I Am Loaded with Passive Skills

Chapter 4049: Chapter 1923: Dual Downfall

Woo——

All the heavens mourn.

Not only the Shengshen Continent but also the Apricot Realm, Divine Relics, Abyss Island, and Holy Emperor’s secret realm, worlds that are not on this plane yet have had interactions and connections with Shengshen Continent, all possess such perception.

The fall of the Ancestral God is known throughout the realms, yet they are utterly powerless to intervene, only able to watch.

Brilliant radiance bursts forth from Lingyu Mountain, returning to Heaven and Earth, with streams of light infusing into various regions of Shengshen Continent.

Some fall on barren lands, nourishing them with abundant Spirit Lakes; some fall into desolate forbidden grounds, cultivating unowned Holy Power...

The grass and trees revive, the withered branches turn green.

Everyone feels nourished by the spiritual energy rebirth, their vitality and vigor are significantly improved.

Yet, simultaneously, they are struck with grief, their eyes inexplicably well up with tears, as if Bei Huai descends again.

"Hua Ancestor, fallen..."

As the first cultivator of the Spiritual Cultivation Era to become Gods and be hailed as Ancestor, he should have been celebrated throughout the ages, leaving countless accomplishments, ranking as the Eleventh Ancestor.

Unexpectedly, the splendor vanished in an instant.

Bazhun’an returned everything to zero, ending what was about to be the flourishing era of Hua Ancestor.

Is this the end?

No!

Those with discerning eyes can see this isn’t the end; instead, it should be just the beginning of the Ancestral God’s struggle for supremacy.

After all, after Hua Ancestor, there are still many ancestors eyeing covetously, each waiting for this critical turning point.

But that is a matter for the future.

On the distant mountain range of Lingyu Mountain, atop the snow-covered peak, stands a solitary youth, eyes filled with sorrow.

"Supreme Master..."

Hua Changdeng illuminated the Land of Screen and Candles for thirty years.

Xi, from wielding a sword to being seen to receiving instruction from Hua Changdeng, took merely a dozen years.

During this time, the learning of swordsmanship was sporadic, sometimes going a month without visiting the Land of Screen and Candles, unable to meet Supreme Master even once.

Yet every meeting proved immensely beneficial.

Even though Supreme Master Hua Changdeng never openly acknowledged him, never looked in his direction until death, and when the Holy Divine Palace still existed, few knew of his identity except for Hallmaster Dao and a few elites.

Xi remained grateful nonetheless.

He knew that before he matured, "not acknowledging" was the greatest protection.

When Supreme Master ascended to semi-saint, it was also the day before leaving the Land of Screen and Candles, Xi went for one last meeting.

After that instruction, Xi faintly sensed the farewell and couldn’t help but ask the deepest question lingering in his heart since practicing swordsmanship for over a decade:

"Supreme Master, why did you choose me back then?"

The Yunshan Emperor realm was not lacking in Way of the Sword geniuses, and Beibei grew up there, far surpassing him in talent.

In the youth generation of ancient swordsmen across the five regions, he, Xi, was neither a prodigy nor catching any attention when he first emerged.

It was only because Hallmaster Dao formed a prototype of the "Sword Department" and began selecting talent in secret.

Xi was adequate and was chosen as a "seed."

Many others were similar seeds.

Xi could only rank in the top ten amongst those with surnames Yue, Hua, and Rao, incomparable to aristocratic descendants on the sacred mountain.

"You have no name nor surname, yet your talent is acceptable."

This was the Supreme Master’s answer, as if from the beginning, he never intended to select someone from the elites of Holy Emperor’s secret realm or sacred mountain.

"Yet for so many years, you never had any intention of ’accepting disciples,’ seemingly even now... Uh, you don’t either. Why did you choose me then?"

"Because of inheritance."

Xi vaguely remembers, when Supreme Master said this sentence, there was regret in his eyes.

Of course, he pursued the inquiry, but Supreme Master didn’t answer directly.

Inheritance?

Inheritance of the Path of the Ancient Swordsman?

Did the Supreme Master switch from Phantom Swords Technique to Spirit Dao midway because he wanted to make up for the regret of not persisting in Phantom Swords Technique?

Or...

Generally speaking, it seems like the solitary lineage elders only choose to take disciples when sensing their end is near, right?

To this day, it’s still Xi’s puzzle.

Sensing that was the final meeting, Xi was bold enough to ask the question every ancient swordsman cares about:

"Will Supreme Master have another duel with the Eighth Sword Deity?"

"Yes!" The answer was firm.

"Supreme Master, how confident are you?"

"..."

But Supreme Master was silent.

Xi’s first reaction was that Supreme Master had long dismissed Bazhun’an, seeing no significance in him.

Observing his expression felt off.

Speculating about a "fifty-fifty chance," if the Eighth Sword Deity had means against the Sword Demon, he surely wouldn’t be idle for thirty years.

Looking back now...

The silence of Supreme Master back then seemingly contained more information?

Supreme Master didn’t respond directly. Instead, he proactively mentioned another matter that Xi had been curious about but never dared to ask:

"Do you know why I turned from the Path of the Ancient Swordsman to Phantom Swords Technique and then cultivated the Dao of the soul?"

Xi shook his head; he truly didn’t know this.

"Because of this."

Supreme Master took out a pitch-black wooden box, larger than a human head, intriguing to see what’s inside.

He opened the box, and rich spiritual power flowed out, revealing a large "ghost" character.

"Origin True Stele."

Without waiting for a question, Supreme Master explained, though somewhat carelessly: "I also don’t know its specific effect, just have some guesses."

Xi was astonished but could only take the box and gaze at the ancient characters, lost in thought.

Supreme Master spoke to himself: "Bazhun’an’s talent is exceptional, in terms of Phantom Swords Technique, he’s not as good as me. As for the Path of the Ancient Swordsman, I’m not as good as him."

"However, few know that my ability to achieve the sole ’Lord of Phantom City’ was due to obtaining this Origin True Stele, gaining three parts external power from Godhood-sealing and Ancestor."

Xi remained silent, not daring to agree.

Who hasn’t borrowed external forces while cultivating?

Birth, resources, opportunities, and luck can all be understood as external forces, regardless of good or bad, fortune and misfortune are interdependent — even Xi’s humble origins allowed him to borrow the Land of Screen and Candles as external support.