As those unhurried words drifted forth, a Daoist appeared beside Starwatcher.
His face was the color of a ripe date, three long wisps of beard hanging to his chest. He possessed an ineffable air of immortal grace and Daoist poise, a whisk in hand as he sat upright and imposing.
He was not some hidden figure. Earlier, he had drunk and chatted with them, laughing and making merry, and had even introduced himself by name.
It was only that Starwatcher had not remembered.
But now, he did.
Pointing at the other man, Starwatcher trembled as he said, "Heart-Inscription! It really is you—you're not dead?"
Heart-Inscription Dao Master smiled. "No, you are mistaken. I am dead, and so are you. We are all dead. Yet our Dao has merged with Heaven; though our bodies perish, our spirits do not. We return to the source, forever enjoying eternal youth, cycling with the Heavenly Dao, undying through countless ages."
Gongsun Die stared blankly at him. "So that's how it is... I seem to remember something... Sister, we didn't cultivate our way up here... We came here after dying..."
Chi Wanning also seemed to recall something, suddenly enlightened. "Yes, we came here after death."
Luo Yu said, "You are all Sovereigns. Sovereigns remain indestructible through ten thousand tribulations after death. That is perfectly normal."
"Then why didn't you say so before?" Linlang Tian demanded sharply.
One Daoist sighed. "A Sovereign's true body is eternally firm, undying for ten thousand years. Without a great calamity, one cannot ascend, so most who enter here forget how they came in. We already told you before: this place is our final resting place, where all the troubles and worries of the past are forgotten. Why must you insist on recalling them?"
"But you know!" Dead Tusk immediately said.