Chapter 1460: One Era, One Immortal Emperor

The view within this circular hall differed, whether one had fallen from the space where the Tomb Keeper Immortal's phantom resided or entered directly from outside.

As if sensing the lingering traces of the Tomb Keeper Immortal's teachings on Li Buren, the scene on the hall's circular walls changed again. Besides the squares representing countless monitored star seas and the large hollow white circle, there was also a figure that closely resembled the Tomb Keeper Immortal. This figure stood with hands clasped behind its back, facing away, gazing at the star seas below.

Li Buren's spirit stirred, and he attempted to probe with his divine sense. A moment later, he realized: "This is not that Tomb Keeper Immortal. Rather, it's someone like me, who has received the inheritance of the 'Tomb Keeper's Scribblings,' hence the very similar aura."

"However, judging by the degree of 'Tomb Keeper' status manifested by this figure... it seems this person, while in the realm of an Unnamed True Immortal, received the complete 'Scribblings' inheritance, unlike me, who took a shortcut."

However, the figure left by this Unnamed True Immortal was not for the purpose of preserving the Dao. Instead, it appeared to be merely a recorded image. It had been hidden within this experimental space in the high walls, only becoming active when it sensed Li Buren's similar "Tomb Keeper" aura.

"Emperor Zhaiyang, the ruling Immortal Emperor, passed away not long ago."

"A full epoch has passed since the establishment of the Lankee Dao Field... What an incredibly long stretch of time. So long that even with my immortal body, past memories have become somewhat blurred."

This voice did not come from the figure before Li Buren, but from a distant place beyond the heavens, as if conversing with the figure across realms.

"When Emperor Zhaiyang first ascended to power, I was still an immortal servant in the Lietu star region. Seven million, six hundred twenty-four thousand, six hundred thirty-eight years have passed, and I have ascended to the Unnamed Realm," the figure said, full of emotion. It did not look towards the direction from which the voice from beyond came, but continued to gaze at the numerous star seas within the experimental field.

"You remember so clearly. As expected of someone who received the Tomb Keeper Lord's inheritance..." The voice from beyond had a peculiar emotion, a mix of envy and schadenfreude.

"You knew about it shortly after the Tomb Keeper Lord left. It seems this place truly isn't clean..." The figure scoffed.

"That was the Tomb Keeper Lord!" The voice from beyond instantly became sharper. "At that time, the great tide of Dao Annihilation surged, overwhelming thousands of star regions in an instant. Countless innocent lives were lost. The ruling Immortal Emperor led numerous Unnamed Immortals from various regions, personally confronting it, but ultimately retreated again and again, helpless. Fortunately, the Tomb Keeper Lord descended from the heavens and, relying on his own power, forced back the world-destroying tide..."

"What an imposing presence that was! Even Emperor Zhaiyang had to pay his respects to the Tomb Keeper Lord as a junior! Not to mention the countless True Immortals who were saved and regarded the Tomb Keeper Lord as their reborn parent. Even if he disliked being disturbed, how could his every move be hidden from all the immortals throughout the heavens? If not for the Lankee Dao Field being a secret place, the news of you receiving the Tomb Keeper Lord's inheritance would likely have spread throughout the world by now!"

Listening to the other party's somewhat sarcastic remarks, the figure did not retort.

The voice from beyond continued, "Emperor Zhaiyang reigned for seven million years, which isn't considered a long life, yet it's already our limit. But the Tomb Keeper Lord lived for over a hundred epochs, having witnessed a hundred Immortal Emperors!"

"Don't forget, among them was Emperor Wuji, who lived for ninety-nine million, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand years! The Tomb Keeper Lord's power is unimaginable! Qingyin, now that you have attained the Unnamed status and received the inheritance, even if you can't endure a hundred Immortal Emperors like the Tomb Keeper Lord, you should at least live as long as Emperor Wuji, no problem at all..."

The Unnamed True Immortal, named or titled Qingyin, interrupted the voice from beyond: "The Tomb Keeper Lord left a phantom of his teachings in the Dao field. If you truly envy it, why not come down and experience it yourself? Although it's not a direct personal transmission from the Tomb Keeper Lord, it's very close."

The incessant voice from beyond suddenly ceased. After a long pause, it chuckled, "How easy do you think it is to be a disciple of the Tomb Keeper Lord? We True Immortals have lifespans equal to the Dao itself. We come from the Dao and return to the Dao. The rise and fall of the Dao, adapting to the times, is also in accordance with the ultimate truth of heaven and earth."

"A lifespan of millions of years is already long enough. As for someone like the Tomb Keeper Lord... hehehe, having someone like you, Brother Qingyin, is enough."

Qingyin said coldly, "Alright, just get to the point. I don't know the Tomb Keeper Lord's whereabouts since he left. Don't expect to get any information about him from me."

The voice from beyond changed quickly, getting straight to the point: "Since Emperor Zhaiyang has fallen and Emperor Tianluo has newly ascended, some things from the previous epoch will likely be nullified. This Lankee Dao Field is probably also slated for abolition. Brother Qingyin, you should prepare early."

Qingyin seemed to pause, then asked in a deep voice, "That thing... after being sought for so long, are they just abandoning it? Although it didn't appear within the estimated time, there's no guarantee that waiting a bit longer wouldn't lead to it."

"...This matter is complex and cannot be explained in a short time. In short, besides the political changes between Emperor Zhaiyang and Emperor Tianluo, it's also related to the Tomb Keeper Lord. The Tomb Keeper Lord's divine power, unleashed to repel the great tide of Dao Annihilation, subtly changed the general perception among the immortal realm's populace. During Emperor Zhaiyang's epoch, Dao Annihilation raged everywhere, causing innumerable deaths and injuries among True Immortals. From top to bottom, all immortals in the immortal realm were largely pessimistic about whether they could resist the great calamity. Therefore, they could only seek external assistance."

"But the search yielded no results for a long time. And at the most difficult time for the immortal realm, the venerable Tomb Keeper Lord performed a dramatic feat before the world, turning the tide. He made all immortals understand that Dao Annihilation did not seem irresistible. Moreover, it is said that the Tomb Keeper Lord also left multiple inheritances in the immortal realm. Anyone who enters the Unnamed realm has a chance to become a disciple of the Tomb Keeper. Qingyin, tell me, when one's own power is sufficient, why would one still seek external things?"

Hearing this, Qingyin fell silent for a long time. After a good while, he finally said in a faint voice, "During Emperor Zhaiyang's epoch, all beings were pessimistic and negative, the immortal realm was gloomy, and people's hearts grew weary. I don't know how many True Immortals chose to end their own lives."

"But now, in Emperor Tianluo's epoch, the tide has turned... However, with all the True Immortals throughout the heavens being so confident, I fear it may not be a good thing."

The voice from beyond was clearly dismissive, chuckling, "Well, let's wait and see! I was just kindly reminding you."

"Of course, if you insist on keeping this Lankee Dao Field, it's not impossible. I can even offer a little help. However, from now on, you'll need to be more discreet, so as not to be discovered by other True Immortals. Hehehe, and if anything happens in the future, don't drag me into it. This newly ascended Emperor Tianluo is not as benevolent as Zhaiyang."

Qingyin cupped his hands and replied, "Rest assured, Brother Ling."

Time and space seemed to freeze at this moment.

After the light and shadow shifted, an unknown number of years had passed. On this day, True Immortal Ling and Qingyin met again. This time, it wasn't a voice from beyond, but Ling himself had personally come to the Lankee Dao Field. The recorded light and shadow of True Immortal Ling continuously twisted and fluctuated, even affecting Qingyin's body.

"Damn it, these immortals in the immortal realm are truly insane now. And Emperor Tianluo is the most insane of them all!"

"I had a bad feeling and decisively escaped first. But I reckon the lower realm's star seas won't be safe for long either. We two brothers need to make plans soon." True Immortal Ling paced back and forth, appearing very anxious.

Qingyin, however, remained as calm as ever. But compared to the previous recorded image, he exuded an even greater sense of mystery and transcendence. He was becoming increasingly similar to the Tomb Keeper Lord.

"I am a disciple of the Tomb Keeper Lord, and having received his inheritance, I cannot easily leave."

"However, I have a premonition that the Tomb Keeper Lord, He, may have already left this realm. I might be able to follow in His footsteps."

Hearing this, True Immortal Ling couldn't help but look sideways. Staring intently at Qingyin, he exclaimed in alarm, "Are you saying... that rumor is actually true?"

He became increasingly agitated, pacing more rapidly, muttering, "Crossing the sea by boat, going to other possible worlds. Finally traveling through endless mortal realms, achieving complete and utter transcendence. The sea may vanish, but I remain; mountains may collapse, but I stay atop the peak..."

"Qingyin, you absolutely must take me with you!"

Qingyin said faintly, "You and I have been intimate friends, sharing life and death, since our humble beginnings. If I can achieve a minor transcendence, how could I not bring you along? However, having received the Tomb Keeper's inheritance, if I wish to leave, I must first account to the Tomb Keeper Lord."

"Account?" True Immortal Ling was a little puzzled.

"The Tomb Keeper Lord transmitted his techniques so that we could leave phantom images to preserve the Dao and resist the calamity of Dao Annihilation. In the past, doing so would not have been a problem. But time has passed, and things are no longer as they were. The great tide is surging, many times fiercer than in the previous epoch. The Tomb Keeper Lord's power is profound enough to create and destroy, so perhaps he could resist with phantom images. But for us juniors... it would simply be a futile effort. There's also the risk of being affected by the great tide of Dao Annihilation and harming ourselves. Even if someone truly disregarded their own safety and sacrificed themselves to create a phantom, it would be a drop in the ocean against the current great tide of Dao Annihilation."

True Immortal Ling nodded in agreement: "That Emperor Tianluo has gone mad, pursuing a 'succeed or die with honor' approach. And somehow, he's managing to attract a large group of people to go mad with him. Sigh, actually, it's all the Tomb Keeper Lord's fault for giving them this illusion!"

Qingyin made no comment, not mentioning the Tomb Keeper Lord. Instead, he continued to discuss his own situation: "Regarding the matter of forming a phantom to preserve the Dao, although I am unwilling, my responsibility remains. It's not something you can simply dismiss by saying no."

"Although the Tomb Keeper Lord has departed, the restrictions he left behind are still not something we can disregard. This is the price of accepting the Tomb Keeper Lord's inheritance. When the Tomb Keeper Lord bestowed his power in the past, he actually made it clear to me. However, the method of transcendence was too tempting. And at that time, the calamity of Dao Annihilation seemed to have been completely suppressed, which is why I readily agreed," Qingyin said, sounding somewhat helpless.

"Ha, indeed, times change," True Immortal Ling merely commented casually, then began to ponder seriously. "Still need to fulfill the responsibility of preserving the Dao... Let me think."

After a while, he suddenly clapped his hands forcefully: "I have a plan!"

At this crucial point, the light and shadow, along with the sound, suddenly dimmed simultaneously. The scene Li Buren was witnessing became still again for a moment. When it resumed, the next thing played was the final recorded image.

Qingyin himself stood facing the phantom of Dao-preservation that he had condensed. True Immortal Ling's tone was quite smug: "Qingyin, what do you think of my 'substitute' strategy? Since you can't endure a true Dao Annihilation calamity, why not first create a miniature Dao Annihilation calamity that your strength can withstand? The current situation is already full of holes, so one more won't make a difference!"

"By plugging that hole, you'll have given the Tomb Keeper Lord an explanation and left a phantom to preserve the Dao!"

Qingyin silently looked at the phantom of himself before him and sighed, "Two star regions, countless beings, all dying because of you and me... This is truly not what I wished for."

"Why care so much?! If these people don't run, they'll die sooner or later anyway. Helping us achieve minor transcendence can be considered doing something useful before they die!" True Immortal Ling said indifferently.

Qingyin nodded silently. He gently pointed a finger at the phantom of Dao-preservation before him, and the phantom immediately vanished into the void, its whereabouts unknown. Qingyin was momentarily lost in thought. Soon after, he looked up, gazing in a certain direction, and spoke again, his voice tinged with joy: "All ties severed, I can now depart."

For some unknown reason, Qingyin inexplicably cast one last glance in the direction where Li Buren was observing. After this gaze across time and space, the recorded figure completely dissipated.

Only after a long time did Li Buren fully recover his senses. The recorded images left in this experimental field, the conversation between two suspected Unnamed True Immortals, contained too much cryptic information.

"Epochs. Emperor Zhaiyang, Emperor Tianluo."

Li Buren had not expected that the epochs in the immortal realm were not fixed durations. The precise length of an epoch was determined by the specific tenure of the so-called ruling Immortal Emperor.

"Seven million years is not considered a long lifespan. True Immortals are indeed not the same species as mortals."

"And that Tomb Keeper Immortal, or rather, Tomb Keeper Lord, actually lived for one hundred and twenty-three epochs..." A rough calculation yielded a truly staggering number.

"Also, True Immortal Ling mentioned that their lifespan was 'equal to the Dao,' yet later said that 'millions of years is already long enough.' What's going on here? Could it be that the Dao of Heaven and Earth only lasts for millions of years? How is that possible?"

Li Buren now reflected the Dao Net with his divine sense, yet he had never perceived that the Dao of Heaven and Earth had a lifespan limit. "The recorded images in the experimental field wouldn't fabricate things like this. Could it be that..."

Li Buren's heart suddenly stirred. He recalled his previous speculation that Dao Annihilation and the Infinite Sea originated from the same source.

"Dao Annihilation destroys the Dao, and for the surviving Dao, its inherent limitations are gradually disappearing."

"Has the Dao of Heaven and Earth become stronger than in ancient times after being cleansed by the calamity of Dao Annihilation?" Li Buren couldn't be certain. It was also possible that the rise and fall of the Dao were inherent attributes of the Dao itself. It's just that with the added threat of Dao Annihilation, an external force, the Dao itself slowly changed over time.

Nevertheless, the limit of a True Immortal, or even an Unnamed True Immortal, living for at most ten million years, still left Li Buren a little disappointed. It was just like his musings in the illusory realm before he officially began cultivating. It was still far from Li Buren's true goal of eternal life and endless perception.

"However, someone like the Tomb Keeper Lord, who endured a hundred calamities and over a hundred Immortal Emperors without perishing, is already close to the ultimate goal I desire."