Amid a brief moment of astonishment, Meng Qi saw Liu Luo transform into a streak of Clear Light. She rose from the broken hall floating in the void and flew toward the imperial carriage formed by the ancient Big Dipper.
Leaving?
Was she heading toward the "Heavenly Emperor" on his inspection tour?
Afraid it would be too late?
Worried she would miss the Big Dipper carriage?
As countless thoughts surfaced, Meng Qi seized that sudden glimmer of inspiration. Without stopping to think, he rose into the air and followed "Nine Heavens Xuan Nü" toward that solitary, imposing, mysterious, and lonely figure of supreme nobility. The closer he drew, the more he felt the timeless indifference of years like knives, each cut hastening one's age. This was an eternal, unchanging truth. This was the "Dao."
Time had settled into layer upon layer of liquid barriers. As Meng Qi pierced through them, he felt at one moment as if a hundred years had passed in an instant, and at another as if time had slowed to a crawl. All he could see was black and white. If his Limitless Chaos intent had not already reached a measure of mastery, allowing him to prove the Illusory Great Dao, collapse space, and coil up time, he might have been lost here forever, reduced to dust in the river of years.
Even so, the forceful aura sweeping the surroundings still made Meng Qi tremble in body and mind. Even when he circulated his Primordial Heart and cut away the thoughts it stirred, he could barely restrain himself. The deeper he went, the more he felt dizzy and numb.
Just then, the clash of metal rang out from within the Big Dipper, like the toll of a great bell. Its clear, soul-stirring echo resounded without end,