect of the Xuanhuang World.
They had existed during the same era as the Desolate God Sect and the Samsara Sect, a time of unparalleled prosperity for cultivation, before the severance of the path to immortality.
The Sitting Mountain Meditation Technique, so familiar to Li Fan, had originated from this very sect.
The Divinewood Sect had possessed a World Beyond the World, an otherworldly tree. Its rapid growth, however, had threatened the Ruo Tree, the heart and soul of the Xuanhuang World.
Conflict was inevitable.
The Divinewood Sect had been destroyed, erased from history.
Their defeat wasn't solely due to the Ruo Tree's power, which had been at its peak at the time. Other factions had joined the fight, eager to claim a share of the spoils.
But the true reason, much like the downfall of the Desolate God Sect, was the severing of their connection to the Celestial Realm, leaving them vulnerable, their most potent techniques useless.
After the Divinewood Sect's destruction, their World Beyond the World tree had been completely obliterated.
Only a few treasures remained, scattered among the victorious sects.
One of these treasures, a seemingly ordinary seed, matched the description of the Celestial Barge's Seed of Genesis.
"No wonder there are no records of it in the Xuanhuang World after the Divinewood Sect's fall…"
"It was sold to the Xuanshang Celestial Barge."
"According to the cultivators of that era, planting the seed would create another World Beyond the World tree. But with the Ruo Tree at its peak, any such attempt would be swiftly and brutally crushed. It was considered useless. And the Xuanhuang World couldn't support two such powerful trees."
"Its lack of value… that's why it was forgotten, overlooked, eventually sold."
"If I'm not mistaken," Li Fan mused, "the Celestial Barge's Divine Tree, grown from the Seed of Genesis, must be linked to the Divinewood Sect's original tree. When that tree was destroyed, its essence… it was absorbed by the Ruo Tree…"
"And that connection… that's how they can pinpoint the location of the Xuanhuang World."
"…The Star Sea is vast, but everything is connected."
"The Celestial Barge… they will come to the Xuanhuang World. It's inevitable. And when they do… they'll likely arrive just in time for the war between the Sacred Dynasty and the Alliance. Interesting."
A sly smile touched his lips. "Time to… add another player to this game."
…
Within a realm of endless darkness, hundreds of monstrous figures, ethereal and terrifying, swirled and screamed, their forms shifting and changing like phantoms in a nightmare.
Below them, a woman sat, her hair disheveled, her eyes closed, her face serene, yet a deep, burning resentment radiated from her very being.
Wu Ninglu. The wife of Sun Ang, the body currently occupied by Li Fan's true self.
During Sun Tianci's ascension to Dao Integration, she had been sacrificed, her life force fueling his unnatural birth.
Her soul, on the verge of dissipating, had been saved by Li Fan, a mere fragment of her consciousness clinging to existence.
He had granted her the Three Disasters and Hundred Tribulations Divine Spirit Technique.
"You're too slow!" he chided, his voice dripping with disdain.
"All this time… and you've only managed to cultivate three hundred and sixty-four Divine Spirits?"
"Worthless."
"Take a look at your precious son. See what he's accomplished."
He waved his hand, and an image appeared before them – Sun Tianci, no older than five or six.
Standing before him, their expressions wary, were three adult Dao Integration cultivators.
"Please, enlighten us."
Without further ado, the three cultivators attacked, their combined might aimed at the child.
They were powerful, their techniques honed, their mastery of the Heavenly Souls impressive. One of them wielded a particularly insidious power – a swirling black mist that seemed to defy the laws of reality.
But their attacks, as they neared Sun Tianci, simply… vanished, neutralized, their power absorbed.
"Do you understand what this means?" Li Fan asked, his voice laced with amusement. "Your precious son… his comprehension of the Heavenly Dao's laws… it's beyond anything I've ever witnessed. Their attacks, fueled by Heavenly Souls, are transformed into pure, primordial energy, absorbed back into the Xuanhuang World. If they continue, they risk damaging their own foundations, their own cultivation."
As if to confirm his words, the image shifted. The three Dao Integration experts, their faces grim, ceased their attack, bowing their heads in defeat.
Sun Tianci responded politely, his demeanor calm and respectful.
The image vanished.
Wu Ninglu, who had been eerily silent, erupted, her calm facade shattering as she descended into madness.
"That's mine! All of it! It should have been mine!"
"I hate them! I hate the Sun Clan! They all deserve to die!"
Her curses echoed through the darkness.
"Your words are meaningless," Li Fan said coldly. "They cannot harm them."
"I made a mistake," he continued, his voice laced with disdain. "I nurtured… a failure."
Wu Ninglu's frenzy subsided, replaced by a chilling calm.
Though she couldn't see Li Fan's presence, she prostrated herself before him, her forehead pressed against the cold, hard ground.
"Please, Senior, help me! I'll do anything! Anything at all! Just make them pay! The Sun Clan… and that… that bastard…" She spat the words, her voice venomous.
"Anything?" Li Fan scoffed. "What could you possibly offer?"
His words, his blatant disdain, caused the hundred ghostly figures she had painstakingly cultivated to tremble, their ethereal forms flickering as if about to lash out.
But she held them back, her control absolute.
She continued to plead, her voice choked with tears.
Li Fan observed the ghostly figures, their rage barely contained, and a smile touched his lips. "There's still some fight left in you, I see."
"And besides," he added, a cruel glint in his eyes, "I do enjoy a good show. Perhaps… I can be persuaded to help."
Hope flared in Wu Ninglu's eyes.
"But first," he said, his voice hardening, "you need to get rid of that… unpleasant appearance."
He materialized before her, his form hazy, indistinct. He placed a hand on her head.
White smoke erupted from Wu Ninglu's shadowy form, and she screamed, her body convulsing as her very essence was reshaped, refined. Her pleas turned to curses, her words venomous, directed at the being she had moments ago begged for assistance.
Li Fan ignored her, his hand unwavering.
The hundred spectral figures lunged, attempting to protect their master.
But as they neared him, they were drawn into his body, vanishing without a trace.
One by one, they disappeared.
In the blink of an eye, the hundred Divine Spirits Wu Ninglu had painstakingly cultivated were reduced to a handful, cowering before him, their rage replaced by terror.
Her life's work, her only hope of revenge, destroyed, Wu Ninglu howled in anguish, her body writhing in pain.
"Impressive," Li Fan mused, observing her struggle. "Such potent resentment…" He accelerated the transformation, reshaping her body, her soul, her very essence.
After what felt like an eternity, Wu Ninglu's screams subsided.
Her shadowy, monstrous form was gone, replaced by the appearance of a normal human woman.
"In that… previous form… you wouldn't have lasted a second against your son," Li Fan said coldly. "He would have purified you without a second thought."
"If you want revenge… you need to find his weakness."
"Even the most exceptional geniuses… they have vulnerabilities. Your son… he craves what he never had. A family. A mother's love."
"So, learn to play the part."
A cruel smile curved his lips as he flooded Wu Ninglu's mind with images, memories, emotions.
Gradually, her expression softened.
She looked… almost maternal.
But only Li Fan could see the burning hatred in her eyes, a hatred that would never be extinguished.
…
Outside this realm of darkness, beyond Wu Ninglu's perception…
"Master, how did I perform?" Sun Tianci, his consciousness reaching out to Li Fan within his mind, asked eagerly.
"You could have done better. You hesitated," Li Fan said, his tone laced with disapproval.
Sun Tianci didn't deny it. "It was just a spar, Master. Had it been a true battle, I would have crippled them. Stripped them of a third of their cultivation, at least."
"Did you feel it? The world's… disapproval?" Li Fan asked.
A flicker of guilt crossed Sun Tianci's face. "Not yet, Master."
"It takes time. The Heavenly Dao's resistance to those who cultivate the New Law… it will not vanish overnight. Continue these spars, seek out other Dao Integration experts. With your talent, you will eventually overcome its resistance. You will earn its favor."
(End of Chapter)