Chapter 1487: Grave Wind Brushes the Immortal Realm

Besides the lingering thoughts about the Primordial Immortal Realm, Chaos Wuming was more concerned with the Hidden Emperor himself. This was because, according to ancient legends of the Immortal Realm, its Sages possessed supreme divine powers that could guide True Immortals to transcendence.

"Ever since the Immortal Realm's destruction, the Four Sacred Monarchs had also vanished without a trace. If this individual has walked the path to becoming a Sage, then could it be that..." Whenever Chaos Wuming thought of this, an irrepressible urge would rise within him to return and personally visit the Hidden Emperor, no matter what.

However, having cultivated the Dao for many years, Chaos still maintained a certain composure. "This matter cannot be rushed. We need to deliberate carefully." "It would be best to contact the others as well. After all, if it's just me, I might not gain the attention of a Sage."

Chaos Wuming pondered what he knew about the various legends concerning the Four Sacred Monarchs of the former Immortal Realm: Taiyi, Lianshan, Guihai, and Jingfen.

Sacred Monarch Taiyi was said to be the first living being in the world. He witnessed the process of the world's birth from nothingness, possessing profound wisdom.

Sacred Monarch Lianshan, within the Upward Mountain, opened the path to immortality. As the first immortal in the world, his power was truly unfathomable. If the strength of True Immortals were judged by their position on the Upward Mountain, then Sacred Monarch Lianshan would undoubtedly stand at its very peak.

Sacred Monarch Guihai opened the Infinite Spring, causing another qualitative leap in the power of immortals. After endless ages of excavation, the Infinite Spring transformed into the vast Infinite Sea, allowing every True Immortal in the Immortal Realm to possess endless resources. His power, capable of controlling the sea to counter mountains, was no less than that of Sacred Monarch Lianshan.

Sacred Monarch Jingfen...

As he thought of this individual, a chill instinctively arose in Chaos Wuming's heart. He quietly chanted a prayer, and only then did the intense feeling of dread slowly dissipate.

Sacred Monarch Jingfen was born after the Immortal Realm's atmospheric state was fully mature and was also the last Sacred Monarch to achieve the Dao in the history of the Immortal Realm. Although the Immortal Realm developed methods of infinity, the birth and death of the Dao, and the rise and fall of paths, are always within the cycle of heavenly principles. Even the Immortal Realm could not avoid this. However, the reason why the Immortal Realm was full of vigorous life everywhere, with no place for the decay of the Dao, was entirely due to Sacred Monarch Jingfen. He used his own body as a tomb, burying the Great Daos of all heavens. This ensured that the decay and destruction of the Dao would not affect the thriving Immortal Realm. Only when the Great Daos rotated and reached the time of their rebirth and growth would Sacred Monarch Jingfen release them.

"Jingfen devours the Dao and starts the cycle, above the desolate mound." This was an ancient proverb of the Immortal Realm.

It was precisely because the Four Sacred Monarchs, like pillars of heaven, supported the firmament of the Immortal Realm that there existed a boundless, vast, and infinitely vibrant paradise for immortals. Yet, precisely because the Four Sacred Monarchs bore too heavy a responsibility and were stretched too thin to manage the multitude of immortals, the successive Immortal Emperors of the Immortal Realm came into being.

In the early days of the Immortal Realm, True Immortals still knew the names of the Four Sacred Monarchs and often silently gave thanks. But later, as time passed and the Four Sacred Monarchs did not appear for a long time, although the immortals did not completely forget them, their presence gradually and irreversibly faded, becoming mere symbols. If the Four Sacred Monarchs had remained consistent, perhaps many of the later events would not have occurred. All the changes stemmed from Sacred Monarch Jingfen's abandonment of his duty. Although this might sound disrespectful, that was precisely what happened.

After burying and managing the dying Great Daos of the Immortal Realm for an unknown number of years, this fourth Sacred Monarch of the Immortal Realm suddenly "went on strike" one day. He laughed loudly three times and, with a single breath, exhaled the decaying Great Daos that had not yet completed their rotation. That decaying whirlwind, capable of obliterating all immortal paths, instantly swept across the entire Immortal Realm. Countless immortal servants, puppets, and artifacts decayed upon contact with this tomb wind. Even True Immortals and Nameless True Immortals found it hard to avoid this corrupting aura of the Great Dao. The entire Immortal Realm suffered innumerable casualties and severe losses.

However, this loss was actually negligible to the Immortal Realm, which possessed infinite energy. With a little time, it could always be restored. The crucial point was that Sacred Monarch Jingfen had quit. The decaying and destruction of the Dao could no longer be managed by anyone. One could only let it be and try to avoid it. Furthermore, having been tainted with the nature of infinity, this decaying and destruction of the Dao became even more potent. Not only did it occasionally transform into decaying whirlwinds, assailing various parts of the Immortal Realm, but it also evolved into numerous apocalyptic phenomena of destruction, irregularly appearing throughout the Immortal Realm. Even the lower realm's Star Sea could not avoid it.

Of the four pillars of heaven, one suddenly vanished. This was destined to bring immense chaos to the Immortal Realm. It is said that Sacred Monarchs Taiyi, Lianshan, and Guihai, unable to bear witnessing the Immortal Realm's suffering, had collectively tried to persuade the somewhat "willful" Sacred Monarch Jingfen. The final outcome is unknown. However, after the Immortal Realm's anomalies briefly disappeared for three thousand years, they gradually began to evolve again in various locations. But it was no longer a single, large-scale outburst; instead, it began subtly and gradually increased in intensity and frequency. This at least gave the immortals a not-so-short period of adaptation. Under the guidance of the three Sacred Monarchs, the ruling Immortal Emperor enfeoffed numerous Nameless Immortals to suppress the tomb wind phenomena in various regions. With the combined efforts of the immortals, the chaos in the Immortal Realm was successfully brought under control.

Chaos was once one of these Nameless Immortals. That was a long time ago. So long, in fact, that when Chaos Wuming recalled it, he couldn't even confirm how many Immortal Emperors had reigned since then. Later, the immortals of the Immortal Realm gradually adapted to the various phenomena brought by the tomb wind. They also slowly forgot the source of these phenomena, simply growing accustomed to them and treating them as natural features of the Immortal Realm. In truth, what in the Immortal Realm was truly inherent?

Although Sacred Monarch Jingfen did not involve himself in worldly affairs, he did not disappear either. Anyone who displayed even a slight hint of criticism towards his actions, even if only in their hearts, was fully sensed by him. None of these True Immortals were spared; all were captured by Sacred Monarch Jingfen and thrown into his belly. One must know that Sacred Monarch Jingfen could absorb and transform even the decay and destruction of the Dao. To him, the Dao-enlightened True Immortals of the Immortal Realm were practically no different from delicious food. Powerless to resist, they all turned into decaying tomb wind. At that time, countless True Immortals in the Immortal Realm secretly harbored ill thoughts about Sacred Monarch Jingfen. Sacred Monarch Jingfen showed no favoritism, not missing a single one.

After such a purge, the Immortal Realm almost felt "emptied out." This was a great tribulation in the early days of the Immortal Realm. Yet, it was only so for the True Immortals of that era. For the Immortal Realm as a whole, subsequent history proved it was actually a good thing. After Sacred Monarch Jingfen swallowed countless True Immortals alive, and many years passed again, he successively exhaled the Daos that the True Immortals had comprehended. Some of these Dao principles filled the heavens and earth of the Immortal Realm, while others quickly found new masters. The Immortal Realm once again returned to a vibrant state.

However, after such an ordeal, very few people still remembered Sacred Monarch Jingfen. Only the saying "Jingfen devours immortals and awakens the Dao, above the desolate mound" circulated among the few remaining True Immortals. Despite such erratic behavior, True Immortals dared not voice any criticism towards Sacred Monarch Jingfen, but they expressed their stance through their actions and daily speech. On occasions when Sacred Monarch Jingfen was mentioned, they no longer used the title "Sacred Monarch." They simply referred to him as "Great Sage Jingfen." Perhaps quite satisfied with this appellation, Sacred Monarch Jingfen himself did not mind and allowed this title to spread.

Chaos was lucky enough to escape this catastrophe back then and had even personally witnessed an entire immortal domain and countless True Immortals transform into wisps of green energy and be absorbed. Naturally, he held a mix of respect, awe, and fear for Sacred Monarch Jingfen. He dared not imitate others by using the title "Great Sage Jingfen," but still referred to him as "Sacred Monarch Jingfen" in his heart.

And it was precisely because Sacred Monarch Jingfen "abandoned his post" that the ability of Sages to guide True Immortals to transcendence became known to the world later on. Sacred Monarch Jingfen's mass devouring of immortals did not merely induce fear among them. Some True Immortals were instead shaken by the power Sacred Monarch Jingfen displayed. From then on, they became even more convinced, with pious hearts, even turning somewhat fanatical. Sacred Monarch Jingfen mostly ignored these "believers." But by thinking of him daily, Sacred Monarch Jingfen also thoroughly perceived their inner thoughts. Three individuals received the Sage's favor. They were then guided and transcended, departing under the watchful eyes of all. This further fueled the fanaticism of Sacred Monarch Jingfen's followers. Later, there was another wave of cleansing, which eliminated all detractors and fanatical believers in the world. Only a faint four-character title remained in the world.

As for where Sacred Monarch Jingfen went after the Immortal Realm's destruction, that was beyond Chaos Wuming's knowledge.

"That Hidden Emperor's power is certainly not comparable to the Four Sages of the Immortal Realm. However, since he is already on the path to becoming a Sage, guiding True Immortals to transcendence is probably not difficult for him. After all, the numerous Heavenly Emperors and Heavenly Traces within that Primordial Immortal Realm demonstrate his close connection with the Infinite Sea. And to achieve transcendence, to cross to the other shore, this is the most crucial point."

Chaos's thoughts churned, and after a long time, he did not first seek out the other Nameless Immortals. Instead, he first summoned Wuxian. Among those in the Shuo Star Sea, Wuxian had the most contact with the Hidden Emperor. For the past hundred years, every errand and notification had been handled by him. Chaos asked Wuxian in detail about every interaction with the Hidden Emperor, attempting to gauge the Hidden Emperor's disposition. "It seems he isn't particularly difficult to approach. Comparatively speaking." In Chaos Wuming's eyes, the method of turning people into stone pillars was truly nothing remarkable.

After dismissing Wuxian, Chaos pondered deeply and finally felt that a decision had to be made soon. Thus, the Nameless Immortals of the Shuo Star Sea gathered together once more. The first to speak was the black-robed man with the white cat: "What is seen may not be true. The Hidden Emperor may not truly be a Hidden Emperor. Even if that Primordial Immortal Realm was indeed created by him, it doesn't necessarily prove his true strength. After the Immortal Realm's destruction, the authority of the ruling Immortal Emperor also vanished. Perhaps this person was simply lucky and acquired that authority, and is now just putting on a show."

"If he were truly a former Immortal Emperor, he would have likely sought us out at the very beginning of his descent. How could he have quietly lived as our neighbor for so many years?" The one speaking was the black cat on the white-robed man's shoulder, its tone carrying a hint of sarcasm. The pair of blue hands also chimed in, agreeing: "The area occupied by that Hidden Emperor... is a bit suspicious. It is the homeland of the Sage Merchant."

The True Immortals present showed varying degrees of change in their expressions upon hearing the name Sage Merchant. During the great war between their True Immortal faction and the Immortal Hunters, the greatest losses they suffered on several occasions were caused by the Sage Merchant.

After a moment of silence, Chaos spoke: "Brother Boyan, I think you're overthinking it. No matter what the Sage Merchant is, he cannot be compared to that Hidden Emperor. Indeed, they developed many powerful tools, some even capable of severely wounding us. But none of them involved the Infinite Sea. That's the most crucial point."

The black cat retorted sharply, immediately refuting: "Chaos, you might not know this. The Sage Merchant's predecessor was the Merchant Immortal Vessel, which split off from the Profound Merchant Immortal Vessel. Since there is a Sage Merchant, how do you know there isn't another Sacred Profound in the world? Moreover, did the Sage Merchant not master powers related to the Infinite Sea? I highly doubt that. The Sage Merchant vanished from the Star Sea in a single day. Isn't that escaping to other possibilities? Without connection to infinite power, how could that be achieved?"

The black cat's words left Chaos speechless. But the various experiences in the Immortal Realm made Chaos, by nature, unwilling to engage in verbal disputes or argue with others. So, he remained silent.

The white-robed figure stroked the black cat on his shoulder. The black cat's voice immediately ceased, and it recovered from its controlled state. The white-robed figure said: "Black's deduction is not without reason. Upon closer thought, the Hidden Emperor's sudden appearance indeed has many inexplicable aspects. However..." The white-robed figure smiled: "All of this is entirely beside the point. The key is, what is his actual strength? If we can defeat him in battle, regardless of whether he is the Hidden Emperor or something else, everything in that Primordial Immortal Realm will belong to us. Even the authority to connect with the Infinite Sea..."

These words stirred the hearts of the immortals, their expressions betraying their excitement. Only Chaos was stunned. He truly hadn't expected that his seemingly rational companions would make such a foolish judgment. His gaze involuntarily shifted to the black cat on the white-robed man's shoulder, and after a while, he spoke with difficulty: "Do you all remember Great Sage Jingfen from back then?"

"Great Sage Jingfen?" This was an extremely ancient name. At least half of those present had never heard this title and looked somewhat bewildered. The rest, who had heard of him, instinctively flashed a hint of fear in their eyes. But they quickly retorted: "Brother Chaos, you're being foolish! That so-called Hidden Emperor merely created a small immortal land. How can he be compared to Great Sage Jingfen?"

"That Primordial Immortal Realm sounds grand, but its actual scale is not even as grand as my former cave dwelling. Hmph, if the Immortal Realm still existed..."

"Brother Chaos is being alarmist. If that Hidden Emperor truly possesses the power of Great Sage Jingfen, what would it matter if we became his meal?"

Listening to the differing refutations from those around him, Chaos Wuming gradually realized something. The reason why they made judgments completely different from his own was primarily threefold. First, they had not personally visited the Primordial Immortal Realm. They had not personally experienced the awe-inspiring power of the Hidden Emperor when he established the Immortal Court and enfeoffed Heavenly Emperors. Merely hearing his descriptions, it was easy for them to make a mistaken judgment. Second, they ultimately harbored greed for the authority connecting to the Infinite Sea, which the Hidden Emperor had revealed. Third, and most crucially: what the black cat represented gave this group of True Immortals beside him confidence.

"The Guangwu Star Sea, where many immortals gather, indeed has more than a mere corner of the Shuo Star Sea. But..." Thinking of the voice beyond the Heavenly Veil of the Primordial Immortal Realm, Chaos quickly made his judgment: "You all decide for yourselves. Anyway, I'm not going."