Shennong Dao Master-Chapter 1363 - 18: Let Me Tell You a Story (Da Zhang!)

"For instance, the royal lineage believes that Wu's second summarized rule is incorrect. Sea water can be drunk, as long as they cultivate to a certain level, they can draw survival supplies from the perilous ocean, and even swim in the sea."

"Wu also decoded a lot of useful information about navigation from mysterious stone slabs and totems. For example, possible routes, and other islands along the route that may serve as supplies."

"However."

"Regardless of the wars between Wu and the royal lineage, whether the result was defeat or victory, Wu's line always grew stronger in terms of high-level power. The information Wu held became increasingly abundant, and he concealed these deeply after the royal lineage left, preventing future generations from knowing."

"The rift between both sides became deeply entrenched after many generations."

"During this period, a generation of Wu made significant progress in power. He deciphered a key stone slab and established a blockade area using the entire island as a foundation."

"For the first time, Wu blocked the royal lineage, preventing them from leaving. There are only four ports on the island, and Wu occupied the largest of them."

"Later generations of Wu enhanced this power and, by passing on to future Wu, reinforced these four rules, turning them into mighty power emblazoned deeply in their minds."

"Thus the subsequent Wu never thought about leaving, leaving only guardianship behind."

Ji Che sighed: "So the stone slabs represent Absolute Heaven and Earth, and the reason Wu cannot negotiate is due to the soul-deep restrictive heritage rules."

"No wonder each generation of Wu is so powerful, capable of initiating Great Divine Power, while remaining so stubborn."

Cloud Sky Dao suddenly shook his head: "That's not right!"

Zhao Xing raised his head: "What's not right?"

Cloud Sky Dao fixed his gaze on Zhao Xing: "In your story, no generation of the royal lineage has ever returned. Why is that? Considering the cosmic time scale, the probability is small, yet it should have happened!"

"Has the royal lineage truly gone extinct?!"

Zhao Xing understood what Cloud Sky Dao meant.

He was actually asking if the Xia Dynasty had been wiped out. Were the words spoken in the Returning Ruins a lie?

Cloud Sky Dao awaited an entire epoch for someone from the Xia Dynasty to come and retrieve him.

It was imaginable how moved he was upon hearing this story.

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment and said: "It's not that no one returned. In the era before Wu and the royal lineage, strong figures from the Kashen Tribe and the Dragon Clan did return, leaving behind the means to guide ascension, and during that time ascension didn't necessitate traveling in groups, nor were tools required."

"Because the sea was gentle, even drinking sea water was fine. Those who left the island could roam the sea, by swimming in one direction, they'd eventually reach the shore."

"Wu's judgment was wrong, as the sea's recovery times were limited."

"Let's return to the topic of Cosmic Heavenly Time. When a location no longer experiences spring, summer, autumn, and winter, it becomes a Desolate Domain."

"A place without spring, summer, autumn, winter, will surely undergo transformations."

"So two rules are further derived here:"

Zhao Xing again etched two lines on the desk:

One, Cosmic Wilderness phenomenon.

Second, Concealed Illusion.

Then Zhao Xing began explaining the first rule: "When the spiritual energy in a region of the cosmos depletes, stars, and voids undergo changes. I've previously discussed the differences between 'spirit' and '灵' in the 'Theory of Qi', it should be understandable."

Cloud Sky Dao and Ji Che nodded.

As the Spiritual Energy Value significantly declines, even cultivators residing in the Xuanhuang Realm will be affected, encountering cultivation bottlenecks, with the first rank being the strongest, the earth and the celestial phenomena manifesting disasters, such changes outside the Xuanhuang Realm should be even more dramatic.

Zhao Xing used the metaphor of sea water becoming salty and undrinkable to describe such changes.

Running with this thought, Cloud Sky Dao and Ji Che naturally conceived more changes.

Life Islands (Boundary Star, Small World) transform into barren islands (Dead Star, Death Realm). Those sailing find no supplies.

Wind and waves on the sea grow larger, increasing the likelihood of ships capsizing.

This provides partial explanation for the royal lineage's high fatality rates across generations.

Yet, it still doesn't completely explain why no generation of 'royal lineage' returns.

Thus, the two looked towards the second rule: Concealed Illusion.

Zhao Xing spoke: "I compare the ocean to Cosmic Territory because the sea has two traits."

"One is fluidity; the Xuanhuang Realm's position within Cosmic Territory isn't static; you might understand it as the Xuanhuang Realm constantly rotating."

"Second is Mirage; phenomena akin to mirages will appear in Cosmic Territory, similarly misleading returning 'royal lineage', making it challenging to pinpoint a specific location."

"Cosmic Territory desertification is more complex than the ocean, using these two traits of the sea for metaphor is inadequate for full description."

"It can only be summarized under the 'Concealed' trait."

"The second word, 'Illusion.' " Zhao Xing pointed above, "This signifies destruction."

"Each generation of the royal lineage, upon leaving the island's 'return distance', witnesses the Xuanhuang Realm's 'destruction' scene."

Zhao Xing clasped his fingers and then suddenly opened them: "Boom! The Xuanhuang Realm explosively detonates suddenly, emitting a brilliant light."

"Thus seeing the illusory 'royal lineage', from that moment, they lose the concept of their homeland in their heart and naturally never return."

"Based on the Concealed Illusion rule, of the royal lineage that survives, some, due to 'Illusion of Destruction', won't seek the Xuanhuang Realm."

"Even if persistent ones do take action to find it, they remain bewildered by the 'Concealed' illusion."

"That's why no royal lineage ever returns."

"No one returns, regardless of how many generations of the royal lineage speak of it, Wu wouldn't believe it, naturally leading to the drawing of these four rules."

"What?" Cloud Sky Dao and Ji Che were stunned, "Concealment and destruction, what's the reasoning?"

"I don't know what forms it either." Zhao Xing shrugged, "Not every Small World (referring to Xuanhuang) experiences such a situation. It only appears during Desolate Domain evolution."

"Actually these two rules, are both phenomena of the Desolate Domain."

"Only to distinguish already occurred desertification from ongoing desertification phenomena, the second rule is termed 'Concealed Illusion', and it's listed separately."

"Now then, what's the reasoning?" Zhao Xing spoke with fluency, subconsciously answering:

"Of course it's..."

Zhao Xing suddenly stopped.

Because his Three Gods Fate Palace sensed agitation, as if continuing would incur some terrifying event, he immediately initiated his long-unused Memory Palace to seal his memories.

The spoken words turned to another expression:

"Scholars specializing in Desolate Domain, do have some speculative theories on it… but there's no definitive conclusion."

"Alright, the story ends here for now." Zhao Xing pondered, "After all, there's no possibility of Wu Yue God negotiating, and we do have methods to return."

"Che, Senior Yun, our only consideration now is when to initiate the Ping Man War?"

PS: In the next chapter.

Thus, only the final 'Mortal Combat' remains in the Xuanhuang Realm's storyline, expected to start the cosmic plot within this month.

Additionally, with today's growth event up, everyone can participate in exchanges.

Thank you 'Bo Yizhe', '----ouo', 'Xiao Yun', our three new alliance hierarchs, for reaching rank eight without requesting votes, only 16 hierarchs shy of breaking into the L4 alliance circle. Many thanks for everyone's love.

In the latter part of this month, the Colonel will maintain quality and increase quantity, repaying the update debt bit by bit.