Chapter 446

"Of course I remember. When the Lan Que Department Master suddenly perished, people from the Heavenly Realm came and took away the source of the Lanque Main World. I heard that the Lanque Main World is now closed off and not communicating with the outside world. I don't know what the situation is now..."

"Actually, I heard that the celestial envoy who came to the Lanque Main World to seize the World Source was none other than the Ziwei Immortal King!"

"What?! Is that really true?!"

"... I'm not sure either, I've just heard it."

"Forget what you've heard, let's go to the Lanque Main World right now and see if it's really true!"

"Yes, yes, yes! If it's true, we can use the Lanque Main World to see if we can establish a connection with the Immortal King!"

"Let's go without delay!"

On the other side.

After the immortals left...

Instead of immediately returning to the Ziwei Great World to reorganize the situation, Xiao Minghuang looked extremely nervous. She turned her gaze to a small asteroid shimmering faintly beyond the distant stars.

As her gaze moved, starlight flowed from her fingertips, and runes leaped, seemingly ready to unleash endless brilliance at any moment.

As far as the eye could see, there was clearly nothing there, nor any special aura, yet Xiao Minghuang felt as if she were standing on the edge of an abyss, walking on thin ice. It was as if in this vast and deep abyss, under the illumination of the stars, there was an ancient and mighty great being dwelling there, radiating an endless sense of oppression.

"Phew~"

Xiao Minghuang let out a long sigh, his gaze grave.

Then, she spoke softly:

"Now that the Celestial Venerable has arrived, why not show himself so that this junior may behold his divine countenance?"

Her voice was soft, like a murmur, or a call, echoing in this ethereal place.

As she spoke, ripples spread through the void, concentric circles expanding outwards.

Splash~

Soon, a path constructed from illusion appeared, bridging nothingness and reality, leading directly to the other side.

The next instant, Xiao Minghuang felt his feet firmly planted on solid ground, and the surrounding scenery rushed backward, as if time and space were flowing backward, taking him away from this world!

In just a few breaths, everything before my eyes suddenly became clear.

What came into view was a towering vine.

It spreads far and wide, its branches and leaves flourishing, twisting and turning like dragons and snakes, each vine covered with lush green leaves, as clear and translucent as jade.

A misty aura spread out, transforming into fog that rose and filled the void, intoxicating all who beheld it.

Xiao Minghuang looked up and saw a magnificent celestial palace standing atop the vines.

The Heavenly Palace was majestic, layer upon layer, with a total of 9,999 steps. Its entire body was dark gold, and every brick, every beam, and every floor tile was made of divine materials and engraved with array patterns, making it mysterious and unpredictable. In the distance, one could vaguely see a 9,000-foot divine ring covering the sky, with divine brilliance and auspicious light rising.

Xiao Minghuang blinked.

When she opened her eyes again.

The surrounding scenery has changed.

She looked around and discovered that it was a vast and strange palace filled with endless misty Rosy Clouds. Above the palace, a bright sun hung, casting down boundless auspicious light, making the place look like a dream.

Inside the main hall, a figure stood with his hands behind his back.

This was an absolutely beautiful young woman, her entire body shrouded in an extremely thin mist, as if chaos was swirling around her, making her incredibly mysterious and ethereal.

Xiao Minghuang's gaze narrowed slightly, unable to make out the girl's face clearly. He could only vaguely see that she was wearing a green robe, with a slender and graceful figure, a slim waist, and flowing black hair, like a willow swaying in the breeze, dreamlike and ethereal.

But even this hazy, indistinct figure made Xiao Minghuang feel an immeasurable and immense majesty!

Even just standing there exerted immense pressure on Xiao Minghuang.

It was as if she wasn't facing a single person.

Instead, we are facing a great being that has existed since time immemorial.

Facing a vast and boundless universe.

Facing a long river of time that rolls on relentlessly, endlessly, burying countless living beings throughout history!

The immense pressure was so overwhelming that even Xiao Minghuang, as a Celestial King, found it difficult to breathe and could hardly bear it.

And at this time...

A warm current suddenly appeared in her lower abdomen, supporting her body and easing the pressure from the immense aura.

At the same instant.

The young girl descended slowly from the heights, her moon-white dress swaying in the wind, her sleeves fluttering. She was barefoot, as graceful as a fairy, dancing like a butterfly.

As the girl in the green dress approached, a delicate fragrance filled the air, causing Xiao Minghuang to involuntarily sniffle.

The fragrance, like a wisp of smoke, drifted in and captivated, making one forget all worries and everything else.

Her pupils reflected the girl in the green robe, still hazy, yet becoming increasingly clear, until finally transforming into an immortal of unparalleled beauty and captivating charm.

What kind of girl was she?

With bright eyes and white teeth, delicate eyebrows, snow-white skin, a beautiful nose and cherry lips, her features were as exquisite as a porcelain doll's. In particular, her pair of dark, bright eyes seemed to contain endless time and could see through the past, present, and future.

Her ethereal and otherworldly aura made her seem as if she was born to stand above the masses, as if the very essence of creation had been bestowed upon her.

She stood there quietly, like a painting, captivating the eye.

"Junior Xiao Minghuang pays respects to the Heavenly Venerable!"

Xiao Minghuang bowed deeply, his expression extremely respectful.

"Xiao Minghuang, you have good courage and potential."

The girl in the green robe spoke, her voice like silver bells, melodious as heavenly music, yet dignified and awe-inspiring.

Even without those words, Xiao Minghuang knew that the girl before him was indeed a Celestial Venerable.

In the Longevity Heaven Realm, to be able to transfer her from the Cangming Star Domain to this unknown place without her noticing, possessing such immense power, she couldn't think of anyone other than the Longevity Heavenly Venerable who had such abilities.

"What exactly does the Celestial Venerable intend to do upon his arrival?"

The question flashed through Xiao Minghuang's mind, and he respectfully replied, "Your Excellency flatters me. I have only arrived here by chance and good fortune."

547. The Heavenly Emperor's Secret

"Just luck?" The girl in the green robe shook her head with a smile. "You're not just lucky. In my opinion, luck is also a part of strength, and a decisive factor at that."

She extended a smooth, white hand, as if carved from mutton-fat jade, from within her sleeve, transcending the barrier of space, and gently touched Xiao Minghuang's brow.

In an instant, Xiao Minghuang's consciousness suddenly sank, and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a gray fog.

She looked up and was astonished to find herself standing on the bank of a long river, a mighty, surging river whose source and end were unknown.

In the surging river, one seems to see all living beings, some crying and wailing, others laughing and playing... Endless creatures float in this long river, seemingly never to end.

Under Xiao Minghuang's watchful gaze, they gradually drifted away, disappearing into the endless torrent and turning into bubbles.

"This is..."

"The long river of time."

As the voice rang out.

A girl in a green robe, or rather, the figure of the Longevity Heavenly Venerable, appeared beside Xiao Minghuang.

"All living beings in this world are subject to the ebb and flow of time."

As she spoke, she reached out a delicate, fair hand from her sleeve, dipped it into the rolling river, stirred it slightly, gently grasped it, and then withdrew it.

A glimmer of inspiration seemed to have been drawn out by her and landed in the chaotic mist.

Sensing the aura emanating from the spiritual light, Xiao Minghuang was suddenly startled.

"This is... the true spirit of the Li Yan Immortal King!"

"His life wasn't meant to end there; he'll live a second life."

The words had barely left his mouth.

With a flick of his finger, the Longevity Heavenly Venerable sent forth a beam of azure light that enveloped the true spirit of the Li Yan Immortal King. The light then transformed into a streak of light that shot into the sky and vanished into the vast chaos in an instant.

He will have a bright future.

After speaking, the Longevity Heavenly Venerable turned his gaze to Xiao Minghuang and smiled, "You must be curious, right? Li Yan Immortal King clearly bestowed the Immortal Dao Fruit upon you, so why didn't he die completely?"

Xiao Minghuang nodded.

She was indeed curious, not only about the Li Yan Immortal King, but also about the Great Jin Chang Immortal King.

In the battle just now, she clearly destroyed all the remaining fragments of the Great Dao of the Great Jin Chang Immortal King, but she had a vague intuition that the Great Jin Chang Immortal King's true spirit did not seem to be truly annihilated, but rather escaped to safety.

She hadn't felt this way when she killed the Immortal King Bo Feng before.

Your doubts are valid.

The Longevity Heavenly Venerable explained, "The reason why a Celestial King is a Celestial King is precisely because there is a fundamental difference between a Celestial King and the cultivators below him, or even True Immortals and Celestial Lords."

"Whether one is a cultivator, a true immortal, or an immortal lord, their path of cultivation is all about cultivating the Dao and seeking the Dao, because they themselves are external to the Dao, and therefore seek it."

"The Immortal King is different. He is already established within the Dao. The so-called Immortal King's Dao Fruit is imprinted on the Great Dao and regarded as a component of the Great Dao. Therefore, as long as the Great Dao does not perish, the Immortal Dao Fruit will not perish; as long as the Immortal King Dao Fruit does not perish, the Immortal King's True Spirit will not perish; as long as the True Spirit does not perish, the Immortal King will not truly die."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly and said, "Thank you for your teachings, Heavenly Venerable, but my true spirit has been immersed in the long river of time, undergoing countless reincarnations. Is this wisp of true spirit... or rather, is 'he' still 'he'?"

"In the eyes of the world, it may no longer be the case, but in the eyes of the Great Dao, it has never changed."

After hearing this explanation, Xiao Minghuang was even more confused.

If the Immortal Dao Fruit is imprinted on the Great Dao, then the Great Dao will never perish, and thus the Immortal King will never perish.

So, why did the Immortal King Bo Feng perish completely?

When she killed her opponent, she clearly sensed that the Immortal King Bo Feng had not had his true spirit fall into the river of time.

However, Xiao Minghuang did not ask this question; her immediate priority was not that.

The thoughts of the Longevity Heavenly Venerable and Xiao Minghuang seemed to coincide, and neither of them continued to discuss the issue.

"Now, let's talk about you!"

Xiao Minghuang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening. He hurriedly bowed and said respectfully, "Please enlighten me, Heavenly Venerable. I am all ears."

Of course she knew that if the Longevity Heavenly Venerable wanted to save the Li Yan Immortal King, he could have done so long ago; there was no need to wait until now and make a move in front of her.

Now, to display such great power in front of her is clearly a deliberate act.

The reason why Xiao Minghuang became a Celestial King was largely... or rather, the decisive factor was the Dao Fruit of the Li Yan Immortal King.

Therefore, the karmic connection between her and the Li Yan Immortal King is so deep that it cannot be severed.

The Longevity Heavenly Venerable helped the Li Yan Immortal King reincarnate and cultivate again, but in doing so, she transferred the karma between herself and the Li Yan Immortal King to herself.

The deeper meaning behind this was beyond Xiao Minghuang's comprehension.

"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance."

The Longevity Heavenly Venerable chuckled, "However, I am quite curious about you."

"I dare not, I am filled with trepidation."

Xiao Minghuang lowered her head.

Before her, that graceful figure in cyan seemed to control the entire cosmos, or be the ruler of the heavens, overlooking all living beings, invincible.

"You don't need to be modest. I'm just curious. You've only been around for a thousand years. How can you have covered in such a short time the path that geniuses throughout history took several, even hundreds or thousands of epochs to complete?"

The Longevity Heavenly Venerable spoke softly, yet every word was profound and soul-stirring, sending chills down Xiao Minghuang's spine.

Throughout history, those who have reached the realm of Immortal King have all been exceptional individuals, possessing extraordinary talent. However, only Xiao Minghuang has achieved this in such a short time, and it is highly likely that no one else will ever do so again in the future.

"I simply happened to be there and acted accordingly."