Chapter 1243: Qing Guanshi Divine Eye

"As the saying goes, 'When the nest is overturned, no egg remains whole.' If the Xuanhuang World ceases to be the Xuanhuang World, then those like you, who rely on it for existence, will likely face reckoning today." The Faceless Saint Emperor concluded, "Even the immortals of this world cannot escape."

As Li Ping finished speaking, a sense of crisis naturally arose in the Stone Tablet's heart, as if its spiritual intuition resonated with Li Ping's conclusion. After a long pause, the Stone Tablet said, "I had never considered this point before. I wonder what the other immortals are thinking. We haven't interacted in many years."

Li Ping scoffed, "Those few still plan to sit back and watch the fight. But it doesn't matter; neutrality is fine. They were never part of my plan anyway."

The Stone Tablet skipped the topic. "So, you're saying the key is for Xuanhuang to be the orthodox power. How can that be achieved? And if, as you say, any unusual movement from us would be detected and stopped by the Dharma Transmission..."Li Ping remained silent for a long time, offering no response. Instead, he suddenly said, "Let me first help you resolve the trouble caused by the stone tablet on your back."

The Stone Tablet knew that it wasn't yet someone the Saint Emperor would fully disclose all his plans to. So, without pressing, it bowed slightly and said, "In that case, I thank you in advance. If it doesn't work out, it's no matter.""If I act, there's no reason it won't succeed," the Saint Emperor declared, leaving the Stone Tablet speechless.

Li Ping tossed the Book of Transcension onto the main hall's floor. Its pages flipped rapidly as if by an unseen wind. One by one, gilded paper figures emerged from the book, lining up like soldiers in formation. Naturally, the thick-browed golden figure from before led them.

The Saint Emperor's methods were unknown, but though they had been suppressed for less than half a day, the figures seemed to have undergone a complete transformation compared to when they first emerged from the Transcension Sect. The Stone Tablet's gaze focused on the Transcension Sect's paper figures, while Li Ping noticed unusual movement from the Cat Treasure within the Saint Dynasty's treasury.

As if it had discovered something immensely interesting, the Cat Treasure flashed beside Li Ping. It stood on his shoulder, rubbing its head affectionately against his, its eyes fixed intently on the paper figures below. An inexplicable aura instantly enveloped the Saint Emperor's throne room.

The paper figures, which had been swaying their heads and making small movements, suddenly froze like ice sculptures, daring not to move. The leading golden figure even started to activate the Eternal Tribulation Arts, but the golden light around it flickered precariously, like a candle in the wind.

It was remarkable because even when facing the Saint Emperor's threat to refine the entire Transcension Sect, the disciples had never shown such fear. Now, they reacted as if they had encountered their true natural predator. The Stone Tablet, which had been observing the paper figures, naturally noticed the anomaly in the hall and looked at the Faceless Saint Emperor, seated high above, with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

From the Stone Tablet's expression, Li Ping deduced that it had not noticed the Cat Treasure on his shoulder. Glancing subtly at the restless Cat Treasure, many thoughts flashed through the Saint Emperor's mind. "It's not seeing prey or wanting to hunt; it's pure curiosity. The entire Transcension Sect, though they also can't see the Cat Treasure, are instinctively sensing a deadly tribulation crisis due to their cultivation methods. It's interesting that they're so terrified. The Cat Treasure, beyond the high wall..."

Li Ping separated a wisp of golden source energy to calm the restless Cat Treasure. After surveying the paper figures below, the Cat Treasure seemed to suddenly lose interest. It merely licked some source energy from Li Ping, then flashed back to rest in the Saint Dynasty's treasury below.

The eerie atmosphere in the hall gradually returned to normal. No one brought up the strange occurrences from earlier. The Transcension Sect, from top to bottom, had transformed from mere local vagrants into a battle-hardened army, moving in accordance with the Saint Emperor's will. The thick-browed golden figure, having received Li Ping's permission, glanced at the Stone Tablet and then explained, "The Creation Stone Tablet is connected to the fundamental laws of the Xuanhuang World. Like the annual rings of a tree, it spontaneously and actively records everything happening in the Xuanhuang World at every moment."

"Given the scale of a world, encompassing all events, big and small, over tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands or millions of years, is nothing remarkable. However, when all of that is borne by a human...""It naturally becomes incredibly painful."

The golden figure bowed to Li Ping. "Actually, Venerable One, the solution to this is simple. First, increase this one's carrying capacity. Second, create a buffer." The leader of the Transcension Sect, feigning complete unfamiliarity with the Stone Tablet, gestured towards the Book of Transcension nearby.

As the pages turned, countless scenes recorded by the World-Observing Divine Eye flashed across them. "Our Transcension Sect, like the Creation Stone Tablet, has also maintained a certain degree of oversight over the Xuanhuang World over the years. The difference, however, is that none of us directly interact with this vast amount of information. Instead, we first record and preserve it, then divide the task of reviewing it. One person's strength would be insufficient to handle it, but a sect's collective power handles it with ease."

The golden figure looked at the Stone Tablet again. "If you are alone and wish to alleviate or even free yourself from the burden of the stone tablet, you will need external aid. Previously, being rejected by the Heavenly Dao made this difficult. However, with the Venerable One's assistance now, it should not be a major problem."

From the golden figure's careful phrasing and expression, the Stone Tablet became even more certain that this was indeed Yijue Daoist, the former acting head of the Transcension Sect. However, since the other party refused to acknowledge it, the Stone Tablet pretended not to recognize him. After Yijue finished speaking, Li Ping finally addressed the Stone Tablet, "Friend, please wait for me a moment." With that, the Saint Emperor's figure vanished from the Saint Emperor's throne, and his aura could no longer be detected throughout the entire Great Qi Lesser World.

Only the group of Transcension Sect paper figures and the standing Stone Tablet remained in the hall. The Stone Tablet looked at Yijue, about to speak but hesitating. "Since we have committed ourselves to the Venerable One, all matters of the past are like smoke and cannot be mentioned again," Yijue said, his gaze unwavering. "Of course, if you were like us, then as colleagues, perhaps a closer acquaintance would be fine." This pragmatic attitude was very much like Yijue in the past.

The Stone Tablet nodded slightly, indicating its understanding. "In the Dharma Transmission Seal Space, even facing refinement by golden flames, our Transcension Sect felt little fear. That's because we didn't sense a truly unavoidable catastrophe. But just now, within this hall... that was a terrifying tribulation, unlike anything we've ever experienced. Be careful, that one is not simple..." Yijue's voice whispered almost imperceptibly, causing the Stone Tablet's heart to clench.

Wishing to speak more with the golden figure, the Stone Tablet found that it would no longer respond. Shortly after, the Faceless Saint Emperor Li Ping returned to the hall.

"This Transmutation Stone should be of sufficient quality," he said, tossing a blue crystal towards the Stone Tablet."Venerable One is discerning. A high-grade Transmutation Stone is absolutely perfect for use as a recording buffer," Yijue of the Transcension Sect quickly interjected before the Stone Tablet could respond. "Actually, a mid-grade one would have been enough; a high-grade one is a bit wasteful." The golden figure's tone was even somewhat fawning.

Seeing this, the Stone Tablet shook its head slightly and reached out to grasp the Transmutation Stone before it. It tried to integrate it; although the Heavenly Dao's rejection was somewhat weaker than in the past, it still wouldn't allow external objects to enter. The Stone Tablet looked at Li Ping.

"It's merely a high-grade Transmutation Stone. As long as you don't mind it, friend," the Saint Emperor said smoothly. "Follow me." Li Ping instructed, and the Stone Tablet along with all the Transcension Sect paper figures followed him to the skies above the Great Qi Lesser World.

At the intersection of the unknown array's power, which enveloped the entire lesser world, fine golden threads could be seen coiling and swirling, forming a void. Above this void, the sky was no longer azure but pitch black, as if connected to an unknown entity. Upon arriving here, the inexplicable sense of crisis resurfaced in the Stone Tablet's heart.

"What kind of formation is this now?" The Stone Tablet felt somewhat numb, but instinctively, it still observed the traces of the formation. The Transcension Sect paper figures, however, appeared completely normal, as if unaware of any danger.

Li Ping stepped forward, arriving at the center of the void, where he sat cross-legged in the air. An inexplicable aura emanated from the Saint Emperor. Soon after, a straight golden beam shot from his head, soaring into the unknown blackness. It was as if a passage had been opened; the blackness swirled, and its color gradually began to resemble the normal sky around it. The Stone Tablet looked up and, from the end of the void, sensed the incredibly familiar aura of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.

"Friend, come here," Li Ping spoke. The Stone Tablet drifted gracefully and sat opposite the Saint Emperor in the air. The aura of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao cascaded down from above its head like a waterfall. The Stone Tablet felt a long-lost sense of relief. The torment caused by countless images also eased at this moment. Simultaneously, infused by this Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao aura, the Stone Tablet keenly noticed subtle changes occurring within its body.

"This is...""The Thousand-Year Change of Xuanhuang?"After experiencing it, the Stone Tablet pondered. The tablet it carried only recorded events that had occurred within the original Xuanhuang World over the years. However, outside the original Xuanhuang World, various changes caused by its fusion with fragments of other cultivation worlds were previously imperceptible to it.

Now, however, with the infusion of the Heavenly Dao's aura, it was able to personally experience the world's dramatic changes. The Stone Tablet subtly sensed that not only was its internal Xuanhuang law's rejection of external forces weakening, but the tablet itself was also mysteriously changing. Some blurry images from the implanted provinces also appeared in the Stone Tablet's records. However, because the fusion was not yet complete, the inscriptions on the tablet were very indistinct, as if they could be easily wiped away with a light touch.

"If the Xuanhuang World were given tens of millions of years to slowly assimilate other worlds on its own, perhaps the so-called Xuanhuang orthodoxy could still be preserved. The tablet on my back would also record everything that happens in the absorbed provinces. But unfortunately, reality won't grant it that much time..." While the Stone Tablet was pondering, the voice of the Faceless Saint Emperor suddenly reached its ears.

"Transmutation into One."The Stone Tablet immediately snapped back to attention, placing the high-grade Transmutation Stone to its brow. It attempted to integrate it into its body. Indeed, it was completely different from before. The Heavenly Dao's rejection within its body had weakened significantly, and with the continuous infusion of the Heavenly Dao's aura from above, the repulsion was becoming increasingly faint.

"Touch with spirit, integrate with calculation.""Object and self merge, Transmutation into One..." The Stone Tablet silently recited the Taiyan Sect's secret art. The blue crystal, like ice melting into water, gradually merged into its sea of consciousness. The entire process went very smoothly.

Just as only the final tip of the Transmutation Stone remained exposed, a strange phenomenon in the void above caught the Stone Tablet's attention. "What is that...?"Streaks of withered yellow light began to fly out from the end of the dark passage. Initially, there were only dozens, but gradually, the yellow light in the passage became more numerous. Thousands upon thousands, dense as a swarm of bees, they flew. The yellow light also carried an uncomfortable aura that, while not threatening, was highly unpleasant to the Stone Tablet. The sky-full of yellow light continuously flew towards the Saint Emperor.

Li Ping extended his hand, catching them one by one. Only then did the Stone Tablet realize that these lights were, in fact, paper figures with bizarre expressions. Unlike the vivid figures of the Transcension Sect, these were purely paper, emanating a decaying aura. Even without direct eye contact, the paper figures seemed to stare intently at the Stone Tablet, causing annoyance.

"World-Observing Divine Eyes?" The Stone Tablet paused, then understood. "These objects are harmful and useless to the world, so they must naturally be retrieved," Li Ping stated calmly.

"Didn't the Transcension Sect say that once implanted, they couldn't be retrieved? Back then, we..." The Stone Tablet seemed to recall something, astonished, and couldn't help but glance at Daoist Yijue. Daoist Yijue, however, acted as if he hadn't noticed the Stone Tablet's gaze, merely deferentially telling the Saint Emperor, "Although the World-Observing Divine Eyes are somewhat dilapidated, they can be reused after re-refinement. Their raw materials came from beyond the heavens, and our Transcension Sect doesn't have much left. Such rare and wondrous items were always planned for retrieval after we survived the tribulation. Now, it's merely happening ahead of schedule."

Observing Yijue's composed expression, the Stone Tablet barely restrained the urge to teach him a lesson. "They're not bad for occasionally scouting enemy intelligence, but there's no need for them to be all over the world." Li Ping said calmly, sensing the greatly increased affinity with Xuanhuang as the World-Observing Divine Eyes were removed. "Venerable One is right," Daoist Yijue of the Transcension Sect replied with a chuckle.

The Stone Tablet simply ignored the two and focused on integrating the Transmutation Stone. When the Transmutation Stone completely vanished externally, a brilliant crystal appeared in its sea of consciousness. Countless accumulated scenes seemed to momentarily freeze, then surged frantically into the Transmutation Stone. Simultaneously, Daoist Yijue's voice continuously echoed. It was the Transcension Sect's unique method for storing and recording information about the heavens and earth.

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