Chapter 142: Chapter 139: Ebb and Flow, Decline and Renewal

On Wangjiang Mountain, the Cultivators were abuzz with discussion.

Many eyes turned to the Black-clothed Blade Master that Song Ciwan had transformed into. Someone sighed, "What a pity. This person is on the other side of the Realm. We can see him, but we can’t touch him."

He was someone they couldn’t even touch. No matter how many secrets he held, they were all out of reach. What could they do?

Someone else asked in a low voice, "Have the messages been sent out?"

"They have, but the people on that side can’t be touched or seen either."

Here on Wangjiang Mountain, the Cultivators beneath the light screens could still watch the changing scenes. But other Cultivators in the Mortal World, away from the light screens, couldn’t see a thing. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Away from the light screens, their sight was no different from that of ordinary mortals.

Suddenly, within the four light screens, the scene in Bright Moon Square Yao Fang Courtyard underwent a subtle change.

Someone exclaimed in a low voice, "Young Master Ye has gone to Yao Fang Courtyard!"

Young Master Ye was Ye Sheng, the closed-door disciple of Ye Lingguan! He was not in the Mortal World either, but on the other side of the Realm. His figure was also being projected by the light screens on Wangjiang Mountain Peak.

At the mention of Ye Sheng, everyone present fell silent for a moment.

For a time, countless gazes fixed upon Ye Sheng.

Their focus was on Ye Sheng, but it wasn’t just him. More importantly, it was the one behind him: Ye Lingguan!

Another person whispered, "Jiao Zuo went to the Government Prison."

"Yan Zhu... she went to South City..."

Someone else suddenly said with a hint of envy, "Elder Xie, aren’t these few who arrived at Hongsheng Martial Arts Hall your disciples? They’re quite lucky to have met up and joined forces. They’re sure to gain something from entering the hall."

"It’s just..." Another person added regretfully, "those who came out from the gates of Illusory Nether City can’t receive our messages."

To put it simply, the situation was this: the people on Wangjiang Mountain had a complete view and could remotely send messages to their respective faction members, but this communication was limited to the Mortal World.

As for those on the other side of the Realm who had emerged from Illusory Nether City, they could interact with and fight one another, but they couldn’t receive messages from the Mortal World.

This created information gaps at various levels, making everyone’s actions even more uncontrollable and uncertain.

This included the Cultivators on Wangjiang Mountain Peak; they too were an uncontrollable part of the equation.

Even more uncontrollable was the fact that a change like this had never appeared in any records since the day Illusory Nether City first came to exist. A completely new development meant the unknown and its risks!

The so-called Spiritual Treasure—did it truly exist?

Where did the voice in Illusory Nether City, the one that guided everyone to pursue the Spiritual Treasure, come from?

Was it fair and honest, or was it false and malevolent?

No one knew the answers to these questions.

Not Ye Lingguan in Dingbo Tower, nor Duan Xinghun hidden on Wangjiang Peak, nor even the Hengshui Dragon King resting motionlessly with his eyes closed in the depths of the Hengshui.

Deep beneath the waves, the Old Dragon King’s closed eyes twitched slightly.

He had heard a voice transmission. It was faint and ethereal, originating from Dingbo Tower.

"Dragon King, within Cangling County, you are the most ancient. Today, I have a question for you, Elder. I wonder if you would be willing to enlighten me?"

The Hengshui Dragon King’s eyes trembled, but he did not open them. His voice, however, slowly echoed in response to the transmission, "I am merely old. Living for ten thousand years in vain is not worth a thousand years of cultivation for the Human Race. Ask what you will, Ye Lingguan. As for whether I can truly enlighten you, that I do not know."

Ye Lingguan said, "The Spiritual Energy Tide that comes once every eight thousand years—is it truly only a rising tide, and not a falling one?"

The Hengshui Dragon King replied, "If we speak of a falling tide, then the entire past eight thousand years have been a falling tide. Compared to eight thousand years ago, the concentrations of both Spiritual Qi and Vitality in the world have fallen to their lowest point. Surely you know this, Ye Lingguan?"

Ye Lingguan said, "With the Spiritual Qi at its lowest, the world still has so many outstanding humans, gods, demons, and fiends. If the Spiritual Qi were to surge, suddenly reaching its peak, what would become of the world?"

The Hengshui Dragon King said, "That would be a golden age, an age of countless Celestial Prides and monstrous geniuses! Ye Lingguan, you and I may be considered honored elders now, but when such an age arrives, brilliant new stars will burst forth. What then becomes of the elders?"

The Hengshui Dragon King let out a leisurely laugh, his ancient voice a mix of sighs and sorrow. "The tides rise and fall, life waxes and wanes. Today’s glory and splendor may be scattered and turned to dust tomorrow..."

"Ye Lingguan, what will you do with yourself then!"

Ye Lingguan was silent for a long time. Just as the Hengshui Dragon King lowered his head and his entire Dragon Body sank deep into the riverbed, Ye Lingguan’s voice transmitted once more. "Dragon King, when new stars illuminate the sky, old stars must fall. Is this not also an unavoidable law of the rising and falling tides?"

The Hengshui Dragon King said, "You already have your answer, Ye Lingguan. Why ask this old dragon?"

...

At the bottom of the Hengshui River, the undercurrents surged.

A conversation that no outsider could ever know of dissipated with the rolling flow of the water.

In Hongsheng Martial Arts Hall, Song Ciwan tried several times but was still unable to break the Cyan Flower Bottle and rescue the two young women trapped inside.

She frowned slightly in thought. ’What if I just use the Heaven and Earth Scale to take this Cyan Flower Bottle away? The main reason I haven’t is because I’m afraid it might take not just the bottle, but the two young women inside as well. What would I do then? It’s not an impossible outcome. Although I’ve never used the Heaven and Earth Scale on a living thing before, I have a feeling it can’t directly claim living, conscious beings. But these two young women in the bottle have clearly been turned into some sort of special Divine Dao Container by an Evil Technique. In my eyes, they’re living, pitiful people, but I can’t say for sure if the Heaven and Earth Scale would still judge them to be ’alive’. I can’t act rashly. I can’t gamble with their lives.’

Her hand hovered over the body of the Cyan Flower Bottle. Just as a new idea formed and she was about to command the strange insects on the ground to ram the bottle, Niu the Sixth, who had been staring intently at Feng Chuncai, suddenly snapped his head around.

Faint popping sounds continued to erupt from Feng Chuncai’s body as tiny bloody holes burst open all over him. His cries of pain had ceased completely. A dense swarm of Black Insects crawled over his entire form.

Only his eyes remained, staring blankly into the night and the flickering lights.

He was beyond saving, doomed to die.

Tears and snot streamed down Niu the Sixth’s face, his expression a contorted mask of crying and laughing. He shouted, "You villain, you’re dying! You’re finally dying! You deserve it! You deserve this!"

"Hehehe, hahaha..." He wept and laughed maniacally. Then, turning his head, he threw his entire body toward the Cyan Flower Bottle.

As he charged, he screamed, "Niuniu, this world is too cruel! Daddy will take you with me!"

It was obvious he intended to knock over and shatter the Cyan Flower Bottle, dying together with the young woman trapped inside.

It all happened in a flash. From outside the Martial Arts Arena came a furious roar, "Stop!"