Chapter 539 281: Learn the Way at Dawn, Die by Dusk

The Wuji Mountain Lord was just as he had been before, dressed in a Daoist Robe and sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat.

He looked at Wang Xiao, his gaze seeming to pierce through endless ages. The River of Time at his feet began to churn.

Facing the Wuji Mountain Lord, Wang Xiao felt as if an entire cosmos was bearing down on him.

It felt as if he could be knocked into the River of Time at any moment.

However, Wang Xiao wasn't particularly panicked.

He could feel that he could connect with the Book of Space-Time at any moment and leave Wuji Mountain.

And judging by the Wuji Mountain Lord's reaction, he hadn't sensed the existence of the Book of Space-Time.

The Wuji Mountain Lord waved his hand, and a Token suddenly appeared in Wang Xiao's grasp.

The moment Wang Xiao gripped the Token, he felt the River of Time beneath his feet surge violently.

It was as if it was carrying him through an endless expanse of space.

Then, one after another, ocher-colored planets abruptly materialized before his eyes.

'This is?!'

Wang Xiao's eyes flickered, and he looked toward the Wuji Mountain Lord.

The Wuji Mountain Lord said,

"As you can see, these are all the Cosmic Stars under my jurisdiction within the Starry Sky Sea."

"Next, you will need to enter the Cosmic Stars to search for Star Crystals. This Token will be of help to you."

"By activating it, you can borrow my River of Time to escape from within a Cosmic Star!"

"Furthermore, if you encounter other Tier Thirteen Life, you can also activate this Token to interfere with their River of Time, so you won't be at their mercy."

"Of course, you can only activate this Token after you've transcended the River of Time and become a Tier Twelve Life."

Wang Xiao couldn't help but say,

"This is too valuable. As the saying goes, one shouldn't be rewarded without merit. I haven't done anything for Wuji Mountain, so how can I accept such a precious gift from you, Mountain Lord?"

He hadn't expected the Wuji Mountain Lord to give him something so valuable.

Activating this Token was practically equivalent to borrowing the power of a Tier Thirteen Life at any time.

One could even escape directly from within a Cosmic Star!

For a Tier Twelve Life, it was a priceless treasure.

However, now that Wang Xiao had the Book of Space-Time, there was no need for him to accept this kindness.

'The Wuji Mountain Lord wouldn't give me such a valuable item for no reason. There must be something he needs me to do.'

The Wuji Mountain Lord showed no intention of taking the Token back. Instead, he said,

"For this coming Silent Extinction, I have already decided to remain in the Unobservable Cosmos and not return."

"Though I have left some safeguards behind, they cannot protect Wuji Mountain for very long."

"Therefore, I only need you to promise me that once you break through and become a Tier Thirteen Life, you will protect Wuji Mountain for one Starry Sky Era. This will resolve this strand of Cause and Effect."

Wang Xiao's eyes glinted.

"Senior, are you so certain I can become a Tier Thirteen Life?"

The Wuji Mountain Lord said,

"When your Cultivation reaches my Realm, you will understand that this Cosmos no longer holds many secrets for beings like us."

"And you are one of the few beings who I find to be shrouded in Fog and full of variables."

"Typically, the only ones I cannot see through are Tier Thirteen Life."

"Therefore, you already possess the potential to become a Tier Thirteen Life. Your breakthrough is only a matter of time."

"This time, I will remain in the Unobservable Cosmos, and I may never return."

"Though everything else is but an external possession to me, many lives exist on Wuji Mountain because of me, and I cannot simply abandon them."

Wang Xiao looked at the Token in his hand, thought for a moment, and said,

"If I reach the level of a Tier Thirteen Life, I can protect Wuji Mountain for one Starry Sky Era. Of course, if I encounter trouble that I cannot resolve, Wuji Mountain will have to fend for itself!"

'I do need the coordinates of the Cosmic Stars that the Wuji Mountain Lord is providing.'

'Otherwise, who knows how long it would take me to find them on my own.'

'After all, these Cosmic Stars appear randomly throughout the Cosmos.'

'Besides, I'm also worried the Book of Space-Time might not be useful in that situation. At least this way, I'll have another backup plan.'

'As for protecting Wuji Mountain, it won't be too difficult once I become a Tier Thirteen Life.'

The Wuji Mountain Lord nodded.

"Yes. With your promise, I can rest assured."

After thinking for a moment, Wang Xiao couldn't help but ask,

"Senior, what secrets does the Unobservable Cosmos truly hold? Why is it that all the Tier Thirteen Life who remain inside disappear, never to be seen again?!"

He knew that if a Tier Thirteen Life stayed in the Unobservable Cosmos for one Cosmic Era without re-emerging, that being would no longer appear in the next Cosmic Era.

Furthermore, any being that did emerge from the Unobservable Cosmos would lose all their memories of it.

The Wuji Mountain Lord's gaze was profound as he said calmly,

"If I knew the answer, I wouldn't need to risk my life by remaining in the Unobservable Cosmos."

"However, I do know this: to break through from being a Tier Thirteen Life and ascend to a higher level of existence, one must stay in the Unobservable Cosmos for one Cosmic Era and then return to the Observable Cosmos!"

"This is the only hope for a breakthrough."

"For Tier Thirteen Life such as ourselves, there is nothing left to pursue. Time holds no meaning for us. The only thing left to seek is the very limit of life itself!"

"'If one hears the Way in the morning, one can die content in the evening.'"

Wang Xiao knew the Wuji Mountain Lord's mind was made up. He nodded and said,

"Then I wish you success, Senior. May you truly find the hope of a breakthrough!"

He didn't linger. Taking the Token from the Wuji Mountain Lord, he left Wuji Mountain immediately.

Immediately, he connected with the Book of Space-Time and asked it,

'You once said that the next step after Tier Thirteen Life is Tier Fourteen Life. Once that Realm is reached, one can transcend completely and ignore the Silent Extinction of the Cosmos.'

'Why has no one in this Cosmos ever reached the level of a Tier Fourteen Life?'

'To become a Tier Fourteen Life, is entering the Unobservable Cosmos truly the only way to break through?!'

'And what secrets does the Unobservable Cosmos hold?'

He already knew that the Book of Space-Time was from the Unobservable Cosmos.

Now, the Book of Space-Time had recovered half of its Lost Items.

It ought to have more specific information about the Unobservable Cosmos now.

The Book of Space-Time transmitted a message:

'Information about the Unobservable Cosmos is shielded by a powerful force. Unless all the Lost Items are collected, even the Book of Space-Time cannot know the details.'

'This Cosmos lacks a certain crucial object, which is why a Tier Fourteen Life cannot be born here.'

'It may be possible to find this crucial object after entering the Unobservable Cosmos.'

Wang Xiao's brow furrowed.

'A crucial object? What is it?'

The Book of Space-Time transmitted another message:

'The Book of Space-Time does not know.'

Wang Xiao let out a breath and said calmly,

"Alright. Once I've settled matters on Earth, I'll enter the River of Time to salvage Immortal Objects."

'Even though I have the Wuji Mountain Lord's Token now and can use it to leave a Cosmic Star at any time, I should still be doubly prepared.'

'Once I refine the Origin within the Immortal Objects and can perform a Dimensional Strike across one hundred million starry skies, I'll be able to connect with the Book of Space-Time even after entering a Cosmic Star.'

With a flicker of his body, he returned to Earth.

He then spent another year on Earth, making all the necessary arrangements before leaving the planet, activating the Book of Space-Time, and entering the River of Time.

HUMMM!

A vast and powerful fluctuation swept over Wang Xiao, making him feel as if he were traveling through infinite time.

Under the guidance of the Book of Space-Time, Wang Xiao quickly sensed the various Immortal Objects within the River of Time.

He didn't linger, flying directly toward the location of the Immortal Objects.

「Five hundred years later.」

In a silent expanse of space.

HUMMM!

The void rippled violently.

A faintly shimmering River of Time suddenly materialized.

Immediately, a figure stepped out from within the River of Time.

It was Wang Xiao!

In five hundred years, he had refined a total of five Immortal Objects, finally reaching the level where he could perform a Dimensional Strike across one hundred million starry skies.

Then, without any delay, he used the Token to travel directly to the nearest Cosmic Star.

Not far from him, an ocher-colored Cosmic Star rotated slowly, exuding a boundless, majestic power.

He wasted no time. With a single movement, he plunged directly into the ocher-colored Cosmic Star.