Chapter 1188: The Sinners of the Xuanyuan Realm

In a sense, Chen Tianhai bore a significant portion of the responsibility for the current state of the Xuanhuang Realm. It was he who, without authorization, activated the Mother Stone of Transmutation and performed billions of derivations. This allowed Chuanfa to glimpse the only possible path to victory. For the fall of the Ten Great Immortal Sects and six Immortals, Chen Tianhai was an undeniable culprit.

The numerous derivations performed with the Mother Stone of Transmutation naturally could not be kept secret. When his master, Daoist Xingji, returned and discovered that these terrible consequences were highly likely caused by Chen Tianhai's insider actions, he was beyond furious. He immediately intended to execute Chen Tianhai as a public atonement.

However, after careful reconsideration, Daoist Xingji did not act.

Firstly, the deep bond between master and disciple, like that of a father and son, meant Daoist Xingji ultimately softened his resolve.

Secondly, if the news truly spread, the Taiyan Sect would inevitably become a target of public scorn, possibly even being expunged from the Xuanhuang Realm. After all, traitors are always more detestable than enemies.

However, the tragic deaths of his old friends and his intense self-reproach made it impossible for Daoist Xingji to simply pretend nothing had happened.

Therefore, he could only strip Chen Tianhai of his status as the first true disciple, imprison him in the Taiyan Sect's grand prison, and suppress him forever. To the outside world, it was declared that Chen Tianhai had defected.

Chen Tianhai remained in the dark, sunless prison for an unknown period. By the time he was released, calamity had already struck, and the Taiyan Sect faced a crisis of survival.

The world was in chaos, and the once illustrious Ten Great Immortal Sects could barely look after themselves.

The disciples of the Taiyan Sect, by continuously performing complex derivations using the Stones of Transmutation, could suppress the killing intent caused by the "Incompatible Cultivation" phenomenon. They had not yet fallen into the extreme chaos that gripped other Immortal Sects. However, they were already at their limit.

Not only were the Stones of Transmutation within individual cultivators affected, but even the Mother Stone of Transmutation, due to the sudden emergence of extreme variables, had overturned all previous derivations and began rapidly re-deriving. Its computational power was nearly exhausted in an attempt to find a glimmer of hope for the Taiyan Sect. Before his life force completely depleted, Daoist Xingji released Chen Tianhai.

And he pointed out a path for him: abandoning the physical body, with information being indestructible.

He stated that misfortune and fortune were intertwined; though Chen Tianhai had made a grave mistake back then, it allowed him to discern Chuanfa's true nature. He explained that Chuanfa had now been drawn away from the Xuanhuang Realm by their last resort, granting them a moment to preserve their strength and catch their breath. Otherwise, he feared all their Immortal Sect legacies would perish.

Before he could fully impart his last words, Daoist Xingji perished. And before the calamity of "Incompatible Cultivation" fully enveloped the Taiyan Sect, Chen Tianhai finally completed the integration of the entire Taiyan Sect into the Mother Stone of Transmutation.

Fortunately, before his death, his master had already eliminated all opposing forces within the sect for him. Otherwise, Chen Tianhai would not have been able to persevere until that moment.

When every member of the sect could experience and harness the nearly infinite computational power of the Mother Stone of Transmutation, Chen Tianhai knew his master's decision had been correct.

After the fragmented Stones of Transmutation were reintegrated into bodies and infused with the collective consciousness of thousands of Taiyan Sect cultivators, the Mother Stone of Transmutation itself underwent a profound and mystical transformation. It developed its own sentience, a collective consciousness belonging to the Taiyan Sect.

During the thousands of years of seclusion in the Taixuan Realm, Chen Tianhai reflected on the past and re-evaluated his actions from back then.

At that time, he had often felt uneasy and suspected he might have fallen victim to Chuanfa's covert schemes.

However, neither the sect's forbidden artifacts, nor his master, nor even other Immortal-level experts like Taishang and Tianjian from other sects, could find anything amiss with him.

Chen Tianhai could only assume it was merely his own inner demons at work.

He mused that Chuanfa's methods were truly cunning and unpredictable. Unfortunately, his master had passed away before revealing Chuanfa's true nature, and other knowledgeable individuals from the Immortal Sects had long since vanished. "However, after all these years, I have managed to deduce a general idea..."

As Chen Tianhai listened to Sun Erlang recount his simulated experiences, his thoughts raced.

"By the way, Senior, those cultivation techniques I learned in the simulated world..." Sun Erlang began, then hesitated.

"They are real, of course," Chen Tianhai said calmly.

"But you'd best not learn or use them in reality. Otherwise, you might attract pursuit from the Myriad Immortal Alliance's Protector Hall," Chen Tianhai added.

"The Myriad Immortal Alliance's Protector Hall..." Sun Erlang murmured, yet his eyes showed no fear.

"Very well, young master, since you've gained much, please return. Don't keep your master waiting too long," Chen Tianhai said, effectively dismissing him.

"Yishu will accompany you to the Grand Qí minor realm."

Before the words fully faded, Sun Erlang felt his vision blur. When he regained his senses, he was already outside the blue, transparent building.

Yishu stood smiling nearby, seemingly having waited for a long time.

"Hmm?" Sun Erlang instantly noticed the difference in Yishu compared to before. He was even different from all the other cultivators within the Taiyan Sect. Instead of a cold, uniformly shared aura, he now exuded a vibrant life force of his own.

"Thanks to you, young master, I temporarily have a physical body again and can enjoy myself for a while," Yishu said with a smile, explaining the current situation of the Taiyan Sect to Sun Erlang.

"Information indestructible..." After hundreds of years of experience in the simulated world, Sun Erlang was noticeably much calmer. Yet he was still astonished by the Taiyan Sect's imaginative concept.

"Young master, there's no need to be surprised. If you truly experienced it firsthand like us, you'd know that having or not having a physical body makes little difference. In fact, a physical body is nothing but a hindrance," Yishu said with a chuckle.

"But it's nice for a change sometimes."

Yishu followed Sun Erlang out of the Taixuan Realm and headed straight for the entrance to the Congyun Sea and the Grand Qí minor realm.

Evidently, the Taiyan Sect was familiar with the location of the Grand Qí minor realm.

However, after passing through the Immortal Severing Formation and seeing only a vast, empty void with no minor realm in sight, Yishu finally showed a trace of surprise.

Sun Erlang paused for a moment, then memories from a century ago seemed to resurface.

He said somewhat awkwardly, "Please wait a moment, Senior. My Sacred Dynasty, Grand Qí, now drifts aimlessly through the void. I don't know its current location..."

"Allow me to inquire."

Moments later, a golden light suddenly emerged from the darkness, instantly appearing before the two of them.

"Greetings, Senior Baihua!" Sun Erlang recognized the newcomer and bowed respectfully.

Daoist Baihua glanced at Yishu but said nothing more.

"Follow me."

A radiant golden light enveloped the two, and the surrounding void seemed to twist, emitting an eerie glow.

When the golden light dissipated, they were already back within the Sacred Dynasty, Grand Qí.