Chapter 699: Reverse Overflow in the Universe Record

In the midst of everyone's eager anticipation, Jiao Xiuyuan opened the wooden box.

A transparent, paper-thin object, as delicate as a cicada's wing and emitting a soft white glow, slowly floated upwards.

"The True Celestial Spirit Flower!" a cultivator in the crowd couldn't help but exclaim.

Even more were so awestruck by its beauty that they rose to their feet on the spot.

Strangely, although the True Celestial Spirit Flower was clearly sealed in a two-dimensional plane, onlookers perceived no abnormality whatsoever.

It was as if a real flower was slowly unfurling before their eyes, breathtakingly beautiful.

They could even detect a faint fragrance emanating from it.

Seeing everyone in the hall silenced by the Celestial Spirit Flower's beauty, Jiao Xiuyuan smiled smugly and lightly pointed at the transparent object in the air.

Instantly, countless rays of light shot from it, projecting the originally palm-sized flower high above the venue.

It was proportionally magnified tens of thousands of times, yet its ethereal charm remained completely unaffected. On the contrary, every detail on each petal became exquisitely clear and distinct.

While all the cultivators were engrossed, Jiao Xiuyuan, unnoticed, crushed a small orb.

A faint white mist, exuding a mysterious and profound aura, slowly enveloped the venue.

Even though it was just a puppet body, Jiao Xiuyuan himself instinctively recoiled. He subtly set up a protective barrier, keeping the white mist away from himself.

He recalled the explanation given by the Hedao cultivator, Liu San (whose name was clearly an alias), when he handed over the item.

"Ah, this is a meticulously developed pill by this old man, capable of aiding cultivators in their practice. When atomized and absorbed, it can produce a seemingly profound enlightenment effect..."

Jiao Xiuyuan looked at the increasingly mesmerized faces of the cultivators in the hall and muttered to himself, "Although he swore that this item, after improvement, is absolutely non-addictive..."

"Still, it's best to stay away from this strange stuff."

The True Celestial Spirit Flower bloomed in its full glory. The wondrous sight of its petals was reflected on the face of every cultivator in the Flower Cavern.

Each viewing session lasted only three hours. As it was a one-time opportunity, almost everyone's gaze was fixed intently on the projected Celestial Spirit Flower in the air.

Only one person, however, stared blankly at the frozen, paper-thin object in the arena, lost in thought.

"There's no mistake. Ice Dew Drops, Mimicry, Thousand-Colored Silk..."

"This method of preserving flowers is identical to the one in my 'Flower Collection,' yet I have never revealed it to anyone."

"How could this be...?" Zhao Chong's eyes were filled with disbelief. "Could there really be someone else in this world who thought of the exact same method as me?"

After witnessing the True Celestial Spirit Flower, Zhao Chong's long-cherished wish dissipated. He cared little for the so-called cultivation breakthroughs or sudden insights into divine abilities. Instead, he developed a deep interest in the unseen master of the Celestial Spirit Flower.

Time slowly slipped by as everyone remained deeply absorbed.

As the three-hour limit approached, there was still no sign of anyone achieving a breakthrough or enlightenment.

"This is the debut; we can't mess it up."

Just as Jiao Xiuyuan was about to activate his pre-arranged setup, a sudden fluctuation descended, causing him to halt.

"It's this fellow! Perfect! Saves me the trouble of promoting it further!" Jiao Xiuyuan was overjoyed upon realizing the identity of the breaking-through cultivator.

He instantly appeared beside the person and sealed the fluctuation, preventing it from disturbing others' appreciation and comprehension.

The first cultivator to achieve a breakthrough was Sun Qi.

When he beheld the magnificent Celestial Spirit Flower in the sky above, it was as if he was suddenly transported back to a brutal battlefield. However, unlike the current Celestial Spirit Flower, which was imbued with a bloody aura, no murderous thoughts arose within him.

Instead, the myriad beautiful scenes between heaven and earth flowed like gentle water, healing and calming the psychological trauma he had suffered in the war.

It was as if time flowed backward; blood, corpses, and cracked earth all vanished. His perspective soared above Tianling State, returning to the era before the great war.

Sun Qi watched everything before him, completely enraptured.

In that moment, he forgot the profound affection and disappointment of his family elders, the taunts and ridicule of his peers, and his own insistent desire to achieve a breakthrough.

His mind was filled with the beauty of the Celestial Spirit Flower and the world.

All malevolence dissipated, and success came naturally.

When he awoke from his trance, he found that the Heavenly Calamity bottleneck, which had plagued him for years and nearly driven him to despair, had quietly vanished without a trace.

He only needed to find a suitable grotto-heaven and absorb it to directly enter the Nascent Soul realm. This was not a difficult task for the Sun family.

In the past, if he had suddenly achieved such a breakthrough, he might have been overwhelmed with emotion, crying tears of joy.

But now, he felt neither joy nor sorrow. He did not leave the Flower Cavern early but remained seated, ignoring the occasional glances from around him, continuing to focus intently on the True Celestial Spirit Flower above.

Only when the host, Jiao Xiuyuan, returned the flower to its wooden box and announced the end of the first viewing session did he fully regain his senses.

Exclamations of excitement, regret, and admiration arose one after another.

"Fellow Daoist Jiao, name your price! How much for this True Celestial Spirit Flower?"

Having witnessed its profound mystique firsthand, some cultivators present could no longer hold back and eagerly inquired.

This immediately drew agreement from many others.

Facing the crowd's inquiries, Jiao Xiuyuan merely smiled, "How many times have I told you? The Flower Master's stance is very clear: not for sale, not for sale, still not for sale!"

"Although I'd also like to facilitate such a deal, if the owner insists, there's nothing I can do!"

Hearing this, the crowd below immediately stirred.

A pot-bellied middle-aged cultivator stood up directly, looked at Jiao Xiuyuan, and declared proudly, "I don't believe it! Is there anything that can't be bought if the price is high enough? Ten million contribution points, what do you say? If that's not enough, we'll add more!"

Before Jiao Xiuyuan could reply, someone in the hall immediately sneered, "Oh, isn't that Fellow Daoist Zhu Yuhua from Tianshu State? I heard you're always quite generous. How come you only offer ten million contribution points right off the bat? Are you looking down on someone?"

"Heh, with so little, you want to buy the True Celestial Spirit Flower? I think those imitations would suit you much better!"

Zhu Yuhua's expression shifted slightly. He looked towards the people who had spoken; indeed, they were all influential figures. Ten million contribution points truly wasn't a large sum for them.

He swallowed the words he was about to say. His face flushed, Zhu Yuhua was about to raise his bid.

Jiao Xiuyuan, however, stepped forward to mediate.

"Everyone, everyone..."

He raised his voice a few octaves, recapturing everyone's attention.

"The Celestial Spirit Flower Master is an exceptionally free-spirited individual. His appearance and demeanor are unlike anyone I, Old Jiao, have ever seen. Of course, he would be extremely reluctant to sell the only True Celestial Spirit Flower in the world."

"However..." Jiao Xiuyuan changed his tone.

"He also understands that it would be a desecration for such a wondrous item to be kept perpetually out of sight, admired by only a select few. Coupled with my persuasion, he ultimately decided on a compromise."

Jiao Xiuyuan paused, then announced, "Although it's not for sale, the True Celestial Spirit Flower can be 'leased' to the public!"

"Fellow Daoists who are interested in this can stay and listen to my detailed explanation."

"Lease only, not for sale. This Celestial Spirit Flower Master certainly knows how to do business," Sun Qi chuckled derisively.

Watching the crowd of cultivators surge towards Jiao Xiuyuan, Sun Qi knew he lacked the means to lease the Celestial Spirit Flower. Shaking his head, he quietly left the Flower Cavern.

Upon leaving, the first person Sun Qi visited was his uncle, Sun Liancheng. After all, the fundamental reason for his breakthrough this time was the Flower Cavern Invitation bestowed by Sun Liancheng.

He waited only for a moment in his uncle's grotto-heaven before Sun Liancheng arrived in haste.

"Good... good..." Sun Liancheng looked him over, appearing even more excited than Sun Qi himself about the breakthrough.

"Our Sun family's prodigy, after all these years, has finally returned," Sun Liancheng exclaimed repeatedly with emotion.

Sun Qi let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Prodigy..."

"Born into Foundation Establishment, reaching Golden Core at one month. In those days, I truly lived up to the name of a prodigy. But now, I am two hundred and thirteen years old..."

Sun Qi shook his head slightly. "What kind of prodigy is this? Uncle, please don't call me that anymore. Others have long since reached the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realms, while I still linger in the Golden Core stage..."

"If word gets out, I'll surely be ridiculed."

Sun Liancheng, however, dismissed it. "Why should our Sun family care about others' opinions? Qi'er, you've been in the Golden Core realm for over two hundred years, and now you've suddenly broken free. With such deep accumulation, your future is bound to be limitless."

"Moreover..."

Sun Liancheng's expression was unreadable. "It's not your fault that breakthroughs are so difficult. After all, the bottleneck of our entire clan rests solely on your shoulders."

"Furthermore, with the Primordial Chaos Qi as your innate spiritual treasure, you naturally face a magnified malice from heaven and earth. To break through the Heavenly Calamity of the Golden Core stage in your lifetime is already incredibly fortunate. So many ancestors perished before even reaching the Golden Core realm. But now..."

Sun Liancheng patted Sun Qi's shoulder and said with satisfaction, "The future is promising!"

Sun Qi's expression remained completely unfazed.

"The next bottleneck in the 'Records of Reversive Chaos of the Universe' is in the late Soul Transformation stage, isn't it?" Sun Liancheng asked.

Sun Qi nodded slightly.

"Don't worry, the clan will prepare all the necessary resources for you, such as grotto-heavens and heavenly marrow. Just focus on your cultivation."

After a long silence, Sun Liancheng's voice grew faint. "Qi'er, the entire clan's burden rests on your shoulders. The resulting lack of progress in your cultivation, which you cannot even confide in others and must bear silently yourself—do you feel wronged or resentful?"

Sun Qi's expression did not change. "It is simply my mission. Countless ancestors have made silent sacrifices like mine, and it is precisely because of their contributions that our Sun family is so strong today. How could I feel resentful?"

Sun Liancheng narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Sun Qi, seemingly trying to discern the truth in his words.

After a long pause, just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly shifted. "A guest has arrived."

"Then I shall take my leave, Uncle!" Sun Qi cupped his hands and turned to depart.

"No need, stay here. It's nothing important," Sun Liancheng stopped him.

"Hahaha, Old Sun, we've struck gold this time!" The voice arrived before the person.

Hearing Jiao Xiuyuan's voice, Sun Qi fell silent and stood still.

Soon after, Jiao Xiuyuan walked in, full of vigor and high spirits.

"The number of cultivators who came from far away is even more than you imagined, haha..."

Mid-sentence, he abruptly stopped upon seeing Sun Qi standing quietly to the side in the room. A flicker of surprise seemed to pass through his eyes.

"Heh heh, Fellow Daoist Jiao, speak freely. Qi'er is not an outsider," Sun Liancheng said, waving his hand.

Jiao Xiuyuan's mouth opened, then he simply smiled faintly, saying nothing more.

"Old Sun, you've misunderstood. How could I not know the relationship between you and this young man? It's just that when the contract was made, we agreed to keep it confidential."

His voice abruptly ceased, and he was seen only with his lips moving. After hearing his words, Sun Liancheng's face showed a mixture of shock and delight.

After a few more unspoken words, Jiao Xiuyuan took out a small Heavenly Profound Mirror from his robe.

After completing the transaction on the spot, he departed in a hurry.

"I didn't expect someone would actually be willing to offer a Hedao-level audience jade token for the first lease of that True Celestial Spirit Flower..."

"It seems our Sun family still has quite a gap compared to the true influential figures of the Immortal Alliance," Sun Liancheng mused with a slight sigh. "Our generation has a heavy responsibility and a long journey ahead!"

Sun Qi was stunned to hear this. "Weren't we supposed to keep it confidential?"

"What does a contract signed by Jiao Xiuyuan have to do with me?" Sun Liancheng said dismissively.

"However, this Celestial Spirit Flower Master is rather interesting. An ancient dormant cultivator, emerging from a white mist. Wants me to help him secure an identity to join the Myriad Immortal Alliance..."

"Qi'er, what do you think?" After a moment of contemplation, Sun Liancheng looked at Sun Qi.

Sun Qi thought for a moment, then replied, "He has ulterior motives; he could be a spy for the Council of Five Elders."

Sun Liancheng laughed heartily and shook his head. "Qi'er, you are still too young. This Celestial Spirit Flower Master went to all that trouble simply to meet Yan Fajue and request a Hedao cultivation technique suitable for himself. If he were truly a spy, why would he waste such a rare opportunity on something like this?"

"Besides, Yan Fajue is located at the headquarters of the Immortal Alliance's Protector Hall. With the True Law of Transmission suppressing it, what kind of spy would dare cause trouble there? Isn't that just seeking death?"

Sun Qi remained silent.

How could these secrets be known to a mere Golden Core cultivator like him? His uncle, Sun Liancheng, was merely using this as an opportunity to remind him: even if Sun Qi reached the Nascent Soul realm, he would still be insignificant compared to the entire Sun family. He should obediently cultivate the 'Records of Reversive Chaos of the Universe,' bear the clan's bottleneck, and harbor no disloyal thoughts.

"Hmph."

Firmly burying the fleeting dangerous thought deep within his heart, Sun Qi dared not show the slightest hint of abnormality.

Sun Liancheng also seemed quite satisfied with his demeanor, and from then on, he arranged for Sun Qi to reside in the City Lord's Mansion.

Seven days later, Sun Qi encountered the utterly mysterious Celestial Spirit Flower Master, Xu Bai, at the mansion.

Despite his self-proclaimed exceptionally resolute mind, he was still momentarily stunned upon seeing the individual. Only then did he realize that Jiao Xiuyuan's description of the "Celestial Spirit Flower Master being exceptionally free-spirited and rarely seen in the world" was no exaggeration.

Xu Bai's purpose in coming here seemed to be to acquire an Immortal Alliance identity.

For Sun Liancheng, who held immense power over an entire state, this was a trivial matter.

In less than half a day, he bypassed various reviews and completed Xu Bai's entry into the alliance.

After Xu Bai completed his identity verification on the spot using the Heavenly Profound Mirror, he nodded with satisfaction.

After highly praising Sun Liancheng's "immense power," he folded his fan and elegantly departed.

Sun Qi's gaze followed his retreating figure until it disappeared from sight.

"Indeed, there's a hint of heavenly favor about him..."

"What a pity, he's gone astray," Sun Liancheng commented with a cold snort.

Sun Qi was somewhat stunned to hear this. He pondered what mistake he might have made recently to displease his uncle.

A moment later, Sun Qi realized that his uncle wasn't referring to him.

It was Xu Bai, who had just left.

"Gone astray? What do you mean, Uncle?" Sun Qi was somewhat confused.

"Individuals favored by the heavens, in the ancient cultivation world, might have been sought after by major sects, natural seeds of cultivation."

"But now..." A hint of disdain flashed in Sun Liancheng's eyes.

"The Celestial Venerable's new method is truly going against the heavens. The more favor one receives from heaven and earth, the more difficult it will be to defy the principles of heaven and earth in the future."

"Even when sacrificing the essence of heaven and earth, one will suffer a multiplied backlash from the will of heaven and earth. No matter how talented one is, they will generally stop at the Soul Transformation stage."

"Just like your innate spiritual treasure, the Primordial Chaos Qi. Half a Heavenly Wonder, it can be considered a creation of heaven and earth. Have you felt the malice of heaven and earth towards you on your cultivation path? In the future, as your cultivation level continuously rises, this malice will become increasingly apparent."

"Originally, how much favor did heaven and earth bestow upon you? Yet you still cultivate the new method, turning against them."

"It would be strange if they didn't hate people like you."

Actively ignoring the faint hint of sarcasm in his uncle Sun Liancheng's words, Sun Qi slowly nodded, sinking into deep thought.

However, neither he nor Sun Liancheng, who was at the Hedao realm,

had any inkling that their entire conversation, from beginning to end, every single word, had been observed by someone.

It was Li Fan, who was monitoring Sun Qi with a formless killing intent.