The Eternal Primordial God showed not a shred of sympathy for the suffering of Luo Xiangjun's clan. After hearing her account, he instead fell into deep contemplation.
Even Lord Luo once followed the Heaven-Warring Lord?
What was the origin of this Heaven-Warring Lord? What was his identity? Could he, like them, be an Innate Being from the Innate Era?
Yet neither the Eternal Primordial God nor any other Innate Being had ever heard of such a figure.
In the later ages, after the vast expanse took form, this being had even ushered in the Black Calamity Era and founded the Heaven-Warring Organization that once dominated all realms.
In a way, the Black Calamity Era had altered the very trajectory of the vast expanse's timeline, rendering the future inscrutable.
"His true identity remains a mystery… Could he truly be an anomaly born beyond the Heavenly Dao?" The Eternal Primordial God fell silent.
If even Innate Beings like himself could devise means to evade the gaze of the Land of Truth, hide from enemies, and feign death to escape…
Would a being like the Heaven-Warring Lord truly allow himself to be sealed away?
He had heard rumors that during the Heaven-Warring Lord's reign over the vast expanse, even the Cataclysmic Tribulation had stalled.
The version of the Heaven-Warring Lord witnessed by mortals was but a fragment—a mere flicker of his true power.
His real form had never manifested. It was likely entangled in battles across unfathomable dimensions and eras, clashing with entities beyond comprehension.
"The Heaven-Warring Lord is undoubtedly the strongest existence the vast expanse has ever birthed. None can rival his stature."
"It's even possible… that not a single being from the Innate Era could match him."
"Could such a figure truly be sealed by the power of the vast expanse?"
The Eternal Primordial God shook his head. A being as ancient as he, with every eyelash hollowed by time, possessed a mind of unparalleled meticulousness.
Even what he saw with his own eyes might not be trusted, let alone these unverified rumors.
At a certain level of power, one could effortlessly alter the perceptions and memories of all living beings, rewrite ancient history and spacetime, blur the lines between reality and illusion, and snuff out entire futures.
If the Heaven-Warring Lord was so powerful, how could he not foresee his own sealing on the timeline?
He surely had the ability to erase that timeline, to eliminate all unknowable and uncontrollable factors before they could take root.
So why was he sealed?
Was it due to the intervention of the Land of Truth?
Or was there another reason?
From what he knew, before the Black Calamity Era, there had been another period known as the Dream's End Era.
This era had also left a profound mark on the history of the vast expanse.
A being known as the Dream Lord, who cultivated the Dao through dreams and wielded heaven-defying methods, had once invaded the Heavenly Dao and dominated it for a time. His true identity remained a mystery.
During the Dream's End Era, the Dream Lord created the Dream Domain, attempting to replace the vast expanse. He divided the dream realm into the Upper Cloud Dream Marsh and the Lower White Dream Marsh, corresponding to the Land of Truth and the vast expanse, respectively.
All living beings existed between reality and dreams, their entire world and timeline nothing but a fleeting illusion.
Family, loved ones, even enemies—all could be figments of imagination. The scenes they lived in, everything they witnessed from birth to death, might have been nothing more than a grand, empty dream.
Though the Dream's End Era had long passed, vanishing from the vast expanse like ashes in the wind, unknown to the myriad worlds, the Eternal Primordial God couldn't help but wonder:
Could there exist a force so powerful and insidious that even his own perceptions had been altered?
What if the Heaven-Warring Lord had never been sealed? What if he had merely changed the perceptions of all beings and rewritten that era?
Yet, if that timeline truly existed, perhaps the Heaven-Warring Lord had foreseen the future and chosen the path of being sealed?
"And what of the relationship between the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Heaven-Warring Organization? What connection lies between the Heaven-Warring Lord and Gu Changge, the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance?"
Suddenly, a thought struck the Eternal Primordial God, sending a chill down his spine. Cold sweat drenched his back.
The reappearance of the Dark Beings in the world—so methodical, so brazen—could not be without reason.
The timing of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's rise and the return of the Dark Beings was far too coincidental.
"Regardless of the reason, I need you to take me to the Luo Clan's ancestral lands," the Eternal Primordial God said gravely, his expression stern as he turned to Luo Xiangjun.
Since learning that her distant ancestor might still be alive, Luo Xiangjun had grown somber, her spirits low.
She had fought tooth and nail to escape that place.
She never wanted to set foot there again.
Yet, faced with the Eternal Primordial God's demand, she had no grounds to refuse.
…
"Destined by Heaven, my Dao shall prosper eternally?"
"Is that what it means?"
"But where is this "Prosperous Dao"? Why are the Dream Ghost Clan suddenly searching for a place by that name?"
Deep within Purple Mist Mountain, purple mists rose and swirled, while golden light surged like a blazing sun, casting its radiance over majestic palaces and pavilions.
Seated in the grand hall, Zi Wanhe frowned in deep thought, his expression as still as water.
He had not participated in the war between the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Alliance of Righteous Unity. However, following orders, he had dispatched numerous elders and experts from Purple Mist Mountain to the frontlines.
Though the war raged fiercely, capturing the attention of the entire vast expanse, Zi Wanhe's mind was elsewhere.
Ever since the Dream Ghost Clan had appeared and tasked him with finding the location of "Prosperous Dao," the mark they left on him had grown increasingly vivid. It was like a chain binding his soul, a constant reminder to fulfill their bargain swiftly.
Zi Wanhe knew all too well the consequences of breaking a deal with the Dream Ghost Clan, so he dared not slacken.
To this end, he had secretly ordered his most trusted subordinates to investigate any clues related to "Prosperous Dao," no matter how trivial.
Yet, it seemed Zi Wanhe had underestimated the difficulty of this task.
At first, he assumed there would be many places or factions named "Prosperous Dao" across the vast expanse, given its boundless size and the countless universes within it. Even duplicate names should be common.
But reality proved the opposite. It was as if the term "Prosperous Dao" had never existed in any era or world.
Zi Wanhe had even sent his once-favored descendant, Zi Susu, to discreetly search through ancient texts and visit other clans and factions for information.
The answer was the same: no records or mentions of "Prosperous Dao" existed anywhere.
Zi Wanhe speculated that the term "Prosperous Dao" might carry immense karmic weight, as it was, in a sense, tied to the "Heavenly Dao." Many factions avoided using such names, fearing they could not bear the consequences.
But even so, it was strange that no trace of "Prosperous Dao" could be found in the myriad worlds.
No wonder even the all-powerful Dream Ghost Clan had come to him for help.
Of course, Zi Wanhe suspected another possibility: "Prosperous Dao" might have once existed in history but had been completely erased from the worlds for some reason. All records, memories, and even karmic ties related to it had been obliterated.
The sheer terror of such a force left him trembling, unsure of what forces might be at play.
"If time runs out, I may have no choice but to seek the Alliance Leader's help. He is enigmatic and possesses heaven-defying means. He might know something." Zi Wanhe's expression was grave.
At this moment, a deep purple mark glowed faintly on his forehead, resembling a droplet of liquid. Upon closer inspection, the mark seemed to spread like ink on paper, with faint black tendrils extending like ancient roots, burrowing deep into his brow.
This was the Dream Ghost Clan' countdown.
When that deep purple mark fully infiltrates the depths of his consciousness, Zi Wanhe has no idea what will happen to him, but he knows it won't be anything good.
The reappearance of the Dream Ghost Clan and their sudden search for "Prosperous Dao" raises questions.
Is there something within "Prosperous Dao" that the Dream Ghost Clan are seeking?
But where exactly is "Prosperous Dao"?
…
"When will this war end? Is it really worth it?"
"The Dark Beings haven't intervened yet, but there's no guarantee they won't take advantage when both the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Alliance of Righteous Unity are weakened. If this war ends in mutual destruction, the Dark Beings will only benefit from the chaos."
In a quiet courtyard, where a gentle stream flowed and bamboo rustled in the breeze, Ling Yuling couldn't help but shake her head as she watched Gu Changge, who seemed as carefree as ever.
Apart from issuing a few decrees at the beginning, Gu Changge had paid little attention to the war between the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Alliance of Righteous Unity, leaving most of the handling to her.
He seemed to care only about the outcome, not the process.
He never inquired about casualties or spoils of war.
Ling Yuling couldn't even guess his true purpose for starting this war.
From start to finish, he hadn't left this small courtyard, spending his days drinking tea, enjoying flowers, and fishing, exuding an air of leisure.
"Benefit from the chaos?"
Gu Changge smiled casually, utterly unconcerned. "It's not yet clear who will benefit."
Ling Yuling sighed softly, knowing she couldn't fathom Gu Changge's thoughts. Rather than speculating aimlessly, she decided to focus on other matters.
"The Alliance of Righteous Unity must have gained some kind of backing to dare confront us so boldly. But recently, they've been at a disadvantage, suffering heavy losses on all fronts…"
"What I don't understand is that the Dark Beings clearly have some agreement with the Alliance of Righteous Unity, yet they haven't appeared to assist in this war. Isn't that strange?"
She walked over gracefully, naturally pouring tea for Gu Changge and herself.
Sitting down, she blew gently on the steaming tea and took a small sip.
"The Dark Beings are busy with greater matters. They have no time or energy to care about the Alliance of Righteous Unity's fate."
Gu Changge picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled mysteriously. "You, a former hero who resisted the Black Calamity, surely haven't forgotten the Dark Beings' goals?"
Ling Yuling shot him a reproachful glance. "You always tease me about that. What does it matter if I was a hero? Now I'm just working under you, running around on your behalf."
"It seems you've spent too much time with Mu Yan. You've picked up her sharp tongue." Gu Changge chuckled lightly.
Ling Yuling smiled faintly, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. "If even you say so, then the rumors must be true. The Dark Beings are indeed trying to resurrect the Heaven-Warring Lord through a grand ritual. But judging by how this news has spread, there's likely a fourth force involved besides the Alliance of Righteous Unity, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, and the Dark Beings…"
Gu Changge looked at her with interest, seemingly surprised she'd bring this up.
"Then tell me, who might this fourth force be?" he asked.
"I suspect it might be related to the escaped Saintess Xiyuan. After all, her master is Sage Xi, the former Western Sage, a figure on par with the Central Monarch, Southern Sovereign, Northern Emperor, and Eastern Emperor."
"The Mirror of Reincarnation is still in the Saintess Xiyuan's hands, and her current whereabouts are unknown. I suspect she might be with Sage Xi now. And who else would know so much about the Heaven-Warring Organization but figures like Sage Xi?"
Ling Yuling spoke thoughtfully after a moment of consideration.
Gu Changge nodded, his expression one of serious contemplation. "Your analysis makes sense. However, this fourth force is neither friend nor foe. For now, they shouldn't pose much conflict with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance."
Ling Yuling agreed. "But given the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's reputation, it's inevitable that we'll eventually cross paths with this hidden force. I think it's best to prepare for that possibility."
Gu Changge looked at her approvingly and smiled. "It seems you care more about the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's future than I do, its leader."
"This is your life's work. I want to do what I can to help, as a way to make up for misunderstanding you in the past."
"Hearing you say that makes all the effort I've put into you feel worth it." Gu Changge gently set down his teacup, a faint smile on his lips.
Perhaps even Ling Yuling herself felt her recent changes were natural and reasonable.
But Gu Changge still found it somewhat unfamiliar.
He actually admired her more when she stood atop Mountain of Myriad Wonders, boldly facing death to prove her innocence before all clans and factions.
However, her decisiveness in severing part of her memories to hide the whereabouts of the Sixfold Celestial Abyss Armor was commendable.
Though, in the beginning, she had overestimated the importance of the Sixfold Celestial Abyss Armor to Gu Changge.
Swoosh!
The fishing rod lightly skimmed the surface of the pond, the thin, crystalline line dropping straight into the water and creating small ripples.
Gu Changge leaned lazily in his wicker chair, the fishing rod at his feet, waiting for a willing catch.
Ling Yuling couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.
Who in the world would imagine that, during such turbulent times in the vast expanse, the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance—the very instigator of the chaos—would be leisurely fishing in his courtyard?
But she could also see that the pond before Gu Changge, though clear and shallow, was layered with overlapping dimensions, its waters suffused with the aura of countless worlds.
Who knew what Gu Changge was trying to catch?
The courtyard returned to its tranquil silence.
The aroma of tea filled the air as Ling Yuling patiently brewed tea for Gu Changge over a small red-clay stove. She added precious tea leaves one by one, their brilliance merging to create dazzling phenomena.
Just then, a voice called from outside the courtyard:
"Alliance Leader, I've brought the person you requested…"