Chapter 1244: 裂隙藏暗力

Listening to Yi Jue’s recitation, Shi Ban understood immediately. Within the Dao Transformation Stone in its Sea of Consciousness, countless miniature Shi Ban figures instantly differentiated. The record images from the Creation Stone Slab, which were descending like snowflakes, were diverted into these different sub-bodies. The effect was so immediate that Shi Ban instantly felt a sense of relaxation it hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

"This is merely a buffer," Shi Ban realized. "To completely resolve my hidden worries, I still need to store them."

As its thoughts turned, the thousands of miniature sub-bodies continuously expanded, directly merging into the Dao Transformation Stone. The originally azure crystal, under the refinement of Shi Ban's method, transformed into a miniature version of itself. Through the eyes of the Dao Transformation Stone Slab, countless billions of different stone slabs could be seen, arranged in a crisscross pattern, seemingly endless like reflections in opposing mirrors.

"This Dao Transformation Stone's computational power has been pushed to its limit. As expected of an exotic item from beyond the heavens, just one high-grade piece can bear the information of the Creation Stone Slab without any burden..." Shi Ban couldn't help but secretly marvel. "Moreover, these recorded data are still under my control. After being sorted and analyzed by the countless sub-bodies of the Dao Transformation Stone, they can be found much more quickly than before."

With the hidden danger eliminated, it did not immediately get up. Instead, it fully indulged in a tranquility it hadn't experienced in tens of thousands of years. Its Sea of Consciousness was no longer constantly filled with countless images and noises, becoming utterly tranquil, almost making Shi Ban want to weep.

After a long time, Shi Ban finally stood up. It bowed solemnly to the Saint Emperor in front of it: "Many thanks, fellow Daoist, for this rebirth!"

"It was merely a small effort!" the Saint Emperor said, though he accepted the thanks openly.

Leaving the center of the formation, the Saint Emperor waved his hand, and the void above was covered by mysterious energy.

Back in the Saint Emperor's seat, Li Ping spoke frankly: "Although I have helped you resolve the issue of your stone slab's chaotic information, I will not use this as leverage to demand anything from you, fellow Daoist. Whether you are willing or not is entirely up to your own will."

Shi Ban could tell that the Saint Emperor in front of it was speaking sincerely, and it was deeply moved. It stated directly: "The Xuanhuang Realm and I are inherently linked by shared prosperity and decline. In the past, I was tormented by endless pain, so I had little interest in the mundane world. But now that I am free, I will naturally no longer stand by idly."

Li Ping merely nodded slightly at Shi Ban's assurance. However, he did not bring up the previous plan to ensure the orthodoxy of Xuanhuang. Instead, he asked about something else.

"What are your thoughts on the Grand Master of Tiandu?" he asked. "If I were to contend with the Law Imparter, would he intervene?"

As soon as this question was posed, both Shi Ban's and Yi Jue's expressions became slightly strange. Seeing that Yi Jue had no intention of speaking, Shi Ban took the initiative to answer: "To my knowledge, the Grand Master has been recuperating above Daoyuan Province for many years. Affairs of the outside world... it's probably hard to attract his attention."

Shi Ban glanced at fellow Daoist Yi Jue: "When the Ten Immortal Dao Sects were pushed to the brink by the great catastrophe, they tried to seek help from the Grand Master more than once. But they couldn't even get through the door. After leaving Tiandu back then, there was simply no chance to return." Shi Ban's tone carried a slight sigh.

"Xuantian King's character was truly exceptional. For your own selfish desires, your ten sects colluded with the Grand Master, an outsider, to destroy the Xuantian Sect. One might say you acted as a tiger's accomplice," the Saint Emperor commented blandly.

Shi Ban gave a wry smile, offering no defense.

Daoist Yi Jue's expression remained unchanged: "Saint Emperor, you are wise. The events of that year were indeed somewhat inappropriate on the part of the Ten Sects. But everything has passed like smoke and vanished with the wind. The instigators of that time are long gone. As for Xuantian King... he and the Grand Master were destined for a battle. Even without our Ten Sects, it would have been so. Moreover, according to those who witnessed it, Xuantian King's disappearance was quite peculiar. It wasn't entirely the Grand Master's doing.

"With Xuantian King's disappearance, the Xuantian Sect became nothing more than scattered sand. It was only natural for the Ten Sects to inherit authority. During the Xuantian Sect era, cultivators across the world were severely oppressed. After the Ten Sects took power, they largely adopted a policy of recuperation, and various large and small sects experienced a rare period of peace."

Yi Jue spoke slowly, not to excuse the Ten Sects, but to state simple facts. Shi Ban also cooperated by projecting images of that year onto the Saint Emperor's peak. Watching the rapidly flashing scenes, Li Ping nodded slightly.

After a moment of silence, Li Ping said: "The Grand Master seems to subtly transcend this realm. Although the possibility of his intervention is very low, we cannot be unprepared."

Shi Ban and Yi Jue were slightly startled, not expecting Li Ping to still hold the same intention. "However, I have my own methods, so you don't need to worry."

"How much do the two of you know about the current Myriad Immortal Alliance?" Li Ping opened a new topic.

After a moment of thought, Shi Ban shook its head slightly: "The headquarters of the Immortal Alliance are located within the space of the Xuantian Treasure Mirror. It forms its own realm, shielding it from the Creation Stone Slab's perception. Although I have records of some of the Myriad Immortal Alliance's provincial areas over the years, I actually know very little about the Alliance's core secrets. However, the highest echelons of the Immortal Alliance, the Law Imparters, are all cultivators who survived the Xuanhuang Realm back then. I have their information, but it's only up to the point before they hid within the Xuantian Treasure Mirror. Since the re-establishment of the Myriad Immortal Alliance, they have gathered resources from the Xuanhuang Realm to enrich their own exclusive world. With the augmentation of Law Imparting secret treasures, their strength compared to back then must be vastly different. The information I provide can only serve as a reference," Shi Ban stated solemnly.

A blue light point, condensing a large amount of light and shadow information, slowly flew before the Saint Emperor. Absorbing it, countless images instantly appeared in Li Ping's mind.

"This is enough," he said in a deep voice.

Just then, Daoist Yi Jue lightly coughed: "As for the scenes within the Immortal Alliance headquarters... our Du'e Sect actually has some insights."

"Oh?" This time, even Shi Ban was a little surprised. "Wait, Yi Jue. When your entire sect was suppressed by the Law Imparters back then, the current Myriad Immortal Alliance didn't even exist, did it?"

Feeling Shi Ban's suspicious gaze, Yi Jue's Golden Figure smiled slightly. "This matter was also a stroke of luck. When the Immortal Alliance headquarters were being constructed back then, a space containing a World-Observing Divine Eye happened to be excavated by them and implanted into the Immortal Alliance's headquarters space. Although it wasn't a crucial core position, over the years, it still observed some things. We're not completely ignorant."

As Yi Jue spoke, like presenting a treasure, the Book of Du'e continuously flipped, and the shifting light and shadow slowly condensed into a page. It slowly floated to Li Ping. Li Ping absorbed this page and quickly browsed the images recorded within.

After a long time, the Saint Emperor spoke again, not praising, but asking: "In the Xuanhuang Realm, are there still such World-Observing Divine Eyes that I cannot perceive?"

Daoist Yi Jue quickly stated: "Aside from the special reason that the Xuantian Treasure Mirror isolates it, all other Divine Eyes have already been recovered by the Saint Emperor."

"However..." Fellow Daoist Yi Jue hesitated slightly.

"Speak freely."

"At the locations where the World-Observing Divine Eyes were originally placed, although the Divine Eyes have now been recovered, because they resided there for too long, the space itself has become imbued with some of the Divine Eye's characteristics."

Upon hearing this, Shi Ban's expression immediately turned somewhat serious.

Yi Jue continued: "In other words, our Du'e Sect can still perceive what happens near those points. However, the effect is not as good as observation through the Divine Eye itself." As if to confirm his statement, Yi Jue flipped through the Book of Du'e, projecting countless light and shadow images recorded at various points simultaneously. The range was smaller than what the World-Observing Divine Eye controlled, and the images were also very blurry. But as Yi Jue said, only the performance had decreased; the most crucial monitoring function was indeed still present.

"Yi Jue, what exactly is the origin of this World-Observing Divine Eye?" Shi Ban pondered for a moment, a little shocked. It also voiced the doubt in Li Ping's mind. One must know that the fact that the Divine Eye caused the nature of the space it occupied to change was not as simple as it seemed. If one were to truly consider it, this could already be considered a defiance of the laws of heaven and earth in some sense.

Daoist Yi Jue did not hide anything: "Back when the Heavenly Sword Sect forged the World-Rending Divine Weapon, and it tore through the realms, shaking Xuanhuang, I once visited the ruins of the Heavenly Sword Sect. The World-Rending rift, with its shattered space, led to unknown places. If ordinary cultivators were to rashly enter it, they would only perish. But our Du'e Sect's Eternal Tribulation World could temporarily preserve itself within it."

The look in Shi Ban's eyes immediately became lively.

"However, it was at the risk of near-certain death that I managed to enter the World-Rending rift. Following the aura of the World-Rending Divine Weapon, I delved deeper, wanting to confirm whether the Heavenly Sword Sect had succeeded... Unfortunately, the World-Rending rift recovered faster than I expected. A power I had never seen before, one that did not belong to the Xuanhuang Realm, was actively repairing the wound. Having lost the trace of the World-Rending Divine Weapon, and reaching my limit, I had no choice but to return... This World-Observing Divine Eye... was refined using the power I collected from within the World-Rending rift."

Daoist Yi Jue's words came to an abrupt halt. However, the scene described in his words made the other two in the great hall ponder further.

Shi Ban suddenly understood: "So, this World-Observing Divine Eye wasn't deliberately refined by you into this form. Rather, it's the manifestation of its power's essence?"

Fellow Daoist Yi Jue nodded. "Otherwise, how would our Du'e Sect suddenly come up with a method that even the Law Imparters are helpless against?"

A sudden silence fell within the Saint Emperor's seat. In Li Ping's perception, this Du'e Sect's little golden figure was not lying. The implication of his words was therefore somewhat terrifying to contemplate. Did this mean that there were still higher-level powers, like the World-Observing Divine Eye, monitoring the Xuanhuang Realm? And what kind of existence was truly behind it? Was it beyond the high wall, or...?

Shi Ban, however, suddenly remembered something, and its expression changed. But the words stopped on the tip of its tongue. Li Ping naturally noticed Shi Ban's unusual state, but merely subtly locked his divine sense onto it, without speaking first. Shi Ban understood Li Ping's apprehension and waved its hand: "Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. I merely suddenly recalled a rumor concerning the origin of the Xuanhuang Realm. That was information I unintentionally stumbled upon in the deepest layers of the Creation Stone Slab. It dates back at least hundreds of thousands of years."

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately captured the attention of Li Ping and all the paper figures of the Du'e Sect.

Shi Ban frowned, recalling as it spoke: "In the era before the great catastrophe descended, when the Immortal Dao flourished, our Xuanhuang Realm appeared somewhat unique among the endless starry sky. Besides more frequent communication with the Upper Realm and numerous immortal artifacts, our Xuanhuang Realm also had beings known as Great Heavenly Venerates. One must know that after cultivators ascend, they generally completely lose contact with the lower realms. However, these Great Heavenly Venerates could not only contact the Upper Realm but also draw items from the Immortal Realm to Xuanhuang. Moreover, Great Heavenly Venerates also possessed authority in the Xuanhuang Realm that many cultivators found impossible to attain..."

Speaking of this, Shi Ban looked at Li Ping. Li Ping shook his head slightly: "I have no memory of this."

Shi Ban didn't mind, continuing: "However, the Great Heavenly Venerates of that time were different from what we understand Great Heavenly Venerates to be now. Their cultivation and strength were not necessarily very high; they were more like a... position." Shi Ban pondered for a moment, then uttered these two words. "Like an official position conferred by the Upper Realm. As long as they gained recognition from the Upper Realm, even a powerless mortal could serve as a Great Heavenly Venerate. Now, it's completely different. Without absolute strength, one cannot gain the recognition of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. It would certainly be impossible to achieve the position of Great Heavenly Venerate. I don't know when the difference between these two began. However, what I want to say is... the power in the World-Rending rift that simulated the World-Observing Divine Eye does not necessarily come from beyond the starry sea. Perhaps it is an inherent characteristic of the Xuanhuang Realm itself." Shi Ban looked at Li Ping again.

This perspective made even Yi Jue of the Du'e Sect lower his head in thought.

"The earliest Great Heavenly Venerates could control the world with mortal bodies. They likely relied on a power similar to the World-Observing Divine Eye, deeply hidden within Xuanhuang. But at some unknown point, this power's connection to the Xuanhuang Realm was inexplicably severed." Shi Ban's words echoed within the Saint Emperor's seat.

The ancient secret revealed by these words was something even Li Ping had been unaware of until then. "At some point before the severance of the immortal path, changes that ordinary cultivators could not detect must have also occurred within the Xuanhuang Realm," Li Ping said in a deep voice.

"It's just my speculation. My intention is that there's no need to overly worry about powers from beyond the starry sea. Even if there truly is external interference, since the Xuanhuang Realm has existed for so many years without them showing themselves... it stands to reason they are beyond reach here," Shi Ban said softly.

"I think so too," fellow Daoist Yi Jue echoed, his expression returning to its previous calmness.

"For now, our primary concern remains the threat of the Law Imparters. As for these other matters..." Li Ping concluded. "While we don't need to be overly concerned, we must still be prepared."

The Saint Emperor's words were still the same as when he mentioned the Grand Master of Tiandu, leaving Yi Jue and Shi Ban astonished. "I have my own methods, so you don't need to worry."