The Shifting Tide, the Crystal Treasure Tree, the Sacred Origin Sect, and Morning Dew Evening Harvest

Across the vast heavens and earth and the many Grotto-Heavens, towering, terrifying figures and others blazing with brilliant light conversed through the void with their divine senses.

"About eight years ago, boundless purple qi suddenly appeared across heaven and earth, and our Dao Ranks wavered slightly. We joined forces to divine its cause, but learned nothing.

Now, nearly eight years later, another omen has appeared. This time, it is not purple qi but rainbow clouds spanning heaven and earth, setting the stars ablaze until they seem ready to fall into the mortal realm.

The omens grow ever more mysterious, and our Dao Ranks waver more violently. I wonder what will happen if another omen appears. Will we fall from our Dao Ranks? Will all our cultivation come to nothing?"

"I share your concern."

"What do you propose? Heaven's secrets are shrouded, and divination has yielded nothing. What can we do?"

"If it comes to that, we'll exterminate every living soul in the mortal realm! The boundless purple qi eight years ago may have signaled the reincarnation of a Supreme being. If we kill every mortal—no, every human in our Grotto-Heavens as well—we'll eliminate the threat!"

"Jinlan, your notion is laughable. Even if a Supreme being was reincarnated eight years ago, must it have been reborn human? Could it not be a spirit? Or even a grain of sand, a lake, or a spirit plant? Can you destroy everything in existence?

You might as well shatter the world outright. But if the world perishes, our Grotto-Heavens will lose their foundation, and we will fall with them. What then?"

"This won't do, that won't do. Are we to sit here and wait for death?"

"Who said anything about waiting for death? What I find strange is why you all assume the trembling