Chapter 585 - 37: Becoming the World’s Will, Haotian’s Advent, An Old Friend’s Ascension

Chapter 585: Chapter 37: Becoming the World’s Will, Haotian’s Advent, An Old Friend’s Ascension

The Confucian Great Virtue chuckled. The Demon Sect Saintess stifled a laugh. And the man who sold candied hawthorns—once the greatest Swordsman in the world—slowly began to speak:

"You... were born extraordinary."

"How extraordinary??" The young man grew even more puzzled.

After a long silence,

The man who was once the world’s greatest Swordsman, and now its second, slowly recounted:

"Twenty-four years ago, the Celestial Vault shattered. The phantom of a Cyan Lamp appeared, illuminating infinite worlds with boundless light.

Then, a colossal, Heaven-Reaching hand stretched across All Realms... and cast your soul down!"

The young man was dumbfounded.

He was silent for a long moment, then his voice grew heavy as he asked:

"So, everything about my life, from the very beginning... was all just because of... that hand?"

But the Demon Sect Saintess stepped forward, straightened the young man’s clothes, and shook her head, saying:

"Maybe it started that way, but later... it wasn’t!"

She kissed him, and they embraced.

Suddenly, the Celestial Vault transformed. A ray of golden sunlight burned through the void, revealing a hollow passage. An immense suction force washed down, and the young man was lifted into the air against his will!

"Lu Xiuyuan!"

Tears streamed down the Demon Sect Saintess’s face. She had only just mustered the courage to confess, and now, they were being torn apart.

This parting would be an eternal separation.

Lu Xiuyuan let out a roar as Immortal markings appeared on his body. He suddenly no longer wanted to ascend, no longer wanted to go to the so-called Upper Realm. He only wanted to stay by her side.

But despite using all his strength, Lu Xiuyuan still couldn’t resist the terrifying suction. He continued to rise...

The Demon Sect Saintess gritted her teeth, leaped into the air, and grabbed Lu Xiuyuan’s hand. Caught in the terrifying suction, they disappeared together into the hollow passage.

The world grew calm once more, and their figures were gone.

.........

"Youwei? Youwei?"

Lin Youwei slowly awoke from unconsciousness. The first thing she saw was Lu Xiuyuan’s familiar face. She threw her arms around him, weeping with joy.

"I... I came with you?"

"Yes!"

Lu Xiuyuan nodded excitedly, his eyes shining:

"The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi here is thousands, even tens of thousands of times denser than in our world! And that’s not all. I can feel that the limits of this world are also dramatically higher!"

After a pause, a look of confusion appeared on his face:

"It’s just..."

"What is it?" Lin Youwei asked with concern.

Lu Xiuyuan shook his head:

"I can’t shake the feeling that this world is familiar. No, it’s more like this whole stretch of heaven and earth feels familiar..."

Lin Youwei was a bit baffled but offered some words of comfort. The two of them then cautiously made their way out of the mountain range, heading toward a small city in the distance without revealing their Divine Techniques.

After all, according to the stories in the comic books and picture books from their world, some powerful Cultivators who underwent ’Ascension’ to the Upper Realm ended up as the lowest of the low, becoming slaves or servants...

Although they were just stories made up by mortals, there was... probably some truth to them.

As they neared the small city, the two exchanged surprised glances. The city was clearly remote, yet it was surprisingly crowded. And... there were many Cultivators!

Although most of their auras were at the Celestial Human or Earth Immortal Level, True Immortals were rare.

But the key was that this place was so remote!

’The Upper Realm is truly no simple place!’

Lu Xiuyuan was somewhat alarmed. He and Lin Youwei blended into the crowd, keeping their ears open and silently gathering information.

As it happened, two elderly men at the True Immortal level were talking nearby.

"Only three days until the legendary Supreme Treasure is said to appear... I suppose the Sect Leaders of the major sects will be descending as well?"

"Probably. Tsk tsk, we’re talking about the legendary [Heaven-Opening Banner]... I heard that this world we’re in was pioneered by the Heaven-Opening Banner!"

"I’ve heard that too, but I don’t know the details... Care to share?"

"Thirty years ago, a supreme being wielded this Heaven-Opening Banner, transformed their very body into this vast world, and connected three hundred and sixty-five realms!"

"For real? Transformed his body into a world? That sounds a little far-fetched, doesn’t it?"

...

Amidst many similar conversations, Lu Xiuyuan and Lin Youwei exchanged a subtle, thoughtful glance.

"The Supreme Treasure’s appearance..." Lu Xiuyuan whispered, "Should we... give it a try?"

From the information they had gathered, it seemed this Upper Realm had only come into existence thirty years ago.

And the living beings in the Upper Realm had all been relocated from three hundred and sixty-five stars in the sky...

Furthermore, it sounded as if the Sect Leaders of the major sects were already the top experts, and they seemed to be at the same realm as Lu Xiuyuan—all of them Immortals...

Lin Youwei whispered in reply:

"I think we should try. The Great Dao is meant to be fought for!"

Lu Xiuyuan pondered for a moment and nodded. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a commotion as a clear light descended from the Celestial Vault.

"It’s the Sect Leader of the Aotao Sect, Elder Ao Tao!"

Someone cried out in astonishment:

"It’s said that Elder Ao Tao single-handedly held up their star-world for countless years. He achieved immortality through the great virtue gained by supporting a world. Then, he voluntarily dispersed his Immortal cultivation and used his Great Magical Power to achieve it all over again!"

"I know all about that! Elder Ao Tao and I are from the same star-world. He forged his own path. We all used to follow the teachings of Lu Zi and Xiu Zizhi, but he pioneered a path of pure cultivation!"

Amidst the many discussions, an Immortal slowly approached. But instead of walking down, he simply sat cross-legged in the Celestial Vault, like a glorious Great Sun illuminating all directions!

’An Immortal...’

Lu Xiuyuan’s expression was grave, yet tinged with confusion:

’Why... does he feel familiar, too?’

His head felt like it was splitting apart, and he let out a low cry. Lin Youwei’s expression changed, and she anxiously helped Lu Xiuyuan sit down in the shade of a tree. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, Lu Xiuyuan suddenly closed his eyes.

A long time passed.

"So that’s how it is..."

Lu Xiuyuan sighed softly as scenes from his past life surfaced in his mind.

’So that’s how it is.’

’But...’

His gaze was profound as he stared at Ao Tao, who was seated in the Celestial Vault. He muttered to himself in a low voice:

"The Chairman of Aotao Organism... why is he here?"

............

「In the Celestial Vault of the Profound Purity Realm.」

Taiyi, with his dead-fish eyes, asked flatly:

"Lu Xuan, are you really this bored? Staging a whole drama about a Supreme Treasure appearing with the Heaven-Opening Banner?"

The Great Will of Heaven and Earth trembled slightly, and a calm voice replied:

"Take a guess."

Taiyi narrowed his eyes, pondering for a long moment. "You’re definitely plotting something. Why bother hiding it from me..."

After some thought, he let out a slow breath:

"Xiaoxuan, perhaps we could have a talk?"