Chapter 912: Star River, Turbulent Winds and Clouds

"Are you departing?"

At that moment, a gentle breeze swept through the training grounds. The Cat Scholar stood amidst it, an ethereal mist swirling around him, his expression utterly serene. "I heard earlier that your civilization was in crisis," he said. "Are you returning now?"

"Yes," they replied.

The few individuals bowed respectfully and addressed him as 'Teacher.'

Although it had been an equal exchange—they had improved their ninth-tier technological civilization's core god-cloning technology in return for martial arts training—his guidance had undeniably been a great kindness.

The Cat Scholar smiled. "Your improvements enable even low-level disciples to develop significant combat power, which is excellent," he said. "We have both gained what we needed. You are merely my nominal disciples, so there’s no need for such formality. I have also sought permission from our civilization's Multiverse Demon God and have temporarily been granted leave to travel outside."

They were greatly astonished and couldn't help but exclaim, "Teacher, are you coming with us?"

If their teacher were to act, such a formidable and enigmatic expert from the core of a higher universe could surely make dealing with the forbidden existence of another advanced cosmic civilization—the Tathagata Pillar God—a much surer prospect.

For such a martial arts grandmaster, traversing the cosmos or shattering mountains and seas with a single punch would be effortless!

The fierce clash between these two civilizations...

Just thinking about it was thrilling!

"I will not intervene," he clarified. "I am merely observing, as I am very interested in that terrifying forbidden civilization. After all, the universe is meant to be explored; among the myriad worlds, ours is but one."

He added, "It seems several other major martial arts grandmasters are also interested in your world; they might also venture out..."

The individuals exchanged glances and simply nodded.

They knew they could not interfere with the actions of beings at this level. Having apprenticed and cultivated here for nearly two centuries, they were certain the other grandmasters were aware of their presence.

After all, Quantum Martial Arts were far too enigmatic.

Being omnipresent, it was difficult for any secret to remain truly hidden.

In fact, during their time there, they had uncovered many truths. The snake-haired woman, for instance, was none other than the so-called Multiverse Demon God, who governed this entire cosmic civilization.

They had initially believed this being was Renimansgar's disciple, but to their surprise, it was actually the descendant of a forbidden entity on par with Renimansgar himself.

At present, it was merely being temporarily housed and looked after.

And the multiverse martial arts civilization controlled by this demon god was no less formidable than Renimansgar's Cosmic Garden!

"His Majesty Renimansgar's lineage and cultivation method are based on iron-based life," they mused. "Yet this evil god's civilization is based on pseudo-quantum life! Both are incredibly terrifying! And now, the descendant of such an entity resides within Renimansgar's garden..."

They took a deep breath, naturally sensing the profound horror of the situation.

Renimansgar was more mysterious and terrifying than imagined, and even more powerful than in ancient times!

The sheer fact that high-dimensional space-time could envelop the entire garden, coupled with a demon god no less formidable than those from their own civilization residing within it, underscored Renimansgar's immense power...

"Then, Teacher, we shall take our leave," they said.

"Go," he replied.

The white-robed scholar stood with his hands clasped behind his back, silently watching them depart. After a long while, he collected himself, glanced at his disciples practicing martial arts nearby, and murmured,

"Schrödinger's Cat, is it? Very interesting. The outside world is indeed alluring. And the Tathagata Pillar God... Is the legendary forbidden evil civilization truly encroaching upon the entire galactic civilization out there?"

"I am also very interested," a voice suddenly remarked.

Suddenly, a small girl with rosy lips and white teeth, who was punching a wooden dummy nearby, smiled innocently and adorably.

The Cat Scholar's pupils widened, his eyes seeming to blaze with a brilliant golden light. "Demon Lord?" he roared. "Have you come to my sect again to corrupt my disciples? Get out!"

"Heh heh heh..." the girl chuckled. "My name will also be widely known in the outside world. Perhaps our Desires Demon Sect can even challenge those forbidden existences to see who is more powerful... just as Pan Xuexian once described my martial arts: 'Those who believe in me gain eternal life; those who believe in me are resurrected on the spot.'"

The little girl suddenly slumped to the ground, losing consciousness. "Life is always lonely..." she mumbled.

The Cat Scholar frowned.

This great demon's martial arts were becoming increasingly formidable and unsettling.

Just then, a verdant plant by the lake's edge sprouted two branches, bending towards the water as if a maiden were grooming herself, combing her hair with delicate hands. An ancient, distant voice emanated from it: "So, this is what I've become? What a wonderful dream... This old man is so sleepy; I wonder if I've dreamt for millennia."

"Zhou Meng..."

The Cat Scholar glared at him, his eyes practically spewing fire. "What are you doing here again?" he demanded.

The small plant turned, smiling eerily as it looked at him. "The outside world, you say?" it croaked. "I wonder if your 'Carefree Roaming,' which allows you to wander the heavens and earth, omnipresent... or my 'Celestial Dream,' is superior? Which truly permeates all existence?"

The Cat Scholar was about to speak.

"Ah!!! Confessing to my best girl!" the plant exclaimed. "Who knows if one's life is merely a dream?"

The plant, its emerald tendrils forming a V-shape to cradle its chin, wore a troubled expression, as if pondering a profound philosophical question. "Dreaming is the most carefree state," it mused. "In dreams... anything is possible."

The Cat Scholar ignored him.

The Way of Dreams was indeed bizarre, its manifestations and personalities ever-shifting; any strangeness was simply normal.

He pinched the small plant, popped it into his mouth, and swallowed it whole. Then he turned, looking at the figure entering through the training grounds' main gate. The man exuded an imposing and grand presence, conveying an immense and boundless aura.

"You've come down from the mountain?" the Cat Scholar inquired.

"I, too, heard the news," the man replied.

The man became very calm. As the martial arts alliance leader of the multiverse, his sense of justice was exceptionally strong. "Perhaps the four of us will soon see a decisive outcome," he stated, "but the three of you are destined to be my vanquished foes."

"Why do you believe you will win?" the Cat Scholar chuckled.

"Because you lack my boundless breadth of spirit and my unwavering fighting will!"

"Fighting will?" the Cat Scholar mused, as if recalling something, then chuckled softly. "Why the need for fighting will? What one pursues is merely a carefree journey through the heavens and earth... Who wins or loses is still unknown."

"How about we fight a match first?" The man's eyes blazed with intense fire.

*Whoosh.*

"I'm not feeling well today," the Cat Scholar said, then lightly drifted away, vanishing without a trace like dust scattered into the sea.

On this day, the martial arts world of the multiverse discovered a new realm.

The entire martial arts world was in an uproar.

"I hear the Unheard Swordsman and Jiang Hai Wushen are having a decisive battle atop the Star Constellation Sea," one person remarked. "Are the two peerless grandmasters finally going to fight to the death?"

"Your news is outdated," another replied. "This is no longer the most noteworthy news in the martial arts world..."

"That can't be right!" exclaimed the first. "Is there even more astonishing news than that? Could it be that Immortal Yunyan, the sect leader of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, has found a beloved? If so, countless passionate young men in the martial arts world would lose all hope in life!"

"Of course not," came the reply. "Beyond heaven and earth, there is a heaven beyond heaven."

"What is a heaven beyond heaven?"

"Waiter, bring wine! I shall tell you slowly," said another.

Another person, sitting in the teahouse, spoke with an air of carefree delight.

Xu Zhi opened his eyes.

He stood at the window, overlooking the entire garden. "They have completed their apprenticeship and cultivation," he mused, "and my Quantum Battle Body is also nearing initial completion..."

*Knock, knock, knock.*

A knock came from outside the study door.

"Come in," he said.

Medusa paused, then slowly entered the room. "The garden's world is too vast," she remarked. "Perhaps I could bring in some of the natives from my own world..."

Her original intention had been to find a material plane entrance for the Crystalline Wall Universe within this land.

"Do as you please," Xu Zhi replied.

The lush vegetation of the garden gave off an intensely wild and untamed aura.

*Rumble!*

Suddenly, spatial turbulence continuously vibrated, causing nearby plants and animals to stampede frantically, like a mountain ablaze, forming a peculiar beast tide.

*Thump-thump-thump!*

A colossal banyan tree scurried along, gripping the ground with its long aerial roots, like an eloping princess running while clutching her long green gown.

A bird darted through the turbulent sky, dodging the currents.

Like the Eight Immortals each displaying their unique powers, the animals long accustomed to this place were naturally most sensitive to these 'earthquakes' and could sense them in advance.

"It's a familiar sight again; we're back." Nathar and the others reappeared in the Cosmic Garden.

They took a deep breath, stepping out into the open garden, feeling as if they had entered a boundless expanse.

Standing in the Cosmic Garden, overlooking the planets below, they felt a fervent surge of excitement welling up within them.

"We have obtained an unimaginable super-inheritance!" Nathar exclaimed, bursting into laughter. "We have come to save our civilization!" He felt the great crests and troughs of life, like a grand dream for their civilization.

As they looked upon the planets below, they suddenly had a feeling... an illusion that they were about to witness history!

"We will not only revive our glory from over a hundred thousand years ago, but we will also surpass it and become a truly advanced civilization!" Mansha felt an incredibly excited thought welling up within her.

"We have obtained the legacy of a higher civilization, and we shall challenge the other higher civilization!"

Gazing at the night sky beyond the Cosmic Garden, everyone felt overwhelmingly insignificant, yet simultaneously yearned immensely for power.

"Let's begin," the Thirteenth Prince said. "Let's assess the current war, the strength of our resistance, and the ferocity of the battles on various fronts. We must join in... as the saviors of our civilization!"

"Come forth, Stand, Silver Chariot!"

Mansha let out a low cry.

A handsome, agile warrior, radiating luminescence, transformed into a streak of lightning and dispersed into the cosmos. "Now, I can even contend with a Supreme God of Law!" he declared. "Father, I have done it!"

Meanwhile.

"The news has been cut off again," Di Qi frowned.

He stood in the endless dark universe, silently sensing the faint, almost imperceptible fading law fluctuations.

"Caroline... and Mother Earth Azure Vine, I wonder what scheme they're plotting," he mused. "I've tracked them all the way here and found that they've jumped countless times, constantly obscuring the coordinates of each jump. Furthermore, at the various locations where they appeared, I detected numerous traces of the octopus demon's death aura from back then. Clearly, they are hunting this creature at every one of their jump points."

Di Qi continued to ponder.

Although they erased their tracks with each jump, their haste meant he could still continuously follow them.

"They must have discovered a brand-new civilization across the myriad worlds."

Di Qi's pupils gleamed with a cold, clear light. "It's the civilization I tracked by following the octopus demon I hunted back then... only, this civilization should rightfully belong to me."

Indeed.

Had the great octopus been in his possession, he would have been the one to trace it back to its source.

"However, they should be nearing their destination now."

Di Qi's gaze turned cold as he slowly looked towards the depths of the distant universe. The silent cosmos, dotted with endless starlight, imprinted its sea of stars like a crystal mirror in his profound pupils.

"Heh heh... I'd like to see what tricks you're up to," he mused.